Review: Under the Blocks & Escher alias, Phillip Smith and Will Hansen have been one of the most reliable drum & bass duos of the last few years, with their 2018 debut album on Metalheadz, Something Blue, being a must listen. The pair's first outing on R&S is naturally still rooted in drum & bass but could have appeal way beyond genre purists thanks to its frequent nods to classic jungle and the more immersive and saucer-eyed end of the breakbeat spectrum. Our picks of a very strong bunch are 'Dance Girl', a sweaty, enveloping chunk of post-jungle featuring what sound like cut-up live drum-breaks, the punchy, Exit-esque experimental D&B creepiness of 'Abyss' and the hot-stepping, horror soundtrack moodiness of 'Shot in the Dark'.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue - (6:57) 57 BPM
Review: It's time.... After years of speculation and anticipation, Blocks & Escher finally unveil their debut album and you don't even have to ask if it's worth the wait - you just know it is already. 11 tracks that rip up the floor up but work overwhelmingly well as a pure LP, highlights include the subdued jazz pressure of "One Touch", the eerie sweeps and poignant cries of "Witch Hunt", the skittered drum thunder of "Your Ghost" and the vast concord swoops and dives of "Wings", but that's just scratching the surface. What we're dealing with here is album of the year potential. Essential.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue - (6:57) 57 BPM
Your Ghost - (5:50) 170 BPM
One Touch - (4:59) 170 BPM
Review: One of the most eagerly anticipated drum & bass albums in years, Blocks & Escher break their near-four year silence with three divine slices of ice cold drum magic ahead of the full release later this month. "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" is a lavish, spatial affair with broad atmospheric swipes, lighting break flashes and basslines that plunge you deep down into the deepest blackholes of your mind. "Your Ghost" flips for a much more intense and rigorous rolling affair with clatter-bashing snares and a mood so icy it could freeze tea on the devil's lap while "One Touch" reminds us of Blocks & Escher's softer, emotional side with its smoke-stacked jazz aesthetics and lush brushed beats. This is just the starter course. If you like this, the album will blow you away...
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them or that they've collected from your use of their services.