Cat No: NB020
Artist: Ronin
Released: 16th June 2010

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “That Golden Rule”

2: “Small”

3: “Koyoshira”

4: “Hey Joe”

5: “The Battledrums 2 EP (seamless mix)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

After 7 years, it’s time to bring Nerve Breaks to a close and I couldn’t think of a better artist for the final release. After totally blowing me away with his “Best Laid Plans” debut LP and the original “Battledrums EP”, I was all ears when Ronin told me that he’d almost finished work on the follow up – “Battledrums 2″.

This time it’s Biffy Clyro and Portishead that get the Ronin treatment amongst others and he’s outdone himself with these tracks. Huge soundscapes are coated in jaw dropping drums and hooks a-plenty, it’s brilliantly heavy but packed to the brim with atmosphere and depth.

I’ll let Ronin himself tell you more:

Where the first EP served to show a tougher edge to my output, this one is hopefully more of a balanced effort. Subtler stuff like the “Small” remix, although it still ends up pretty punchy, starts off kinda reminiscent of the chilled shit I started out doing, i think that serves as a nice counterpoint to the heavier stuff like “Golden Rule”.

Musically, I’m very happy with this EP, I’m using a wider variety of techniques than ever before, coming from the sample based MPC/Decks background, things like working with Sandie and Adam on “Koyoshira” were a huge challenge for me but I think it comes together really well.

That whole violin part was put down in one take and mostly improvised, pretty amazing to watch! Trying to move the track with that violin part led me to really start experimenting and opened me up to a lot of stuff I’d never considered before, I’d definetly like to do some more work in that vein.

The quality control was high on this one, I wanted to do something pretty impressive since the first BattleDrums got a bit of attention. Any fans of my previous output should know what to expect from this but it’s a further evolution again so there could be a few surprises in there, the “Hey Joe” remix is the kind of track I’ve wanted to do for a long time, a bit more progressive and experimental than anything on my last EP.

I’m really just trying to keep my stuff evolving and avoid repeating myself – it’s too easy to let your output get stagnant once you’ve found a formula that works, I think that’s where a lot of acts in my field have fallen down in the past. I was really concious of that when putting this EP together, hopefully it reflects in the finished thing.

Look out for material from Ronin our forthcoming Phuturelabs imprint and keep an eye on his Myspace for more info on releases.

Cat No: NB019
Artist: The Setup
Released: 28th March 2010

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Lizard”

2: “Lizard (Ronin Reconstruction)”

3: “Lizard (Tactus rmx)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

The Setup are a duo from Edinburgh comprising of DD and Big Fats and can be found punting their wares at various night around the city including Split and their own venture – Dirt. While their live set focuses mainly on techno and electro – “Lizard” sees them wander into the world of dubstep. It’s a cracking 4 minutes of dark dubstep goodness and I’m hoping they’ll produce more of this type of material in the future – so if ya like it – let em know!

Remixes come from two of the finest producers that Scotland has to offer – first up is Glasgow’s Ronin. With his Best Laid Plans LP and Battledrums EP establishing him as a versatile producer, this remix sees him in harsh breaks mode, notching up the noise factor and coating the track in trademark Ronin high quality dirt.

Edinburgh’s Tactus is up next and with a top quality catalogue of dubstep beats behind him on his own Abaga imprint, this remix sees him take the original down an even darker route and churn out a big dancefloor dubstep number in the process.

Ronin’s up next on Nerve Breaks with his “Battledrums 2 EP”, this’ll be the final release on Nerve Breaks as it morphs into a new project but more on that later…

Cat No: NB018
Artist: Ekaj
Released: 8th March 2010

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Detox”

2: “Fission Battery”

Paul Reset’s notes:

We’re going back to our roots at Nerve Breaks with this two tracker from Lancaster based producer Ekaj. Big chunky breaks is the order of the day here. “Detox” open’s Ekaj’s attack and whacks the listener around the head with crisp drums and deep bass wrapped around some spacey stabs and razor sharp vocal snippets.

“Fission Battery” is up next – wandering down a slightly rave infused path but retaining the spacey feel by wrapping some ethereal pads around the tough beats and bass.

We’ll hopefully see a lot more Ekaj material on NB in the future so enjoy this opening salvo!

