September 2012 ~ HotBox

Star One - Mad Ting ft. Faro

Those Star One boys have been working hard since the successful release of 'Respect' and are back with another banger. 'Mad Ting' takes a fresh direction away from previous releases, with 4x4 House beats joining Grime laced riddims in what some may consider an 'unholy union' of sorts. However on the contrary, this unusual mixture works surprisingly well, with Star One's top production values keeping high frequencies crisp and the lows freqs full of richness, all tied together by Faro's MCing,...

Artist Recordings - Summer Vibes LP

We've waited patiently for this one and though the best of summer may already be long behind us, Artist Recordings latest LP has finally arrived. The sixteen track LP covers a delivers a broad spectrum of vibrant Drum & Bass tunes, with the kind of high production values we've come to expect from the label. Though the LP is hardly 'one-sided', it could be said that the majority of tracks lean more toward the 'Liquid' end of DnB (and even Dubstep; see Subranger's 'Underwater' VIP). This is...

Armeria - Let's Go Somewhere

We've been meaning to post up about this track for about a week now, having just started to get a grip on the massive back log of music (it's been a busy Sept). If you already familiar with Armeria, then you'll know the Brit has gathered a strong internet following due to his particular ability for flawlessly infusing RnB vibes with bouncy Garage grooves. His latest release, 'Let's Go Somewhere', is of course no exception to this rule, providing all the warm synths, crisp percussion...

DJ Honda & Mos Def - Travellin Man (DnB bootleg)

Production wizard Atlantic Connection has just recently made his previously unreleased bootleg of 'Travellin Man' available for FREE download. Originally created in 2002, with Mos Def on the mic and that DJ Honda touch still all over the bootleg beat, there's really nothing not to like in this slice of jazzy liquid heaven. Grab the FREE download here and brighten up your day with a little Drum & Bass! WANT MORE? Then follow The HotBox on Facebook and Twit...

Vacationland - Legalize It (Mixtape)

Lazy Saturdays.....even with summer pretty much long gone now, there's still ample need for a good chillout kotch session. Luckily we have just what you'll need, The Zen Zone's aka Vactionland's 'Legalize It' mixtape, an electric mix of cross-genre music, field samples and atmosphere, described quite nicely by what the Brooklyn based Vactionland has coined as 'Blazewave'. It's the kind of high flying California vibe that aligns neatly with the mixtapes hazy (and subtly political)...

Visitor - Coming Home (Vanguard Remix)

London based VISITOR have been sending us their material for a while now and while their debut release 'Coming Home / RnB', has been meet with generally positive reviews, it's the Vanguard remix of 'Coming Home', which has really caught our attention. On first listen it may come across as a bit EDM-like (Feed Me, Skrillex etc) but don't let that put you off straight away. Give the track a chance, and you'll find a carefully crafted banger as ravey as it is funky, resembling something that seems...

Luvian - Valley Girl

The mellow grooves of Luvian have always been a sight for sore eyes (ears?) for us here at The HotBox, with many a hangover or two seemingly drifting away after some time with Luvian's tracks. The Brighton based producer has just released what might possibly be our favorite track from him yet, 'Valley Girl', a downtempo lullaby complete with sweetly pitched vocals and just the kind of gentle, yet complex melody and percussion arrangement, that we need post-party. If you've been on one,...

Breeze Block & Skyro - Spectrum

This FREE DnB track comes courtesy of DNBR. Breeze Block & Skyro's 'Spectrum' is a synth heavy roller that lies more on the liquid/pop side of Drum & Bass.....think Danny Byrd and that new Hospital Records sound. This is of course by no means a bad thing, although the radio friendly accessibility of the track my put some off at first. However given a few listens, 'Spectrum' is undoubtedly a solid tune, well deserving of the support its receiving from the likes of Liquicity and Radio 1Xtra. Grab...

Tjard - Finsterblau / Gellgrün

It's a stereotype, but you really can depend on the Germans for great House music. In this case Mecklenburg-Vorpommern native Tjard has decided to give some sweet vibes away for FREE in the form of 'Finsterblau' and 'Gellgrün'. Production wise, both tracks are solid, leaning more on the side Minimal/Tech House, but with plenty of groove to get your feet moving. If that sounds like your bag then grab the FREE downloads here and here, then on over to Soundcloud to show some love and grab more great...

