Review: It's not clear whether Auckland-born, London-based Cern got his name from the institution that houses the Large Hadron Collider, but it seems possible on the basis of his sharp, beefy productions, which hit with all the impact of a particle accelerator on the Nostromo EP. The title track could well soundtrack the corridors of the ship of the same name in the Alien movie, as tense subs and atmospheric synths pepper the rolling breaks; it's a similar story on "Organism", whose warbling bass cuts through the air like ice. "Formless" meanwhile is a more frantic affair, combining footwork style rhythms with sparse textures, while "When The Time Comes" finishes off with a more traditional D&B roller filled with emotive piano chords, albeit one that rattles along like its shaking itself to pieces. Highly recommended!
Review: If you get the tummy butterflies when you see Horizon's name mentioned, then you're in for a stunner. As per usual, Cern and Overlook call in all their special favours to bring a two-parter worthy of Noah's Ballroom. "Nevada Ghost" is stunning; dripping with atmosphere it sweats out the darkest bass only these two could concoct, bringing with it devastating beats that could rock Fort Punta Christo to rubble. "Decoy" brings more of the same pain, but darker and more stealthily. Sleazing its way into your psyche, it's a cold-blooded killer created just because they can.
Review: Horizons' never-ending onslaught of premium D&B continues as Kiwi bass warrior Cern delivers the goods on this unmissable double header. "Raven Row" is a spine-shuddering, super-clanging, industrial strength roller that leaves you under no illusion why he's also a big name at the Renegade Hardware camp. Teaming up with the faultless Sabre for track two, "Far Fetched" is a picture perfect tribute to jungle and early Metalheadz; unpredictable beats, icy pads, rusty fills and a thundering bass make this instant rewind material.
Review: As we approach the next release from the legendary dark D&B label, it's pleasing to see Cern make a welcomed return to the airwaves. Teaming up with Teknik in "Traitor", this one packs a punch with grinding subs, squelchy bass, rough breaks and a good dose of Hardware's techstep badness. The accompanying "Schemer" sees Menace take Teknik's place for an enormous slab of tear out tech-ed up D&B, with sharp, crisp drums, menacing atmospherics and glowering bass. If you like your D&B dark, dirty and badder than bad, then this is for you. There's a reason Stapleton came up with the lyrics "Renegade Hardware, heavy like so".
