Beats News

Soulful selector and skateboarder extraordinaire Hugh Hardie is back with his latest EP, ‘Learning To Fly’, consisting of four sublime cuts, hot on the heels of his recent‘7 Tunes In 7 Days’ lockdown project. Produced from his home studio in Bristol, Hugh’s new release features collaborations with DJ Marky and singer/songwriter Cimone.

Named after the Indian mountain city in West Bengal, opening track ‘Darjeeling’ is a faultless embodiment of Hugh’s trademark jazz-inspired groove. Filled with transcendent piano chord progressions, rolling breaks and an enchanting upright bassline, ‘Darjeeling’ is a classic example of the soulful liquid beats the Bristol-based DJ has become known for.

‘Said & Done’ sees the commanding vocal talents of Cimone take the lead as Hugh Hardie and DJ Marky team up on the buttons to create a smile-inducing bouncer drenched in feel-good summer vibrations. Infectious descending bass wobbles lay the foundations below swinging piano licks and sharp-edged, shuffling percussions. With DJ Marky being an avid supporter of Hugh and Cimone’s initial link up on ‘Raindrops’, it only made sense for the trio to jump on a track together.

‘Learning To Fly’ with graceful strings and arpeggiated plucks, leads seamlessly into a crisp drum track and driving bassline. Hugh’s delicate yet powerful and uplifting pieces of music explore a broad range of emotions, taking the listener on a stimulating musical journey.

Drawing for original jungle sounds whilst staying true to his soul-heavy style, ‘Late Night Harp’ does exactly what it says on the tin as captivating harp melodies and acoustic guitar riffs are infused with fizzing sub-heavy basslines and steamrolling breakbeats generating a no-holds-barred banger.

His ‘Learning To Fly’ EP is the second project to emerge from Hugh Hardie in the 2020 lockdown. His previous ‘7 Tunes In 7 Days’ extended EP saw him create a track from scratch every day over the course of a week, and received support from DJs across the board including the legendary LTJ Bukem. With the success of both his ‘Shadows & Silhouettes’ and ‘Colourspace’ LPs under his belt, Hugh’s dedication to ensuring that soul remains the main ingredient in his productions is cementing him as a staple figure in the world of liquid drum & bass.

Shanghai’s Hyph11e commits a debut album of brooding sound design and gnashing breaks to her home city’s Svbkvlt stronghold, following hardcore ballistics for Hakuna Kulala and a lead single prepped with a killer Kode9 refix.
Dragging UK ‘nuum dynamics into Shanghai’s impending, fast-fwd present, Tess Sun aka Hyph11e has carved out a fierce reputation with her shots found on the praised ‘Cache 01’ compilation and in DJ mixes by key players including M.E.S.H., Aïsha Devi, and Kode 9 & Burial over the past four years. On ‘Aperture’ she plays around the theme of holes, rupturing her own path thru rave spacetime with deft, barrelling breakbeats wrapped up in fluidly contoured synth schematics that probe mutant corners of the dance, somewhere between industrial breakcore tekno and junglist footwork, with bleak but sensually personalised soundcraft done in a mechanised outernational dancehall style shades away from her label mate 33EMYBW and Uganda’s Slikback.
Hyph11e sparingly lights up her music like scenes from a rave in strobing start/stop motion and with a knowing grasp of negative ecstasy - finding pleasure in the aesthetic and noumenal spaces between styles, time and space. She characterises this notion in the album’s brutalist bookends, ‘Encrust’ and the chemically overripe lushness of ‘Erosion’, while traces of electro-acoustic strings infiltrate the prowling stepper ‘Accretion’, and more traditional Chinese tonalities describe rangier Jungle Tekno landscapes in ‘Baily’s Beads’, and she summons wraithlike spirits from the fizzing industrial dancehall fissures of lead single ‘Barnacles’. At her most dextrous, proper UK hardcore is rinsed into labyrinthine warehouse variations on ‘Doppelgänger’ and ‘Get Out From Under’.
Anyone who suffers trypophobia may want to proceed with caution, but hardcore ravers of all stripes and futuristic leanings will sink deep into the ravishing style and puckered darkside
discipline of this sharp, incredible album.

