MONDAY FACT: today is the worse day of the week for crappy, gloomy moods. Even when the weather’s glorious outside, scientists have proven there’s still 9030% more chance of you feeling a rubbish vibe today than any other day this week. This is why we run Positive Vibes – a chance for DJs to share their ultimate ‘happy place’ tunes and hopefully put a smile on your face too.
Over the months we’ve had some killer p-vibes from the likes of Fresh, Wickaman, Fields, TC, Netsky, Delta Heavy, June Miller and today we’re adding the mighty Drumsound & Bassline Smith to the list. Not that they need any positive vibes – with their new single Through The Night now A-listed on Radio 1, they’re over the moon.
“We’re buzzing!” says Simon. And so they should be, released today, Through The Night is an epic hands-up vocal banger. Its arrival is ideal for this time of the year… Or is it?
“Is it a summer tune?” asks Simon. “We actually conceived it autumn, winter time last year. So technically it isn’t! We’ve had time to get used to it, it’s part of us now. The fact that it’s come out in the summer and everyone receiving it as a summer tune is a bit of a bonus!”
You can make up your own minds. The dark love story video, which is on a par quality-wise with their awesome alien one last summer for Close, is right here…
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S85q2xSpwUI
“These days if you’re confident about your track and you really want to get people behind it, you got to have to have a video,” says Andy Drumsound. “But we don’t want to have any old clichéd drum & bass video. Our last one, Close, was a very light-hearted video because it was a light-hearted tune. This tune is a bit deeper with darker undertones so the video had to reflect that. We’re really pleased with it.”
Naturally there’s plenty more to come, with the duo working hard on completing their forthcoming album Wall Of Sound for late Sept/Oct. They tell us you can expect the whole gamut of grooves we’ve come to know and love them for. From liquid rollers to heavyweight bangers to sizzling halfstep, to old school rave joints to cheeky 140 numbers.
“We’re working solidly on it,” says Andy. “Making sure it’s as perfect as can be. It’s a snapshot of how we’ve evolved as artists over the last three years. There’s a lot of diversity in bass music and we’ve been really inspired by it.”
“The whole way bass music has taken so many twists and turns with dubstep and drum & bass and all forms of electronic music, it’s been phenomenal,” agree Simon. “And we’re in a great position within that. We hope people accept our body of work!”
Two and half years in the making, we’re expecting big, big things. Back to our Positive Vibes session and the trio (albeit with Dan Drumsound submitting his by proxy) have come forth with some of the best selections we’ve ever had. Think you know Drumsound & Bassline Smith? Think again!
“You go and listen to these three tunes and it’s a different picture of Drumsound & Bassline Smith that people might think,” grins Simon.
Let’s tuck in…
Through The Night is out now. Listen and download right here.
Donald Byrd – Wind Parade
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_CoWmoGgqY
Simon Bassline Smith: “Donald is one of those masters of music from way back. Jazz man, funk man, he’s a proper legend! I’ve been listening to this for as long as I can remember and I never get tired of hearing it. When I was thinking about this interview I went straight to this record and it gets me every time! So beautiful and powerful. The ultimate positive vibe for me, without argument.”
St Germain – Thank U Mum
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA00B_PYaro
Andy Drumsound: “Taken from their Boulevard album which is one of my favourite albums ever. This is just such an amazing tune! It’s such a long groove with a huge amount of depth and funk. The vocal is incredible, it’s got this gospelly vibe to it. Really, if you’ve not heard this yet you really are in for a treat!”
William Orbit – Water From A Vine Leaf
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H59G6GFTahI
Dan Drumsound: “Dan’s away but he sent us this as his selection. Obviously we can’t speak directly for him, but it’s clearly a beautiful piece of music. Very classic electronica. Really cool ambience with a nice little breakbeat behind it. Quite lush really. It takes you somewhere else. I’m sure that’s why he picked it!”
