_RELEASES_

No Concept – Grave Digga (feat. SMK)
Beatport Excl. http://bit.ly/GraveDigga

The No Concept boys, formerly known as Dubba Jonny & Russla, have wasted no time in establishing themselves as an integral part of the Technique roster. Their huge “Soundcheck EP” set the tone, with heavy rave and radio rotation, and the download chart success to match. Then, we've seen them demonstrate their versatility with their contributions to the Technique Summer 2018 album. Now, it's time for another twist in the tale.

If you've been paying attention, you might have already heard “Grave Digga” doing damage in Drumsound & Bassline Smith's sets over the last few months. That tension-laden intro, made of post-apocalyptic sirens and insistent flecks of guitar, gives notice something dangerous is on its way. Add DnB's punchline slinger SMK into the mix to provide another touch of the darkside, and it all adds up to some weapons-grade rave material.

When the drop crashes in with it's octave-switching basslines, rising chords, and jaw-breaking drums, then you'd better get set for the reload. No Concept have gone full Frankenstein and designed a monster, every element designed to ramp up the energy. Bars for the spit-along crew, rolling beats and bass-weight for the skankers, and all the fills and modulations required to grab the dance's attention and never let it go.

The No Concept name reflects the duo's full-spectrum, no-pigeon-hole approach to production. And, so far, everything we've seen from them has shown us a new angle on their sound. With “Grave Digga”, they've definitively proved their ability to deliver pure dancefloor mayhem, and it begs the question, where can they take us next? Seems like the ride's just beginning.


Tracklisting:

A. No Concept – Grave Digga (feat. SMK)


For interview requests and further information, contact:

info@techniquerecordings.co.uk

Grave Digga Ft. SMK

No Concept - Grave Digga Ft. SMK (Rene La Vice Premiere)

Own it now: http://technique.lnk.to/LetItRoll2018

The biggest drum 'n' bass event on Earth, bringing together tens of thousands of ravers and hundreds of artists over three days and nights, is Let it Roll. As if that wasn't insane enough, this August, the award winning Czech festival will be graced with a Technique Recordings Label Night. And, there's brand new music to mark the occasion properly. Opening proceedings is a VIP relick of a tune from Drumsound & Bassline Smith's massive 2017 album “Wardance”. This version of “Control” ramps up the energy from the first bar, with insistently percussive synths leading the way. Then the pulsing, stomping drop, driven by a bassline with an extra layer of grit, is sculpted for maximum rave destruction. “Vybez” delivers us into a trademark Tantrum Desire cinematic opening. Expansive pads stretch into the distance as subtle hints of drum edge towards us over the horizon. There's no way you're going to see the dark, scything drop coming, with a screwface bassline that screams out for a reload. Then Technique's latest recruits, No Concept, take to the stage. They've already proven capable of creating multiple styles, and with “Make Noize” they've built a monster. The long tension-ramping build supported by that “make some noise” sample writes a very big cheque, but the drop is more than capable of cashing it. The warping and twisting bassline, those gut-punch drums, and the adrenaline-shot fills combine into an absolute beast of a tune. Finally L Plus gives us “Let Roll the World”. Gigantic uplifting arpeggios set the tone in the intro. The “let it roll” dialogue clip adds an extra boost of hype. And then there's an almighty drop which rattles off a full polyrhythmic ammo belt. A syncopated pattern in the bass weaves in and out of switching percussion instruments while a rock-solid kick and snare provide the scaffolding that holds it all together. Even in this four-track mini-compilation, the strength and depth of production skill on show makes it very clear why Technique is such a revered label. And it also demonstrates exactly why their Label Night at Let it Roll in August is going to be unmissable.

Technique Goes to Let it Roll

Own it now

No Concept - Make Noize (Technique Goes to Let it Roll)

Own it now: bit.ly/NoConceptWeirdo

With Radio 1 airplay, A-list deejay support, download chart success, and prestige bookings at Let it Roll, Fabriclive and beyond, it's fair to say No Concept are tried and tested Technique Recordings soldiers. And now they're on maybe their most insane mission yet. The first thing you'll notice about “Weirdo” is that it features the idiosyncratic lyrical stylings of Bizarre. Yes, that Bizarre. The one with the shower cap out of D12, making, as far as we know, his first foray into DnB. As he tells us “ain't no-one crazier than me” over the tension-ramping intro, anticipation crackles. What's coming is an absolutely ridiculous drop that's going to see this tune become automatic wheel-up material. The aggressive punch of the drums is counterbalanced by the swing-time syncopation. The morphing, fluctuating bassline bounces around the frequency spectrum. This is addictive dancefloor music combining all the majesty of a big room epic with low-down gritty rave-hyping energy. So, it's yet another banger from the No Concept boys! And, maybe more importantly, it's revealed yet another facet to their style. These producers raise the bar for themselves every time, and you can bet they'll be ratcheting up to even higher levels in the near future. Watch the ride.

