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Exclusive: Conjunction Recordings Content LP Promo Mix

Tracklist for the guest mix:

Catalyst.AD – Reflections of Ten
Catalyst.AD – Deception
J Centrik – The Path Not Taken
J Centrik – Answer To Everything
Ascension – Enchanted Quest
J Centrik – Signs of Life
Konnect – Dystopian Summer
Catalyst.AD – Too Far Gone (Conrad Subs Remix)
Catalyst.AD – How Did We Get Here Remix
Ascension – It’s Time
Carnagous – Stampede
Konnect – Six Foot Deep (Conrad Subs Remix)
Catalyst.AD – Off the Chain
Carnagous – Trojan Horse
J Centrik – Fine You
Catalyst.AD & K.I.M – One Time
Carnagous – Pillage
Catalyst.AD – Nose Bone Funk
Carnagous – Tribal Static
Ascension – Fade Away
Catalyst.AD – Form of Expression (Conjunction Dub)
Catalyst.AD – Guardian (Conjunction Dub)

Behind The Label update: Conjunction Recordings + Exclusive Guest Mix

Conjunction Recordings is a label run by Catalyst.AD & K.I.M since 2018 and we had a chat with Catalyst.AD in 2020 & we felt like it is time for an update to check what has been going on since then…

If you want to read the interview from 2020, head to it HERE

Hey Paul aka Catalyst.AD and thank you for answering our questions. Massive congratulations to your success with your label! Last time we spoke was in 2020 when the label had been running for a year or so. What has been going on since then and has anything changed in terms of your vision with the label and how you work? It’s been a busy but enjoyable 3 years for us as a label, we originally set it up as an “underground bass music” label but the majority of our music has been drum and bass with some occasional 140 BPM tracks featured on our E.P’s. Variety is still key for us which is why we launched the “Dreamology” series which showcases the deeper more liquid side of the music. We also have plans to launch a number of bandcamp exclusive releases that will feature a variety of music up and down the BPM’s. The label was originally going to be a platform for my own music, however our vision has changed a little after receiving some amazing music from some of our friends within the scene, as well as music from some exciting new artists such as J Centrik who’s tracks have been really popular. In honesty, its grown faster than we imagined which has been great so opening the label up to other artists has been a big plus for us.

You mentioned in 2020 that you were aiming for around 4-6 releases per year where the focus is on quality rather than quantity, was this something that became reality or did you have to change your approach? With the obvious implications of the pandemic we did question whether to put things on hold but soon came to the conclusion that the music had to carry on regardless. I’d say we have averaged about 3 releases a year with the majority being 4 track E.P’s, in addition to this we have also had some free download releases that are only available from our label shop. These seem to have gone down really well too which is encouraging.

What are you looking for in terms of releasing music? As a label, we are always happy to listen to new up and coming artists, however, we are not concerned how many social media followers they have, we are purely about the music. We tend to favour the deeper side of the music, anything that has a groove and a real element of musicality, whether it be raw cutting edge techy drum and bass or deep liquid rollers, we feel the label has a versatile approach to what we release.

What can artists do to get in contact with you guys? Artists can submit demos to us via email – info@conjunctionrecordings.com. We always ask that Artists also send us a little bit of information about themselves even if it’s just a link to a biog. We like to know their musical influences and background.

Your latest release is out NOW on Bandcamp and it sounds wicked! It got a mixture of new & familiar names and fresh music – what can you tell us about that? So with the next release being our landmark 10th instalment, we wanted to do something special and go a bit bigger. We started preparing for this over a year ago and the aim was to showcase all of our artists that have featured so far. The end result is a 10 track album with a couple of tracks from each artist. We decided to aim this straight at the dancefloor with quality hard hitting drum and bass that will hopefully leave a mark. We drafted in our remix man Conrad Subs who did an amazing remix of Konnect’s “Six Foot Deep” to accompany their aptly entitled “Dystopian Summer” which they began working on during the covid lockdown. J Centrik also came up trumps with his contributions that were a little different to his deeper liquid style of drum and bass, however he really surprised us with his versatility and the promos have been received really well. MC turned producer Carnagous has also gone from strength to strength and came through with two absolute bangers that we knew would fit well into the project. Another artist who is fairly new to the label is Ascension who dropped his debut track on our last Dreamology E.P. He is another artist who has really impressed us with the music he has sent us and his two tracks on the album are also really suited to the labels sound.

