Buy from Subtle Audio

Mecca - Solar Ice (Scale Remix) :: SUBTLED024

Dub One - United In Strength :: SUBTLED025 (Nov 3rd 2022 Release)

Opius - 'Truth In You' (Subtle Audio Digital) Nov 3rd Release

The 'Sepia Grooves' release pays tribute to the influence of jazz, funk and soul 
music on DnB / Jungle and to the players (most particularly the drummers) who have inspired so much of what we do today. The 3 tunes included on the release feature some of the biggest breaks in Drum & Bass, namely the Amen, the Apache and the Funky Drummer and there are photo's of each of the people responsible for the original rhythms on the sleeve and on the vinyl labels. Okay, so some of us that are close to the music know who's responsible for the foundational beats, but it still feels like people such as Gregory Coleman, Clyde Stubblefield, King Errisson and others haven't really gotten the respect and kudos they deserve to this day. This is our little way of saying thank you to these great people and of raising awareness about their contribution to the music we love so much.

Code's 'Sunday Jazz' features Funky Drummer inspired beats accompanied by double bass, melancholic rhodes keys, drifty synths and Polynesian vocal refrains that all combine to evoke a hazy, smoky jazz vibe. There's a switch-up after the breakdown half-way through when the drums roll-out more and the double-bass patterns open out to enter a call and response routine with some heavier, darker bass sounds.

Limited edition 300 copies.
Mastered by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven.
Photo collage by Conor O’Dwyer.
Artwork / Design by John Slade.

SUBTLE024

Sunday Jazz

Code - Sunday Jazz :: SUBTLE024 12" Vinyl - OUT NOW !

The 'Sepia Grooves' release pays tribute to the influence of jazz, funk and soul 
music on DnB / Jungle and to the players (most particularly the drummers) who have inspired so much of what we do today. The 3 tunes included on the release feature some of the biggest breaks in Drum & Bass, namely the Amen, the Apache and the Funky Drummer and there are photo's of each of the people responsible for the original rhythms on the sleeve and on the vinyl labels. Okay, so some of us that are close to the music know who's responsible for the foundational beats, but it still feels like people such as Gregory Coleman, Clyde Stubblefield, King Errisson and others haven't really gotten the respect and kudos they deserve to this day. This is our little way of saying thank you to these great people and of raising awareness about their contribution to the music we love so much.

Greenleaf's 'Slow Funk' is a homage to several luminaries from the perussive world of yesteryear - featuring percussives from the hands of King Errisson (Incredible Bongo Band), Jabo Starks (who drummed for James Brown) and Yogi Horton (80's session drummer for Aretha Franklin & Diana Ross) who you'll hear professing his unwavering devotion to 'slow funk'  just before the drop. The rhythms are expertly manipulated and sculpted to fit around piano keys, guitar and sax to create a deep, drummy jazz work-out. 

Mastered by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven.
Photo collage by Conor O’Dwyer.
Artwork / Design by John Slade.

Sepia Grooves

Greenleaf - Slow Funk :: SUBTLE024 12" Vinyl - OUT NOW !

The 'Sepia Grooves' release pays tribute to the influence of jazz, funk and soul 
music on DnB / Jungle and to the players (most particularly the drummers) who have inspired so much of what we do today. The 3 tunes included on the release feature some of the biggest breaks in Drum & Bass, namely the Amen, the Apache and the Funky Drummer and there are photo's of each of the people responsible for the original rhythms on the sleeve and on the vinyl labels. Okay, so some of us that are close to the music know who's responsible for the foundational beats, but it still feels like people such as Gregory Coleman, Clyde Stubblefield, King Errisson and others haven't really gotten the respect and kudos they deserve to this day. This is our little way of saying thank you to these great people and of raising awareness about their contribution to the music we love so much.

'State Of Life' from German artist Scale opens with drifty Rhodes keys and punchy breaks before the 1st drop brings a deep, pulsing bass to the mix. Further breaks sneak in and out of the arrangement until, half way through, the bassline pattern gets more involved and the infamous amen break begins to snake gradually out of the speakers and then this tune really kicks into overdrive! Eventually it's 3 different breakbeats layered simultaneously and the momentum is irresistible - if this doesn't make you boogie, then were you even alive to begin with ?? ! 

Mastered by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven.
Photo collage by Conor O’Dwyer.
Artwork / Design by John Slade.

