Alex Diode is a Drum & Bass enthusiast from MA, USA. He prefers long bass on the drums & neurofunk at sunset.
Blackout recently released its Evolutions Vol. 3. This is a fantastic collection from the label with releases from Proxima, Merikan, Spashheads, The Clamps, and Cod3x. Proxima’s “Closely” with its massive baselines and snappy snare. Merikan, however, takes the cake here. This massively hype peace of danger is amazing. The drop and the synth hits in it with that old school reese style bass line is simply “sick” to say the least.
Trilo is certainly a repsected neurofunk producer in the Drum & Bass scene. His sound is typically that type that makes you want to grind deep in the depths of your mind. “Exit Ticket” is certainly neurofunk! While it’s bass is a bit “crunchier” than this style, the tight drums and perfectly levels subs keep it in that deep funk vibe. “Panic Room” is the perfect track for your mix. That ne wave style dark break down and the foley drum fill just before the drop bring you in to a this wide sounding crunchy bass line that keeps you rolling though. Take a listen to how the drums sit as well. Its an amazing peace of engineered music. Big ups to Trilo on this and the infamous Bad Taste Recordings bringing you the best in Drum & Bass music. And the artwork… Is something else!
From the Presser:
Slovakian producer Trilo returns to Bad Taste with a technology driven single bringing gritty and grooving funk into the neuro realm. He brilliantly executes his style of blending theatrical atmospheric’s and signature sound-design with these two tracks.
With the current state of the world we live in, often feeling trapped behind technology and everyday life, it’s important to have a way out, an exit ticket of sorts…
Kodin (Eatbrain, Mindtech, Close 2 Death) comes from Croatia with some massively technical sounds. “Get Yourz” starts off with a simple pad and atmosphere. While simple it is a “pretty”sound. the pad then comes pitched up to build you up into the drop. This is where its at! The drop is bad ass. With deep, crunchy bass, and those chopped up vocals, this track is seriously NEURO funky. Throughout the track you get a sense of that neuron vibe. The from synth hits, filtered chords this A side certainly does the trick and is needed for your deep mind adventures.
Then there is this track… Oh my epicness! Billain and Kodin team up on the track “Exobiota.” This track is beautifully arranged. The intro has some epic dark anime style pads. You and I will agree that the intro pads and strings can be a stand alone track. The brass comes through so well. The intrigue continues with the synth in the break down to build up. The hoover style synth brings you in, pitching up, raising you into OBLIVION! “I’m seeing things” and BOOM the drop! Certainly noticeable, billion drums and fast has with a crunchy sampled bass line. We dig it. Epic track from the duo. You need this. Probably one of the greatest workout beats out there for sure.
Major League is a heavyweight in the party scene of the Netherlands. Their events are true to Drum & Bass and have brought amazing acts such as Pendulum, The Upbeats, Ed Rush, John B, and many many more. The promoters have now come through with a record label that will showcase the quality of sound the events will have.
On their listing is this amazing release featuring one of our favorite producer duos, Zombie Cats. They bring on Safra with their track Portal that is absolutely smashing. The drop is AMAZING. The wide, unisoned, pitched up bass just brings you in and through the wave of craziness the switch drops into sick neurofunk. Deep and cerebral baselines, acid style synth blips in the back, and super tight drums. Who could ask for more?! But then they give us more!!!!!!! Oh my good ness, the Joe Ford remix… Lets let the track do the talking:
From the label:
Drum & Bass nightlife operation turned label, ”Major League DNB” offers their third outing in a string of thoroughly curated releases. This time around international twosome ”Zombie Cats” make their re-appearance on the Holland based imprint. The 3rd installment (MLDNB003) in the label series opens up with a rework of ”Portal” by household ”Shogun Audio” name ”Joe Ford”. The opening track is a somewhat brutal effort that showcases ”Joe Ford’s” signature high energy approach whilst cleverly re-assembling the main elements of the original. The original version of ”Portal” kicks in straight after the rework. The title track of the EP is actually a collaboration between Zombie Cats and Berlin Based ”Safra”. Whilst the rework is somewhat of a frenzy, the original effort proves to be a little more on the technoid side of things.”Little Monsters” is not only the closing down track but also a bonafide dancefloor destroyer.
HumDruma Recordings
This release certainly brings me back to my origins. The Mighty Dreadnaut releases “Bravehearted” on HumDruma and its backed with the jump up track “Tear” up. “Brave hearted” is certainly a decent jungle track. While it may not be the most creative the track is pretty well produced. Jungle fans anywhere would certainly like to keep this in their pods and listen up on the ride to their next hype night.
Drum & Bass fans around the world are lucky to have their ears blessed with this various artists album on the famed label Critical Music. Critical who is known for their deep Drum & Bass releases with artists like Mefjus, Signal, Signs, Hyrogifics, and so many more amazing producers, does it so well with this Binary:Codes LP.
DNBMAGAPPROVED is certainly Subtension’s “Run for Rum” track. Not only is it a well engineered track, Subtension keeps us intrigued throughout the track and then drops some breakbeat switch up on the second drop! Amazing!
From the label:
“Binary is a platform for new and less established artists to release their music and to expose themselves to a wider audience. So far we have been the launch pad for acts such as Hyroglifics, Signal, Klax and more.
