STHoldings Ltd

Released 30th January on 12″ Vinyl / Digital

It’s that time of the year again, 2011 is coming to a close and the STHoldings staff members gather together to discuss their Top 3 tracks of the year (not as an easy task as i’m sure you can imagine)…
Here’s last year’s picks as we’re in the mood to reminisce.

Chris Parkinson

01. Instra:mental – Voyeur [DISF011]

02. Fierce & Vicious Circle – Section VIP [QRNPLATE001]
Fierce / Vicious Circle ‘Section VIP’ / ‘Feedback’ [PLATE001] by stholdings

03. Cotti Ft. Badness – Teen Wolf [STN002]
Cotti Ft. Badness ‘Teen Wolf’ / Cotti & Coki ‘Jugger Nog’ [STN002] by stholdings

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Andrew Parkinson

01. XXXY – You Gotta Do You [ORCA004]
xxxy – You Gotta Do You – 004 by orca.recordings

02. Blawan – Potchla Vee [HESCD001]
Blawan ‘Potchla Vee’ (Hessle Audio) by punchdrunkmusicdotcom

03. Blu Mar Ten – Made In London [BMTCD002]
Blu Mar Ten – Made in London by Blu Mar Ten

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Chris Marlow

01. Blawan – What You Do With What You Have [RS1108]
Blawan – What You Do With What You Have by i-D online

02. Drums Of Death – Cold Lazarus [CIV024]
Cold Lazarus Club by Drums Of Death

03. Drums Of Death – Tear The Box Apart [CIV032]

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Jonathan Wilson

01. Teeth – Shawty [502003]
502:003 Teeth – Shawty/Shawty [FaltyDL Remix] by 502 Records

02. T-Polar – Apollo [SAIGON006]
T-Polar – Apollo EP [SAIGON006] by Saigon Recordings

03. Funk Ethics – Give (Von D Remix) [BOKA037]
Funk Ethics & Lucid Directions – Give (Von D Remix) [Clip] by BOKA

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Dan Phillips

01. Pessimist & Arma – Cobalt [ALIGN001]
ALIGN001 AA Pessimist & Arma – Cobalt Clip – OUT NOW! by Alignment Records

02. Skeptical – Blue Eyes [RECIPE024]
SKEPTICAL ‘BLUE EYES’ RECIPE024a by Ingredients:

03. Joe Goddard – Gabriel EP [GREC022D]
Joe Goddard Gabriel EP (Vinyl Format) Greco-Roman [GREC022V] by stholdings

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Mat Harwood

01. Skeptical – Blue Eyes [RECIPE024]
SKEPTICAL ‘BLUE EYES’ RECIPE024a by Ingredients:

02. Conqueror – Highest Order [LOB003]
New York Transit Authority ‘Off The Traxx’ / Conqueror ‘Highest Order’ Lobster Boy [LOB003] by stholdings

03. Pangaea – Won’t Hurt [HES017]
Won’t Hurt by pangaea

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Janet Eden

01. Calibre – Notting Hill – Signature [SIGCD007]
Calibre – Condition [SIGLP007] by Surus

02. Calibre – Piano Bizness – Critical Music [CRIT059]
Calibre- Piano Bizness – CRIT059 by Critical Music

03. Von D Ft. Phephe – You’re The One – Boka Records [BOKACD001]
Von D Ft. Phephe – You’re The One by BOKA

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Trevor Foyle

01. Blu Mar Ten Ft. Kirsty Hawkshaw – Whisper [BMTCD002]
Blu Mar Ten – Whisper (feat. Kirsty Hawkshaw) by Blu Mar Ten

02. Klute – Shy Piece [SUICIDECD010]

03. Skeptikal – Blue Eyes [RECIPE024]
SKEPTICAL ‘BLUE EYES’ RECIPE024a by Ingredients:

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Paul Clark

01. Krakota – Be Myself [RECIPE018]
Krakota – Be Myself (edit) – Recipe book volume one LP (May 2011) by Ingredients:

02. Skeptical – Refraction [RECIPE021]
Skeptical – Refraction (edit) – Recipe book volume one LP May 2011 by Ingredients:

03. Break – Freak [SUICIDE061]
Break – Freak – suicide061 / suicidecd010 – OUT NOW! by Commercial Suicide

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Ben Craven

01. Joe Goddard – Gabriel [GREC022D]
Joe Goddard Gabriel EP (Vinyl Format) Greco-Roman [GREC022V] by stholdings

02. Marlow – Love Kills Slowly [NCOMP003]
Marlow ‘Love Kills Slowly’ No Comply Recordings (NCOMP003) by stholdings

03. Pangaea – Hex [HEK013]
HEK 013 A Pangaea – Hex by Hemlockrecordings

 

So that’s another year almost done and with it come the inevitable top this, top that lists. Here are details of how  STHoldings distributed labels/artists featured in the end of year lists from around the web.

RA Poll: Top 50 tracks of 2011

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1422

46. Maurice Donovan - Babeh [SSSSS]
The man formerly known as Ramadan cuts up a classic into something resembling house.

SSSSS02 A – Maurice Donovan – Babeh by Hemlockrecordings

22. Peverelist - Dance Til the Police Come [Hessle Audio]
Jungle-inspired-swinging post-dubstep—or in other words, a Bristol-based genius at the top of his game.

Peverelist ‘Dance til the Police Come’ by Peverelist

19. Scuba - Adrenalin [Hotflush]
A lot of 2011′s big tracks inspired as much bickering as they did dancefloor mayhem, and Scuba’s only single under his usual moniker was no different. Following in his new, looser, and housier direction, “Adrenalin” is eight minutes of rigid repetition, incessantly catchy basslines and a strobing vocal sample. But the song’s lopsided progression is the important part, because three minutes in it melts away into one of the year’s most decadent breakdowns, several minutes of building synth washes and whooshes that unashamedly ascend to the highest of the gurning trance heavens. The song’s title might imply a certain energy, but we all know there’s a different chemical driving this one.

Scuba ‘Adrenalin’ Hotflush Recordings [HF030] by stholdings

17. Pangaea - Hex [Hemlock]
Pangaea’s “Hex” was perfectly fine for the first 86 seconds. Pretty swell even. A bit of rhythmic trickery, a nice organic bed for it all to sit on. Then there was this: “Buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh kut buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh buh kut be booooooooooooy be boooooOOOOOOOoy.” It was at that moment that “Hex” became one of the most exciting songs we’d heard all year. That Kevin McAuley had further tricks up his sleeve later on is icing on the cake of course, but it’s also why we kept coming back to it throughout the year.

HEK 013 A Pangaea – Hex by Hemlockrecordings

10. Unknown Artist - Sicko Cell [Swamp 81]
Be honest: When you finally heard “Sicko Cell” in full, you were a little bit underwhelmed. (If you even bothered to track it down at all.) There’s not much to say about the rhythm. There’s hardly a drop. Even the melody—if you can call the atmospheres a full-fledged melody—don’t inspire much poetry. There is a vocal, though. Perhaps you remember? It’s the one about cocaine powder. The one that drove you mad in a club this year trying to figure out where it was from. The one that Loefah, Oneman and others couldn’t stop playing. The one that landed this tune in our top 10 tracks of the year.

? – Sicko Cell / Knock Knock [SWAMP014] Swamp81 by Surus

01. Blawan - Getting Me Down [White Label]
The whole story behind “Getting Me Down” is a bit corny really. I went out on New Years Eve—like everyone else does, and I did the whole thing, had a good time, left quite early and came back home and kind of just sat at my computer all night/morning. I had these disco loops I had been working on that I wasn’t really doing much with, and I started messing around with the a cappella and then something just clicked. I did it in about four hours and kind of forgot about it.
This one dropped off the radar for me a little bit, because I actually thought it was one of the weirder things I had written. I never really grasped the catchy vocal properly until I put it into context. A few guys said, “Yeah, I really like that tune,” but nothing more than anything else I sent before. The first person to get anything from me is usually Ben UFO. Ben gave it the first play on Rinse FM, and somebody then ripped it from the radio stream and uploaded it to YouTube—something that seems happen all the time now. That played an integral part of getting the tune in people’s heads really.
I’d been playing the tune out a lot, and it had got an OK reaction. I mean, I had always thought of it as filler for a set anyway. But once the YouTube clip was up, a lot of people in clubs knew what it was, even though it was only three or so weeks after I had finished making it. It’s really strange how things move so fast.

Blawan ‘Getting Me Down’ (White label) by punchdrunkmusicdotcom

 

 

RA Poll: Top 20 albums of 2011

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1423

19. Instra:mental - Resolution 653 [NonPlus+]
The problem with Instra:mental? They release too much good music. “Problem” is the wrong word, but such has been the standard of Alex Green and Damon Kirkham’s output these past couple of years it’s become tough to ruminate on each new offering in isolation, fully appreciating the true extent of its merits. They’ve spoilt us, basically—and none more so than on their debut album, Resolution 653. Barely pausing for a fag break across its 13 tracks, the pair coaxed jaw-clenching amounts of warmth and grit out of their machines, coming off like the natural heirs to Drexciya’s electro throne.

