1/ Fireflake - Underground.
2/ Lusidbeats - Influx.
3/ Hektic - Well.
4/ DJ Twisted - Big Up.
5/ DJ Epsalon - Travelling Man.
6/ Karmz - It Neva Stopz.
7/ Alex Dex - Glycerol.
8/ Decibel Lecter - See No Light.
9/ Raket - Classic Technique.
10/ Distrax - Jump Up.
11/ Four10 - Badd.
12/ FiendReflex - Death To EDM.
13/ Sammo - Living Organism.
14/ Karmz & Gotcher - Aint What It Seems.
15/ Sophistics - From Dust To Dawn.
16/ Red Alfa - Cryogen.
17/ Pedro Jenko - Valentine's Day Mascara.
18/ Lusidbeats - What They Want.
19/ Fifteen'0'Eight ft Chop Norris - Rising.
20/ Mangled - Nettles.
21/ Jungle Toy - Nina Spammina.
22/ Babylon3 - D9 Catapilla.
23/ Candary - Mellow Breaks.
24/ DJ Ruzt - Bassline Rockin'.
25/ Karmz - Sex Music.
26/ Thompsonics - Locust.
27/ NoyaD9 - Reaction.
28/ Distrax - Jungle Future.
29/ Thompsonics - Quench.
30/ Red Alfa - Higher State.
31/ John Browne - Gut Reactions.
32/ Babylon3 - Sting Ray.
33/ Blind Begga - Stronger.
34/ Decibel Lector - Dirtbag.
35/ Electrik Substance - Porthole.
36/ Dirty Dongle - Dongle This.
Red Alfa Records returns hot on the heels of July's now legendary 'Sub Bass' album with 'Total Drum & Bass 2015'. A mammoth selection of all encompassing, upfront Drum & Bass anthems featuring the finest selection of underground artists on the scene.
Now as there are THIRTY-SIX tracks featured on this gargantuan volume, I'm gonna give a one line description for each of them in this review. Here goes...
Opening with two hard-hitting neuro D&B numbers, Fireflake's 'Underground' and companion piece 'Influx' by Lusidbeats, it becomes clear that from the onset 'Total Drum & Bass 2015' isn't going to be taking any prisoners in it's attempt to conquer all sound systems large and small. Hektik follows with his reggae and ragga infused, 2 stepper 'Well' while DJ Twisted unleashes a tearing piece of amen funk with 'Big Up'. After the previous rough and rugged beats DJ Epsalon offers up some liquid soul with 'Travelling Man' before we take a step into the darkness with the sinister, vibrating synth-line led 'It Neva Stopz' from Karmz.
Alex Dex is on the case next with 'Glycerol', which combines stepping breaks with euphoric trance melodies while Decibel Lecter merges electro house with bass and breaks on 'See No Light'. 'Classic Technique' by Raket rolls out a buzz-saw bassline and amen break combo attack before receiving reinforcements from Distrax who unleashes a the rudeboy anthem 'Jump Up'. Four10 follows with 'Badd', a bass heavy stepper with an infectiously hypnotic, razor sharp synth riff while FiendReflex offers up a Drum & Bass call-to-arms with 'Death To EDM' to close the first third of the album.
Sammo brings forth a killer warped bassline on 'Living Organism' accompanied by Karmz & Gotcher's minimalist funk-stepper 'Ain't What It Seems' and Sophistics's Summer jungle vibed 'From Dust To Dawn'. While Red Alfa steps up with some sophisticated breakage with 'Cryogen' and is backed up by the sublime 'Valentine's Day Mascara' by Pedro Jenko and the return of Lusidbeats with the undulating bassline driven 'What They Want'.
Fifteen'0'Eight featuring Chop Norris brings us some amen interlaced D&B with 'Rising' complete with a riff that'll be stuck in your head for weeks to come. Mangled stings you with the punchy and atmospheric trumpet laden 'Nettles' backed up by the short, but sweet, growling synth dominated 'Nina Spammina' by Jungle Toy. Babylon3 adds some lush ochestral scoring to some wicked, classic Bad Company style percussion on 'D9 Ctapilla' whilst Candaray takes things down-tempo to open his chilled, yet tense stepper, on the perfectly titled 'Mellow Breaks'. DJ Ruzt then offers up 'Bassline Rockin' which delivers lashings of sparse breaks, moody bass plus one hell of an emotive and unexpected piano led drop.
Karmz makes his third appearance on the album, this time with the gnarly synth-led 'Sex Music' accompanied by Thompsonics' euphoric Reese bass-monster 'Locust'. Definitely one for the 'hands-in-the-air' massive. NoyaD9 unleashes an '80's sci-fi soundtrack reminiscent amen beast with 'Reaction' before we go all tear-out business again with Distrax's ten-tonne, dark jungle roller 'Jungle Future'. Thompsonics returns once again with a drumstep meets saw-toothed bass belter, 'Quench' closely backed up by the ominous and panicked sounding 'Higher State' from Red Alfa.
Kicking off the final six tracks of the album is John Browne with his massive, oldskool hardcore vs D&B based 'Gut Reactions' backed up by the electrifying synth line and stepping breaks led 'Sting Ray' from Babylon3. Blind Begga introduces 'Stronger', a catchy as hell, female vocal focused number while Decibel Lector drops some filthy, noirish vibes with 'Dirtbag', as if he was scoring a dark, sci-fi crime thriller. Electrik Substance delivers an a wicked electric shock synth on 'Porthole', complete with kung-fu flick samples before the album closes on a high with 'Dongle This', a rap/ragga meets booming bass and breaks monster by the Dirty Dongle.
All in all Red Alfa Records 'Total Drum & Bass 2015' album expertly covers so many different flavours and sub-genres of the Drum & Bass genre, that if you find that none of your D&B cravings are satisfied, then it may just be time for you to get into deep house (yawn!). Essential purchase!!!
The massive 36-track 'Total Drum & Bass 2015' album will be available to purchase from all good digital download stores on 20/08/15, so be sure you get your hands on this heavyweight selection of danefloor artillery.
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For more information on Red Alfa Records, their artists and back catalogue, be sure to check out the official Red Alfa Records website...
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