With Vol.1 long sold-out and fetching a tidy sum on the online shark market. We’re pleased to present to you: Sweet Echoes vol.2 - five tracks of homegrown 160+ rollers, rinsers and freaky-deaky bass-driven nuggets. Because we care about our local jungle.

At the controls: Rings Around Saturn (Melb), Splitch (Syd), Hugh B (Syd), Freda (Syd) & Roy Batty Jr (Syd)

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Basement Records is proud to present its 3rd reissue from the rare Street Beat 10" Series. This 3 x 12" pack features the 4 tracks from the 10" singles and 3 tracks taken from the Test Press of a Street beats 12" but was then released on Eze Gs own label Soundscape Records.

We're proud to unveil a brand-new album by Phuture T, entitled 'Persuasive Funk', out 24th July on Inperspective Records.

An eleven-track release, Persuasive Funk kicks off with the title track, a soulful, jazz-inflicted D&B collaboration with legendary D&B stalwart Jungle Drummer, melding electronic elements with organic instrumentation featuring Live Bass from rising UK star, Tom Mason, and capped off by invigorating vocals from Sofi Mari. This sets the tone for the rest of the LP, with ‘Voyager’, ‘Uisce Beatha Haze’ and ‘Roosje’ all following a similarly funk-laden formula. ‘El Ritmo Mundial’ and ‘Frenzy’ channel the spirit of free jazz into a melange of trumpets and high-energy drum patterns, before ‘Tumbleweed’, ‘3000’ and ‘Lord Apache’ provide a fittingly triumphant finale.

Gremlinz, Ahmad / Acid Lab and Parallel make their debut on the second vinyl release of Convoluted Recordings. Grinder starts off the album with a introduction of sub stabs and ethereal pads leading into an amen tear out. Judgement Day is a dance floor destruction track with a dub-tinged amen, layered breaks and heavy subs that will destroy any speaker. Acid Lab ends off the 2018 release with a smooth amen roller Jericho, bringing everyone back to earth and reality.

For The Next R.a.n.d. Muzik Comp Leipzig's Qnete, Interviews And Stanley Schmidt Team Up With Melbourne Local Rudolf C.

Breakbeat Music From House Through To Emotional Drum And Bass..

"InsideInfo - InsideInfo LP" album split.
C/D disc at a discounted price.

Previously unreleased and unheard until now, unearthed, cleaned, re-edited and remastered, these tracks capture that 90s drum and bass sound. Fusing the creative ideas, stems and music from well known original artists Omni-Trio and Syko under 'Persons Unknown'. We have worked meticulously to create these timeless tracks; adding to the Persons Unknown story.

2 x BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT VINYL, GATEFOLD SLEEVE, PRINTED INNERS, DOWNLOAD CARD

To celebrate 25 years of the legendary series, KEMISTRY & STORM DJ-Kicks is re-mastered and re-issued for the first time since it's original release in 1999 on CD and 2LP. It all began in the late 80s: KEMISTRY & STORM had had enough of their hometown in middle England and moved down to London. Until then, Birmingham-born Kemistry had spent most of her tender years studying as a make-up artist in Sheffield while Storm was studying radiology in Oxford. The pair discovered acid house in London, partied at illegal warehouse raves, and at the end of the 80s stumbled upon 'Rage', Fabio and Grooverider's legendary and influential club night at Heaven, which can be legitimately dubbed as the origin of the entire Breakbeat / Jungle / Hardcore / Drum 'n' Bass movement. This is where they decided to dedicate their future entirely to music - as DJs.

Lightweights. This tune is not for you. This one is for those who can go hard. And go long. Otherwise you might not know what's hit you. An early 2000's anthem, the original version of Lightweight was a Total Science classic. Laced with TS trademarks, the track was a staple in every DJs set, rinsed in the clubs.

And now, it's been updated by the one and only Break. If you want to take an already big tune, and raise it to even another level, he's the man to go to; he's got form. And he's done it in style. Sticking faithfully to the original vibe, he brings this banger firmly into 2020, maintaining all the key elements and sonically updating it for the 21st century, but still keeping a class and subtlety to the proceedings. Hoovers, stabs, breaks and bass. It's all there. Hold tight for the four-four section in the breakdown though, you're not ready.