Are there more exciting releases we can expect from Conjunction in the near future? Absolutely, before the year is out there will be another 4 tracker from myself entitled the “Form Of Expression” E.P. that will feature some exciting new tracks that capture a lot of my influences from over the years with a fresh, forward-thinking twist. After that we have our next volume of the “Dreamology” series so expect to hear some amazing new deep drum and bass from J Centrik. As earlier mentioned, we also are aiming to launch our bandcamp exclusive arm that will feature some very exciting experimental music from the artists on the label.

Where can we find your releases and keep updated with everything Conjunction Recordings? Our releases can be found in all major digital stores such as Juno and Beatport as well as streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal to name a few. The best place however, is our bandcamp store where we release music exclusively 2 weeks before general release. You can also find free tracks here too. Our website (conjunctionrecordings.com) not only provides a direct link to our bandcamp store, but also contains news updates on what we are doing as well as information on all of our artists. You can also keep up to date with the label via our socials – Facebook / Twitter / Instagram and we always feature previews of forthcoming releases as well as mixes and radio shows at soundcloud.com/catalyst-ad. We also have a little special something lined up for Bandcamp Friday so keep your eyes peeled for that 

You have also done a mix for us which we are looking forward listening to, what can we expect from that? I really enjoyed putting this mix together as it contains purely music from Conjunction Recordings. It’s an hour long mix that contains all the tracks from the forthcoming “Content” album, as well as some hand picked tracks from the past 3 years and some fresh dubs that will be coming out later this year, so you have a bit of past, present and future! Check out the mix from Catalyst HERE.

Aside from the label; what have you & KIM been up to lately and is there anything we can look forward to hear? K.I.M. and myself have been in the studio working on some new material that will no doubt surface on release within the next year or so. We have also been DJ-ing regularly at local events hosted by Rollercoasterz (shouts to Zanya and DJ Hi Top!). I have also been continuing my radio shows on RudeFM.com, the station is now 31 years old and is a radio station that really gives me the platform to showcase the music to a like minded audience.

Any final last words? Would just like to thank all of our followers so far whether you buy our music or listen to our radio shows, it really is appreciated. Also would like to thank all of our artists who have helped the label grow so much in 3 years and George Guzi who is our mastering engineer. Also can’t forget the DJs that play our music and of course London’s number one D&B station RudeFM.com who provide us with a great platform to showcase our music.

Thank you!

Exclusive: Healing Crew Jazfest Promo Mix

Exclusive: Cadence Four::mula Promo Mix

Four::mula has announced a brand new debut Drum & Bass event launching on Friday 14th July at The Ton of Brix, London.

The freshly curated Four::mula brand is determined to deliver only the best in Underground D&B representing all generations of the genre and The Ton of Brix is set to be the perfect party premises for the intimate Drum and Bass event. Not holding back on legends for the launch, Bad Company UK will be headlining with a Classics Set alongside Planet V head-honcho Jumpin Jack Frost throwing down that fresh Planet V fire. Four::mula residents comprise of scene stalwarts Promo ZO, 2Shy MC and new comer Cadence whilst Funsta and Moose firm up the bill with their hosting genius. More artists are yet to be announced completing an already heavyweight line-up.

Tickets

Exclusive Guest Mix: Rainboh

1. Edward Xavier – Pain
2. Kratos – Risky Roads
3. Indidjinous – Superarchaic
4. Trainspotter – Full Potato
5. Antagonist – Enso
6. MAC-V – Phong Nha
7. Jem-One & SR – Stronger
8. BMA – The Delayed
9. MAC-V – Vicious
10. Acid Lab – Just Trust
11. Necrotype – Demon’s Tilt
12. Krugah – Pride of Soul (Part Three)
13. BMA – Escape
14. Antagonist – XY
15. Scale – Eigengrau
16. Scale – Take Off
17. Infamy – Erased
18. Contact Lost – Untitled Jungle
19. Art Cuebik – Tribal Summer
20. Outrage – Underground

 

 

Exclusive Guest Mix: Pressa New Jungle Mix


Track list:

Bartholomew Kind – Sweetheart (Forthcoming Breaks ‘N’ Pieces)
DJ Sunroof – Break The Mould (Forthcoming Extra Spicy)
Denham Audio – Top Boy (Forthcoming Lobster Theremin)
Asquith – Clapton Rider (Forthcoming Asquith)
Low End Activist – Engineers Origins (Forthcoming Low End Activism)
Pugilist – Siphon [Coco Bryce Remi] (Dext)
Mani Festo – Full Circle (E-Beamz)
TMSV – Abyss Watcher (Sub Merchants)
Drumskull – Battle Stations (Seagrave)
Samurai Breaks – Marathon (Sub Merchants)
Tim Reaper – Who Run It ( Lobster Theremin)
Borai – Nice Tripsies (Higher Level)

Exclusive Interview & Guest Mix: Pod Imiya

Hey Pod Imiya and thank you for answering my questions for drum+basics. Let’s start with the important one: where did you get your name from?

