Review: Bristol's Shall Not Fade presents a new DJ mix by Polish producer Bartosz Kruczynski aka Earth Trax, who just last week dropped his third LP for the label - The Sensual World. The 13-tracker saw the Warsaw-based producer prove himself as one of the most versatile and consistent producers in the game. This hour long continuous mix, however, proves his abilities behind the decks and comes also the individual tracks. Some of the highlights not limited to: the understated stomp of Trudge's emotive "When The Rain", the airy electro of Tom Vernon's "Disappear" or the ever reliable Harrison BDP taking you aboard the acid express on "Immortal", as well as the mandatory Earth Trax cuts "Trust Me" (dub mix,) "Fireflies" and "Dream Pop".
Review: Across the breadth of 2021, we were so impressed with the pure consistency of the Dansu Discs team, with this latest offering being the perfect way to continue that theme into a brand new year. We see them welcome both Harrison BDP & Ed Hodge inside for a gorgeous display of breaks-inspired mastery, kicking off with the glittering glitchy beauty of 'Seeing Spiders' a dizzying introduction from Harrison, exploring the more abstract side of breaks with some futuristic sound design. He plays lead on the next track as well with the moogy disco flavours of 'Virtual Resistance' unleashing a tonne of blippy energy. We then find ourselves perusing Ed Hodge's pair of originals, with the pulsating house-inspired drum skips and sliding bass alternations of 'Hot Point' unleashing a rave-inspiring display. Finally, 'Untouched' gives us a wicked finale, utilizing high ended melodic beeps and groovy drum flicks for a tech-driven sign off. Lovely work!
Review: Shall Not Fade rounds off its busiest year to date with a sixth anniversary compilation that's packed to the rafters with previously unreleased tracks from its now sizable family of artists. Also reflective of the sounds showcased by Shall Not Fade's various sub-labels and offshoots, the 24-track set confidently strides between deep two-step (Black Loops), saucer-eyed ambient jungle (Kessler), colourful deep house (Lis Sarocca), lo-fi jack tracks (Cinthie), loopy disco-house (Adelphi Music Factory), jazz-funk flavoured house warmth (Felipe Gordon), analogue-rich broken beat (Yosh), post-UKG heaviness (DJ Crisps), jaunty and jazzy 4/4 garage (DJ Swagger) and the kind of smile-inducing, huggable dancefloor goodness that defies simple categorization (Tilman and Phonk D).
Review: For the first volume in their new 'dubplate series', Lobster Theremin has turned to Harrison BDP, an experienced producer enjoying the most prolific period of his career (for proof, check out his recent outings on Phonica, Lost Palms and SITU Records). It's a smart move, because the two tracks showcased here are amongst the Cardiff-based artist's most magical cuts to date. Opener 'All That Remains' is effortlessly alluring - an ultra-deep affair in which waves of spacey electronics, distant chords and yearning pads lazily stretch out atop bumpin' beats and a brilliant bassline. 'Beyond The Veil' is arguably even better. Rooted in hypnotic, locked-in deep house but smothered in evocative, dub techno style electronics and distant telephone bleeps, it's the kind of track we could happily get lost in for hours.
Review: Skilled beat, rhythm and melody make Harrison BDP makes his way to Breaks 'N' Pieces, adding to a current hot streak of labels the artist is working for of late (taking in Lost Palms, Phonica and Shall Not Fade). This Rhythm Is Key release sees BDP throw down two deeper UKG cuts and the single, groovier dubby house jam in "Bad Habits". "Shuto Expressway" and "Anti-Lag" deliver a stronge, stepping vibe filled with jazzy chord sections, bleepy melodies and subtle drum and bass atmospheres - with crisp percussion and warm low-end doing the rest. Rhythm Is Key.
Review: Welsh deep house hero Harrison BDP is back on London's Phonica with this nifty new four tracker. The Easy Tiger EP is yet another impressively crafted release, as the label best described themselves, packed full of his idiosyncratic take on several styles. Serving up some emotive late night mood music on the title track, which is in that classic Stateside '90s style, to the undeniable UK flavour of "RIP Ralph" with its snappy broken beats and garage motifs. He switches gears on "One For The Club" up next, a glacial and cavernous expression in dub-infused tech house, before delving deep into the afterhours on the heady minimal house groove of "Snake In The Grass".