And to keep the vibe of the former CIA LTD releases from former years, the flip sees another remix paired alongside; coming from the newest wing of the Bristol Drum & Bass mafia, the Ill Truth boys are brought in to update a more modern-day CIA classic, Phaction and Leo Wood’s ‘I Have You’. Once again they show a maturity and class that belies their youthful and hairless visages, bringing the weight and the funk that Total Science always require.

The combined production powerhouse of Deekline, Ed Solo & Specimen A bring forth 10,000 blowtorches to celebrate the vibe that only music can create alongside the vocals of Jamaican reggae superstar Blackout JA.

If you were lucky enough to witness the burner cans of the original dancehall movement or the vast array of lighters flickering to ‘94 Amens, you know what to expect here. This is upfront jungle with a full canister of gas, one hell of a bouncy bassline and an excellent delivery of lyrical goodness. Blackout JA was certainly a fine choice to voice this beat, riding it effortlessly and requesting you all to “let the music play”.

You’re getting both the club mix and the slightly shorter and perhaps less aggressive original in this fine package from Jungle Cakes. Two for two as they say.

Releasing a full EP on Metalheadz for a third year in a row, it's safe to say Jem One is now a firm and ardent member of the label family.

For 'The Rain EP' the Midlands based producer makes his Platinum debut bearing 6 finely crafted tracks with 3 making the vinyl cut once again. Throughout, there's an innate ability to create music that fully resonates with the Metalheadz of the past, present and future, placing Jem One in an inimitable position for the years to come.

Veteran tech-stepper Trace returns to CNVX with 4 nostalgic steppers, featuring collaborations with Kid Drama & Survey.

Four soulful tracks by four different unknown but respected artists.

Horrific continues to lead the way with our tenth release. The world's first millennial VINYL ONLY D&B label! This release contains x1 Vinyl 12" in full colour disco jacket sleeve (no holes). Consisting of brand new art works on the front and back cover: created especially from Horrific Studio's East London HQ. On the front, Jessop continues his living colourful/burner 'Subway Fiction series', a fresh fantasy graffiti train rolling through the Bronx... 'Flash Backz' in full wild style, on a so called 'clean train' for graffiti crazy D&B vinyl heads out there.

Flip the cover - monumental & dangerous full bleed drawing by Flava. Horrific recordings setting the trend, with producers creating the art works aswell as beats!!! A 'Serpent' injecting a visual venom to your mind. Both sides of the label on this 12" are hand drawn & designed by Flava.

Side a. 'Music Makes Us One' Flava + Sicknote

Klute played it at the re-opening of FABRIC super set slammer, knocking the dance floor into a 720o spin. Since then, Flava's been blowing up mega hit after hit - example - her massive 2017 vinyl release on Commercial Suicide (Cat 092) 'The Test' & 'From The East'.

Mackie master Sicknote punching sound shock waves (like Mike Tyson), yes! Straight to your chest. From its 1st play at LAUNCH over at Bloc E3 on 10" steel plate its the champion tune of 2017.

Side aa. 'Flash Backz' Sicknote + Horrific James

'Dreamscape its six oclock in the morning' MC Conrad 1992 .

Titled Flash Backz after the lads went vinyl shopping at Flash Backz Vinyl store on Bethnal Green Road and took the shopping bag straight to the Emu Sampler the same evening.

Cut at 168pm, pitches in to mix nicely on your Technics direct drive turntable to smooth groove with any era of Hardcore-Jungle-Drum & Bass!!! 1992-2017 no problem, 25 years riddim track right here, all angles covered, no BPM retro tune mix snookering, yes it mixes any era guaranteed either side of your 'green light'.For all you vinyl DJs #pitchriding. The return of post post Hardcore Hardcore Junglism / Darkrider heads will be feeling this one .Following 2017s Jungle revival, 2018s tipped to be the year of the Hardcore sound revival (we got in early).

3 months on from the release of his debut album, Friske returns to Metalheadz for a one-off single showcasing some of his best work yet. Set to be released this October, Friske displays his much-loved production traits and attitudes towards drum and bass music via the amen-riddled 'Untitled Killa' and the intergalactic journey that is 'Persevere', this is a part of Friske's discography too good to miss.

