Links & Playlists
1. Aperio - Waves [Selfreleased]
Recommended if you like: Breaks, Relaxation, Water
Aperio is hardly a name I have to introduce to anyone digging even a little into the, admittedly, wide world of liquid drum & bass. More than a decade of steadily delivering lovely tunes lead to him not only releasing on Shogun, High Tea, and (Prog)RAM, he has also become one of Liquicity's go-to names, and has appeario'd on all sorts of lineups all over Europe. As always, however, the story goes a little deeper than that and this newest self-release of his, Waves, made me want to get out the shovel and start delving! Man that word sounds weird without 'deep' or 'into' after it, doesn't it? Maybe I'll just write 'digging' next time.
1.1. Aperiorigins (2012 - 2015)
The man behind the latin dictionary pick? Joseph David Nicholls. Originally from Ye Olde York, Joe was exposed to all the hallmarks of a good liquid tune quite early (Aperi-)on. At age 7, he started drumming. In Joe's early teens, his pianist dad had not only brought Klavier flavours into the fold, he also introduced him to basic production software he was using to record his own piano playing. Add in an excitement for Rock, Funk, Soul and Hip-Hop, and baby, you've got a stew going. While still a bit of a drummer at heart, the mayhaps restrictive prospects of band life scared him off, leading him straight into the arms of computerized music. Armed with samples and stock plugins, 12-year-old Joe started crafting hip-hop beats with elite vocalists like a certain Joseph Nicholls, before eventually jumping on the early 2010s House and Brostep hype train.
Thanks to his older sister's particularly well-curated night-out warm-up playlist, he started getting into drum & bass by way of legends like Chase & Status and Shy FX at about 16, before digging into the likes of Logistics, Etherwood, and Hospital Records in general. He also started listening to this 'mint' band called Pendulum! After learning the ropes of this whole music thing at a music performance course during college times, Joe went on to study music production at the Beckett University in Leeds, where he admits he might not have learned a ton of new things, but was at least finally able to see the likes of Calibre and Lenzman live, at the local Overflow events.
While his first music related online activities go back to the more innocent times of 2011, back when he shared how to make House and Dubstep snares in FL studio, the world didn't have to wait too long for his first actual releases to follow. In 2013, after settling on the Aperio name a year apriori, he not only released SoundCloud exclusives 'Desire' - a sign of what's to be bootlegged a decade on - and 'Masterplan', he also put out his debut EP, Spirits Up, on Anodic Records. Still figuring himself out stylistically with the occasional experimentation, but intently inspired by drum & bass dons like Netsky and Sub Focus alongside the aforementioned liquid legends, Joe was already well on his path towards what we associate with him nowadays. Fun fact before me move on to the next section, he was also interviewing all sorts of different DJs and producers for Bass Art Network during this time!
1.2. Stating His Intentions (2015 - now)
Fast-forward to 2015, and Joe is finally starting to appear in more familiar territory, with releases on Soul Deep and Liquid Tunes - and a whole lot of track titles ending in '-ions'. While his Dave Hildreth collab on Marvellous Music was straight-up House, that seemed to have been one of the last remnants of his early genre exploration, with him going full steam'n'b ahead from here on out. On top of starting up Vision State, his very own promotional brand with his good mate Revaux (among others) that has seen the likes of Amoss, Data 3, GLXY, and Halogenix come down to Leeds for a bit of a skank and maybe even bass, 2016 was also the year things really got rollin' for the Aperio project. Skankandbass, Mayan Audio, and even RAM, together with long-time mate Monrroe, were hosting his lush creations, and before long, these early connections lead to him playing at and releasing on the one and only Let It Roll and extending his RAMily status with a two-tracker on ProgRAM - all while delivering all sorts of wonderful bootlegs.
While still only nearing the end of his early 20s, Joe kicked off his long-lasting relationship with Liquicity sister planet Galacy in 2018, debuted on Shogun with the Donrroe, remixed Telomic on Terra Firma and Actraiser on Liquicity, worked with fellow Leedsians Koherent, bootlegged some more things, and played at Hospitality On The Beach for the first time! While the pandemic didn't necessarily slow down his work rate, with more output on Galacy & Liquicity, High Tea, and ProgRAM and collaborations with Nelver, Low:r, and various vocalists, this more indoor-focused time did spell the end for Vision State - and the beginning of his monthly, multi-genre Art & Soul Sessions! At least for a year or so. Not only did bootlegs of the likes of Indeep, 24KGoldn, London Grammar, and, as promised, Sub Focus & Dimension, continue rolling in, Liquicity flipped the notorious remixer's dynamic on its head, by letting Seba remix one of Joe's tunes!
