Check out our reviews of the next 3 Disfigured Dubz releases ...

Echo Park
Fibre Optic
(Disfigured Dubz)

Snapped up by Skream for his Dubz label, previous darkside hip-hopper Brian Gibbs aka Echo Park here offers up his new musical direction, a funk filled electro-loving, vocoded boogie production 'Fibre optic'. It's certainly like nothing else you'd find on the label, completely upbeat, joyous lyrics and simply comes across as so naively optimistic and fun that you'd be hard pressed to find fault with it in the same way as you'd be loathe to boot a wide-eyed kitten. The remix duties are given over to 12th Planet & Flinch on the one hand and underground sentinel Jon Convex of Instra:Mental fame on the other. 12th planet keep the original light feel and upbeat nature while piling on the rave-tastic bass and standard Dubstep wobbles for a crowd-pleasing beast of a tune bound to be heard ricocheting around the club floors for the forseeable future. Conversely, Convex takes the tune on one of his electro/Techno jaunts that with its bouncy rhythym and synth washes still keeping it funky but with an addition of a darker synth dropping in as the pitched down vocals come in simultaneuosly we get deeper tinge to the track. Each version has it's own quality about it and if anything it shows how these 3 different styles, techno/dubstep and weird electronic funk(?) can be found on one record which says a lot for the average dance-music listener out there at the moment. Definetly one to check for the open-minded heads.

D-Bridge
City Of Lonely Runaways/ Dischord
(Disfigured Dubz)

D-Bridge continues his emotional/electronica/dubstep ways with this deep little single out on the Dubz label full of subtle sound landscapes designed more for the ear than the dance-floor. 'City of Lonely Runaways' which sounds like the translated name of an 80s Japanese Anime film also contains the sort of music often found in those films. It's the melancholy melody that really reminds me of this with the synth strings coming in at just the right time to emphasise the melodramatic filmic feel. Bizarrely this is a really good thing and while some peeps might be confused by such sounds (and maybe even angered), 'Bridge pulls it off because it sounds so genuine. Combine this with some dark, dark synthbass running through it and we really have a quirky gem here.
'Dischord' as the AA side is very reminiscent of Boards of Canada with it's stoned chimes and abstract keyboard noodling before dropping into the crisp clicky beats which also put in mind past greats in the electronica field such as Plaid and also venturing into similar territories as present day luminary Lone. It's not going to be for everyone, but it is great music to have on for a chill and his development of this kind of sound is a really original direction for D-Bridge to take having made his name in much (literally) heavier sounds when part of Bad Company.

Ben Verse

No Solution/Manipulation
Crunch Recordings

Lastly in this triple collection of singles comes mr Verse on a dark tip. this is moody dubstep of a fine calibre. Those familiar with the kind of output Ben's known for will not be disappointed, 'No Solution' rolls out with a grim determination, dubstep rhythms varied up nicely with flourishes of percussion and sound effects swirling around the soundscape pleasingly. The only criticism here would be that over the 4 and a half minutes, once theres been a bass drop it fails to really do much else but it's good mixing fodder. 'Manipulation' similarly is replete with strong rhythm, some good samples and a grimey drop tempered by smooth filtered pads over the top. There are little surprises on display here either but the tune itself is so solid that as long as this dark-style dub is your thing you'll be feeling it.

Manchester native drum and bass label Soul:r are ten years old this year and they're not showing any signs of giving up.  Their second release of the year is a brand new EP from friend of Example Dub Phizix. His name is becoming more and more talked about at the moment with his string of releases on Ingredients, Dispatch and Critical's sister imprint Modulations setting him up squarely in the limelight ready for his next string of releases on Soul:R, Exit and Commercial Suicide.

Soul:R have definitely shown their loyalty to their Manchester roots in the EP as it contains none other than 3 Mancunian vocalists. Chimpo, Fox and Strategy are all on board in the first two tracks.  The EP is out on the 19th September and you can listen to it here ...

September 12th sees the next release from drum & bass behemoths Ram Records, with veteran producer Cyantific teaming up with (relatively speaking) new kid on the block Wilkinson for the AA-side ‘Touch Me’/’Get Into It’. Releases are coming thick and fast from the Ram stable, and this release will make up RAM104. With the quality of releases not dipping or wavering, we wanted to bring you more about the new single, so we interviewed Cyantific recently.

