Blogs

 

21 May 2012

 

 

As 2012 progresses, it seems with every new month is another incredible list of drum & bass releases. Stay connected and informed, as we keep you in the know with our Essential DnB releases for the first half of May.

S.P.Y. - Love & Hate EP [Hospital]
Had to start this May's Essential DnB list with one of drum & bass's most diverse and talented producers in recent history, none other than S.P.Y.! With his debut EP on Hospital Records, the Brazilian badman delivers an exceptional 4 track EP entitled 'Love & Hate. Cracking all the charts within the first week, this EP is an absolute class piece of work featuring a well balanced and diverse trackilist from the growling and heavy flex of title track 'Love & Hate', to the cinematic and uplifting remix of Submotion Orchestra's 'All Yours'. Loving this EP from back to front, and absolute must have.

 

 

 

Evolution EP Series 3 [Shogun Audio]
The mighty Shogun Audio imprint continues their dominance in 2012 with this brand new EP featuring some of the biggest names in drum & bass. 'Evolution Series 3' dropped first week of May and delivered five tracks of absolute drum & bass bliss, with something for everyone in the tracklist. Standouts for me were dBridge's 'Not What You Want', serving up a chilled tempos and euphoric melodies like only the legend can present. Another winner on the EP is the deep and deadly remix of Alix Perez's 'Myriads' courtesy of Jubei. Rounded out with tunes by Total Science, The Prototypes and Rockwell, the Evolution Series 3 EP delivers the goods, no matter what your dnb flavour may be, absolutely essential purchase here!

 

 

 

Phil Tangent - Forgiveness / The Hardest Part
Creating a buzz for himself straight away with his smash hit 'Lunar' on Soul:R in 2010, Phil Tangent has quietly become a household name among drum & bass fans across the globe. His brand new single 'Forgiveness' b/w 'The Hardest Part' is a double a-side of absolute vibes and has once again set Phil up as a name to watch. Out now on the up and coming Rubik Digital imprint, the release is well balanced with tracks like 'Forgiveness', which shows the deeper side for Phil, sultry samples, lush basslines, and top class drum work. The flip-side 'The Hardest Part' is no slouch either, delivering a more dancefloor friendly vibe, deep and brooding bass, and an overall clean sound. Highly recommended release here!

 

 

 

Seba - Nightrider / Sharkskin [Nu Directions]
The mighty Seba drops a huge EP featuring 2 amazing original tunes with top quality remixes from Technicolour & Komatic and Survival to boot! The title track 'Nightrider' is a glorious piece of deep drum & bass goodness, with angelic harmonies, flowing basslines, and an overall uplifting vibe only he can create. Now, for the darker side of the spectrum, Seba comes correct with a smasher in 'Sharkskin', delivering rough and rugged beats, smacking amens, and basslines armed and ready for any dancefloor. Not to be outdone by the original tune, this release also features super solid remixes from the dynamic duo of Technicolour & Komatic, along with d&b veteran Survival. Incredible release here, something for everyone!

 

 

 

Mikal - The Chant / Headbanger [Utopia Music]
Back with yet another massive single, this time on the Utopia imprint, standout producer Mikal serves up another heavy dose of darkness with 'Headbanger' b/w 'The Chant'. Standout for me would be 'Headbanger' , as it lives up it's namesake dropping in nice and heavy, aggressive drum patterns and strong basslines create quite a bizz with this one. The a-side 'The Chant' brings a deeper undertone, with hints of neurofunk, all wrapped up into a tidy package. Both tunes bring the heavyweight, techy, deep and dark vibes we've come to expect from this very talented producer, top pick right here!

 

 

 

Submotion Orchestra - It's Not Me It's You (Alix Perez Remix) [Exceptional Records]
A name we're starting to hear a lot about in the drum & bass community, Submotion Orchestra has two remixes in my Essential list for May, and totally caught me off guard with this one. Commissioning a personal favourite of mine on this remix, Alix Perez delivers a perfect re-work to a really smooth original of 'It's Not You It's Me', but this time veering away from his recent darkside and bringing back that smooth and soulful sound we knew him for towards the beginning of his career. The remix is just spot on, showcasing his original vibes, with a subtle dark undertone that fits just right. Top quality!

 

 

 

Dub Phizix ft. Fox - Never Been /  Codec [ Critical Music]
Half of the creative minds behind the smash hit 'Marka', Dub Phizix is back, this time on Critical and featuring Fox on vocals. 'Never Been' drops in heavy with a signature half-time d&b flavour, rude beats and basslines, with Fox adding a proper jungle vibe with his original vocal work on the tune. Adding a nice diversity to the release, the b-side 'Codec' features a grimey and dark sound, with eerie synths and samples adding a nice touch to round out the release. If that wasn't enough, as a digital exclusive, Critical offers up 'Handmade' as a added bonus to deliver a super safe release on one of drum & bass's best and brightest imprints.

