Drum & Bass Recommendations November 2013

Review: Noisia, Calyx & Teebee, Evol Intent... Three massive names on one mighty release, before you even press play you know this is going to be very special. "Hyenas" takes its name from the way they've made the bass laugh with a rapid manic motif. So sharp it can trim you a neat pirate goatee while you're spinning it, this shows why Noisia and Calyx & TeeBee are respected as some of the VERY best names in the game. "The Liquid" is equally shocking; here we find ourselves enveloped by moaning, groaning synths before a paranoid riff and stomping beats take to the fore and tear your entire face off. Remarkably heavy and unarguably essential.

Review: Thelem returns to Innamind after a few excursions on Artikal and Blackbox with two firing examples of why dubstep still excites and amazes in 2013. "Bring Me Down" has been bubbling since Outlook Festival last summer; featuring the emphatic lyrical warnings of emerging MC T Man, it's powered with such a bulbous bass riff you can't help but swagger. "False Imprint" comes with the same level of gritty gravitas; swapping mic-fronting for a series of psychedelic washes, it's another heavyweight from Thelem. Powerful stuff.

Review: It's an Audio extravaganza as Virus Recordings tease us in the build-up to his fourth album Force Of Nature. First up is a remix of Cause4Concern's classic "Peep Show". Adding more of a muscular body to the early noughties classic, he's brought it bang up to date without losing any of the original's icy sentiments. Next up, a killer VIP of "Headroom". One of 2012's biggest tracks (without argument), he's carefully drawn out the dynamic to ensure it still gets the hair-raising reaction it has done for the last 18 months while pushing it further into the deep, dark D&B future. Incredible.

Review: Shep Dog invites Irish dub-funkers Dirty Dubsters to the fray for a true skank schooling. The original rides bareback on a squelchy, bouncy riddim track that allows the vocals to cut through with crisp consciousness. Remix-wise Shep goes all digi-dancehall with tropical panache while Chopstick Dubplate (AKA Jacky Murda and Aries) lay down a pounding 170 new jungle version. All parties covered on one sweet release... Nice up your dance today.

Review: Metalheadz aren't known for their vocal smashers. But they are known for flipping the biggest switches in the game. And this collaboration between Italy's ARP XP and Poland's Reza is a fine example... "No Control" oozes post modern, paranoid soul as Kayka soars over the dreamy piano echoes and sharp steppy beats with the same level as Riya. Vocalist compliments don't come any higher. "Unknown Feelings" also incorporates a breath-taking vocal but here the focus has been shifted more towards the deep bass drones, stark, alien sound design and heavyweight kicks that Metalheadz is very well known for. An absolute gem of a 12", take control today.

Review: After nearly a decade of studio silence, D&B don Andy C has been making serious waves with his remixes in the last year or so. Finally he gets round to unleashing two of his own solo joints. Naturally, they both kill it. "Haunting" is the heavy-hitter with brash bass textures and crisp, hench-inducing arpeggio. "Workout" is a much funkier jam with cool horn stabs on the fills and a belching bassline that stabs and smirks throughout. It's clear he's not lost his studio touch, the Ram boss is well and truly back in the building!

Review: Prolix's Trendkill goes from strength to strength. Only four releases deep, they're already stamping their authority on the scene with a red hot branding iron. Both sides of this heavyweight 12" suggest why... Irish partnership Infiltrate take the A with a stripped back spiked out tear-up that's powered by industrial strength kicks, rich bass textures and cosmic, spine-shuddering pads. Meanwhile on the B Prolix collars the never-failing Klute for a spooked out stepper that rolls with molten metal grace. Demonic dynamics a-go-go, it's one of those cuts that keeps on building and building with genuine menace. Killer.

Review: The third sampler to be taken from Samurai's Horo Scope journey, it's yet another long distance trip into the audio abyss. Gremlinz & Reza's "Bloom" has a heartbeat that palpitates with undiluted low frequency steadiness, Klute reveals his emotions with iMax levels of cinematica, Cern thrusts forth with a fuggy fusion of grizzly subs and sniper riddims while Adam Elemental takes the concept of a roller and drowns it in atmospherics. Four wholly different cuts tied together with meditative beauty, the Scope album really does live up to its name.

Review: Identified by GQ's Emcee Recordings many years ago, Jubei's been contributing to drum & bass with consistency and icy, industrial strength confidence since 2006. Repping on Metalheadz since 2010, a debut album has been long overdue... Naturally he's not disappointed. Here are selected highlights spread neatly across three 12"s. Ranging from the almost cosmic, far-gazing fusion of the Goldie co-lab "The Prayer" to the minimal dub-tech of "Neon Eyes" via the mournful soulful yearning of "Incognito", each track reps Jubei at his brightest, boldest and baddest. Essential for all D&B heads.

Review: Taken from his long-awaited second album, this special double 12" features four firing slabs of contemporary, spine-shuddering D&B. "Safe In Sound" reaches up beyond the heavens with a hooky choral vocal chorus and oceanic synths, "You Make It Better" sizzles and twist with dreamy drama, "Eclipse" is one of those rush-riddled finale numbers that guarantees instant hugs and ardent unity while "Original" sees the Subster return to the roots with a more classically informed liquid roller. Each one a peach, there's no stopping Mr Focus right now!

Review: King of dusty breakbeat manipulation, jungle legend Paradox reaches a milestone 150th vinyl release. Still sounding as exciting, daring and forward thinking as he did when he emerged on Moving Shadow 20 years ago, both sides on this resonate with everything that's great about breakbeat culture. "Jupiter 89" is pure swamp jazz with spell-binding sample snippets buried deep in the fractious drum arrangements while "I Led You" is much more streamlined and classical thanks to its icy early-Metalheadz dynamism. A milestone for both Paradox and jungle, this is essential.

Review: One of the most influential men in modern bass mayhem, Phace's production techniques and standards are recognised as some of the most creative and daring in D&B. A brief blast on this dense, devilish four-tracker will show why; the sheet metal bass tears on "Blind Faith", the way "Vitreous" opens with spaced out psychedelic echoes of his recent Neosignal project before hurling itself into whirling brew of pure sonic evil, the paranoid drama of the wonderfully titled "Shitstorm" and the militant drum punctures of "Electronic Frontier"... Each one pushing the boundaries in a way only Phace knows how.

Review: Cyantific's label expands their roster and remit right here with new signing Karma. Peddling a classical, rolling sound that references D&B institutions such as Good Looking and Metalheadz across the two sides, Karma complements label-mates such as the synth-heavy Dimension really neatly. The emotive roller "Her Touch" isn't dissimilar to a Bcee or Hybrid Minds track, all lush jazzed out chords and smouldering vocals. "Salute", meanwhile, is a much darker cut where a steppy riddim is sharpened with menace and a tiger-like bass texture growls ominously. Two shades, one vinyl; Cyantific have delivered something special here.

Review: Drum&BassArena award winning Austrian Mefjus proves his hype once again with two outrageously heavy cuts. "Contemporary" (a collaboration with the equally talented Icicle) has already become an early seasonal highlight, all sheet metal sound design and mind-bending dynamics. "Dissaude" is heavier again; tub-thumping drama with a cinematic sense of drama, it's contemporary neuro on a Phace & Misanthrop level. Something tells us more awards will find their way onto the Mefjus trophy cabinet in the near future.