Cyantific has been producing and DJing high voltage d&b for as long as I can remember. He has been responsible for such classics as 88mph and Hong Kong Express, and is well known for his 15 Years of Hospital Records live sets. He spared us a few moments to talk about his sound, his techniques in the studio, and his new single on Ram with Wilkinson.

Example : For anyone who doesn’t know who you are – can you introduce yourself, and tell the readers how you got to the stage you’re at now?

Cyantific :I'm Jon AKA Cyantific. I've been making and releasing drum and bass music for near enough ten years now. I used to be one half of a duo, but the other chap went off to make some disco.

Example :You are known for your releases on Hospital. How did you come to release this single on RAM, and how does it feel to work with this label in particular?

Cyantific : I always wanted a release on Ram, they released some of the first music I ever bought to play on my first set of crappy belt drives. So it's a real honour to have it happen. I basically sat down about a year ago and thought, 'I'm gonna try to make something that Andy would like, that would fit in with my sound and the current Ram sound' and that's kind of how it happened...luckily he was a bit tipsy when he heard it first, I think that helped.

Example : Can you tell us what your writing techniques are, and how does this segue into the production side - is it one and the same thing, or are they different?

Cyantific: I usually work with samples. I find it helps to get past the fear of the blank canvas, you have something to work with from the offset. I usually start mixing down the record from the very first sound I put in, otherwise there's a massive mess to sort out at the end. So the production and writing have to go hand in hand. So much sometimes that say for example if the main sample you start with is in a low key like C, I might pitch it up a few notes so that the sub-bass isn't too low.

Example : How do you feel production in d&b has changed since you started out?

Cyantific: It's so much more polished now. There's not so much of a margin for poor production as there was 10 years ago. A lot more thought goes into it. Some people might argue it's a bad thing, as there's a rawness that's not there anymore in most peoples’ music.

 

Example :What was your approach on these two tracks, and was it different to how you normally go in?

Cyantific: It was a pretty simple process doing the A side, I've got a decent collection of old skool samples, and a Korg M1 emulation synth. It was just a case of picking my favourites, then experimenting with what I could do to the bass sound. The mixdown was a bit troublesome, and if I'm 100% honest I don't think it's right still...but then maybe that's just me. Sometimes you just have to say 'this is finished'.

The B side was a different kettle of fish altogether. Mark and myself decided to do a tune, we went through my samples and found this old disco track that has a really nice loop. We put it down, but realised it didn't have the hard edge we wanted to it, so we went in with some stab samples and bass patches to give it more balls. The end result was having two really different sections in the main body of the tune.

Example : What are your hopes for this new single?

Cyantific : I wanna get to number 1 so Cher Lloyd doesn't.

Example : What do you think have been some of the elements which have meant you have been so successful for so long?

Cyantfiic : Hard work. I don't profess to be the most talented musician out there, but I have ambition, so I work hard at it. It's easier to make it than to stay there.

 

Example : You’ve hooked up with Wilkinson on one side of this release – who are some of the people you’ve enjoyed working with most, and who haven’t you worked with that you would like to?

Cyantfic : I love working with Mark, we have a definite common ground with music. I really enjoyed working with Logistics, and Matrix in the past too. I could list hundreds of people I'd love to work with, but it'd never happen!

Example : What do *you* like best about drum & bass music at the moment?

Cyantific : It's as exciting and fresh to me as it was when I started out.

 

 

The new single will be hitting your shops soon. ‘Touch Me’, the A side, opens nicely with an Amen-style break, which folds itself into old skool-type beats and piano. Electronic sounds usher in the ‘touch me’ female vocal snatches. The track feels old skool, but bang up to date at same time.

This leads into main vocal snatch, which again, is nicely old skool sounding. You really can tell the quality of the track, and the production and mixdown that has gone into it. 2011-style bass squelches come after this – the sounds are clean, and not overbearing as sometimes happens. As the track goes through, the balance of perfectly matched breaks and beats is maintained.
Overall this is a well-rounded, definitely interesting addition to the artist's work. It is convincing, and high quality. ‘Touch Me’ is what I like about d&b – clear, uncluttered drum sounds and rolling, well-handled bass.

