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Virus Recordings - Forthcoming / Released Tracks

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Virus Recordings - Forthcoming / Released Tracks ☣

Optical - Forthcoming / Released Tracks ☣

Virus rarities

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InsideInfo & Mefjus - Blunt [Virus]

InsideInfo & Mefjus - Mythos [Virus]

Early classic from Optical and a pivotal development in the genre, released on Metalheadz Metal Tin Boxset in 1997.

Optical - TO SHAPE THE FUTURE REMIX (1997)

Very rare unreleased track from Ed Rush, Optical & Fierce from 1997...lost in time and recovered from a Music House 10" Dubplate!

Ed Rush, Optical & Fierce - Red Floor(unreleased)

The very first track to be released on Virus! Soon to be available to buy online, a brand new beautiful digital remaster, from Beatport and i-Tunes!!

Buy This!

Ed Rush & Optical - Medicine (VRS001) Virus 1998

Unreleased remix(2002) of the classic 'Slip Thru' taken from the  'Wormhole' LP by Ed Rush & Optical!!

Optical - Slip Thru (Ed Rush & Optical Remix) (Virus unreleased)

DOWNLOAD HERE - www.illgates.com
VIDEO HERE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EacsJIoYEs

- ill.GATES -
www.illgates.com
www.facebook.com/illGatesMusic
www.twitter.com/illGatesMusic
www.soundcloud.com/ill-gates

- Wick-It The Instigator -
www.WickittheInstigator.com
www.facebook.com/DJWickit‎
www.soundcloud.com/wick-it

- Action Bronson -
www.actionbronson.com‎
www.facebook.com/ActionBronsonMusic‎
www.twitter.com/ActionBronson‎
www.soundcloud.com/actionbronson‎

Get It Now

ill.GATES + Wick-It - Get Off My Remix ft. Action Bronson

An unreleased track from 1997, lost in a pile of DAT's somewhere in the studio amongst other bits of old fruit and rizla.

Optical - Zoner (Virus unreleased 1997)

feat. No Money - Futureshock

One of my personal favourites from our early releases on Virus. Taken from VRS003 'Ed Rush & Optical's 3rd single on the label in 1998.

ED RUSH & OPTICAL - 'Satellites' (VIRUS RECORDINGS)1998

I really love the atmosphere of this tune. It takes me to somewhere else for a while. Josh Wink was and is a great inspiration to us here at Virus.

Josh Wink - Simple Man - Optical Remix - Ovum 1998

More from the vaults at Virus HQ. Drum Cru special dub from 1999. feat.(as far as I remember...Ed Rush, Optical, Fierce, Dj Fresh) lost in time somewhere in Acton Safestore, our home for many years for the studio.

DRUM CRU - THE WATCHER (UNRELEASED)

Another lost in time production from Ed Rush & Optical...rescued from DJ Bailey's dublate collection.

Ed Rush & Optical - Razorback (Virus) (1997 unreleased)

Optical - Untitled (Prototype DUB 1997)

This made an appearance on the Virus Vaults LP, another rare Virus track from Optical.

Optical - 'Void' (Virus unreleased 1997)

The sixth record released on Evol Intent Recordings included this fantastic collab with Psidream and Mayhem, now remastered for yall to enjoy.

Free Download

Evol Intent & Mayhem & Psidream - Assimilation (Thowback Remaster)

A taste of the tracks on our first LP, 'Wormhole' VRS001LP. Virus Recordings. 1998

1. Mystery Machine - Ed Rush & Optical

ED RUSH & OPTICAL - 'Mystery Machine' - Wormhole LP - Virus

A taste of the tracks on our first LP, 'Wormhole' VRS001LP. Virus Recordings. 1998

07. Fixation - Ed Rush & Optical

ED RUSH & OPTICAL - 'Fixation' - Wormhole LP - Virus

A taste of the tracks on our first LP, 'Wormhole' VRS001LP. Virus Recordings. 1998

10. Wormhole - Ed Rush & Optical

ED RUSH & OPTICAL - 'Wormhole' - Wormhole LP - Virus

Back on the crusty 10" dubplate recovery mission....1997 collab between Optical and DJ Trace...made in Virus Studios in Soho London.

