NEWS
EVENTS
Great new tunes from Full Cycle, Wilkinson and Zed Bias
Drum and Bass | Sunday 13th March 2016 | Arren
Start you week right with the best in drum & bass from last week, we've got your back!
Roni Size & Krust - Formulate [Full Cycle]
It's been seven years since the last Full Cycle tune dropped, now Roni Size and Krust bring their old label back to rock the scene. "Formulate" breaks their silence and sums up exactly what sound the pair are aiming for. An endless clash of drums rattle through with a pumping bassline, setting them up nicely. It's not just "Formulate" - Roni's old classic "Snapshot" gets a release too, bringing a little more classic flavour back. Up on remix duties for "Formulate" is the liquid mastermind DLR, whilst Hodgson supplies a slick techno version. Swindle makes an appearance too, executing a sick remix of "Snapshot". Now that's how you make an entrance, welcome back boys!
Wilkinson - Flatline (feat. Wretch 32) [Virgin EMI]
Drum & Bass superstar and Ram native, Wilkinson is back with another crossover hit that'll fit as nicely on daytime radio as it will in the middle of his upcoming UK tour. The instrumental intro kicks things off as UK rapper Wretch 32 lays down the lyrics. As the beat drops the bass carries us as trumpets and other horns hype us up, all rounded off by the annoyingly catchy lyrics. Once again Wilkinson shows that when it comes to drum & bass he is one of the biggest and best artist's who are carrying the sound over the mainstream audiences.
Zed Bias - Driftin [Exit]
A don of UK music brings a package of experimental bass thumpers to Exit. Speedy bass trips that you could pigeon hole as a lot, electronica, bass music, drum & bass, half time. The title track, featuring the smooth vocals from Zoe Violet gets you floating on a bubble of soft sounds and bouncy bass. "Fever" takes things a little deeper with a foul bassline and head spinning percussion. "Hipbounce" takes a similarly grimy route, with layers of sound sitting above each other. Three sick experiments in the field of bass, Zed Bias take a bow.
Bensley - Tiptoe [Ram]
Bensley exploded onto the scene last year with a whole LP on the mighty Ram. His rise to fame is that of legends, with no prior music online. Hotly tipped as one of drum & bass future stars the fresh face producer is back on Ram with a new single. Following from Next Generation is the record "Tiptoe" bridging the gaps between more progressive styles of music and drum & bass. The beeps of sound rising in intonation throughout the track as cinematic intros and interludes build us up before the beefy bass drops. The record is another example of this producers unique style and shining potential in the future.
Sikka - The Sikkist Part 1 [Formation]
Sikka is no stranger to the UK dance music scene. A veteran of the old UK Hardcore scene this guy has now turned his attention to drum & bass. He signed with Formation last year and has had a couple of records on different projects, though this is his first solo outing. Entitled The Sikkist, it does live up to expectations, with four hard edged tracks that pull influences from all corners of drum & bass and its precursors. "Bring It Low" is a collab with legend DJ SS and starts with a slight clash of amen before hyping up and slamming down a technical neurofunk beat. The aptly named "Ferocious Flow" is a serious roller, watch out for that second drop. "The Sikkist" works a broken beat with riffs and bleeps with a deep bass. Rounding off part one is "Burst Into Love", a collaborative effort between Sikka, Adam B, High Roll and DJ SS. Together they produce a rolling beat with a bold bassline and sick vocals featured from Wilheim.
Mako - The Third [Metalheadz]
Deep and dark sounds coming direct from Bristol. This producer has had an incredible few years and this EP just sums up why. Dark and moody soundscapes with serious attention to detail. Whether its the murky halftime beat of "The Gully VIP" or the messed up breaks in "The Need Of Me". With every new release you hear him get quietly more confident in what he is doing, The Third EP is a living example as to why Mako is so in demand right now.
Quadrant & NC-17 - Dub Central [Dispatch]
Jumping across the pond for their next release, Dispatch have called on Seattle based Quadrant and Canadian NC-17 collide with serious consquences. Kicking off is "Dub Central" where you can hear Quadrant's usual tight drums and NC-17 bass twicking to full effect. Diving in next is a solo project from NC-17, "Only One Way Out". A relentless roller that's sure to shake the subs. For the final assault both Quadrant and NC-17 team up again for "Living A Lie". They deliver yet another slammer that rounds off this impressive effort from North America.
Third Degree - Home EP [Influenza Media]
Begluim's smoothest liquid imprint dropped these two silky smooth rollers by Third Degree. Starting things off is "Nothing You Can Say" featuring Mystic State and Tension. Atmospheric pianos build the vibes with their elegant beauty before a pulsating drum beat and bold bassline carry the piano's sound through. On a similar tip is "Home" using piano's and also strings to draw us in before rattling down the slickest liquid beat. Soft, smooth, elegant, it's not all about jump up in Belgium.
Shifta - Back On The Edge EP [Smokin Riddims]
After trying his graft at dubstep, Shifta is back on Smokin with 5 thumping drum & bass records. His productions fit the remit for the label nicely, all leaning more towards jump up style without being too over the top.