Weirdo feat. Bizarre

Own it Now

No Concept - Weirdo feat. Bizarre

Our first upload of the year comes courtesy of North Base & No Concept, linking with SMK on the sinister sounds of No Man's Land via Technique Recordings. Get it here: Technique.lnk.to/NoMansLand

North Base:
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/NORTHBASEUK/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/northbaseuk/
SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/north-base

No Concept:
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/noconceptdnb/
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/noconceptdnb/
SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/noconceptdnb

SMK:
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/dirtysmkmc
Twitter → https://twitter.com/SMKdirtySmirks

Technique Recordings:
Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/techniquerecordings
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/techniquerecordings/
SoundCloud → https://soundcloud.com/techniquerecordings

Drum&BassArena:
Join the family → www.family.breakbeat.co.uk/
Spotify → www.open.spotify.com/user/officialdnba
YouTube → www.youtube.com/user/officialdnbtv
Mixcloud → www.mixcloud.com/drumandbassarena/
Facebook → www.facebook.com/officialdnba
Twitter → www.twitter.com/OfficialDnBA
Music news → www.breakbeat.co.uk/
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter → breakbeat.co.uk/#modal

North Base & No Concept - No Man's Land (ft. SMK)

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/Showdown

Massive tracks like “Weirdo”, laced by unlikely guest star Bizarre from D12, and “Grave Digga”, plus huge deejay sets at events like Fabriclive and Let it Roll have firmly established No Concept's rave-wrecking credentials. And now they're back with a brand new EP.

The eponymous opening track of “Showdown” might just be the most epic sound we've heard from No Concept so far. Right down to the “In a world...” narration, this is uncompromisingly cinematic, with a synth orchestra teaming up with touches of classic breaks to build the hype. Then the drop throws us straight into the middle of sonic warfare, with huge waves of bass striking against concrete-hard drums.

Then, with “Gets Me High”, No Concept switch to hands-in-the-air mode. The rising arpeggios, uplifting chords, and building harmonies in the intro suit the big room perfectly, but that's not all this track has to offer. The drop manages to blend heavyweight bass and steel toecap drums into the euphoric musicality, meaning this is going to hit hard wherever it's played. Big tune.

“Wot U Gna Do” is unmissable. Selectors from across the spectrum are going to love this one. The intro gets us hooked immediately, as immediately-recognisable riffs and vocals grab our attention. After a build that you're almost certainly going to be wheeling, No Concept swing a mighty wrecking-ball of a drop at us. Deploying the stripped-back aggression of grotty jump-up melodies, combined with serious levels of bass-weight and twisted timbre-manipulation, this is dangerous.

Finally, we get “Fire Riddim”. Opening with one of the expansively dramatic intros that No Concept have made a trademark on this EP, the tune is driven by metronomic pizzicato stabs, while keys and brass prophesy viciousness to come. The nitroglycerine drop hits hard, with rock-solid bass and beats to make the dance move. It's the way the melodic elements fluctuate into unpredictable patterns, though, that keeps this vital and engaging to the end. Explosive material.

It's clear that there's no such thing as a “typical” No Concept tune. Capable of light and shade, filth and melody, every time these producers bring out new music, the only thing we can predict is that they'll find a way to surprise us. And that their tunes will take the roof off wherever they're played.

Showdown

Own It Now

No Concept - Showdown

No Concept - Gets Me High

No Concept - Wot U Gna Do

No Concept - Fire Riddim

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/Summer 2019

Every summer since 2016, Technique Recordings have been bringing us an epically ambitious album project, combining multiple flavours and sub-genres of drum 'n' bass into a perfect soundtrack for the season. And, just glancing down the tracklisting of 2019's instalment, with its blend of battle-hardened veterans and next-to-blow new generation artists, it's clear that we're in for yet another DnB heatwave from Drumsound & Bassline Smith's label.