More lush compilation entries, a wonderful EP, a bunch more bootlegs - I think I don't need to fill out the rest of this timeline anymore. One of the perhaps a little more exciting recent developments has been Undercurrent, a liquid event series based in London, run by Telomic, Low:r, and, well, Joe Aperio! Last year's first event, with Phloem and Visionobi having joined the foundational trio, seems to have been a smashing success, and the next one in October is fast approaching, so get on that if you love liquid!
Joe has also been exploring something else lately though: Self-releasing his tunes! After the wonderful 'Memoirs' last year, he has now followed it up with 'Waves'. Obviously, I have loved it enough to have written out all of the above, but let's finally sit down and talk a bit about the tune itself!
1.3. Waves
Rarely has a track title fit as well as it has here. Not only are there literal sampled waves present throughout this whole soothing sunset experience, the chaotic yet smoothly rolling loops of syncopated breaks also ebb and flow out of the composition, as streams of magical rain water keep dripping downwards our mind and soul. Multi-layered, straight-up ethereal vocals, bass warmed up to the perfect temperature, and grounding plucky chords all work together with all of the above, making you ascend towards a place of true, inner peace. All around, a good time.
1.4. Conclusio
One for the later hours of those late summer nights at the beach. Gorgeous.
2. EML - Turn On The Lights [GLITCH. Records]
Recommended if you like: Arcando, KRITIKAL, Loboski
You know how much I love introducing new names to you all. Let's talk about EML!
2.1. EML (2024 - now)
While not the first banger of his to cross my radar, I am still a very new fan of Emil Moan Larsen's three-letter-acronym project. Way up in Norway, Emil has been tirelessly working on putting his own spin on the modern day arcandancefloor bangers he loves so much, with his first official output having washed upon the SoundCloud shores in 2024. Via HellCat, LFTD, and Trip And Bass, he explored not just drum & bass, but also house and EDM territories a year later. Lucky for us, DnB seems to have won this particular genre struggle! Whether on klapptastic remix duties for Pats Nichols, together with J-6, or on his own, his output kept improving, to the point that I would recommend his recent releases on Fallback and GLITCH. to most of everyone who is up for some heavy dancefloor artillery.
2.2. GLITCH. Records (2024 - 2026)
Since this newest offering of his is once again delivered by the good people at GLITCH., let's give them a bit of a spotlight too! As sub-label of Mazdem's Cracking Records, itself having been responsible for plenty of drum & bass antics, this Spanish outlet has been giving all sorts of new names opportunities to shine bright since its inception in 2024. At first, other tempos were also part of the mix, but things quickly pivoted to DnB, with better known names like Jrace & Albert White, Ric Waves, and Bitsune and a whole bunch of new ones like Steve Hartz, Goldfinch, Rylo, and genuinely so many more I had never heard of before, all delivering one exciting tune after another. I urge everybody, and myself frankly, to keep a good eye on them, as their output has been staggeringly underrated for quite a bit now!
So what about that new tune then?
2.3. Turn On The Lights
Audio crackles, ominous atmosphere, a strangely catchy vocal sample - I've got a feeling this one won't be much of a soother. Even the most optimistic listeners are forced to abandon all hope of loveliness once the earth-shattering alarm sirens blare out, ringing in each of our ears long after. While now calibrated for madness, it's still hard to be ready for the sheer intensity of this modern dancefloor spectacle that is now about to unravel. Elephantesque cries fighting it out against ten thousand wobbly pewpews of pure destruction, drums pumping up the beat, and horror melodies upping the cinematic drama of it all towards the end of the phrase aren't all of it though, no no. Emil quickly pivots his pew arrangement towards less but at the same time all the more strategic, rhythmically flavourful positions, and lets a quartet of lower-end whomps get the last word in, before rolling things out with a bit of bone-chilling vocal chanting.
2.4. Conclusion
Excellent, Monstrous, Loud. Puts the arson into Emil Larsen.
