Drum & Bass Recommendations February 2011

Review: By now, you should know what to expect from Hype and Pascal's Playaz imprint. Suffice to say "True Born Playa" is another fierce bass bin attack from Gridlox and Prolix, with MC Fats providing some original jungle vocal flavour over a typically dark and intense bassline. Flip "Got To Roll" sees the trio career off down a very different path, offering up an immaculately produced liquid roller. With Fats providing a wonderfully soulful vocal to compliment Gridlox and Prolix' sensual sax and golden strings, it's an excellent alternative to the fist-pumping A-side. As usual, Playaz hit the spot.

Review: Rockwell’s rise to prominence as a rare, distinctive
talent has been exciting the electronica music circuit
the world over. Critical, thankfully, being the trusty
forefront for all things audio-aesthetically delicious,
presents the ‘Aria EP’ – 4 tracks of sound sublime,
exemplifying Rockwell’s refreshing angle on energy
in the club combined with the characteristic,
meticulously playful technicals, precise and thrilling
as ever.
The charmingly rustic intro of ‘Aria’ unleashes
striking Flinstones-esque wooden triplets, scaling
the track as stirring vocals weave through; haunting
and uplifting at once, the title-track exudes sheer
class. Slightly more buoyant, ‘Live For The Moment’
infuses an energetic tempo with profusions of earcarressing
funk and those ever-characteristic
percussive twists – naughty all over. Swiftly plunged
into apocalyptic darkness, the Ulterior Motive boys
take a sinister liking to ‘Noir’. Distinctly menacing
and genuinely frightening, what better to bully the
atmosphere than Hell-raising bass and staccato
violins. Listen out for the breakdown bass – horrific
and enriching, this track is dark by Devil’s definition.
Icing on the cake collaboration with underground
legend Untold comes in the form of ‘Rehoku
Sunrise’, a tribal earthy worldly masterpiece of
running....

Review: Breakbeat warriors Deekline and Ed Solo team up again, and this time they've gone for it. Not content with producing some of the nastiest, wobbliest breakbeat around, they've decided to turn their hand to drum & bass and another release on Jungle Cakes. Lead cut "King Of The Bongo" is a cheeky exercise in bootleg jump-up buffoonery - the sort of tune that boasts a grin a mile wide and a happy dancefloor to match. Flip "Stickybuds Guaranteed" opts for a slightly more old skool jungle approach, mashing up skankin' MC and familiar pop vocals. It goes without saying that both tunes feature stupidly heavy basslines.

Review: Hats off to Instra:mental and D-Bridge. So far, their Autonomic label has offered up a fresh new take on drum and bass and dubstep, utilising downtempo, pop and experimental elements to stunning effect. This two-tracker, featuring a cut each from the label head honchos, is just as surprising and enthralling as any of Autonomic's previous releases. Instra:mental's "From The Start" doesn't really sound like dubstep or drum and bass. It has a sparse rhythmic pulse all of its own, alongside electronic melodies that sound like Broadcast at their ethereal best. D-Bridge's "Detuned Heart" moves even further towards vintage Warp territory, coming on like early Autechre or Aphex Twin circa Selected Ambient Works.

Review: Newly added to the dictionary as the definition of the term 'hot cakes' is this delightful marble one sided twelve from QNS, the last in a series of sultry twelves from Felix K's Hidden Hawaii imprint. Adhering to the series' credence, this is a strictly limited pressing of 150 and filled with a totally anonymous production that strips drum and bass of its excessive qualities, leaving the track teetering on the brink between half step skank and hushed misty electronica. It's indelibly stamped with a sonic sensibility seemingly restricted to Berlin and, much like previous Hidden Hawaii releases, comes highly recommended!