Category: Techstep

Tech-step Music

Glados EP Represents

So I recently had the opportunity to fully listen to the Glados EP out on Inspected Records thanks to the almighty Terminal. This is a various artist EP that does well against others and we are surely impressed from the status that Insected has put forth.

Glados EP features Neurofunk heavyweights Billain, Malux, Posij, and nuero-hop/dubstep badman Culprate. This eclectic EP brings forth al sides of the neuro brain. Billain comes with his track “Specialist” which shows the sickest in his sound design and though its a “emotionless” track as soon as the drop hits, it sure stirs the fire into being a fast paced technically sound tune. Malux comes correct as always and hits hard with his dance floor oriented Neurofunk with his track “Rubix” our favorite of this EP. Posij comes super correct on this EP. Posij known for some of the sickest Euro Neuro and thing swimming track surely does it right. Culprate’s track pays homage to underground hip hop. The creativity and use of effects and sound design is great.

All in all this is a pretty dope release and while we can’t say these tracks are all dance floor smashers, each can surely fit into a set where ever you are playing.

Featured Releases Neurofunk NeuroHop Techstep

Long Awaited Noisia Album LEAKED

Post author By Alex Diode
Post date August 3, 2016

Spilling over the Outer Edges

So, we come across it again. The lack of respect for the musician. In a world where nothing is free, those looking to be embraced hurt the most. We remember the Napster days when P2P sharing was ran ramped we saw the fall of the music seen. Every artist felt the pain. From the millions lost by super stars to the pennies lost by bedroom producers. It was a shame to see the fall. No longer could you make a living solely from your creative process. A transition occurred where the money needed to be made from the actual appearance of the artist and how they perform. While it’s great to see them live, not everyone has such an opportunity. Also, contrary to that belief some major artists say they didn’t feel this pain. The pain is for those non grammy winning artists who would like to see some monetary compensation for the time they spent making a track that is available every to buy. Will Noisia feel such pain?

The only benefit of such tragedy is that this P2P world causes for free promotion. We take back to Spor who released his album “Caligo” for free on the popular P2P sharing platform BitTorrent. He also made the album available to buy for those true fans who wanted to support the album and the Spor sound we all miss. We loved his quote: “Having the Spor album live as a self-sufficient shared container via Bittorrent, something that’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time, replicating and spreading – embodies the nature of Spor. It’s my underground self.” This idea is epic and befitting to the nature of the underground Drum & Bass producer. With that said, all this helps is for the artist to expose his music and get light of the Drum & Bass fanbase. The album, while not the best from Spor, was free and helped promote both the artist and the P2P platform. Now, we all know this was on purpose… such is not the case for Drum & Bass monsters known as Noisia.

Feeling the Pain.

“As you might have noticed, our album got leaked. Many, many sad face. But on the positive side: we’re now releasing it as soon as we can. That means if you buy it on our own store, you can download it right away. Enjoy!” <3 Martijn, Nik and Thijs – www.noisia.nl

Ugh, that was a painful read. Noisia expressed their frustration on the fact that all of their hard work went no where. Or did it? When you go into so much work painting the Mona Lisa and then have someone take a picture, print it up and share it to the masses… It simply makes you want to hang your head… Noisia felt such in their post. While most breaking news is bad news, we feel this may help them. Noisia has now released their long awaited album “Outer Edges” on their site available today and then EVERYWHERE on Friday August 5th. We bought and took a listen…

DNB Magazine Approved?

We purchased the album and took a listen promptly. Still listening as I write this post actually. Noisia is known for assisting in pushing up the bar set for Drum & Bass producers world wide and have made some strides to do this hear as well. We were surprised a TAD bit about the lack of tear out Drum & Bass on this album. Noisia Radio surely gave us a hint to what was to come. Noisia Radio is known for the showing us some Neurofunk and every other track showing us some strongly hip-hop influenced beats. Outer Edges does somewhat the same. We were more impressed with some of the ideas set like in the track “The Entagled” With woodwinds, pads, strings, synths, bass whomps, and much more we were hit with a mood filled piece of art! Hip-Hop drop on that one by the way along with “Minatures” which is was the track sounds like.