Pod has been a nickname for a while, but it wasn’t unusual enough to come up in searches online which made it difficult for people to find my mixcloud etc, so I added ‘Imiya’. It’s just a girls name which I thought sounded nice. Very boring answer!

How did you get in to dnb/jungle?

Me and my friends at school used to listen to jump up when we were teenagers. When I moved to Manchester, I didn’t know many people who were into DnB (there was big tech house craze.) I started going to raves on my own, at first just in Manchester and then in other cities, mainly London. I’d get a late megabus down and then the first one back in the morning. Initially it was techy DnB nights, like Cyberfunk with Xtrah and Visionobi. When I first started going alone I would stay sober, pick a spot on the dancefloor and stay there dancing all night.

I got into jungle more fully after a wicked night at Dolphin warehouse in Manchester, where Fanu, Storm and Stretch played. I didn’t really know about the underground jungle scene at the time, I loved oldskool stuff but didn’t realise there were so many people still making it and putting on nights. After meeting Stretch I found out about AKO beatz, and ended up going to an AKO night in Brum. It was a different vibe to the nights I was used to. The music was mental, I’d never heard anything like it really. The crowd was older and people talked to each other more. Everyone seemed to have a deep level of respect for each other and the music, and a passion for it to carry on through the generations. There was no aggro or guys trying it on. It felt like how I imagined raves would feel like. I didn’t really know anyone but felt completely welcome and met loads of great people. After that I found out about Rupture, Skeleton and others, and got to know people (including my 4 DnB parents) who I always look forward to seeing! Mostly at raves I still spend the whole time on the dance floor though, and catch up with people at afters. I still love techy DnB nights! But I think they’re better to go to with mates than alone.

How did you become a dnb/jungle DJ? Do you remember your first gig?

I DJ’d a bit in school but gave up playing in front of people coz I’d get too nervous. My friend Frank got me back into it, about 4 years ago I think. He asked me to play my first gig, which was a small Hit & Run event, where I played b2b with DJ Servo. I felt sick before it, but then it was a proper buzz, I loved it. For ages I practised on mates CDJs while I saved up to get some. I still get so nervous that I can’t see properly before playing out. But the nerves go away a couple of tunes into a set.

Any tips for beginners?

I am a beginner! So I’m looking for tips rather than giving them out haha!

The one thing I feel like I’d have to say is to value the fact that our music is underground. Whenever a type of dance music gets too big, it gets infected with all the capitalist shite that goes with the pop music industry. The music gets watered down and cleaned up, raves turn into concerts, producers and DJs turn into celebrities, people forget about the history and ignore the culture. In small scenes the music can be as mad or intense as you like. There’s great community and DIY spirit. That’s what makes it so good! You can’t really use the music as a career move or for personal gain. The people I have most respect for are the ones who’ve been working and raving hard since the 90s, not motivated by making loads of money or being famous, just putting in the time because they love the music and care about the scene.

Tell us about your first rave experience.

I went to a hospital records takeover, I think when I was maybe 15. I remember hearing DnB in my head for weeks after, and thinking it was the best thing ever. Hospital records was a big part of getting into DnB for me as a young teenager, I think they are for a lot of people my age. They have the power to get young people into DnB who have never even heard it before, which is why they should be leading the way with inclusivity. To be honest, it’s only in the last few years that I’ve even begun to realise how badly they’ve been failing at doing that, thanks to groups like eq50 and people sharing their perspectives.

You live in Manchester – how is the music scene and rave scene there? I still haven’t been there for a rave!

Yeah I’ve lived here for about 6 years now. I think it’s the best city in the world, no question. The music scene is great, we’ve got Hit & Run, Levelz and the Mouse Outfit, and the legendary shop Eastern Bloc. Formless is my favourite night. Walking into Formless feels like coming home. It seems like everyone knows each other and the music is always next level. You should come to the next one, you can stay round my flat!

Do you produce music as well?

Yes, but I’m not very good yet, I’m still learning. It’s more just something fun to do than serious.

