When it comes to dedication to drum and bass, industry heavyweight Audio is just about as committed as it gets. From his long-standing reign in the scene to his drum and bass tattooed knuckles, Audio has always been held in high regard in the genre - and for good reason. Now returning to Blackout for his new EP, Audio gives us a taste of the Rat Race as he brings us one of his most hard-hitting works yet.
Hailing from the UK, Audio has immersed himself in the world of drum and bass for the past 15 years; releasing four albums, racking up countless 12inches and gracing the very best labels in the business (Virus, Blackout, RAM Records). His production is clean, sharp, powerful and every bit as impressive as the producer's own passion when it comes to going the extra mile.
The Rat Race EP is a slice of explosive, unadulterated drum and bass that packs a punch. In other words, it's exactly what you can expect when two powerhouses such as Blackout and Audio re-align.
2x12" Vinyl, housed in a custom sleeve. When heavyweights collide in any arena there's always going to be fireworks, and The Violent Five EP sees two such goliaths, Black Sun Empire and State Of Mind, go head-to-head across six dark-edged dancefloor killers.
Black Sun Empire have long been a fan favourite when it comes to tough breaks and decimating basslines. The Dutch collective have been producing seminal hits since what feels like the dawn of time and show no signs of slowing down. Traverse the globe and touch down in New Zealand and you have the birthplace of another drum & bass behemoth, State Of Mind; a duo so influential that if you were to pick the name of a top D&B label from a hat it's likely that Pat & Stu have released music with them.
All too often we see these sorts of collaborations creating a false positive, but not in the case of The Violent Five EP. From the offset, it is clear that each party has brought their relative strengths to the table and put a stark focus on the implementation of those abilities for maximum effect. The beats pound through driving bass and the atmosphere created from the sheer energy of each track is literally electric.
Having dropped a tasty teaser a couple of weeks ago, Black Sun Empire fulfil their promise of delivering a brand new long player album project entitled 'The Wrong Room' that is sure to get pulses racing.
Black Sun Empire have been threatening an album of this calibre for a while, with a steady string of releases detailing their vision for the future and pushing them to the very top of the Drum & Bass pyramid. The wait is now over and all seems worth it, as we delve into 14 tracks of unrelenting artistry that bear all the hallmarks of Black Sun Empire's creativity, passion and desire, whilst being a benchmark for the rest of the scene to aspire to in 2017.
This is more than just a collection of tracks thrown together, but an expansive adventure through the many facets of Drum & Bass and its adjoining generic neighbours. From the Grime scene of the UK in Virus Syndicate to the fiery Hip Hop stylings of Dope D.O.D, Black Sun Empire have assembled a team of co-conspirators to imbue the collaborative tracks with an organic solidity that underpins the vibe and values of its creators. The same can be said for the straight up DnB dancefloor decimators, with Pythius, State Of Mind, Neonlight, Audio and Prolix all receiving honourable mentions and delivering some bone-crunching basslines to compliment the breaks.
a1. Black Sun Empire & Noisia - The Veil
b1. Black Sun Empire & Pythius - Scarif
c1. Black Sun Empire & State Of Mind - Caterpillar (Ft. Virus Syndicate)
GRIDLOK SWITCHES UP THE GAME ONCE AGAIN WITH HARD-HITTING NEW ALBUM ON BLACKOUT
'A staple in the American Drum and Bass scene' - COMPLEX 'One of the true stalwarts of US dnb' - BROKEN CULTURE
A strong staple in the drum and bass scene for over a decade, Gridlok is no stranger to whipping up heavy, power-fuelled tracks guaranteed to leave a lasting impression. Ready to cause more chaos with a fresh spin on his trademark concoction of hard-hitting drums and driving basslines, Gridlok now gears up to unleash 13 face-melting new tracks on his new Z3R0 H0U2 LP.
Gridlok has been heading up his own label Project 51 Recordings since 2003 and has worked alongside some of the most high-profile artists in the scene, including Shy FX, Pendulum and Prolix. Dark, grimy and uncompromising, it's the Florida-born producer's experimental sound which gives him his unique edge.
Z3R0 H0U2 brings together a fiery selection of tracks to reaffirm Gridlok's reputation as a force to be reckoned with. Fans with a taste for the darker edges of the music spectrum can expect an album packed full of only the very best murky drum and bass as Gridlok makes a beeline for the early hours dancefloor. Twisting and turning through a mixture of fast-paced percussion and powerful rolling beats, Z3R0 H0U2 solidifies the artist's status as a true pioneer of one of the more off-centre subgenres.
