21st Century Musical Goodness

Road Trip!!

2011-09-30T00:45:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since my last update, as things have got rather hectic over the past couple of weeks. Leeds saw itself subject to a full on zombie invasion, and I should know as I was one of the zombies doing the invading! I suspect that my friends who didn't participate are not appreciating the zombie theme that my online presence has naturally taken over the last few days, so I am not going to wax lyrical about how much fun it was - check out the fb group and make your own mind up. Meanwhile, I'll get straight to the music!

There has been an awful lot of great music that I've listened to over the past couple of weeks - I'm just going to link you to some of my highlights, so that you can check them out for yourselves and then let you make your own mind up.

First up, we have Ghosts of Paraguay. He released his album at the end of August, and it is absolutely gorgeous - beautiful ambient dubstep at it's best! The video I have linked you to is quite a long one but it is definitely worth taking the time to listen to it, as it is a mix of the tracks from the new album which is called Silent Souls. Simply gorgeous!

Next up, the latest edition of one of my favourite podcast shows has been released - this is the Next Level podcast from State of Mind, a drum and bass duo from New Zealand who are always guaranteed to deliver! This latest edition is no disappointment, and has been a firm favourite on my mp3 player since it was first uploaded earlier this week. Click here to listen and download, and if you haven't come across these before, it's worth spending the time to catch up with them. The track above is one I found on the podcast, called 1987 Demons - this is the result of a French / German collaboration between Kantyze and Disphonia, and it's bloody lovely!

This next track, Distance, is from a firm favourite of mine, Seba, a stalwart of the Spearhead Records label. He has done so many gorgeous tunes, so imagine how happy I was when I noticed his set from Sun and Bass 2011 up for download! So many beautiful sounds on here, I've already fallen in love with it! Click here to get this on the download!

EDIT: I asked for the tracklist, and what do you know, here it is!! :)

1. Seba - Future sound - Spearhead
2. Seba - Nostalgia - Warm communications
3. Andyskopes & MrJoseph - Call for arms - Secret operations
4. Seba - Nightrider - Nu-directions
5. Vicious Circle & Fierce - Section - Quarantine
6. Amit - Doomed youth - Commercial suicide
7. Seba & Method one - Mr downstairs - Secret operations
8. Seba & Jinder - Too much too soon - dub
9. Seba - Pressure point - Metalheadz
10. John Dahlback & Adam Tensta - Next to the speakers (seba remix) - Seba
11. Seba - Keep me waiting - 31 records
12. Seba - this is our house - warm communications
13. Seba - Painted skies - Secret operations
14. Seba & Robert Manos - Trouble - Secret operations
15. War - Rafale - Dispatch
16. Seba & Robert Manos - Madness - Secret operations

Another DJ that I'm absolutely feeling at the moment is BCee, the man behind Spearhead Records. The studio mix that he released online in March still gets as much love from me now as it did the first time I heard it, and everyone I've played it to has thoroughly enjoyed it as well - so when I saw that a September studio mix was available, I was over the moon. Click here to check this out. As one of my good friends put it, romantic DnB at it's best! The track above is Chameleon, and it is from the forthcoming LP by BCee (one of the few tracks of his off this mix that I could actually find on youtube) - I can't wait to hear the full album.

Time for a dub now, not sure when we can expect this to be released but it is awesome! This is S.P.Y with Love and Hate - I absolutely cannot wait for him to play at Hospitality Leeds in two weeks time, it is going to be great! Everything he touches at the moment is incredible! Click here to download his DNBTV mix.

Well, this coming weekend promises to be lots of fun, with a road trip to London kicking off in approx 12 hours - the weather is on our side, we've been assured that the sun will be shining, and with all of the Drum and Bass madness ahead on Friday, and then some fab tech house at Toolroom Knights 5th Birthday at Brixton Academy, I don't know how I'm ever going to cope. I'm sure I'll find a way though - I usually do haha! :)

I'll be back next week, with some techno / tech house treats from the Toolroom Knights event (seeing as how today ended up being a tad DnB dominated) and I promise, there are more bands coming soon as well as loads of other stuff! In fact, have some Queens of the Stone Age to finish on just to keep you going until then! Variety is the spice of life after all!

Have a great weekend peeps!

Guest Blog - Katie Knows the Score!

2011-09-02T14:49:00.002+01:00

Today, I have a guest blog from a friend I have only gotten to know better over recent months - however we get on very well, as we both share the same passion for music, in particular Drum and Bass, and even more specifically, the darker / deeper side of this genre! So without further ado, here is what Katie has to say...

Guest Blog - Katie Knows the Score!

This recent mix for K-mag has been around for a couple of months now, but thanks to a combination of excellent track choices and freshly pressed dubplates, it still sounds as crisp and clean as it did on the day it showed up and blew me away. The track above is Terminology, by Clarity, and click here to listen to the full K-mag mix!

Momentum at Wire last Friday was one of Leeds’ rare opportunities to enjoy some non B&Q-style DnB from Lenzman and Dub Phizix. I’d already firmly established that Lenzman was going to kill it, but Dub Phizix calmly and assuredly tore the place down. Here’s why.

Eastcolors has, over the past few months, built up my love for him from a mild interest to complete adoration. First hearing To Fly, a collaboration with Enei from earlier this year, I must admit I was a bit late in staking a place in the Eastcolors fanclub, but I haven’t been disappointed since. His somewhat legendary live mix posted on Soundcloud two weeks ago has received acclaim from everyone who’s heard it – basically the only way you’re going to love him as much as I do is to listen to it from start to finish. (Before you ask, track four is an as-yet unprinted Enei and DRS track called Obsession. I’m struggling for a suitable adjective for it since I’m so averse to YouTube hyperbole, but one person simply described it as “war”, which I guess pretty much sums it up. Huge tune.) Click here to listen.

Sometimes the greatest thing about DnB is the subtleties that lie under the surface. Not everything has to either powerblast into your skull or lull you into a coma – Hybris tends to strike the right balance nearly every time, incorporating enough interest and deep bass to keep up the force you’d expect. This track in particular is a favourite of mine. I’m not saying is a club smasher, but you’d be hard pressed to find something more pleasant to crack on your headphones in the middle of the night.

As part of the Eastcolors mix posted above this track, in my opinion, is incredible. Alone it seems to lose some of its spark somewhat, but perhaps that’s just due to the only example of it available (apart from dubplates) is a short clip of dubious quality. I like to think that it was uploaded specially for me after a desperate request – much better than it being a total coincidence. Teamed with my synaesthesia this tune is silver and gold and all-enveloping. Fingers crossed it actually gets a release. This is Ed:it & Geographix ft Grimm – Cold Air - click here to listen.

I often put this song on repeat because it’s the closest I feel I could get to listening to never-ending perfection. Khanage thinks that might be a bit of a bold statement, but I’m sticking by it. Mr Perez gave it out free recently, so check DnB Share for a copy.

Having heard this on the Alix Perez Rinse FM show a few months back, and it’s fair to say I was stunned. Driving beat, incredible bass sound (like black rushing water, or a distant rumble of thunder) and lush chopped lyrics. As anybody will tell you though, I’m a sucker for all those things, so perhaps I’m biased. Relatively unknown at the start of the year, Mortem’s showing up in a fair few mixes now, and so far I’ve not heard a track by him I wasn’t impressed with.

I’m going to leave you with this frankly evil tune by Skeptical. It’s the first track on the Clarity mix, so it might be familiar, but it deserves an airing of its own. Ingredients have been churning out consistently amazing stuff for months now, but I’m sure you were already aware of that. If not, go and check them out immediately – you won’t be disappointed.

It's a Podcast Party!

2011-08-31T12:15:00.003+01:00

I have to say, I absolutely LOVE podcasts - my favourite DJ's / Producers / Record Labels all releasing regular mixes, containing fab new releases? Yes Please!!

Today, I am going to link you to some of my favourites, as usual across a range of genres. If you listen to any other good ones that I haven't included, please get in touch with the details, as I am always looking for new sources of fresh sounds!

First up, it's the Hospital Records podcast. They always have new releases, and exclusives that haven't been heard yet anywhere else, and the live show that was broadcast on YouTube for the 150th podcast was lots of fun and highly enjoyable! These have been around for a while, so you've probably come across them already - however if you're not in the know go check them out! Click here for more info!

The State of Mind Next Level Podcast is another one of my favourites, some awesome tunes, nice rolling beats - definitely worth checking out! Click here for their soundcloud page!

Click here to check out the Subtitles Podcast, mixed by the likes of Teebee and Ulterior Motive. Again, these are fantastic, and have been played many times over the past few months - I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of this at the moment!

The Technique Recordings podcast is my next pick, and again, this has been played by myself and shared to my friends many times over the past few months. The Tantrum Desire one is probably my favourite, but they are all really good! Click here to check this out.

It is only earlier this week that the NeoSignal podcast released their latest edition, and although I did share it on my blog, I can't really do a podcast edition without mentioning it, as it is one of the best out there. Perfect deep Drum and Bass vibes, I love it! Click here to enjoy this one - mixed by the likes of Phace and Misanthrop, great stuff!