Instra:mental ‘Resolution 653′ Album audio clips Nonplus Records by stholdings

 

 

RA Poll: Top 20 compilations of 2011

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1424

20. Various Artists - Mosaic Vol. 1 [Exit]
A lot of the tunes on Mosaic were earmarked as singles for Exit. But it became really clear that I wasn’t going to have the schedule to get everything out, so a compilation seemed like a good idea. In the same way as the [Autonomic] podcast, putting this music together served as a platform for people to get their heads around it. If the tracks are all in dribs and drabs it sort of goes unnoticed. I think compilations and the podcast kind of helped identify this group of artists producing this music. I suppose that’s where the title Autonomic came from. It’s funny that it became a genre name sort of, because that was never the intent.
- dBridge

Mosaic Vol 1 CD by Exit Records UK

14. Various Artists - Back & 4th [Hotflush]
I wasn’t directly involved in the process of choosing tracks for Back & 4th, but the goal was to present a gradual evolution of the label’s sound over the last few years. It was also an opportunity to bring in a few newcomers who provided a clear manifestation of that same evolution, with Roska, Boddika, dBridge, and FaltyDL adding their own flavors to the mix. I was also glad that Scuba picked up my own track, “Axis.” It’s the first one I made that I was really satisfied with. My favorite track on the compilation, though, was Boxcutter’s “LOADtime.” He’s always been really inspiring to me, as a veteran producer whose talent and skill really set him apart. – Incyde, Label Manager

BACK AND 4TH – Disc 1 by Hotflush

10. Various Artists - 116 & Rising  [Hessle Audio]
We had the idea for the compilation at the end of 2010 and started putting the wheels in motion soon after that. We approached some people we hadn’t worked with before as well as asking those we had if they were interested in the concept too. Luckily for us, everybody was. In terms of the name, the three of us were on the train coming back from our distributors after talking about the project, thinking of titles. I’d been re-listening to Experience by the Prodigy a week or two earlier and one of the tracks on there is called “Everybody in the Place (155 & Rising).” So 116 & Rising (referring to the BPM of the slowest track in the comp) is a bit of a joke, but at the same time summarises the project and a lot of what we’re about nicely.
- Pangaea

James Blake – Give A Man A Rod (Second Version) by BOILER ROOM

 

 

RA Poll: Top 20 labels of 2011

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feature.aspx?1421

20. NonPlus+
Nonplus+ heads Alex Green and Damon Kirkham simply claim to release what they like—no matter the genre. That’s what everyone says…until the distributor steps in. Luckily for us, Green and Kirkham didn’t get the memo, and spent the year reaffirming their pan-genre approach by putting Actress’ blurry electronica next to Lowtec’s tired house, and Boddika’s breezin’ electro up against the Neil Landstrumm and JD Twitch collab Salsa Apocalypso. Add Instra:mental’s own brutal and beautiful Resolution 653 to the mix, and you have yourself a wonderful and confusing year

19. Idle Hands
Saunter down Stokes Croft in Bristol with some cash in your pocket and you’ll likely end up trawling the racks of Idle Hands. The label of the same name was started up in 2009 while Chris Farrell was still employed a bit further up the street by the erstwhile Rooted Records. Much like the stock in both these stores, the label hasn’t been wedded to any one genre. In 2011 that’s meant an impeccable string of singles from artists like AnD, Kowton, Kevin McPhee, Szare and Outboxx which have run the gamut between charcoal techno and jazzy house.

05. Hotflush
With a hefty label compilation occupying the first quarter of the year and a busy 2010 behind him, it could have been a year of consolidation for Scuba’s Hotflush. Instead, the imprint pushed forward with new talents George FitzGerald, Braille) and old Paul Woolford & Psycatron). Looking over the names that released on Hotflush in retrospect, and things seem obvious. (Err… of course Sepalcure and Sigha go together!) But it speaks to the platform that Scuba has created that artists from house, techno and bass music even think to send him tracks—and that he finds a way to work all of them into his DJ sets.

 

 

Pitchfork The Top 100 Tracks of 2011

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8726-the-top-100-tracks-of-2011/

94. Sepalcure “Pencil Pimp” [Hotflush]
As Sepalcure, Travis Stewart and Praveen Sharma slid in right before the whistle to remind us that electronic music devices can do more than evocatively sputter and fritz. “Pencil Pimp” whirls on a machine-lathed spindle of Chicago footwork, capturing a feeling of curtailed tension and lurking danger with its soulful vocal clips and warm synth pads. There are no gestures of rebellion or subversion, only an argument for well-made music at a time when it might seem besieged. “Pencil Pimp” demonstrates why we feel so comfortable breaking the mold: We know someone will come along who feels passionate enough to cast it again, tempered even stronger. –Brian Howe

Sepalcure – Pencil Pimp / I’m Alright (album single) by Hotflush

86. Blawan “Getting Me Down” [self-released]
Blawan first drew attention with tracks that wielded wild drums like a toddler banging on household objects, but his most powerful moment this year came when he reined in those tendencies for a straightforward house thumper.  A lot of the impact in “Getting Me Down” comes fromthat Brandy vocal, squeezed and wedged into a galloping beat that recontextualizes the R&B slow-jam original as a sugary, hyped-up rush that’s dangerously contagious. Released discreetly after months of dubplate domination, the track’s landing was titanic: it was impossible to walk around record stores in London in May without hearing it blaring from speakers, or go to a club night without it being rinsed at least once. For the first half of the year, “Getting Me Down” was an event, and listening back to it at year’s end, it’s easy to see why. So few tracks combined candyfloss rave, UK garage hysteria, and dubby dread (check the growling basslines) into something that sounded so universal yet so subversive, helping to kick off a new impulse in the bass music world that was all about house. –Andrew Ryce

 

 

Pitchfork The Top 50 Albums of 2011

http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8727-the-top-50-albums-of-2011/?utm_source=related

47. Sepalcure ‘Sepalcure’ [Hotflush]
In an interview with The Guardian last month, Hotflush boss Scuba named “Outside”, the closing song from bass music duo Sepalcure’s self-titled debut LP, as the song he would want to open his next DJ set with. It’s a strange choice for a set opener– “Outside” is beatless, essentially four minutes of drone and clipped voices– but then again, not much about Sepalcure makes sense in the constant forward-thinking climate of bass music circa 2011. As an album, it doesn’t really do anything new, and a few of the signifiers that Travis Stewart and Praveen Sharma plunder onSepalcure were, to some, reaching their expiration dates– specifically, the use of pitched vocals that Stewart liberally splayed on his album this year as Machinedrum, Room(s). Part of what makes Sepalcure such a deeply enjoyable listen is how familiar it all is, pogoing between juke-derived textures, IDM’s click-clack machinery, misty pastoral ambience, and house music’s 4/4 insistence while weaving a web of shivering romance that still manages to move bodies. Above all else, Sepalcure offers a necessary reminder that, yeah, change is good, but elegant, refined perfection also has its place. –Larry Fitzmaurice

Sepalcure – Sepalcure LP *Album Preview* [HFLP006] Hotflush Recordings by Surus

 

 

Fact Magazine 50 best: tracks of 2011

http://www.factmag.com/2011/12/05/50-best-tracks-of-2011-50-41/

47: PAUL WOOLFORD & PSYCATRON ‘STOLEN’ (HOTFLUSH)
Almost five years on from ‘Erotic Discourse’, someone, somewhere did 2011 a massive favour and relit the fire under Paul Woolford’s arse, prompting the Leeds veteran to roll back the years and deliver some of his all-time best material. ‘Razor Blade’ and his remix of T. Williams and Terri Walker’s ‘Heartbeat’ were sublime, but this colossal collaboration with Psycatron on Hotflush simply took the biscuit.

Paul Woolford and Psycatron – Stolen [HFT018] by Hotflush

40: OLD APPARATUS SIDE A PART 1 (DEEP MEDI)
Old Apparatus’s mysterious debut – 20 minutes of music spread across two untitled sides of vinyl – is something we recommend enjoying as a whole, but there’s no doubt that the first distinct movement of the A-side packs the fiercest punch. It sounds like UK garage gone industrial, its perfectly swung rhythm riven by distortion and an overloaded darkside bassline. The end, it suggests, is very much nigh.

39: TEETH ‘SHAWTY’ (502 RECORDINGS)
Smoked-out drum machine pop from Helsinki’s TEETH that suited 502′s darkroom aesthetic (see also: Jay Weed, Fis-T) to a tee.

Oneman’s 502 Label: Teeth – Shawty/Shawty [FaltyDL Remix] 502003 by stholdings

24: KAHN ‘LIKE WE USED TO’ (PUNCH DRUNK)
Kahn’s beautifully crafted debut single bowled us over, with its vocals chopped into the syllables of pure energy and longing – “feminine pressure” writ large – and strapped to the most lithe and undeniable dubstep rhythm we heard all year.

Kahn ‘Like We Used To’ (Punch Drunk Records) by Punch Drunk Records

20: BLAWAN ‘GETTING ME DOWN’ (WHITE LABEL)
This year, Blawan expanded on the promise of his 2010 debut single ‘Fram’ to become one of the UK’s most in-demand, and refreshingly, heaviest producers, proving that you can still go hard in the paint without resorting to dubstep or electro-house cliches. He showed off his lighter touch, however, on this vinyl only edit of Brandy’s ‘Wanna Be Down’; it’s still his finest track to date.

