Metalheadz Drum & Bass | Jungle 6 Items

Phase steps up for his first solo Metalheadz release after previously appearing on the label alongside Villem for ‘The Traveller EP’ in 2016. The young Belgian shows off his skills across 4 tracks (one of them a collaboration with Zero T) on the ‘Stakes EP’, displaying a mature and accomplished sound that not only fits in but also stands out in the Metalheadz catalogue.

One of 2014’s biggest albums is back in remix form via an all-star line- up hand picked by the south coast’s premiere production duo. We have new interpretations from Break, Icicle & Lenzman and you can tell from just reading that line up how high the quality levels are. We have no doubt that this package will have the same mark that the album did.

‘High Fives & Devil Eyes’ is the brand-new LP forthcoming from SCAR, a duo who’ve spent years dominating the waters of dance music with their formulae of underground, yet accessible drum & bass. Individually and as part of their SCAR project, both Script and Survival have been involved in shaping the genre for decades, helping to sculpt its formative years alongside a range of imprints that have ensured it longevity. For their forthcoming album they’ve once again been welcomed into the fold of Metalheadz, where SCAR have now been exclusively signed after appearing in their catalogue as one of its main staples. Since their first piece of music together, ‘When’, debuted on Metalheadz via the label’s esteemed ‘Platinum Breakz’ series, through to their first SCAR artist LP ‘The Orkyd Project’ in 2016, the pair’s journey has followed the label’s growth and they’ve continued to be supported by its founder Goldie. On first listen to ‘High Fives & Devil Eyes’ it’s instantly clear why they were made such an essential part of such a revered platform, bringing together the historic elements as well as the modern production levels which have enabled them to remain trend setters over the years.

From the sounds of ‘Circle of Trust’, right through to the finely-tuned vocals of Eleanor Higgins on ‘Eternal’, the tastes catered to throughout ‘High Fives & Devil Eyes’ demonstrates why SCAR have been welcomed into the roster of Metalheadz and it’s not just down to their heritage with the imprint. Tracks like ‘State of Delusion’, ‘Stolen Memories’, ‘Can’t Do Anything With It’ and ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ show how SCAR still bridge the gap between contemporary standards and an understanding of their roots, as well as how this has influenced their current direction. Coming up next, ‘Funk Control’ injects much needed soul into the drum & bass sphere whilst tracks like ‘First Sound’, ‘The Seeker’, ‘Thinking out Loud’ and ‘Pauline’ continue the journey of breaks and immersive soundscapes. The album’s title-record ‘High Fives and Devil Eyes’ encompasses the album’s rawness whilst cuts like ‘Deep South’ and ‘Torn Apart’ pedestals the diversity demonstrated throughout. Even the LP’s interlude ‘Nomad’ travels the listener through an elaborate composition, and you’re left understanding that ‘High Fives & Devil Eyes’ is a listening album too, despite how well it’ll translate within any club setting.

‘High Fives & Devil Eyes’ doesn’t just signpost another huge step forward for SCAR musically, but also for Metalheadz. They’ve added two more members to their pivotal roster and it’s another album to highlight the label’s consistency, something which has pushed forward from their beginnings in 1994.

The time has come for SCAR to broaden its horizons. As a production duo Survival & Script initially made a name for themselves by supplying rugged dancefloor workouts but there is a much larger story to tell here and with The Orkyd Project album this story will be told.

Production collaborations have been kept to an absolute minimum aside from vocal features; Naomi Pryor is the ever present voice of the album with further contributions from Eleanor Higgins and Ray Uptown.

The influences for The Orkyd Project shine a further light on the story; from Bill Withers to Massive Attack via Eric B and Rakim.

When initial conversations took place between Goldie and SCAR regarding the album Goldie gave the guys full license to create whatever they wanted and what we have been given is a melting pot of 2016 London music. Soul exists beside screw face.

It's important to note that Drum 'n' Bass hasn't been abandoned by any means, the hall marks of SCAR are ever present and correct- the blue print has just been expanded upon.

Proudly presenting Nookie's debut album for Metalheadz - 'Improvisions'.

A collection of work which Nookie himself calls "the best tracks I've ever written", 'Improvisions' embraces the fact that we don't live in a perfect world. Throughout the project, aided in many parts by Ruth Royall, Nookie expresses his deep-rooted love for the music he's devoted so much of his life to, backed further by a total creative freedom.

As with much of Nookie's music, vocals are a crucial component. Ruth Royall's soul-stirring presence can be heard on six of the album's 13 tracks, including standouts like 'Missing You', 'Part Of Me' and the previously released 'Hero'. Given the vigour and liveliness that both artists exhibit, it is difficult to imagine that they first connected online. Ruth calls working with Nookie "a pleasure right from the start", adding that "the musicality shone through instantly and just sparked endless ideas".

As we head deeper into the album Nookie provides some signature dancefloor fillers in the way of 'Future Forever' and 'Over & Over', as well as lower tempo beats such as '92 Interlude' and 'Smoke Screen'. The assemblage of tracks come together impressively, further cementing Nookie's reputation as one of the most important artists of his kind.