Dexter’s Beat Laboratory Vol. 69Deters Beat Lab@0.

Dexter’s Beat Laboratory Vol. 69

Dexter’s Beat Laboratory is a weekly collection of songs from DA managing editor Robyn Dexter. With a taste that can only be described as eclectic — to say nothing of a name that lends itself to punnery — DA is happy to present a selection of tracks personally curated by Dexter for your listening pleasure.

Listen in playlist format here.


It’s a good week for drum & bass. Feint has teamed up with vocalist Heather Sommer for a brilliant new NoCopyrightSounds release, “Shockwave.” This new release dips back and forth between melodic drum & bass and heavier, wobble-laden interludes that make “Shockwave” appealing to fans of the full drum & bass spectrum. This track is feel-good drum & bass at its finest, and Feint’s production remains unparalleled.

Twenty-five-year-old Ram Records has released its annual drum & bass compilation, and with it comes a slew of exclusives and classics. UK producer Culture Shock makes his mark early in the 60-song collection with the emotive “There For You” as the second track. This touching track pulls the listener in right from the beginning with its infectious vocal hook and builds — with the help of some elegant synth melodies — into a welcoming drum & bass number.

RL Grime‘s NOVA has received an impressive array of remixes since its release in July. The final installation, released this week, features hot takes from artists from Vincent to Valentino Khan to Alexander Lewis, who’s crafted a heavy trap take on “Take It Away.” Lewis’ signature horns add an extra punch to the bassline and command a more authoritative and fiery atmosphere than the original, making it a standout on the latest remix compilation.

Hidden Face has had a steady stream of solid songs this year, never seeming to slow his release schedule. A stringed melody demands the spotlight in his latest, “Flowers,” which is backed by a steady deep house beat to drive it along. Intermittent snaps and twinkling notes comprise two brief interludes, giving the song an extra element of diversity. With countless releases this year, 2019 is sure to hold even more stellar work from the mysterious Parisian artist.

Tut Tut Child began a new project in August called Forest Knot, in which he creates a new song each month for a year. Each month since then, he’s been thrilling old and new fans with ambient and contemplative tunes he’s composed from years of traveling. He told listeners to “expect downtempo, explorative electronica, filled to the brim with real sounds,” and he’s delivered on that promise with a gorgeous tune called “We Walk Through The Streets Of Lisbon.”

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