17: PANGAEA ‘WON’T HURT’ (HESSLE AUDIO)
Pretty much everything Pangaea touches turns to gold, but nothing gleamed so bright in 2011 as ‘Won’t Hurt’ – a rude-as-all-fuck but masterfully honed onslaught of scything synths, choppy drums and outrageous sub-bass.

Won’t Hurt by pangaea

13: UNKNOWN ARTIST ‘SICKO CELL’ (SWAMP81)
I’m the information… co-caine powder. Say no more.

07: ROCKWELL ‘ARIA’ (CRITICAL AUDIO)
The most atmospheric, emotive and dynamic drum’n’bass track of the year, and an instant classic – wrought out of fierce, fanatically detailed drum programming, ghost-traces of This Mortal Coil’s ‘Song To The Siren’ and impeccably timed, gut-skewering bass stabs.

Fact Magazine 50 best: albums of 2011

http://www.factmag.com/2011/11/30/50-best-albums-of-2011-50-41/

42: 2562 FEVER (WHEN IN DOUBT)
Fever is a concept album with a very simple but rigorous set of rules – every nuance and texture is half-inched from disco records produced from the mid 70’s to the early 80’s, with producer Dave Huismans’ own birth year of 1979 acting as a temporal pivot. The results don’t sound like disco at all – beyond a certain joyous, celebratory quality – but rather a new kind of dance music; dynamic, shapeshifting and irrepressible.

2562 – Fever (doubt001cd/lp) [April 2011] by 2562 / A Made Up Sound

XLR8R’s Best of 2011: Labels

http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2011/12/xlr8rs-best-2011-labels

5. Hotflush
If you’re wondering why we think Hotflush is one of the best labels of the year, then you are not reading XLR8R enough. Let’s start with the obvious reasons: Sepalcure’s debut full-length topped Hotflush’s year off with a stunning display of dense post-dubstep, George FitzGerald dropped two more solid singles of R&B-infused garage, and label head Paul Rose (a.k.a. Scuba) unleashed one of 2011′s biggest tunes, “Adrenalin.” Meanwhile, Praveen Sharma of Sepalcure dropped four tracks of luscious, rolling garage with his A Meaning EP as Braille and Lando Kal stepped outside his usual role as the taller half of Lazer Sword long enough to deliver two of his most impressive solo cuts to date, “Further” and “Time Out.” Big, soulful tunes, consistently top-notch output, and a proven ability to not only shift within the ever-moving bass-music scene, but, more importantly, the power to influence it, made Hotflush a force yet again in 2011. Glenn Jackson

4. SWAMP81
Second acts can be hard to come by in electronic music, particularly in the lightning-quick environs of London’s hardcore continuum, but DMZ co-founder Loefah doesn’t seem to be having much of a problem with it. Since founding the SWAMP81 imprint in 2009, he’s quickly assembled a roster that functions as a sort of all-star team for upfront, low-end-heavy sounds. After serving up massive tunes like Addison Groove’s “Footcrab” and Ramadanman’s “Work Them” in 2010, the vinyl-only label stepped it up even further in 2011, dropping releases from FaltyDL, Zed Bias (both solo and as one-half of the Funkbias collaboration with Funk Butcher), and another single from Addison Groove. SWAMP81 was also home to records from Boddika—establishing him as a solo artist and one of the year’s biggest producers. Perhaps most notably, the label (eventually) released “Sicko Cell,” one of 2011′s most anticipated tunes. (The song may not have quite lived up to the hype, but it did snag the #13 slot on our countdown of the year’s best tracks.) Even as folks begin to wonder about the state of so-called bass music and attempt to figure out exactly where it’s heading, there appears to be no shortage of quality music coming from the SWAMP81 camp. Shawn Reynaldo

XLR8R’s Best of 2011: Tracks

http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2011/12/xlr8rs-best-2011-tracks-part-one
http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2011/12/xlr8rs-best-2011-tracks-part-2

47. Boddika
 “2727″
 (SWAMP81)
Even in a year when Instra:mental, the duo he’s been a part of for more than a decade, released a widely acclaimed and sonically adventurous new album, the ascent of Boddika as a solo artist could not be stopped. Tracks like “2727″—with its thunderous drums, acid lines, and unapologetically raw aesthetic—are the reason why. Shawn Reynaldo

2727 by Boddika

46. French Fries 
”Champagne” 
(ClekClekBoom)
Legend has it that Claude VonStroke wanted to sign “Champagne” to his Dirtybird label, but young French producer French Fries politely declined and kept the tune for his own ClekClekBoom imprint. True or not, it’s quite the story, not that this tune, which uses white space as effectively as it employs snappy drums and eerie synths, needed much help finding its way into DJs’ playlists. Shawn Reynaldo

French Fries – Champagne / Hugz ft. Bambounou [CCB001] – Out Now! (12″ Ltd Ed Vinyl) by ClekClekBoom

44. Sepalcure 
”Pencil Pimp” 
(Hotflush)
Sepalcure seems to compose bass music on the most loose, yet subtle terms, and the pair’s unique perspective on the genre has continued to yield stellar results. Somehow both tribal and smooth in the same breath, “Pencil Pimp” immediately stood out during the course of the duo’s debut LP, mostly due to the sheer weight infused into its post-happy sound—think Mount Kimbie with slightly bigger balls (and maybe some more drugs in the mix). Glenn Jackson

43. Blawan 
”Getting Me Down”
Sampling generously from Brandy’s “I Wanna Be Down” is kind of a no-brainer (whether or not you’re willing to admit it, we all loved that song), but Blawan did much more than simply edit Brandy’s half-forgotten hit—he propelled it into the club of some distant planet with monstrous percussion and whatever the hell that reverse low-end sound is. Wherever it comes from, it’s strange, unnerving, and just about perfect. Glenn Jackson

26. Instra:Mental
 “When I Dip”
 (NonPlus)
2011 found veteran UK duo Instra:mental completing a very large left turn, essentially abandoning drum & bass for old-school electro, heavy low-end, and lots of 808 drum sounds. Ahead of the acclaimed Resolution 653, the pair dropped “When I Dip,” an undeniable tune that also folds some Southern-style booty bass into the outfit’s new sonic formula. It proved to be quite the effective opening salvo, both for Instra:mental’s re-emergence and Boddika’s big year as a solo artist. Shawn Reynaldo

Instra:mental Resolution 653 LP Sampler ‘Thomp’ / ‘When I Dip’ [NONPLUS013] by stholdings

24. Julio Bashmore
 “Ribble to Amazon” 
(3024)
There’s a line somewhere between soulful, UK-style house and anthemic, almost cheesy, bangers that can be dangerous. However, when walked just right, that line is perfect for the dancefloor. Julio Bashmore knows exactly how to walk it, and “Ribble to Amazon” is one of his finest journeys on that limb—the pads are warm, the vocals are just right, and those breakdowns are too good to be true. Glenn Jackson

JULIO BASHMORE RIBBLE TO AMAZON (3024-011B) by 3024world

18. Teeth 
”Shawty”
 (502)
Like many selections on Oneman’s 502 imprint, there’s not a whole lot to “Shawty.” Listening to the song, it quickly becomes apparent just how much space there is in the production, a factor that’s just as important as any of the actual sonic elements being put to use. That said, each of those elements is just about perfect. Utilizing low-slung drum beats, haunting synth melodies, and a sultry vocal sample, Finnish producer Teeth not only put himself on the bass-music map, he also created one of the year’s most memorable tunes. Shawn Reynaldo

13. Unknown 
”Sicko Cell”
 (SWAMP81)
It’s amazing that when “Sicko Cell”—undoubtedly the most hyped tune of the year—was finally released in late July, the world was essentially already over it. In a world where anticipation grows exponentially online and DJs are mastering YouTube rips in order to play the latest tune, especially one created “anonymously” (it’s an open secret that Joy Orbison produced the track) and only passed along to a select few, “Sicko Cell” simply ran out of steam. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a monster of a club track. With a stripped-down aesthetic and eerie vibe, the song is rather similar to Teeth’s “Shawty,” but the twisted, Burial-esque vocal samples put “Sicko Cell” over the top. Shawn Reynaldo

3. Scuba
 “Adrenalin”
 (Hotflush)
Scuba made a trance song. (Polite company might refer to it as progressive house, but we’re going to call a spade a spade.) On the heels of “Loss,” which he released earlier in the earlier under his SCB moniker (and already nabbed #41 on this list), it was apparent that Paul Rose was interested in exploring new sound palettes, but something this, well, epic was not really expected. While the notion of one of the most influential and boundary-pushing dubstep producers of the past decade making a tune that Sasha would play (yes, that happened) sounds like some kind of nightmare on the surface, it doesn’t change the fact that “Adrenalin” is not only an excellent track, but also a production that completely resets exactly what it is that Scuba is all about. Containing one grandiose and ethereal breakdown—not to mention a series of smaller ups and downs along the way—”Adrenalin” certainly plays to the dancefloor, particularly dancers looking to lose their shit once the beat comes back in and the song’s chunky bassline takes hold. The synths are washy and warm, the sounds employed are impeccably clean, and yes, the track is absolutely, undeniably a bit cheesy. It’s also eight of the most enjoyable minutes of music we heard all year (more or less on repeat, to be honest), and we can’t wait to hear what Scuba comes up with next. Shawn Reynaldo

EXIT037
A) Dub Phizix & Skeptical Ft. Strategy – Marka
AA) Dub Phizix & Skeptical – Rags

Released 19th December on 12″ Vinyl / Digital

http://www.dubphizix.com/
http://www.facebook.com/skepticaluk1
http://www.exitrecords.co.uk/

EXIT037
a) Dub Phizix & Skeptical Ft. Strategy – Marka
aa) Dub Phizix & Skeptical – Rags

Released 19th December on 12″ Vinyl / Digital

http://www.exitrecords.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/exitrecordsuk

LOL is a bit of an unusual project, it’s just a thing in it’s own right, it’s not ‘for’ anything or anyone in particular, it’s just an LP made by three bored people who like music that sounds like it did before the advent of the internet. The project was recorded in the bedroom of a warehouse conversion in Hackney Wick (bedrooms can be incredibly creative spaces, seeing as most of us were conceived in one).

