Big fans of the Diffrent label here at Robot Bodypop. The label bosses seem
to have a clear view of what they want to put out and whilst it may
be indulgent, the quality is always there. In their own words; “We believe theres a lot of soul-less D&B music
out there due to labels having to put out music that “HAS” to sell.
Ultimately we’re about making music fun, trying new things
& putting out music that we truly love!’ – Hunchbak
& Dexta The title track ‘Cutting
Edge’ opens the release off with its steppy breaks
and chopped vocal stabs. It doesn’t build so much as hit you in the
face from the off. ‘Lost’ opens with
some haunting synth’s and draws you in before the crisp break
drives through the cold vibes Diffrent is known for before it peaks into a breakdown that
runs with piano licks and twisted electronica. Followed by personal
favourite ‘Game Changer’ it builds
slowly before the lyrics force a key change and the bass wraps
around the vocals interspersed with killer soundbites. Badness ‘Serrated’ works on the low end right
the way through. Its a deep track. One for the heads. A strong release and out to
pick up now at Juno Records and all decent online
retailers.
Lets not mess about here, Seba is one of D&Bs critical artists. In a scene thats been calling for producers to push new sounds or be consistent enough to continually entertain, Swedish producer Seba comes forth with the follow up to Return To Forever. It’s a beautiful example of an artist evolving, not to mention the fact that its out on his own label, Secret Operations. Often when an artist publishes themselves on their own imprint, the music can be very indulgent. Not here. Imagine your favourite Seba tune; I’ve got one in mind & Robert Manos is on vocals. Square that. Thats Identity.
This LP carries 10 tracks and its deep. Opening with ‘Cant Describe’ theres some lush vocals drawing you in while the percussion keeps the vibe low. Its a gentle ride in the 4/4 until it peaks where the bass warps forcing the whole track to even out. Brilliant.
Certainly going to have to mention the title track here. ‘Identity’ starts slow but very precise with a vocal that literally wants to carry you through the tune. It’s probably only a minute before the sub bass kicks in and when both these join up this track goes in.
Theres beautiful piano licks in ‘Madness’ featuring Robert Manos whos a badman vocalist, lets be honest.
*cough* track of the album
The harmony on this track is ridiculous.
Moving on, ‘Say You Love Me’ is a welcome mix of inflated bass and sharp techy lines interspersed with melancholy piano which pads out into a rich riddim
Amen beats are there or there abouts in ‘Nothing Can Replace’. I havent vibed to a tune with a female vocal like this since Kosheen. This is a perfect blend. Its deep, gets you emotive but also keeps either the feet, knees, or legs moving in tandem. Awesome stuff.
Amazing that we can go through some of these tracks and not mention the Metalheadz sound. It’s actually present in abundance on the mighty ‘Balance Of Power’ track. Hopscotch beats with moving electronica whilst the highs of the beat sound like glass being punished. This track must be a homage to Sebas comfort on the Metalheadz label. Its incredible and with the firing bass, its an important riddim. It speaks volumes about the mans evolution.
Theres a couple of techno numbers on this album too. You need to seek them out for yourself. Purely so that your as surprised as I was.
This glorious collection of tunes are capped off with ‘Whats Your Fantasy’. The track is just as seductive as the title. It weaves between comfort and emotive whilst keeping you hooked. You wont miss a trick.
Theres nowhere for me to link you to some of the tracks so you can do no better than to listen to this sampler.
Shouts to Seba, this is an incredible achievement. Restoring faith in DnB and still pushing the envelope. Large
From all good retailers worth their salt 04/03/2013
ASC graces us with his second offering on Pushing Red and one of the strongest releases yet.
A fantastic follow up to his debut on the label and one that shows his versatility and strength for techno. ‘Proton’ starts off with chest thumping kicks and a clever undulating bassline as in true ASC fashion. Blips & bleeps weave in and out of the background before the snare drops in to take the track onwards. Will do damage on any dancefloor. ‘Electron’ is another deep techno piece. A solid 4/4 keeps the momentum strong with pulsating bass and smooth melodies. Body and mind music
Out now to purchase at all retailers holding down the Pushing Red sound.
2012 has been a fulfilling year for IM:Ltd and with the sonic summer being definitively over, the French based label gets back moodier than ever with ‘Junction 12’, a collection of 6 meticulously picked Drum & Bass tracks from some of the hottest talents on board that comes in the form of a 3×12” vinyl series. Disc 1 sees Berlin producer Es.tereo going back to some of his darker playgrounds with ‘Junction 12’, an autonomic influenced stepper forged on obsessive robotic vocals and industrial klanks. On the B side, French techstep veterans Kantyze deliver a surprisingly uncluttered roller named ‘Tough Breaker’. Simple & efficient.
With releases on labels such as Goldie’s legendary imprint Metalheadz , 2012 has been a wealthy year as well for Mortem as he returns to IM:Ltd with ‘Converter’, another brilliant track that won’t contradict his well earned reputation for creating music that causes serious damages on dance floors across the globe. The flip consist of ‘Amour King’, the first vinyl effort from Quartz , a new duo hailing from Cardiff.
On Disc 3, Gerwin steps up his game with ‘It’s All In Your Head’, a seedy piece of minimal tech funk. Once again, his ease and versatility definitively makes him one of the name to be watched out for in the coming months.
Last but not least, Belgian producer Atmospherix teams up with S-Vb for some ‘Modular Revenge’.
Raw sickness. Bag It
Beat tapes are something im getting increasingly distracted by, not least because of the groove they are offering but because its good to hear influences on people making the beats.
Recently the ‘Soft Focus’ tape by Vanilla has been ever present. Again, its a bewilderment that a 27 track album can be offered up for free or on a name your price basis, especially when the beats have this much soul.
Its clear to hear the influences on UK producer Vanilla and rather point to that I’d like to point at this release that keeps the head bouncing and the inner groove going from start to finish.
Cut up beats alongside warm vocals and grooves conjure up a fantastic brew. Bag it and try to listen from start to finish without rewinding to play, at least, more than one track twice. No chance!
Once again, searching the web for some killer remixes and/ or productions, I was more than pleasantly surprised to stumble across a young producer from Charlotte, USA. Theres actually 6 pieces to pick up on his Bandcamp page but its this remix album I’ve fallen for.
Scottie Royal crafts Hip-Hop remixes that sit perfectly alongside the carefully selected vocals. I’ve had this on rotation in the car for the best part of a month and it still sounds fresh.
There’s an incredible amount of soul and funk on offer here and more than enough for you to realise that Scottie Royal is a proficient producer who clearly understands his music and his tools.
A personal favorite is the K-OS track, Burning Bridges.
Bag the whole lot and chuck him some monetary rewards because this guy is a badman.
Big fans of the Diffrent label here at
Robot Bodypop 