Time for something a bit harder now, with the Barcode Filthcasts - mixed by the likes of The Teknoist, DJ Hidden, Counterstrike and BKey, these should certainly wake you up! Click here for this podcast archive.

Next up, we have the Bad Taste Recordings podcasts, mixed by Blokhe4d - click here to listen to these. (You will need to browse through the soundcloud page to find them all, worth the effort though!)

Next for your listening pleasure, we have the Critical Music podcasts - again, definitely worth checking these out! Click here to explore these more!

The last Drum and Bass one for today is the Lifted Music podcast, with Spor and Chris Renegade - epic! Click here to listen to this one!

There are many more excellent Drum and Bass podcasts, but I am going to leave it there for today, otherwise there won't be room for the rest of the ones I have to share with you!

Toolroom Records is a record label at the forefront of the House and Tech House music scene, and their monthly podcasts brought to us by Mark Knight are all definitely worth subscribing to! Click here to listen and subscribe.

Now I have two fantastic Techno podcasts for you, both from the Umek stable, both really really good! First up is the 1605 podcast, which brings you the sounds of the 1605 Music Therapy record label started by Umek a few years ago now - a particular favourite of mine from this is the Spektre edition. Click here to give these a listen. Then next up, we have the Behind the Iron Curtain series, which is an hour long radio show mixed by Umek himself. Click here to enjoy these bad boys!

One of the best and most groundbreaking podcast series I've come across is the Electronic Explorations series, mixed by Rob Booth. These cover a whole range of genres, and give air time to some of the more underground and experimental cutting edge producers out there. It may take you a long time to get through all of these, but if you're open minded, and into giving new sounds a try, then this site is definitely worth a look! Click here for the podcast archive.

There are many more that are worth checking out, notably the Knowledge magazine podcast series, the FACT magazine series, the Sigma Life Recordings podcast (again, for which I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment!), the Respekt podcast, and the Med School Data Transmission amongst many many more! However I'm not going to inundate you with any more links, as the ones I have already linked you to should keep you going for many many hours of music listening!

Remember, please send me details of any other podcasts you enjoy that I haven't mentioned, and if you enjoy the links I've given you, please share these with like minded friends - music is all about sharing those beats after all! Happy listening people!

Bank Holidays - Living the Dream!

2011-08-29T18:24:00.002+01:00

This bank holiday weekend for me has been a mix of ace drum and bass, lots of band music, some nice relaxation courtesy of Massive Attack and Primal Scream, some gorgeous breakbeat, and lots and lots of dancing around the living room!

I've cobbled together the best bits of the weekend, and put it in one place for you to enjoy!

First up, we have a fab little remix from Lenzman that was out earlier this year on Demand Records - this is Xiphactinus, and the original was by Heavy1. I saw Lenzman on Friday night, at a great little night in Leeds called Momentum. Stone and Dub Phizix were both epic as well, there were some great tunes played and had myself a nice little boogie to start the weekend! Momentum is definitely worth checking out if you're local to Leeds.

Next up, check out this EP forthcoming on Immuir Records in October, by Digital Mafia. The first track of these EP, Hooked On (So in Love) is absolutely stunning, the other tracks are great as well, and I can't wait to see what else Digital Mafia has in store in the future!

Next up, this is a recent release from Chaney, who continues to produce stunning tracks across a range of genres. This track, Dub and Bass, is part of the second EP released on his new label Pressure Digital. Check out the rest of the tracks and spread the word!

Another new label promising good things is the Insomniacz Digital label. Insomniacz is a well established brand within the hard dance scene, and it is about time they branched out into releasing their trademark sounds in addition to the great events they put on. The first release on this label includes a track by Jon BW, called Oh Yeah - click here to listen. I can't wait to see what else they have in store for us!

Time for a couple of mixes for you now that have literally had me dancing round the living room today!

First up, some ace breakbeat / dubstep / bass music from Afghan Headspin - thoroughly enjoyable! This is a live DJ set that was recorded in July, and after listening to this I'm crossing my fingers that I can check him out in person real soon! Click here to listen to the mix and download! The track above is from this mix, and is Foreign Beggars - Still Gettin It, featuring Skrillex.

The NeoSignal podcasts are among my favourite, and I have been eagerly awaiting the next installation of this. So imagine my delight when I saw this in my incoming tracks this afternoon - this is definitely worth the wait, with some great new tracks from the talented guys over at NeoSignal. Click here to listen and get your bass face at the ready! The track above is Basic Memory by Phace, out now on NeoSignal Records. Enjoy!

In a few weeks, Firefarm will be returning to Leeds to play at a new breakbeat night called Disorder. If you haven't seen these guys yet, then make sure you get tickets and get yourself down there! Click here to check out what they're all about, and make sure that you don't miss out.

I'm finishing today on a totally chilled out vibe, with an absolute all time classic from Massive Attack. This is Unfinished Sympathy, and I'm sure you will agree that it is a perfect note on which to end the last bank holiday weekend of the summer!

Guest Blog: Music From Adz

2011-08-26T12:10:00.000+01:00

This weeks guest blog is brought to you by my friend Adz - today, we have a selection of tracks for you today in a slightly different vein to those I tend to post myself. However, that is the whole point of this guest blog series - I'm giving other people a chance to share the music that they are passionate about, to give a more well rounded overview rather than just my own opinions. I hope that you enjoy this, and tune in next week for the next in the guest blog series!

Guest Blog: Music From Adz

Any one that knows me at all will be able to tell you about my love of hard house - I discovered this when I went to uni, and studied in Birmingham, and soon became a weekly regular at nights like Sundissential and Insomniacz. Although I don’t go out anywhere near as regularly these, I still have the same passion and love for it twelve years later that I had at the start!

I’ve been lucky enough to have collected some amazing memories during this time - one that I remember as if it was just yesterday is walking into Sundissential North in Leeds as the breakdown for the following song started… I knew instantly that it was going to be an amazing night, and if asked what my all time favourite hard house tune is, this will always be my answer.

This is the greatest hard house tune of all time… Tony de Vit – I don’t care

This next track is a more recent example of what I love about hard house - this is a song that just makes me smile and want to dance… all you can ask of a tune really!

This is Munkjack – Often imitated, never duplicated

My favourite DJ and biggest influence in hard house has always been Paul Glazby… to pick one song by him would be impossible, so instead, I’m going to cheat and give you a link to a live set recorded at Insomniacz. I would also recommend listening to his cd from the One from the hardbox album - this is possibly the greatest hard house mix ever made.

Click here to listen.

My next choice is by my good friend Robbie Muir, who has been on fire lately - so much so in fact, that I've nicknamed him Mr Midas - the man with the golden touch!... I'm a sucker for a decent piano loop, and this tune certainly has that and more... Another song that makes me smile and want to dance.

Click here to listen.

I have also been listening to a lot more drum and bass recently, and this following song was probably the first dnb song to catch my attention properly, and inspire me to start learning about different artists and labels. It takes an incredible voice from a pop song and makes it into something so much more - sit back and enjoy Adele – Hometown Glory (High Contrast remix).

Since my initial experience of drum and bass, I have discovered the DJ’s on the Hospitality label; my personal favourite of these is at the moment is Netsky. This tune not only is an amazing song, but the video is quality as well, I have watched it countless times so far and not got bored of it. I would also highly recommend Netsky’s album out on Hospitality records, I’ve had it on repeat in my car since I got it… and I rarely keep any CD’s in my car for long, so that’s testimony enough. This is Netsky with Iron Heart.

My final choice is also by Netsky, and probably my favourite tune of the moment… Essex has been inflicted with this very loudly of late… Here I’ll leave you with Netsky – Moving with you featuring Jenna G

Thanks for reading, Hope you’ve enjoyed reading and listening as much as I enjoyed doing.

Replace Stress with Beauty...

2011-08-24T23:53:00.002+01:00

After the most stressful period I've had since starting my current job, I haven't had the energy outside of work to actually compile a list of tracks for my blog for a few days, and most of the stuff on my ongoing list that I build up has already been shared via the wonders of social networking. However, after a very long day followed by a couple of glasses of wine this evening, I made the conscious decision to replace stress with beauty - at least for a few hours, until work strikes again!

I hope today's selection helps to relax you as much as it has myself this evening! I've found a few tracks by some relatively unknown producers, however I hope you agree that they are all great.

First up we have some down tempo dubstep - this is absolutely beautiful! If this gorgeous vocal, and these melodic beats can't help you unwind then you need more help than I can provide I'm afraid! Stunning! This is Mechanical Pressure, with a track called Laid Other Humans.

Next up we have a new progressive house number from Matt Lange, called Sixty Six, that is out at the moment. I love this track, it twists and turns perfectly and is just great to float away to.

This next track is a Pále bootleg remix of Nightime by The XX - again, this is absolutely stunning! Perfect music to float away to on a hot sunny day, when you're nicely relaxed in good company. Fantastic!

Time to switch it up a notch now with some of the beautiful new drum and bass that is out there at the moment. First, this lovely liquid number is by Grafix, and was given away by him recently in return for reaching 6000 likes on facebook. Click here to download the track - this is called Rebuild.