The flip-side, ‘Get Into It’, with Wilkinson, has a looped piano introduction, with film-style spoken dialogue over the top. The repeated vocal sample sets the tone for the track, before the beat drops quite unexpectedly, levels out, and then builds back up filtered behind the mix. The piano continues in the background, and the way in which the beats collide will see a major amount of skanking on the dancefloor to this one.

The elements of the track continue on a level, with a synth line finding prominence later. The track, much like the A-side, will leave an impression on you whether you’re at home, on the move or in the club.

In summing up, both sides are relatively understated for the artists involved. This is no way a bad thing and makes a nice change to the usual rampant floorfilling of a lot of recent releases – for example, the lead out on ‘Get Into It’ is quite chilled. Whilst still dancefloor-friendly and not exactly 'contemplative', both tracks are mellowish rollers, and make for a bit more of a quieter listen.
SCORE – 8/10

Enei - Stonehead E.P. - Critical Records.

This EP delivers more of that classic Critical sound; heavy breaks and moody noises throughout. I personally found the title track, Stonehead, to be the weakest tune on the E.P. , blown away as it is by the unrelenting bass fest that is Movin' Fast. The Jubei remix of Cracker is well worth a listen, as is No Fear featuring the vocal talents of Riya. This is perhaps not the strongest release on Critical to date, but lovers of the label will undoubtedly find this to their taste.

Someone/Flip The Page - DJ Friction - Shogun Audio

This is a good little single from Friction for the summer and I'm sure will be going off most places it's played. Flip The Page is an energetic and bouncy dance-floor stormer, whilst Someone featuring a vocal by McLean (aka Digga), is an uplifting roller that has the crowd singing along almost instantly. This is by far the stronger of the tracks, but even so it does lose it's appeal after a few listens...

Brainstorm/Echoes - Hamilton - RAM Records

Having served his time and proven himself on the Frequency label, we have here Hamiltons first outing on RAM Records. Echoes is an uplifting spacey sounding track, but seems to me to be just a B side filler. The A side, Brainstorm, is much the harder piece aimed directly at the dance-floor, I did however find it very reminiscent of Link to the Past by Xample & Lomas.

Nymfo - Double Dutch E.P. - Commercial Suicide

Dutchman Nymfo delivers a powerful and well produced E.P. here on Klute's indomitable Commercial Suicide label. Once again I'm finding the title track,Double Dutch, to be the weaker piece but that is by no means a harsh judgement on what is an exceptional dark and rolling E.P. The collaboration with Chris Su on, In Our Mind, is my personal favorite from the E.P. Featuring a gentle inviting intro which develops into a quirky moody stepper.

Jubei, exclusively signed to Goldie's titan Metalheadz imprint. has over the last few years, through his consistent high quality intense productions (both solo and high profile collaborations) built a name for himself as a razor sharp technician in the studio and a tight selector on the decks.  

His two acclaimed EP's for Metalheadz in 2010 set him up nicely for his forthcoming LP next year.  A release which will surely be on my pre order list as soon as it comes around.

We caught up with Jubei to find a bit more about the man behind the beats…


Example : Who would you say has influenced your productions both in and outside drum and bass?

Jubei : Thats very hard to say, i don't think i could pinpoint anyone or any thing that influences me. Its more moods or feelings, i could be out at a club and the vibe of the night can make me want to go home and write something or i could be in a car and hear something on the radio that gives me an idea or simply listening to tunes and thinking, i like that but i want to make something better / different.

Example : Can you remember the first piece of music you bought?  Tell us about it.

Jubei: I don't remember exactly, it was either some NOW THATS WHAT I CALL MUSIC something on 12" record or it was these 7" The Jungle Book records, i had loads of them.

Example : What's your production setup?

Jubei:  A very very basic set up, i am running Cubase SX 5 on a PC, Korg K25 midi controller, Mackie 824's, and two 17" Acer monitors. I also have a TLAudio valve compressor and a Lexicon MPX 200, both have never been plugged in and are currently being used as stands for one of my Acer monitors.

Example : Can you tell us much about the album?  What sort of level of completion is it?  When's it due?  What can we expect from it ?

