In the first of a few posts, I’m putting up some of my charts from the latter half of 2008. Just so they are all in one place for anyone that is interested.

In no particular order.

01. Nagano Kitchen – GSXR 810 [Apotek]
Such a deep driving track. Hits all the right buttons and has seen a lot of play on MANTIS shows.

02. Faib – Magic Music Box / Secrets of Moths Ash [Mezmerize Recordings] [MYSPACE]
New girl coming out of Russia. Stupidly phat bass noises squeezing out your bassbins beating you like a $2 whore. Magic Music Box is just eerie. Secrets of Moths Ash is much more full on darkfloor carnage.

03. Byetone – Grand Style from the Death of a Typographer Album [Raster Noton]
From Byetone’s own label comes this superb album. Whilst the label focuses on quite experimental and minimal sound with artists like Alva Noto, this is more accessible and extends the excellent programming I came across with the Plastic Star EP. Dense yet sparse in sound with abstract textures being combined into some just amazing music that is both at home in your living room or smack bang in the middle of a deep 4am set.

04. Luka Baumann – Radanje [Emergence Records]
Just beautiful. Ambient into stripped down dubbed techno minimalism.

05. dub_teq – Corners [unreleased] [MYSPACE]
Techno. No hold barred mother fucking boshy techno. Like Radial and the Audio Assault crew? Then you’ll love this. Big room, hard as Techno with edits. Doesn’t get much better.

06. Trespasser – Stratum [unreleased] [MYSPACE]
Awesome electro. Real oozing electro. The track has lashing of driving beats and synth action. Why this isn’t signed is criminal. I’m expecting a lot from Trespasser (and System2 the more breaky alias)

07. Dr Schmidt – Resonator [Maschinen Musik]
Taken off Maschinen Musik’s strongest release to date (MM010) I was hard picked to choose (T.R.O.’s the Message a very close second). This is electro breaks with tasty bass and a synth that makes those hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

08. Rumble Junkie – Marv [sub.mission]
Rowdy bass. Really aggressive stuff that powers on beating the shit out of you and leaving you in the gutter.

09. The Phat RiderZ – Heaven Massacre [unreleased]
EPIC. From those hauntingly beautiful vocals into that immensely huge bass drop, this is drum n bass with serious anger management issues. A track that makes you rush like quad dropping 4 original Mitsubishi pills from back in the day. Heard a rumour these guys are no more… hopefully that’s a false rumour.

10. Mazitka – Urban Wasteland [Ante-Rasa] [MYSPACE]
Coming out of Poland this is dark driving rave Techno. Serious talent to watch this guy. Been sent some unreleased stuff of his (check MANTIS 021) to hear it.

11. Tiago S – Why Is This Here (Dessben Remix) [Antiritmo]
Techno with sub bass. Lots of it. And I likes it. Massive rave feel with the bass. Did I mention the bass? Really liking the stuff I’m hearing coming out of Dessben. His original productions are none too shabby either.

12. Mad Tek – Meteor Shower [unreleased] [MYSPACE]
This is coming out. Mad-Tek with some storming electrobreaks infused techno. The new stuff coming from both Gyu and Mad-Tek is just badness. Full support.

13. Ion Driver – Magma [Digital Distortions]
Showcased on MANTIS019 with a stupidly deep mix of glitchy textured electro. This is the track that made me take notice. A scattering of beats with an underlying bass that on the right bassbins is likely to enduce heart problems.

14. DJ Slugo – If Ya [WIDE]
Phat jacking Ghettotech with filthy vocals. Can’t ask for better than that. Tuff beats and tougher vocals.

15. Principles of Geometry – Golem [Tigersushi]
Beyond lush. You need to listen to this. Simple as that. Full bodied lovely ambientesqe electronica.

All of these can be heard in past and no doubt future Mantis Radio broadcasts, as well as when I DJ out and about. Speaking of which…

BOOKING
If you’d like to book DVNT for your clubnight / house party, or to provide a guestmix for your radio show / podcast, then you can do so as he is taking bookings.