Drum & Bass Recommendations April 2014

Review: Easily one of drum & bass's biggest tunes in the last year, Sigma's "Rudeboy" can be found sung in unity on all floors in all territories. "Track 1" reminds us of its original timeless charms while "Track 2" provides all the necessary VIP science... Added slamming dynamics on the beats, a brand new tear-up bassline and 1000 per cent more energy, it's the VIP to end all VIPs. It genuinely doesn't get any bigger than this.

Review: It's been a while since Delta Heavy last served up muscular bass cuts like these. Naturally the wait's been more than worth it. "Apollo" ignites with an intro so epic it will singe hairs off every member of your dancefloor. Dropping into mammoth bass textures and spine-melting synths, it's Delta Heavy at their heaviest. "The World Is Yours", meanwhile, is funkier synth-heavy groove that nags with nuances of techno and shades of 80s Moroder. Welcome back Delta Heavy... Don't leave it so long next time!

Review: Part two of two; Seba continues to stretch his production might with impressive results. "Life Is" is Seba at his deepest and most contemplative. With insistent pads, whimsical synth flurries, obese subs and a rhythm dynamic that builds subtly, it lives up to the EP's title in every way. "Science Fiction" is much harder hitting thanks to brash cymbal splashes, harrowed hollow bass and a foreboding top textures. Think Metalheadz and you get the picture. Mesmerizingly good...Seba, we salute you.

Review: The first of a very special two-part release from Swedish badman Seba, here his love for sci-fi and futuristic production is showcased in full effect. "Mesmerism" is a powerful slice of dark half-tempo drama. All moaning hoovers, stark synth hits and chubby percussion, it will stop the entire club in its tracks. "Physickl" is a more upbeat affair. Boasting synth sounds that aren't far off your classic Orbtial motifs, it taps into the richest veins of rave heritage. Quintessential Seba.

Review: One of Ram's most recent signees, Frankee represents the hype with two ridiculously massive cuts. "Gully" jams and jitters with a hardcore-style 4/4 rhythm and alien squeaks and screeches. The beautiful "Away" consummately counters the gnarliness with a lush Charlamagne-level vocal, glistening pianos and a dynamic that will send any rave to heaven. Gully indeed... Very few of D&B's new generation are smashing it the way Frankee does.

Review: Commercial Suicide return to The Draft, last year's album from label boss Klute and treat one of it's many highlights to a masterclass in the soulful roller from Calibre. Wisely Dom Martin has chosen to retain the hushed vocals of North Carolina based Klose that made the original so breath taking, extending the track to upwards of seven minutes and bringing his usual calibre (sorry) of hypnotic beauty to the table. Complementing this, Klute comes through with a new twilight roller in the shape of "Speak No Fish" that is just as good! Blue vinyl too son.

Review: New Zealand badman Dose seems to be on tour of the very best labels in D&B. Last spotted on Ram via Andy C's massive Nightlife 6 and before that SGN:LTD and Hospital. Now he's on Klute's Commercial Suicide. And he's not letting up: "Scourge" is a jittering jaunt into the tightest, funkiest corners of D&B darkness. Peppered with unpredictable fills, spooky textures and about four different basses, it guarantees instant crowd control. "Mind The Future", meanwhile, is a warped stomper that barges its way at you like a humungous swarm of kamikaze bees. Deadly peak time naughtiness, this could be Dose's biggest couplet to date.

Review: Having demonstrating their collaborative clout on V, Horizons and Warm Communications, Need For Mirrors and HLZ jump aboard the good ship Spearhead with two more smouldering rollers. "Mother Of Pearl" is a majestic adventure into D&B's most soulful pastures. All deep and spacious, it's a tear-jerking sensation that will captivate the hardest of floors. "Heart Speak" sees NFM go solo for an even dreamier escapade that shimmers with tinkling pianos, rumbles with a bubbling cosmic bassline and echoes with ghostly vocal textures. Outstanding.

Review: Fresh from outings on the hugely respected Goodlookin and Innerground imprints, Kazakhstan's strangest commander returns to Celsius with two deep, shiny rollers. "Future Perfect" wafts with breezy pads and an undulating funky bassline that bounds between the kicks. Wonderfully understated yet confidently heavy, it's an ideal balance of vibes wrapped up in a way only Command Strange knows how. "Soul Travel" is deep again; the pads and atmospherics are more subtle, allowing a more prominent bassline to ooze out of the blend. Gradually an array of musical elements creep back into the mix, building into something that works just as well on headphones as it does on the dancefloor. Just as the title says... Perfect.

Review: DLR, Script and Digital working together - it's a D&B dream come true. Martyna Baker's soft, sultry vocals on "Blue Room" add more depth to the velvety smooth synths and bass. With tight, techy drums punching through the suaveness, this totally is a seductive little number. On the other side, "Mini Cooper" shows Digital's dubby side, teaming minimal production with a big bad set of rubbery tyres. Two totally different styles, one massive release from one of the scene's biggest labels. Get involved.

Review: The wait is finally over! Hospital heroes Fred V & Grafix unleash their highly anticipated debut album. Has the wait been worth it? 100 per cent... Loaded with vibrant melodies, dynamite dynamics and perfectly executed vocals, it carries the perfect amount of clout for both dancefloors and headphones alike. Highlights include the shimmering twinkles and elastic bass of "Maverick Souls", the pummeling drums and timeless rave nuances of "Bladerunner" and the chart-destined arm-raiser "Catch My Breath". Yet another essential album from Hospital camp. Recognise!

Review: After a series of appearances on Veil and Auxiliary, Samuel Wood steps back to Samurai with two of his most complex beats to date. Heavy enough to shatter the dance, but weaved with such intricacy they're just as ideal for pure headphone submission, all his trademarks are in place: "Survive" scratches and scuffs with an emotive glare while Gloria's vocals are buried deep beneath a web of heavy pads and the sub bass groans over the soft steppy rhythm. "Erogenous" is as sensual as it sounds. Driven by a much more prominent drum dynamic, it immerses you in a sea of stunning vocal, synth and guitar elements, each one tied together by subtle acid. Show-stopping material.

Review: No self-respecting drum & bass fan passes up a new Calibre remix and this one is a doozy. Kicking off with Nitri's original "Going To The Sun" featuring the unmistakably smooth and sultry vocal talents of Grimm, things get deep and classy for the velvety depths of Calibre's excellent remix of "Lies". Of course the heads don't need us to tell them to pick this tune up - they'll have been waiting for it already. So what are you waiting for?

Review: Current Value and Dean Rodell's Machine Code project charges into the neurosphere at full pelt with three chop-slapping D&B blends. Mindscape takes "Reptile" and tickles every slimy scale of its underbelly with gritty roaring textures. "Drag Me", meanwhile, is a deeper roller with lush vocals, deep breathing synths and shivering pianos placed delicately over the bass. Finally The Sect apply all manner of paranoid processes and FX to "Earth". Three uncompromising reminders of Machine Code's matchless clout.