You’ve also done a mix for us – wicked! What can you tell us about that?

Well, I have to be honest, I was redlining at points so there is clipping! I get too gassed when mixing at home, which I don’t think the neighbours are too happy about. It’s a mix of jungle and DnB, a lot of dark tunes and some more uplifting ones. I was going to record a mix on vinyl, but I’m not good enough yet.

Favourite DJs and producers?

Oh shit, there’s so many! For DnB producers, maybe Elements of Noize, Arcon 2, The Advocate and Rufige kru. I love all the alien techstep from 97, that’s definitely my favourite year for DnB. For newer stuff, I like Andy Skopes and Response and Pliskin, coz they can make a tune rough but still emotional or euphoric. They make come up tunes! Also, I bought martianMan’s digital discography recently, which was a bargain, he’s a machine.

For DJs – DJ Future always stands out in my mind. He closed a night at a festival I went to, and it was mad. Yorobi’s sets are always great, and I always listen to Tim reaper and Devnulls blog to the oldskool.

I think I get more hyped for my mates DJ sets these days than big names on a line up. All the Diggin in the crates crew are amazing DJs, everyone’s got their own style. And of course my mate Chris (Anomalies) who makes it look easy!

How are you coping in this lockdown?

I live with my boyfriend (who loves electronic music as much as I do), so we’ve had each other. I’m happy being in my flat most of the time to be honest. Music takes up all my spare time and outside of raves I don’t really have a social life anyway, which I don’t mind to be honest! I do miss working in the lab though.

The lab? This sounds interesting…

Im part of a team which research experimental nuclear physics in Manchester and CERN, which is partly finding out about atoms by firing lasers at them. we are also trying to build a detector for measuring tiny amounts of radioactive stuff in the environment, which would be useful for finding leaks in things containing radioactive material, and tracing people who might be trying to separate plutonium for the wrong reasons. It’s really hard and I basically never feel like I know what I’m doing, but it can be fun, and I prefer working in the lab to the computer.

What’s next for Pod Imiya?

It’s hard to know at the moment, with no raves or festivals happening. I wanna get better at mixing vinyl, coz there’s so much great music which isn’t available digitally, and it’s the best way to support the artists you rate.

Any famous last words?

Big up yaself! Thanks a lot for asking for a mix and interview. And big up my other half of course. Also big up Chris (one of my best mates and founder of Anomalies), and the mad Manc Mother Earth, Tasha (the one and only StalkaDJ), and the Diggin in the Crates and Confield crews. Big thanks to Rich Reason, and to everyone who has booked me, shared my mixes, or even just told me they rate my sets!

Exclusive Interview & Guest Mix: Catalyst .AD

Thank you for taking time for the interview and making for us an exclusive mix. Your new EP “Off The Chain” is released today on Conjunction Recordings which you manage. The EP is available exclusively on Beatport for 2 weeks then all other stores on 13th July. Your first EP “Coming Home” is also re-released today and it’s available on JunoDownload.

Conjunction Recordings is a new music label launched in the summer of 2019. How was the first year of the label? What kind of challenges do you face managing it?

The first year was brilliant for us. I had always thought about setting up a label after having worked for other D&B labels and a record shop business in the past. The title track for the first release (Coming Home) was inspired by and sampled from the record-breaking Red Bull Stratos Space Dive. I had a very talented friend, Simon Vella, who produced an animated video for the title track and sent this off to Red Bull. We were all really pleased when Red Bull came back and loved the whole idea, they kindly then offered to share it with their audience on social media which was great exposure for us. The plan from the outset was quality rather than quantity so we had aimed at putting out 4-5 releases a year, however the recent lockdown situation coupled with a kidney donation to my brother in the U.S meant that things had to be pushed back a bit. The landscape for record labels has changed so much in recent years with streaming etc so you really have to maximise certain things now in order to be noticed in quite a saturated market. 

Wow, that’s an amazing start of the label! Hope both of you are well. That’s true, streaming has made some changes in the scene. Why did you start and what is your vision with Conjunction Recordings?

Having worked behind the scenes at labels in the past, it had always been my ambition to do something myself one day. A few years ago, I invested in my own studio which in turn resulted in more output so it seemed a good idea to create a platform to release my own music. I didn’t want to tie the label to a specific genre so the music policy is varied as I also like to produce more down tempo tracks at 140 BPM, it’s always good to have variety on a label and keeps things more interesting and unpredictable. Our focus will always be quality rather than quantity, we are looking to have around 4-6 releases a year with some of these being 4 track E.P.’s so there should be a healthy supply!