They wrote about self-obsession, social anxiety, drug abuse, and failed relationships using pre-21st century recording devices such as VHS tape, 70′s valve microphones, analogue synths, cheap Argos catalogue guitars, and 80′s drum machines.

The resulting music was sent to a handful of people they thought were similarly musically inclined; people deeply into producer culture who never rabidly stuck to one way of doing things, in the hope that they might like it too. After a few positive responses, it was decided to keep the project close to where it was created and London based label Nonplus+ Records proudly put their name behind it.

The name was chosen after a text conversation about potential band names – none of which sounded right – with the last suggestion being “Polterchrist?” which was replied to with a simple “lol”. lol sounded neat so that was it. They liked the fact that it used to be an abbreviation for ‘lots of love’ but now just means ‘laughing out loud’. It seemed to fit the cheap, cynical nature of what they’d written about… oh and it looks a bit like a person with their hands in the air.

The debut album is due for release in March.
For the time being the 12″ Vinyl LP Pt.1 is out now on Nonplus Records.

sthreleases070211

New D&B CD

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EXITCD005 – Various Artists – Exit Records Presents ‘Mosaic Vol 1’ – CD x 2
With so much good music arriving in the Exit inbox, it was decided that a various artist project was needed to ensure that it all see the light of day and doesn’t get caught up in a never ending schedule of singles. As normal with Exit Records, there’s no prejudice in the track selection. Well known producers such as Skream, Instra:mental, Scuba and Commix rub shoulders with some inspiring new talents such as Indigo, Synkro, Mode and Code 3. The theme of the album is quality timeless music, whether it be a dancefloor killer such as System’s ‘Observation Point’ or Loxy & Resound’s ‘Vertigo’ through to the tangerine dreamlike sounds of Crom’s ‘Invisible Cities’ or Stray’s ‘Pushed’. This album truly represents the more experimental side of Drum n Bass, as opposed to the crash bang wallop that seems to be the only side of Drum n Bass portrayed by the mainstream media today. Hopefully this album will manage to reach the people that thought this forward thinking music was left behind in the nineties, to let them know that it’s still alive and well, and still capable of throwing up some surprising and unpredictable results.

CD1 1 Scuba – In_2 -
CD1 2 Stray – Pushed -
CD1 3 Distance – Fading -
CD1 4 dBridge – Forgot what I needed to forget -
CD1 5 Synkro – Open Arms -
CD1 6 dBridge – Rendezvous -
CD1 7 Dan Harbanham – Nu Este Roz -
CD1 8 dBridge – Decayed -
CD1 9 Consequence – Splinter -
CD1 10 ASC – Modular Concepts -
CD1 11 Croms – Invisible Cities -
CD2 1 Commix – City Section -
CD2 2 Indigo – Time -
CD2 3 Mode – Stepping Stones -
CD2 4 Instra:mental – Scene 3 -
CD2 5 Skeptical – Another World -
CD2 6 Skream – Motorway -
CD2 7 Genotype – Further Searching -
CD2 8 Code 3 – Chasm -
CD2 9 Abstract Elements – Essence of Time -
CD2 10 System – Observation Point -
CD2 11 Loxy & Resound – Vertigo -

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NUCD006 – Need For Mirrors – Super Earth EP Limited Edition CD – CD
Following NFM’s superb debut 12” on Nu Directions in the spring, their sophomore release on the label offers something for everyone. Mosus and HLZ’s collaborative project has born fruit since it’s inception at the turn of 2010 with releases on some of the scene’s premier labels. SGN:LTD, 31 and V Recordings are some of the imprints that have showcased their creations to date with many more in the pipeline. The ‘Super Earth EP’ is a collection of the duo’s most creative work to date. A soundscape of musical textures, ‘Panoramic Views’ and Screenplay’ explore the drum & bass boundaries, while ‘Moving Pictures’ and ‘Medallion’ are snappy bass-driven workouts for the dancefloor. The CD version is housed in a limited edition digifile sleeve with previously unreleased bonus track ‘Lasers’. DJ and Radio support from DJ Krust, Commix, Lynx, Logistics, Nu:Tone, Storm, Spirit, Digital, Sabre, Zero T, Lenzman, Artificial Intelligence & Flight.

1 Need For Mirrors – Panoramic Views
2 Need For Mirrors – Moving Pictures
3 Need For Mirrors – Screenplay
4 Need For Mirrors – Medallion
5 Need For Mirrors – Lasers (Bonus CD Only Track)

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New D&B Releases

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EXITLP005 – Various Artists – Exit Records Presents ‘Mosaic Vol 1’ (4X12” Vinyl & 2xCD ) – 12″ Vinyl x 4
This format is 4X12” Vinyl & 2 X CD packaged together in a gatefold sleeve shrink wrapped. As normal with Exit Records, there’s no prejudice in the track selection. Well known producers such as Skream, Instra:mental, Scuba and Commix rub shoulders with some inspiring new talents such as Indigo, Synkro, Mode and Code 3. The theme of the album is quality timeless music, whether it be a dancefloor killer such as System’s ‘Observation Point’ or Loxy & Resound’s ‘Vertigo’ through to the tangerine dreamlike sounds of Crom’s ‘Invisible Cities’ or Stray’s ‘Pushed’. This album truly represents the more experimental side of Drum n Bass, as opposed to the crash bang wallop that seems to be the only side of Drum n Bass portrayed by the mainstream media today. Hopefully this album will manage to reach the people that thought this forward thinking music was left behind in the nineties, to let them know that it’s still alive and well, and still capable of throwing up some surprising and unpredictable results.CD: Disk 11. Scuba – In_22. Stray – Pushed3. Distance – Fading4. dBridge – Forgot what I needed to forget5. Synkro – Open Arms6. dBridge – Rendezvous7. Dan Habarnam – Nu Este Roz8. dBridge – Decayed9. Consequence – Splinter10. ASC – Modular Concepts11. Croms – Invisible CitiesCD: Disk 21. Commix – City Section2. Indigo – Time3. Mode – Stepping Stones4. Instra:mental – Scene 35. Skeptical – Another World6. Skream – Motorway7. Genotype – Further Searching8. Code 3 – Chasm9. Abstract Elements – Essence of time10. System -Observation Point11. Loxy & Resound – VertigoVinyl Format 4X12”

a Commix – City Section
b Skeptical – Another World
c Skream – Motorway
d Loxy & Resound – Vertigo
e Indigo – Time
f Genotype – Further Searching
g Code 3 – Chasm
h Abstract Elements – Essence of Time

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SICK010 – Switch Technique – The Mother Earth EP Part 2 – 12″ Vinyl
Finally out: Mother Earth EP part 2! As featured on the extremely popular Future Sickness podcasts this is a true hard drum ‘n bass killer you have been waiting for. Although relatively new in the scene Switch Technique has managed to claim his place in between the big stars. Starting of with uncompromising hard kicks this rapidly changes into the beats mayhem we need. Wicked combo between the hard and the sophisticated editing. The flip starts of with a freaky voice and falls into raving sounds and atmosphere. BIG follow-up to the hit record SICK009.

a Switch Technique – Imprint
b Switch Technique – Collapsed Species

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FKZLTD023 – Morebeat feat. Gabanna – Goodnight (Dose Remix) / Time Strain – 12″ Vinyl
FKZ:LTD is back on track with another uplifting 12 to raise your hands to! The New Zealand crusader Dose rises to the occasion once again for a 12 combining the old with the new.Morebeat & Gabanna’s ‘Goodnight’ get the Dose treatment and gets ironed out to a wicked, slick roller. The addictive Dose beats get added  for maximum rollige effect while tweaks and turns the sounds of the original. Dose proves himself as a steady remixer on this one as the original stays preserved in quarantine but assisted with the bare essentials needed to make to flow like only he knows to do. ‘Time Strain’ is a brand new production. A minimal yet effective roller.. Keeping everything crispy and clean like only Dose knows how.. A perfect choice for those early hour sets!

a Morebeat & Gabanna – Goodnight (Dose Remix)
b Dose – Time Strain

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New D&B Promos

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SUBTITLESUK007 – Total Science & S.P.Y / Total Science, S.P.Y & Lenzman – Venus Prime / Narrow Margin – 12″ Vinyl
Limited white label promo. Three of the biggest names in D&B join forces for Teebee’s Subitles label.

a Total Science & S.P.Y – Venus Prime
aa Total Science, S.P.Y & Lenzman – Narrow Margin