In the years before ​Hunter Lombard​ perfected the gentle art of juxtaposing mega breakbeats with lush synth hooks, the New Yorker was an active rock musician. Citing the afterglow of her guitar background as a big influence for her current melodies and timbre, Lombard inhabits a sparsely populated intersection in dance music. For ​Schloss’​ third release, Lombard connects the dots between sweet rave nostalgia and clublands latest wrinkle. She has previously released on Volvox and John Barera’s label Jack Dept, and can often be found behind the decks at Elsewhere, Good Room or Bossa Nova Civic Club.
Slow Foam​ is mixed and mastered by Matt Karmil.

Released digitally last year, the idea for Skin Teeth's debut release Nebulous was the culmination of years of raving and listening to tapes from that golden era in UK Rave - early nineties.

180g

Dexta and Crypticz are delighted to announce their long awaited 12" single, 'Together', featuring two remixes from Munich-based Danny Scrilla. Two years in the making, the project will finally see the light of day on 10th November 2017 via Diffrent Music.

A fusion of Drum & Bass, Jungle, House and Garage, 'Together' is built for the dancefloor. The track borrows vocals and breaks from the early '90s, while blending drum machines, bass samples and vintage effect processes crafted by Dexta & Crypticz.

Danny Scrilla debuts on the label with a pair of remixes. The 'Reslice', is a great example of signature Scrilla, manipulating the original parts into an exploration of dubby, half time soundsystem music. His 'Reflop', meanwhile, is a 140bpm re-think, splicing chopped up breaks and bass stabs from the original along with strong percussion lines and weird vocal edits.

Since his outing on Hospital Records in 2015, and his debut 'SE4 EP' on Diffrent Music last year, Dexta - otherwise known as Londoner Chris Royle - has released the third part in an ongoing series for None60 Recordings, honing tracks for dancefloors and stereos alike.

Somerset's Crypticz (aka Jordan Parsons) has had quite an eventful 12 months, with his 'Echo Sound EP' on Doc Scott's 31 Recordings, and more recently the 'Forever EP' Om Unit's Cosmic Bridge imprint, while evolving his club performance from a DJ set to a custom live show consisting solely of his own music and explorations in sound design. This single comes two weeks after his latest release, the 'Access You EP', also on Diffrent Music, which set a new benchmark for Jordan, refining his sound to its highest quality.

Danny Scrilla (born Daniel Pirkl) has gone from strength to strength this year, dropping a cassette tape project on Cosmic Bridge, compiled of 16 synth and hardware-led experiments. Last month Dan also released a collaborative 12" with Sam Binga called 'Weird In Munich' - a superb effort, pushing boundaries from both their usual styles - before putting out an EP for Amit's AMAR imprint in early September.

'Together' will be available as a limited 300 run of 180gsm coloured 12" vinyl, and will be officially released on 10th November 2017. An exclusive small batch will be available at the Clashmouth D&B Label Market on 28th October 2017 at Cafe 1001 on London s Brick Lane.

As so many great schemes do, it started with a conversation in a pub. After several sporadic releases on Diffrent Music, including his renowned 2013 debut "Tongues", label boss Dexta wanted more music from Fearful. One thing led to another, and suddenly an album was in the works.

The result is "Interference"; a body of work that is reflective not only of the personal idiosyncrasies and aspirations of its London-based producer, but of an artist who has truly been set free of expectations.

Harnessing his own inbuilt need to defy convention, and looking to influences such as classical game soundtracks, experimental mastermind Amon Tobin, and the brooding tones of Akkord and Lorn, Fearful has crafted an album that's unpredictable yet cohesive, and definitive of his aim as an artist.

From the menacing ambient opener "Rocinante", through the glitchy techno of "The Traveler", skewed drum & bass of "Pulse 0" and "Through The Mist", to the roaring drone and pounding metal-inspired drumwork of closer "Gold To Dust", it's an album that demands full attention and repeat listening.

Nowhere is this free-roaming but pull-no-punches attitude summed up better than the title track. Building through eerie, twisted atmospherics - samples of electromagnetic interference, which can be found throughout the album - it clatters into a domineering breakbeat, before collapsing into a guttural, tribalist techno roller.