Optical & Trace - 'Switchblade' (unreleased Virus dub 1997)

Here's a throwback to ol' 2007-way, our track 'Glock Party' from the inaugural release on Lifted Music: 'The Prologue EP.' 

Pick up vinyl here: https://shoplifted.co.uk/vinyl/lftd001

Glock Party (TBT Remaster)

Today's TBT is 10 years old: Our remix of Future Cut's 'Ghetto Style.' 

Ghetto Style (Evol Intent Remix TBT Remaster)

From our 2007 LP 'Era Of Diversion,' our collab with Ewun and Vicious Circle, 'odd number.' 

"'NO BROV NEVER AN ODD NUMBER.' This statement is how 'Odd Number' got it's name. Initially we thought it was hilarious when Andrew VC said this at the tune's humble beginnings, but behind the logic of making songs at even BPMs is very good reason I wasn't aware of at the time. Years later I found out older MIDI sequencers would perform poorly and fuck up timing if you made a tune at an odd BPM." -Gigantor

Also nicknamed 'the surge' since right after the file was a started a power surge hit the house (that good ol' deep south ATL power grid). 

ODD NUMBER (the surge)[TBT Remaster]

Two absolute slammers from BTK and Optical.

Optical & BTK - Infection / Let It Go

OUT NOW! https://pro.beatport.com/release/let-it-go-original-mix/1664770



Optical & BTK - Let It Go

Part 1 of a 3 part series showcasing some of the drum and bass scene’s brightest stars remixing selections from Gridlok’s debut album “Break the System”.

Side A features Gridlok’s devastating remix of “Bottomfeeder”. This re-imagined version captures all of that essence of the original while managing to twist it up enough to keep it vibrantly fresh.

Bottomfeeder (Gridlok Remix)

Taken from the Autopirate Remixed EP out now on Muti Music, Ribotto delivers a jazzed out and trippy mix of the original, while retaining a good amount of funk to the mix.

ill.gates - Eggplantation (Ribotto Remix)

Warming up for Blackout Belgium a mix by BTK & Optiv! Their album Dirty Tricks is about to come out on Optical and Ed Rush's legendary Virus recordings, BTK is playing a b2b set with Optical at Blackout Belgium June 23rd ( http://www.blackoutbelgium.be/)  and a solo set Blackout London in Cable July 21st! Hope to see you there!

Check out the after video of last years event! http://youtu.be/FNxLOB1s9l8

But BLACKOUT BELGIUM 2011 is history, BLACKOUT BELGIUM 2012 will be LEGENDARY!

http://youtu.be/m-I05n1SYP4

BSE Podcast 019 (guestmix by Optiv & BTK)

Noisia, Ed Rush & Optical - Brain Bucket (VSN009)

With two huge releases from Frankee and Wickaman, Hoodlum, Mavrik & RV already doing damage across the globe. We are now ready to unleash our third; another huge single from an exciting fresh-faced producer. Kove.

Kove’s musical history saw him move from Sussex to London to produce for an electro-pop band in 2009. The following year this young producer encountered drum & bass for the first time and since then has never looked back, immersing himself in the scene and concentrating his efforts on writing his own take on the genre.

Those efforts are clearly working as Kove’s musical talent is already picking up steam thanks to a huge remix for LA music legend and ex-M83 guitarist Big Black Delta. And now his debut single for Program will cement his reputation as one to watch even further. Picked up by Andy C and heavily supported in his sets, Kove’s first outing on program is packed with essential drum & bass energy.

‘Iodine’ leads the way with a stunning musical intro that’s filled with dance floor promise. Kove slowly builds the tension with filtered drums and haunting snippets of vocal before a winding, grinding bassline smashes into the mix. This one is sure to set clubs alight whenever it’s dropped, confirming exactly why Program have given Kove their seal of approval.

Next up is ‘Open Ground’ an altogether lighter affair, fans of the deeper sound of drum & bass will love this track. As the name suggests this one is filled with wide open synths and atmospherics all of which culminate in an effortlessly rolling breakbeat and booming sub-bass combination that provides a perfect balance to Kove’s debut single for Program.