Neonlight have emerged from the shadows to become one of the leading lights in modern Drum & Bass, and in My Galactic Tale it seems that they have found a way to truly cement themselves into the fabric of the genre for years to come. With a catalogue spanning major D&B arteries such as RAM, Viper, BSE, Bad Taste & Ammunition Recordings, it's no wonder Tobias & Jakob are hot property and a more than worthy addition to Black Sun Empire's Blackout Music family. If Ed Rush & Optical license three tracks for their FabricLive compilation, Andy C wants to add you to the RAMLife track list and you jet off to Australia & New Zealand for a label tour, then you must be doing something right. My Galactic Tale builds on the solid foundations laid in previous releases. Always packed full of energy and creativity, Neonlight's productions have been decimating dancefloors the world over for years and this experience can clearly be heard throughout the LP. From the atmospheric breakdowns of Queen Beth V and Ignition to the unrelenting pace of Microbots, each and every element has been carefully crafted for maximum impact. Juicy hooks, sumptuous melodies and pounding, almost death-defying basslines are the order of the day for Neonlight, all packaged beautifully in a 16 track long player that is sure to be a favourite with the duo's fans and set to elevate them even higher in the drum & bass standings.
Dutch powerhouse label, Blackout, have a long and distinguished history in delivering only the best in new music and discovering some delightfully eccentric artists - most of whom appear on this brutal EP by new signing, Pythius. A particularly great start to a fledgling career with the Abandon EP in 2014 was only bettered by a strong 2015 highlighted by the New Order EP and a couple of nominations at the 2015 D'nB Awards. You could argue then, that the latest offering, Heresy EP, should already be a shoe in for one of the standout releases of the year - and you wouldn't be wrong. Both Tarkin and title track Heresy have been aired on Friction's BBC Radio 1 show already, and the EP as a whole has been a mainstay in the USB sticks, Hard Drives and (occasionally) record boxes of the Drum'n Bass big guns for a while now - and for good reason. Sliding effortlessly from upfront dancefloor killers to more cinematic, synth-driven tracks appears to be hardwired into the DNA of Pythius, along with an uncanny ability to reignite tracks with atmospheric breakdowns, as evident in Dirty Money. Whilst his earlier solo work firmly established his own sound, his collaborations with established entities such as Neonlight, State Of Mind, Khronos, DJ Hidden and Black Sun Empire on this EP show a level of diversity that is sure to make him one of the ones to watch in 2016 and beyond.
01. State Of Mind & Black Sun Empire - Unconscious 02. State Of Mind feat. MC Dino - Ghosts 03. State Of Mind - You Control Me 04. State Of Mind feat. Perceive - Mr. Cover Up 05. State Of Mind - Danse Macabre 06. State Of Mind - Bigger Faster Stronger 07. State Of Mind feat. Sascha Vee - Black Raven 08. State Of Mind - No-operative 09. State Of Mind - Where You At 10. State Of Mind - Rain Maker 11. State Of Mind & Black Sun Empire & Codebreaker - Long Time Dead 12. State Of Mind - Response Signal 13 State Of Mind & Nymfo - Put It On 14. State Of Mind - Fast Life CD2. DJ mix by State Of Mind
Blackout Music deliver an oppressive statement with their latest slice of heavy dnb, this time in the form of Slovenian artist Telekinesis and their Obey EP. Delivering 2 powerful tracks designed to ensure the dancefloor submits to the authority of their hard-hitting neurofunk aesthetic, this talented pair of producers step up their game in a significant way for their 3rd outing on one of dnb's most significant Labels. BREAK's opening evokes the intro Prodigy's Smack my Bitch Up before dropping into a tear out rave destroyer of the highest order. "Shut Up" shifts the EP back into deadly serious territory with a mean edge and brutal half step smackdown delivered in the 2nd drop. Telekenesis have carved a strong path with their releases to date, following up effective forays on Bad Taste and Eatbrain with an EP truly worthy of the standard set by Blackout Music NL. The OBEY EP sees these producers once again delivering on their promising talent and brutally taking control of the sound system to represent Blackouts mighty sound.
BLCKTNLVA001 is here to give the last EP's of 2015 some vinyl justice, this various artist release showcases some of the sheer amount of talent and creativity the label has been supporting since it launched years ago. With tracks from Mindscape, Current Value, Pythius and Optiv & BTK, this EP is a must have for any DJ that prefers his Drum and Bass served raw and in your face.
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