Eastern Promise Audio releases
EASTERN PROMISE AUDIO PRESENTS YISHI: TRILOGY OF MYSTERY
The thirteenth release of Eastern Promise Audio is much too comprehensive to be associated with its unlucky catalogue number, a confidence which is further accelerated by releasing it on Friday the 13th (really). Instead, it is a trilogy which first part shows both old and new artists display amazing drum ‘n bass artistry under EPA’s trademark sound. For its first part, new heads Hidden Element, Zebedee, and Paluca signed up, plus label’s renegade Double O.
So what is Yishi? Its title is shrouded in mystery, but all that can be said for now is that it is the label’s first series showcasing a whole new batch of newly discovered artists to be associated with the label, plus old artists producing material to completely fit these particular series. This first part, an EP called Procession, is therefore the first ritual in the trilogy which brings Yishi to a place of belonging. The EP’s tracks therefore accompany this procession.
The first part opens up with a track of Hidden Element which is a start of a procession on its own. ‘Unchained’ is indeed a track which is continually building to a climax which is created by combining ambient landscapes and jazzed up sounds, which creates a vibe of both tension and spirituality; contradictive but true indeed. It is all about suspense, and once the drop is a fact, you will be immersed in what Yishi tends to be all about; wonder and the subliminal. Tightly crafted jungle breaks ooze over the deep soundscape which was just created, and the track even then keeps on developing itself, making the journey not for one second the same.
Our much respected long time artist Double O takes over second, and brings with ‘Late Night Something’ what he does best: create dark, truly urban canvasses of mysterious sounds and combine these with his unsurpassed skill of crafting jungle breaks. Once again with a melodic rasta touch added to its color (making the track slightly reminiscent of his earlier EPA work ‘Stop Dem Jah’), Double O creates an energetic dancefloor stepper which at the same time holds the mystery and unease that the Yishi series want to create.
New to the area is Zebedee, whose first entry on the EPA label and entry for Yishi continues in the recently initiated rasta vibes of Double O. In ‘Praise You Jah’ beautiful pads and soothing brass are accompanied by the MC’s sounds preparing you for another jungle stepper where raw amens and dub sirens keep you moving while the spiritual sounds continue the earlier vibe. As ‘Unchained’, the track keeps on progressing to new stages all the time, and is aiming at perpetuating the sublime and immediate nature which is central to Yishi.
Procession concludes with another new artist under the label, which is Paluca. This man is certainly not new to today’s drum and bass scene, and was therefore recognized as the right man for the last track. As if the procession ends in stormy weather after the previous soothing sounds, ‘Dim Reflection’ still echoes the rasta vibe of ‘Late Night Something’, but gives a more creepy edge where heavily reverberated stabs create a haunting atmosphere of grey and bleak visions. Its merciless jungle breaks and meticulous groove keeps the energy rolling at its peak, ending the procession in a minor but heavy mood.
Where the next part of Yishi will pick up is thus yet unknown, but will be known not too far away in the future. Keep your eyes peeled!
EPA13 Yishi : Procession
Tracks:
1 Hidden Element – Unchained
2 Double O – Late Night Something
3 Zebedee – Praise You Jah
4 Paluca – Dim Reflection
Release Date: November 2015 (available later on Juno and Digital-Tunes)
Format: wave, flac, alac, aac, ogg, mp3 and more
Written & Produced by: I.Kirilenko & N.Tarasov, D.Henry, L.Platten, A.Stepanov
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
Mastering: T. Van Zeytveld
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FROM THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS TO THE HIMALAYA: THE WEST MEETS THE EAST AGAIN.
Eastern Promise Audio has decided to linger on in the States after the Pattern Hoax EP which centered around martianMan and Greenleaf, to present two more rising stars enriching the EPA sound going under the name of Goreteks. These guys from Denver, Colorado have already proven through various recent releases their skills, and were not hesitant to take up the task of putting down the Eastern Promise vibe.
Although the summer days are kicking off, Eastern Promise takes you to the heights of snowy mountains to reach a higher level in your mind. Whether it is in the Rockies or the mountains of Tibet, Goreteks displays on the 12th release of Eastern Promise Audio that both share an aura of mystic, dark sounds that almost makes you feel the cold mountain wind cut in your skin. Therefore, it’s time to ease this cold and meditate with the sounds of ‘Tibetan’ and ‘Canister’.
Starting with the A-side, ‘Tibetan’ opens with an empty feeling of mist and desolation, as if one is alone up at a great height and no point of reference is to be seen. Mysterious flute and koto sounds then start to play enchanting melodies to calm these restless feelings down, and uplifting short but hard striking taiko drums perpetuate this spiritual feeling until firm jungle breaks start to roll and deep subs roll down these heights. This clash of a harsh environment up in the clouds and deep meditation therefore form the basis of this track; bringing unity of both.
