As the days grow steadily longer and the earliest signs of spring start to show, play:musik has now given D&B heads even more reason to feel positive, returning in style with its first offering of the year in the form of Kumarachi’s ‘On Sight’. Following its relaunch back in 2024, DJ Flight’s label has consistently delivered refreshingly innovative jungle and drum and bass from the likes of Nectax, Quartz and Kuttin Edge. Indeed, following on from the string of stellar releases since the label’s rebirth was always going to be quite the challenge.
Stepping up to the plate is Kumarachi. Having built an impressive catalogue over the last decade across imprints including Critical, Dispatch and Deep In The Jungle, he enters the fold to deliver his latest single. Style-wise, it’s a perfect fit. Kumarachi’s tracks are often amen-infused and laden with breaks, driven by punchy bass and always guaranteed to get a dancefloor moving; and this latest release is no exception. He links up with Liam Bailey for the A-side ‘On Sight’, with the infectious, soul-tinged vocals contrasting perfectly with a gritty, hard-hitting bassline. The flip, ‘Cast No Shadows’, ramps things up another notch, delivering a low-end fuelled tearout, packed full of breaks to create a relentless energy.
And there’s certainly no holding back with this playlist. A strictly drum and bass selection spanning the full sonic spectrum, these tracks provide an insight into where Kumarachi drew inspiration from to capture the balance of soul, weight and breakbeat pressure of his latest offering. Focusing primarily on releases still hot off the press, anyone looking to freshen up their own collection will definitely want to check this out.
Sl8r – Side Streets
I’m a huge fan of Sl8r’s production and how he effortlessly switches between styles. It’s been amazing to watch his career take off and grow from when we first met and I’ve been lucky enough to collaborate with him quite a few times and he never disappoints. Despite his V Recordings affiliation, I’ve gone for one of his self-released jungle tunes ‘Side Streets’ here. These amen patterns are amazing and hit hard, with big 808s and synth pads. This sounds like it could’ve been made years ago or yesterday. Authentic, big and bashy!
Sweetpea – Sniper
The feeling of the atmosphere at the start of this is something that can’t not pull you in, it’s the sort of vibe and feeling I’m always drawn to. The pad fills the room then vanishes, coupled with the crunch of that ‘Hot Pants’ break, bass on the drop, and chopped edits, it’s a great combination. I love tunes that feel old and new at the same time and this does that in abundance. Coming on ThirtyOne Recordings is a definite seal of approval too.
Wreckless – Fresh Cuttz
Speaking of classic and new stylings combining this does it again but quite differently to ‘Sniper’. Again, huge atmospherics and chopped breaks. You don’t necessarily expect the rhythm of the break on first listen and I like that surprise factor. Those surprises are the reason I love hearing new music. A surprise at first but when you’ve heard it, it couldn’t be anything else. The detail of the production on this is so special, feels like it all happens very naturally, like a constant stream of consciousness. It’s a busy rhythm yet theres always space, a real masterclass in preserving space in chaos.
NC17 & Philth- Blood Brothers
Another one from Dispatch Recordings ( Big up Ant! ). This one is head down and rolling business! Two really amazing, hugely prolific producers whose output is always top level. The sheer volume of music NC-17 has written and released over recent years is inspirational alone, a real testament to sheer determination and commitment to making something happen, never mind the profile of the labels they’ve been released on and thats before even mentioning his involvement in the film industry. And thats also before taking Philth into account, who every time you seem to blink and another release is dropping from. The fact they’ve also done it on repeat for the Last Of A Dying Breed series of releases is testament to them both. Conrad Subs is another who’s a very prolific producer like these guys, just absolute non stop output. So definitely need to give him a mention too.
I’m hugely into the contrast in the bassline sounds of ‘Blood Brothers’, dirty stabs punctuating the heavy sub. Sounding polished and raw at once! Everything thats great about modern drum & bass. It may sound simpler than tunes like ‘Fresh Cuttz’ rhythmically, but it’s no lesser a wall of sound.
Clipz – 2Hi
I really like the physical nature of soundsystem music. How your body vibrates with the speakers. Feeling air move. The first time I heard the bass dip in ‘2Hi’ I could almost feel how it would travel down your chest, even though I heard it on my phone. That coupled with how the drums sound like they’re almost breaking up alongside it and just how raw, overdriven and ‘hot’ the whole track sounds. Whatever system it’s played on, the system will sound like it’s struggling to keep up with this track. Dillinja tunes do that, they manage to make systems sound like they’re over loading with the sheer weight of the frequencies.
Rufige Kru – Still The Same (feat. CASISDEAD) (Special Request Remix)
The original is great and this is one special remix. Taking on a remix of a tune involving Goldie must come with some serious pressure, but this is just a huge vibe and somehow even bigger bassline! I wish I’d written this bassline! This track resonates with me on every level, deep building suspense on the intro into the release of the drop. Again, you can almost sense how this track will feel on nice big sound system without needing to experience it.
Kasra – Hydrogen
There had to be a track from Critical on this list, such a great a label at the forefront of drum & bass. I was really lucky and had a release on the Binary series which opened a lot of doors for me a few years ago and which I’ll always be very grateful for. ‘Hydrogen’ by Kasra possesses such hypnotic qualities. The groove of the stabs in incessant, almost trance inducing. It has the ability to remove you from where you are, to somewhere else then somewhere even deeper as the tone changes, like it’s been squeezed of life by that huge bass. Wicked tune and wicked label.
Section- Calling All Dancers
The ability to make drums sound real as a producer is very difficult. And this quite literally sounds like the drummer is playing right in the room with you. Even the edits. James/ Section has nailed these, definitely got drum envy here! Again, Section is someone I’ve collaborated with over the years, I think the first time we crossed paths was mutual releases on Dj Hybrid’s Audio Addict Records. So to now see his own label Locked Up Music keep growing over the years is amazing too, long may it continue.
Quartz & Pennygiles – Taking Me Down
Synthesised emotion is the simplest way to describe ‘Taking Me Down’. Super high production values. I listen to the full spectrum of drum & bass and this encapsulates what I love about the more ‘liquid’ side of things. Emotion and groove without being cliche and really futuristic. Phaction and Ria – ‘Aviatrix’ is another great example. ‘Taking Me Down’ is also released on play:musik which I’m really looking forward to seeing the future output of under DJ Flight, who has to have a huge thanks and respect from myself sent her way.
HLZ- Polar Dreams
This is the oldest track I’ve picked. ‘Polar Dreams’ suits its name so well. It really sounds genuinely cold. I remember thinking that from the day that Emilio/HLZ sent it over. You could literally imagine it being the soundtrack to the arctic. A roller of the highest quality, incredible to listen to or to mix. It’s not old in terms if how old long drum & bass and jungle are, I think it’s around six years old now but still feels fresh out the box. I don’t feel like this track will age with time, it certainly hasn’t yet. The final tick on the list is that it’s released on the ever iconic and irreplaceable, Metalheadz.
‘On Sight’ and ‘Cast No Shadows’ are available to stream now. The release can be purchased on Beatport and Bandcamp, where it is also available as a 10″ vinyl cut.
Check the full streamable list from Kumarachi on the Kmag YouTube below.