Dirtbox Recordings Presents: Vibe City Vol. 3

What’s happening fellow DnB heads?  Strex on the QWERTY’s this week with a wicked new LP from Dirtbox Recordings.  Following the success of Vibe City Volumes 1 & 2, we have a third installment.  

With quirky artwork following the hit board game Guess Who that contains all the artists faces to play with, it’s already an inviting proposition.  A 24 track behemoth of an album with appearances from superb artists like Conrad Subs, L3MMY DUBZ, Shayper, Beskar, Jane Doe & Sola.  Everyone on the compilation is worthy of having their artistic creations on this compilation, all put together by the main man Lee UHF. 

Check out this amazing tracklist:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNCF7juaT8M?si=sPO0LG9nzmubg1b2]

Instead of me writing about the tunes this week, we have asked the artists the following questions, see their answers below!  

1. Growing up what was your favourite board game?
2. Which board game do you think could best use Drum n bass artists as characters?
3. Tell us a short sentence on the track(s) you have signed to Vibe City Volume 3

JANE DOE
1. Operation , such an anxiety ridden game which involved a lot of screaming by me. This is
why I could never be an actual doctor.
2. Guess Who – Well it speaks for itself, questions can be related to identifying who made what
banger or style…..so much fun could be had with this!
3. ‘Falling Down’ is an emotive and reflective liquid tribute about the ones that are struggling in
life and the ones trying to save them from falling further into the darkness

—
DAVID SATURN
1. Monopoly – Everyone played this as a kid and we all love Boardwalk. Plus it’s fun to see your
friends go broke in a game.
2. Guess Who – I think Dirtbox nailed this one! Guessing different DJs and artists could actually
make a great game. Guess Who DnB!
3. “Dreams” was oddly enough created the morning after dreaming about the beach. It has a
tropical dreamy flavor that fits.

—-
SHAYPER
1. payday, it’s like monopoly but actually fun, have some lovely family memories from it
2. risk, it would be interesting to see the strength representation of artists!
3. Experimental hybrid vibes

—-
BESKAR
1. Chess, even though my dad always won
2. I think we nailed it with guess who tbh.
3. Quintessentially Beskar doing liquid DnB. My vocals and guitar throughout.

—-
AKUMA
1. would have to be monopoly
2. again Monopoly .Instead of buying property you earn Dj residency
3. So my track Trust your heart was written during the summer and has some inspiration from
that .It’s on the lighter side of production for me but really enjoyed the creative process on this
one .

—-
BLIPIN
1. Hero Quest. I used to spend hours playing that game with my brothers.
2. A drum & bass version of Cluedo would be fun. The artists are the characters, the rooms are
named after famous clubs and the weapons could be named after classic killer tracks.
3. The track is called Sometimes. It’s a track about ‘sometimes’ having doubt in a relationship
but having the courage to love yourself and others.

—-
CANIS x SIRIUS (By Sirius)
1. Monopoly was a game we used to play regularly when Brad (Canis) was a little spermlet
2. “Guess Who” is definitely the best idea for an album theme.
3. They do say less is more, “Insomniac” is a track Canis produced in a couple hour session
waiting for Me (Sirius) to get ready.
He then had a few hours restructuring the 2nd drop and finalizing. Brad showcased unique and
punchy sound design so that not much else was needed on the track. We were over the moon
when Dirtbox recordings took it for the latest vice city vol 3 album.

—-
CONRAD SUBS
1. Arguing with family over monopoly
2. Cluedo would be good, `Guess who` murdered the dancefloor
3. Both of these tracks are on a more of a liquid vibe than most of my recent releases.
A bit of deep, rolling soulful stuff and some old school, J Majik inspired disco.