This next track is a remix by Cosmistic - the original is by Siedah Garrett, and the track is called Rain Down Love. This is a beautiful, and energetic track, that managed to chill me out and make me feel energised at the same time! Lovely stuff!

I have two tracks for you now that were the winner and runner up in the recent Feint - Clockwork Hearts remix competition.

This first track was the runner up in this competition, and is by a 17 year old from Wakefield, who goes by the name of Bustrexx - this is a phenonemonal piece of production from someone so young, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us over the coming years!

The next track was the winner of this competition - this is a progressive house remix of Clockwork Hearts, and I'm sure you will agree that it is epic - this is by Hivemynd, and again, I can't wait to hear more from this guy!

The last track that I have for you today is by a producer called Inkarv; the track is called "If I", and it's a fabulous piece of glitchy slow tempo bass music that manages to strike a chord in my soul. This just seemed to be the perfect piece of music to finish today's blog entry on - gorgeous, chilled out, relaxing summer sounds. Love it! Throw out that stress, and embrace beautiful sounds like this!

I have something a bit different for you on Friday, with a special guest blog showcasing a totally different type of music! Keep your eyes (and more importantly, your ears!!) peeled and I'll see you then! :)

Guest Blog - It's a Gem!

2011-08-12T00:05:00.000+01:00

Today's guest blog is from another one of my friends, Gemma, who has a strong appreciation for music, and very varied and wide ranging influences. She has picked some right tunes for us today, hope you enjoy them!

Guest Blog - It's a Gem!

From a very young age, my Dad has influenced my music tastes. Heavy Rock, Prog Rock…. The occasional textbook ‘Dadrock’ (Dire Straits….literally!) . When all the other kids were listening to Take That (the first time) I was mainly rocking out with my metaphorical cock out, to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Aerosmith and Metallica.

This lust for filthy bass playing, meaty drum fills and face-melting lead guitars has led me to some awesome music…some Rock, some Industrial and a lot of flipping cool. Some of which I’m going to share with you now!

The first track is ‘Nightmare’ by Avenged Sevenfold. It’s becoming a bit of a classic in the rock genre…. Mysterious creepy start, absolutely pounding drums and a gorgeous raw vocal. My absolute drum hero Mike Portnoy of Dream Theatre is the drummer on this track. His prog rock roots really come through.

Moving on to some electronic sounds now. Because of the aforementioned addiction to a bit of pounding…. The following covers this in a musical and lyrical sense! German Industrial outfit Miss Construction with Fuck Me Too

Let the pounding continue. The next track is Polygon Window (Also known as Aphex Twin)… It’s mainly percussive based and very old now but makes me wanna move!

This is a random one I found whilst in night shift mode...and he’s my new music crush. I like the sharp electric blippy bits (wow I’m great with words!) This is Blawan with Bohla.

Last one from me. An oldie but a goodie…. From the Matrix soundtrack. Hive with Ultrasonic Sound. For me this opened the pathways into me exploring more electronic music. It has some D’n’B influence with a dirty phat bass drive. I don’t have a clue what genre it is…. It makes me drive fast though!

Hope you enjoyed the heavy …

Like a Phoenix From the Flames

2011-08-10T22:24:00.000+01:00

Despite having quite strong opinions on a lot of the events that happen across the world, I rarely feel compelled to share them on what is essentially a platform for sharing the music that I love with other like minded people. However the events of the past few days has seen the two converge at last, as the events we've seen in the news could have serious consequences on the thriving music industry that we have here within the UK.

Over the past few days I have been absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of youths across the country as night after night they have taken to the streets to riot, burn, loot, and generally cause mayhem on our streets; I have also been thoroughly saddened to watch as high streets have been vandalised, lives have been lost, and business and homes have been destroyed.

Rioting in Enfield earlier this week saw the PIAS distribution and imprint centre, which was owned by Sony Corp, completely razed to the ground, resulting in the loss of stock for many small independent record labels across the UK and Europe. The Sony warehouses were targeted for the gadgets inside out of pure greed, and the resulting loss of all this vinyl probably never even crossed the mind of those who started the fires. Losing this stock could seriously impact many of these small labels, and it is down to us now to do what we can to show our support, and ensure that they can carry on releasing the music that adds so much pleasure and enjoyment to our lives.

If any of these labels go under financially as a result of this mindless violence, it will be a great loss to every one of us music lovers and we must ensure that we don't let the actions of a few brainless people destroy the rich music heritage of our country! The UK music scene really is something to be proud of which has even more importance at a time when we don't seem to have many other reasons to be proud to be British!

Click here for a facebook page that has been set up to encourage support for the independent labels affected by this.

Click here for a list of all the record labels that PIAS physically distributes - please share this information, and encourage everyone you know who loves music to buy digital downloads from these labels to help them stay afloat in these turbulent times.

Click here for a news article on this incident.

So now it's time for the music - I'm going to share some tracks with you from just a small selection of these record labels, just to give you a taste of the fantastic stuff that they have been responsible for. I don't have the space to showcase them all, however I do strongly urge you to check them out, and buy anything that you like.

First up, we have a track from a label that has been doing some fantastic things recently - this is called "I'll take care of you", and is taken from a remix album by Gil Scott-Heron (RIP) and Jamie XX which was released earlier this year on The Young Turks label. This is a gorgeous track, and I can highly recommend the other stuff being released on this label. (SBTRKT being a particular Young Turks favourite of mine!)

Click here for The Young Turks online store, or click here to buy digital downloads of the remixes by Scott-Heron and Jamie XX. Click here to listen to the tracks on their YouTube channel.

The next label I have for you today is Ninja Tune - again, there is so much good music coming out on this label that it is REALLY hard to just choose one artist or one track, and I definitely recommend checking out the tracks uploaded on their YouTube channel. The track that I chose is by Emika, and is called Pretend - this is beautiful. Emika has such a haunting voice, and this track is definitely one that got under my skin.

Click here for the NinjaTune online store, where you can pre-order this track in digital format, and where you can buy many others by Emika and people like Amon Tobin, Toddla T, Roots Manuva, Eskmo and many more, for as little as 70p!

This next track is by a band called Gomez, who I have loved for years! Their seventh studio album was released in June this year on Eat Sleep Records, and it is definitely worth a listen. This track is called Song in my Heart, and is from the album called Whatevers on Your Mind.

Click here to buy this album from the Eat Sleep Records website.

The list of artists who have had releases on Southern Fried Records reads like a who's who of big names in electronic music over the past few years, and they have released so much good music that again, it was really hard to choose one track to share with you. The one I chose is a gorgeous little tech house number by Luca C and Brigante, called Different Morals. Lovely!

Click here to check out the tracks they have uploaded to YouTube - there are some great ones on here! Click here to buy releases on Southern Fried Records on Beatport.

The last label I am covering today is Infectious Music Ltd - this label has been going since the mid 90's, and has released music by many great bands over the years including Ash, Symposium, The Subways, and more recently, The Temper Trap. The label was reduced over the years, before being relaunched two years ago, and since its relaunch, it has released some great music. The track above is called Sweet Disposition and is by The Temper Trap.

Click here to enjoy the Temper Trap YouTube channel, and click here to buy tracks released on Infectious Music.

The last track of the day is a Michael Woods remix of Science of Fear by The Temper Trap. This is an absolutely delicious remix that more than does the original justice! Fantastic, and the perfect track to end on!

Remember, the music I've posted today is only a fraction of a fraction of the stuff being released on these labels - enjoy exploring what they have to offer, and spread the word! Let's do our bit to keep the music scene going!

Guest Blog - It's the Jat-Man!

2011-08-05T15:50:00.000+01:00

This is the first in a series of guest blog entries that I am asking my friends to do - I wanted to get other people's views and opinions on music, and find out what other people are listening to, so that you get influences and recommendations from people other than myself. I will be posting one of these a week from someone different each time. This first one is an entry from a friend of mine called Jat, who has been thoroughly embracing all kinds of different stuff over the past year.

Guest Blog - It's the Jat-Man!

In the BEGINNING, I really wasn't into music until I hit my late teens. I really didn’t get it until a friend lent me two albums by Incubus. They pretty much defined my perspective on a lot of things that we alll go through during that period.. The albums were of course S.C.I.E.N.C.E and Make yourself (oh the irony) still the best BAND in the world! If you disagree you can go sit in a corner while I bang my head along with some of the great tracks on both albums :) As everyone at the time was into terrible MTV pop at the time, RnB which clearly wasn’t for me, the rawness of Privilege and the poetic lyrics of drive could not be matched.

Thus my music journey began with a bang, I stuck with the more hard hitting artists such as Nine Inch Nails, Lacuna Coil, A Perfect Circle, Celldweller, etc. They were similar to Incubus in so many ways. Then Lastfm really opened the doors for me as well as my friends, I didn't forget ya peeps! :)

Right first track doesn’t really fit into the music down below (to be fair this was before Zsa Zsa conversion) so lets start off with a dirty bang.

This band is a personal favourite of mine, I always wonder how I looked when I first listened to this track. This is Jackalope, with Feel It.

