ENDOFTHELINE presents Meeting of Styles

 

 

 

10 Years of Technique!

Record labels come and go, especially ones of the drum and bass variety. Few make it past their first year, even fewer have any kind of lasting impact on the scene. Roll up Technique Recordings celebrating their ‘10 years in the game’ next month. What better way to celebrate their decade on the dance floor than by releasing an album? ‘10 years of Tecnique’ is a very special album project that will mark the label’s 10th birthday by mixing hard-to-find classics, remixes of the labels biggest tunes, and fresh new exclusives! The label is already home to big names on the scene such as Drumsound & Bassline Smith, Technicolour & Youngman. ALSO, by way of thanks, the label’s giving away a FREE PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DUBPLATE from each artist on the label! Yes boss! Download here.

the end of Knowledge?

Much loved drum and bass magazine Knowledge will be ending its 15 year print run this July. Before you reach for the pills, have no fear, it will be bigger and better than ever in online form.

Chase & Status play Hidden gig

Chase & Status and Pendulum are the latest artists to confirm to play at the upcoming Crisis Hidden Gigs on 17th June. Crisis aims to raise awareness of the horrendous situation facing hidden homeless people, who often don’t know where they will end up each night and are often forced to move from place to place.

Highly Confidential

 

 

Seeing as we’re on the subject of mashups…there’s no better way of making a shit tune goood than by wacking a dirty great big drum and bass beat over it. When it comes to remixes (of the drum and bass variety) there’s only one man for the job. He’s got fucking great hair the King of Hospital Records, High Contrast (sorry London Elektricity). For anyone that loves a slick vocal over a sick bassline, then look no further. His sets will have you singing along and shaking your boots till the lights come up and a sudden need for darkness, your duvet and a large cup of tea and a fag surfaces.

 

 Much to the delight of fans, his latest album offering ‘Confidential’ (released April 09) comes with a bonus CD wholly dedicated to his remixes. The album cover description reads ‘essential tracks and remixes’ but it is so much more than just that. It spans High Contrast’s career to date from 2001 – 2009 and documents his blazing trail through the drum and bass scene from its beginnings to present day.

The remix CD includes smashes such as his Erc Prydz – Pjanoo remix (the drop at 3.20 is siiick!) and and a beauiful mix of Adele’s Hometown Glory. High Contrast also throws in a Streets remix and reworks Utah Saints’ 2008 chart hit Something Good. He also borrows a tune (or two) off of arch nemesis old pal London Elektricity, first remixing I Remember the Future and My Dreams. Not to mention more mashups of Missy Elliott (a personal fave), Blaze – Precious Love (for the laydeeeez), Omni Trio and Bassment Jaxx.

Some are accusing High Contrast of being ‘bland’ and ’samey’ especially when it comes to his remixes. He may not be pushing the boundaries of sound but he’s obviously found a method that works and works fucking well. So if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, and trust me, it ain’t fucking broke.

mash it up

Dubstep is becoming about so much more than a heavy rumbling bassline. Dubstep DJs are reaching out to the masses (and remix whores like me) and mashing some of our favourite tunes with those big bouncy basslines that have made this genre take the rave scene by storm.

Here are my top 5 mash-ups of the moment:

1. I Love College – Asher Roth (Blue Bear remix)

2. In For The Kill – La Roux (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey remix)

3. I Remember – Deadmau5 & Kaskade (Caspa remix)

4. Blinded By The Lights – The Streets (Nero remix) 

5. Ghost Town – The Specials (Suspicious Stench remix OR the DJG remix, both are pretty sick)

Check out mashups for more…

 

Amsterdamned

Went to Amsterdam over the Bank Holiday weekend…just saying

a heavy bassline is my kinda silence

GWARN dizzee! heavy new tune featuring Armand van Helden, slightly cheesy video but we’ll allow that… check out the doorly dubstep remix in mashups…

breaking news CASPA and RUSKO are gay*

*not really…

…but this girl seems to think they are. And in the words of an Annie Mac tweet – ‘I wasn’t ready for this. watch it to the end. http://tinyurl.com/qpck67 WOW

roots, reggae, rocksteady and DJ Derek

DJ Derek never ceases to amaze me, and never fails to deliver a set to shake your boots to.  So his new residency at Notting Hill Arts Club has been especially welcome news. His effortless mix of reggae, to roots to ska and slowjams; everything from bob marley and the wailers (who he recently supported at a London gig, the wailers not marley obviously), to toots and the maytals, and even a bit of chaka demus and pliers. All the while MCing in his soft Jamaican patoi he picked up in St. Pauls in Bristol. Everyone in the room had fat grins on their faces as he dropped The Jackson 5 into The Specials…not a chin stroker in sight.