Cat No: NB017
Artist: Ronin
Released: January 27th 2010

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Quarantine”

2: “If You Fear Dying”

3: “Vicious Tradition”

4: “My Own Summer”

5: “The Battledrums EP (seamless mix)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

I first came across Ronin’s work through a tip off by Venkman from Iller Clothing, he pointed me to Ronin’s myspace and I was literally blown away. Absolutely epic downtempo hip hop with jaw dropping production and hooks a-plenty. His first album “Best Laid Plans” (available to download for free) is a total must for anyone with a taste for Shadow’s earlier work and early Ninja Tune and Mo’ Wax.

I was delighted when he agreed to put together an EP for Nerve Breaks and off to work he went! I’m very very proud to present “The Battledrums EP”. Taking a harder route than his debut album but keeping up the epic factor, this serves as a taster for his second album “Remixes From The Field”. I asked Ronin if he’d explain why these tracks are on the harder side of things and he had this to say:

These tracks are a taste of things to come, they represent the harder edge of the album. Trying to show as much variation in style as possible to reflect my range of influence, so the album ranges from the downtempo ways of the first LP to 190bpm efforts like the My Own Summer remix. Composition is a big part of what I’m doing so I like to think some songs span the whole spectrum within the same track.

The song choices for this EP are amongst the heaviest on the album to contrast with my previous stuff.

In making this new effort I set out to make what I was feeling, regardless of what genre any given track might then fall into. With any luck they’re still all very much “Ronin” tracks, so not to fret – there’s still all the dreamy, cinematic stuff pulling these tracks together. The tripped out, spaghetti western shit is still very much a part of my M.O, I just like to think I’ve got a bit more in there aswell now!

So down to the specifics, Quarantine samples primarily “In a Heartbeat” from the 28 days later soundtrack, the vocals are scratched and cut from a Thom Yorke acapella. On “If You Fear Dying” that is indeed Zach De La Rocha (RATM being one of my all time favourite bands) The track remixed is from his One Day As A Lion EP. Vicious Traditions is a rework of a track by The Veils, and My Own Summer I assume speaks for itself, that track just deserved a remix that took it in the opposite direction from the downtempo NIN remix!

I’d also like to add that although in places it might not sound it, I think this is very much a hip hop album, using “old school” hip hop techniques. 99% of it is still MPC work, filters & turntablism, its just used to different effect in parts.

In my (humble) opinion, the original hip hop of old sampled and remixed soul & funk records because that was the music of the time. I’m just doing the same thing with the music that I love from MY era. It just comes down to trying to be as honest as possible with the music I create.

So there you go – without further ado I recommend you download this ASAP and get the headphones on LOUD. The tracks are supposed to be listened to in order with no gaps so we’ve also included an MP3 of the tracks segued together. For more info on Ronin – head over to his Myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/roninonetwo.

Cat No: NB016
Artist: Temper D
Released: January 8th 2010

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Nu Skool Robbery”

2: “Nu Skool Robbery (Ingen rmx)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

I’ve been a huge fan of Temper D’s work since back in 2002 when I heard his amazing “Project Mayhem” track and over the year’s he’s consistently delivered top quality drum n bass (including an affiliation with Raiden’s Offkey imprint). In the past year or so however he’s branched out a bit style wise and now produces a bit of everything – breaks, house, dubstep etc. So for the first Nerve Breaks outing of 2010 I’m chuffed to have him on-board with the big chunky breaks of “Nu Skool Robbery”. It’s a bit of a monster with big chunky drums and rumbling sub and showcases another side to his production talent.

If you’d like to hear more of Temper D’s output then head on over to this guest mix he put together for us earlier this month. With a reputation already in place as one of the finest drum n bass dj’s around this mix also shows his diversity in switching between tempos with ease.

On the remix tip we’ve recruited Edinburgh’s Ingen. He’s been dazzling Edinburgh crowds for the past couple of years with his live electronica sets. He’s taken Temper D’s original and twisted it into a slice of dark n doomy dubby techno influenced breaks. You can catch Ingen live around Edinburgh and at his residency at Split at Cabaret Voltaire. He’s also signed to Carbon Logic so watch out for more material from him in the near future!

Cat No: NB015
Artist: Jammin J
Released: November 15th 2009

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Fall”

2: “Fall (Secret Society rmx)”

2: “Fall (Error Response rmx)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

For the 15th release on Nerve Breaks, we’re switching up the styles again! Edinburgh’s Jammin J delivers “Fall” – a chunky amen number coming in at 150BPM. The tough beats are overlayed with smooth jazz licks and keys and some bowel troubling sub bass sure to fill the floor. As part of Edinburgh’s “Riddim Tuffa” collective you can catch him playing dubstep, breaks and drum n bass across Scotland.

