OUT NOW: Drum&BassArena Summer Selection 2013!
It’s finally landed! Drum&BassArena Summer Selection 2013 is loaded with enough sunny-side vibes to complement every possible antic you’re planning this season and beyond. From hair-raising peaktime slammers to understated soulful rollers, each and every track has been cherry-picked to highlight the warmest summer we’ve had in years. Just in case you missed it in previous posts, here’s the tracklist…
CD 1
1. Drumsound & Bassline Smith Feat. Fleur – One In A Million (Tantrum Desire Remix)
2. Wilkinson – Take You Higher (Dimension Remix)
3. Torqux Feat. Lady Leshurr – Blazin’
4. Chords – Biting Point
5. Donea’o – Fire (The Prototypes Remix)
6. Delano – Big, Bad & Heavy (Logistics Remix)
7. Artificial Intelligence Feat. Steo – Let It Be (DJ Marky & S.P.Y Remix)
8. High Contrast Feat Selah Corbin – Wish You Were Here
9. LSB – Solstice
10. DJ Marky & S.P.Y – Yellow Shoes (Calibre Remix)
11. Nu:Logic Feat Lifford – Everlasting Days
12. Nookie – A Drum, A Bass & A Piano (Madcap Refix)
13. A.M.C & DBR UK Feat Robby Stone – Blue Waters
14. Commix – Be True
15. Sub Zero – Brighter Days (Krakota Remix)
CD2
1. Alix Perez Feat Sabre & Sam Willis – The End Of Us
2. Ivy Lab Feat Franck Carter III – Afterthought
3. Halogenix Feat Zoe Klinck – Raw Deal
4. Commix – How You Gonna Feel
5. Harvest – Keep It Real
6. Symptom Feat Ella – Overrule My Senses
7. Need For Mirrors Feat Jasmine Spence & Grimm – Silent Runner
8. Savage Rehab Feat Saxxon – Rare Groove
9. S.P.Y – Love Hurts
10. Submorphics – Summer Soul
11. Nelver & Simplification – Midnight
12. Hybrid Minds – Meant To Be
13. Technimatic – The Unspoken
14. Stanza – Glow
15. Nookie – Only You (dRamatic & dbAudio 2013 Remix)
Of course it wouldn’t be a Drum&BassArena album without exclusives… And there are no less than 10 tracks you will not hear anywhere else nestled among the 30-strong playlist. Make no mistakes: it’s one of our most exciting collections to date.
Over the last four weeks we’ve been chatting to some of the men behind these special contributions. This week we’re chatting to Need For Mirrors. They’ve given us Silent Runner, a track that’s morphed and mutated organically since last summer. Now sporting the huge vocal talents of Grimm and Jasmine Spence, it’s a serious jewel in the Summer Selection 2013 crown. We gave them a call to find out more…
Silent Runner has been floating around for a while, right? Are you happy it’s found its home on Drum&BassArena?
Yes, we are all happy how Silent Runner turned out. It went through different stages of production from an instrumental mix with a different groove to the final mix. Some of our tunes can take a few years to find there groove… Others can happen overnight.
When did you decide to include vocals?
As it progressed it ended at a stage where we were using it as an opening track but it just needed a vocal. We had Grimm writing some vocals for us for various tracks and we ended up sending him Silent Runner. He was working with Jasmine, he played her the tune and that’s where it all started. The vocals were recorded and the track took on a new dynamic with more of a timeless quality.
Is this the usual way you work with vocalists – make the track then send it to them? Or do you usually work with them in the studio and react to their input?
Yeah normally I have the idea, track name and vocal content in mind. Sometimes I co-write the vocals or start the narrative for them to work from. But, often the case, the vocals come back and the track is not as good as the vocals! So we start off on an entirely new direction. We have a few tracks with vocalists that we keep reworking and approaching then leaving for to ferment. Most of the time the tracks have to fit the label and that moment of time, otherwise they can easily just fade into obscurity.
We’re well acquainted with Grimm from his Hyrbid Minds material… have you worked with him before? Or has he been on your vocalist wishlist?
I’m not sure how we met. He was sending us tunes for a while and I didn’t know he was also a singer till he got in touch as we were playing one of his tunes with Sinistarr. From there we just bounced ideas back and forth. We have three or four tracks with him, Silent Runner being the first to be released, but not the first to be recorded. He is great to work with and a very talented versatile singer and writer.
Tell us about Jasmine Spence…
Jasmine Spence is based in Canada and is an amazing vocalist and writer. She can also write very emotive and powerful lyrics and knows exactly how she wants her voice to sound on a record. She has a huge future in the music industry and is a pleasure to work with.
What’s coming up after Silent Runner?
We have a remix of Skittles’ In For Me on Estate Recordings. Then a 10″ single on Dispatch, Slingblade & Grapefruit. There’s also a track on the new Horizons compilation, Dream Thief 4 called Warning Signs. Following that there’s a three track project for Commercial Suicide and various other releases coming out later in the year.
Okay. Picture this scene; you’ve worked hard in the studio for over a year, you’ve not had any time off at all, you’ve barely seen any daylight at all. Your doctor tells you it’s essential that you book a summer holiday NOW and he hands you a blank cheque… What would you book? Where would you go? What would you do?
Joe: I would go to Mauritius, go yachting, and just chill, eat and drink.
Emilio: Cuba. I have never been there, and I have always been fascinated by that island. And I love rum.
Now, finally, please give me your three favorite essential summer tunes. Any genre, from any period in time.
Joe’s Summer Selections…
I’m going to give you albums that I still rock now in the summer…
Bob Marley & The Wailers – Catch A Fire
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLc7VY1jZwk
I could pick any of his albums with The Wailers; they’re all awesome. No summer is complete without one. Hunt this one out on vinyl as it has a crazy zippo inspired sleeve.
Miles Davis – Bitches Brew
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30Acy8Z9jkw
This album is intoxicating and experimental. I can just get lost in it for the entire duration of the LP. Truly ground breaking.
N.E.R.D – In Search Of
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DxGltvsZ1s
This just has a vibe about it that can’t be replicated. It’s the group’s first album and is just full of classic tunes. This 2001 version is less rock-oriented and more electronic and contains the skits and narrative of the third N.E.R.D member Shay who features on the cover. It’s a cosmic joy ride.
Emilio’s Summer Selections…
Dr Dre feat Snoop Dogg – Still Dre
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPTGR4FYCMA
The entire Dr Dre 2001 album is a summer essential. A classic hip-hop album which should be built into every car.
Bob Marley – Buffalo Soldier
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5FCdx7Dn0o
The hook has been a summer anthem for three generations
Righeira – L’estate Sta Finendo
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfLN75jtFOk
It literally translates to “summer is ending” and is an Italo disco hit from 80s, I don’t even like the song that much, but it brings memories when played at the end of the summer.
Drum&BassArena Summer Selection 2013 is out now!