 

 

 

Stunna & DFunk - Lost In The Rain / Losing You [Soundtrax]
More liquid gold here courtesy of veteran Stunna and his newest collaborator DFunk, for a two track single on Big Bud's Soundtrax imprint. The A-side 'Lost In The Rain' is a perfect late spring/early summer tune, laying down smooth beats and vibes, ready for any Summer playlist. My stand-out tune would have to be the flip 'Losing You', as it borders on the deep and rolling side of things, with wonderful keys, clean samples, and a bassline that is spot on. Great release here!

 

 

 

Bladerunner - Love Is Gone / Run For Cover [Philly Blunt]
One trend we've noticed in 2012 is the rapid insurgence of that original Jungle sound that helped develop drum & bass to what is it today, and this release is a prime example of where the music started and where it has gone. Bladerunner, holding it down for the original Junglists, drops the classic vibes in 'Run For Cover', with fantastic amen work, rolling basslines, and an overall classic jungle rhythm. The flipside 'Love Is Gone' delivers the goods as well, infusing a more jumpy and fun vibe, creating a throwback sound, but with a new school flex. Great release here for any true jungle fan!

 

 

 

Dramatic & dbAudio ft. Grimm - Far Away / Take My Hand [MARS Recordings]
Great collaboration here for some of drum & bass's rising stars, dRamatic & dbAudio are joined by Hybrid Mind's very own Grimm for a two track single of liquid drum & bass bliss. The a-side 'Far Away' is the standout for me, with a solid vibe from start to finish, and with Grimm's vocals adding the right touch to help round out a really strong tune. The flipside 'Take My Hand' features Grimm on vocal duties again, delivering a great track here ready for every summer playlist. Strong release here from this trio!

 

 

Words: Jon Methodus


    Related Links:

    Like it? Share it!
    Sign up for more with the Kmag weekly newsletter.

    Comments

     

     

     

     

    Latest

    • OWSLA Debut For Phonat
      Italian producer Phonat has recently dropped his debut EP for the massive OWSLA label. We talk Identity Theft with the multi-genre musician right here.

    • Chroma Knock Knock On CIA
      Consisting of Phobia, Sato and Tyrone, Chroma are making some serious noise in the drum & bass world. We chat to them about recent single Knock Knock/Intermission and more.

    • LeeFest 2013 Preview
      South London LeeFest returns for its eighth edition in July and has also made history by securing its independence by securing £5,000 on Kickstarter.

    • Teddy Killerz And Jade Talk Violence
      The next huge release from Eatbrain features Teddy Killerz. Here, alongside label boss Jade, they break down the Violence EP.

    • DJ Vapour Guest Mix
      More amazing new music for your ears. We chat to DJ Vapour about new music on 36 Hertz and much more. He treats you to a booming guest mix into the bargain.

    • Symptom Guest Mix
      One half of soundsystem killers Savage Rehab, Symptom is a respected producer in his own right. We catch up on all the news from him, including an exclusive mix.

    • Eveson Interview
      Artist. Musician. Snowboarder. Eveson is all over at the moment, with his unique blend of skills and passion. We speak to him about upcoming live dates, upcoming releases and more.

    • Antics Records Unveil Collateral Damage
      The Antics Records crew are behind a new LP, which has been getting some major support from the big players. We discuss the project with the label right here.

    • Congo Natty on Outlook and New Album
      We caught up with Congo Natty in Spain to discuss this year's Outlook festival and his forthcoming release on Big Dada...

    • DJ Upzet Guest Mix
      Coming at you live and direct from Germany, DJ Upzet talks about his contribution to the scene, and delivers a firing guest mix.

    • Soulculture Continue To Spread Their Wings
      Soulculture seem to be everywhere at the moment. The duo have a load of exciting plans right now, which they explain to Kmag.

    • Numark iDJ Pro Review
      Numark's sleek new controller the iDJ Pro certainly looks the business but how does it perform? We take a closer look...

    • Youthman Drops Some Bangin Music
      No doubt one of the best French producers in the game, Youthman delivers the scorching Bangin Music EP for Under Pressure.

    • Scientia Continues With The Carbon Remix EP
      J-Science's Scientia imprint is embarking on yet another journey with the Carbon Remix EP. We talk to the Science man all about it.

    • Detail Guest Mix
      Ukraine's Detail is part of the new Utopia release. We talk to him about his track right here, and he drops a guest mix on us.

    Recommendations

     

     

    You have successfully unsubscribed from the Knowledge newsletter