Blackdub Podcast #8 feat. Able Danger

It's time once again for another installment of our podcast series. Episode 8 brings with it our first Dubstep guest mix from Surround Sound Recordings' own Able Danger plus our usual round-up of recent Drum & Bass releases.

You can also find out more about Able Danger and Surround Sound in our forthcoming interview with the production duo as well as last year's Q&A with label co-owner, Lethal here.

Hope you enjoy the show!

Tracklist:

Able Danger In The Mix:

Warsa :: Terminal 502 [Deceast]

Kryptic Minds :: The Talisman [Tectonic]

Matt U :: Frequency [Black Box]

Tunnidge :: Empty Spaces [Chestplate]

Catacombs :: Music Mi Love [Macabre Unit]

Vivek :: Asteroid [System Sound]

Genetix :: Mohair [Bacon Dubs ]

Warsa :: Recon [Deceast]

Quantum Soul :: Underworld [Uprise Audio]

Matt U :: Threshold [Black Box]

Proxima :: Valve Wars [Tempa]

Sleeper :: Narcissus [Osiris Music]

Genetix :: Prototype [Bacon Dubs]

Kryptic Minds :: Bad Man VIP [Osiris Music]

Seven :: Go To War [Uprise Audio]

Able Danger :: Insane Hype [Forthcoming Surround Sound]

DJ Madd :: The Life You Chose (Distance Remix) [Black Box]

Able Danger :: The Rubicon [Surround Sound]

Enorme In The Mix:

Loxy, Resound, Escher & Blocks :: Monsters [Narratives Music]

Cern :: Micromega [Renegade Hardware]

Kantyze :: Dren [M-Atome]

Kolectiv :: Cryllic (DLR Remix) [Scientia Music]

Fracture :: Better Than Tomorrow [Metalheadz]

DBR UK & Mtwn :: Shrapnel [Dispatch Limited]

Bredren, M-Zine & Scepticz :: Faction [Proximity Recordings]

Mortem :: Iceberg [Metalheadz]

 Kolectiv :: Launchpad (Xtrah Remix) [Scientia Music]

Coma :: Half Ounce [Mute:8 Recordings]

Fre4knc, Mtwn & Mindmapper :: Relic [Samurai Music]

Cern & Dabs :: Hell Rose [Dispatch Recordings]

Generic :: Get Away [ BIOS Recordings]

Imagine This & Buck Rogers :: Bounce (DLR Remix) [Bass Mechanix Audio]

Emperor :: Radar [Critical Music]

Kantyze :: Marauder VIP [ M-Atome]

Raw Q & Amaning :: Sirocco [ BIOS Recordings]

Ruffie :: Refugee [Forthcoming AutomAte]

Kolectiv :: Dog Pad (Zero-T Reprint) [Scientia Music]

Ed:it :: Cargo Dub (Total Science Remix) [Rooted Recordings]

Dabs & Safire :: Back & Forth (Mako, DLR & Ant TC1 Remix) [Dispatch Recordings]

Ulterior Motive :: Right Here [Metalheadz]

Blackdub Podcast #6 feat. MC Fokus & 2Shy

It's time to kick things off for 2013 here at Blackdub with the next installment of our podcast series. We've got a bumper pack of high-grade beats and bass this month hosted in part by the up-and-coming MC Fokus.

MC Fokus: For bookings: clive@evolutionartists.co.uk Twitter: @mcfokus

Considered a fairly new face on the scene, Fokus has more than earned his stripes, adding his vocal talents to releases on labels such as Dispatch Recordings and Renegade Hardware as well as a heavy gigging schedule across the UK and Europe. He's gone all out on Reevah's first hour mix, warming us up perfectly for this month's guest mix from 2Shy...

2Shy MC: For bookings: info@uniqueartists.co.uk www.2ShyMC.com

2Shy is a bonafide scene legend. Chances are if you're out in the scene a lot you'll have heard him hyping the crowd at raves all over Europe from Renegade Hardware to Ram and Tech:nology to Playaz. His versatility know no bounds illustrated perfectly by the stomping classics set he's put together for our first episode of the year, kicking us off in style! Enjoy the show!