The B-side intensifies this feeling, although ‘Canister’ signals from the beginning that the weather has taken a turn for the worse, and darkness has replaced the light that was just still felt. Hard hitting breaks and dissonant pads reflect this turn, while oriental percussion sounds still continue the sound of the spiritual. Deep bass stabs and drones accompany these, while the wind keeps intensifying and wheezing flutes personify this feeling. Indeed, ‘Canister’ tells us in the end that the dark is simply and ally of the light and one can never go without the other. This is a pillar of the Eastern Promise Audio philosophy, and therefore you’re wholeheartedly invited to take this ride.
EPA12
Artists: Goreteks
Tracks:
A – Tibetan
B – Canister
Release Date: July, 2015 (available later on Juno and Digital-Tunes)
Format: wave, flac, alac, aac, ogg, mp3 and more
Written & Produced by: T. Strode, T, Schroder
Mastering: T. Van Zeytveld
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
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WHAT’S TRULY REAL IS WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE REAL. BELIEVE THE PATTERN HOAX.
As spring dawns, and it always seems mysterious how our whole earth springs to life again just like that, Eastern Promise Audio is back with a Maxi EP full of mysterious dreams which can’t be easily classified as either good or bad. What will be certain is that it will leave you with wonder and energy. EPA’s 11th release proudly presents the sounds of martianMan and Greenleaf with sounds certified to its high standards to make you wonder… are the patterns you see just a hoax?
Pure junglists among us need no introduction from upcoming drum ‘n bass producers martianMan and Greenleaf, but in case you did have a long and busy winter, these two producers hailing from Texas and New Orleans in the States already have a noteworthy list of releases under their belts. Their beginnings on Eastern Promise Audio therefore had to be guaranteed to continue their ever rising degree of quality, and now the time is right. The Pattern Hoax Maxi EP consists of no more than 6 storming tracks including an exclusive remix by longtime EPA resident and undeniable London king of breaks Double O.
To get as properly in the mood as possible, Greenleaf opens EPA11 with ‘Doughnuts’, where visions of space are enacted by mysterious pads and warps, while twisting jungle breaks pick you up on the ride. A seemingly jungle ride floating on is suddenly interrupted by a sound of coldness, and soon heavy industrial warps set one into hyper speed as amens heavy as lead propel you into the void. Warning: contains some swearing. And remember, this is just a warm up.
martianMan then takes over with three takes on which is already a drum ‘n bass classic, entitled ‘Saddle Up’. The most delicious breakbeats and dub sounds pick you right up in the mood as oldschool Digital & Spirit type of stabs start delivering some heavy blows to the stomach. The first and original version is what it should be; raw, for the floor, and delicately twisted. The ‘Pad Version’ following is a bit of a more light and mysterious take on the original, and minus the stabs from the original it has the funky beat but with a delicate atmosphere which wasn’t that obvious in the original. Greenleaf then already takes over again with his remix, where he lets his break magic work to the max to get a drumfunk twist on the original going with no end. Its atmosphere floats perfectly between the previous 2 mixes and is just as essential.
After the ‘Saddle Up’ madness, Greenleaf’s Dark Visions which was released last year (Omni Music) gets the special Double O treatment brought to you by EPA. Expect no less than some of the most haunting and dark dreaming sounds with drumworks which can only be labeled as Double O certified. Reminding very much of the sounds of the Why Are We Here? EP (EPA02), Double O is back and as always delivers.
For the outro, Greenleaf takes us on an unusual jazzy journey through deep space where all connection with our base seems lost and the laws and patterns we live by everyday lost all meaning. ‘Micro’ is set to take you to a world like this, and after all the carnage of this maxi EP leave you off where it started, in a world of mystery and doubt of what’s really real. That’s for you to decide.
EPA11
Artists: martianMan, Greenleaf
Tracks:
1 Greenleaf – Doughnuts
2 martianMan – Saddle Up (Original)
3 martianMan – Saddle Up (Pad Version)
4 martianMan – Saddle Up (Greenleaf Remix)
5 Greenleaf – Dark Visions (Double O Remix)
6 Greenleaf – Micro
Release Date: March, 2015 (available later on Juno and Digital-Tunes)
Format: wave, flac, alac, aac, ogg, mp3 and more
Written & Produced/Remixed by: D. Yates, G. Greenleaf & D. Henry
Mastering: T. Van Zeytveld
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
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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
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EASTERN PROMISE DREAMS DARKLY WHEN MEETING ASYMMETRIC
The ninth release of Eastern Promise Audio travels to the northeast this time, where it meets Asymmetric with two haunting tracks of mystery, industrialism, and blood chilling sounds. Indeed, this mid-winter release brings the coldness when this Russian artist debuts with the single Antibodies and the VIP mix of Nightmares, two tracks of sharp-edged drumfunk madness and evil soundscapes, proving his asset to the label.