It’s great that you’d like to have more variety on the label and keep it interesting like that. Who inspired you producing “Off The Chain” EP?

Good Question! I would have to say the title track “Off The Chain” was definitely inspired by the late Spirit (R.I.P.). I was always a massive fan and strongly believe that the kind of sound and style he championed needs to live on. Hip hop has always been a big influence for me so that’s where the vocal hook came from.  We had aimed to release the E.P. much earlier this year but due to lockdown situation we had to hold back. In a strange way the title track is now quite relevant now that the restrictions are being eased!

Great work on the release and all tracks have a unique sounding and a great, catchy melody. Everyone can find their favourite. Speaking of which, which is your favourite track from the EP?

That’s a tough one but I would have to say the remix from DJ E. When I showed him the original idea his eyes lit up and I could see he had some ideas buzzing round his head.  I was amazed at how quick he went to work on it and when he sent me back the remix I was blown away. He’d managed to capture the original vibe of the track yet somehow put his own unique twist on it. The classic breaks he also used went really well with the whole hip hop idea and the reese was just devastating.

I read on Conjunction Recordings website that in the recent years you have dedicated more of your time to production. What made you want to start producing in the first place rather than just being a listener?

I’ve always juggled dj-ing with some production over the years, I started out as a radio DJ and production just progressed from that.  Production started to take over more from when I was involved in the “Able Danger” project where we had some releases on big labels. I found it increasingly harder trying to hold down my weekly radio show on top, then unfortunately I was diagnosed with an inner ear condition that left me with some damaged hearing and chronic tinnitus in one ear, so I soon realised I had to limit the exposure and use my ears more wisely.

That’s a real challenge but you deal with it really well, hats off! Do you master your own tracks?

No, I would love to one day but as I mentioned just now, my hearing is slightly compromised so I rely on Fanu who has really helped me in this area. I think it’s also always good to have a second pair of ears on your music as your ears can play tricks with you, mine certainly do at times!

That’s a really good advice. What is your studio set up?

So, my studio consists of a PC and large Nektar midi keyboard. I also have my technics turntables connected for sampling, however a lot of the time I use computer-based instruments and synths such as Massive and Serum, with Ableton Live. I spent quite a bit of time getting the acoustics correct in my studio and have treated certain parts of the room so I get a good clear sound when working. I also have 2 Rokit 5 monitors which are really good to work with.

What advice would you give people who have just started making music?

I would say to persevere and don’t try to run before you can walk. When I first started out, I would get so carried away with an idea and not spend enough time on the actual sound quality, so I would listen back weeks down the line and feel really disappointed when I compared my stuff to released music. I would also highly recommend checking out tutorials online, there are some amazing video tutorials available these days, I find it quite refreshing now how producers are keen to share their ideas and skills rather than keep them secret. Education and Bass have really been a game changer in this respect and I have learnt so much from them.

Thank you for the great advices. What’s coming next for Catalyst .AD?

In terms of the label, after this release, I am aiming to put out a couple of liquid tracks which I have had in the pipeline then we will be putting out an E.P. from DJ E which we are really looking forward to. I will also be including a collab track with him on this. I can tell you now though the title track is a monster! I also have some remixes lined up from some new and fresh popular talent coming through, and also some tracks with my wife (K.I.M.) who also works with the label. Besides this I also have a fair amount of other tracks lined up which I am pushing out to some other labels. Hopefully once the restrictions ease, I will also be back out playing live again with some guest radio shows lined up as well as some events.

We are looking forward to listen to these planned releases on Conjunction Recordings. Keep up the great work! 😊

Until that dear readers, have a listen to this wicked mix exclusively made for us at Drum+Basics where you can hear two tracks “In The Shadows” and “Off The Chain”  from the newest 4 tracks EP “Off The Chain”. ❤️

Exclusive Mix: Rebel One Mix

Introducing the Rebel One album which you can pay what you like for to get all 18 tracks from the Rebel Music Bandcamp page. 100% of proceeds from this album will go to the very worthy cause ‘NHS Charities Together’.

Living in such integral times, an age which presented a ‘curve ball’ that none of us were expecting. This unexpected blow has had us all tested in many ways. Not being able to leave the house, a crucial art of the solution for us all in moving forward and getting over this thing – together.

Life has always been on a ‘time sensitive basis’ so to speak. Many of us within this new time frame, will be feeling a little ‘lost’ – without certain direction. This is perfectly natural since our daily routines have all been thrown into the air, without warning.

