Eclectic Minds: a moment for DJs of all shades to big up D&B.
This week we lock in with Doorly whose penchant for D&B is so strong he’s been pretty influential in bringing bass to Ibiza via his night Reclaim The Dancefloor and, this summer, We Are Rockstars. Armed with a distinctive DJ style that knows no genres, he’s been at the forefront of the White Isle’s mutating soundtrack, inviting the likes of Chase & Status, Sub Focus, Skream & Benga and Major Lazor to sully the otherwise house and trance-tinged line-ups.
Meanwhile back in the UK you can find him on Rinse on rotation with two other well-known erstwhile D&B players; Zinc and Redlight. Or running his bass-ravaged unclassifiable label Pigeonhole This. Or, for that matter, working on some pretty crazy collaborations…
“Yeah, I seem to be doing loads at the moment,” he grins. “Grandmaster Flash, Beardyman, Riton, Dave Spoon and Jakes Shears and the Jungle Brothers.”
He had us at Grandmaster. Back to D&B business and Doorly admits he was late comer to the scene but quickly got up to speed using our very own download store!
“I was playing a gig In Newquay years ago and Grooverider was playing in the other room,” he explains. “I was like ‘bloody hell, this fun to dance to!’ So I started digging around, went on Drum&BassArena, of course, downloaded all the classics and top 10s and started working out how I could manipulate it into my sets. Now it’s a huge part of everything I do. D&B is massive for my DJ sets. It pitches me between hip-hop and house music really nicely. It can be techy, it’s funky, it’s bassy – it fits in everywhere.”
For a fine example of just how he fits it in, check his mixes right here. And while you’re at it, check his soundcloud and his previous work on our very own store. Now let’s check out his top 3 D&B bangers shall we?
Origin Unknown – Valley Of The Shadows
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5meT63flnM&feature=fvst
Listen and download
“I actually only realised how amazing this was a few years ago. A lot later than I should do! I was playing in Atlanta with DJ Zinc. I’d known of it for years but didn’t know enough about it, didn’t know the name or anything. Anyway Zinc played it and I’ve played it ever since. He gave me a proper lesson in jungle that night, the party wasn’t very busy so he educated me. Amazing. Big ups to Zinc!”
Ray Keith – Chopper [Shy FX Remix]
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBv_1E9Dnwg
Listen and download
“I think I heard Shy FX play this for the first time years ago. I love the way the bass drops in and out with that stuttering feeling – I do a cool scratch pattern over it and it always works really well. Then that vocal sample: ‘ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please!’. Please this in any club and people stand up to attention, it always kicks off!”
Zeds Dead Feat Mavado – Undah Your Skirt
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgecZMKEFuI
“Not quite as classic as the others but I love these guys… They make all sorts of noises, from dark, tribally house stuff to Skrillex style dubstep. They also make drum & bass. Nothing compares to this – whatever you play, before or after. Whenever I make a drum and bass track I’ll put this on for reference because it’s just so banging!”