Then the conversion by ZsaZsa happened - it must have been a long arduous process for her but it finally paid off as I look back and for the last year I have been listening to is mind blowing stuff whilst spreading the love. * looks slightly upwards in a smug fashion* One could say I am a changed man.

To prove it here is Maduk with Avalon, nothing is better than this mellowy track, the brilliant vocals say so much with so little. I feel as if I can see great times ahead coming my way when I put this on. Simple but yet oh so sweet.

After being chilled to stillness this next track should hit you much harder with its EPIC-NESS! It comes in knocking you down and leaves nothing. As one user on soundcloud has put it “on the edge of the universe, yea”. This is the Photek remix of Lie Down in Darkness - click here to listen.

May I present to you “The Glitch Mob”. This track opens with what I can only describe as a slap to the face. I knew I deserved it and I am sorry Glitch Mob! By the time this tune ends I am screaming No don’t leave me, I can change! This is edIT - Pound 4 Pound by the Glitch Mob. Click here to listen, and they have even given a free download of this track.

Here comes Pronobozo! These guys take Parkour/Stuntwork seriously and their music is inspired by their hobbies. The pay off is a style that gives you one hell of a rush. Heres a 100ft high remix by András Horváth - click here to listen.

Ok enough waffling and more music! This next one is so deep and atmospheric I can just trance out listening to this no matter where I am. This is J Majik & Wickaman - Ritual.

Finally, Claudine vocals makes everything feel so fragile and the rest makes me feel a stranger. What an experience. This is another one to lose yourself in - this is Chook - You Are All You Have (feat. Claudine Muno)

There you have it, remember keep the music FLOWING!

Mixing it Up!

2011-08-03T18:59:00.000+01:00

Hey there folks, I hope you're all well and nicely recovered from whatever fun you had at the weekend! Today, I am mostly going to be sharing some ace mixes that I've found with you, from a variety of sources, and linking to some of the tracks off these.

First up, this track by Afrojack has to be a serious contender for my favourite tune of the year so far, which is a bold statement as there has been such a lot of good music out this year. This is called Doing it Right and you can find it in Supercell's Soundtrack to the Summer mix - I've passed this on to quite a few people, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive from all those who have listened to it, so if you only download one mix from todays update, make it this one!

Click here for the tracklist and download link.

Time for some techno now, with a Sasha Carassi remix of Monogram, a track by one of the greats himself, Mr Mauro Picotto. This is fantastic, and has been taken from number 6 in the series of 1605 podcasts being released by Umek - these podcasts are really fantastic, and number 6 has been selected and mixed by Spektre, who have been smashing dance floors all over the world this summer. This is a great mix, over 2 hours long but definitely worth sticking with - I only meant to listen to the first half an hour but ended up listening to it all and really enjoying every minute of it!

Click here for the tracklist and download link.

The track above is called Blindfolded, and was released on Dispatch earlier this year. This is by Spinline and Hydro, and is just great - I love the way that it builds up! This is from a mix that has been online for a few weeks but I only stumbled across it last week - this is a promotional mix by Ed Rush for Glade festival, and it is quite simply great Drum and Bass. This is a very fun mix, love it!

Click here to listen on Soundcloud, the tracklist is in one of the comments on page 2, and click here to download.

The last mix I have for you today is the Trust in Bass podcast, mixed on this occasion by Wreckage Machinery. The above track is by Feed Me who have been doing very good things of late; this is To the Stars, which came out in June, and it's just fab! There are loads of other great tracks on this mix as well.

Click here for the tracklist and to listen / download.

To finish off with, here are a couple more tracks I've been loving this week.

First up, this is Undertaker by Wolfgang Gartner - simply awesome!

This last track for today is by James Blake, whose voice is just out of this world. This has such a gorgeous haunting vocal, I can't get enough of it!

That's all for today, I'll be back soon with more musical treats for you.

Bring on the blues....

2011-07-28T13:09:00.001+01:00

This weekend, my friends and I are going to attend the Maryport Blues festival up in Cumbria, and I absolutely can't wait! The sun is predicted to shine, the cider will be on ice and the music is going to be soulful and rhythmic!

I will give you my impressions of it next week, however until then I've got a right collection of tracks and mixes that I've been enjoying over the past few days. I hope that you enjoy these just as much as I have done!

This first track is a cover of Hoochie Coochie man by a band called the Raw Peaches, who are absolutely rocking Leeds at the moment! Check them out on facebook, some of the tracks on the music player are absolutely gorgeous and this is a great cover.

First up, this is an electro house mix I stumbled across yesterday completely by accident - this is one of the most enjoyable mixes I've found recently by someone I've not come across before, and includes some tracks and remixes by the DJ himself which are fantastic. This is by Under Construction - click here to listen and download. The track above is called "In my Game" and is a really enjoyable tune from the mix that thoroughly got under my skin!

Next up, this is a new track forthcoming from Lynx and Hellraiser, called Taboo!

Time for some breaks now - again this is another mix that I stumbled across randomly (God bless Soundcloud!) but definitely a firm fave of the moment! Click here to listen - this is by DSH and includes a mixture of breaks tracks from the noughties.

Darling by Queensway is a really enjoyable track, and I was very pleased when I spotted clips for a forthcoming LP from Queensway, again on Soundcloud. Click here to check out the Blu Saphir page and listen to clips from the forthcoming album.

Time for another fabriclive promo mix now, this time from S.P.Y - regular readers will know that S.P.Y is one of my fave DJ's at the mo, and this mix is fabulous! Loads of tunes from S.P.Y and DJ Marky to get your teeth into! Click here to listen, download and for the tracklist.The above track is Pressure Drop, one of my favourites from the mix.

This track is called Strength 2 Strength (Smooth Remix) by Matrix and Futurebound, and was included on the recent Viper Worldwide album which is highly enjoyable!

Next up, this has been one of my fave mixes over the past couple of weeks - this is a new podcast from Technique Recordings, mixed by Tantrum Desire, showcasing new tracks from the Foreplay EP which is available to buy now, and includes some great tracks. Click here to listen and download.

That's all for today, but there is plenty there to keep you going for a while! Enjoy the weekend, enjoy the sunshine, enjoy the beats and I'll be back soon with more musical treats for you.

Last day of my 20's!

2011-07-12T13:56:00.002+01:00

I feel like perhaps I should be a little less excited about turning 30 tomorrow, however for me it is the end of one era; I feel as if I am fully on the verge of a brand new and really exciting period of my life!

The soundtrack to my 20's has been incredible - well, the soundtrack to my whole life really - and music has been a massive part of so many of my best memories and experiences throughout the past few years. Thinking about it, for most of the people who pass through my life, there will be some form of musical association with them, whether it is just a brief snatch of one track that reminds me of them, or whether it will be the shared memories of lots of gigs / dancefloors / shared musical experiences.

I love the power of music, the way that hearing something for the first time in years can take you squarely back to a great moment in your life, or remind you of exact conversations, or incidents as if you were there all over again!

As I look towards my 30's, it is in the hope that the next decade has as many good memories and experiences in store for me, and safe in the knowledge that I have a fantastic group of people around me to share the forthcoming good times with.

So without further ado, here are some of the tracks I've been loving over the past few days.

First up, is the next installment of the Techniques Recording podcast. July's edition has been brought to us by Tantrum Desire, who release their Foreplay EP on Technique Recordings any day now. This mix has a great tracklist, and I'm loving the sounds of Tantrum Desire. Click here to listen and download the mix on Soundcloud. The tracklist has also been added to the description for those of you like me, who like to know what it is that you're listening to! :) This is fantastic - I love the multitude of podcasts being released by quality DJ's / record labels / websites etc, I just wish they were longer!

The above remix is by Tantrum Desire - the original was fantastic, but this is a new remix that they completed recently for the new Worldwide album from Viper. This is the last track on the podcast, the remix is of Blind Cobblers Thumb by Futurebound, and it is fantastic! Love it!

Next up, this is a fantastic remix of The World, by Teebee. The original tune is by Emalkay, and this remix is epic. This has been played regularly over the past few days, Teebee can do no wrong at the moment!

Next up, we have a track from Enei who is doing great things at the moment! This is a really beautiful track.

This next track has been smashing it up - this is Tap Ho, yet another banger of a track from Topcat.

Next up, we have a 20 minute guest mix that Camo and Krooked did for Annie Nightingale on Radio 1. Click here to listen, and there is a download link and full tracklist in the description. This has some awesome little remixes and bootlegs that they have done, that won't be released anywhere! Listening to some of these, I can't wait for my next opportunity to see them destroy a dancefloor as they are packing serious heat at the moment! Fantastic! (Especially the above remix of Deadmau5's Raise your Weapon, and their version of Thunderstruck by AC/DC!)

This next track is another fantastic offering from The Glitch Mob - this is the beautiful Warrior Concerto. Immense! :) Click here to listen.

This is Resolve by Nymfo - this is a name I only came across recently, but everything I hear seems to be pure filth! Deep and rolling, just the way I like it!

Well, I've almost finished the last blog update of my 20's, and next up this is a Delta Heavy remix of Example's new tune, Stay Awake. This is a great rolling summery drum and bass tune, really enjoyable - but then Delta Heavy usually hit the spot!