This being said: it is a known fact that music is an amazing healer! With this newfound time for most of us, the question is are you ready to get your home sound system busier than EVER!? The mighty Rebel Music cru have assembled, putting together their collaborative, creative energy forces to give YOU another; outstanding, world class fresh off the bassline press album.

What better way to relax, unwind – dance (at home), channel your positive energy during these unprecedented times. Presenting: The Rebel One Album!

Rebel Music is already operating with a distinct ‘family ethic’, assembled faster than the ‘The Avengers’ to bring to you, the good people a fresh album – of outstanding quality all over. If you are a first time Rebel listener you are in for an incredible ride, a unique journey through the sounds of Drum & Bass. If you already know the optimum quality, that Rebel consistently deliver then you just must hit ‘play’ to engage that new sound. – Let the journey begin!

It is noted and appreciated within these difficult times that not many of us have the money to spare for such a good cause. Therefore, it has been of the upmost importance that Rebel Music release this album with the option to get it for free. This in turn, enabling Rebel Music to provide the listeners with the sounds you need, plus – giving valid donations to the amazing NHS. Bless.

Download the album now! Donate what you can.
Also you can hear all 18 tracks here, in this mix from Omega Point.

 

TRACKLIST:

Kolectiv (feat Shady Novelle) – Come To Me
Spratto – Warmth
Equilibrium – One Day
Omega Point – Forgotten Lands
Convex – Goober
NC-17 – God Complex
Inner Terrain – Analogue Alone
Creatures – The Unknown
Confusious – Quality Control
OB1 – The Pianist
Science Of Man – Second Look
Taelimb – Calidiscope
Dark Ops – Sequence
Tephra & Arkose – Vibrations
Hadley – Psycosis
RMS – Out Of Dodge
Whycheck – Southside
Skuff – Forever Today

Exclusive Guest Mix: Omega Point – Another World

Omega Point bio:

Omega Point aka Martin became involved in the Jungle / Drum & Bass scene from an early age, charting his origins in Drum and Bass as far back as the mid 90’s no less. Being around an older brother who had fallen in love with the underground scene a few years former around ‘93’ pre music divide, Omega Point followed suit also taking an interest in rave music himself.

Always the keen professional, Omega’ soon picked up the art of vinyl mixing. It wasn’t long within these early years that the urge to create his own music became unstoppable. By the turn of the millenium Omega’s began seeking the necessary skills and knowledge to do so. It was from here that he started to produce, whilst also studying music at an academic level.

Omega Point made his mark into the drum and bass movement, in the spring of 2017 with the release of his debut EP Frostbite, released through the imperative imprint Beat Spectrum. The EP was definitive in itself, showcasing Omega Points skills in the studio. Offering big funk driven beats, large twisted basslines, and experimental sound design all combined as the perfect showcase for this gifted creator.
On first listen to his work it’s easy to see that the producer and DJ primarily looks to explore the deeper, darker edges of the drum and bass scene.

Since his first release Omega has gone on to bring his sounds out on Lockdown Recordings, Rebel Music and Inhabit Recordings and currently in 2020 has further projects in the making with all 3, so keep your ears peeled!

 

Tracklist:

Dom and Roland – Innersense – Metalheadz
Logistics – Dreamer of Dreams – Hospital Records
Need For Mirrors – M.I.A – V Recordings
Survival – Terrain – Exit Records
Omega Point – Skink – Lockdown Recordings
Skeptical – Duck Soup – Exit Records
Philth and Bredren – Closer to You – Flexout Audio
Icicle – Dreadnaught (tease) – Shogun Audio
Cybin & Trex – Play – Trust Audio
Fierce & Cause 4 Concern – Carrier – Quarantine Records
Need For Mirrors – So Below – V Recordings
Omega Point – The Mission – Lockdown Recordings
Digital – Dreamer – Function Records
Marcus Intalex & Jubei – Lubbly Jubbly – Metalheadz
Jungle Jungle – Total Science – Metalheadz
Omega Point – Listening – Beat Spectrum
J Kenzo – Katoku – 31 Records
Marcus Intalex & S.T Files – Warp 3 (Total Science Remix) – C.I.A
Mako & Fields – The Gap – Metalheadz
Forest Drive West – Set Free – Rupture
Ed Rush, Optical & Fierce – Alien Girl – Prototype
Gremlinz & Jesta – Departed – Metalheadz
Omega Point – Another World – Lockdown Recordings
Deskai – Night Owl – Scientific Records
Skeptical – Grub – Exit Records
Source Direct- Web of Sin – Metalheadz
Mako & Andy Skopes – Mercenary – Dispatch Recordings
Fields- Full Court Press – C.I.A
Fierce & Zero T – Second Nature – Quarantine Records
Omega Point – Romeo & Juliette – Lockdown Recordings

