Blocks reveals his top five drum & bass tracks for April 2010...

 

Rockwell
Aria
This bloke is one of the obvious names on people lips at the moment, but obvious for a reason. Rockwell just doesn't fail to impress and seems on a different playing field with his production. This tune is just something else, I hate to make the comparison but the lush intro is very Burial-esque but once that beat and bass drop it is just inimitably Rockwell. Beautiful and cutting edge DnB.

 

 

 

Escher
Rugged
The name says it all, undiluted rugged drum & bass here. This track is everything that I fell in love with this genre for originally. Deep soaring strings, scattered radio static and atmospheres create a post apocalyptic ambience that would have had The Terminator hiding behind his couch. Some crunching and unorthodox breakbeats pave the way for booming subs and Reese to enter the fray. This one never fails to get the screwface on the dance floor. Rugged.

 

 

Ulterior Motive
Glued
Another outfit that have deservedly earned the credit that is being bestowed upon them right now. I'm surprised to see that this tune hasn't received as much attention as their others floating about but this one kills me. These boys bring back all the flavours of the late 90s dark funk pioneers and inject it with some modern freshness. This one is less Wormhole paranoia and instead reminds me of elements of the Certificate 18 stable. All of their sounds feel meticulously placed and never seem to stop evolving. Glued is a good honest vertebrae breaking head nodder from the Dorset boyos!

 

 

Linden
Letting Go
A track from an up-and-coming producer really starting to create a buzz within the scene. Letting Go is a real heart wrenching piece, it just oozes class through its depth of emotive vocals, textures, pads and, of course, the warmest of basslines. This comes across as a really personal track and it's obvious that Linden put a lot into it, melancholic yet nonetheless stunning. Look out for some of mine and Linden's collaborations doing the rounds too, including music on TeeBee's Subtitles.

 

Letting go by Linden

 

 

Blocks & Escher
Miller
Digital Soundboy
This was our first tune to be picked up by Shy for Digital Soundboy and adds a contrasting sound to the flip, Shadowplay. For me this one is more versatile for the DJs and provides a stripped dubby groove for harder or more musical sets. Opening up with deep pads and strings it rolls through on a crusty half tempo beat before switching into a rolling sub bass and retro stab flex. People have asked about the name, which actually hints as to the origins of the break; but the less said about that the better!

 

Related Links:

• In The Box: Blocks
• Blocks And Escher's Narratives
• Horizons Music Production Q+A
• Blocks and Escher Interview
• Blocks Guest Mix

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