Jubei: The album is coming along nicely thanks, i cant really describe it as a "Album" yet because its still at the stage where i am writing all kinds of tracks, some with different tempos, not finishing them and putting them into a pot then starting the next one. It has no real identity or scheme as of yet, but saying that, with some of the tracks there does seem to be a mood / thread tying them together. I would like to think i am half way or maybe more with it. If every thing runs to schedule we are looking to release it early next year.

Example :You worked with Goldie when he produced an orchestra piece for BBC.  How did that compare to writing drum and bass?

Jubei : It was amazing, there was a lot for me to take in and get my head around. Goldie had a bounce of some of the music he had made at this point, i loaded it up into the studio computer and we had to add percussion to the piece, it was mental because it wasn't like anything i had done before, with all the different sized music sections / bars and constant changes. It was a huge learning curve for me, once we had done the percussion Goldie took it back to them and they transferred the MIDI data that we gave them onto Sibelius which scores the information so the orchestra can read it. I was invited to rehearsals and i watched this 170 piece orchestra perform the whole thing. I had never seen an orchestra before. Watching the percussion i helped add to the part being played by human beings which was amazing, and then to see this all again, performed live at the Royal Albert Hall was something i will never forget.

Example : Who would be your dream collaborator?

Jubei: Some obvious one's but i would love to work on music, any kind, with Quincy Jones, Dr Dre, Hi Tek, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and if they were still alive.. Bob Marley, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Amy Winehouse.

Example : A lot of producers start their own imprint these days. Is that something you'd like to do?

Jubei : I would like to do that, yes. But not just yet, i feel you have to earn it, i don't see the point in me doing that at the minute, i am happy with who i work with. In the future i will, i like the idea of building something up and hopefully build a team with the label.

Example : First thing you do in the morning?

Jubei : Go straight to the kitchen and make Tea or Coffee.

Example : What’s your favourite food?

Jubei : I love Italian food and wine.

Example :What’s your favourite dinosaur?

Jubei : A close call between Tyrannosaurus Rex or Velociraptor.

 

Example : Tell us something about you we don't know.?

Jubei : I used to swim a lot when i was younger and i used to take part in swimming gala's and races, loads of them. I never ever lost one single gala or race in my life !


Example :  Whats the tune your most proud of making?

Jubei: I don't think i have written it, yet !

Example :  What 3 tunes are never out of your box at the moment and why ?

Jubei : Of the top of my head i would have to say..

: dBridge - Cornered - Metalheadz = dBridge has pulled the breaks out on this one, its sounds amazing everywhere and its so damn funky. Sick drum programming, slick drum edits and gliding bass.
: Skeptical & Dub Phizix - Marka feat Strategy - Exit Records = Very Ragga influenced tune, stands out a mile and always gets a big reaction. Clean production and Strats killed the vocal, sure to be a very big tune !
: Trinity - I Feel - Chronic = I have been finishing with this for a few months now, its Dillinja at his best from 2000 and nothing stands up to it. Massive drums, classic Dillinja vocal sample and the bass is ridiculous, bass sickly !

Example : Finally do you keep your ketchup in the fridge or the cupboard?

Jubei : In the fridge of course, are you mad ?!?!?

Manchester’s very own Dawn Raid are smashing things down this month with a new release, the single ‘Breakdown’ on DJ Vapour’s 36Hertz label. The single features vocals from Leanne, who the sharper-eared amongst you will remember from Noughties garage group Sweet Female Attitude, and will come with a series of banging remixes, from Vapour himself, Stanza and Tim Reaper, amongst others . We caught up with the boys from Dawn Raid, and ask them more about who they are and what they do.


- How did you get started producing music?

Suppose like with most producers who focus on a genre within electronica…  The main reason was because we just wanted to have the opportunity to DJ more. DJ’ing was always the first love for both of us, which had a natural progression towards wanting to explore how the tunes we wanted to play were actually being made. Everybody now knows that if you’re making tunes that are successful within your chosen genre, it’s likely to lead towards exposure, and as a by-product of that, more gigs.

- Who/what were your inspirations when you first started, and now, both inside and outside music?