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REDSEAL006 – ASC & Vaccine / ASC – Machines / Bleep Test – 12″ Vinyl
Limited Solid Gold Vinyl. Following the opening of 2011 with our first 12” from Need For Mirrors comes this sub bass bomb by the husband and wife team of ASC & Vaccine. Both artists have recorded for Instra:mental’s Nonplus label and dBridge’s Exit Recordings. Veteran producer ASC’s 2010 album ‘Nothing Is Certain’ for Non:Plus was without a doubt one of the most important electronic albums of the year, redefining the very limits of Drum and Bass and stretching the genres sound design to embrace other tempo’s. ‘Machines’ has received high rotate play from DJ’s like Doc Scott, Loxy, dBridge, Instra:mental, Flight, Need For Mirrors, Presha and many more. The tune signals a new direction for ASC, this time aided by his incredibly talented spouse who adds a subtly funky bounce to the groove. The B side marries a vintage Photek approach with a Krustesque quirk and gives birth to a totally unique innovative sound. Essential! Release number 2 for 2011 from the Samurai stable precedes the debut EP from hot newcomer kiwi’s Tokyo Prose and the debut solo single from another kiwi Dose, who produced one of our biggest selling singles ‘The Other Part Of Me’ alongside Trei in 2008. Also look for the rebirth of the ‘Foreign Exchange’ series from Samurai Music and further releases from ASC & Need For Mirrors on Samurai Red Seal.

a ASC & Vaccine – Machines
b ASC – Bleep Test

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OK022 – Meth & 2Shy – Treatment EP – 12″ Vinyl x 2
Finish copy promo. Meth has been working hard from his base in the South of the UK and has been creating a monster to unleash for Offkey Music. His initial solo releases for Offkey brought much attention and dance floor destruction. Quickly people realised that Meth was a force not to be underestimated. This is first full length project and Offkey are very happy to be releasing it. Meth has gathered a stellar cast for The Treatment EP – and that cast extends to 2shy, Manifest & Zo. Let us get treated.a) Meth & 2Shy (feat. Zo) – Front-line 2Shy lays down a vocal that leaves no confusion as to his intent, Meth lays down a killer kick snare and bass combo that brings the dance floor pain like only he knows how. The mysterious Zo slides onto the rhythm and underpins 2Shy’s presence on the track with her spoken word style, putting emphasis on the main hook effortlessly. Bongos bring up the pace on the chorus and before you know it your nodding your head and singing along to the ‘Front-line’.b) Meth, Manifest & 2Shy - RockForte Another artist is introduced to the fold is B-Boy Aficionado Manifest, south London authority on all things hip hop, the friendship with 2Shy has developed over years and now they feature on the knock bass killer ‘Rockforte’. A lilting dub vocal hangs over the breakdown signalling to a drop that just demands to be heard. A mid set roller that features enough edits and twists to keep the floor moving and keeps those gun fingers in the air. Mid bass growls all over the beat encouraging that all important screw face. All together now…. “Too heavyweight, too heavyweight”c) Meth & 2Shy – Not the one This is TRADEMARK 2shy, lets not get it twisted- infact there is no way you could “The bass drops, the place erupts, the crowd shouts FUCK OFF”.  When 2shy gets on a track- this is what you want. Aggravated, unshakeable and uncompromising. and again- just incase you wondered- “FUCK OFF”. Meth and 2shy show again that this may well be an ongoing collaboration- this EP is like a fist to the face, and ‘Not the one’ is the middle finger of said fist.d) Meth – Snake Eyes Meth closes proceedings with menacing Snake Eyes, A perfect title for the sinister track that whips midrange and suffocates you with low end. High hats and cymbals give movement to the drums and add a body move factor that will have the dance floor in eyes down, shock out mode no doubt!

a Meth & 2Shy – Frontline (feat. Zo)
b Meth, Manifest & 2Shy – Rockforte
c Meth & 2Shy – Not The One
d Meth – Snake Eyes

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CRIT052 – Enei, Eastcolors & Noel – Cracken / Danger Dance – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Critical Music marches forward, tapping into yet more new talent for 2011 resulting in an absolutely filthy D&B excursion that has had the likes of Andy C going ballistic for it. Hailing from Russia, Enei, who has already bagged himself an exclusive album deal with Critical, Eastcolors and Noel may be familiar with a few but with this release they look set to cement themselves in the collective consciousness of drum & bass aficionados the world over. ‘Cracker’ is rough, rugged and very, very raw. Ultra-tech D&B could be the term to use as the trio of producers come together to deliver what could possibly even be one of Critical’s biggest releases to date. Full of sick mid-ranges, snapping drums and sneaking subs, this one is cold, dry and full of funk that’ll have people full-on skanking around clubs until the early hours. Absolute gold. Enei then goes it alone on the more experimental ‘Danger Dance’, that intros with a sparse arrangement of stalking pads and fx that set the mood of unrest. In bounces a low-slung bass and it’s away we go on this gorgeously glitchy, 808-laden ride that sits perfectly alongside the likes of Rockwell and indeedCritical. DJ support from Andy C, Alix Perez, Friction, Icicle, Cyantific, Nu:tone, Logistics, Rockwell, Lenzman, Hype, Jubei, Ulterior Motive and more.

a Enei, Eastcolors & Noel – Cracker
b Enei – Danger Dance

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NU12048 – Need For Mirrors – Super Earth EP – 12″ Vinyl x 2
Finish copy promo. Following NFM’s superb debut 12” on Nu Directions in the spring, their sophomore release on the label offers something for everyone. Mosus and HLZ’s collaborative project has born fruit since it’s inception at the turn of 2010 with releases on some of the scene’s premier labels. SGN:LTD, 31 and V Recordings are some of the imprints that have showcased their creations to date with many more in the pipeline. The ‘Super Earth EP’ is a collection of the duo’s most creative work to date. A soundscape of musical textures, ‘Panoramic Views’ and Screenplay’ explore the drum & bass boundaries, while ‘Moving Pictures’ and ‘Medallion’ are snappy bass-driven workouts for the dancefloor. DJ and Radio support from DJ Krust, Commix, Lynx, Logistics, Nu:Tone, Storm, Spirit, Digital, Sabre, Zero T, Lenzman, Artificial Intelligence & Flight.

a Need For Mirrors – Panoramic Views
b Need For Mirrors – Moving Pictures
c Need For Mirrors – Screenplay
d Need For Mirrors – Medallion

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SYNDROME017 – Billain – Probes / Horus 8 – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Just imagine if you could take cells from any producer in the world and mix them up to create your own super producer who whould it be? Well if by any chance the combo you want would look something like, Spor, Phace, Noisia, Mayhem with a dash of Misanthrop then you’re in luck.. Cause that super producer is Billain. Hear his Vinyl debut here on Syndrome Audio with the astonishing tracks Probes & Horus 8. Probes sounds like a mutant cyborg that’s reprogramming your brain with its razor sharp beats and unpredictable mid range. If you listen to this big time production when you know why we call him the super producer. Inspired by the greats of twisted funk and now ready to compete in the big game that is DnB. Horus 8 is trash in every sense of the word. Dirty festering bass lines roam around this track like buzzards circling a dead pray.. They wait until you can’t anymore and then strike to deliver the final blow.. Billain is a deadly producer you should keep your eyes on.. If you can’t hear it in this release then this kind of dnb just isn’t for you.

a Billain – Probes
b Billain – Horus 8

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FALLOUT004 – Meth / Allied – Repulsive / Isomer – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Heavy, rolling techno vibes on Fall Out’s fourth release. On the A side we welcome Meth, ex member of The Sect, who’s started to create an impressive career on his own collaborating with artists such as Audio and Raiden and releasing on a host of labels including the massive Subtitles, Renegade Hardware, Offkey and PRSPCT.On the flip, Brighton boys Allied keep the vibe going with a moody, rolling stepper perfect for the early hours of the morning to keep the party going.

a Meth – Repulsive
b Allied – Isomer

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SPUN003LTD – Sinthetix / Corrupt Souls – Sars / From The Streets – Spun – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Spun presents the neurofunk legends Synthetix & Corrupt Souls! These artists were a big hype from 2003 – 2006 with their very own unique sound and caused mayhem in the scene on labels like Renegade Hardware, Obsessions, Freak, Black Sun Empire, Disturbed and many more.Spun came up with these 2 forgotten gems that still sound fresh. Neuro heads will love the freaky sound of the A-side with the unmistakable heavy stepping beat and neurotic synths. The vibe reminds us of the good old days while the flip will fit in every dj’s set with its heavy percussion, siren like sounds and heavy synth stabs! Still fresh!! Only limited available, so grab it while you can..

a Sinthetix – Sars
b Corrupt Souls – From The Streets

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D&B Restocks Vinyl

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CRIT024 – SKC & Bratwa / Futurebound – Pain (Brookes Brothers Remix)

