Tech Level 2 - Hymn/Hard times (2000), Tempest/Lexicon (2001), Teknological/Master (2002)

Contrary to my earlier "one album at a time"-posts, I'm deliberately posting this batch of 12" EP's, kindly contributed by a reader of the blog, in one happy threesome, so that you can download and hear the progression between EP's for yourself.

Tech Level 2 is yet another project by Justin Broadrick, with the focus being on drum and bass. Having only heard Chemical before, a track featured on the Genetically unmodified- and Mind the gap Vol. 28-compilations, I was anxiously awaiting these tunes.

As I listened through these digitized pieces of wax chronologically, I was pleasantly surprised with Broadrick's sound- and beat-wise progression. While the first two EP's are nice pieces of solid drum and bass sounds, they sadly were not much more than that. Admittedly I had high expectations, and perhaps I set my "standards" a bit too high, as I had hoped for a bit more of a flogging sound.

If the previous ones were a bit of a letdown for me, most of my doubts were then cast aside as Teknological came on. The track builds up rather slowly, a calm before the storm, which then finally breaks out somewhere around two minutes into the track. Now, this is something I was looking forward to.

The furious Master isn't really going to give you any more room to breathe either. An assault on every front, armed with some howling bass and truely raging beats, this one stood out as my personal favourite of the bunch.

While not presenting us with anything truely groundbreaking, I like what Tech Level 2 had to offer. It's an honorary attempt at drum and bass by a bloke who is really into what he does, willing to experiment beyond those childish genre limitations of what is accepted and what is not. But like I stated above, my expectations were admittedly a bit too high this time around, and my hopes for another scorcher in the vein of Krackhead were a bit over the top.

While the first two EP's are lacking some crucial punch in a few right places, in my opinion Tech Level 2 still ends up on the positive side of things with Teknological/Master. Check it out and hear for yourselves. Enjoy!

Download the 'Hymn/Hard times' (Dub) 12"EP
Download the 'Tempest/Lexicon' 12"EP
Download the 'Teknological/Master' 12"EP
(Hymn/Hard times (Dub): 18MB/192CBR)
(Tempest/Lexicon: 15MB/192CBR)
(Teknological/Master: 18MB/192CBR)

Quoit - Properties (2001)

Here's one more album by Quoit. The familiar drum and bass-formula of the first full length has been refined even more, and out comes an album that is almost surgically stripped down to the bare necessities: drum and bass.

Like on the previous Quoit album, Harris once again dishes out enough low end and subzero bass frequencies to rupture holes into the space-time continuum. The second key aspect of this album is the thing which many artists, in any possible genre, are missing: atmosphere. The ambience and mood is reminiscent of his work with Lull, with harsh breakbeats and drilling bass layered on top.

If you happened to like the previous Quoit-album I featured, you know what you're in for. The sound is cleaned up even more, it's almost clinical in purity at times.

Those who are still struggling with the term drum and bass, give it a chance. I think this swirling mass of chaotic and mixed up rhythms, harsh and distorted beats, is purity at it's finest. This really doesn't give your eardrums much of a rest at any point, it's an sonic onslaught at all times. Be prepared for the audio artillery attacking you from every possible direction, drilling it's way into your brain with a barrage of noises and beats.

Mr. Harris, whatever you put your paws on, you never seem to disappoint. Try it, feel it, love it.

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+19MB/320CBR)

Quoit - Lounge (1996)

Boys and girls, it's time to feel the love again. Just in time for the weekend, here's our dear Mick Harris unleashing one of the true masterpieces of drum and bass.

Don't worry, though. If you don't want positive vibes with your music, that's pretty much been stripped away here. Heavy drum and bass beats with isolationist soundscapes floating all around you. Very atmospheric!

The album features eight tracks, with a total running time of just under sixty minutes. Before you decide listen to this, heed a word of warning: The deep end on this album is HUGE. No kidding, the bass is somewhere really down and out there. Hope you enjoy!

Download part 1
Download part 2
(95+29MB/320CBR)