Essential Mix Review: Zeds Dead travel through bass music, showcase talent in and out of studio
BBC Radio 1‘s infamous Essential Mix will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year and with several stellar mixes already in the books for 2013, it should shape up to be one of the best years yet. Host and curator, Pete Tong, continually brings on up-and-coming acts as well as industry phenomenons to interject their sound into one of the world’s most legendary radioshows — this week Zeds Dead took the honors.
The Canadian duo took the spotlight for what was the first heavily dubstep-influenced Essential Mix of the year. Tong introduced DC and Hooks with a cut from their namesake Pulp Fiction before the two producers dove in with their hard-hitting bass-heavy productions. Mixing in already popular tracks, remixes and unheard outputs, the two producers gave listeners worldwide a plethora of productions, mainly their own, to blowout the subs on their speakers.
Starting off with the deep sounds of dubstep in the first hour of their set, Zeds Dead worked in originals like “White Satin” before paying homage to dubstep OG Skream with “Dutch Flowerz.” With remixes of Prodigy’s “Breathe” and T.E.E.D’s “Household Goods,” the two showcase their growth as producers over the last four years, while staying true to their love for sub bass.
Working in many cuts from their Omar LinX collaboration, Victor, in the second hour, Zeds Dead showed their ability to create melodic bass music with power. Soon after, the duo moved into their experimentation of trap, “Ratchet,” before letting DJ Shadow’s “Midnight In A Perfect World” slow down the tempo. Mixing in short snippets as they moved into their remix of The Roots’ “Dear God,” the boys maintained a mellow mood before unleashing growling bass to finish the last 20 minutes of their set.
The jabbing sounds of drum & bass helped close Zed Dead’s storyline of bass music, giving listeners speaker shattering bass saturated with original material. The pair finished off the set with their most quick-hitting beats heard yet before toning it down once more with the Gorillaz’s “Tomorrow Comes Today.” An unreleased remix of the slow-building Son Lux’ “Flickers” provided a grand finale as Zeds Dead highlighted their ability to create hard style bass music as well as harmonious soundscapes with this week’s Essential Mix.
Editors’ Note: If you’re into Zeds Dead’s Essential Mix, claim their free download, “Ratchet,” to celebrate 400,000 Facebook fans.
Zeds Dead – Ratchet
Tracklist:
Zeds Dead – Slow – U – WLRolling Stones – Gimme Shelter (Zeds Dead Remix) – WLMemorecks – Trouble – U – WLZeds Dead and Memorecks – Love Me – U – WLSublime – Doin Time (Zeds Dead Remix VIP) – WLZeds Dead – Monkey – U – WLZeds Dead – White Satin – WLMassive Attack – Paradise Circus (Zeds Dead Remix) – WLTEED – Household Goods (Zeds Dead Remix) – Greco RomanZeds Dead – Dimention – U – WLPortishead – Only You – Go! BeatZeds Dead – Back Home – U – WLBreakage ft. Newham Generals – Hard – Digital SoundboyAl Green – Simply Beautiful (George Lenton Remix) – WLZeds Dead – Womb – U – WLSkream – Dutch Flowers – TempaZeds Dead – Rave – Mad DecentZeds Dead – Rumble In The Jungle – Mad DecentZinc – Nexx – Bingo BeatsRadiohead – Everything In Its Right Place (Gigamesh & Discotech Remix) – WLSam Obernik, Tradelove – Bette Davis Eyes (Club Mix) – LoudBitDeds Dead – Ruckus The Jam – Dim MakZeds Dead and Omar Linx – Cowboy (Torro Torro Remix) – UltraZeds Dead – 1975Justice Phantom pt. 2 (Soulwax Remix) – Because Music/Ed Banger RecordsZeds Dead – Demons – Mad DecentIncredible Bongo Band – Apache – Mr Bongo/MGM RecordsBrother to Brother – In The Bottle – Turbo RecordsThe Prodigy – Breathe (Zeds Dead Remix) – XLProxy – Dance in Dark – Dim MakThe Bug – Skeng ft. Flowdan – Ninja TuneMarina and the Diamonds – Lies (Zeds Dead Remix)Zeds Dead – Trouble – Mad DecentZeds Dead – Rudeboy – San City HighJason Falkner – Only You (Zeds Dead Remix) – WLZeds Dead – Purple Galaxy – U – WLChase and Status – Saxon – RamZeds Dead – Twilight Zone – WLZeds Dead – Oh No – InspectedZeds Dead – Hit Me – InspectedZeds Dead – Adrenaline VIP – InspectedZeds Dead – Playa – Mad DecentRusko – Hold On ft. Amber Coffman – Mad DecentColin Munroe – Fight of My Life (Zeds Dead Remix)Zeds Dead and Omar LinX – Crank – UltraBlue Foundation – Eyes On Fire (Zeds Dead Remix) – Ministry of SoundZeds Dead and Omar LinX – You and I – JeffreesZeds Dead – By Your Side – U – WLBon Iver – Woods (Zeds Dead Remix) – WLZeds Dead – Coffee Break – WLDJ Vadim and The Electric – Toot Toot (Zeds Dead Remix)Zeds Dead – Ratchet – WLZeds Dead and Omar LinX – Out For Blood – WLSebastien Tellier – DIvine (Danger Remix) (Zeds Dead re Remix)DJ Shadow – Midnight in A Perfect World – MowaxRJD2 – Work – Definitive JuxZeds Dead – Nostalgia – U – WLThe Roots and Monsters Of Folk – Dear God (Zeds Dead Remix) – WLCalyx – Give Myself To You – Moving ShadowPendulum – Masochist –Nina Simone – Don’t Let Me Be Missunderstood (Zeds Dead Remix)Zeds Dead and Omar LinX – Cowboy – UltraZeds Dead – Undah Yuh Skirt ft. Mavado – Mad DecentZeds Dead and Memorecks – Jericho – U – WLZeds Dead and Omar LinX – No Prayers – JeffreesTragedy Khadafi – Calm Down (feat. Nas, N.O.R.E.)Gorillaz – Tomorrow Comes Today – EMIZeds Dead – Untitled
Categories: Music