Kmag Best Drum & Bass albums of 2010
18. A-Sides “Worldwide”Eastside Records (EASTDD01)
The title of A-Sides’ second album refers to the fact that he’s always touring (he’s played 200 cities and counting, apparently), but thankfully he found the time to piece together this tasty selection of upbeat, feel-good drum & bass. It’s got funky, jazzy influences, but they’re kept short and sweet, because this is primarily a party record, not one for the chin scratchers. In his long career, A-Sides has naturally made plenty of friends in the scene, and several of them feature on this LP, including long-time associates Makoto and Deeizm, as well as Break, MC Kemo and others.
13. Craggz & Parallel “Turn The Page” Product Recordings (PRODUCTCD001)
Craggz & Parallel simplified their name this year (they used to be Craggz & Parallel Forces) and along the way streamlined their whole creative process, developing a new, highly electronic sound that they say is heavily influenced by techno. Though this album still has a strong D&B feel, it’s also got a lot of slower, experimental tracks as well as some unusual vocal collaborations. The whole product has a cold, futuristic and slightly threatening sound that’s strangely compelling, like the soundtrack to a twisted sci-fi movie that hasn’t been made yet. Weird and unique, and highly innovative.
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10. Utah Jazz “Vintage” Vintage (VTGCD001)
Utah Jazz gave this album the same name as his new label, Vintage, hoping to give a sense of the depth of influences that go into his work. As on previous releases, Utah Jazz’s tracks are a colourful mosaic of old soul, blues and funk samples, lovingly harvested from old vinyl. It’s about looking into the past and reimagining those sounds in a modern context. Vintage follows on from Utah Jazz’s debut, It’s a Jazz Thing, which came out in 2008, and does so in fine form. This is a great album for a warm summer’s day, even though they seem a long way off right now…
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8. Klute “Music for Prophet” Commercial Suicide
(SUICIDECD008 / SUICIDELP008)
There are few drum & bass artists who’ve made six albums, but Klute is one of them. Blending harder tracks with some lively, softer ones, this tasty release gave Klute fans everything they wanted and more: crisp production, flowing bass lines and Klute’s signature command of melody. At times gritty and tough, at times delicate, this artist is always compelling. Some producers lose their enthusiasm after a certain number of releases, but on the basis of Music for prophet, Klute’s not likely to run out of ideas any time soon. Sit back and listen to a master at work.
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6. Calibre “Even If” Signature (SIGLP006)
This is Calibre’s seventh album, an amazing achievement that testifies to this Belfast resident’s prolific output. You can hear his own voice on several tracks, and he says he’s always looking for the “songwriter slant” in drum & bass, an avenue that hasn’t really been pursued by anyone else. There are plenty of tunes here with that fantastic Calibre flavour: rolling breaks, softly hypnotic loops and misty vocal cuts. But the track that’s got the most attention is Steptoe, a superb, dubbed-out riddim that rolls along at a half-time pace and flew to number 12 in our top D&B singles of 2010.
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5. Siren “Broken Silence” Siren
(SIRENUKLPCD1)
Among certain sections of the scene, this was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year. It’s also one of the best. Years in the making, this collaboration between Vice of Vicious Circle and Ruxspin from Universal Project blends old-school breaks with dutty bass, dubbed-out samples and the kind of eerie soundscapes that make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. At turns dark and threatening, it also yields moments of rare beauty, such as on the ethereal Snorkel. This superb album feels simultaneously old and new – one of the toughest, deepest releases of the year.
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2. Sabre “A Wandering Journal” Critical (CRITLP04 / CRITCD04)
Sabre went deep on this one. Billed as “a modern day traveller’s tale”, his debut album spans two CDs and is in fact the first LP to date from the Critical label. At times hazy and indistinct, at times precise and spine-tingling, it’s a complex and enigmatic work, the kind of album you can’t just take in on one listen. With CD1 dedicated to the more minimal, mysterious stuff, the second CD is slightly more club-friendly, featuring collaborations with Alix Perez and Rockwell, among others. But whichever way you look at it, this album is a slow burner. Put it on, sit back and let it seep slowly into your pores.
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1. Break “Resistance” Symmetry (SYMMLP002 / SYMMCD002)
How do you a follow such a superb debut LP as Symmetry, which Break dropped in 2008? By crafting an even more devastating collection of tearing drum & bass anthems, that’s how. Though it’s only just come out, Break’s second album is already inspiring awe and envy in equal measure. Bridging his more musical, jazz-inflected tracks with full-on grimey rollers, this is an essential pick for anyone who cares to call themselves a junglist. The list of collaborators alone testifies to Break’s eminent status. Calyx & TeeBee, Die, Nico and Spectrasoul, to name but a few, appear on this majestic LP. For sheer consistency and talent, Break’s Resistance is our number one album of 2010.
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Kmag – 20 best drum & bass singles of 2010
20. Seba “Don’t You Love Me Anymore” 31 Records (31R049)
Seba has a reputation for pushing boundaries and this track proves what his innovative talent can do with a simple template and a hundredweight of bass pressure. Minimal in style, this track is nevertheless as deep and dirty as anything released this year, with its massive, pulsing bass line and eerie, skeletal drums. With Seba at the helm, you feel like you’re on a submarine descending to the very deepest ocean ravines with nothing but sub bass to guide you. Proof that the man from Sweden is still as relevant as ever.
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17. dBridge “Love Hotel” Exit (EXIT022)
Listening to dBridge, you get an impression of a guy who doesn’t give a damn how others choose to categorise his music. Once a member of Bad Company, he’s now pioneering the minimal sound as part of the Autonomic crew. This track is definitely in the Autonomic mould, with tense electronic percussion and melancholy synthetic sounds. Its half-time rhythm and slow pace mean it won’t exactly set dance floors alight, but that’s not the point. If you want an enigmatic track you can get lost in for hours, both this and its flipside, The Dim Light, are just for you.
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13. Fracture & Neptune “The Limit” Astrophonica (APHA004)
Fracture & Neptune launched their Astrophonica imprint last year and this rough-edged roller is the best track yet from the new label. With dirty bass and crunching drum breaks, The Limit harks back to the classic jungle era of the mid-90s. Ravers have been going mad for this, especially after it appeared on Zero T’s FabricLive mix – proof that there’s still a massive appetite for music with that old-school flavour. The flipside Get Lost is equally strong, uniting Fracture & Neptune’s trademark tight drum edits with gritty bass lines; one for all the real junglists.
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12. Calibre “Steptoe” Signature (SIG016)
Calibre has made an astonishing amount of music in the decade or so that he’s been producing drum & bass, but this trippy, reggae-tinged riddim shows he’s still full of ideas. Putting the tempo at a half-time stomp and adding dubbed-out Jamaican vocal samples gives the track a loose feel, while its immense bass line makes you feel sure you’ve just walked into a Kingston sound system clash, and can even smell the ganja smoke in the air. Coming out on his own Signature label, Steptoe is one of Calibre’s biggest tracks to date, a huge accolade given that he’s made more tunes than most of us have had hot dinners.
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1. Spor “Kingdom” Lifted Music
(LFTD009)
You know a tune is the real deal when Andy C decides to play it first on his latest Nightlife compilation, and that’s what he’s done with this beast of a track from Spor. With the possible exception of Noisia, there isn’t anyone out there that has a technical ability to match Spor’s, so it’s no surprise this artist inspires admiration veering on worship. In Spor’s hands, bass is like putty to be twisted, squeezed, ripped in two and then slammed back together again. This track is so accomplished it leaves you gasping, which is why it’s our pick for the best drum & bass single of the year.
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