—-
LEE UHF
1. There are tons, Guess Who obviously was one but I had a soft spot also for Mouse Trap, but
a little known one I loved was a board game called “Ghost Castle” look it up. I went looking on
ebay for one not long ago for nostalgic purposes and it was over £100. Fuck that.
2. Well I came up with the idea for this release so its gotta be Guess Who hasn’t it. I do feel you
could easily do Monopoly though or even a question type one like Blockbusters.
3.  It’s a re-release of the Just Breathe Remix of my track “Ellie” from the second Vibe City
album. Its a little ravey so not fully liquid but I wanted to include it to break it up a little. Just
Breathe did an awesome job though

—-
SKUFF
1. I’d say Monopoly was my favourite board game growing up. Memories of a friend literally
throwing the board across the room when I bought park lane will always stay with me
2. Definitely Cluedo! Andy C did it, With the record box, in the green room!
3. I’m lucky enough to have two tracks on Vibe City Volume 3, `All I have` and secondly `Rule
Breaker` which is a track I started around 7 years ago, but could never find the right home for it,
so I’m really glad it’s finally seeing the light of day!


—-
JUST BREATHE
1. Chess. I always found it so much more interesting than anything else – and it’s nowhere near
as ridiculous as monopoly (which in my mind has the ability to tear apart families and friendships
in bitter blood feuds, and whoever created it should be forced to play it over and over again on a
loop)
2. Cluedo. Just imagine Serum dressed up as colonel mustard.
3. My remix of Lee UHF’s track ‘Ellie’ was a lot of fun to make. I wanted to go for a cross
between the old ram records sound and a dillinja type bass sound. A track that jumps into the
middle of a rolling section in a set and catches you off guard (I hope I’ve done that!)


—-
SIGMUS
1. I always enjoyed a good game of Articulate, where you have to describe the word on your
card so that your team can guess it correctly. It always makes for a fast-paced fun game. In a
way, I see a parallel to music production – I’m often trying to convey a word, meaning or emotion
in my tracks without explicitly saying it. The only difference is I won’t get frustrated if it takes too
long for the listener to figure it out!
2. Lee/Dirtbox absolutely nailed it with the Guess Who concept, another childhood favourite
board game of mine. It’s the perfect game for using Drum & Bass artists as characters. Our
scene is so diverse, full of individuality and self-expression, so the idea fits so well. Monopoly
could also be a fun idea… but maybe it’d work better using Labels, Venues/Festivals & Radio
Stations rather than artists. Imagine the family arguments when Mum gets the monopoly on Let
It Roll & Boomtown.
3. Tell us a short sentence on the track(s) you have signed to Vibe City Volume 3 Nostalgia
features uplifting, euphoric melodies designed to transport listeners back to a warm, fuzzy
nostalgic time in their lives.

—-
L3MMY DUBZ
1. Ooo thats a tough one, I never really played board games as a kid I just loved playing with
bionicles and mini soldiers.
However I used to love making daft little board games at my grandmas as she had loads of arts
and crafts stuff! If I had to pick though I’d say monopoly aha!
2. Not exactly a board game but Warhammer 40K would be class with a dnb artist theme.
3. So these are quite special tracks to me as I wrote them when I was going through a breakup
so these stand out as having a bit more emotion put behind them compared to what I usually
write, which is grotty aggressive jump up! But yeah, these tracks are a lot more musical and
might take regular listeners by surprise.

—-

PYXIS
1.My best memory was playing Ghost Castle with my little sister who’s 4yrs younger than me, I have absolutely no idea how to play it now but I loved setting it up and being spooked with her
2. Game of Life all day long, I’d change the whole process of starting college and job searching etc to trying to get a release on a label, sending demos and learning to produce, pegs would be plugins and money would be non existent in this particular version
3. Time Lost is a deeper vibe with Sola, it’s a beautiful void that depicts the tunnels of time, where you get lost and find yourself again.