This penultimate track is absolutely gorgeous. This is a Photek remix of Shelter, by Birdy, and it is stunning! The girl who sang this is only 14, but already has a really mature voice - love it!

Last up for today, this is a nice deep drum and bass mix I stumbled across by accident, by a chap called Greko, but it has a great tracklist and is very enjoyable! Click here to listen and download.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed today's selection, my next update will be as a fully fledged 30 year old - apparently we're meant to know better on our 30's, we'll see about that though haha! I'm hoping that it will be a time of even more fun and music than my 20's, with less life lessons! Regardless though the music will be there for sure!

Put on those red shoes...

2011-07-08T13:32:00.000+01:00

...and dance the blues!

Well, I won't be hitting the dance floors this weekend, as I am saving myself so that I can fully embrace the celebrations for my 30th birthday next week - however, in my head, I am always wearing my red shoes and dancing the night away!

So this week has been a fantastic week for me musically. I've managed to combine a great mix of new and old, band stuff and electronic, I've embraced genres I hadn't really heard before, tried new artists, and found great stuff by some of my favourite producers. Unfortunately, there isn't enough space or time in a blog post for me to share everything with you, but I am going to try to share the best of the best.

First of all, I am going to ask you to help a talented friend of mine, who has entered a Sasha remix competition. The challenge is to remix Cut me Down, which is a great track anyway - however Supercell has well and truly risen to the challenge and come up with a fantastic remix! Please give this a listen, and click on the facebook "like" button to show your appreciation! I'm not into nepotism, and don't share tracks that I'm not too enamoured with. Plus, the music I've heard this week has been at such a high standard that for this to be included speaks volumes.

Click here to listen and vote! Also please ask your friends to vote as well.

Earlier in the week, I spent a very enjoyable day introducing a friend to the delights of two of my all time favourite albums - Blood Sugar Sex Magik, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and also the Nirvana Unplugged in New York album. These are both seminal albums of the 1990's, and every track on each of them is incredible. They hold so many memories, and are as enjoyable for people now as they were when the albums first came out. It has been hard to choose just one from each of them, but here goes.

RIP Kurt Cobain - this track is called All Apologies, and it is Kurt's voice that really makes this. Also how young does Dave Grohl look in the video? :)

This track is Blood Sugar Sex Magik, and it is absolutely great - the whole album has a kind of funky, rude and raunchy feel to it, and while it is hard to pick a favourite off it, this has to be up there with the ones I like the best.

Time for something a little bit different now - this is a PsyBreaks mix by Hedflux, and it is absolutely great! Perfect to work to, it has a lot of energy, some really gorgeous sounds, and it's really helped me concentrate this morning. I'm looking forward to checking out the older mixes on the Hedflux soundcloud page. Click here to listen.

This next track is a cheeky remix that the fantastic drum and bass production duo Camo and Krooked have done of Raise your Weapons by Deadmau5. A version of this is to be released, however this one is just for them to use in sets - this was taken from the intro to their guest mix on the Annie Nightingale show on Radio 1 a few days ago, which contains some other fantastic little gems. Click here to listen, there is a download link in the description, and make sure you check out the tracklist.

I was blown away when the AC/DC bootleg of Thunderstruck that they have made kicked in - it was a serious WTF is this moment!!

DJ Marky and S.P.Y can't really do anything wrong at the moment in my eyes (Yellow Shoes is one of my fave current tracks!), and while this one is a couple of years old, I'm sure you will agree that it is awesome. :)

This is the full Sigma remix of Collie Budz - Come Around, and again while it's not very new, it is a perfect summertime track. You can't help but smile when you listen to this!

Next up, we have an epic remix of Swedish House Mafia's modern classic, One - this is by AJ Myst, and I love it!

This next track, I have been waiting for forever! This is an absolutely fantastic hard dance track from Munkjack, called Smack my Bits up. I just love the carnival atmosphere of it, I absolutely defy you to listen to this without tapping your toes, or shaking your booty as I have found it impossible! Each time I hear it, I am almost propelled towards the dancefloor! Click here to check this out!

The last track for today is a new remix from Firefarm and Solution - this is a remix of Requiem for a Dream, and it's gorgeous! I love it! I've listened to this so many times this week! I really can't wait until I have the opportunity to see these guys again, I hope I don't have to wait too long!

The Wonders of Soundcloud
I have been encouraging a lot of people to sign up to and make best use of Soundcloud recently for following artists - along with subscribing to uploaders on YouTube, it is a great way to keep up to date with studio sets, live mixes, new tracks etc, and when you follow artists, their work and comments appear in your dashboard, in the same way that your news feed works on facebook.

If you like the type of music I share, then click here to check out my profile, and see who I am following. Once you are signed in, you can easily click on the add symbol next to each name, and follow them yourselves! (Sorry if this is basic to some of you, but I've discovered a lot of people who didn't realise how much good music you can find this way!)

Feeling Hot in the City

2011-07-05T10:36:00.000+01:00

Well today is a glorious summers day, its boiling hot already despite the early hour, and the combination of the sunshine and some seriously skanking dnb beats is one that cannot be beaten on a day like today! So less words, and more beats is the rule for today in the hope you feel as uplifted as I do!!

First up, the Subtitles podcast has some gorgeous vocals, fantastic rolling beats, and a seriously dirty undertone. Click here for podcast 1, 2 and 3, and click here for podcast 4. These are definitely worth subscribing to as well as I imagine future podcasts will be just as epic! These are by Teebee and Ulterior Motive.

For those of you sat at your desk all day, I found an amazing website for streaming loads of different types of music. There are loads of genres, each with their own channel, and all frequently have new releases added to the playlist! (So new that I can't find a lot of them anywhere else on the net yet!) In addition to this, they also play loads of classics. Click here for the main homepage, and from there you can browse to any genre you prefer, including dnb (obviously), hard dance, trance, vocal trance, classic trance, various types of house, techno and many more!

Next up, a name that has been getting bigger recently is SBTRKT - click here to stream his album, which is absolutely awesome. Some really beautiful tracks on there!

Time for a few individual tracks to finish off with now, so crank the volume up and enjoy!

This is Relapse by Lung, who has made some stunning tracks recently. This was on the New Blood 11 album from Med School Music, and each time I listen to it, it blows me away. This is immense!

I'm sure I've included this track before, but I love it so much I had to share it again - this is Break and Die with Slow Down.

This is a track called Modest Burka, by Fourward - who has also been doing some good stuff recently. This is a bit darker, but is just fantastic. Love it! This has been on repeat for a while.

This is a track by Blokhe4d, and was on the Hospitality Drum and Bass 2011 album - this is called The Way Life Used to be, and it's a great summer track.

The last track of the day is from Total Science and SPY - this is Legion. SPY is absolutely rocking it at the moment, and this track from last year is immense! A great one to finish off on!

Enjoy and peace out!! :)

I'm a Rocketman!

2011-06-17T11:05:00.001+01:00

Today it's Friday, which is always quite an exciting day (or at least for me) as it heralds the end of the working week, and the start of the weekends fun and frolics - during which of course, music features very heavily!

Today however, is an exciting day because I have LOTS of new music for you!

First up is a track called Rocketman, by IllSkillz - click here to listen to a clip of this track, I'm sure you'll agree it's an absolute stormer! I'm on my third listen of the morning and I'm loving it more with each listen. If you want to get this for free, keep checking this site.

This next track is from a current favourite artist of mine, S.P.Y, and this track is included on both the upcoming Festival Drum and Bass compilation album from Hospital Records, and also on the four track vinyl promo that is available to buy at the moment. Click here to pre-order the compilation album, which looks to have some other stunning tracks featured on it. This track is called Turn the Lights Off, and it's got all the hallmarks of a great summer tune!

This next track is by N3gus, and is also featured on both the compilation album, and the vinyl sampler, and when you listen to it, you will see why!

I can't wait to hear the full album, it sounds like the perfect soundtrack to the summer.

This next link is to something a little bit different - I'm not religious, in fact I would go so far as to say that I am an atheist. However this hymn by Jenni Potts is absolutely gorgeous! She has such a beautiful voice, this made all the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Click here to listen.

Next up, this is Bop with Sunrain. This track is from his new album that came out recently which is a good listen all round - I love this track in particular for the gorgeous way in which it builds and progresses throughout the track. It has a gorgeous driving rhythym, and the layers of sound give it a gorgeous deep feel.

It's time for some more deep music now, this time with a studio mix from Felix of Hot Chip. This is the Grown Men House Mix, and is very enjoyable. Click here to listen and download. The above track is called Lima, by Sascha Sonido, and is just one example of the fantastic tunes included in this mix.

This next track is a new release from DJ Marky and S.P.Y, called Yellow Shoes - this is out on Chemical Records now, and sounds great.

The last track of the day is a remix by Feint, who has had a couple of tunes on my blog recently - this is a remix that he did for a competition, and despite this being fantastic, and receiving most votes, the judges chose another track as the final winner. Anyway, I'd definitely recommend listening to Feint's - you can download it by clicking here.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed the little selection that I have put together for you today, have a fantastic weekend and may the sun shine down wherever you are. (May it shine especially where I am, as we're meant to be having a BBQ!!) :)

As Sure as the World Spins...

