I got to know ED808 through my label Thorium Records. I looked for artists in the Mixitecture Community that I could release, and he had a project with Point Set that I signed for the label.
He still helps me when I need remixes that stand out on a release.
I must admit that Jungle/Drum and Bass never really was something I was into. But this DARK project blew me away. I’m a fan of Dark themed music, and this was like a new dimension I had never heard before.
I simply dare you to go on this journey with this amazing release. Close your eyes and just listen.
DEHN.
DARK is a jungle / drum and bass compilation
concept put together by ed808
DARK will take you on a journey. Some of the tracks, like Rez’s, are so dark they bring in punk elements, while simultaneously taking you on an epic soundscape of sonic milky ways. Jonny5 weaves 140 BPM elements into the mix and then takes you into the darkest breakbeat realm, offset by Abstract Illusion’s old school Metalheadz and Star Wars infusion. 6blocc’s sci-fi cinematic arrangement or Semko’s fierce, choppy breaks contrast with Juice-E’s 90s breakbeat, offset by melodic vocals reminiscent of Coco Bryce. And all of this is topped off by Antares and Ed808, who bring that uplifting yet dark, moody sound. Which, for many of us, evokes the spirituality of jungle music in its purest form.
“DARK showcases break-centric, synth/melody heavy production that can be often missed or overlooked. These producers are top notch and every song on the compilation is in their own right, excellent and different from producer to producer.” – Antares
The past year has seen humanity get even more battered than usual – topped off with a global pandemic. This Babylon (a term used by Rastafarians towards degenerate aspects of white culture), has and always will be, real. And finally, those oppressive structures have hit everyone. Hard.
As ed808 has documented this segment of time in DARK, in turn, the Jungle war dub takes on a new kind of redemptive spirituality. Both similar and different from its reggae roots. But always with a burning passion for the craft, in turn entering the listener into a sonic escape from these dark, uncertain times we’re living in.
“We are not in this music for accolades, approvals, or trophies of sorts. We produce music for enjoyment, meditation, and personal accomplishments. Which stems from the completion of our projects”. – ed808
DARK takes on a new significance in the apocalypse of 2020