Friday Mix: Hybrid Minds DnB

We haven't done a proper Friday Mix in a while now and a lot of you have got in touch to express your disappointment. We promise to get the HotBox Friday mixes back up and running soon with a variety of artist and genres, including guest DJs. But in the meantime, he's a wonderful mix from Hybrid Minds, to fufil your DnB cravings. Download the whole thing for FREE via Breakbeat.co.uk WANT MORE? Then follow The HotBox on Facebook and Twit...

Jessie Ware - Sweet Talk (Saux Remix)

Since the release of Jessie Ware's very well received debut album, it was only a matter of time before the remixes started flooding in. In this case, Dutch producer Saux has given the title track 'Devotion'. Saux's production talent floods through the track, as he turns the original on its head, taking a much more House/Bass oriented direction. The end product is a proper mellow groove and instant welcome addition to electronic music fan's library. Preview after the jump and grab the...

Warren Xclnce - Say Goodbye

It's been a while since we heard from North London's finest new Hip-Hop/Bass producer Warren Xclnce. Fortunately he's been hard at work, producing new material. His latest track, entitled 'Say Goodbye' continues onward with Warren's most recent Garage/Bass vibe, without falling neatly into any genre box. At it's heart the track is a kind of minimal, mellowed out roller. But search deeper, and you'll find a somewhat solemn, yet carefully crafted melody, percussion pattern so detailed and layered...

Nate Dogg - I Got Love (ENiGMA Dubz Remix)

It's a crying shame that Nate Dogg isn't with us anymore, but ENiGMA Dubz is keeping the legend alive with this sweet ass remix. It's not quite Dubstep, but rather G-Funk/Hip-Hop with a bigger bassline..exactly the kind of vibe everyone in the rap-scene is pushing for. It takes a brummie production whiz like ENiGMA Dubz to pull it off without even trying and give it out for FREE. Grab the download here and show some love on ENiGMA Dubz's Soundcloud. WANT MORE? Then follow The HotBox...

Wildcat! Wildcat! - End Of The World Everyday (Vindata Official Remix)

We're big fans of the Wildcat! Wildcat! sound here on The HotBox. So naturally, when the band got in touch to share some remixes, we were keen to see what kind of new could come out of the old, so to speak. There's always a certain amount of fear and uncertainty when dealing with a remix. Whilst you expect to hear something new, the track should also act as a homage to the original mix. It's a tough balance of keeping the intended feel intact but adding another layer. However, with Vindata's...

Equator Club - Healing

It's always time for some Future Bass/Garage....so this week we're presenting Equator Club aka Emmanuel Egwu and his track 'Healing'. Being based in Chicago must have its advantages and those House roots really come across throughout the track, though the main rhythmic structure ultimately seems to take its cues from the 2step/Garage, Bristol House vibe.....Expect plenty of pitched RnB vocal sample and the kind of sexy deep melodies that bode very well for Equator Club's impending full EP...

Synthetic Epiphany - Stranger

It's been a while since we've had any Dubstep on the blog, fortunately Synthetic Epiphany has come along with 'Stranger'. In true Synthetic Epiphany style, this track isn't just Dubstep by the numbers, it's a slightly different, unusual take on the genre, keeping all the deep bass and aggressive drops you might expect, but with enough variation in the rhythm structure and it's melodic composition to set it apart from the rest. This really is a refreshing track in terms of what has become a rather...

Submotion Orchestra - Blindspot (Maribou State Remix)

I love Soundcloud, I really do. It's not all gold out there on the internet, but Soundcloud really helps you find those audio gems. Gems like Maribou State, the London based Future Bass wizards who recently put their spin on Submotion Orchestra's 'Blindspot'. As if the original wasn't already epic enough, they really transform the track, possessing exactly the kind of awesome production skills required to give the remix an edge which is both dark and mysterious, but with kind uplifting...

FREnchfire & SZAJNA - Remix E.P

Regular readers will already be familiar with FREnchfire, a Future Bass/House producer from Hereford. Together with Manchester based SZAJNA, the two have put together a collaborative EP, featuring both original tracks and remixes of each others work. The result of this collaborative effort is, the 'Remix EP'; 4 tracks of deep and intelligent House, that both compare and contrast against each other, as remix and original lay side by side, whilst an overall bass leaning minimal style unites...