For one thing, there's the strength in depth. Scene originators like Aquasky and Ellis Dee, the latter making a victorious return to drum 'n' bass after taking some time away, rub shoulders with newcomers like Technique Music Academy student Delphi. Technique regulars like Tantrum Desire and L Plus line up alongside label debutants like Chrizz0r, Mindloader, and MIAVO.

And then there's the music itself. We've already heard the glorious single “Forever” by Smooth, and that beautiful essence of musicality runs through the LP. Tapolsky & VovKING deliver their typically twisted take on summer melodies, we've got atmospheric euphoria from Muffler, and there's the dark-tinged jazz vibe of Gradual's team-up with Deuce & Charger.

But there's more. A Technique Summer album isn't just music for chilling with, it captures those high-energy festival and all-day rave moments too. Tracks like Drumsound & Bassline Smith's “Time to Let Go”, Zeal & Exile's “Seeing Shapes”, and NC-17's “True Grit” add a touch of toughness to the sunlit sounds. Tracks from this album are going to find a place in sets everywhere.

In years to come, this just might just be seen as an era-defining compilation. Undisputed legends sharing a tracklisting with some of the most promising up-and-comers in the scene right now, to deliver a multi-dimensional summer drum 'n' bass experience. Across thirty-eight tracks, there's a whole treasure trove of DnB to discover right here.

Technique Summer 2019

No Concept - Who We Are (Technique Summer 2019)

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/CashMoney

A string of high-profile releases, with national radio and A-list deejay support along the way, mean that every new No Concept tune comes loaded with anticipation.

So, where are they taking us this time?

'Cash Money' opens with calm-before-the-storm pads, the shimmering beauty of the chords countered by little touches of dissonance and insistently-building percussion. As the, “Rich life...” sample signals the drop, tension cranks to maximum ready for No Concept to deliver exactly what the dancefloor demands. Jaw-cracking drums stomp across the landscape alongside huge scything blades of bass. Then, the massive ramp-up towards the elegant simplicity of the breakdown is bound to spark the imagination of all creative selectors. Watch for this tune hitting hard in raves everywhere.

Then there's 'Autonomy'. Some lovely electro-esque modulating synth-work in the intro, with building layers of melody, give this a cinematic feel. This could just be the soundtrack of some half-forgotten cult eighties sci-fi flick. And the pounding energy of the drop with its vamping, staccato riff and throbbing bassline keeps that vibe fully intact. This is musical, euphoric drum 'n' bass, continually unfolding and expanding to hold our attention with expertly-programmed sonic twists. This is No Concept taking us on a journey without ever losing the primary focus: bringing hype to the dancefloor.

These No Concept guys seem to be adding new strings to their bow every time they step in the studio. Crossing sub-genres and production styles without breaking a sweat, they're certainly living up to their chosen name. No concept, no formula, and no fixed rules of engagement have somehow led to them delivering drum 'n' bass gold every time.

Cash Money / Autonomy

No Concept - Cash Money (Rene LaVice Premiere)

No Concept - Autonomy

▶ Download / Stream: playme.fanlink.to/electroremix

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Electrotherapy: The Remixes

Download / Stream

Dr. Apollo & Reid Speed - Electrotherapy (feat. Evil Dom) (No Concept Remix)

Own The Album: technique.lnk.to/20YearsRmx

Celebrating two decades in business, Technique Recordings have opened up the vaults and handed out the stems of some of their biggest tunes to some of the sickest producers around. We had warnings of what was to come with DC Breaks' remix of Tantrum Desire's 'Airhead' and Glitch City's take on Drumsound & Bassline Smith's 'Skumbag', and cuts from this album have been shelling down raves and festivals all summer.

Now, here's what we've been waiting for.

This album, spanning the full twenty years of Technique history, showcases the real strength and depth of the catalogue. Anthems like Crissy Criss & Youngman's 'Kick Snare', Drumsound & Bassline Smith's 'Crossfire' and Tantrum Desire's 'Reach' all get reconfigured to take heads off all over again. The bossmen have even resurrected their Future Tech moniker to give a 2019 upgrade to TECH 001.