Kove
A. Iodine
AA. Open Ground

Release Date: 08th October 2012
Cat No: PRGRAM003

Kove - Open Ground

Here we go folks, FULL TRACK with extended outro! #Grizmatik

Like Grizmatik on FB: www.facebook.com/grizmatik
Subscribe to Grizmatik on youtube: www.youtube.com/grizmatik

Grizmatik - Digital Liberation Is Mad Freedom

If two heads are better than one, what are three heads capable of?  

Don’t answer that. Just press play and marvel at the power of northern trio Phobia, Sato and Tyrone. Respect-worthy players in their own right these three heads have consolidated their brute audio force to form their shiny new bullet-proof brand Chroma. Clearly three heads are capable of kicking serious dancefloor ass.

With previous on Phobia’s Coded and Klute’s Commercial Suicide, the guys have now secured a slot on one of 2012’s runaway success stories of the scene: Program. With a distinctive floor-focussed sound and a growing repertoire of exciting new artists, Ram’s sister joint is the ideal home for Chroma’s pristine production and ruthless attention to the groove.

We kick off with ‘Acetate’, a deep croaky roller that pays homage to the formative days of jungle drum & bass where the highly sought after dubplate was the scene’s gold standard. With its effortless roll and less-is-more motif, it’s reminiscent of early Ram material from the turn of the century such (think Moving Fusion, think Shimon, think Andy C himself) but it’s delivered with that all important contemporary crunch. The elements are devilishly simple but startlingly complex; just tight, chest-punching drums, hypnotising one note bass and a walloping sub.  

‘So Alone’ flips the switch for a more wholesome, soulful scenario thanks to a breath-taking reggae vocal loop that doesn’t sound dissimilar to Barrington Levy circa ‘Broader Than Broadway’. Again, the elements are simple but devastatingly effective as the bassline swings with well-rounded glee and snake-like drums that do more driving than an Eddie Stobart driver.

Following fine joints from the likes of Kove, Frankee, LoKo, Wickaman and more, Program have proved themselves to be one of the strongest new labels of the year. Chroma’s contribution is no exception and proves the trio to be a name to watch right now!

Chroma
A: Acetate
AA: So Alone

Date: 17th Dec 2012
Cat: PRGRAM005


Chroma - Acetate

www.soundcloud.com/c-in-the-h
www.electro-swing.com

Free DL

Peggy Lee & Ludacris - Hallelujah - C@ in the H@ Remix (ET008)

Bladerunner - Late Night Caller / Fusion out now on PROGRAM - http://smarturl.it/LateNightCaller

Buy via - 
iTunes - http://smarturl.it/LateNightCalle
RAM Shop - http://smarturl.it/2rr62j
Beatport - http://smarturl.it/1vz67b
Drum&Bass Arena - http://smarturl.it/xi8y69

For our seventh release, here at the Program HQ we'd like to give a warm welcome to a true D&B don. All hail the mighty Bladerunner! 

The man needs no introduction… Guided through the ranks by jungle legend Ray Keith, Bladerunner’s innate understanding of studio science and deep knowledge of drum & bass’s rich tapestry is evident on every single record he’s made since he emerged on Dread Recordings in 2006. A sucker for the dark, razor-sharp grooves, his uncompromising sound can be trace back to an ear-opening Helter Skelter epiphany back in the mid 90s. 

Paying homage to this history and heritage, both ‘Late Night Caller’ and ‘Fusion’ carry the quintessential rave ingredients that drum & bass was founded on: energy, clarity and creativity. Incidentally, both have been absolutely caned by Ram head honcho Andy C since Bladerunner sent them to him last Autumn. 

First up, ‘Late Night Caller’. A bonafide rave blazer, it opens with a series of euphoric pads, lush piano strokes and heart-melting vocals. Then, just as you’ve set your watches to spine-tingle o’clock… BOOM: in comes a searing bassline, ripping through the mix, rising and rising with raw low-frequency fusion before cascading back down the tonal scale into deep, dark chaos. The beautiful breakdown allows for a momentary cause for rush-ridden reflection before the bass-powered drop ignites and carnage ensues at an even higher level than before. 

‘Fusion’ showcases Bladerunner’s deeper, more pensive side. Armed with a palette of mournful minor chords, it’s almost as if the synths are weeping at his very touch. A wormhole bassline slithers into the fray, groaning a subtle Q&A over a relentless groove of crisp high-hats and chest-press kicks. A head nod to formative Ram releases from the likes of Origin Unknown, Ram Trilogy and Moving Fusion, look up the term ‘roller’ in next year’s Oxford English Dictionary and it will simply read ‘Fusion’. 

