Med School Music, sister label to Hospital Records, has tossed into the ring what I believe is the future of event marketing. Ahead of a May 23rd show they pushed out a 30min mix with the artists performing at the show picking their favorite D&B tracks and pushing it out as a free DL. The 30min is classic Med School, with tracks by Keeno & Unquote, Minotaur & others that you will definitely get down to. With so many mixers on this, it’s hard to pick a high point. So put it into your face. Also, party promoters, GET YOUR DJS TO DO THIS. This is the best way to hype a party I’ve ever seen. I’ll just be crying quietly that I didn’t live in the UK and missed another party with music like this, don’t mind me.
Tag Archives: drum & bass
Midnight Music: Saskrotch – Nintendo Breakz Volume 2 [Chip Hop/Glitch]
I have been waiting for this for literally a decade. In 2004, the Nintendo Breakz Volume One was released. A tight joint of cuts, mixed samples and hilariously on point remixed 8bit themes. Zelda, Mario, Metroid, whatever else you wanted, it was there. The mastermind behind this, Saskrotch, spiraled me into months of listening to breakcore, glitch, hip hop and some terrifying IDM. His mixes were the stuff of legend. And just in case you don’t believe me, check his new one out below. The combination of glitch, hip hop, chiptune, breakbeats and the occasional dollop of D&B/Jungle, will get you moving. Just don’t play it for anyone who wears J. Crew. They might freak out a bit.
Midnight Music: London Grammar – Sights (Andy C Remix) [Melancholy Drum & Bass]
I’m absolutely floored. I had no idea you could put Andy C & London Grammar in the same zip code at the same time, much less have the former remix the latter. This reworking of “Sights” is hot off the presses and immediately reminds you how good at their job both London Grammar & Andy C are. The melancholy vocal energy of London Grammar’s original lines is preserved perfectly. The drum & bass elements come together slowly, like a master assembling his tool belt & workstation slowly but surely. As the energy shambles along, you arrive three minutes & 15 seconds in, and the triumphant build finally reveals itself. Pulling into the danceable back beat ever so slowly, you find yourself flying along before you know what’s going on. The vocals pull back in to remind you, yes this still was London Grammar, so be sad it’s over too.
Midnight Music: Kove – Way We Are ft. Melissa Steel [Drum & Bass!]
New Drum & Bass! Kove has been a bastion of occasional quality over the months, and I’m super pleased that new awesomeness has come out featuring stunning vocalist Melissa Steel. The tune is exactly what you want out of a vocal liquid track. Coming at you fast & hard, the tune doesn’t disappoint, while not taking any risks. The vocal work is perfectly matched with the lush & gliding drum and bass done by Kove. Kove has been on my radar for a while now, but they’ve definitely been upgraded to “put everything they come out with into my face. You should too. (via Stoney Roads)
Midnight Music: Camo & Krooked – All Night (Etherwood Remix) [Liquid Drum & Bass]
I am going to keep banging on the Hospital Records drum until every single D&B fan in the United States knows of the astonishing work coming from the UK. For those of you paying attention, this is the second track I’m shoving into your faces from the “We Are 18” compilation released last year. Hospital Records not only throws some of the best parties anywhere in the world (that I hope to attend one day). The combination of smooth vocal work, extensive synth work & Etherwood’s liquid touch create a potent remix that eclipses even Camo & Krooked’s exceptional track. This tune is rocked daily for me, and I assume you will too.
Midnight Music: Max Frost – White Lies (Tune In Crew Remix) [Indie + Drum & Bass]
Tonight, I’m bringing you a remix of a Max Frost track entitled “White Lies.” The Tune In Crew are a funky duo of brothers from Strasbourg with a penchant for reworking tracks in surprisingly interesting ways. They’ve taken the indie tune and given it what could be liberally described as a drum & bass backbeat. The combination of the modified vocals, the bomping beat under the tune & their willingness to come to a complete stop at around 2.10 to emphasize just how much they’ve done to make the track their own make for a very fun four minutes. Put it into your ear holes and groove on it while you’re dancing around in your underwear getting ready for something.
Earworm of the Month: Birdy – Wings (Nu:Logic Remix)
I think there’s a lot of potential in the liquid drum & bass genre even with how old it is. Hospital Records continues to break new ground, using both seemingly identical & totally novel pieces together in radically different ways. Nu:Logic’s absolutely stunning remix of Wings by Birdy has been on daily rotation during my commute. It’s a perfect example of what can be done today to create something really special in a high BPM but low-impact way. The energy never drops, the amen break marches on, but the chorus & shimmering vocals glide above and are used respectfully & correctly. So glad I bought the physical copy of the We Are 18 compilation. Much love to Hospital from the other side of the pond.
Midnight Music: Ayah Marar: Keep Up (Produced By Metrik)
This Monday night, I’m coming at you with a recent tour video for Ayah Marar’s new single, ” Keep Me Up.” Ayah Marar was one of the first famous people to interact with me on twitter when I was starting out blogging, so I’ll always have a special place in my heart for her. She didn’t have to take the time to give me big ups from the UK, but she did. Her slick drum & bass meets rave production is off the charts and she brings a gorgeous edge to the usually ‘ard community.
The video has her flying from place to place, not in a jet, but just kind of grinding the gigs out. It takes a lot of bravery to be a lady and get shot as an artist without your makeup and putting it on camera, but she does it with effortlessness and goofy grace. Plus the song’s hot. So get at her. Metrik does great work on the production end, so it’s a match made in heaven. Ms. Marar is ever so occasionally in NYC, so don’t miss her when she is. Much love from Gotham. Hang tough y’all, Monday’s over.
Midnight Music: Let It Go – DJ Rashad
So happy to bring you this pure bliss from DJ Rashad, released last year. The smooth, ebbing flow of the beat combined with a mantra we could all do well to practice more often. Slick UK D&B from DJ Rashad, who recently almost set the Museum of Natural History on fire with his set along with mixmaster DJ Spinn. Yea, DJs are spinning on Friday nights at museums in NYC, big whoop wanna fight about it? Let the tune play out and relax, let some things go, even just for the duration of the song.
Midnight Music: Katy B
To celebrate Katy B hitting #1 in the UK with her new album Little Red, I decided to put up one of the tunes from it, Crying for No Reason. This is everything a video should be, especially with the chops that Katy B has. I hope she gets her fair share of success and some exposure in the USA to boot, because her ability to blend vocals & beats is fantastic and needs to start being injected in the USA pop engine ASAP. It’s not easy to beat both Ellie Goulding & London Grammar, but there you have it folks. (via Mixmag)
Terry Gotham 