CRIT033 – SpectraSoul – Alibi

CRITLP002 – Various Artists – All Sounds Electric 2

CRSE056 – Serum & Bladerunner – Snakefist

NONVOGUE003 – The Upbeats – Ghost Radio

REDSEAL003 – Calibre – Ringtone

REDSEAL005 – Calibre – Judgement Day EP

SUICIDE053 – The Upbeats – Shatter / Ionized

VSN009 – Noisia & Ed Rush / Noisia & Spor – Brain Bucket / Falling Through

New Bass Music CD

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ATLAS2CD – James Blake – James Blake CD – CD
The past couple of years have seen creative explosions and new generations coming through in both dance floor electronics and heartfelt, introspective singer-songwriting, but self evidently they’ve remained mutually exclusive genre islands. Until now. With a uniquely emotional electronic production style every bit as deeply personal and impassioned as his voice or song writing, James Blake is sketching out his own place in the musical universe. When a teenage James first visited the pivotal London dubstep night FWD>> in 2007, he’d already been to drum ’n’ bass nights with school friends, but the music and atmosphere there were unlike anything he’d experienced. This was what James had been waiting for – he just hadn’t realised. This midnight epiphany in Plastic People’s Shoreditch cellar led, in a few short years, to the James Blake of 2010, a surefooted 22-year-old composer whose extraordinary tracks are not so much breaking down existing musical barriers as leaping over them and creating an entirely new kind of pop that belies its author’s tender age. Although loosely tethered to the cutting edge of contemporary electronics, James’s songs possess uncommon grace and soulfulness. Whether intended for the FWD>> dance floor or, like new single ‘Limit to Your Love’, destined to melt hearts and prick ears, his music is characterised by a playful and arresting honesty, a human touch that, despite his status as a hugely in demand DJ, naturally aligns him with contemporary artists such as Bon Iver or Laura Marling or the xx. Yet more than this, it is the shock of the new in James’s music that’s causing real commotion: the sounds, that voice, the silence, the rhythm (or lack of it), the waiting, the tension. You have to know the rules in order to break them with such conviction, and by daring to be different, James stands head and shoulders above his peers. No doubt, you’ll remember where you were when you heard tracks like ‘Limit to Your Love’ or ‘I Never Learnt to Share’ for the first time. His self titled debut album, released on February 7th, promises to change the game forever.

1 James Blake – Unluck
2 James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream
3 James Blake – I Never Learnt
4 James Blake – Lindisfarne I
5 James Blake – Lindifarne II
6 James Blake – Limit To Your Love
7 James Blake – Give Me My Month
8 James Blake – To Care (Like You)
9 James Blake – Why Don’t You Call Me?
10 James Blake – I Mind
11 James Blake – Measurements

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New Bass Music releases

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TEAL001 – West Norwood Cassette Library – Blonde On Blonde / Blonde On Blonde (Pearson Sound Remix) – 12″ Vinyl
Following the critically acclaimed debut-release of BOB BHAMRAs WEST NORWOOD CASSETTE LIBRARY alias TEAL Recordings presents BLONDE ON BLONDE as its seminal release. This one is surely ment for the dancefloor: an addictive bassline, and a stomping house beat executed as were it a hidden gem dug out in a New York pawnshop. The ubiquitous RAMADANMAN hits the flipside under his PEARSON SOUND monkier, with a rehash of BLONDE ON BLONDE; with subtle references to the original version DAVID KENNEDY takes the remix to quite different, but equally interesting, places. Lush early morning vibes! – A must have! Support from, UNTOLD, 2562, BEN UFO, SHORTSTUFF, MOSCA, PARIAH.

a West Norwood Cassette Library – Blonde On Blonde
b West Norwood Cassette Library – Blonde On Blonde (Pearson Sound Remix)

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BSR001 – The Eerier Child – Rabid Dogs EP (12” & CD & Poster ) – 12″ Vinyl
The 13 track CD comes in a limited edition package including: a full colour movie poster, a special CD display and the new 12” record. The Eerier Child, a Rotterdam-based producer, now releases 3 new tracks on his newly co-founded label Black Sunday Recordings after previously releasing several successful tracks on labels Mindtrick Records and Redrum Recordz. In a still ongoing journey through various music styles, The Eerier Child found shelter in the bold realms of dubstep. In these very realms, he discovered a world where he could release his full power of fierce rhythms and colourful sounds capes drenched in an eerie atmosphere. Rabid Dogs drags you along, with daggering drums that lure you into uncontrolled excitement at times, and unsettling, yet highly addictive synth lines that make you feel chased by the somewhat darker sides of your own mind at others. This is not for the faint-hearted… The second track Dead and Buried starts off with a dubsound that develops into an energetic mix of driving rhythms and soothing, nostalgic female vocals. Smooth wobbles dance their way into the hearts of listeners. At first glance this seems to be a happy song.. but something’s not quite right… are there monsters lurking in the dark? Pieces takes you aboard an electro spaceship on a little trip to cloud-cuckoo-land. Swaying beats and distinctive horror sounds will sweep you on a dance floor of vast spaces capes, switching from four on the floor to a half time feel. and back.. Yes, this is all so unreal!CD: The album has its own distinguished sound and style that could loosely be described as “a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist”. It uses Hip-hop and Dubstep related influences, but The Eerier Child just uses these minor elements to create more tension and flow to his tracks. To really experience the eerie and horroresque vibe caught on this album we dare you to “put on your headphones and get in a 40 minute trip”.

a The Eerier Child – Rabid Dogs
b1 The Eerier Child – Dead and Burried
b2 The Eerier Child – Pieces
c The Eerier Child – ‘A Nightmare Concert’

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RED005 – ASC – Advent / The Glow – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Long time producer and innovator ASC steps to Pushing Red with two fantastic pieces of Detroit-tinged techno. He’s well known in many circles for his wonderful drum & bass releases which more recently have brought him success on such labels Exit, Nonplus & his own Auxilary. His is also known for other tempos and this release is pure evidence that he is just as deadly in this realm as his drum & bass! A. ADVENT: A punishing 4/4 kicks things off before distorted, crushing bass and effects propel this monster into Detroit territory! While this tune is a monster, everything is perfectly layered and everything within the tune makes sense. Reverbed keys and delayed effects pull everything together! Definitely one for the fans who like their beats with a little teeth! AA. THE GLOW: The Glow harks back to the glory days of Warp Records and mid 90′s techno & electronic. A subtle 4/4 keeps the momentum going while the bassline could workout any soundsystem. Lush keys and pads sit perfectly on top creating that wonderful melodic and nostalgia feel! Definitely one for fans of deeper, melodic techno!

A ASC – Avent
AA ASC – The Glow

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RWINA010 – Rachet – Hyper Dimention – 12″ Vinyl
Rachet, a new kid on the block, debuts with the banging Hyper Dimention EP for Rwina Records on October 25. Well, Rachet isn’t that new on the fold. He’s worked with MCs like Devlin, Jammer, Frisco and Beezy, to name a few, back in the day. Don’t be misled by the wrong spelling of Dimention, this release is positively on point with some heavy dancefloor smashers in the typically forward-thinking Rwina fashion. Lead track ‘Hyper Dimention’ combines R&B and dubstep to a result for a track that explores and spans numerous strains of music that haven’t even been invented yet. The vicious ‘Electrical Basssweep’ pits hard-hitting drums against a fierce, dark bassline and a ravey but dripping bleepy melody. Closing the EP, ‘Sega Megadrive’ is a bubbling beast that imports a dramatic feeling to home-listeners but an energetic one to dancers, thoughtful peak time stuff in this one!

a Rachet – Hyper Dimention
b1 Rachet – Electrical Bass Sweep
b2 Rachet – Sega Mega Drive

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BLKBTR004 – RackNRuin – Territory EP Ft. Navigator & Slarta John – 12″ Vinyl
Rack N Ruin’s new ‘Territory EP’ ft Slarta John & Mc Navigator is now out on Black Butter Records The EP combines everything that Rack N Ruin stands for, a cross genre mash-up of jungle, electro, dubstep and more which we love at Urban Nerds! With outstanding feedback from the likes of Breakage, A-Track, Sub Focus, N- Type and many more, he is going from strength to strength!

a1 RackNRuin – Pixel Fist Remix
a2 RackNRuin – Junglist Mix
aa1 RackNRuin – Club Mix
aa2 RackNRuin – Follow Riddim

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ATLAS2LP – James Blake – James Blake LP – 12″ Vinyl x 2
The past couple of years have seen creative explosions and new generations coming through in both dance floor electronics and heartfelt, introspective singer-songwriting, but self evidently they’ve remained mutually exclusive genre islands. Until now. With a uniquely emotional electronic production style every bit as deeply personal and impassioned as his voice or song writing, James Blake is sketching out his own place in the musical universe. When a teenage James first visited the pivotal London dubstep night FWD>> in 2007, he’d already been to drum ’n’ bass nights with school friends, but the music and atmosphere there were unlike anything he’d experienced. This was what James had been waiting for – he just hadn’t realised. This midnight epiphany in Plastic People’s Shoreditch cellar led, in a few short years, to the James Blake of 2010, a surefooted 22-year-old composer whose extraordinary tracks are not so much breaking down existing musical barriers as leaping over them and creating an entirely new kind of pop that belies its author’s tender age. Although loosely tethered to the cutting edge of contemporary electronics, James’s songs possess uncommon grace and soulfulness. Whether intended for the FWD>> dance floor or, like new single ‘Limit to Your Love’, destined to melt hearts and prick ears, his music is characterised by a playful and arresting honesty, a human touch that, despite his status as a hugely in demand DJ, naturally aligns him with contemporary artists such as Bon Iver or Laura Marling or the xx. Yet more than this, it is the shock of the new in James’s music that’s causing real commotion: the sounds, that voice, the silence, the rhythm (or lack of it), the waiting, the tension. You have to know the rules in order to break them with such conviction, and by daring to be different, James stands head and shoulders above his peers. No doubt, you’ll remember where you were when you heard tracks like ‘Limit to Your Love’ or ‘I Never Learnt to Share’ for the first time. His self titled debut album, released on February 7th, promises to change the game forever.

