DRUM & BASS / DUBSTEP
guestlist.net
Issue 56 / 2013
ARTIST OF THE MONTH
KOVE
27
7
ALBUM OF THE MONTH:
EATBRAIN008
Having only caught the scene's attention in
2012 when his first release was picked up by
Viper head honcho Futurebound, Sussexbased Kove has experienced quite the rise to
Stardom.
First introduced to the
genre as recently as 2010,
Kove's ascent through the
drum and bass ranks can be
immediately justified after
one listen to his perfectly
crafted and versatile sound,
and it wasn't long before
legendary RAM boss Andy
C took notice of his prowess,
signing Kove to sister label
ProgRAM before releasing
his breakout hit "Iodine" in
October 2012. Going on to
remix American grunge duo
Deap Vally, chart-topping
crooner John Newman, and
stadium smashers Chase
and Status the following
year, Kove was eventually
signed
exclusively
to
Chase and Status' own
MTA Records. His first
release on the label, the
eagerly awaited Measures
EP, is out this month and
includes the soulful Radio
1 hit "Searching." It's been
a formidable first year in
the game for Kove, and
a huge 2014 is expected
from one of drum and bass'
most promising young
producers.
Ukranian artist Nikolay Bogomolov, aka NickBee, has steadily been rising over the last few
years, and today he releases his Eatbrain008 EP which is huge.
Having been producing drum and bass music since he
was but fifteen years old, now twenty-one, he is really
developing his sound into his own unique format.
While his Facebook page reads, somewhat unsurprisingly,
as though an incredibly large fanboy wrote it, there is some
truth between the hyperbole. NickBee is hugely talented;
as one reviewer pointed out, it is not simple to take a drum
and bass song from the standard 160-180bpm down to
130. That shows an appreciation for song structure that is
lacking in a lot of this genre's produce.
'Gain The Energy' does exactly as it promises. It blitzes
through the song in a way that the previous two tracks
wouldn't have suggested, a bold move but certainly one
that pays off for the EP as a whole. Certainly, the biggest
dance tune off the album and one which will live long in
the memory.
Finally, 'Blackline' is one of the most laid back drum
and bass tracks. DNB BLOGS's James Woods gives this
track the credit it's due in terms of the masterful tempo
reduction, but it's a track that can be listened to on all
occasions; shaking up the dancefloor, chilling out, mowing
the lawn if you so desire.
This EP could prove to be the stepping stone for NickBee
as it is a hugely complete piece of work. It shows a young
producer really finding his sound at point where he can
prove to be experimental while still staying true to himself.
Expect big things in the future from this one
OUR PLAYLIST
We present you with 4 of the hottest tracks and mixes out right now...
Wilkinson
Afterglow
Rene Lavice
Tap Dat (Chords Remix)
Critical Impact
Illa (feat. Jakes)
Klute
Hell Hath No Fury