Tracklist:

Reevah In The Mix with MC Fokus:

DBRUK :: Bushy (Able Danger rmx)

Calibre :: Simple Emotion

Meth :: Put up

Halogenix :: Raya

Able Danger :: Exile

Critical Impact :: Only Girl

EBK : Inside

Data :: Vice

HLZ :: 140 Dub

Decimal Bass :: Loudmouth

Survival & Silent Witness :: Immortal

Total Science :: No Justice (Jubei Remix)

Octane, DLR + EBK - Zulu Fade

Jayline & Papa G :: Over Expose

Seba :: Nightrider

Vicious Circle :: Solitude

Foreign Concept :: Possessive

Foreign Concept :: Show You

Icicle & SpectraSoul :: Body Language

??? :: ???

Able Danger :: Nautilus

21.Kasper & Everest ::

2Shy In The Mix:

Tracklist forthcoming

Blackdub Podcast #5 feat. Mechanizm

Another month goes by and it's time for episode five in our podcast series. This month's show is hosted by myself, Enorme again and features the usual rash of quality Drum & Bass that you've hopefully come to expect from us by now. I was a bit ill when I recorded this one so didn't really have the energy to get into the mix. Instead I decided to play a load of tunes I've been feeling over the last month or two. 

No need to worry though as our guest mix has been more than ably handled by the man like Mechanizm, taking us through forty five minutes of rolling techstep that'll get your head nodding. Keep your eyes peeled for our Q&A but until then, enjoy the show. Let's go!

Tracklist:

Dawn Day Night :: Alcoholic Dance Flow

Future Roots & Echonic :: Oak Tree

Foreign Concept :: Jaipur (Villem Remix)

M-Zine & Scepticz :: Alone

Raiden :: Dove From Above feat. Klose

Enei :: Trainchaser

SPKTRM & D-Struct :: C

Mechanizm In The Mix:

Verb & Nitri :: Fear Control

Manifest, Meth & 2Shy :: R.N.S

Matrix & InsideInfo :: Quattro

Calyx & Teebee :: Scavenger

Rene LaVice :: Brooklyn

Klute & Silent Witness :: Friendless

Foreign Concept & Anile :: True Enemies

Lethal & Able Danger :: HeadKnock

Prolix :: Sawhead

Prolix :: Funkhole

Dose :: Face Your Fears

Mechanizm :: Iconography

Zero T & Bailey :: Wasp Factory

Morphy & 2Shy :: Speakerbox

Verb :: Atlas

Verb :: Gully

Mechanizm :: The Unknown

Subtension & Minor Rain :: Sklep

Cursa, Subliminal & Alxr :: Camino

Zero T :: Rainha feat. Stamina MC

Sabre :: Injustice feat. Riya

Stray :: Contract

Escher :: Rugged

Blackdub Podcast #3 feat. Lethal

It's podcast time again and this month we've decided to upgrade things a little bit. The previous two episodes were in a straight-up DJ mix format but in the time these have been going we've been contacted by a few people wondering if we can play their music. Thus we thought it was high-time we started a more conventional radio-style show!

This month's episode is hosted by myself, Enorme and features a little showcase of some forthcoming tunes from what we feel is a very promising label going by the name of AutomAte, as well as a bunch of tunes I'm feeling at the moment and some awkward  continuity banter. 

As well as all that we have a special guest mix from Surround Sound Recordings' co-owner Lethal. A big thanks goes out to him for putting in the effort for his stomping mix. If you like your Drum and Bass with a hefty techno influence, you won't be disappointed.

You can also read our little Q&A with Lethal on the blog while you listen. Download the podcast here (right click and save link as) or stream it directly from our Soundcloud page. What are you waiting for?! Enjoy!