Two rocket-fuelled rollers, two more reasons to keep locked onto one of the most exciting new labels in drum & bass. Program are firing on all cylinders… And this is just the beginning! 

Various 

1.1: Late Night Caller 
1.2: Fusion 

OUT NOW
Cat: PRGRAM007

Bladerunner - Fusion

old tape find

Tracklist 

1.	Ed Rush & Optical - Resurrection [Virus]
2.	Ed Rush & Optical - Syringe [Virus]
3.	Optical & Trace - Kridian [Virus]
4.	Matrix - Apache [Virus]
5.	Ram Trilogy - Reflection (Look Inside) [Ram]
6.	Matrix & Fierce - Tightrope [Metro]
7.	Matrix - Bad Dreams [Metro]
8.	Bad Company - Trick Of The Light [Bad Company]
9.	Ed Rush and Optical - Pacman [Virus]
10.	Optical & Ryme Tyme - White Lightning [Virus]
11.	Matrix - Temperament [Virus]
12.	Machine Head - Hole In The Sky (Goldie Remix)
13.	Ram Trilogy - Titan [Ram]
14.	Optical & Fresh - The Watcher [Unreleased]
15.	Intense - Positive Notions [Good Looking Records]
16.	Matrix - Sleepwalk [Virus]
17.	Moving Fusion - The Witness [Ram]

Matrix & Optical - Breezeblock - Radio 1 - 14.02.2000

Optical is owner of Virus Recordings, Music Producer and DJ from England.
Bookings: UK/ROW: mark@esp-agency.com
USA: saleem@amodeagency.com

This page is dedicated to my sons: Aidan and Solomon, they are the inspiration for everything I do in life now.

"He is best known for his work with Ed Rush, fellow head of the Virus Recordings label, and as a pioneer of the techstep and neurofunk sound. His first single for Metalheadz, 'To Shape the Future'/'Raging Calm' (1997) and his collaborative material with Ed Rush, such as the Wormhole, album (1998) were archetypal developments in the style. The duo followed this debut album with The Creeps (2000) and The Original Doctor Shade (2003), as well as countless singles and remixes. More recently, the duo have returned to form with their (2009) LP 'Travel The Galaxy' containing the modern classic 'Chubrub' and 'No Cure' LP in 2015."

"He also notably did all of the engineering and production work for Grooverider's album Mysteries of Funk, and work on Goldie's 'Saturns Return' LP. In addition, he has produced solo for many labels including Virus, Metalheadz, Prototype, 31 Records, Metro and released in collaboration with many artists, including Ed Rush, Trace, Dom and Roland, Fierce, and his brother Matrix. The first Optical release was in 1996."

"Matt Quinn's savage dance floor productions as Optical (for, among many others, Groove's own label Prototype) have earned him a place in drum'n'bass's premier division.”

"Optical's pure, unchallenged talent shines through on his solo tunes, showcasing an artist well ahead of his time. No doubt the modern sounds of the likes of D-Bridge, Instra:mental and the rest of the minimalist dark revival heads, draw heavy influence not only from Optical himself, but from his inspirations in Jazz, such as Herbie Hancock and Miles Davis. His ability to blend Jazz, Funk and futuristic, technical soundscapes is masterful. From his early work on Metalheadz and Prototype Recordings to his collaborative work on Virus Recordings and the classic Mysteries of Funk (Grooverider's landmark LP), Optical can perhaps qualify as one of the most underrated musicians of the modern era. His mind has crafted sounds which were never before heard, moods which were completely original, and his vision of the future, although ultimately dark and disjointed, is beautifully vivid and addictive. Its a world he pulls you into with each and every track and only a handful of artists can begin to dream of being this successful in their work."

Virus Recordings has become a DnB scene favourite and continues to release the ultimate in DnB vibes, with artists like C4C, Audio, Optiv & BTK, The Upbeats, Noisia, Gridlok, Ram Trilogy, Matrix, Rymetyme, Sonic & Silver, Pendulum, Mefjus,  InsideInfo

Optical - 'Void' (Virus unreleased 1997)

Optical ☣