“Mantra” was probably the most Future Beat influenced. We were impressed with the epic-ness of this audio. We were almost saddened however through the break until we were DESTROYED by the second drop! I said “Hurray! Some Drum & Bass!”

Our Pick from this album is…. *drum roll*

“Into Dust”

OH MY GOODNESS what a great track. While, its not long enough, this is some very epic Neurofunk! Our runner up is “Get Deaded.” We’ll not review the tracks and let them speak for themselves when you buy them.

Tags neurofunk, noisia, outer edges

Techstep

War brings you that Invisible Battle

Post author By Alex Diode
Post date August 2, 2016

The BNKR Series Continues with War

Methlab Recordings’s collective brings forth the latest in the darker side of liquid from Englishman, War. War is known for some sweet music on Horizon and Dispatch and we are excited to have a listen to his latest EP titled “Invisible” out on August 5, 2016. Along great textures and fantastic drums, War brings you back with very similar bass sounds from the 2000-2004 Jungle Tech Step era. We took a minute to review our pick from the EP.

Its not too often we are reminded were we come from. From the dungeons of the era of tech step. Late nights enjoying the dance floor with your closest friends and unknowns alike. Connecting on level unlike ever before. Whether you are hanging on the side of the room with your hat tucked tight or in the midst of the rhythm embracing your oneness, you were part of it. You were part of the deep neuro-tech step.

War takes me back to those nights where the mood was right. Deep. Elemental. Cerebral. His Track “Snow Blind” is certainly our favorite of this EP. The nostalgic feeling brings us back. The progression in the track is like a ride right back in time. This track contains great atmospheric textures, deep bass lines, and progressive drums. Snow Blind is a blast from the past. While the title track “Invisible” is also contains deep late night jungle vibes, Snow Blind takes the center stage for DNB Magazine.

We are now ever more interested in this BNKR series of Drum & Bass and can’t wait for the next installment! Get this EP out on 8/5/2016!!

https://soundcloud.com/methlab-recordings/sets/bnkr002-war-invisible-ep

Tags methlab, neuro, neurofunk, terminal, war

Neurofunk Reviews Techstep

Current Value comes again!

Post author By Alex Diode
Post date July 13, 2016
2 Comments on Current Value comes again!

Current Value is surely a force to recon with.

As we know, Current Value’s Drum & Bass is unlike any other. His tracks truly stand out in their creativity and surely in the production value. His tracks contain some of the nicest pads and then in to some gritty bass lines. Our favorite part of his production is the drums. Tim (Current Value) is one of the few who can distort their drums but keep them sounding clean & punchy. We are true fans of the Current Value sound.

Our friends at Terminal who are the collective label of Bad Taste, Meth Lab, and Eatrbain release the “Partition” EP this Friday 7/11/2016 on Beatport. Current Value surely is a pioneer in Drum & Bass and Terminal made a great selection for this EP. This EP brings it all. From grime through to some sick distorted synths. We must say this EP is great.

Keeping it Balanced:

“Balanced Armature” is our favorite track on the “Partition” EP. This track starts of with some simple tight drums with a great atmospheric pad in the background and then it grows to add some rides and hats that are so fitting to the track and Current Value style. What gets us is the synths. OMG The synths! We love that retro rave style glitching stab. When the track drops it brings you in so deep. Deep into concentration, deep into the mental vortex spun from the womb of a galactic spider threading together our very existence. The distortion on the bass is so nice, it keeps the bass deep. The second drop is where its at! Its simple and adds some filters sweeps of the main synth… You must hear this song! While its not your typical dance floor banger, it truly does justice to the term “neuro.”

Have a listen to the full EP below and don’t hesitate to buy this EP.

Tags bad taste, current value, eatbrain, meth lab, neurofunk, terminal

Featured Releases Music Neurofunk Techstep

Phace lights it up!

Phace is one of our favorite producers. His music is literally out of this world. His imprint Neosignal puts out some of the greatest electronic Drum & Bass. It seems like everything this guy does is awesome. Phace has been busy as usual and ever improving his sound. This year he started off being featured on Current Value’s Biocellulous LP on Critical Music, DNB Arena’s LP, and on the infamous Shogun Audio label. He also released one of our favorite tracks this year. This is the kind of track that, to us, will test the sands of time. Like a pyramid, this is a massive collassal musical composition that’s beautifully written and engineered. To simplify that, “Lit Up” on the So Excited release is AMAZING!

