In the fast paced world of modern Drum and Bass to be successful as a label it is vital to remain ahead of the game in terms of the sound you bring and the artists that represent you. We at #Natty_Dub pride ourselves on having a reputation for finding and nurturing some the best up and coming talent in the Drum and Bass scene today. Helping them along their journey from fledgling producers to the main stage artists of tomorrow.
It was with this in mind, following the success of our previous remix competition which unearthed talents like #Version and #Jaxx (who have notably gone on to become regular patrons of the label) that we decided a second comp should be held and this time have the chance to have a release alongside Natty General, #TI.
After the announcement of the competition early in 2018, (the chance to remix the outstanding roller “#Raggamuffin” by #DJ_Hybrid which was originally released on the “Ammo Box V2 EP” back in July 2016) Natty HQ was inundated with hopeful entries. The unenviable task of selecting a winner from the plethora of excellent entries we received fell to the ears of label boss Sam Frater aka #Cabin_Fever_UK and the producer of the original track Brighton's new-school jungle don #DJ_Hybrid.
Picking a winner was never going to be an easy task, however after much deliberating it was decided that this time round the honours would go Suffolk based Soundboy Tom Diaper aka #Damageman.
Not strictly a total newcomer to the Drum and Bass scene Damageman has previously had releases on labels including #Ten_Ton_Beats and #Eternal_Music since debuting in 2014 with the unmissable “#Its_Over/ #What_Are_These_Narcotics” on #Audio_Overload. #Damageman is an artist who is beginning to show some real promise, his distinctive bassline patterns and tight powerful drum edits perfectly compliment the vibes of the original #DJ_Hybrid release and make for a tasty little roller that keeps a firm but funky pressure on the dance floor in characteristic Natty Dub style.
Providing us with some seriously heavyweight backup for the competition winner is a remix by East Anglia's production maestro T>I. His intro grows assertively from rhythmic bell taps, metallic atmospherics and subtle gyrating percussion loops dropping into a smooth pumping bassline that flows masterfully over skipping drum scores complimented perfectly by pitched vocals teases and glitchy FX that that ensue to create that majestic hip winding swagger you know only T>I is capable of bringing to the party.
