Review: Keeno is back on the album trail. Following the closure of Med School earlier this year, the Bristol-based producer has migrated over to the main label and this, his fourth album, continues his unique, orchestra-inflected sound. It's a style that he manages to keep fresh, and I Live, I Learn blends vocal smoothers with deeper, more melancholic jungle cuts. 'Antiphony' is a peachy example of the latter, with deft piano touches forming a rippling main melody that's perfectly balanced on a bed of crisp, cutting break beats and gentle basslines. Telomic features on the other standout, 'Listen Close', probably the deepest tune on the album and one which builds from an atmospheric introduction into a cracking set of drums and effervescent low frequency wobbles, a pensive combination that lends itself well to any DJ set. Big ups Will.
Review: It's one of Keeno's first full releases on Hospital Records following the closure of Med Schoool earlier this year, and it's a percy which features fellow Med School alum Etherwood. Comprised of two tracks, it's the title tune which really captures the imagination, as Etherwood jumps on the mic to guide Keeno's organic instrumentation with his vocals. It's soaring, inspirational and shamelessly heartfelt. Classic Hospital, basically, and it's not one to miss.
Review: Keeno hasn't released any music on a full release in what feels like forever, and we assume he's taken a long break to compile a collection of music since the release of his third album over two years ago. This single sees Keeno back in his trademark style of combining classical music with the UK dance scene, an always potent meeting of worlds that sees the transient tension of classical lending its atmospheric nature to the rolling pace of 174. 'Troopers Peak' is nonchalant and soulful, with a gliding main piano riff and sultry breakbeats lying just underneath. 'Old School Lane' is darker and more rolling, part of Hospital's embrace of this side of the scene and a number that has definitely been getting serious Hospitality playtime. Banging.
Review: This is how you do Let It Roll in style... You roll out to Prague with four of Hospital's deepest, most respected technicians on soundtrack duties: Anile, Krakota, Keeno and S.P.Y. Naturally they all smash the mission to pieces, Anile's brilliantly titled "Caveman Neil" does weird and wonderful things with harmonics, Keeno goes all-out gospel to tremendous effect on "Empath", Krakota cooks up some bouldering, smouldering drums and showers them with disco sprinkles while S.P.Y serves up a Randall-level roller. Take us to Let It Roll already!
Review: Tis the season! Hospital get into the festival spirit with these three special gems from some of their nearest and dearest. Makoto follows up his album with another collabo stunner, this time with old friend Robert Manos; "Invisible" is a timeless piece of soul with big breezy pads, lilting chords, stand-up bass and beautiful vocals. It's backed by two long-awaited VIPs from two 2016 Hozzy bangers; Keeno's piano-charged heart-stopper "Futurism" gets a new barbed edge while Polaris's VIP of "The Light In Your Eyes" ensures the future sound of Canada remains very much in the future. See you on the other side.
Review: Like some kind of Human Traffic soundtrack to 2020, Hospital's annual House Party VA has arrived. Fresh for a summer of social distancing, house parties and clandestine diversions, it's a soundtrack that will get any D&B head through the lockdown status, BBQs permitted. Top and tailed by the poppy, liquid, sample based and acoustic sessions of both Villem & Leo Wood's "We Had A Sing" and Whiney's "Better With You", find playful aggro in MC LowQui's "Middle Finger" to some hyper fresh material in Degs' "Pressure Cooker". Aggy half time once more in tracks like "Saturn's Strings" with gnarly basslines in Voltage's "The Prophet" and Logistic's "Playing With Fire" bringing the heat.
Review: It's hard to believe that Hospital Records have reached the 400th release milestone. It's an unbelievable achievement and one that reflects their dominance over drum & bass for the best part of three decades. NHS400 is a collaborative release featuring joint production from a slew of the label's most consistent producers, including new boys on the block BOP X Subwave and old hands like S.P.Y and label founder London Elek. It's Keeno and Polaris, however, that really nail things to the wall with 'Leviathan', a huge track that lays pounding basslines beneath eerie, choral vocals to create a mash up between dancefloor flavour and the orchestral sounds Keeno is so known for. Whiney and Mitekiss team up alongside Ruth Royall to produce a liquid masterclass, whilst the synthy, upbeat tones of Fred V and Logistics sound as fresh as ever. Superb.
