Dissident: Anabasis / Apnoea
none60

Lewis James: Searchtower / Templar III
none60

These latest none60 releases find the genre-defying imprint managed by Silent Dust duo Andy Hobbs and Dan Blishen hitting a remarkable stride. Like the label itself, both singles deflect any attempt at slotting them into a one-dimensional drum'n'bass categorization; instead, they invite a simpler term, something like bass music, that's less restrictive. Indicative of the high quality on offer is Lewis James's two-tracker, which in the sumptuousness of its detail speaks highly on behalf of the producer's skills (apparently his background lies in film and video game sound design). The A's “Searchtower” glides into position on a wave of twinkling stars and gentle radiance before its ominous groove kicks in, a tight combination of thumping kick drums, slinky hi-hats, and crisp snares. Dazzling the senses further, James intensifies the pulse with bongos and a bass drop that's got just the right degree of lethality mixed in, and then undertakes a full-on plunge into darkness with the flip's “Templar III,” a sci-fi evocation rich in foreboding atmospherics and punchy breaks.

Dissident's single is as strong as James's, and maybe even a tad better. Of its two tracks, “Apnoea” is the more dynamic, but don't overlook “Anabasis.” With Nordub and Dissociative helping out, Dissident casts a potent spell on the six-minute setting, especially when the slow-motion stepper threads wiry bass pulses into its dub-inflected design. According to Wikipedia, its title refers to “an expedition from a coastline up into the interior of a country,” and one can certainly visualize a journey of some dramatic kind as “Anabasis” advances, first cautiously with dub chords and delicate string washes before an ever-more-forceful beat and shimmering synth textures emerge to extend the panoramic view. “Apnoea” is the real stunner, though, a seven-minute slow-builder that transitions from dark ambient to some dizzying amalgam of tribal house throb and industrial dubstep like it's the most natural thing in the world. Sprinkle in an ominous voice sample, punchy drum strikes, and a bass smear or two and you've got something unlike anything else you've ever heard. Artful and understated the material most definitely is, and any doubts about Dissident's skills as a top-notch sound sculptor are thoroughly laid to rest.

May 2018