Initially I suppose to make some sort of mark on the Jungle / Drum & Bass scene. I would say that ‘life’ itself is our primary inspiration, along with listening to quality music… that tends to be from a bygone era. We love listening to old skool & new skool hip hop, soul, funk, rnb, reggae and dub… then try to marry those influences with our primary inspirations hardcore & jungle.

- How did the hook up with 36Hertz come about and how does it feel to work with DJ Vapour?

In a nutshell it feels good. The initial hook up with Vapour and 36Hertz came through us just sending him a few of our tracks. The tracks were well received and the rest just kind of fell into place when we met. We both have the same core values when it comes to the sound we believe represents Dnb/Jungle best, so in that sense it’s easy for us to work together.

  - How did the new tune ‘Breakdown’ come about, and what are some of the ideas behind it?

The tune came about through simply laying down some beats on a summer’s day. Funnily enough, the weather was probably the key inspirational factor in the choice of instruments/samples etc. Upon completion of the track we thought it would be criminal if we didn't at least try and lay down a vocal for it… because it was screaming out for one. We passed it to our friend Leanne, and rest is history.

- The new single has a quite marked jungle feel. Has this always been part of your sound, or was it a deliberate idea to incorporate a slightly old skool mood?

Without sounding like a severe chinstroker, lol! We feel we are Jungle! In the same way for example someone like KRS 1 would say he is a living embodiment of hip hop…that's how we feel we represent Jungle. Drum & Bass is in our hearts because essentially they are one & the same thing.  However, I would say we always try to maintain & keep the menace of Jungle at the forefront of everything we do because there is something golden about that sound.

- How are you finding the drum & bass scene at the moment, UK-wide and specifically Manchester?

Yeah… the scene is thriving in terms of the sheer amount of DnB that's out there. There are many, many talented DJ’s producers, with the Manc/North-West scene being no exception.

- What are your hopes are for the release on 36Hertz and, more widely, for yourself? What are your future plans?

Our hopes are simply that people will purchase, play & enjoy any music we release.  ‘Breakdown’ in particular has crossover potential, so it will be interesting to see how it does. Furthermore, since signing to 36Hertz we feel like Dawn Raid has been given a clearer sense of direction. We have a couple of albums to complete over the next few years, and its not all going to focused on Jungle/DnB… so I suppose our future plans are to keep making as much quality music as possible, and stack the tunes until we & 36Hertz are content.

 - What is your studio set up like? Do you use just software, or do you use any outboard equipment as well?

We both run MacBooks  & Reason is our baby. All our tracks are 70/80% built in this program and then mixed down in Logic or Cubase. We do own some hardware as well, but to be honest aside from our Yamaha O1V digital desk, Reason & currently Logic, we feel that we have more than enough software & plugins to allow us to make the beats we want to… whilst still keeping the software learning curve on an upward spiral.

- Can you let us know about your production techniques?

As stated earlier, we use Reason primarily & we love using samples, big time! So a lot of what we do will initially start with chopping up a sample that catches our ear or a breakbeat that has that something ‘hard’ about it. When we have something rockin’ as a 32-64 bar loop, I suppose its like with most other producers… we just vibe with the track. Adding and taking away sounds until it’s worth laying out as an actual song.

- Are there any new artists that we should watch out for, and are there any shouts you would like to give?

New artists wise I would say keep an eye out for new dubs from our label mate Lighterman, and (not so new) Jem One…Their production is top notch at the mo. On top of that Birmingham’s K-Jah & Lionfire. Mr Explicit, Frisk, Erbman, & JRG now known as Freeze… all of them have real talent and dubs to boot! Big up to MC BIC and all our crew at Heavy Water Studios, & to DJ Vapour and the clan at 36Hertz! One.


The single will drop on the 5th of September, but if you can’t wait, check the video at 

Also, check out Dawn Raid at

Dawn Raid Facebook

36 Hertz Website

Before I begin, I apologize for the the total lack of photos that should be accompanying this write up. What can I say? I’m no photographer. To be blunt, the photos I managed to take suck ass and I’d be shaming myself, this magazine and the festival by uploading them. But, I’m sure the reader will be able to find ample photos online.

This year was the 17th Big Chill Festival. If I’m honest, the festival only came to my attention after the editor asked me if I wanted to attend and rep Example. After a quick consultation with Google, I was on it like white on rice.

