So what moved in drum and bass circles on Update this year? Well Suv and Spoonface were, as Dave Cridge excellently put it, creating a “unique oldskool newskool vibe” with ‘Don’t Know Why’. Then J Majik & Wickaman put Kathy Brown to good use on ‘Crazy World’, tipped by Guy Garrett as the ‘d & b anthem of the year’ in March. Hazard’s ‘Machete Bass’ EP created a mammoth area of grimey basslines, while Chowder’s ‘Dead Man Walking’ was likened to a skydiving rhino! More anthem alerts were sounded in the summer with Chase & Status’ ‘Take Me Away’ one of Ram’s finest, and a good vocal transporting Dan Marshall’s ‘Jungle Jazz’ into the stratosphere. Chase and Status – again – hit the spot as the leaves dropped with ‘Pieces’, while London Elektricity once again impressed hugely with their ‘Syncopated City’ album. Finally Brookes Brothers provided some disco with ‘Tear You Down’, one of Breakbeat Kaos’ picks of the year, while Noisia consolidated their fanbase with ‘Stigma’.
Ben Hogwood