2011-06-15T13:27:00.002+01:00

As sure as the world spins, there will always be music, and as sure as blood flows through my veins, I will always be on the quest to find the perfect beat! Today, I have a few tracks I've discovered recently that come pretty close to that for one reason or another. I hope you enjoy these tracks, and if you want to stay up to date with my updates, click on the 'like' button on the right hand side of the page. :)

The first track for today is by Dr Syntax, and is called "As sure as the world spins" - this guy is a lyrical genious, and one of the few UK hiphop artists that I actually rate. Fantastic lyrics, and nice beats to back them up.

This is another track from Dr Syntax, called Hire Me, and this is just pure genious!! Love it! :)

Time for a track from a Leeds lad done good now - this is an absolutely gorgeous unsigned track from Loz Contreras called Love Life, and this is truly the type of dubstep that speaks to my soul! I, for one, am glad to see the back of the excessive vibrating wah-wah's everywhere you turned within this genre (see Beardymans latest Udderbelly video for a fuller explanation hehe!!), and am relieved to see some quality dubstep coming through again.

I've featured a track by Feint previously, and almost put it on again today as I have been enjoying it that much - however I decided to find a different track to include, for varieties sake. This is a VIP of the first drum and bass track that Feint did, and is called New Beginnings (VIP). If you enjoy this, then check out the more minimal 'Sleepless' if you haven't already, which is the track that I was originally going to include.

Another soulful and moving track from The Black Keys - this is called Unknown Brother, and it is incredibly touching.

This is a deep and melodic drum and bass track from Unquote and Molecular Structure, and is called Emo - this is very mellow and chilled out, and really enjoyable.

The next track is an absolutely gorgeous remix of an already great track from State of Mind. The remix is by Neonlight, the track is called Three Dimensions, and this is fantastic!

I am loving State of Mind at the moment, and can definitely recommend that you check out their recent studio album, Nil by Ear which was released earlier this year. This second track from them is another that is featured on theri Nil by Ear remix EP - this is Vega, from State of Mind and P Digsss remixed by Chris.Su. Love it!!

The last track of today is a remix from Koan Sound, of a tune called Promises by Andain. The vocal sends shivers down my spine, this is simply delicious - this is available now on the Promises EP from Black Hole Recordings.

Oh what a Glorious Day!

2011-06-14T15:58:00.004+01:00

It's so hot outside, glorious sunshine shining everywhere, but I'm still totally lacking in a suntan as the only way I get to see the sunshine is out of our third floor office windows grrrr!! Still, at least today we have been quite entertained by three young chavs caught interfering with the office bike shed, who claimed they were looking for a warehouse - if they can confuse a warehouse with a bike shed, then I have given up hope for the future of our country!

So anyway, enough of that for now - to help you make the most of the sunshine, and take your mind off the fact our country is going to the dogs, here are some delicious sounds for you to enjoy.

I first came across LOL a short while ago, and since then I have found a multitude of really enjoyable tracks from them. This first one is called Face Me, and it's simply gorgeous!

This second track from LOL is called White Noise - this is a really gorgeous and haunting track, very melodic, I love it.

The last one from LOL for today is called Quarter Life Crisis - I'm actually a few years past this now, although I do think I went a little crazy in my mid twenties so I can fully relate to this haha!

Personally, I like this track as a few people commonly refer to me as a music pusher, for my insistence that they listen to new stuff that I find haha - it is also a fantastic track, which certainly helps! This is called "She's my pusher" by The Crystal Method.

The above link actually features clips of four different tracks that are all included on the Foreplay EP, which is due to be released by Tantrum Desire in about a month on the Technique Recordings label - I absolutely cannot wait for this EP! All of the tunes on this sound 'Big' as the kids would say!! Fantastic stuff, really energetic rolling drum and bass, love it!

Time for a trip down memory lane next, with an absolute blinder of a track from Photek - this was released in 1995, but is truly timeless and still sounds fresh today. This is so beautiful and melodic, and really chilled out, and I simply love the vibe of this track.

It's almost time to finish up for today, and now I'm moving to an even more chilled out laidback vibe with a bit of bluesy rock music from The Black Keys, with "I'm not the one". These are absolutely gorgeous, and have been pumping out of my stereo fairly often recently. Perfect music for lazy summer evenings!

This is the last track of the day, and it's yet another soulful summer scorcher from The Black Keys - this is called Too Afraid to Love You, which I'm sure is a sentiment that we've all been able to relate to at one point or another. This is simply delicious, I could lose myself in the bluesy guitar and the gorgeous voice of the lead singer! Fantastic!

I hope you've enjoyed todays selections, I'll be back soon with some more aural delights for you.

Drowning Under a Cascade of Beats

2011-06-08T12:32:00.000+01:00

At times, the wide range of incredible new music coming out can seem almost overwhelming - luckily, I'm here to help you make sense of things, and point you towards some of the best music I've been listening to recently.

First up, and perhaps quite appropriately named, this is Crazy Intro by Benny Hill vs DJ Hatcha. This tune is really subtle, and I just love the heartbeat style beat that runs all the way through it - it really makes it get under your skin!

This next track is a new release coming out on the 9th of July on the Black Sun Empire label. This is called Traum, and is the result of a collaboration between Black Sun Empire and Counterstrike. This is fantastic - click here to listen.

This next track is by Echo Inada, who was the producer behind Breathe which was one of my favourite drum and bass tracks of last year. This is a powerful dubstep tune (minus excessive scary vibrating waa-waa's which anyone who knows me will know I don't like!).

Hardhouse time now, with a couple of delights for you.

First of all, these next two tracks are due to be released on BW's BigBoogies label on the 16th of June, and both are sure to be massive on the dancefloors this summer! Click here to listen to the first track; this is by Jon BW himself, and is called "Let you know" - I love the uplifting vocal on this, it's fantastic! Click here to listen to the second track - this one is by Lusty and Hyperstate, and is called Love is the answer. Again this has a great summertime feel to it.

This next mix is an absolute treat for those of you who love the old Trade style hard house from the 1990's. This is the Tony de Vit tribute set from Magna earlier this year; this mix was prepared by Carl Nicholson, and was made up some unreleased tracks that were found in Tony's studio, as well as some classics. This was fantastic - a highlight of the night for me - and luckily for us, it is available to download now. Click here to get on the case!

Time for some more drum and bass, again courtesy of Black Sun Empire. This track is quite an old one now - it sounds absolutely fantastic though. It seems quite tame to start with, and then before you know it, the ante has been upped, and the hecticness is taking over! Love it!

At the moment, there are some absolutely fantastic podcasts doing the rounds, and to make it easy for you, I've got links for a few of the best ones I've come across in the past few days.

First up, this is the guest mix that Eleven8 did for the Data Transmission podcast. Click here to get the 20 minute guest mix, which is absolutely gorgeous, or click here to get the full Data Transmission podcast.

This next mix is the State of Mind Next Level Podcast 006 - click here to listen and download. This has a right tracklist, and is guaranteed to make your day at work go faster.

The last podcast I have for you today is the Technique Recordings one - click here to listen and download. This is podcast number 5, mixed by Phetsta and again, there are some great tracks on here. Also, click here to check out all of the music uploaded to Soundcloud by Technique Recordings. There are studio mixes available to download from Drumsound and Bassline Smith, and also L Plus.

Well, that is plenty of music to keep you going for the time being, I hope you enjoy, and keep your eyes peeled as I will be back soon with some more new tracks, old favourites and an exciting review for you of Trainwreck Magnetism, the new album from The Teknoist.

We Miss the Sunshine When it's Gone...

2011-06-01T17:37:00.002+01:00

I've got some dirty beats for your listening pleasure today, as well as some absolutely gorgeous ones!

First up, this is the official video for the new single from The Freestylers, which I'm really excited about as they have made some awesome music over the year! This track is fantastic, I love the vocal in this, and the video is good as well. The vocal in this is by Joshua Steele, otherwise known as Flux Pavilion - I didn't realise that he sang vocals for tracks as well as producing them until I heard this, I do like his voice though.

I've mentioned The Freestylers on my blog previously, as they are a group I respect for their range of musical influences - the track "This City" that they did used a melody that was instantly reminiscent of Ludovico Eindaudi, one of the best contemporary composers around at the moment. Well, the above track by The Freestylers reminds me of the following composition by Phillip Glass, another talented modern composer.

It's great to see artists that have come from the underground scene demonstrating such wide ranging influences, as a common misconception is that people who listen to dance music don't listen to or appreciate classical or composed music.

Next up, this is a VIP remix by State of Mind, a production duo hailing from New Zealand. They made this remix as they wanted a revamped version to play at gigs, and while they are not planning on releasing this, I've heard it in a few different places, and think this has strong summer vibes to it!

This track is a new remix from Cyantific, and I think that this has some fantastic sounds in it! Love it! This is a remix of a track called I'm a Drum Machine, by Denzal Park vs Wizard Sleeve, and manages to be quite slow and chilled out, and also hectic and energetic at the same time.