After 12 of our ‘Binary Presents’ releases we felt we should celebrate those acts in the underground on their way to making considerable waves by compiling this album. 13 tracks of cutting edge new music by a plethora of exciting new producers.
We hope you are as excited about the future as we are!” Kasra 2016
Listen to the release below and visit Critical Music here.
L Double’s Flex Records brings it big this time with releasing a fantastic release of immense proportions. The label that hails from UK got a group of artists and signed some of their best tracks for an good ol’ All American party! We were excited to hear about this from its conception. This gave an opportunity for these artist to mingle and grow as producers. It also shows what is to come in the future of American Drum & Bass. The land of the free and the home of the bass!
Lets be real here. I’m biased and I think my tracks on the LP are the best. HA! But in all honesty I had to choose my top 5 from the plethora of talent that comes through this EP.
#1 is the intro track Glitch & Pish Posh “Before Adam.” This is what neurofunk is all about. The track brings you back to the days of Kemal, Rob Data, etc. The erie atmospheres, stabbing filtered synths, tight bass stabs and smooth neuro drums hit so well on a big system.
#2 is Space Journey’s “Arcturi.” While I wish the track was a little meatier in the midrange the drop wobble is so sick! The switch
is so much better! That switch hits super fast with the synth stabs flying you through the maze of bass! Great track if I do say so myself. And… I am. *wink*
#3 is Pish Posh “Programmed to Ignite.” This track was certainly programmed for something. That neck breaking grunge facing neuro crunker standing in the middle of the dance floor not giving 2 f*%ks about anyone else. Deep into the beat and the bass line.
#4 is from the one we know as Liminal and his track “Frozen.” The offbeat amen style drums, the baseline, and that smooth vocal takes this track home. Gotta love this liquid sound here. Fantastic mix down and just an over all feel good track.
#5 and certainly not least is The Burner Brothers & Liminal with this AMAZING track called “Good Life.” This track speaks for itself… You need to get in if you haven’t yet.
A major shout out to all Artists involved. Pish Posh , The Burner Brothers , Space Journey , Liminal & Bengal ,NoizeKomplaint , Mixed Media & iIl Omen, HammerZz & Glitch.
https://soundcloud.com/spacejourneyofficial/sets/altered-states-lp-out-now
The name that we all know in the Drum & Bass scene has attached itself to a new remix this year. Bad Company UK is known for some nasty music. They delivered us The Bridge, Dogfight, Bullet Time which was later remixed by Spor, and the all time classic Tech Step track The Nine. Just recently they have reemerged and gave us a free download in the tune “Equilibrium.” They have also come out with their second public track and its a remix of a track by one of my personal favorite groups of all time, The Prodigy.
The Day is My Enemy is the title track from the Prodigy album released in 2015. The remix by the UK based group is defiantly a good one. Its a bit reminiscent to old school RAM during the pendulum and Suib Focus days but certainly is a great track to drop in a mix or on the dance floor. All respect to the pioneers of Tech Step, Bad Company is coming back! Check out the track and the buy link below.
We have been fans of Current Value for something. Every release comes through correct and original. His style is by far one of the most unique while maintaining energy, craft, and the engineering is just on point. Tim (Current Value) is certainly a machine in human disguise. He churns out tunes like McDonald’s churns out hamburgers. Except his tunes are far tastier and healthy for the Drum & Bass soul. Heavy bass, crunchy beats is what current value and this EP “Rethink” is no different or is it..
This artist was known in the past for heavy drums, sick bass, and you know what? Nothing has changed but the sub-genre is now Neurofunk. We are certainly welcoming it! With projects like MachineCode and releases on Critical, Blackout, & Eatbrain, CV is a true musician who’s found his calling in Drum & Bass. Othercide Records was on the same page and they took on an amazing rendition of music with great remixes to boot.
This release allows you to literally take a step back and re-analyze what Drum & Bass is, was and will be. This artist is truly brings you back with some awesome pads, atmospheres, synths, to the days of circa 2004 but gives you these gut wrenching baselines. The sounds this man creates can be considered circa 2030. Some of the bass sounds make me think of movies like Space Odyssey or Tron and the kind of music those movies should’ve had.
This Rethink release has interesting points to be touched on. First is the track “The Deep” which can bring you back to older Current Value music from labels like as Position Chrome and Section 8. I was interested to hear this experimental sound and the touching back on those metallic drums I was always waiting to hear. The atmosphere given my this track is erie to say the least but at the same time you feel like you’re on a floating pixelated cloud that continuously glitches and changes with every effect going on. It’s an interesting take compared to the slammers on this release.
Current Value and Othercide bring in their friends. Billain who is well known for extremely fast beats, crazy bass, and
immense sound design remixes the title track “Rethink.” Now, I must say it can’t touch the title track but Billain does the tune justice! This is one of the few tracks Billain has written where you and hear some emotion in the tune. Billain is known to put forth Robot Drum & Bass and the synths in this one are a bit different. It’s still a “Billain” track, though! Fast, Hard, Snappy, and the switch up and effects used throughout are so awesome! Next are the Signs remix of Serum X and Dean Rodell’s remix of Capsule. Both were done extremely well!
CV rocks it the hardest however with the title track. “Rethink” is that tear out Drum & Bass we all love to crank out to on the dance floor. We won’t talk much about it. This track speaks for itself! Don’t take our word for it. Listen. Then pre-order!
This thing speaks for itself. We love some Current Value!