Asymmetric has already released his debut album two years ago plus various singles, and requires no introduction to the underground lovers of dark jungle. It therefore only seemed a matter of time before the mutual vision between him and Eastern Promise Audio of drum ‘n bass music connected, and resulted in a single of uttermost drumfunk and modern jungle finesse, albeit by mood and atmosphere not targeted for the faint-hearted. This single was made for the mid-winter moment, for this date of release, and is an aural interpretation of science and dreams gone haywire.
The A-side track Antibodies opens with a fading soundscape, like something is waking up in a strange place. Deep bass stabs then enforce this eerie vibe and set the tone for the single’s atmosphere, when out of nowhere a storm of crazy drumfunk rhythms, which are morphing and switching endlessly, twitching if you like, start to support the stabs and bring the track to its onset. The break works seem to embody a crazy chase through a dark and unknown landscape, which is supported by evolving mysterious pads and dissonant piano chords. The chase seems slowed down by both the bass stabs and heavy atmosphere, as if they’re pressuring it; it creates an effect which could embody a battle between antibodies and antigens. Of course, this is only a scientific interpretation of the track, and those that open their ears to it know that there is a lot more to envision that could embody the sound.
Things are taken into a new direction on the B-side with the VIP mix of Nightmares, where high passed amen breaks start to ooze and morph in under support of soundscapes both expressing glares of light, but overall are hinting at places of cold and evil. This pattern starts to narrate itself slowly when the breaks fully hit in a full jungle tour de force of oozing breaks and lukewarm falling bass works where suspense is felt through the whole ride; it is leading to a climax of what the track itself holds by its name and has to be heard, better yet felt, to justify itself. As a passage through the underworld, the perceived anguish seems without end, when the track unexpectedly plunges its listener back in its jungle fashion where the sound keeps on evolving in its breaks and soundscape, bringing the listener slowly and, hopefully, safely back to the real world where the immersion of the nightmare felt will sure be lingering for an uncertain amount of time to come.
EPA09
Artist: Asymmetric
Tracks:
A: Antibodies
B: Nightmares VIP
Release Date: March 2nd, 2014
Format: wave, flac, alac, aac, ogg and more
Mastering: T. Van Zeytveld
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
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EASTERN PROMISE AUDIO WELCOMES BABYLON FALLING BY ACID LAB
Eastern Promise Audio comes through with yet another EP, this time bringing the sounds of the already well known German drum ‘n bass producer Acid Lab, who has already established himself with a number of noteworthy releases on various labels. For his debut EP ‘Babylon Falling’ on the EPA brand, three of his tracks encapsulating the label’s sound perfectly were crafted to start up the ride, with a storming remix by Phuture-T of one of the tracks to finish it off.
As was shown on Double O’s ‘Why Are We Here?’ EP (EPA02), reggae vibes and dark drum ‘n bass sounds can mix flawlessly. Acid Lab shows once again that this sound can be maintained on the latest EPA release, where a minimal but hard hitting jungle sound was chosen to blend with dark dub vibes and ambient, mysterious sound schemes. The result is a 4-track EP which fits right in the expanding Eastern Promise catalogue.
The A-side is entitled ‘Babylon’, where a steady break and chirping birds make it a rather uplifting start of the EP when ambient pads start to rise and chanting vocals seem to bring Jamaican heat into your ears, until the breakdown bring a sudden drop with dissonant stabs and a deep bassline that is accompanied by grinding amens. Entrancing pads keep rolling under the spectacle to make it define the theme of this EP.
The B-side ‘Jah’ is a masterclass session in the power of hard hitting hoover leads and modest but smashing basslines effortlessly blending with a wild texture of amen and mule breaks. Dissonant strings interchange the sections of the track with cold winds and dub effects as it is signaling the upcoming winter. As the tune carries on, the chilling sounds will make you shiver just as much as the drum ‘n bass vibe will move you.
Finally, the last two tracks go hand in hand, as the C-track ‘Retribution’ is accompanied by its own remix on the D-side. The former opens with deep hitting drum stabs and pads resembling a cold wind as in the previous track, while dubbed drum effects and rolling breaks work towards a quite sudden breakdown of mashing breaks and gnarling, creepy bass sounds. Its stepping vibe however, makes it modest but raw hitting nonetheless. Phuture-T’s take on this track finally, keeps up the vibe of the original in terms of atmosphere, but adds more desolating sounds to the palette and brings an all-out jungle ode to the mule break which can be only described as merciless. It can be safely mentioned that it is a thundering conclusion to an EP for accompanying the cold days that lie ahead of us.
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EPA08: Babylon Falling EP
Artist: Acid Lab
Tracks:
A: Acid Lab – Babylon
B: Acid Lab – Jah
C: Acid Lab – Retribution
D: Acid Lab – Retribution (Phuture-T Remix)
Release Date: September 9th, 2013
Format: wave, aac, flac, alac, ogg and more
Mastering: Macc
Artwork: R. Peperkamp
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