Number 3:
The Future Sound of Cambridge 3
The Future Sound of Cambridge: Vol 3
Liquid Funk – a sub-genre I had yet to experience, even until 2008. This is almost exclusively due to the fact that I had written off Drum and Bass some time during 2006 – finding little innovation within my frame of reference, despite attending many gigs and parties where such music was prevalent. So it was, with my exploration for new sounds this year, that I discovered a group of four Cambridge-based D&B enthusiasts with a delightful series of compilations, entitled “The Future Sound of Cambridge”. Volume three was already released by the time I discovered them, and a little extra digging suggests this sub-genre had been running since 2000. Eight whole years of music to sift through, explore, critique and catch up on! Obviously, as this is a round up of 2008’s best, this is the release I am choosing.
The album itself is 11 tracks of incredibly smooth, multi-layered D&B. The four artists involved are Commix (George Levings and Guy Brewer) NU:Tone (Dan Gresham) and Logistics (Matt Gresham, brother of Dan). The music contains enough structure and nuance to enjoy with a critical ear, with enough bounce to move you, if you are so inclined. This is exactly what I have been looking for in D&B since, well, forever. I find D&B a minefield of horrible, cheesey drops, brash MC’s and derivative basslines. This is nothing of the sort.
Stand out Track: Logistics -Intervention
Short-game: Drum & Bass for those with more refined tastes.
Score: 4/5
