Rockwell At Juno Download

Review: The ever-rising star of 2010/11 and master of experimental beats brings us the follow up EP to his superlative Noir EP which landed on Critical around this time last year. In the title track "Aria", Rockwell blends glitchy, cinematic rhythms with sonorous, blissed out vocals and cooling instrumentals. Next, "Live For The Moment" adds a dash of funk, whilst talented duo Ulterior Motive's remix of the aforementioned "Noir" is nothing short of superlative, as they toughen it up with a super dark b-line smashing breaks and that iconic Virus-meets-Subtitles tenacity. A collab with Hemlock owner Untold backs this up in "Rehekou Sunrise", adding a shimmy of samples and soulful bliss as we reach the end of the EP.

Review: Famed for creating some of the most experimental drum & bass available on the scene, Rockwell's latest release from his home label Shogun Audio is a gloriously electrified speed demon. Raging on through Blade Runner-esque 80s effects on that hugely satisfying synth bassline before cruising into a footwork-inspired ultra-shuffle, "Detroit" is what is generally known in the business as an 'absolute banger'. Slamming into some juke clap action straight off the mark, the "Back Again" keeps energy levels high with an inventive twist on shoulder-shimmying, head nodding D&B. Work on your moves - skanking isn't gonna be enough for this one.

Review: D&B darling du jour, Tom "big-in-the-game" Rockwell, makes his debut on Friction's lauded Shogun Audio imprint with this stunning release. Always leaning towards the experimental edge, Rockwell goes in deep with the six and a half minute "Full Circle" - a menacing, moody number with glowing atmospherics, a warm, humming b-line and delicate glitches to keep the tension rolling. "My War", also heavily rinsed by all the big dogs, takes things on a tougher, darker tip with trademark cinematic sounds, and trickling, dribbling rhythms a-plenty and a gruff overtone. It"s a superb, yet sinister utterance, and a fantastic package overall. Let's 'ave it!

Review: Up and coming DnB producer Rockwell is definitely going to be hot property very soon if he stays on this kind of form. The Noir EP showcases his production nous, as tracks like "Tribes" avoid all the tired old cliches of the genre and instead fill it with a new set of glitchy percussion sounds and intense moody bursts of total frenetic excitement. Tunes like "Stay Calm" are fairly rooted on the dark side, but it's great to hear a producer put the same amount of invention that currently goes into dubstep and use it in DnB. One to watch, get involved sooner than later.

Review: Another astounding release from Rockwell here, as he follows up an impressive back catalogue of hits with another intricately woven piece of sonic wizardry. "Tripwire", the title track, is a masterpiece, bearing passing resemblance to previous work "BTKRSH" in the level of detail and quirky, displaced rhythms. Fearsome from the off, this one is a burst of bubbling SFX, razor sharp snares, booming bass and chopped up vocal. "The Rain", perhaps slightly reminiscent of "Reverse Engineering" is a more deep, contemplative piece, with gently tripping, rippling beats and a cinematic quality. Atmospherics sweep gently and piano keys add an eerie element to the piece.