And the array of remixers recruited take us all the way across the spectrum of contemporary drum 'n' bass. The likes of Bladerunner and Marky rub shoulders with AMC and The Prototypes...this album is as musically multi-faceted as it is star-studded. Just take a look down the tracklist to see how much there is to discover, taking in dancefloor, jungle, jump-up and more.

In summary, this is how to celebrate a birthday in style. Some of the biggest tracks from the back catalogue given the remix treatment by some of the biggest artists in the scene. And Technique aren't even done yet. There's a part 2 of the '20 Years of Technique' LP project, and it's coming soon...

20 Years of Technique - Remix LP

Drumsound & Bassline Smith - Holdin On (No Concept Remix VIP) (Beatport Exclusive)

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/2020Vision

We're not even close to recovering from the sonic assault of Technique's twentieth-anniversary 'Remix LP' but the follow-up strike is already upon us. We've seen classics from the back cat get the treatment from the likes of A.M.C, Bladerunner, Marky and Digital, but now it's all about looking to the future. With ten brand new killer tunes, the Technique Recordings gang are already setting a benchmark for 2020.

And, judging by this album, the picture of what's to come is multi-hued and multi-faceted.

The break-focused future-jungle tear-out of Drumsound & Bassline Smith's 'Ruffneck Soldier' – already a tried and tested deejay weapon on dub – sits alongside the cinematic expanse of L Plus's 'The Planet' and the controlled aggression of NC-17 and Exile's 'War'.

As if to emphasise the variety, No Concept's Kerizma-laced 'Electrify' rubs shoulders with Tantrum Desire and Youngman's 'Precision', offering us a horror-influenced stomper and a soul-meets-staccato dancefloor workout respectively. And that's before we even get into the contribution from DJSS, 'Only Get Better', blending subtlety and savagery in equal measure.

This is Technique's 2020 vision, setting out a blueprint for the type of beat and bassline science that's going to be lighting up drum 'n' bass dancefloors over the coming months. Building on the hard-earned legacy of twenty years in the business, their next two decades in the top tier start right here. Essential.

20 Years of Technique - 2020 Vision LP

No Concept - Electrify feat. Kerizma MC

No Concept - Featherweight

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/BeThe1

Core members of the hand-picked elite force that make up the Technique Recordings roster, No Concept are known as much for their eclectic selection of influences as they are for sheer dance demolition.

And here's how they're setting their stall out for 2020.

First up is a trip down memory lane with 'Be the 1'. No Concept deliver pitch perfect old skool vibes in the intro with pitched-up vocals, breaks, stabs...all that 1991 goodness. But behind the throwback facade lies a militant smasher aimed straight at contemporary dancefloors. The savage bassline assault blended masterfully with the retro elements means this is going to find fans amongst selectors of all persuasions.

Then 'Remember' flips the script. No Concept take us through moods of anxious tension, soulful emotion, and hyped anticipation before we've even got to the drop. Moments of melody and harmony signal that this tune isn't going to do things by the book. The dark minimalism of the drop, made from rolling beats and modulating bass tones punctated with gorgeous floating vocal samples, is a call to arms that's guaranteed to resonate with ravers.

No Concept live up to their name once again with two tunes that defy neat categorisation. The constantly evolving style of these producers means that each one of their releases delivers something new every time. Better pay close attention.

Be The 1 / Remember

No Concept - Be The 1

No Concept - Remember

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/Falling

No Concept, Technique's boundary-traversing, category-defying production duo, are back. Following up from one of their biggest releases to date – the huge 'Be the 1' backed with 'Remember' – expectations are high, and with A-lister support already secured for this release, it looks like they've struck gold once again.

Hit play on 'Falling' and we're immediately transported back to the roots. The reggae samples, the reverb, the delay and the building rhythmical elements all combine to evoke that early crucible of sounds that spawned jungle. But we know how No Concept do by now. The clue's in the name, and just when we think we've got a handle on their sound, they twist up the style once again.

While the sub-genre pigeon-holers debate whether this is deconstructed two-step jungle or reggae-influenced jump-up, the rest of us will be too busy skanking out to the the incendiary drop. Savage bass timbres drive the energy onwards while rolling drums – drawing heavily on classic breaks – set the mood. If the ultra-slick production levels didn't give it away, this could easily be a revisited classic from the mid-nineties, and it's going to hit like a hammer-blow wherever it's played.