Still on the chilled out vibe, this track is by Roksonix, and is called Too Bad. This track is on the newest studio mix by Drumsound and Bassline Smith - click here to stream the full mix, which is really enjoyable. If I manage to find a download link for this mix I will share it with you all.

Now it's time for a track that I won't ever get bored of hearing - this is soulful Drum and Bass at its best! This tune has so much depth to it, dBridge is a fantastic producer and this is an awesome track.

Continuing the soulful vibe, this is a remix by a relatively newcomer called Deep Focus, of the classic Hospital Records tune by Logistics, Haunted by her Yesterdays. This is beautiful, really enjoyable!

Next up, this is We are the People, by Empire of the Sun. This band have a really catchy and distinctive sound to their tracks, and this one always makes me smile.

Time for another mix for you - this is a promo mix from the Mad Decent record label, by their talented female artist Kito, and this has some mind blowingly beautiful tracks on. Click here to go to the Mad Decent page, where you can download this from.

That's all for today, but keep your eyes peeled for the next update due later this week. Until then, enjoy the beats - and the sunshine! :)

Music Galore!

2011-05-31T15:59:00.001+01:00

I've heard so many awesome things over the bank holiday weekend, that I have all manner of musical treats for you today, so without further ado I'm going to plunge straight in to them!

First of all, this weekend saw the death of one of the leading lights of black music over the past few decades, the one and only Gil Scott-Heron - may he Rest in Peace. He was an all round creative genius, who over the years was a published author, as well as combining politicised or satirical spoken word poetry with jazz to create what is recognised by many as being the starting point for modern hip hop and rap. The revolution will not be televised is a fantastic poem that has been set really well to music, that was meant to be a call to arms to Gils' black brothers to get up from in front of their TV sets and take action to fight for their rights.

This next track is called "NY is Killing Me", and has been remixed by Jamie XX. Last year, Scott-Heron released his first album in 13 years, and then a year later, all of the tracks from this album were remixed by Jame XX, from the band The XX. This track combines the old and the new really well, and the album is definitely worth a listen. What a true loss to the arts!

This track is an absolutely gorgeous, soulful tune from Phaelah. It's not a new track, but still sounds incredible today, the production quality is incredible, and the music is so chilled out. This is fantastic, and if you like Phaelah, click here to download the Electronic Explorations mix from 2010.

Next up, this is a new EP being released by The 2 Bears, who are made up of Joe Goddard from Hot Chip, and Raf Rundell. This is their third EP, and all of the tracks from it have been uploaded to SoundCloud - click here to listen. This includes some really great tunes - more of these please!

This next track is absolutely gorgeous, described by some as minimal Drum and Bass, it is wonderfully ambient but builds in such a great way. I'm not usually a fan of music described as minimal, however I think this is superb - this is Sleepless, by Feint.

Matrix and Futurebound provide the next track of the day - this is an interesting tune, not what I was expecting from them as it is much slower than their usual fare. However this drumstep tune is still as fierce as we would expect from them, with some seriously heavy bass, and I love the use of the familiar vocal in an unfamiliar way! This is out now on Viper Recordings.

I've included tracks from the Tr0n R3configur3d album previously, when it was first released, however I've been giving the album another listen recently and this was the standout track for me. (Well, along with The Crystal Method's remix of The Grid, which I've shared before.) This is a good album and well worth a listen if you haven't checked it out already.

The new Shogun Audio podcast was released at the weekend, this is number 19, and it's fantastic! This got a number of plays over the past few days, and I can't recommend it enough. I even used iTunes to get this, and I hate that software! :) Click here to go get this podcast, and click here to check out the tracklist. Nice work by DJ Friction!

Shockone was one of the guest mix DJ's on Australia's fantastic Triple J radio station this year, meaning that every Saturday in the month of May, he got to broadcast an hour long mix. Click here for the first one that he did, and keep your eyes peeled as I will include download links for the rest when they become available as this is great!

Good news for music fans, Bop's new album has been released this week on Med School Music - preview the album on this YouTube link, and if you enjoy it as much as I have then click here to buy! Great stuff! :)

I'm going to finish off for today, even though I have plenty of other stuff I want to share, as there is enough music here to keep you going for a while - particularly when you click here to download two more guest mixes from the Triple J radio station. These are both from December 2010 - one of the mixes is by Andy C, and the other is by Netsky. The full tracklists are included on this page, along with the download links. I've listened to both of these mixes today, and can say that they are fantastic! Great selection of tracks, and superb mixing from both of them. Great stuff!

I hope you've enjoyed today's selection of music, and I'll be back later this week with more treats for your ears! Remember, if you have enjoyed this, share it to like minded friends, and if you have any comments or suggestions etc, please feel free to get in touch. :)

Bring me Sunshine...

2011-05-27T14:48:00.000+01:00

This weekend we have the last in our springtime bank holiday weekends, and I'm sure that everyone has lots of fun and madness planned to help keep them entertained! I've got everything crossed for us to actually see the start of this heatwave we've been hearing so much about, but in the event that it fails to turn up as usual, here are some scorching summertime tracks - new and old - to get you in a sunny mood for the 3 day weekend!

First up, this is a gorgeous tech house track - this remix is by Jamie Jones; he's also one half of Hot Natured, who featured on a recent blog entry with their summer time smasher "Forward Motion". This track is called "Hungry for the Power", and it's absolutely gorgeous! Stick this on, turn up the volume and even if its raining outside, you'll still feel like you're in heaven.

The next track we have is from DJ Fresh - this was included on his Kryptonite album, which was released last summer, but isn't as well known as some of the other tracks on there. However it is fantastic, I love the vocal, and it has a really nice vibe to it.

Netsky tunes always make me think of summer, and although this one is from autumn last year, it still evokes those summertime feelings - this is a remix of a Plan B track, and it has all the hallmarks of Netsky's best tracks, along with great vocals from Plan B himself.

This next track is an absolutely stunning remix from Bachelors of Science, a duo from the States who remixed this track by The XX. This is absolutely beautiful, it sounds so melodic and ambient, I love the way it builds, and the vocal is gorgeous. This is fantastic, perfect for those lazy hot summer nights! (If we ever get any!)

I have featured tracks by the next producer on my blog previously when I first discovered him - since then, I've seen his name everywhere, usually plastered all over tunes that are awesome! This is a remix by Enei, of a tune called Falling.

Next up, this is a bit of a flashback to an old favourite that I was reminded of earlier this week. I do like the original of this tune, but this version by Tobi Neumann is incredible. This is Acid in my Fridge - enjoy!!

I've been loving S.P.Y at the moment, and this collaboration with Marcus Intalex just continues my love affair with his tracks - this is some serious summertime stuff right here! Fantastic, and out now on the Soul:R label.

The last individual track I have for you was included on the latest Sigma podcast, and when you listen to it, you can tell why. This is D Kay and Intoxicated with A Thinner Edge - it's absolutely gorgeous and just perfect for summer! It is so soulful and euphoric, absolutely gorgeous!!

To finish off for today, click here to go to a SoundCloud page where you can download Chase and Status live at the One Big Weekend, sets from Bailey, S.P.Y and DJ Storm at the Bass Relief fundraiser for the Japanese earthquake victims, and some other gems. This should keep you busy all weekend! :)

Have a good one everybody!

Dirty Rolling Beats

2011-05-25T16:01:00.005+01:00

Today I've got some really enjoyable tracks for you as always, mostly Drum and Bass as usual, however I've got a few gems from across the genre just to keep things interesting, as well as non Drum and Bass. Variety is the spice of life after all!!

This first track was included on the album that Breakage released last year. He's done a number of really good tracks recently, one of my favourite of recent times being the Loadstar remix of their track Fighting Fire. This track is called Open Up, and it's fantastic. It has quite a slow and sexy throbbing beat, and lots of attitude - enjoy!!

This next track is a fantastic banger of a tune from Hazard - this was the flip side of their recent release on Playaz Recordings, Food Fight, which is also a quality track. I haven't come across this track as often, but in my view its fantastic! Love it!

This next track is a bit different, however it has a really catchy feel to it, and I do like the vocal. As this is the official video, I suspect that we will all be hearing a lot more of this in the coming months on the various music channels and shows - this is a sure fire summer hit! Also, I do seem to have a thing at the moment for husky male vocals (a la Forward Motion, by Hot Natured, which I've played loads the past few days!) which this track totally satisfies!

This is currently out now on Modulations, and this is quite a heavy hitting roller of a tune from Vicious Circle and Jubei; this is called Cloak and Dagger.

I've got a few gorgeous tunes next from S.P.Y, who has been absolutely on fire recently! I've loved so many tunes that he has worked on in the past few months, either on his own or as collaborations. This first track was released on Spearhead Records in March, and you can buy it on beatport along with many other awesome tunes by this guy. This is Acid Trip, and I just love the way that it builds and progresses! This is awesome!

This next track features another regular on the Spearhead Records label - this is the Metrik remix of Diagnosis Murder, by BCee featuring S.P.Y. I love Metrik, I love BCee and I love S.P.Y - so for me, this is an absolutely top notch winning combination!