Scale - State Of Life :: SUBTLE024 12" Vinyl - OUT NOW !

Description ??… your ears are going to do this for you, press play ;-)

Buy from Boomkat

Nebula - Untitled Jazz :: Subtle Audio Vol III, 2x12" Vinyl

DJ Trax, Naibu and Becki Biggins on vocals - for us here at Subtle Audio, this is a kind of D&B dream-team! "All Is Silent" begins with an ethereal vocal-led intro which promptly gives way to a slightly sordid bass sound. The drums roll in and the bass gets progressively nastier, initially simmering, eventually seething and then it slips away temporarily before rising once more. The breakdown returns us to the calming vocals and synth washes of the intro before an anthemic piano motif introduces the return of the drums and a somewhat friendlier bass sound for a thrilling climax.

DJ Trax, Naibu & Becki Biggins - All Is Silent :: Subtle Audio Vol III, 2x12" Vinyl

Early sounds by Montreal duo Jason oS and Joe Mnemonic, made before they began their Detuned Transmissions project. "Phytochrome" sees them flex a more melodic vibe than their more recent collaborations. Really smooth atmospheric D&B with a modern twist. Supported by DJ Flight on Rinse FM.

DAAT - Phytochrome :: Subtle Audio Vol III, 2x12" Vinyl

dgoHn - iuoi9o :: Subtle Audio Vol III, 3xCD

Nebula - Encounters VIP :: Subtle Audio Vol III, 3xCD

SUBTLE025 marks a quarter century of 12 inch singles on Subtle Audio and the release comes in a special edition silver sleeve to mark the silver anniversary on the catalogue count.

It felt fitting to revisit some of the most significant tunes from over the years on the label and have them remixed by some of our favourite artists, so NCQL's 'Breath of the Eve' gets an exhilarating re-style by Earl Grey and then one of our earliest releases 'All Over' by Senses gets a wicked rolling atmospheric remix by Enjoy. 

Here's to the next 25 !

SUBTLE025

NCQL - Breath Of The Eve (Earl Grey Remix) :: SUBTLE025 12" Vinyl - OUT NOW !

SUBTLE025 marks a quarter century of 12 inch singles on Subtle Audio and the release comes in a special edition silver sleeve to mark the silver anniversary on the catalogue count.

It felt fitting to revisit some of the most significant tunes from over the years on the label and have them remixed by some of our favourite artists, so NCQL's 'Breath of the Eve' gets an exhilarating re-style by Earl Grey and then one of our earliest releases 'All Over' by Senses gets a wicked rolling atmospheric remix by Enjoy.

Here's to the next 25 !

Senses - All Over (Enjoy Remix) :: SUBTLE025 12" Vinyl - OUT NOW !

Rhythmic Idyllic

Martianman - Sidepiece :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

Kyam - Sloucher :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

Subtle Audio

Brijawi - Another Earth :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

Aroma Nice - Disco Hips :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

Duburban, Peeb & Pixl - At This Moment :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

Buex - U Fall :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP)

NonRev - Just Because :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP / SUBTLE001LTD)

Peeb - 7 Degrees Of Separation :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP / SUBTLE001LTD)

Senses - Free To See (IC Funk) :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP / SUBTLE001LTD)

Opius - Pizazz :: Rhythmic Idyllic (SUBTLE001COMP / SUBTLE001LTD)

Macc & dgoHn "Some Shit Saaink" 
digital download re-release details
SUBTLED002CD

Trackisting :
1. "7C 1020"
2. "Long Tall Sally"
3. "Bamba"
4. "Sun Days"
5. "Mustard Greens"
6. "Empathy Bottle"
7. "Gever"
8. "Forget Stuff"
9. "Yut"
10. "Ascorbic 403"
11. "Things Go Brown"
12. "July 39th"
13. "Leg Taps"
14. "Recnad"
15. "You Will Be"


Subtle Audio 2x12" Vinyl + Digital Download Bundle special offer available here ---> http://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=SUBTLED002CD&x=0&y=0


Originally released as a 4 track 2x12" vinyl on Subtle Audio in 2009, a very limited 10 track Subtle Audio CD version followed in 2010 before a licensing deal with Rephlex Records saw the CD widely distributed along with 3 (digital only) bonus tracks. Now that the licensing term with Rephlex has come to an end, we're releasing all 15 tracks from the 3 different formats in one digital download. Seems fitting to do it now, seeing as we are celebrating Subtle Audio's 10th Birthday this year and it's 5 years since the original release of this album. 