a James Blake – Tep And The Logic
a2 James Blake – Unluck
a3 James Blake – The Wilhelm Scream
b1 James Blake – I Never Learnt To Share
b2 James Blake – Lindisfarne I
b3 James Blake – Lindisfarne II
c1 James Blake – Limit To Your Love
c2 James Blake – Give Me My Month
c3 James Blake – To Care (Like You)
d1 James Blake – Why Don’t You Call Me?
d2 James Blake – I Mind
d3 James Blake – Measurements
d4 James Blake – You Know Your Youth

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New Bass Music Promos

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DP047 – Zero G – Bring It / Bring It (Subscape Remix) – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Following releases on some of the biggest labels in the game, including Liondub, XS Dubz and Digital Soundboy, we are very proud to present the Dub Police debut from Zero G. A no holds barred dancefloor bomb, ‘Bring It’ will hit you right where it counts. Using the pared down elements with maximum efficacy, the growling bassline riff rips right through the core of the track like a knife. The thumping kicks and the snap of the cavernous snares heightens the impact, while the tight percussive shuffle maintains the momentum, wrapping itself around the bassline. On the flip, ‘Bring It’ gets the remix treatment from long time Dub Police affiliate Subscape. Taking the original’s infectious bassline and ramping up the energy levels on it even further, he delivers a hard-hitting sonic onslaught. Having risen to the top in the drum and bass world with his uncompromising production style, Zero G has proven his versatility with a series of impressive dubstep releases in recent years, taking down the tempo while retaining all the energy. Maintaining the same impactful approach that garnered him so much attention with his drum and bass productions, he has quickly become one of the biggest dubstep producers in the scene today. Collaborations with the likes of Benny Page and Marcus Visionary, as well as an array of solo releases, have come thick and fast, showcasing his singular skills on the buttons, and judging by this release there is plenty more to come from him!

a Zero G – Bring It
b Zero G – Bring It (Subscape Remix)

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MEDI035 – Cyrus – Manhatten Blues / Decisions – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Cyrus is a true pioneer and veteran of the scene and has been around since its inception, releasing various singles and an album ‘From The Shadow’s’ on Tectonic and his own imprint Random Trio Productions. Cyrus’s brutally minimalistic, hypnotic and cavernous sound runs throughout all his productions and is beautifully captured on his first release for DEEP MEDi with the tracks “Manhatten Blues” and “Decisions”. Radio Support: Hatcha (Kiss), Benji B (Radio 1) / DJ Support: Mala (DMZ), Distance (Chestplate), Pinch (Tectonic) Tunnidge (DEEP MEDi), DJ Chef and N-Type.

a Cyrus – Manhatten Blues
aa Cyrus – Decisions

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RAMP041R – Bad Autopsy – Ginmixer (Scratcha DVA Remix) / Ginmixer (Jam City Remix) – 12″ Vinyl
Limited Red & Gold Vinyl only 150 copies… This will not be repressed and the only way to get Ginmixer (Scratcha DVA Remix) / Ginmixer (Jam City Remix). Hot Don’t sleep

a Bad Autopsy – Ginmixer (Scratcha DVA Remix)
b Bad Autopsy – Ginmixer (Jam City Remix)

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NCOMP003 – Marlow / Screen Age – Love Kills Slowly / What You Do To Me – 12″ Vinyl
DJ support from: Mistajam, Rob Da Bank, Caspa, Trolley Snatcha, 16Bit, Stenchman, Funtcase, Inspector Dubplate, Subscape, Propatingz, MRK1, Genetix, Persist, Suspect.After the massive success of ‘Dubsteppa’, No Comply returns with two tracks aimed purely at the dancefloor. This is high-energy, contemporary Dubstep at it’s finest. For those of you looking for sure-fire dancefloor smashers – this 12” certainly won’t disappoint.Keeping with the usual style, this 12” is hand-painted, and individually numbered, and extremely limited. The previous two releases are now very hard to find, so don’t sleep on this.A. MARLOW – LOVE KILLS SLOWLY: Marlow takes the a-side, with his first track in over a year. Described by Rob Da Bank as ‘Rib-Shaking Dubstep’, ‘Tuff!’ by Trolley Snatcha. This is everything you’d expect from Marlow and more. His usual signature elements are evident throughout: The epic intro, the dramatic buildup, and the almighty wallop of a drop.B. SCREEN AGE – WHAT YOU DO TO ME: On the flip we see the debut solo release from one half of Southbound Hangers – Screen Age. This track is the second most requested track ever on Inspector Dubplate’s Youtube channel, after being featured on his Moustache Mixtape last year. check out his Felguk & Tim Healey remix on Surfer Rosa.Pendulum: sick biscuitDatsik: BIG!Mr Hudson: solidSkream Big! 5/5Subscape: both BIG tracksDrumsound: Feeling it, wicked vibes!!!Sukh Knight: bigDoctor P: big up 5/5Excision: 5/5Jay Cunning: fucking HUGEMTA Records: Marlow – one to watch

a Marlow – Love Kills Slowly
aa Screen Age – What You Do To Me

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NMN001V – Think Ft. Novika – Private Universe EP – 12″ Vinyl
New Moon Recordings is an independent label with intent to promote new talented producers. The label crosses a range of underground genres to create an infusion of Deep Dubstep, Dub Techno, Idm and Drum & Bass. The Private Universe Ep by an upcoming polish producer Think includes two tracks influenced by dubtech sounds featuring beautiful vocals by Novika. On the flip you can find a soulful remix by Jack Sparrow. Dj support from Ruckspin, Jack Sparrow, BunZero, HxdB, Indigo, Hatti Vatti and many more.Limited to 300 pcs.

a1 Think – Private Universe
a2 Think Ft. Novika – Short Warm Moments
b1 Think Ft. Novika – Short Warm Moments (Jack Sparrow Remix)

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SUBWAY015-5 – DJ Madd vs. Matt-U – Arpz 3000 / Hidden – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. The 2 finest exports Hungary has to offer are joining for forces for this intermission release on Subway. DJ Madd comes correct with the epic ARPZ3000 a rough Detroit like stepper in the signature DJ Madd vibe. Keeping it tough & sweet at the same time is something only DJ Madd can do and on ARPZ3000 he delivers 100%. On a big system this one will blow your audience away with ease the epic drop packs a giant punch that can’t be absorbed that easy. So make sure you Anker yourself to the dancefloor when this one comes in. On the flip its Matt-U with his epic track ‘Hidden’ this one has been a regular in Youngsta’s sets ever since it was created. Turn up the subs and start cranking this one out until the neighbors  come knocking at your door cause this is one track that will shake your home on its foundations! Play Support: Emalkay, Youngsta, Antiserum, Noah D, Matt-U, DJ Madd, The Others and shitloads more.

a DJ Madd – Arpz 3000
aa Matt-U – Hidden

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SUBWAY016 – Matt-U – Watchin U EP – 12″ Vinyl
Finish copy promo. Now.. We know A LOT of people have been waiting for this one so without further delays we present Matt-U’s highly anticipated ‘Watchin’U EP’The title track ‘Watchin’U’ has been cained by the likes of Skream, 16Bit, Mensah, Von D, Madd, N-Type, Nicon, Akkachar, Noah D, The Others and who know who else.. Matt-U brings back the Dubstep sound from back in the day and updates it in a way only he can do. Reminding you a lot of the eski grime stuff but also a lot of the older DMZ vibes. A serious riddem in these times and an essential one for in the bag.. Turn the lights off put on your hood and skank out!On the B1 Matt takes on a lighter form with ‘Down with You’ a lush sweet rnb like stepper that’ll met like butter in your hands.  The thick bass line underneath the light surface is one that rattles like a heavyweight so don’t be mistaken by its looks.  They say girls respond to bass.. just saying..B2 serves up ‘Magma’. This dark productions sounds like the bubbly lava inside the belly of a volcano.. Echoing from inside its hollow caverns and building pressure by the minute..  The perfect tune to end this sublime EP.. Nothing But Quality In Here!

a Matt-U – Watchin U
b Matt-U – Down With You
b2 Matt-U – Magma

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Bass Music Vinyl Restocks

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SUBSOL006 – Rusko – Babylon Vol. 2

SUBSOL008 – Rusko – Cockney Thug (Caspa Remix)

RED003 – Jus Wan / DJG – Azure / Avoid The Noid Remixes

ATLAS01 – James Blake – Limit To You Love

ZAUDIO007 – Rob Sparx – Attack Of The Wobble

ZAUDIO008 – Rogue Star – Desert Orchid / Full Throttle

ZAUDIO010PT2 – Bar 9 – Murda Sound Remixes Pt. 2

ZAUDIO011 – Synkro – Music Makers / Bar 9 Rmx

ZAUDIO012 – Bar 9 – Coalescence / Domination

ZAUDIO014 – Mode – Fight Night / Recall / Regeneration

ZAUDIO013 – Mode – Play / Hardwire / Merge

ZAUDIO016 – Rob Sparx Vs John Maveric – Windscreen Sniper / Replicant

ZAUDIO017 – Rob Sparx – Casino / Going Back

ZAUDIO018 – Numbernin6 – Absolve / Nebulous / Leaving

ZAUDIO019 – Vent – Flava / Something Else

ZAUDIO020 – 501 – Beast Within / Back Up

ZAUDIO021 – Rob Sparx & John Maveric – Windscreen Sniper

ZAUDIOLPSAMP003 – Rob Sparx – Fully Booked Original / Indigo Remix

ZAUDIOLTD001 – Joey Ringo – Blade / Dead Man Walking

ZAUDIOSAMP002 – Rob Sparx – Bloodbath / Bloodbath (Bar 9 Remix)

ZWHITE001 – L-OW – Rising / Rising (F-1 Rmx)

ZAUDIO003 – Zen Militia – Sleepy Walker / Sleepy Walker (Protocol X Rmx)

ZAUDIO004 – Lewis White & Smasher – Sideline / 2nd Floor

As announced on this site a couple of months back Exit Records are preparing to release their first compilation album entitled “Mosaic”. Volume 1 will be in your stores shortly, here’s the full info and details.

