Jim Coles once again turns the tide towards a new horizon and travels further into the echo chamber. Leading on from the much-lauded ‘Secret Location’ mini-album with Seekersinternational, one-offs such as ‘Open Palms dub’ (Dub Stuy) and other teasings, ‘Acid Dub Studies’ is the fully-fledged result of the merging of the calligraphic expression of the 303 Acid bassline with the stern sway of Dub Reggae and the hazier edges of Dub Techno and Ambient music.
For those who have been paying close attention, this project will come as a welcome return to the vulnerability and playfulness of early Om Unit records such as his sub-radar single from 2010 ‘Lightgrids/Lavender’ (All City Records) or the unearthed chugging ambience of ‘Friend of Day’ (Idle Hands) and indeed in some sense draws from similar wellsprings as moments on 2013’s Bass classic ‘Threads’.
Whilst being perhaps an ‘interim project’ this is still a vital and important expression of exploration and playfulness. A study in the true sense and borne out of a subtle but pervasive frustration with the rigidity found in musical words he has up to now been cohabiting, Acid Dub Studies comes from the pressing need to break with perceived expectation and to explore an honest and natural space away from the genre labels and tags that had been often lazily applied to his sizeable catalogue of music.
With no desire to reinvent the wheel, rather to paint pictures in an honest framework, the LP was crafted using a medley of classic analogue mixing techniques inspired as much by the adventurous dubbing of Adrian Sherwood as by the inward- delving haze of Scott Monteith’s Deadbeat project. Created during a period of lonely introspective walks through his home town of Bristol, the cover art is a photograph of some of the iron kerbstones that are found almost exclusively in the characterful and hardy city which were installed in the late 1800’s to protect pavements from cart wheels. Something about the permanence of those iron slabs and cobblestones inspired a sense of comfort and determination.
Acid Dub Studies is due for release as yet another self-released label-free project leading on from recent EP titles ‘Violet’ and ‘Submerged’ both of which hinted at some of the shapes found in this full length album.
Once again Jim has shown a rare convincing adaptability that few electronic artists can embody. Another step on the journey of personal and creative curiosity that fans are sure to appreciate.
Multi-faceted artist Calibre today shares his sixteenth studio album "Feeling Normal". The album is out now to pre-order on Vinyl, CD and on digital platforms via his own independent imprint Signature Recordings.
The record is his first bonafide 140bpm record and a staggering body of work that shows the genius levels of one of electronic music's most respected auteurs. Across the 13 tracks, he transcends through space and time, creating music that will take the listener on a weighty sonic journey. The album announcement is accompanied by two dub versions "Bad" and "Badder" deconstructed from the track "Badman" with DRS from Mark Ernestus available via his Hardwax store January 29th and Bandcamp February 12th. "Getting to work with Mark Ernestus is a real honour, I collected Basic Channel, Rhythm & Sound and his other work for many years and still do. It's hard to avoid the influence of this guy in electronic music across genres and so it is a real pleasure to have him do his thing with the Badman tune which I think sounds closely related."
All of the tracks on the record have been road-tested in Calibre's DJ sets over the last 2/3 years with many of them being sought-out by his hardcore fans. It was only a matter of time then that he put them out for all to consume. With a nod to the dancefloor, the clear idea for the album came about following the release of his most personal album to date "Planet Hearth". "It still works in the headspace but ultimately it's been written for the sweaty club experience we miss now, also after an album like Planet Hearth it felt very liberating to do," he remarks. When writing albums, he often just puts it down to the general chaos of life, not citing any one influence but generally just waits to see what comes. With one of the tracks on the album written 7 years ago on the island of Valentia, It became a project that he spent the intervening years collecting tracks for, not really knowing when he was going to put it together as an album. "The whole album is special to me, everything on there has import and meaning beyond for me, I have spent much time on all these and hope they are special for other people too."
Belfast-born, Berlin-based Calibre - AKA Dominick Martin - shows no sign of slowing down. As a producer, DJ, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter, he is one of the most unique and inspiring living artists. With a career spanning two decades, his ability to remain underground whilst being one of the most-respected is testament to who this enigmatic artist is. To this day, he has never been remixed and has a seriously impressive amount of unreleased music under wraps. With everything on hold and gigs on the backburner, this record is exactly what the world needs right now.