Here's the original press release ...

"Time to enter the insane, weird, drum-centric world of Macc & dgoHn as the Subtle Audio camp proudly delivers its first album long player by this pair of not altogether insane East Londoners.

Subtle Audio has been pushing Drum & Bass with a slighly different slant since 2005 and this album could well be presented as their mission statement, it sums up the distinctive sound of the label perfectly.

Macc & dgoHn favour a breakbeat driven style and they incorporate their beats into ever shifting cinematic arrangements brim full of attitude and experimentation. Individually, their sounds have travelled far beyond the Drum & Bass microcosm and their work has been aired by the likes of Zane Lowe and Mary Anne Hobbs on BBC Radio 1. Aphex Twin is also an admirer and his festival playlists have contained Macc or dgoHn on more than one occasion. Now they unleash a volley of material from their collaborative archive which is set to disarm critics who thought Drum & Bass had run out of rhythms, arrangements and silly album titles. No fear on that, 'Some Shit Saaink' is here!"


Macc & dgoHn - 7C 1020 :: Some Shit Saaink Album :: Digital Download re-release

Macc & dgoHn - Bamba :: Some Shit Saaink Album :: Digital Download re-release

Macc & dgoHn "Some Shit Saaink" 
digital download re-release details
SUBTLED002CD

Trackisting :
1. "7C 1020"
2. "Long Tall Sally"
3. "Bamba"
4. "Sun Days"
5. "Mustard Greens"
6. "Empathy Bottle"
7. "Gever"
8. "Forget Stuff"
9. "Yut"
10. "Ascorbic 403"
11. "Things Go Brown"
12. "July 39th"
13. "Leg Taps"
14. "Recnad"
15. "You Will Be"


Subtle Audio 2x12" Vinyl + Digital Download Bundle special offer available here ---> http://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/shop/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=SUBTLED002&x=0&y=0


Originally released as a 4 track 2x12" vinyl on Subtle Audio in 2009, a very limited 10 track Subtle Audio CD version followed in 2010 before a licensing deal with Rephlex Records saw the CD widely distributed along with 3 (digital only) bonus tracks. Now that the licensing term with Rephlex has come to an end, we're releasing all 15 tracks from the 3 different formats in one digital download. Seems fitting to do it now, seeing as we are celebrating Subtle Audio's 10th Birthday this year and it's 5 years since the original release of this album. 

Here's the Subtle Audio press release for "Some Shit Saaink" written back in 2009 ...

"Time to enter the insane, weird, drum-centric world of Macc & dgoHn as the Subtle Audio camp proudly delivers its first album long player by this pair of not altogether insane East Londoners.

Subtle Audio has been pushing Drum & Bass with a slighly different slant since 2005 and this album could well be presented as their mission statement, it sums up the distinctive sound of the label perfectly.

Macc & dgoHn favour a breakbeat driven style and they incorporate their beats into ever shifting cinematic arrangements brim full of attitude and experimentation. Individually, their sounds have travelled far beyond the Drum & Bass microcosm and their work has been aired by the likes of Zane Lowe and Mary Anne Hobbs on BBC Radio 1. Aphex Twin is also an admirer and his festival playlists have contained Macc or dgoHn on more than one occasion. Now they unleash a volley of material from their collaborative archive which is set to disarm critics who thought Drum & Bass had run out of rhythms, arrangements and silly album titles. No fear on that, 'Some Shit Saaink' is here!"


Macc & dgoHn - Empathy Bottle :: Some Shit Saaink Album :: Digital Download re-release

12" Vinyl available right now over at www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/shop !

Mecca & Code - SUBTLE020 
A. "In Cold Blood"
AA. "Ice World"

Irish D&B / Breakbeat ambassadors Mecca & Code team up for the 20th 12" single release on Subtle Audio in this, the labels 10th year of operation.  

"In Cold Blood" has been anticipated for quite awhile with a prototype version finished as many as 5 years ago - it finally sees the light of day with a new mix which adds several extra leagues of depth to an already deep and dark bassline! The anguished dialogue and eerie atmospherics add to the mood, while the tech-y drumfunk style percussives hold everything together, despite the many switches and sections throughout. It was certainly worth the wait ! 