Tracklist:

OrtoKore :: Peg Leg

Fearful :: Gorilla

Gerra & Stone :: Droneheads (Octane & DLR Remix)

Silent Witness :: Magnetize

Capone :: Friday

Lethal In The Mix

Lethal, Gancher & Ruin :: Rising

Dextems & C.A.2K :: Fury

Optiv & BTK :: Start It Again

Lethal :: Invader

Propaganda :: Hardcore Will Never Die

Lethal :: Rave In E Minor

Lethal :: Darkslider

Denix :: Spusk

Lethal feat. Hostile :: Surr8ted Edge

Raiden & Proket :: Skafandr

The Sect & Cooh :: Danger Nation

The Panacea :: Creatch (Lethal Remix)

Raiden :: Hubble

Proket :: Guta

Lethal :: Tech-No-Step

Ed Rush & Optical :: Check Out Time

Underhill :: Solace (The Sect Remix)

Lethal :: Eurocrash

Art Pathos & Prode :: El Nino

Fearful :: Santura

Arclight :: Pluroform

Enorme In The Mix

DRS :: Bun Ya feat. Dub Phizix, Strategy, Fox, Chimpo, Skittles, Konny Kon & T-Man

Ibunshi & Kodama :: Fragments

Nate Dogg :: Took Your Love (Teebee Bootleg)

Foreign Concept & Xtrah :: Harsh Reality

Octane, DLR & Cern :: Rawness

Icicle & Nymfo :: Franky Mountain

Dose :: Nine Lives

Optiv & BTK :: Cantilever

Ulterior Motive :: 2098

Konflict :: New World Order


http://doomboy.nclhost.com/blackdub/mixes/Blackdub%20Podcast%203.mp3

                    

Q&A :: Lethal [Surround Sound Recordings]

Lethal was kind enough to provide us with a guest mix for the third episode of our podcast series. To whet your appetite we caught up with the DJ/Producer and got a few words with him to find out a bit more about what drives him, what we can expect from his label Surround Sound Recordings and how he feels about the ever-present MP3 vs. Vinyl argument.

For the people who don’t know much about you, can you introduce yourself and give us a little background on the label?

My names Dan Franklin aka Lethal and I own the label Surround Sound which I run alongside my good friend Mike Rogers who is also one half of Able Danger. The labels been going since June 2009 and we’ve had 26 releases so far. We release predominantly Drum and Bass, but have also branched out into Dubstep with plans to move into other genres too.

What made you want to set up a new label?

Mainly it was to have that creative control over my music and output, although it was always a goal of mine to have my own label and one that I was very happy to achieve. I had been working with Raiden helping to manage Offkey and the connection to ST Holdings got made, so I took the opportunity to put my concept for a label forward. Things went from there and here we are today.

How would you describe the ethos behind Surround Sound? What are you looking for when you sign a track?

It’s hard to say, a well thought out arrangement and balanced production is always good for me. I like tracks that have some substance to them, where you can tell the producer has put some thought into it and not just slapped a bunch of loops from a sample CD together. Surround Sound is about a variety of styles and genres that can all work together in context. Techno is a big influence for me personally; however I don't let it dictate the label.

The MP3 vs. Vinyl argument continues to rumble on. As you run a digital release focused label, do you feel D&B is a little unyielding in its refusal to embrace technology more?

I don’t really feel there’s much of an argument anymore... you can only argue with the numbers so much. The reality is vinyl doesn’t sell like it did, especially not for smaller labels. Many who put out vinyl do it at a loss, which is a real shame. I would love to do some more vinyl releases but the numbers just don’t add up. Who knows what the future holds, but I can’t see things moving back.

What’s up next for you and Surround Sound?

I have a 5 track EP out now on Surround Sound that features some tracks originally scheduled for Position Chrome. Then we have a 3 track EP from Able Danger with more to come. We’re still finalising the schedule but details will be up on the surroundsoundrecordings.co.uk as soon as their ready. Other than that I’m currently working on solo and collab projects, as well as a techno project too.

Can you give us a little insight into the mix you’ve put together for us?

I wish I could say there was some deep thought that went into it, but I'd be lying. I just wanted to pull some old bits and throw them in the pot with some new tracks. It’s very easy to get caught up in the latest tunes all the time so it was good to dig through the old CDs and pull out some old personals.

Any final thoughts you’d like to add?

Follow me on Twitter, @DanLethal and Soundcloud for up to date info on what’s going on with me and keep posted to www.surroundsoundrecordings.co.uk and @SurroundSoundUK on Twitter for all label and associates news. A big thanks to the Blackdub crew for asking for the mix, big ups to you guys. A shout goes out to Mike (MR2) and the Surround Sound family, expanding by the day. Big ups and respect to all those that support what we do. 

