seven

i am not very competent in drum'n'bass, and i do not really like it as a genre (at least not until recently). but with cleen, haujobb and architect going this direction as well as many other bands exploring it (not to mention presence of this genre on several industrial/electronica compilations), i feel like i have to look more closely at something that used to be too simple and primitive to me. so after listening to several albums (other than mentioned above) i can say: i do not like drum'n'bass as a genre. however, some of the albums deserve to be mentioned and "black belt second dan" is one of them.

this album can probably be classified as "complex drum'n'bass", or even "intelligent drum'n'bass". there is a definite "sci-fi" feeling to it; no vocals, strong beats, occasional crescendo in the melody. it never grows too violent or too minimalistic; really steady and not very demanding. my favorite song is "rectifier" - the bass line is amazing, the melody changes several times but is still recognizable throughout the track; it is complex and interesting enough to redeem drum'n'bass as a genre in my eyes. another great track is "omen (director's cut)" - cold melody with interesting bass line; a great soundtrack for a mystery movie with dark hallways filled with strange echoes where cold wind blows freely. overall i quite enjoyed the album - it is perfect for creating that atmosphere where you can relax and listen to the music on the background that doesn't demand much of your attention but occasionally attracts it with interesting melody twist or unexpected drum loop.