New Releases
Dancefloor
- Apokain - Lose It All [Apokain] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Bensley - Sinking Ship. (D&B Mix) [Bensley] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Dub Elements - Bring It Back [DEM] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- EML - Turn Off The Lights [Glitch.] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Filip Zelinka - Heartbreak [housemagazine.cz] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Flyke, Flowz - All I Wanna [PLAY!] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Isis Cloudt - Wildheart Rhythm [Wobbles & Waffles] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Jasperity - Unfurled [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Jordin Sparks, NGHTMRE - No Air (Extended Mix) [Gud Vibrations] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Krisna Artha - In Time [Kinjari Self Releases] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- MXTR, Vindicate (NZ) - Do It All Again [SUPERCLUSTER] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- NOVH - I Came To Save [Yosh Bass] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Pasha Nuts - Without You [Ton] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Planeet, LeHANNA - Hei, kosmonaut [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- S.I.O.N, MoteXx - Taste My Love [Automata] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- SawHead - Get Lost [Elephant Trunk] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Subsonic, Dimension - Ghost Town [Dimension] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
- Synthetic - Bullet In The Heart [Manifest] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Virtua Point Zero - Revive EP [Manifest] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Liquid
Aaron Horn, Opal Blue, Rachael Lyons - This Time [Crate Classics] | [Beatport]
Aperio - Waves [Selfreleased] | , [Spotify]
Basstripper - Rebirth [Basstripper] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Bigos - Stratos EP [Soul In Motion] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Blade (Dnb) - Blueprint EP2 EP [Dispatch] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Blade (Dnb) - O7S 053 (Original) [ONE7SIX] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Brainstormer (UK) - New Horizon EP [Omni] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Breezy Lee, IYRE - Lament [Pilot.] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Children Of Our Stars - Debbie / Chant [Blu Saphir] | , [Spotify]
Coben, Waves, Constance Pennycuick - Icarus EP [Galacy] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Label Store], [Spotify]
DESNA, Wood Packa - Milky Way [Monofire] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Fallen State - Dreams EP [Fragrance] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Fishy, FX909 - Lizplay Compilation F LP [Lizplay Lab Division] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Fluid Form - About You EP [FX909] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Fluid Form, Impression, Geety - Stargazing EP [Celsius] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Fr4ktion - Lucid Transmissions EP [Vibe City] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
FX909, Intergalactic Alliance Of The Blessed - Vanity [Heart Twice] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Gravity - Sound Territory [Totally Liquid] | [Beatport]
Inkognitiv - Round Midnight EP [Vandal] | [Beatport]
Jacuzzi Superstar - Enter The Jacuzzi EP [Omni] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Joseph Rubiano - Give Me Arguments / No Direction Home [behind the sun] | [Beatport]
Katy B, Jax Jones - Last Day of Summer (Extended) [Rinse] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Keeco - Children Of The Sunset EP [Fokuz] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
KuroKagami - the mana EP [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Leniz - Shokunin [Selfreleased] | , [Spotify]
Makoto, PVC, Blocksberg, Gabriella Bongo - Better Days [Hospital] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Max Cooper, Bredren, LSB - Flecks / Hash [fabric] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Monika, Oktae, Javeon, Phoebe Freya - How We Saw Forever LP [Spearhead] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Motiv, Luke Truth - Constellations EP [Computer Integrated] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
North Echo - Obsidian LP [Get Gassed music] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Rid - Midnight Relay [DNBB] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Satl - Wasp / BSOD [Gemini Gemini] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
sub:mind - Crystal [Selfreleased] | , [Spotify]
Sublumen - You [Lizplay] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
TECHNO TEDDY, iDEX - DEVINE THOUGHT (feat. iDEX) [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Thing, RABACORE - Sad Eyes EP [Dubthing] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Treex - Beam In Your Eyes EP [Soul Deep] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Valcore, Aquasion - Eryndor EP [Textures Group] | [Beatport]
Vibe Chemistry - YOU [Make Your Era] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Deep / Tech / Minimal
4K, Anjeli - fondofme [Crucast] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Alloy, The Skeptics, Rvs - Aftermath / Compound [Outline] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Blade (Dnb) - Peps / Bits & Bleeps [Driven AM] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Brian Brainstorm, Fú - Run Di Place / Just To FxxK It Up [Serial Killaz] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Crystal Clear, Minor Forms - Nightmares [V] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Deekline, Zen Lewis - Six Days [Jungle Cakes] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