The Big Chill is located on the green fields of Eastnor Castle Deer Park, which is in Herefordshire. Where’s that? Yeah, I had no idea either. It’s pretty much in the middle between Birmingham and Bristol. This year the festival provided an assortment of musicians and performers, ranging from chart toppers, underground stompers, and the down right weird and wonderful.

After a few hours of train hopping, and a delightful conversation with a random French dude who was also attending the festival, Sam and I made it to Great Malvern. We ventured out in to the quaint village in search of an ale. We found a Waitrose, got a couple of crates of Fosters, a few packs of sausages, a loaf and we were good to go.

We almost got lost, but managed to find our way back to the train station where some coaches awaited us. At this point my arms were pretty much hanging off because of all the shit I had to carry. None the less, we clambered on board and set off for the festival site.

8.30. After getting our press passes we made our way in to the site. We decided to jib off the press camp site and just set up our tent at the first decent speck. We threw the tent up,  listening to Empire Of The Sun echoing on the main stage in the background and then made our way to the stage area.

We strolled around for a little while, taking in the sites and smells, everybody was having fun, laughing, jumping around; happy vibes. It became apparent very quickly that this was going to be a good weekend.

The first tent we came across was labelled The Sound Of The Cosmos. With a name like that you know it’s going to be good. Upon entry I realized that the DJ playing was Swindle. If you don’t know who Swindle is get to know! He played a bangin’ set of funked-out, bass goodness. I found somebody with a program; dude was proper wonky, having the time of his life. XXXY was on on The People’s Ear Stage in an hour or so.

We decided to get high and go and watch The Chemical Brothers on The Deer Park Stage before heading back to the tent for a jumper and some more supplies for the evening.

Upon returning to the stage area we wandered in to the Enchanted Garden and saw a band called Deathray Trebuchay on the Global Local stage. What a wacky band! Instrumental Ska music with, I’m not sure what else. Whatever it was, it was awesome!

Time had got away from us. We quickly made our way to see XXXY but he’d already been on. Scuba was now playing. I wasn’t feeling it. He was playing Techno or something along those lines. It was boring whatever it was, and he looked miserable as well. Very dull indeed. We got out of there quick time.

I can’t remember what happened after that. My memory is a bit shit. I guess we walked around for a while and then went back to The People’s Ear Stage to catch Digital Mystikz. Need I say more? They smashed it as usual and closed the set with Out In The Streets by Africa Hitech. It went off!

The best hot chocolate ever, a doobe and bed is what followed.

The next morning; sausage butties, tea and a spliff. Followed by a shower and a piss in the worst toilets I’ve ever been in. It was a cesspool. Literally. I could see shit floating around beneath me. Not good after you’ve just ate a couple of sausage butties.

Kormac’s Big Band started the day off right! Excellent live Swing music with a sprinkle of Hip Hop and a splash of House. Old people, young people, strange people, all having a good time and getting down to the sound; awesome stuff!

Mr Scruff’s Tea Tent was our next port of call. A delightful cookie and classic cup of tea while it briefly drizzled.

The man that is Kutmah pleasured my ear drums afterwards. A fantastic display of Juke, Dubstep, Hip Hop and some other mad music. A great performance, just a shame more people weren’t there to experience it.

We headed back to the tent in order to sink some cans. Submotion Orchestra followed. That group get better every time I see them. Simply an amazing performance. Everybody was in to it.

I hate Kanye West. But he was playing the main stage afterwards. I had to see him so I could verify everything I thought about him. He came on... half an hour late. I’ll give props where they’re deserved. The introduction performance was awesome. Everything was awesome, until he came on. He performed a couple of songs and then started waffling shit. So much shit. I could smell it through the speakers. Kanye West - definition; twat!

Following that awful display of ego we went to The People’s Ear Stage to catch, what was surprisingly my highlight of the weekend, Buraka Som Sistema. These guys kicked so much ass! They put on one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. The crowd interaction was fantastic. They managed to convince no less than 15 young ladies to get on stage and shake it for a while before blasting everybody with some super soakers. Oh yeah, the music they played was sick too! If your not acquainted with that group I highly recommend checking out their music, and if they’re performing near you any time soon go and watch them! It’ll be well worth it! Buraka Som Sistema is what happens when you live in a country with no definitive EDM scene, take whatever the hell you want from all the electronic music you enjoy, and mash it all together. What you get is a whole world of awesome!

