In this early summer of 2014 Eastern Promise Audio celebrates, as their 10th release is a fact. A challenge for the label to come up with a release noteworthy of its number and by staying in line with the quality of the former nine releases as well. After a long time and many considerations, the jungle kings Phuture-T and Double O were chosen to share the space on the ‘Turbulence EP’, which can safely be described as a landmark for the label which both reflects the last three years of Eastern Promise Audio and assures its future, kicking like a mule.
Both Phuture-T and Double O need no introduction to the label, as well as to drum ‘n bass in general. Double O helped shape Eastern Promise Audio’s sound in its early days with the now legendary ‘Why are we here? EP’ and is currently expanding his skills and tastes through his own amazing Rupture label. Phuture-T, as both a member of Dam Nation and having done several remixes on EPA from both Rumbleton and Acid_Lab, is no newbie to them as well, and has expanded his list of releases recently through labels such as Alphacut Records. For EPA’s 10th release, both the dark and dubby flavored releases from the label were taken as a starting point, to ultimately take it to a crucial point of dreamy, sinister atmospheres and some raw, menacing jungle as shown before.
The opening track is by no means a track meant for warming up towards the rest; Turbulence by Phuture-T is an extreme example of taking the simple ingredients of drum and bass and expressing nothing but havoc. Pizzicato strings play a haunting repeating melody whilst detuned pads resembling flight sounds are warning that you have taken off and the flight is going to be all but comfortable. Being underlined when a hard as nails hitting break determines the initial sound, the track moves towards its center point of darkness when a sudden rolling sub actually simulates a raw, turbulent feeling in one’s gut meant to do what it does best; shake you down as hard as possible. Phuture-T is in the cockpit, making you having a not too pleasant but unforgettable flight.
Things get seemingly toned down afterwards for the time being, where Phuture-T after the landing brings you Worlds Awakening; oozing, mysterious pads envision a world of wonder and novelty, but soon fading in raw breaks and deep subs quickly remind you that the atmosphere of the previous flight is still present. Accompanied by fierce ravey stabs, a refined blend of drumfunk trickery with breaks fighting a constant battle of contrasting, mirroring, and blending enrolls where dark leads growl and roll around the spectrum.
Double O then picks up the pace from the last track with his own remix from World Awakening, which is nothing short of a jungle masterpiece as the pure junglists knows him. Giving a slightly more dark twist to the track, his awakening certainly has a gloomier feeling, but gives a breaks tour de force which could raise an eyebrow of even the more hardcore jungle heads around.
The EP concludes with Phuture-T remixing a storming track from Double O, where reggae legend I-Roy helps you pick up the pace of a fine mix between dubwise sounds, thumping breakworks and deep rolling basslines, cooperating in a hypnotizing fashion which is only broken by some raw mashing amen interims to bring a gradual change of pace to the initial groove. By this point it will have become clear that the tone set from the start of the EP is being kept up both skillful and mercilessly.
And if this wasn’t all enough, a bonus track of the ‘Warrior VIP mix’ from the Phuture-T remix of ‘Iroy Lion’ will be obtainable on Bandcamp only when purchasing the whole EP. This mix gives the last tune a fresh rewind with a raw twist daring you to make some more moves; that is if you didn’t get enough stampede already. It’s up to you now to find out; in the meantime, EPA shall roll on towards new ventures…
Eastern Promise Audio EPA10 is for sale online from Bandcamp exclusively. Digital-Tunes and Juno Download will follow in a few months.
EPA10
Artists: Phuture-T, Double O
Tracks:
A: Turbulence
B: World Awakening
C: World Awakening (Double O Remix)
D: Iroy Lion (Phuture-T Remix)
E: Iroy Lion (Phuture-T Warrior VIP) (Bandcamp X-clusive)
Release Date: May 31st, 2014 (available later on Juno & Digital-Tunes)
Format: wave, flac, alac, aac, ogg, mp3 and more
Mastering: T. Van Zeytveld
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
Ahhh!! chopping it real goood I see guys! bigups from sunny Brighton