Where much of dance music draws on repetition, the concept of "Interference" is simple: progression. Whether that be changing motifs within tracks, switching genres within the album, or developing upon Fearful's own artistic strengths, it's an idea never more at home than on Diffrent Music, and we are very proud to present it.

Somewhere over western Europe, an un-identified falling object crashed landed causing a massive bang, and a ginormous Banana shaped smoke cloud. Frederic, a local artistic young chap was so inspired by this hilariously funny giant cloud that covered the whole sky as far as he could see; he ran indoors to take cover, and wrote a little summer step d&b beat, called 'Laughing at Clouds' - which seemed to draw a lot of attention. Out of the studio window, Frederic could see what seemed to be a pink giraffe giving it some serious head-nodding action. By the second drop Leonard (The pink giraffe) was dancing so heavily that he caused a small tremor somewhere over in the states, where young up & coming producer Melo seemed to pick up the transmission. While in his sonic laboratory he managed to transfer his latest project (Affirmation) through the current, where Frederic decided to make his first remix project, which pretty much made Leonard pass out after all the summer stepping....

Sense MC has teamed up with Diffrent Music to bring you "The Elephant In The Room LP", the debut album from Sense MC, produced by a hand picked selection of artists associated with the label and a few extra people who've worked with Sense in the past. It's been three years in the making, but is finally ready to be unleashed, #BuyTheAlbum

Held on Dubplate since 1993...

Acid Skanking is dedicated to cross-cultural riddims. the first one drops versions of the ‚planck‘ riddim: acid basslines meets dub science on 162 bpm. there we go ska rude girls and boys skanking on acid. the flip side with the ‚hypernism planck‘ brings back old school hardcore on the same bassline inclusive a proper slamming hoover ending.

A retrospective of the Defective Records catalog, from 1994-1998. This release marks the reemergence of this acclaimed label from the "golden age" of techno, and which was the original home for several featured artists who went on to garner significant accolades (e.g. Mike Parker, Solar X, Glitch, DJ Who, etc…). All tracks, now long out of print, have been remastered by Schnittstelle, and beautifully released in double vinyl gatefold package.

Rudimentary debuts for Itoa and Crypticz as they combine to producer a solid 4 track dub, techno, footwork, ghetto
inspired drum n bass 12”.

Alex Godoy (Itoa) and Jordan Parsons (Crypticz) couldn’t help but cross paths as both their musical influences encapsulate the continuous blur between Dubstep, Drum n Bass and footwork with Dub being the keystone to their musical arch.

Crypticz was sucked into the vortex of the uniquely punch sounds that Itoa had put out and was itching to find out more. At the same time he was pushing the foundations of his on sound, which has Dub.

Jordan (Crypticz) found himself wanting after toying with a few ideas which fell into line with a more dancehall sensibility. He felt the ideas he had, needed something else. He was struggling to put his finger on exactly what was missing, then... enter Itoa’s ‘French Cola and “Peng” releases.

Bingo! Jordans finger was now pointed at Alex’s (Itoa) irresistibly joyous drum patterns, and thought... “This guy”, with the happy egg face as a facebook profile, is the man to unlock this business. The pair hooked up and from there worked on the 31 Recordings “MTD” release for Doc Scott.

After their work together on that beast of a record they wanted to get back to it! Email tennis and facebook chats occurred for some time all the while passing bits and pieces back and fourth. Each time asking questions and encouraging the process for one another.

Street Drinker was the starting point with Alex leaving it open and sparse for Jordan to roll in with percussion. Dub techniques were leaned on to add a techno, dubstep feel to Valis.

An instructional dance video was the inspirational magic dust added to the already grounded baseline and obnoxious claps in “How it’s Done”.

Jordan admits watching too much Adventure Time was the catalyst for the humour concept of this piece. So... ’come ons', 'shake it' and '1,2,3,4' were sampled from various work out videos and the arrangement tidied up from there.

Manatata wraps the release up with a dubby roller with erupts with texture and intricate drum patterns and driving
kick.

You know we are in for a treat when Luke Vibert, exponent of electronic beats and breaks since the dawn of rave, delivers not one, not two, but three new album projects, each with a specific musical theme and thread. A set of three long players, collect them all like bubble gum stickers and annoy your neighbours by playing at high volume!