Introducing :: Protect Audio

Drum and Bass is flourishing at the moment and with that, there is a consistent rash of labels popping up here and there. 
It's difficult in times like this to stand out from the crowd and keep the quality control high. Worcester based label Protect Audio seems to have both of these factors locked down. They already have a solid debut release out now in the shape of Marukumo's Visions/Ganymede so we thought we'd catch up with head-honcho Pete to find out what's up next.

For the people who don’t know much about you, can you give us a little background on yourself and Protect Audio?

I’m Pete, I’m 26 and I own Protect Audio (sounds like blind date haha). I’ve always had a massive interest in music and I’ve played different instruments for the last 15 or so years.  I started off playing drums at age eleven and soon moved onto bass and guitar. I still play guitar now. 

Around the age of sixteen I started playing around with FL studio, making some weird Aphex Twin inspired music as I was really into that trippy genre back then. At age eighteen I thought about going to guitar school and getting a degree in technical guitar playing as I wanted to teach/session etc. Instead I got a job and worked for a couple of years then went to SAE Institute London to study audio engineering. I ended up quitting my course after a year and I started a small label named Tongue Flap. This is where I learnt the foundations of music business and music management etc. 

2012 came along and it was time to start Protect Audio and really focus it on nineties influenced Drum and Bass. I've been building up my contacts and knowledge over the past three to four years so starting the label and getting people aware of it was a bit easier. We’re now just waiting for PA002 to land on September 17th.

How would you describe the ethos behind the label? What do you feel sets you apart from everyone else?

Protect Audio's ethos is to release Drum and Bass that has a nineties inspiration but with a 2012 feel. We’re not aiming for the commercial sounds and not trying to follow a trend. We just release music that we love which has enough firepower to compete with the big boys and it appears to be working. We’ve had some amazing DJ feedback & support so far. Watch out!

What’s up next release-wise for Protect Audio?

On September 17th we have The Protection EP dropping worldwide. It’s a four track various artists EP featuring Congress, Mono, Homemade Weapons and Marukomu. There is something for everyone in this release and we’re very proud of it. As for forthcoming music, we have a release from Homemade Weapons, Cursa and Hyroglifics. I’ve already said too much so you’ll have to wait to find out more info!!!

Any shouts or final thoughts you’d like to add?

Thanks to everyone that is supporting Protect Audio and cheers to all the guys who work very hard for me. You can hear our forthcoming release by playing the Soundcloud set below.

Rise Of The MC

The MC is the Marmite of Drum & Bass culture. Revered by some and hated by others, this argument has been going on for as long as the music has and we're not going to get into it here.

One thing you may have noticed though, is the recent predominance of MC led tracks particularly in the more 'minimal' techstep influenced side of Drum & Bass. Granted, these tracks have always been around over the years. A little hook here, a sampled phrase there and even full vocal tracks. Just dig out Reprazent's classic Brown Paper Bag or Technical Itch's Soldiers with Jakes' menacing vocals driving the tune forward.

Something's different this time round though. Last year you could seldom go out to a bass oriented night without hearing Strategy's indecipherable lyrics on Dub Phizix & Skeptical's smash, Marka. Now everyone's doing it. And it's bloody good.



So why now?
A few corners of the scene have been raising concerns that modern day techstep is "too minimal" and samey. This is perhaps a reaction to such complaints, a compromise as it were; the track retains its essence whilst at the same time filled out with the addition of a few bars of vocals.
Simultaneously serving to keep the mind engaged, fans who quickly tire of droney bass and sparse soundscapes may find their appetites for that something more satiated. This also lends itself well to the ever more popular ethos of tracks standing up to home listening as well as working on the dancefloor.



What about commercial viability?
Is Drum & Bass moving into a new era of mainstream acceptance? This is a question for another time but it can certainly be argued that electronic music and DJ culture has exploded into mainstream media of late. The UK even had a Drum & Bass single chart at number one recently. Coupled with a whole host of tunes making it onto daytime radio playlists, the future is looking pretty bright.
This is all very exciting but it has to be said: no one starts making Drum & Bass to get famous and make a big pile of cash.



As much as it sounds like a cop out, it seems more likely that simply the right minds are around at the right time.
This is simply another step in the ever evolving experiments of its pioneers, let's enjoy it!