"I started working on the album around two years ago without knowing I was making an album. I prefer it that way. I don't like putting the pressure of making an album on my shoulders before I start making music. When the idea of the album was born, I approached it like a label would; listening to the music I've been making recently, seeing what makes sense together. That ended up being natural for me, capturing a snapshot in time of my musical journey."
Kicking things off with a lot of finesse and power, EP opener "Far Out" merges Digital Mystikz dub hauntologies with the UK-centric breakbeat styles of Leftfield circa "Africa Shox". Lift-off comes in the shape of the second track "Temptation", a number that's sure to nail ravers down to the ground of many a discerning techno moshpit; dub echoes mingling with cavernous clangs, Detroit pads and elegant beats roll over tons a' relentless bass. A3 cut "Bassforce" brings in the LFO-style creepy strings to good use while technoid, broken riddims erupt in a way that references golden age dubstep, jungle and raw T++ tunes.
Swaying all expectations thus far, fourth track "Drowned" sends us into shiny anxiolytic bliss, with its crunched-down beats, dripping-wet soul samples and Maria Amor's dreamy textural vocals. Label mum-sweetie Violet takes a left turn into metallic electro rambunction with sub-bass wobbles, trancey stacks of synths and a breezy sense of melody. Closing down the EP in the best possible way, we've got none other than naive's main girl - and utter twitter champion - Ilana Bryne also on the remix, condensing a liquid breakbeat roller that sounds like the offspring of LTJ Bukem and Wookie; meditative and atmospheric airs of hope and mystery float over lean, funky kicks, snares and subs, irradiating healing vibes galore.
Two dub edits "Bad" and "Badder" deconstructed from the track "Badman" with DRS, from legendary Mark Ernestus and exclusively released via his Hardwax Record store on 29th January and via Bandcamp on Feb 12th. "Getting to work with Mark Ernestus is a real honour, I collected his and Maurizio Von Oswald's work for many years and still do," he remarks. "It's hard to avoid the influence of these guys in electronic music across genres and so it is a real pleasure to have Mark do his thing with the Badman tune which I think sounds closely related."
a1. Calibre & DRS vs. Mark Ernestus - Badman (Bad Mix)
b1. Calibre & DRS vs. Mark Ernestus - Badman (Badder Mix)
Hijinx (aka MR.K) delivers a 3-track EP for his second Navy Cut release.
A side ‘Venom’ is a track that has mutated every sound system it has been played on. The B Side comes with the low end shuffle of ‘TRU’ and the anticipated dub ‘Addict’ . Hijinx has many sides to his production style and he has delivered a truly faultless EP for bass music fans.
In The Joker EP, Biome shows why he is right at the very top of the game. 4 incredibly made pieces of Dubstep mastery, beautifully put together into the first Deep, Dark & Dangerous release of 2021.
Creepy intros, crunchy midbass, crisp and slick drumwork, quirky hooks and crushing sub all categorise this release. Each sample and sound meticulously positioned for maximum effect. Biome has always been the king of making sure everything is in it's right place, less is more, every piece of the puzzle has it's purpose and the whole release is a masterclass in this aesthetic.
We know you are going to love it as much as we do.
Established in 2015 with a vision to push the envelope on bass-driven music at 140bpm, Belgian label DUPLOC have been doing just that ever since. Now, after a refreshing rebrand and enticing new label plans in store, they welcome Distance into the fold with his darkly raw and starkly haunting Sacrifices EP.
Distance is nothing short of a dubstep legend, having run the foundational and highly respected Chestplate imprint since 2007 as well as boasting an extensive back catalogue on the scene’s premier labels and regularly shutting down legendary nights such as DMZ and FWD>> with his deadly DJ sets.
His sound is certainly pioneering, fusing elements of Drum & Bass & Heavy Metal (sometimes sampling his own guitar playing) to create a raw, heavy and often beautifully melodic sonic.