Vibert’s previous album projects for Hypercolour, both as Kerrier District, and under his own name, have always excelled, not to mention his groundbreaking and brain scrambling long players for Warp, Rephlex, Rising High Records, Planet Mu and Ninja Tune.

Vibert revives his Amen Andrews moniker after over a decade lying dormant. Squarely aiming the sound at the ‘Amen break’, ‘Luke Vibert presents Amen Andrews’ brings together 14 slabs of raucous breakbeat bangers, riddled with cool as fuck samples and bass bin shattering sub!

Bournemouth-UK based Record Label focusing on the darker roots breaks side of Jungle and Drum & Bass Music.
The Rotation Audio Record Label has been founded through love and dedication to electronic music. Rotation will aim to showcase some of the rawest, well known and underground talent, in the Drum & Bass and Jungle scene with forthcoming releases from the likes of DJinn, Mono, & Overlook, focussing on the darker roots breaks side of the music. Our first release brings you two massive names in the game right now - Sicknote and Drum Cypha.

Sicknote's 'Someday' creates an emotional journey through high defined musical gestures portraying life's cycle until you eventually reach the light. Rolling drum breaks throughout the track build a progressive movement until the bassline and vocal takes hold on the drop. A belter in the form of a beauty of a track from the man like Sicknote.

Drum Cypha's 'Centaurs' is another hard hitting track. Atmospheric sustained melodies lead to rolling crunchy amens that pave way to a breakdown where the second drop lifts off and hits you right in the face. The track has a Sci Wax feel about it and is a serious club banger bound to get the crowd rolling. Amen smasher from the main man Drum Cypha.

Part two of the remix series starts with Dave Hoax taking on the Jungle influenced Without Purpose originally by Earl Grey. The signature pads set the background as Dave turns up the distortion on the drum breaks. The sub is low and rattling and the variations and edits on the rhythm are frequent.

Relapse's rolling eight minute Drumfunk track from 2011 is transformed by Shins-K into a 4/4 grungy Techno track. The original drum break is splintered with filters and pitch shifts layered over the kick drums. The distorted pads surge in aggressively and then thin out into the background.

Fushara takes the title track from the Temnota EP in an uplifting introspective direction by adding new harmonies. As the number of layers in the harmony grows more complex, the percussion switches rapidly between the different drum kits.

CIA Records is an imprint who has remained at the centre of drum & basses history, with esteemed producers Total Science creating it during the genre's formative years in 1997.

The forthcoming EP on CIA, Field's 'Intention Dub', highlights the eclectic mix of artists who have joined the roster since its first release. Featuring a variety of collaborative producers, the six-track EP exemplifies the talented intricacies of Fields and his masterful song compositions. The names that run alongside Fields stand out within their own right, with underground stalwarts Mako, and McLeod, roller top dog Break, frequent partner Villem (who go under their pseudonym Mute) and Forren, who also makes an appearance. As a collective, they represent many of the artists who helped CIA build their impressive back catalogue.

Fields, Break, Villem & McLeod produce a heavyweight formula through 'Intention Dub', an energetic roller which flips between its ingenious use of instrumentals and flicking bass stabs. Its beginning drum rolls create a formation of what's to come from such a formidable outfit of artists, warming up the track for its full audio assault as it breaks. 'Takashi' moves forward with the help of Forren, kicking into play amongst cackling snares and lunging kick drums. Following 'Takashi' is 'Full Court Press', drawing in the straight-cut production style and methodically chiselled compositions which make this EP such a stand out offering. The like of Fields' and Mako's 'Price of Imagination' pushes you through thoroughly built channels with shifting under layers of hi-hats and shattering snare. Its bassline provides a throbbing undercurrent, which offers a weightier edge. Villem then joins Fields for their next collaboration 'Kryos', which is stepped down but still states it presence with every clambering break. 'City Soul' is an individual release from Fields focusing on the same percussive atmosphere and it streams throughout its mix. It sets a backdrop for early mornings and late night sets, drawing for the minimalistic style which has helped propel his career. One prevalent throughout his 'Intention Dub' EP.

The package stands for what CIA deliver time after time, pivotal music releases which have remained of the highest standards for over two decades. And Fields has helped them achieve this yet again with another incredible EP.