Russia is home to some of the most innovative producers in DNB: Bop and his Microfunk label, the workouts provided by Enei, and the phenomenal act known as Black Barrel. Black Barrel has been making music for some time; continually issuing tracks through Dispatch Recordings, Sofa Sound Bristol, Metalheadz, Spearhead, Lifestlye Uk, Vandal Records, and the list goes on and on.
One of the things that sets this artist apart from so many is that despite his dark output, he has an incredibly funny and light sense of humor. With such images as himself hugging a black barrel, it instills the sense that is a dedicated artist who has enormous devotion and love to what he does. And on his latest release, “Lock Stock/Radical Sound” on Dispatch Recordings, he continues to lay down his distinctive sound for all to enjoy.
Lock Stock starts as the name suggests, like a loaded gun ready to fire. With a driving rhythm of top loops and a vibrating bassline, it gears up for the launch into the meat of the tune….and when it does, there’s no turning back. This is the kind of song that launches the high point of any club night/festival show into a frenzy. The beat is hard and unrelenting, noise is used to create a hummable motif, and there are layers upon layers for the mind to feast on. Yet at no point is anything too much, showcasing the precise production skills he possesses.
Sound design lies at the heart of drum and bass. It is where the producers make or break themselves, and how they deliver their unique ideas to the world. “Radical Sound” is Black Barrel at his ferocious best. A track that shreds as it moves the dancefloor, it uses the longstanding idea of a jungle of sounds with solid bass heavy rhythms to make its magic. On top of this, it employs precise use of timing and samples to create a foreboding roller that is the pinnacle of this particular art form.
Black Barrel continues to show he is at the top of his game, and why he has quickly become one of the most sought-after talents in the genre. Scoop these killer tracks up from Dispatch Recordings as soon as you can.
https://dispatchrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/disbbsv001-lock-stock-radical-sound