Review: While it may have been designed to reflect the evolving nature of the label's sound over the last half-decade, Shall Not Fade's fifth anniversary compilation is nevertheless packed to the rafters with previously unheard treats. It begins with a techno-tempo blast of garage-influenced deep house warmth from DJOKO and ends with the dark, squelching and ghostly bounce of Dart's 'Transformations'; in between, you'll find 19 more reasons to be cheerful with plenty of serious dancefloor chops. Undisputed highlights include the crunchy, head-nodding pleasure of GVRL's instrumental hip-hop jam 'Love Game', the angular and acid spiked tech-breaks of Harrison BDP's 'The Powerful Play', the drowsy deep house dreaminess of Mutual Attraction's 'MPC Live Track 1' and the rushing rave revivalism of Baltra's killer re-fix of Earth Boys' 'I'm Not Afraid'.
Review: Keeping strong in 2020 is Harrison BDP who makes his full debut on Shall Not Fade following a recent offering for its sub-label, Lost Palms, and others like Berg Audio and Standalone Records. Covering all matter of techy, Detroit and housey inspirations in the title-track "Sound Expansion Meditation", "My Deepest Regret" sees Harrison BDP keep it dubby and minimal with a touch of future jazz. Uplifting, linear and cosmic sequences in "Real Love Don't Fade" with the darker trance of "Figures In The Smoke" lightened up by the piano keys in "Country Boy".
Review: Now into its fifth year, KGW's Shall Not Fade imprint has long been a reliable source of dusty deep house and rugged, warehouse-ready workouts. To kick-start 2020, the label has decided to celebrate this facet of their output via an expansive compilation of previously released highlights. There's a peak-time ready feel from start to finish, with our picks of a very impressive bunch including the bustling, riff-heavy techno pump of KETTAMA's "In The Garage", the sunrise-ready, melody-heavy bliss of Harrison BDP's epic "Watching The World Go By", the sleazy, acid-fired growl of Big Miz's "Primordial Soup" and the dusty-but-sparkling, emotive rich broken house brilliance of Contours' "Fifth Planet". In a word: essential.
Review: Some six months on from his last appearance on Lost Palms, rising star Harrison BDP returns to the Shall Not Fade offshoot with another must-check EP. It's arguably one of his most energetic and forthright releases to date, too, with opener "The Devil In Disguise" cheerily doffing a cap towards the piano-sporting, gospel-tinged techno rush of Motor City artists Terrence Parker and Floorplan. In contrast "Dark Water" is spacey, deep and dubby - if no less dancefloor-ready - while title track "Cathedrals" is a lusciously melodious shuffle into heavily electronic deep house territory. As if that wasn't enough to set the pulse racing, "Reflections" sees the Cardiff producer brilliantly join the dots between jazz-house, two-step garage and futurist techno.
Harry Griffiths - "Since We're Here" - (5:57) 120 BPM
Big Miz - "Sun" - (5:50) 128 BPM
LK - "Unified Love Machine" - (5:57) 123 BPM
Black Loops & Ruff Stuff - "La Progressive" - (7:03) 128 BPM
Harrison BDP - "Interference" - (8:14) 126 BPM
Review: Dub techno progressions, digital techy beats and minimal makes a comeback on Shall Not Fade's 4 Years Of Service, with this various artist comp bringing in new names and label members alike. Biz Miz throws in a huge glowing number with a deep progressive flow in "Sun", while a bangin' combo of chords and beats rain down furthermore in KETTAMA's "Sundance". Deeper still there's the melliflow of Harrison BDP's "Interfearance", while more abstract numbers come from Harry Griffiths alongside a touch of ironical candy cane in 1-800 Girls' "My Speedos". Bring in some bleep, electro Italo from LK's "Unified Love Machine" and we're saying more like 4 Years of Class.
Review: Cardiff producer Harrison BDP has been on fine form this year, releasing impressive EPs on Piff, Enclave and Lost Palms. Here he returns to the latter with four more reasons to be cheerful. He begins with the spine-tingling late night brilliance of "Brute", where blissful, saucer-eyed breakdowns make way for bouncy, retro-futurist grooves, before re-imagining classic dream house via the picturesque shuffle of "Be Like Water". Elsewhere, the Welsh producer makes merry with psychedelic acid lines, dreamy chords and rubbery beats on "Easy Does It", while closer "Implosion" is a techno tempo surge of melodious positivity that's near impossible to dislike.