2 Many DJs entertained us for a while, they were pretty good. Afterwards we caught the end of Lil Silva’s set, which was also pretty good. I’ll be looking in to him in the future.

From here on out it was ragga muffin time. Gentlemen’s Dub Club rocked it for a while, before Congo Natty took to the stage. Ganja spliffs all around, everybody getting down to the earthy vibes, a very pleasant couple of hours.

Hot chocolate and bed.

The sun blazed as we walked around the following afternoon. We revisited Mr Scruff’s Tea Tent. This time I indulged in some exceptional fruit cake with lemon icing, and a mint and chili cup of tea. Splendid!

A whole crate of Fosters still remained. We went back to try and polish them off. An interesting performance from King Midas Sound followed. The tent was pretty empty, and I’m not a massive fan of them to be honest but it was interesting none the less.

After getting something to eat we returned to catch Four Tet. Boring as anything. I know he’s a head in the scene but sorry, I don’t get star struck, his set lacked any type of soul and diversity.

We took another stroll. Walking around was one of my favourite things to do at this festival. There were so many different types of people, all having a proper laugh, really enjoying themselves. Families, young people, old people and down right odd people. It was great!

Again we returned to The People’s Ear Stage. Julio Bashmore killed it. He played some extremely smooth House music. I don’t even like House and it was awesome! Simple, uplifting, floaty four to the floor business.

We moved to The Sounds Of The Cosmos tent to catch Ben UFO. To my delight Pangea and Ben UFO were going back to back. The mixing was second to none. Great technical ability, great track selection. Just really great! Out of nowhere a fight broke out. Some twats fighting over a girl. The MC was having none of it and quickly had them escorted out of the tent, but unfortunately it was too late, the mood had died.

The weekend ended with a great performance from Jamie XX, and it really was a great performance. Great skills on the decks, some really good music, and the tent was well and truly packed! Sweaty times! The only criticism is his set got a bit mono at the end. He could of change it up a bit. But oh well.

Hot chocolate and bed!

We awoke the next day to find half of the people had already got off. We sorted ourselves out quick time and followed suit!

The Big Chill is a great festival. Music for everybody. Food for everybody. Happy vibes all around, and with a conscious green and ethical effort running through out. If anybody wants to have fun, enjoy some good music and be in the company of equally happy people then I highly recommend you go to this next year!

In an age where almost everyone in the world has got a record label or is starting a label, the ratio of quality music to not ready for release music is constantly decreasing. The digital labels which flood the market with 19 LP releases a week from yet another highly "original" producer mean that it becomes increasingly difficult for true quality to shine through in the ocean of mundane stuff. 

Luckily there are some people in the industry who still have their heads screwed on when it comes to building and developing a label with a true sound and groove which gets left out so often today. One of these screwed on people has got to be Psylence, founder of Ingredients Records. Since its inception in 2009 Ingredients has steadily grown a respectable reputation through careful A and R and a passion for it's image and brand (Each release AKA "Recipe" comes with a recipe from the producer). One could argue that Ingredients is gradually squaring up to become a worthy opponent of some of the long standing drum and bass titans such as Exit, Soul:R and Shogun.

With Ingredient's meteoric rise to success in mind you can't help but be excited at the news that Psylence is now bringing us a new label.  "Mars Recordings" inspired by the legendary "Speed" night at Mars Bar, Charing Cross in the 90's will bring exclusively mid 90's style drum and bass with a contemporary edge. The first release on the new imprint comes next month with a double A side from dRamatic and dbAudio.

‘So Strong’ on the A side brings a perfect summer vibe to the dancefloor just in time for Autumn. Soulful string chords assisted perfectly by the harmonious vocal sample lead you into the sub filled bassline complimented further by a trumpet lick.

‘6 Degrees’ is a great accompaniment on the flip, carrying on the mood in style. With an abundance of sunshine atmosphere rolling out with rich piano stabs supported by euphoric synth pads, this is a real summer groove; a reminiscent sound with all the elements of old school soulful drum and bass.

The first release is out on the 22nd September 2011.