With so much good music arriving in the Exit inbox it was decided that a various artist project was needed to ensure that it all sees the light of day and doesn’t get caught up in a never ending schedule of singles.

As normal with Exit Records, there’s no prejudice in the track selection. Well known
producers such as Skream, Instra:mental, Scuba and Commix rub shoulders with some
inspiring new talents such as Indigo, Synkro, Mode and Code 3. The theme of the album is
quality timeless music, whether it be a dance floor killer such as Systems ‘Observation
Point’ or Loxy and Resounds ‘Vertigo’ through to the tangerine dreamlike sounds of Croms ‘Invisible Cities’ or Stray’s ‘Pushed’, this album truly represents the more experimental side of Drum and Bass as opposed to the crash bang wollop which seems to be the only side of Drum and Bass portrayed by the mainstream media today.

Hopefully this album will manage to reach the people that thought this forward thinking music was left behind in the nineties and let them know that it’s still alive and well and still capable of throwing up some surprising and unpredictable results.

- FORMATS / TRACKLISTS -

EXIT025 – 12” Sampler 1 [Released 13th December 2010]
A 1/ Scuba – In_2_
A 2/ Synkro – Open Arms
B/ System – Observation Point

EXIT026 – 10” Sampler 2 [Released 17th January 2011]
A/ Instra:mental – Scene 3
B/ Mode – Stepping Stones

EXITLP005 – 4 x 12” Gatefold & Double CD [Released 31st January 2011]
Plate 1
Side 1 – Commix – City Section
Side 2 – Skeptical – Another World
Plate 2
Side 1 – Skream – Motorway
Side 2 – Loxy & Resound – Vertigo
Plate 3
Side 1 – Indigo – Time
Side 2 – Genotype – Further Searching
Plate 4
Side 1 – Code 3 – Chasm
Side 2 – Abstract Elements – Essence of time

EXITCD005 – Double CD [Released 31st January 2011]
Disk 1
1.Scuba – In_2
2.Stray – Pushed
3.Distance – Fading
4.dBridge – Forgot what I needed to forget
5. Synkro – Open Arms
6.dBridge – Rendezvous
7. Dan Harbanham – Nu Este Roz
8. dBridge – Decayed
9. Consequence – Splinter
10. ASC – Modular Concepts
11. Croms – Invisible Cities
Disk 2
1.Commix – City Section
2. Indigo – Time
3. Mode – Stepping Stones
4. Instra:mental – Scene 3
5. Skeptical – Another World
6. Skream – Motorway
7. Genotype – Further Searching
8. Code 3 – Chasm
9. Abstract Elements – Essence of time
10. System – Observation Point
11. Loxy & Resound – Vertigo

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Exit-Records-UK/16314668077

With so much good music arriving in the Exit inbox it was decided that a various artist project was needed to ensure that it all sees the light of day and doesn’t get caught up in a never ending schedule of singles.

As normal with Exit Records, there’s no prejudice in the track selection. Well known producers such as Skream, Instra:mental, Scuba and Commix rub shoulders with some inspiring new talents such as Indigo, Synkro, Mode and Code 3. The theme of the album is quality timeless music, whether it be a dance floor killer such as Systems ‘Observation Point’ or Loxy and Resounds ‘Vertigo’ through to the tangerine dreamlike sounds of Croms  ‘Invisible Cities’ or Stray’s ‘pushed’, this album truly represents the more experimental side of Drum and Bass as opposed to the crash bang wollop which seems to be the only side of Drum and Bass portrayed by the mainstream media today.

Hopefully this album will manage to reach the people that thought this forward thinking music was left behind in the nineties and let them know that it’s still alive and well and still capable of throwing up some surprising and unpredictable results.

Limited information, tracklists etc to come soon, but the formats and schedule will be as follows:

• Two seperate 2-track 12″/10″ Samplers [EXIT025/026]
• 4×12″ Gatefold LP version [EXITLP005]
• 2xCD version [EXITCD005]

www.myspace.com/exitrecords
www.facebook.com/pages/Exit-Records-UK/16314668077
thegeminiprinciple.blogspot.com
www.residentadvisor.net/record-label.aspx?id=3559
esp-agency.co.uk/brands/exit

Punch Drunk presents: V/A – ‘Worth the Weight – Bristol Dubstep Classics’

“I knew straight away that this was a sound that would fit perfectly in Bristol – there is a lot of tension in the music that carries a satisfactory darkness with it, but it’s also lazy music. You don’t have to dance hard to move with it – it was born with a reefer in its gob!”

So said Pinch when I interviewed him in February 2005. Having witnessed the early DMZ and FWD>> raves that spawned this new sound we now refer to as Dubstep, and having gradually begun integrating it into the fabric of Bristol’s existing club scene, this young DJ’s instincts were proving correct. The following month I attended one of his Context nights – a dubsession by Loefah and Skream, on one of their earliest forays outside the Capital – and experienced for myself the sheer physical impact of dubstep at soundsystem volume. But even that was just a hint of what was to come. In April, Subloaded II sent a subsonic shockwave through the city, as Bristol shuddered under the weight of DMZ’s bass meditations. Those who survived the onslaught were changed forever, and Bristol’s destiny as dubstep’s second city became assured.

May 2005 saw the debut release on Pinch’s Tectonic imprint, which was the first of many new dubstep labels to emerge from the city. Being so much smaller than London, Bristol’s new generation of bedroom DJs and producers mingled freely in a close-knit community centred around the Rooted Records shop and the new club spaces (Dubloaded, Sub- loaded, Ruffnek Diskotek, Noir, HENCH) which sprang-up over the following months to cater for this rapidly expanding scene. Beats and ideas were eagerly exchanged on freshly-burned cd-rs in a period of unprecedented communal activity and cooperation, which would ultimately draw in and re-energise many of the city’s older generation of bass-explorers. Indeed, Bristol’s historical association with bass-orientated music was a crucial factor in the formation of a distinct and cohesive sound that triggered a feedback-loop of influence back to both London and the world beyond.

Almost inevitably, the Bristol micro-scene outgrew it’s grassroots, as producer-DJs like Headhunter, Appleblim, Joker, RSD, Pinch and Peverelist soon found themselves playing venues all over the planet. Once again, the ‘Bristol Sound’ had become an international phenomenon. Yet even today the core community still comes together for the regular mid- week Dubloaded sessions, which remain a testament to this city’s unshakable sense of strength and solidarity, as SGT. Pokes (the Honorary Bristolian who led the first charge at Subloaded all those years ago) calls the monthly congrega- tion to prayer.

- Gutterbreakz, November 2010.

Curated by Punch Drunk Records, Bristol’s premier bass music imprint, “Worth The Weight – Bristol Dubstep Classics” compiles five years of Bristol Dubstep history across two CD’s.

DRUNKCD004
Various Artists
Worth The Weight – Bristol Dubstep Classics
Barcode: 5055317208736
Formats: 2xCD / Digital Download
Release date: 8th November 2010

CD1:
01. Pinch ‘Midnight Oil’
02. Peverelist ‘The Grind’
03. Gatekeeper ‘Tense Past’
04. Peverelist ‘Roll with the Punches’
05. Appleblim ‘Vansan’
06. Pinch ‘Qawwali’
07. Forsaken ‘Hypnotise’
08. Headhunter ‘7th Curse’
09. RSD ‘Pretty Bright Light’
10. Komonazmuk ‘Bad Apple’
11. Appleblim & Peverelist ‘Circling’
12. Pinch ‘Lazarus’
13. Forsaken ft Mr Jo ‘Into the Sunset’

CD2:
14. Smith & Mighty ‘B Line Fi Blo’
15. Atki2 & Dub Boy ‘Tigerflower’
16. Joker ‘Holly Brook Park’
17. Guido ‘Mad Sax’
18. Hyetal & Shortstuff ‘Ice Cream’
19. Pinch ‘Get Up’ (RSD remix)
20. Jakes ‘3kout’
21. Wedge & Shadz ‘Running away’ (Guido remix)
22. Gemmy ‘Bass Transmitter’
23. Guido ‘Orchestral Lab’
24. Dubkasm ‘Hail Jah’ (Jakes remix)
25. Joker ‘Stuck in the System’
26. Hyetal ‘Pixel Rainbow Sequence’

www.myspace.com/punchdrunkrecords
www.rootedrecords.co.uk
soundcloud.com/punchdrunkrecords