Translation drops its second digital exclusive, check it out!

Keep it locked to the website for more info on this one - big tunes from TRNSL!

Thought
a. Cultigen
b. Protest Songs
Written and produced by I. Sotirov

Cat. #:  TRNSLDIGI002
Release Date:  October 3, 2008
Distribution:  www.digital-tunes.net, www.junodownload.com, and www.translation-recordings.com
Format:  .wav & .mp3
Description:
Translation Recordings’ second digital-exclusive release featuring the epic and ominous vibes of Thought
from Bulgaria.  Breaking away from his typically harder-edged and techy sound, Thought delivers a slice of
post-apocalyptic bliss, seamlessly blending tribal percussive elements, melancholy strings, cinematic
vocals, and his signature pan flute solos.  Thought opens “Cultigen” with an eerie mélange of orchestral
strings and tribal instrumentation that descends into a militant kick-sub combination punctuated by congas
that maintains the overall cadence of the track.  Flip to “Protest Songs,” which is arguably the more melodic
of the two, for a similar urgency with rich industrial percussion, layered congas, unforgiving kicks, and
haunting cinematic samples driven by a frantic lead that is guaranteed to unleash chaos on the dance floor.

 Thought - Cultigen TRNSLDIGI002a: Download
 Thought - Protest Songs TRNSLDIGI002b: Download

Reached back into the archives and rolled through an all-Translation Recordings mix for the first half.  You can grab any of the back catalogue on 320 mp3 at Juno Download, Digital Tunes, or theTranslation Recordings Store with the exception of the Thought tunes.

Expect to see TRNSLDIGI002, Thought - “Cultigen” and “Protest Songs” in the first week of October.  Hold tight for more info on that!!!

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. ASC - Atlantic Breeze - Translation Recordings
3. Sporophyte - Perception - Translation Recordings
4. Resound - Sounds of the City (ASC RMX) - Translation Recordings
5. Thought - Cultigen - Translation Recordings (forthcoming)
6. Resound - Secrets - Translation Recordings
7. Thought - Protest Songs - Translation Recordings (forthcoming)
8. Theory - Question Mark - Translation Recordings
9. Resound - Greedy Faces - Translation Recordings
10. Phantom Audio - Remote Control - Timeless
11. Universal Project - Jackhammer - Cylon
12. Loxy & Phobia - Bass Rhythm - Xtinction Agenda
13. Future Cut - Overload - Renegade Hardware
14. Tech Itch & Kemal - The Calling - Moving Shadow
15. Dom & Roland - Dynamo - Moving Shadow
16. Calyx - Illusions - Moving Shadow
17. Bad Company - Breathe - BC Recordings

 

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Harder-edged set this week featuring key bits from the Metalheadz back catalogue, closed out with a few live instrumentation numbers by the one … err two and only Sci-clone.  Apologies for the midstream hiccup; bad CD …

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Adam F - Metropolis - Metalheadz
3. Rufige Kru - Malice in Wonderland - Metalheadz
4. Rufige Kru - Stormtroopa VIP - Metalheadz
5. Perpetuum & Friske - Breathless - Vampire (forthcoming)
6. Friske - VII - Audio Decay (forthcoming)
7. Loxy & Ink - Killing Season - Xtinction Agenda
8. Stranjah - G Riddim - ???
9. Division & Alex M - The Schematics - ???
10. Thought - Protest Songs - Translation Recordings (forthcoming) … bad CD, sorry!!!
11. J Majik - Your Sound - Metalheadz
12. Shogun - Reflex - Renegade
13. Peshay - On the Nile - Metalheadz
14. Shogun - Sunburst - Renegade
15. Sci-clone - O.D.- Metalheadz
16. Sci-clone - Furious - Funk on Fury

 