This EP is without question an extension of that, with opening track Sacrifices carrying a bouncing, steppers rhythm interlaced with an infectious and rousing riff. Next up, Overcome shakes the soul with it’s devastating low-end and haunting, ghoul like sonics. 808 Snake wraps things up, it’s rough, tough and almost mechanical, crashing through your speakers in full force.
It’s a superbly executed body of work which once again illuminates the producer’s magical ability to mix Rock sensibilities with soundsystem culture and serves as yet another supremely accomplished weapon in his deep and cavernous arsenal.
Throughout the history of electronic music, the tempo has often been a defining factor. Whole sounds and subcultures have evolved around the number of beats per minute in their productions. It’s the movement in the music — the energy of the dance.
Though its first releases could be filed under 140, Brighton’s DNO Records has never been a one-trick pony. With release number four, the label continues to bend perceptions, both of itself and of how tempo and genre interact. The ‘Culture Clash’ EP comes from an act revered for their ability to blur the lines between dub and jungle — a Belgian duo The Untouchables. Mystical atmospherics and a knack for entrancing, ritualistic drums have put them at the forefront of the dubby, halftime drum & bass scene, and earned them spots on the likes of Samurai Music and Rupture, alongside regular releases on their own Mutable Beats label
For their DNO debut, The Untouchables blend their signature thrumming junglism with the Brighton imprint’s own sub-obsessed foundations — utilising a decade of percussive mastery to merge the two so immaculately as to make them one. Take the title track ‘Culture Clash’, where ricocheting polyrhythms bound around like particles gone berserk, giving the impression of rapidity — but take a closer look and it clocks in at a cool 140bpm.
Conversely, halftime stomper ‘Audacity’ may fit snugly into a d&b set, but the sheer sparsity of its snarling bassline and vicious kick drum give it a sluggish façade. ‘Galactic Noise’ brings a dramatic urgency, both in its alarm-like blasts and hungry beat, while the appropriately titled ‘Time Travellers’ throws countless curveballs of gruff low-end and idiosyncratic dub siren against its jungle framework. Finally, digital bonus track ‘China Haze’ unhinges from its dubstep pulse with a whirring sub and hefty smothering of delay and reverb.
Throughout each of the five tracks, the interplay of fast and slow makes the whole release as nourishing for the brain as it is for the feet — uniting styles divided by speed but bound together by their origins in soundsystem culture.
The Untouchables ‘Culture Clash’ EP lands on the 29th of January 2021 on 12” vinyl and digital.
Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.
The second release from Sufferah’s Choice is a one-riddim collaboration 12” EP between Dubkasm and Ashanti Selah, the son of the great Aba Shanti-I, and a huge talent in his own right. It opens with a rare guest vocal by the legendary Keety Roots. A conscious mystic who is renowned for 90s gems like his legendary vocal ‘African Blood’, and for his heavyweight productions on his own Black Legacy label.
Keety usually only voices his own productions so having his gentle but righteous voice over Dubkasm’s trademark bass and horns and Ashanti Selah’s bubbling keyboards and frenzied drums is a huge and rare honour. A pounding echo filled dub follows. The b-side is given over to a jubilant horn cut, blending Ashanti Selah’s digital power with Dubkasm’s deep organic sound, and the sparsely melodic instrumental cut.
Dubkasm have known Ashanti Selah since he was a boy, through their friendship with his father, and have watched him grow up in the roots tradition. This collaboration, which has been championed worldwide by the great Aba Shanti-I shows a deep dub connection.
Like all Dubkasm releases, this was mastered on 1/2” tape by Lewis at Stardelta; much requested and highly sought after, this is not a release to sleep on.
Deep dub wise meditation courtesy of Spanish dub wizard Bukkha. Featuring the vocal talents of Ranking Joe and melodic flute work by Don Fe. Essential in these times of dread.
"This EP is a part of me. It's about the evolution of my state of mind in recent years, my mistakes, my successes, my loves. A really emotional release for me, with a real evolution happening between A1 and B2. I hope you can feel the same emotions as I did while composing them."
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