Laurent Garnier’s COD3 QR returns with a stellar four-track vinyl release featuring U.S. luminaries, K’ Alexi Shelby and DJ Bone, alongside French wizard Marc Bedikian and one of COD3 QR’s star players, Squal G.
‘Black Market EP’ is DJ Bone’s first output after a long production hiatus. A widely-respected DJ, producer, and turntablist of the 90’s and 00’s with residencies across the major clubs of Detroit, he has described himself as ‘coming out of hiding’ for this release. Drawing on the full 4/4 force of Detroit techno, ‘Rising’, ‘Fulmination’ and ‘In Solution’ charge with his renewed passion. ‘Power Of The Three’ is a rolling DnB work proving Bone’s skills reach all corners of the dancefloor.
As we step into 2018, DJ Bone brings another fresh fusion of funk and ferocity, Composed for deployment on his own Subject Detroit imprint, A Piece Of Beyond is a detailed and varied cross section of Bone’s multidimensional musical mind, journeying along a strong spine of Detroit Techno in all its many shapes, colours and textures…
Don’t Be Afraid imprint welcomes back DJ Bone under the Differ-Ent guise. It’s a sombre tone that sees the Detroit icon return too, with both these tracks produced by Bone in the immediate aftermath of his mother passing away after battling cancer. The 10-minute “M.O.M.” is something of a throbbing, pulsating techno delight, with the Detroit veteran adding colossal organ chords and mind-altering electronics to a stomping, brain-melting groove. Bone goes deeper on similarly epic “The Final Driver”, combining shuffling techno rhythms and alien electronics with warm, deep chords, and the melodic ethos of Omar-S style Detroit house.
Speaking to Resident Advisor recently to accompany his podcast, veteran Detroit artist DJ Bone looked to clarify the distinction behind his new Differ-Ent project, stating it is “darker, more aggressive and straight to the point but still manages to remain beautiful in a very twisted way.” This statement is fully qualified on the two track for Don’t Be Afraid that make up this excellent debut 12″ from the Differ-Ent project. “Differ-Ent (Hrall)” is the more musical of the two, with Bone teasing minor keys and acid squiggles over a stripped back, yet still quite forceful rhythm. “Differ-Ent (Ity)” is where that dark aggression is let loose and is the sort of ominous techno you crave to hear deep into the night.
Label boss DJ Bone mans the controls for the 38th release on Subject Detroit, laying down a typically fierce, three pronged auditory attack. “What He Said” tactfully yet forcefully treads the line between house and techno, cherry picking physiognomies from each side of that ever-blurring line and constructing something fresh but bristling with familiar Subject Detroit elegances. A favourite fixture from Bone’s more recent DJ sets, “I Do” sees bubbling, arpeggiated chords simmer and swoop from foreground to background loosely as one solitary, remanipulated ticking hat keeps things in formation. Watch out for the thunderous, doubled-up drum arrangement that crashes in to the picture out of nowhere! B Side track “Rhythm Soul Funk” is a genuine hard hitter and another that tiptoes between the old school and the nouveau.
The Hipodrome Of Music 