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Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Mutt - Advance Money - Breakbeat Science
3. Mutt - Hot Lick Squeeze (R.I.P. J Dilla) - Creative Source
4. Alix Perez ft. MC Fats - Fingerclick - Shogun
5. D Bridge ft. Spacek - Last Straw - Exit
6. Calibre ft. Spacek - For You Alone - Exit
7. D Bridge -Pipe Dreams - Bingo
8. Break & Hydro - Immaculate - Quarantime
9. Duo Infernale - Lost in World - Timeless
10. Verse - Primal - Crunch
11. Sabre - Mischief Unit - Renegade Hardware
12. Sabre & Vicious Circle - Columbo - Critical
13. Sabre - Sleeper - Audio Tactics
14. Bad Company & Fierce - Dream Thief - BC Recordings
15. Trace & Optical - Sonar - Prototype
16. Bad Company - 4 Days - BC Recordings
17. Ed Rush & Optical - Sick Note - Virus

 

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Tracklisting:

1. Intro
2. Dillinja - The Angels Fell - Metalheadz
3. Thought - Oxide - Prism Audio
4. Physics - Lifeline - ???
5. Resound & Furianga - Waterpipe - Vampire
6. Aspect - The O.G. - Translation Recordings (forthcoming)
7. Universal Project - Vessel - Virus
8. Usual Suspects & DJ Friction - Paranoia - Renegade Hardware
9. Bloc Party - The Prayer (Break & Silent Witness RMX) - DNAudio
10. Fierce, Break, D Bridge & Nico - Galleon - Quarantine
11. Lil Louis - French Kiss (Ed Rush & Optical RMX) - Black Label
12. Ed Rush & Optical - Kerbcrawler - Virus
13. Sabre & Icicle - Sentry - Renegade Hardware
14. Kosheen - Hide U - Moksha
15. Verse - Space & Time - Crunch

 

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Another predominantly vinyl set–I guess that’s where my head’s been lately. Tracklist forthcoming. Thanks for listening!

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

 

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EXTENDED VINYL-ONLY SET … Rolled through some late 90s tunes starting first with Stakka & Skynet from their Audio Blueprint and Underfire labels and drifted into classic Konflict / Kemal & Rob Data vibes. Closed out with some Matrix bits from Metro and Virus. No need for tracklists; it’s all quality

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

 

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Nothing significant to report this week, just trying to make it through summer session … yarg!!!

On the brink of some great label news regarding both vinyl *and* digital formats so hold tight!!! Thanks for continuing to support grassroots drum&bass.

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

Tracklist

1. Intro
2. Ink & Perpetuum - Once We - Colours Audio (forthcoming)
3. Illogic & Raf - Be Free - Double Zero
4. Grimm - Puttin it Down - ???
5. Ink, Perpetuum & Friske - Offering - Colours Audio (forthcoming)
6. Survival - Silencer - Horizons Music
7. Resound - Inner Eyes - 13 Music (forthcoming)
8. Resound - Greedy Faces - Translation Recordings
9. Theory - Question Mark - Translation Recordings
10. Loxy & Ink - Liberation - Horizons Music
11. Stranjah - Void - ???
12. M.O.B. - Manifest - Climate Recordings
13. Perpetuum & B-Line - DC Metro - Translation Recordings (forthcoming)
14. Aspect - Labels - ???
15. Phobia - Just a Node (Vicious Circle RMX) - Renegade Hardware
16. Break - Meridian - DNAudio

 

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Phew, another set running the gamut. Opened up with one of my favorite tunes off the new D Bridge album, The Gemini Principle, and closed with classic Ed Rush & Optical from the seminal Wormhole LP (*sigh*) …

Almost out of DJ Premier beats for the intro … might get into some Pete Rock or Madlib. Feedback?

Lastly, hold tight for some big news from the Translation Recordings camp. Lot of great things coming down the pike so watch this space!

