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VEERING INTO THE DARK: CHRONOS RECORDS COMPILATION 1 REVIEW

Birmingham-based record label, Chronos Records, are releasing their first compilation featuring four exciting artists: Pseudonym, Arttu, Amernez and Half Cab. Following on from their last release back in July with a two track EP by Amernez, Chronos Records are back to share some of the damage they’ve been cooking up.

 

In four tracks, although the intensely dark and some-what sinister undertones remain dominant throughout, there are many angles and corners of the drum and bass spectrum that are being explored here. Take Arttu with his track, Shameful Ting, bringing the straight up ragga elements to the table. It's amazing how jungle influences can either provide such a joyful atmosphere or a heavy and rude skanking vibe, here it is the latter. 

Whether it’s the enormous rolling basslines from Amernez on Vanguard, or the quicktime, punchy bass stabs of Gangster by Half Cab, each track has their own individually styled factors that amount to the dark and murky atmospheres they all emit. Gangster takes my prize for filthiest track on the project, it is unruly to produce something of that calibre. 

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Pseudonym, I don’t know how you’ve acquired such a lovely sounding snare, but congratulations, because that thing is doing wonders. When I’m Alone delves into the play of eerily pitched vocals and crispy percussion. Not to mention the unworldly sub bass being conjured up, it's like a sack of bricks being slung with a slingshot: it's going to hit you hard. 

 

Despite the saturation of rollers in todays clubs, the art of a uniquely designed, no foghorn containing roller can still be found hidden beneath the rocks. Arttu delivers his individual touch with the jabby horns and bass fuelled antics. What this compilation does with great execution is demonstrate how dark and intimate drum and bass can be morphed, manipulated and experimented with to create a body of work that is quite spectacular. 

 

Continuing in true Chronos Style, this compilation is demonstrating a masterful practice in the darker, the murkier, and the minimal side of the ever expanding field that is drum and bass. 

 

Available for purchase on the 6th of December.

https://www.junodownload.com/products/pseudonym-half-cab-armenez-arttu-compilation-1/4353781-02/

November 22nd 2019 

Matt Knight

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