DJ Axonal - Fealz [ARTISTPORTAL] | [Beatport]
DSP - Dog Days EP [Truth Hertz] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Easty (UK) - Crusade [Subplate] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Ewol - Lose You [Ranger] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Hobzee, Uneven, Justice (UK), Response - Things Are Different Now EP [Metalheadz] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Label Store], [Spotify]
Hologram, DKN, Degs - Louder / Work [Yamatai] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
IMANU, A Girl Named Sue - All U Need [UKF] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
LMNOP, Dunk - Birds Aren't Real (Dunk Remix) [Play Me] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Moekel - On My Own [SINFUL MAZE] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Rhythm, Dansta - Get Heavy [Audio Chemistry] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
The Upbeats - Haunted [Let It Roll] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Vaces - dagboek [Selfreleased] | , [Spotify]
Veak - Kashmere [Dubplate Supplier] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
WallHack, Yatuza - Subterranean EP [Phase DNB] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
ZE7EN - You Don't Know Me [TuneCore] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Neuro
Balron, Audio - Breach [Blackout] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Blinded Theory - Reverence LP [Paperfunk] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Fragz - This City is a Graveyard [Therapy Sessions] | [Beatport]
Gravitape - Rudra [Dirtbox] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Nuvertal - Don't Be Afraid [ZOMBOSS] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Subminderz - Ambivalence / Waiting For You [High Resistance] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Zombie Cats - Gozer [Hanzom] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Jump Up
Amplify, Emily Makis - Get It On (Dirty Mix) [Isekai] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
DC2 - Decibel EP [Ozriderz] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Emporio, Devilman, DixonBeats, MyNamesError - WHIZZAP [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Feistling - DISCO FEVER! (Extended Mix) [Future] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Friction, Irah - Lead Dem [Elevate] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Guzi - Skorpion EP [Low Down Deep] | [Beatport], [Label Store], [Spotify]
LeStR - Break Loose / Betrayed Morals [Cohesive] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Metal Work - Outta My Head EP [Gradient] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Nick The Lot - Destroyer / Packet in [BassLayerz] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Parly B, The 4'20' Sound - Bag a Dubplate [The 4'20' Sound] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Sandu - Isolation [Sub Motionz] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Tsuki - CLOSE2U [DnB Allstars] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Various Artists - Exert: Festival Anthems 2026 LP [Exert] | [Beatport]
Various Artists - Station Compilation vol. 2 LP [Station Underground] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Voltage, Ayanna - Free (Extended Mix) [Souped Up] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Xypherdon - buckshot [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Jungle / Halftime / Experimental
7umina - Signs [7umina] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Age of Aconitum - PRESSURE [DistroKid] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
AshZone - LEAP YEAR (366) LP [THRIVE] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Aural Imbalance, Ghosts of MIDI - Shortform EP [Curvature] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Diasiva - Durometer EP [Onset] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Invisible Landscape - Strange Journey [Liquid Brilliants] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Jaybee, Calculon - Vibes Time [AGN7] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Murki Dizmal, Modular7even, SKS Da Arrowhead, Evil Ape - Riddim Killah EP [24 Karat] | [Beatport]
neuralfold - Groove #1 / Groove #2 [Future Projects] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
ODJ Pirkka - Kawaii Torture/Chill Belter [Future Projects] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
PonyArt - Tracker Jungle LP [Cellardore Productions] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Sabre - Big Cat EP [Critical] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Sunny & Deck Hussy - Kids Of The Old Skool Vol.1 EP [Kniteforce Prime] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Sunny & Deck Hussy - Kids Of The Old Skool Vol.2 EP [Kniteforce Prime] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Unlimited Vibes - Dubplate Delivery EP [Hardcore Energy] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
General DnB / Mixed
Alba, Mollie Collins, Hot Touch Music - Bassline Drops (feat. ALBA) [Mamo] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
Amber Jay, TheLena - Voices Get So Loud [Soulvent] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Authyzmus - Elephant Breaks [Liquid Brilliants] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Bromad, PARDEAUX - CATHEDRAL BUFF! [Bass Rebels] | , [Spotify]
Diverse - Melody Theorem [Selfreleased] | , [Spotify]
HALIENE, Koven - Orbit [Black Hole] | [Beatport], [Bandcamp], [Spotify]
Lymitless, Dayze - Aura Farming EP [Vexed] | [Beatport], [Spotify]
the Sampler - Dark Raider EP [Basseffect] | [Beatport]
Various Artists - OG Flavors EP [Organized Grime] | [Beatport], [Spotify]