This next track is also out on Spearhead Records, and was released last year. This is gorgeous chilled out Drum and Bass at its best, just perfect for a hot summers day!

Another track that was released in the past few weeks, this is by Marcus Intalex feat S.P.Y, and is called Triband. This was released in March on the Soul:R label, and it's fantastic. Again, it's quite chilled out, but perfect for winding down when you get home after a top night out.

This is the Shock One remix of Die for You, by Cutline, and this is simply gorgeous! This was released last year on the Never Say Die label, which just keeps getting stronger and stronger, and it's got so much energy - you can't help but bounce around to it.

The last track of the day is from the Voodoo Science EP that was released earlier this month on Crystal Clear Recordings. Interface and William Cartwright worked together on last years smasher, 'Bright Lights' with DJ Die, which has been one of my favourite tracks for ages now. This track, Truth Beyond, is a great follow up to that - it has a similar vibe to it, awesome vocal - Cartwright has such a great voice - and again, you just can't help but smile and dance around like a lunatic! Which, after all, is what it's all about!

Rolling on a Caffeine High!

2011-05-23T18:08:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you all had a fantastic weekend whatever you did, and that the usual Monday morning blues aren't as bad as normal - however just in case they are, I have some fabulous musical treats to liven up your evening!

I'm hoping that I land back on Planet Earth soon after the largest coffee induced caffeine high I've probably ever experienced - as a result it has been very hard not to jump around the office while listening to these tracks, however my self control was worth it to be able to share them with you.

First up, we have a new release from 2DB, who are fairly new to the Drum and Bass scene - however this latest release is storming, and I'm sure it will help cement their place as DnB production heavyweights. Above is the first track of this latest release, cat number Tech074 on the Technique Recordings label - click here to buy. You might already be familiar with this as it has featured in some popular podcasts, however whether you have already heard it or not I'm sure you will agree that it's fantastic!

This is the second track of the same release, and it's also brilliant, these tracks have so much energy to them. I love the little Western style intro, followed by the rising energy levels, then the filthy beats that come after that. Pure dirt, I love it!!

Talking of dirt, I've been spending a lot of time recently listening to some of my old Noisia mixes, as well as listening to some of their more recent tracks. I love Noisia, who produce some really dark and heavy music across a number of genres, although my fave tracks of theirs tend to fall under intelligent Drum and Bass if you have to put them in any genre, however the above track would actually be classed a dubstep track. Now I'm not the biggest fan of a lot of the stuff that is commercially recognised as dubstep these days, although I do love a lot of the older dubstep stuff - this follows in true Noisia style by escaping any sense of being commercial, and just giving us some awesome beats. This track is fantastic, I think the vocal is just incredible, it has a gorgeous heavy beat to it and I get goosebumps every time I hear it! Fantastic!

Continuing with another Noisia tune I've been feeling a lot in the past few days - but this time in their heavy DnB style - the above track is called Desolation; this has been out quite a few years now, but it still sounds fresh today and I'm sure it would still absolutely rock any DnB set! The track keeps switching and changing pace, and just keeps on rolling - crank up the volume and dust off your bass face as I'm sure that this track will fire you up!

This is another track from the boys that has been around a while, but it's still as awesome today as it was a couple of years ago! This is a gorgeous rolling Drum and Bass track - big up to Noisia for their fantastic production skills, and long may it continue!

This last track from Noisia for today is Gutterpump - this is a massive House / Breaks track that they released in 2006. Again this is fantastic, and this still totally stands out within the genre. All these tracks are so well produced, and make really good use of different time signatures, key changes etc. Love it! I regularly see this track included in podcasts and mixes today across a number of different genres, which shows how well this has stood the test of time, and also shows how hard it is to pigeonhole these guys!

If you like these tracks, then check out the NeoSignal podcast number 3 that I included on my last blog update (click here) as this has a number of Noisia tracks on there, along with some other beauties off the NeoSignal label and of course, some other tracks and mixes for your enjoyment as always.

Today (May 23rd) has seen Amon Tobin release his newest album, and while I'm yet to listen to it all, checking out just a few of these tracks has put this album straight at the top of my "to buy" list. Click here for the full tracklist of this album. The above track is the first off the album, which is experimental electronica, and this is absolutely beautiful - so gorgeous! I've had this and a couple of other tracks off the album on repeat all afternoon, and have been overwhelmed by how stunning they are. Enjoy!

Up next, I have a fantastic sing along House mix from Marc Wilkie. Those of you who keep up with this blog will recognise the name, as I've featured a few of his mixes now - and fans of his, you won't be disappointed as this mix is fantastic right from the first beat! Love it! Click here to listen and download.

This track is stunning - it is yet another mind blowing tune from Seba, that was featured on the latest Hospital Records podcast. This track is coming out on the Spearhead Records label - this label has been releasing some really good tracks recently from some of my favourite DnB producers. I've been loving everything that I've heard from them at the moment and this track is no exception. If you want to check out some other stuff from Spearhead Records click here to go to their SoundCloud page - there's also a really nice studio mix from B-Cee that I included on a previous blog entry; if you haven't got that mix already, it's definitely worth downloading as it's been a regular on my playlist since I first downloaded it.

This last track of the day is a Wilkinson remix that I heard recently on a promo mix that he did for FabricLive - the track is called Under the Stars and the original is by Morning Parade. This is a gorgeous summer time tune, and you can still download and listen to the Wilkinson mix from the Fabric blog by clicking here. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed the tracks and mixes I've posted today, I'll be back through the week with more delights for you but till then, have a great evening!

Stairway to Heaven?

2011-05-20T11:51:00.000+01:00

Hi there gang, well it's been a while but it's been a hectic time; however as usual I have gathered together quite a list of tracks, mixes and podcasts that I can share with you over the coming days.

First up, we've got some absolutely gorgeous new tracks on the latest Sigma podcast - click here to listen. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a setlist, and will share this with you the first chance I get. There are some really delicious vocals on this mix, it's fantastic.

Next up, this is the latest Hospital Records podcast, which features some gorgeous tunes, including a special new tune from Echo Inada called In Love. This is a really beautiful track, love it! Click here to listen.

This track is a remix of one of the new DJ Fresh tracks, Louder, and this remix is courtesy of Drumsound and Bassline Smith. This has a great summertime vibe so turn the volume up and enjoy!

Basher has a new album forthcoming on Ram Records, and one of this new tracks has been included in the Sigma podcast above. Going on the back of the tracks I've heard so far, I can't wait to hear the full album.

Next up, I have a YouTube channel that I found for you to enjoy. This only has a small number of tracks on it so far, but they include some really awesome intelligent tracks. Click here to go to the Intelligent Bass YouTube channel, and above, I've included one of the tracks off this channel. This is a release on Nonplus Records, by LOL and it's called Trophy Wife. This is truly beautiful!

This next track is a new one from DC Break, it's called Horror and it's forthcoming on RAM Records - this received its first airplay this week courtesy of Fabio and Grooverider on Radio 1, and it's really enjoyable.

The penultimate choice for today is a much heavier mix than you've had off me in a while. This is the NeoSignal podcast, mixed by Misanthrope, and including tracks by such heavyweights as Noisa, Spor and Phace to mention just a few. This is dark and heavy and I love it! I've listened to this over and over since I first got it, and hope you enjoy it just as much. Click here to listen.

Lastly for today, we have some instrumental coolness that I discovered courtesy of a friend on facebook. This is incredible, there is so much depth to the music, and the instruments have been used in such a variety of ways to produce sounds that have formed this fantastic whole. Listen and be amazed!

My Feelings for You....

2011-05-06T10:58:00.001+01:00

In anticipation of tonights main event, Hospitality Leeds, for which I have been waiting eagerly since the last one in February, the last 24 hours have involved lots of Drum and Bass music! I've picked some of the best tracks that I've been playing to share with you; hopefully these will get you in the mood for whatever you have planned this weekend.

What a tune! The original of this was fantastic anyway, and this is a really good remix by The Prototypes, who I think are definitely going to be worth keeping an eye on. This is a perfect feel good track for the summer.

This next track features two artists that I really love - Icicle is amazing anyway, and Alix Perez has added his own touch of remix magic to this track. This has a nice lowdown dirty vibe to it, love it!

This track is a forthcoming release on TC's new label, 'Don't Play', and this track Tap Ho will be the A side for the second release. This is another dirty little smasher from TC, and I can't wait to hear this dropped in a club!

This Ulterior Motive Remix of a Rockwell tune is fantastic - it's called Noir, and that is a perfect name for it! It has a deliciously dark jazzy kind of feel, while still being storming drum and bass.

This next track is another Icicle tune, that was released a couple of months ago. This has a naughty beat to it, it just makes me want to nod my head with attitude haha! :)

Next up, this is a 30 minute mix from Metrik - this is the guestmix that he did last week for Annie Nightingales show on Radio 1, and if you check out the tracklist, there are some little gems in there! Click here to listen.

Last up, we have a Drum and Bass mix from Dave Curtis - this is part of the absoluteUNDERGROUND masters series - click here to download, and click here to go check out the tracklist.