—-
LOCODA
1. Mousetrap was my favourite game growing up because it’s pure chaos in motion. You set everything up, but you never know exactly how it’s going to play out. Kind of like a drum and bass set. It’s got this crazy buildup of energy, piece by piece, until it all drops in one perfect, unpredictable moment. You get that suspense and release, the same feeling I chase when mixing a track. Plus, who doesn’t love the satisfaction of watching the whole machine come together and trigger a mad sequence of events? It’s all about the unexpected journey.
2. Monopoly, hands down. Think about it, drum and bass artists as the main characters would totally transform the game into a battle for dominance, like different labels and producers competing for the scene. Instead of buying properties, you’re snapping up iconic clubs, studios, and festivals. The genre thrives on hustle and survival, and that’s exactly what Monopoly is about. Plus, the game’s ruthless grind for success mirrors the way drum and bass evolved, always pushing boundaries, staying ahead of the game, and building your empire. You’d have DJs dropping tracks and collecting royalties, while Breakbeat and Jungle could be the ultimate powerhouses on the board!
3. ‘Into You’ is an emotional liquid rollercoaster, flowing with atmospheric melodies that take you on a deep, introspective journey. The track layers smooth, soulful vocals over delicate percussion, building an immersive soundscape that feels both intimate and expansive. It’s a perfect blend of light and shade, where subtle bassline’s meet soaring pads, evoking a sense of longing and release. The energy rises and falls like waves, making it the kind of tune that pulls at your emotions while keeping you locked into its groove. A true liquid anthem for the heart and the dancefloor alike. On the flip side, ‘Lit Da Funk’ packs da punch! This one is straight fire, with infectious basslines and sharp, rolling drums that drive the energy through the roof. It’s got that gritty, underground edge but keeps the funk alive with wicked syncopation and electrifying stabs. You can feel the intensity from the jump, as it hits you with an unstoppable groove designed to ignite the dancefloor. It’s all about that raw, heavy-hitting vibe that demands movement, blending precision with attitude. A proper crowd-smasher that’s bound to tear up any set.


—-
KOMATOSE
1. Mouse Trap – couldn’t even tell you how to play it but I loved all the contraptions as a kid.
2. I think Lee nailed it this time round with guess who, our scene is pretty diverse so reckon that would be a good one. “Does you DJ have gold teeth?”
3. it’s a UKG inspired drum n bass track with a female vocalist, leaning more into the funky side of DnB.


—-
Abidance
1.  Used to love playing battleships!!!! I never really had anyone to play with but on the positive side I always won!
2. Ah man it’s gotta be that Subuteo game with all the footballers that had big heads you would flick? Good times
3. I’m just trying to make something different under this alias and enjoy the freeness of it all

—-
JAMES SOLA
1. Growing up what was your favourite board game? Probably Monopoly, I used to love it!
2. Which board game do you think could best use Drum n bass artists as characters? Same answer probably. Had one of those make your own monopoly kits when I was younger. Had Andy C & Noisia as Parklane and Mayfair etc… haha
3. Tell us a short sentence on the track you have signed to Vibe City Volume 3 It’s a melancholy liquid track which examines both the pain and beauty synonymous with the passage of time

ROB SOLA
1. I wanna say Connect 4 but I dunno know if that counts.
2. Cluedo. “It was DJ Hazard, in the smoking area, with the USB”
3. It’s a hauntingly beautiful liquid tune with both males and female vocals samples about making up for lost time.


—-
JD Nobody
1. Let me take you back to a time before the modern age and television only had 5 channels if you were lucky….does anyone reading this remember pakman the board game? Absolute belter of a game!!!
2. Jumanji….its a jungle based game for all you jungle heads out there.
3. I like to sound a bit different, but know i need to give listeners a little something they are used to, so i combine indie pop vibe lyrics with a dirty drop…trying to keep my sound throughout. For centred, this is more liquid. I used Fiona…..also known as FJ as my vocalist. She has a lovely tone to her voice that i love.

So there we have it!  Some great chatter from the phenomenal artists responsible for this wicked release, which is available today on the 27th September 2024.  Click the artwork below to take you to buy links!

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