Review: A label shutting up shop is never, ever a good thing. But when they sign out with a collection as strong as this? You've got to admire them. Graduation is an epic collection of total D&B innovation from some of the Hospital sub-label's longest standing talents, old friends and a few new-gen upstarts along the way. Highlights across the 23 track set include raw damagement in the form of a S.P.Y's "Black Flag VIP", 160 freakery from Lakeway in the form of "Massive", swampy trippy tripletty funk from the long-missed Lung ("Stop Crying") and more blissful uniqueness from Kimyan Law ("Kaleido"). These are just some of the many impeccable designs from a collection that closes the label with full respect and the attention to detail the label has always had. Med School RIP.
Review: Is there a doctor in the house? Hospital kick start the new decade with another stupendously massive V/A collection in the form of its latest Sick Music compendium. An album series that consistently lives up to its name, Sick Music 2020 does not disappoint in the slightest; from the powerful soul thrust of Degs and Unglued's "Levitate Your Mind" to the deep pads and sultry kicks of Tolima Jets' "Clams" via Urbandawn's truly electrifying euphoria/gully head shock "Egregor", this one covers the full spectrum from an exciting and super diverse range of artists. Look out for some fantastic remixes lurking in the mix, too; S.P.Y absolutely crushes Kings Of The Rollers' "You Got Me" and Serum flips Todd Terry's house classic "Bounce To The Beat" with a new sense of funk and groove. And these are just a few examples; this is a fantastic snapshot into how 2020 will sound... And it sounds great!
Review: Exclusive overload: while some labels like to solely wrap up their existing content into a compilation, Hospital request freshness from their troops. In amongst the 60 tracks on offer (yeah, 60!) there are no less than 25 brand new cuts previously unavailable until now. From the breathy, horizon-glaring bliss of Fred V & Grafix's "Constellations" to High Contrast's first original in well over a year "Calling My Name" by way of Krakota's pulsating gully stepper "Lust Thrust" and Ulterior Motive's darkside creeper "Oddness". This is - without question - one of the biggest, most bountiful Hospitality albums so far. And let's face it, they're always pretty special anyway.
Review: Hospital Records do compilations better than most, partly because there's always something for them to celebrate. This time around it's the second year of Hospitality in the Beach, their new 4 day exercise in beach-based beats, featuring some of the best artists in the game. A huge album, the LP has 33 tracks - 25 of which are brand spanking new. Whiney's remix of Etherwood's 'Begin By Letting Go' is a highlight, the original's smoothness roughly transformed into a pummelling display of techy force. With Bou, Kasra, BOP and others making an appearance, this LP has all bases covered.
Review: Following Etherwood and Fred V & Grafix, S.P.Y is the next to step up to the "Hospital Mixtape" series with a walloping 31-track mix of which almost half has never been released before. As you'd expect from the bazillion dollar Brazilian, the range is wide with tendencies to gully. Essential exclusives you'd be an absolute madman not to check include his deep-swing twist on Digital's seminal "Deadline", the insane sub bass slipperiness on Random Movement's incredible "In Space No One Can Hear You Funk" and the "Up All Night" style late 90s slap down with his brother Unreal "Enduro". A proper mix and a previously unobtainable selection that's yours for the taking... What's not to love here?
Various - "Hospital Mixtape: Fred V & Grafix" (continuous mix) - (1:04:04) 175 BPM
Review: It must be summer! Hospital Records get the British heatwave season cracking with a brand new whopper-length mixtape, this time from the label's own Fred V & Grafix. The sheer number of quality names clambering all over this tracklist gives the release some weight even before it begins, but then again it's hard to see people like S.P.Y, Lynx, Ivy Lab, Urbandawn, Etherwood, Bungle and Cynatific without getting a touch of the vapours. Look out also for the stunning Logistics remix of Andreya Triana's "Lullaby".
