Hot off the success of their 100 compilation release, Dispatch Recordings waste no time looking to the future with The 101 EP from the legendary Mako. Master of bridging the gap between the past, present and the future, the Bristol-based Mako is the man to turn to when you want to get lost in interstellar atmospheres and chest-rattling beats.
For his latest EP, Mako teams up with Andy Skopes on the lead cut, “The Mercenary,” and the two get right to the heart of the situation with rugged breaks and a knee-chopping bottom-end centered on swirling atmospheres and a techno-tinged hook. It’s a fitting introduction to the world that Mako conjures up as the rest of the cuts on the EP reveal an affinity for snarling, head-cracking star-gazers that feed the head, punish the body, and heal the soul. Centered on dark melodies, twisted hooks, intricate breaks, and celestial often dreamy atmospheres and grooves, Mako channels the very best elements of the golden age of drum & bass.
To get a proper education and sense of just where Mako is coming from, we thought we’d crack the elder scrolls wide open and see what kind of knowledge Mako can lay down for present and future generations about the roots and culture that form the backbone of his untouchable sound. Be sure to bag Mako’s The 101 EP direct from the Dispatch shop here before you lose yourself in the beats below.
Mako channels the very best elements of the golden age of drum & bass.
Studio Pressure “Fusion” (Photek, 1995)
“This one features Photek under his Studio Pressure moniker. No matter what name he used he could roll out the sickest liquid vibe before anyone else. He showed me that even if you are capable of the most precise beats, a groove and a vibe were essential. I’m influenced fairly heavily by some of his arrangements and his use of musical elements and vocal snippets.”
Get it at Discogs
Goldie “Sea Of Tears” (FFRR, 1995)
“Makes me want to make a 12-minute tune. The arrangement on this is ridic. You’re hooked on a mainline heroin intro right from the melancholy intro stabs and the guitar licks. Then the beats come in strong yet they don’t overpower the music, which is something that sounds easier than done, trust me! But what kills it for me the most is the second breakdown. It’s the best example of how to use environmental noises in combination with vocals and animal noises to engage a switch of melodies. Probably my favorite drum & bass tune of all time.”
Dillinja “You Don’t Know” (The Remix) (Logic Productions, 1994)
“All he needed was one vocal, one amen, and one bass sample; the art of drum & bass, the complex simplicity. More lessons in less is more.”
Get it at Discogs
Konflict “Cyanide” (Renegade Hardware, 1999)
“When it comes to fast-paced hypnotic rhythms, Konflict were the rulers. They still are to some extent, even though they haven’t released a record in over 10 years. I love their percussion switch-ups and their use of paranoid synth stabs and minimal bass growls. Their beats always had the right amount of ‘wood’ and their hi-hat grooves were some of the best.”
Get it at Spotify | iTunes| Beatport
DLR & Mako “Your Mind” (Metalheadz, 2014)
“This one changed my life more than I realized! Out of writing this tune, I think it was obvious to DLR and I both that we needed to write more together. Out of that desire came the unit OneMind. We’ve just finished an album for Metalheadz and are turning the album into a live project. Exciting festival dates are planned and we’re looking to go on the road with Goldie’s new album in the New Year, so look out!”