quête:hefty

Next up to close out a hefty year of DJ-Kicks releases is one
Daniel Avery, bringing with him two exclusive new tracks and
a host of techno heavy goods. In his own words:
"To me, the most appealing thing about electronic music is that
it requires time and patience to fully enjoy. It's about becoming
lost in the repetition and the atmosphere. The warmth of the
kick drum.It's important to remember to take a breath in this world. The studio and the club can offer similar experiences in that regard but it never feel like it's running away from things. It's almost the opposite: it's in those moments where we stop that we can feel the most alive.We're constantly being told that modern generations have no attention span but it's simply not true. There is more out there to distract us but we have not changed as humans. Kids now want to go and listen to a DJ play for ten hours and become locked in their world. A mix CD, like an album, is designed to be listened to from beginning to end. It's something I still firmly believe in.

Ascorbite resurfaces from the depths of the notorious Malmö underground with his second release on Corseque Records. This time, Ascorbite takes the old school route and puts the heavy arsenal on the A-side and the late night swings on the B-side.

The title track Actuator is nothing less than a behemoth, crushing and trampling everything in its way like one of Tolkien's Oliphaunts on speed. Spore Crawler is darker and just as sinister as its name, sounding like a suitable soundtrack to a combat scene in a dystopian Richard Morgan sci-fi novel. The warm and dub-hefty Cast Adrift and the clever tech-stepper Mara on the flip side are completely different species - tracks that makes you want to close your eyes and make sweet love to the smoke machine. The two sides combined, Actuator EP shows great versatility and character on Ascorbite's side. A record sure to be found in a great number of diverse record bags come fall.

Italian rudeboy Ivan Iacobucci brings his brand of lowdown funk-influenced tech house to Apollonia with this sterling three-tracker. Over two decades of hard work and dedication to his craft has culminated in Ivan's untainted reputation and widespread respect within the underground from true heads like Zip and, of course, the Apollonia boys. His love of jazz in evident throughout this EP which is full of subtlety and depth, pulsating b-lines and smooth chords are interlaced with razor-sharp percussion and delicate keys. The first track 'Old In On' has a laid back, though driving, groove, pushing forward with a hefty bassline that is perfectly counterbalanced by the light twinkling keys and barely-there pads. 'Scris Frumos' encapsulates more of an ominous, tribal feeling with intricate effects trickling through every pore of its deep, dark exterior. Its atmospherics keep you intrigued, voices echo in the background and a few moments of softened chimes really intensify the already mysterious vibe. 'Mini Ass' channels more of that electro-funk that forms the foundation of Ivan's love for music, haywire radio pulses prance around stuttered beats, giving it a slightly cosmic feel, while pipes add a more organic nuance to the track. Absolutely masterful work from Ivan, and another inspired addition to the Apollonia catalogue.

For our next release we have called upon Sideways. Two artists who's relationship with Watergate dates back to the clubs beginning nearly twelve years ago. It was in the early 90's when Marcus Kaye and Lee Ching worked at two of the most influential record shops in the UK resulting in a mutual friendship born out of an eternal hunt for new and exciting music. Soon both were at the forefront of a progressive Drum and Bass movement under their Marcus Intalex and Dj Lee monikers performing on a global scale and contributing some of the most influential music of the genre but never actually collaborating. As Kaye broadened his horizons creating the Trevino alias to critical acclaim and Ching went the mundane route of 9 to 5 normality the duo's still weekly conversations about the nuances of modern house and techno turned into Sideways. Finally, after more than a decade, the two have joined forces to bring us the truly unique and exciting EP, Retraced". Although all the tracks on Retraced' are rooted heavily in a techno aesthetic, they all possess parts spanning across a wide range of genres from drum and bass to deep and soulful house. With the title track Retraced' the two take a euphoric journey laced with rich strings laid over a hefty bassline while Minor Difference' holds no punches and goes straight for the four to the floor approach ripe for the strobe lights on a crowded, dark dance floor. The final cut on the EP is PJ's Groove' and of all the three, it's the throwback. With crisp open hi hats, warm organ stabs and big washed out pads it feels like a trip down memory lane, yet with an updated, modern twist. After more than a decade in the making, we think it's the perfect collaboration for us at Watergate and, we think you will feel the same.

Plasma Audio bring the heat with their third release and first outing for 2015. With three releases under their belt so far they have succeeded in cutting a solid path with enormous cuts from Icicle and Sabre among others. For the third release they've enlisted Fre4knc.
Plasma like to keep things on the grittier side of drum and bass and these two Fre4knc cuts do just that. The A side, Chain of Command is a rumbling roller that swoops and crunches through your ears and on the flip Sinjek feels more spacious and lean, but still delivers a hefty punch.

With this ep 4lux introduces you to the sounds of underground Belfast. One of his dj-trips brought Gerd to this wonderful city where he was given a demo by local crew Schmutz. From that day on Slaned is one of the highlights of his sets. The Schmutz duo serve you with 3 dirty & mental house tracks. A hefty 4lux debut!

Strago & Krone have gradually been carving out the Mutacube sound over these past few years. Cursed is a prime example of their particular brand of stripped-down futuristic funk: moody yet dancefloor orientated. Crank it up! Anemona, with its minimal groove, is the deeper cut on this 12" Brimming with intricate percussion and a hefty low end, it effortlessly wins you over.