Exclusive Interview & Guest Mix: Lubi J

Hey Louise FK aka Lubi J and thank you for answering my questions for drum+basics. I’ve been doing a little research on you and what I found is that you’re a wicked DJ, you’re part of the platform Ladies Of Rage Cardiff, you work on the radio and also an all around brilliant person! 

Tell us about Radio Cardiff.

The station itself is a community station, it’s been around for over 10 years now and I’ve been doing a weekly dnb/jungle show on there since it started. I tend to have local guests down most weeks, either doing a mix or sharing production, talking about events and having a chat. I’ve been fortunate to have Dr Meaker and Digital down too, talking about events they were doing in Cardiff.

Radio was always my first love – most of my friends will vouch for the fact that I have no problem talking at great length so its the perfect platform! I started when I was 17 on hospital radio and then studied radio at uni so it’s been great to keep doing it and to be able to use it to support the local scene.

How did you get involved in the DnB/jungle scene?

I fell in love with dnb/jungle when I was about 16/17 and then started djing at uni in 2000. I got a few gigs at uni through the DJ society and played in a couple of local bars. Then when I came back to Cardiff in 2002 I got my first residency at a night called Submerge. I was mainly playing liquid back then although I’ve always enjoyed the darker side of dnb and jungle, which is more what I play now. I’ll always have time for liquid though.

I then went through a phase in the late 00’s where I fell in love with funk, soul and disco and started playing that out for a few years, but I quickly fell back into playing DnB again and have stayed in the jungle ever since.

You’re also heavily involved with Ladies Of Rage Cardiff – sounds really interesting! 

So Ladies of Rage (LOR) is a network for women and non-binary that aims to support more diversity in underrepresented music genres. Like the EQ50 network and other groups that have been set up recently, a few like-minded people came together sharing a view that we wanted to help change the scenes, specifically in in Cardiff and the surrounding areas, give womxn a platform to meet, learn new skills, jam in a safe space and perform live. We’ve only been around for about 18 months and in that short time we’ve grown to over 350 members in our Facebook group.

We have an active group of around 60+ members that meet and participate in events. We’ve put on 3 big showcase events, one just recently for International Womxn’s day on 7 March with 40 artists performing live. We also have some festival sets line up this year and we recently started a monthly show on Life FM every second Sunday, which came around through a meeting with Mel Lioness at a Hospital Women in DnB event last year.

More than that though, the network has been pretty amazing just in terms of making connections and empowering each other. I’ve made friends for life through LOR and it’s been so good to see people go from writing poetry and lyrics at home, keeping it to themselves for years to then be on stage confidently sharing those words. And being able to help someone start DJing after years of wanting to and then seeing them record mixes and start promoting themselves is awesome.

We’ve definitely seen a bit of a shift in more diverse line-ups but there’s a long way to go yet, as is the case all over.

Our Facebook page has full details for anyone interested in finding out more or getting involved.

I know you’re based in Cardiff, are you from there too? 

Yes, pretty much lived here all my life apart from going away for uni. Cardiff is pretty small for a capital city, but it has a lot going on.

How’s the dnb scene in Cardiff? 

The scene has been bubbling along nicely for years now. We’ve got a number of big and small promoters pushing nights out regularly that cater for most tastes. Lots of heavy dnb and liquid being catered for with well established and emerging artists headlining – though not many women! Quite a few local dj nights run too which gives local artists a platform to play. The more underground jungle side of the scene is a bit less catered for. There’s definitely heads that appreciate it but it’s the one side of the scene that Cardiff hasn’t quite cracked compared to Bristol, Manchester and London. I’d love to see more artists from this side of the scene in Cardiff and obviously more female headliners in the future too but there are less venues available now. We have a few solid venues like The Vaults, Clwb Ifor Bach and Kongs, which play host to many of these nights, plus the student union which Bedlam hosts big events at a few times a year, but we’ve had a number of great venues close in recent years, which is really sad. The dnb scene has definitely felt it, but we keep on keeping on.

You arranged a big night in Cardiff in November last year where you invited Function:al with Digital at the vaults, how did that come about?