Brian // Rogue State (USA)

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. D Bridge - Creatures of Habit - Exit
3. Ink & Perpetuum - Improbability - Colors Audio (forthcoming)
4. Sabre - Love is Gone - Osiris Music
5. Mindmapper & June Miller - Liquid Air - ???
6. Brain - Bhangra Dub - Unreleased
7. Stranjah - Assasinz VIP - ???
8. Brain - Self Hunted - Unreleased
9. Resound & Khanage - Atlas (Feat. MC Stapleton) - Lowkey(?) (forthcoming)
10. Frisk - Trife - Translation Recordings
11. Perpetuum - The Plasmatics - Translation Recordings (forthcoming)
12. Phobia - Singularity - Renegade Hardware
13. Telemetrik - The Bane (Feat. Hyx) - BSE Recordings
14. Kryptic Minds & Leon Switch - Lost All Faith VIP - Defcom
15. Ed Rush & Optical - Compound - Virus

 

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I just finished catching up with long time friend and mentor ASC who sent me a link to a blog(?) he recently posted on his Deeper Sounds website about “taking it back to the basics” that I believe is consistent with the way a lot of people are starting to feel (including yours truly) about the state of drum&bass these days.  So without further ado, it goes a little something like this …

***BEGIN*** 

I remember getting into this music back in the days of rave, sped up vocals, glow sticks, and workmans jackets. Fun times. I followed it through to the early days of what was then known as jungle, or jungle techno. It wasn’t until I first heard Bukem playing tunes from labels such as Good Looking, Moving Shadow, Timeless, Legend, Precious Materials etc, that I truly found something that I couldn’t put down. The music excited me. I’d think about it non stop. Every bit of money I’d get went into buying the music I was hearing, and expanding my ever growing record collection.

When Good Looking really started to stamp their authority on drum & bass, I was well and truly hooked by then. There was no turning back, and I wanted to contribute in some way, shape or form. Of course, as you all know, I eventually did by becoming a producer and forming my own label. Anyway, that’s neither here or there.

I sometimes wonder when I look back at those times, whether I remember fond memories through rose tinted glasses, or whether the music just meant so much more to me back then. I’d like to think the latter. Nostalgia aside, something changed - and for the worse.

There was no doubt that Bukem & his label were the leading lights. They were setting the standards, and getting everyone hyped on what was coming next. Add Blame to that equation, with his cutting edge visionary blend of atmospheric sci-fi, and the result was phenomenal. The music at this time was amazing. There was also no major internet presence during this time, and while fan sites popped up here and there, the DJ’s and producers were reading the crowds for reaction to their music. There was nothing to sway any decisions, nothing to influence what tracks would be put out, and most of all, it all sounded seriously fresh.

Fast forward 10 years from 1998. Here we are - 2008 - drum & bass is still alive and kicking, but I can’t help feeling that something is missing. Somewhere in that period, the excitement has been zapped out of the music. It all feels very force fed, and ‘assembly line’ in its nature these days. It feels like everyone in drum & bass is being influenced by whats going on inside the scene, and not looking outside the box as before.

Anyway, what I’m getting at here, is I think it’s time to revisit the golden era. To take aspects from the old, and integrate with the new. I also feel its time that producers take the initiative and curb this trend of pushing the BPM higher and higher as the years go by. It’s gonna get to the point where tracks are 180bpm, and you are gonna be listening to Gabba, or forced to play your sets at -8. It’s time to revisit the fundamentals of what made tracks back then so cutting edge. It certainly wasn’t the technology, because musicians these days are spoilt rotten on choice, compared to their counterparts of years back.

With all this said, this is my goal and vision with Covert Operations, and my own productions right now. We will be putting out one more 12″ in the current style, before we revert back to the ideals set out in the above paragraph. I firmly believe there were so many ideas tried back then, and not expanded upon. One thing is for certain - for the first time in about 2 years, I’m excited about writing drum & bass again, and excited about where I want to take the record label. I’ve already started to write tracks in this vein again, and the first result is a track called ‘Lightyears’, which can be heard on my Myspace page -

http://www.myspace.com/ascintexsystems

Check it out, and I hope you all share the same enthusiasm as I do for this ‘change’ in direction.

Thanks for reading.
ASC

 ***END***