On the remix tip, first up we have the kings of J-Tek – Secret Society. They’ve removed the jazz factor and upped the darkness with this, a track that meets somewhere in the middle between house and old skool jungle tekno – brilliant stuff!! They’ve also put together a crackin J-Tek and DnB mix exclusively for us so make sure to get that on the Mp3 player and in the ears.

Secondly, we’ve got Glasgow producer Error Response on remix duties. His “Zen” album impressed us so much that we were desperate to have some of his works on Nerve Breaks and he hasn’t let us down with this remix! Lovely downtempo bizness is the order of the day here.

Further info:

Jammin J on Myspace
Secret Society on Myspace
Error Response on Myspace

Cat No: NB014
Artist: Diazepam – remixes by CJ Weaver
Released: October 26th 2009

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: “Autumn Tides (CJ Weaver’s Low Tide rmx)”

2: “Autumn Tides (CJ Weaver’s High Tide rmx)”

Paul Reset’s notes:

Working out of Virginia in the US, CJ Weaver’s productions have been pricking up the ears of drum n bass fans worldwide. With a taste for deeper beats he’s turned in two brilliant remixes of Diazepams original (NB013). Both remixes take the warm atmospherics of the original and add more stripped back beats to up the drum n bass factor.

A total must for anyone who’s feeling the deeper drum n bass beats that have been regaining popularity over the past year or two.

CJ Weaver has lots of forthcoming goodies on labels such as Digibeat, Absys Recordings and Golden Age and has just released “The Thorazine Shuffle” on Dust Audio. For more info – check his Myspace page.

Cat No: NB013
Artist: Diazepam
Released: September 26th 2009

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: Departure

2: Autumn Tides

3: Distances

4: Sunkheart

Paul Reset’s notes:

I stumbled across “Departure” on Diazepam’s Soundcloud page and it literally blew me away – an absolutely beautiful slice of downtempo beats with slick production and an epic feel. I dropped Diazepam a message and after hearing more of his material, knew I had to get some of his work signed up for Nerve Breaks!

Each of the tracks stand alone as beautiful pieces of music, with the tempo reaching as high as 170 on “Distances” without losing any of the space and atmosphere, but I highly recommend listening to the EP from start to finish to get the full experience. I think the tracks sound like a meeting of minds between Max Richter and Burial and the production is on a par with both of those amazing producers.

Diazepam is a 19 year old Parisian and this is his debut release, I’m extremely proud to have him on-board and hope we’ll see much more from him in the future!
Find out more about him on his Myspace page.

Diazepam’s notes:

I’ve been making tunes for about 2 years now. I don’t really belong to a specific style, and my productions simply reflects my desire to blend acoustic instruments and minimal electronic atmospheres. Also, I would like to personally thank Paul for believing in me and letting me release my debut EP! Enjoy !

Cat No: NB012
Artist: Phuturelabs
Released: 2009

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: The Herd

2: Foregone

3: Childhood

4: What’s Behind Door 23…

Paul Reset’s notes:

After Basepair’s EP on NB010 featuring tracks from his archive between 1998 and 2001, we decided we’d go back in time once again and resurrect these tracks from the Phuturelabs archive.

Phuturelabs was a collaborative project between myself and Scott English AKA The Noisy Minority. We made our debut with “Code 420″ on NB004 and worked on these tracks around the same time in 2000-2001 also.

“The Herd” is a moody downtempo breaks track featuring an inspiring sample from the legend that is Bill Hicks. The other three tracks take things down a darker route with the beatless “Foregone” leading the way. It’s moody ambience and evil drones throw a dark atmosphere over the EP while “Childhood” is erm..a tad strange even by our standards. Nothing really to say other than give it a listen.

“What’s Behind Door 23″ closes the EP and it’s more dark downtempo breaks. I was never really sure about the flute in this but I love the muffled drums and glass smash samples so we decided to have this on the EP.

We always talked about working on more Phuturelabs material but never got round to it, the darkness may yet return!

Cat No: NB011
Artist: The Figures Of The Lost Dawn
Released: 2009

Tracklisting – click track title for 320kbps MP3 download

1: Not In My Town

2: “Lone Standing”

3: “DeadF”

4: “Mullen Cholly

Paul Reset’s notes:

The Figures was a short-lived collaborative project between myself and Martin BSE – we scratched out heads and sent samples back and forth and these are the four tracks that were born of that. Ranging from moody downtempo breaks to weird ambience and with some randomness inbetween.

I was really chuffed with the way these tracks came out and we always meant to work on more material but life and alcohol got in the way. The Figures may one day rise from the darkness.