I first linked up with Digital when he was booked to play a couple of years ago and I was supporting. Had a great night and got on really well and following on from that the Function family collaborated on 2 events with a promoter here and I supported both times along with Ransom – one of Cardiff’s finest – and we just kept in touch and decided to do something that supported the diversity goals of Ladies of Rage.

The Function:al event was Cardiff’s first 50/50 dnb line-up. We had Randall, Storm, Digital and Djinn headlining with Blackeye and our local MC, Missy G, hosting. Then myself and some epic local djs supporting the main room, again 50/50 split with a Ladies of Rage takeover in the second room.

It was a great night, we had loads of positive feedback and it was a much needed diversity milestone.

Dream line up?

A tough question! If certain artists were still around it would probably be; Seba, Equinox, Digital, Spirit, Kemistry and Storm. Marcus Intalex, Calibre, Coco Bryce, Mantra and Djinn could easily be on there too tho…

Favourite DJ/producer?

Seba is pretty much my favourite producer, everything he makes is magic, whether dark or uplifting. I’m really loving Coco Bryce’s production at the moment too and Djinn’s production is incredible – amazing drums and I’m hoping to hear some new stuff from her soon.

Favourite DJs; I saw Equinox playing b2b with Bkey for the first time recently and his set and general stage presence blew my mind. I really enjoy watching DJs that are quite animated and enjoying themselves, it’s infectious.
Storm will always be one of my favourite DJs too – her selection is second to none.

What’s next on your agenda?

I’m very excited and grateful to be playing at Boomtown this year b2b with one of my favourites, Ransom and the epic Comma Dee on the mic duties. I’ve never played at Boomtown before so feeling really hyped for this.

Also playing at Big Love with the Concrete Junglists crew supporting Bukem and will do a set as part of Ladies of Rage. Big love is a great festival in Hay-on-Wye, it’s quite small but really intimate with loads of different music.

I’ve also just started to dip my toe into production. I never really thought it was for me until recently and Digital has been a big influence for me and I’ve had some great advice. It’s still very early days, but so far I’m (mostly) enjoying the long, learning and creative process!

You also done a mix for us. What can we expect from that?

I’m a big fan of the journey-style mix. This one has a lot of dark jungle and dnb flavours with a few twists and turns along the way

Any famous last words?

Just big ups to everyone doing positive things for the scene right now, supporting and pushing new artists and bringing fresh sounds to the dance!

You can follow Lubi J on Facebook & Instagram

Exclusive Guest Mix: DJ Reevah

About Reevah:

Been into Jungle DNB since 98/99. Big fan of early ram, virus, v, hardware, metalheadz. Got into mixing around the same time starting out on vinyl and slowly progressing to pioneers.

Went raving to the legendary Manga and Jungle Majik nights in Edinburgh where I saw Fierce, Fabio, Kid, Doc Scott, Hype, Calibre, SS, Randall all destroy the dance many times.

After a long break away from mixing I came back and started to record mixes and posting on mixcloud (something I will never stop doing).. occasionally I play out and warm up the dance with my selection of underground beats.

Im a loyal customer of dnb and mainly look to Sofa Sound, Dispatch, Delta9 Recordings, Trust Audio, Critical, 1985 Music, Mac 2, 31 and many more to provide the high grade beats.

Dnb for me is very strong at the moment although could do with less gun fingers and more actual mixing.

Tracklist:

1) DLR – Banana Bread
2) Skeptical – Snail Trail
3) M-zine – Axiomatic
4) Trex – Too Far
5) Black Barrel – Lock Stock
6) Trex – Escape From Shaolin
7) Sl8r – No Fuss (Kiril remix)
8) Skeptical – Musket
9) Kasra – Mecanique
10) Natural Forces – Deadlock
11) Talkre – Isolation
12) Talkre – Charon
13) Jabaru – Explode
14) Kid Drama, Garvo – DRAK
15) Sl8r – Raptor
16) Quadrant – Offset
17) M-zine – Scrutinise
18) Madcap – Step To This
19) SubMarine – Grunge
20) Trex – Rock Paper Scissors
21) M-zine – Blinkered
22) Jabaru – Present
23) M-zine – Harrump
24) Bredren – Get Physical
25) Dub Head – Bring You Back Online
26) Entita – Cascade
27) Ewol & Skylark – Agur
28) Survey – Shining
29) Lovely – J’undastan
30) Trex – Shut Down
31) Talkre – The Bug
32) Hydro, War – New Territories