Still coming with something fresh every single time, if you didn't have No Concept on your list of buy-on-sight artists before this release, it's about time that changed.

Falling

No Concept - Falling

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/LetMeKnow

This release comes as the latest in a surge of highly-regarded, level-raising releases from Technique's No Concept. 'Be The 1', 'Remember' and 'Falling' quickly became some of their most celebrated tunes to date so, having raised the bar, the No Concept boys are hear to vault it once again.

'Let Me Know' opens with a chilled moment of ethereal melody. Simple and stripped back, until the approach of rolling drums transports us immediately to blissed out summer DnB memories. The hazy chords stand aside and allow soulful vocals to take centre stage. Right from the intro, this is sunlight DnB.

And then the tune drops, delivering a pure dose of atmospheric liquid-infused music. Those sharp, precise drums anchor the tune to the dancefloor, while allowing the building harmonies, melodies and vocals to propel the music onwards. No Concept construct a multi-layered, musically-potent landmark right before our eyes and ears without ever losing touch with that raw emotivbe vibe.

This might be No Concept's furthest excursion yet into this style and, once again, it cements how accurate their name is. With no fixed concept or formula of what their sound should be, they simply deliver drum 'n' bass music of all shades and tones. This is No Concept on a roll.

Let Me Know

No Concept - Let Me Know

Own It Now: technique.lnk.to/RebelAnthem

This is a collaboration that was bound to happen. Both No Concept and Mad Hed City have been carving uncompromisingly original paths through bass-heavy music, and it was inevitable their scenic routes through genres and sub-genres would eventually intersect. 'Rebel Anthem' catches all the artists involved at absolutely prime-time, coming together to deliver a piece of work that flexes their powers to maximum effect.

From the confident restraint of the fade-in, this tune has got wheel-up written all over it. Intensifying vocals are deployed perfectly to add fist-in-the-air inspiration to the rising arc that leads to the drop, giving us a forty-eight bar intro that creative deejays all over are going to find a place for, both in the blend and run from the edge.

The electrical storm of a bassline that explodes onto the scene leads the way, modulating through timbres and bending across pitches as No Concept and Mad Hed City stamp their authority on the track. Deftly-programmed fills, a punchy roll-out drum pattern and sing-along vocal motifs complete the picture and make this a powerful weapon for selectors.

It's a bold move to put 'anthem' in the name of your track, but No Concept and Mad Hed City have lived up to the promise and delivered exactly that. 'Rebel Anthem' hits hard.

Rebel Anthem

No Concept vs Mad Hed City - Rebel Anthem

ONE SOUND - technique.lnk.to/OneSound

PRESET & SAMPLE PACK - bit.ly/NoConceptTE

Meet Brian and Russ, aka No Concept.

Coming up in the bass music scene of the UK's south coast, it was almost inevitable that their shared passion for constructing powerful dancefloor beats would lead them to start collaborating. And so the seeds of No Concept were planted.

Brian was already well-established as a dubstep producer, with several million YouTube views and features on massive compilations in his CV. Under the name Dubba Jonny, he'd been responsible for anthems like “All In”, and the viral “Dubstep Production” series that walked the line between parody and purist bass-and-beat carnage.

Simultaneously, Russ, aka Russla, was rising through the ranks of Bournemouth's drum 'n' bass scene. As a deejay, he became a regular fixture of the biggest line-ups in the area, sharing flyer-space with A-listers like Shy FX, Sub Zero, Drumsound & Bassline Smith, and Hatcha.

The pair's first forays into production together were, by their own admission, “for fun”, but as their joint output started to build a reputation, labels came calling. Adopting the name Glass Cobra, they began to deliver a series of hard, aggressive releases and rave-wrecking back-to-back deejay sets that put them firmly on the map.

No Concept is the next stage of their evolution. Wiping the slate clean with a brand new name, Brian and Russ are coming with a fresh new approach without any thought for sub-genre constraints or preconceptions. Each one of their releases comes loaded with unpredictability coming, as it might, from any part of the drum 'n' bass spectrum.

But, whether they're delivering a sunlit vocal anthem or a viciously filthy rave-weapon, it's always with the same dedication to musical and technical skill that saw them catch the eye of Technique Recordings in the first place. The No Concept story is just beginning.