Battle of the beats 2005 - IV: reviews by Contayjen

something wonderful by crank: Nice clear production on

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 12:55.

Nice clear production on this one, right from the beginning the sound is very clear and wide and great ambience.  Good drum work and good use of samples at the right points.  Yeah, I'm liking this one, it has Fanu-esque depth and complexity to it while still remaining chilled.  Yeah, exceptional drum work, really crisp and punchy.  Nice detailed track with lots of stuff going on...like the porno movie being filmed in the back lol.

This sounds like it could be Crank but I hope its not or that cheeky bastard could win it again.


phiuta by source: I like the organic sounds

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 14:51.

I like the organic sounds used in this, and what a drop, rough as hell.  Nice tight groove and great reeces.  Overall production could have been a bit cleaner but this blend of sounds and the overall feel is cool.  Really enjoyed this one.


Red Rum by kompressah: Nice chilled intro, I like

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 14:52.

Nice chilled intro, I like the way it turns to the darkness.  This one is just evil, with the chopping and changing beats and those filthy reeces.  The drums could be a tiny bit crisper I reckon.  It could have ended at 6:30, the chilled ending sounds like another track altogether.


by : Nice intro, dark as hell. 

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 14:52.

Nice intro, dark as hell.  I like that gong.  Drums are phat, possibly a bit over-saturated.  Nice feel, nice big sound too.


Even my heart cries by Forearm: The top end is mostly

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 14:52.

The top end is mostly missing on this, like it has been low-passed too low or the mp3 encoding has cut it all out.  Apart from the mastering, its well-balanced though.

Nice ambience, the drop just before 2 mins works well, it gets the track up and running properly.  Detailed drumwork in this one too.  Nice track.


Metro Lights by Screamheads: A funky club number this

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 11:58.

A funky club number this one.  I like the melody line.  The right-panned brass sound seems a bit cheap.  Nice buildup just after 2 mins.  The top end of the track could be a bit clearer, I think for 192k it can be clearer than it is.

The track progresses very nicely, building as it goes along and winding down towards the end.  DJ-friendly too, good work.


The League Of Shadows by Bobby Dangerous: Beats are nice and solid,

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 14:53.

Beats are nice and solid, good use of hte samples in the intro.  Nice sounding synths and I like the drum rolls.  It could progress more musicaly I think, and its quite short.


Drax.mp3 by King_Louis: Very dramatic opening and

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 12:09.

Very dramatic opening and breakdown.  The top end isn't very clear on this track, the drums have that bit-crushed reason-type sound.  Interesting ideas.


Fallen Warrior by DMJ AkA Jossi: The drums start off really

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 11:40.

The drums start off really light and thin.  The synthbrass gives it a cinematic feel, not too usual in dnb. I like the beats more when they kick off at 2mins.  Nice clear production, though I think there is room for another instrument.


seven samurai by 822: This one is a bit weird, but

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Submitted by Contayjen on Sun, 2005-11-27 11:46.

This one is a bit weird, but I like the trippy guitar.  The change in pace could have been a bit smoother.  I'm not keen on the drums that keep stopping and starting and the patterns they play.  The solid sub supports the guitar nicely, but there is room for more instruments in this track.