This track starts off reminding me of some Justice electro sounding synth and then it begins to build with the vocal sample and some techy synth. This track continues to build ever so heavily and the rise comes in. All her systems are certainly lit as the drop blows us through the walls, down to the basement through the Earth’s core and then Stewart through the opposite end through a wormhole riding an anvil of bass slamming against the walls of the fabric of space-time!

I know this track can be the “B-Side” of the release but we like it so much it needed to get a standing ovation once again. After releasing Mefjus’ Blitz EP, Neosignal shows that there is still more out there and the bar will continually be raised. Mefjus is hard to compare to but Phace brings it right everytime. The bass line in Lit Up is what we love most and haven’t let it go since it’s release on June 24. Lit Up was able to stay in the Top 100 for some time and the release hit #1 on the Beatport Charts.
With that said… check out this #dnbmagapproved Featured Release:

Featured Releases Neurofunk Techstep

Santoku cutting through the scene with the nastiness!

Post author By Alex Diode
Post date July 11, 2016
1 Comment on Santoku cutting through the scene with the nastiness!

One of USA’s most respectable labels run by Ram Records artist, Logam, just released an EP by Space Journey on the Santoku Records imprint. Space Journey has been on a roll this year releasing with labels such as Warfare, Schedule One, Close 2 Death, and Abducted LTD reaching top 100 and dj charts around. This EP however should bring the artist further into the Drum & Bass seen. Santoku is known for putting out quality Drum & Bass such as artists Gridlok, Mayhem, Trei, Eatbrain’s Jade, Aggressor Bunx, and more.

Aeon is a perfect realisation of this – a slowly building tune which expands at the drop, firing lazers into the future with a combination of pulsating drums and eerie, echoing synths. The bass is bad, bad, bad, deep, dark and heavy. The track moves through, highlighting the single-minded approach that Space Journey takes, ramping back up at the end for a killer finish. Likewise the title cut, which explodes into life quickly, echoing the march of some supersonic race of robots. Here, the low end crunches into your speakers, burning a hole in your set before you even realise. Bounce and break along to the beats, you won’t be disappointed as your mind and soul get Disassembled.

Jump on the Motorcycle for the third track, a rapid trip into the future which incorporates elements of electro along with the nasty sounding neurofunk. Plenty of pace and acceleration mark this one out, as it rides along on a highway of vicious synth stabs and understated beats. Closing things out is The Lost, a fitting culmination to the EP. Voyage through realms of artificial intelligence, with military beats, echoing basslines and a sharp, coruscating atmosphere. Space Journey is clearly a name to watch despite being relatively new, and the Disassemble EP is the start of something very big.

https://soundcloud.com/spacejourneyofficial/sets/space-journey-disassemble-ep

Tags aggressor bunx, neuro, neurofunk, santoku, space journey, spacejourneydnb

Featured Releases Free Download Neurofunk Techstep

This LP was Meant to be SICK!

Post author By Alex Diode
Post date June 28, 2016

Freq. cutting through the scene from the Othercide.

Freqax releases an album with the dark label, Othercide Records. Meant to Believe LP was seriously meant to be sick. We must say that there is not one track that we don’t like. All of the tracks are hard and dark, just like our coffee. Freq. has shown some major improvements as a producer in the previous year. This outfit is just right for him. In this album he was able to show his skills as a dark step producer and he pays homage to the labels style and the dark scene of our future. “Sick” boast a great near feel. The drops drum line is in tune with those drums of the Kemal, Rob Data days but then gets funkier as the track goes on an continuously progresses leaving you dazed in amazement as the sounds just get sicker.

In addition, our pick is surely the track “Shokin'” written with Othercide label order, Neks. This track just rolls nice and fast. The rave style synths will certainly continue the party going on strong. We’ll leave you to listen and enjoy!!! Buy the album and spread the word! As a result, this is a fantastic album. FREQAX is the future of hard neurofunk.