The flipside "Ice World" sees the pair tackle the under-used "Worm" break for an epic journey through icey terrains. There's a constant ebb and flow to the arrangement here, with surprises around every corner. "White on white world... no sound!" 


Mecca & Code - In Cold Blood  :: SUBTLE020 12" Vinyl

Speak is a new name in the Subtle Audio family but is certainly someone we want to work with again in the future. "Stone Giants" rolls along with intricate drum-work and a running bassline, it's atmosphere tinged with a foreboding feel. The ominous ambience eventually gives way with the emergence of a summery, optimistic synth half-way through before the return of the darkness towards the end. Epic drumfunk !

A Decade In Breakbeat

Speak - Stone Giants :: A Decade In Breakbeat (SUBTLE007CD)

This track is so out there that we had to give it it's own special section at the end of the CD ! ... in a sub-section that asks the question, what will the next decade bring? Well, maybe it will sound something like this ! You won't hear the full extent of the almost 5 minute breakdown in this clip, but if you like what you hear, that's what the CD is for !

Psycho Mantis - U Do Not Want To Go There :: A Decade In Breakbeat (SUBTLE007CD)

SUBTLE021

Dub One - Taken From This World :: SUBTLE021 12" Vinyl

Artist : NCQL

Tracks : 
A – “ The Framed Dreams Of Loki ”	
AA – “ Professional Dreamer ” 

Format : 12" Vinyl (Digital Download to follow)
Promo Release Date : February 13th 2012

					
NCQL annouces himself in no uncertain fashion with the anthemic strings of “The Framed Dreams Of Loki”. The track nods to DJ Premier, Prefuse 73 and classic Metalheadz D&B Hidden Agenda style and there’s a subtle (!) reference to a certain classic 90s rave tune in there aswell. It sounds like a mess - it’s anything but ! This is uplifting breakbeat at it’s very best. It’s not often a tune gets played three times by Bailey on his BBC 1Xtra show in the space of a month, so this must be something special.
			
The flipside has a similar organic & uplifting aesthetic. A strutting break is the base for a deluge of warmth in the shape of synths, strings, flutes, harp and vocals - an unusual sound palette for a Drum & Bass track these days but refreshing to hear. DJ Flight thought so and has aired it on one of her “Next Chapter” Rinse FM broadcasts.

NCQL - The Framed Dreams of Loki :: SUBTLE016 (clip)

SUBTLE022

Drummotive - Ensnared :: SUBTLE022 12" Vinyl

Subtle Audio and Opposide Records proudly presents the ‘Ecstatic Gloom’ collaboration release which revels in a dark, murky and eerie other-world. Featuring Dissident’s classic ‘Universe Eat Universe’ from the Subtle Audio back-catalog and also ‘Dark Nights’ by Code from Opposide’s ‘Double Your Displeasure’ CD release, both tracks have been re-mastered by Macc and given the 45rpm 12″ vinyl treatment they never had previously.

You can pre-order the vinyl here : https://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/product/dissident-code-ecstatic-gloom-subtle-audio-opposide-subside001-12%E2%80%B3-pre-order-ships-nov-18th

And, if you'd like to order the brand new Kyam release on Subtle Audio, we have a discounted Bundle Offer for both new releases : https://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/product/subtle023-subside001-2-x-12-vinyl-bundle-pre-order-shipping-nov-18th

You can check out an excellent video for Dissident’s track here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ94pTPChr4

SUBSIDE001

Ecstatic Gloom

Dissident - Universe Eat Universe :: Ecstatic Gloom, Subtle Audio / Opposide 12" (SUBSIDE001)

The Subtle Audio 'A Decade In Breakbeat' compilation 3x12" + CD is available to pre-order right now!! Only from the Subtle Audio website ---> https://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/product/a-decade-in-breakbeat-bundle-3x12-vinyl-cd-bonus-download-poster/ ... We expect to be shipping orders on July 1st 2016. The release will then be distributed worldwide by Unearthed distribution on Monday July 25th.

Vinyl / Digital / CD releases are available from http://www.subtleaudiorecordings.com/shop/

SUBTLE AUDIO is an outlet for Drum and Bass in it's most expressive form, music that works your mind as hard as your feet. 
The label has changed conceptions of what Drum and Bass is supposed to be about with it's experimental and varied output since 2005. If you like breakbeat manipulation, deep bass sounds and atmosphere then listen up!



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