Duburban & Galvatron — Parallel Drift EP (ICNR-005)

Parallel Drift EP marks a first for IR Records. The label's fifth release is also its first without label head Icon Roller on the tracklist, as he hands all four cuts over to two producers. Huddersfield-based Duburban, last heard on the label alongside Peeb on The Expansion EP, returns, and Galvatron makes his IR debut.

The pair join forces on the A-side, then take a solo cut each on the flip. Between them they cover a lot of ground: a dark, heads-down Reese roller, Rhodes-led soul, a big, euphoric string workout and a Brazilian-flavoured closer for the smokers. Rolling breaks and serious low end run through all four.

A1) Duburban & Galvatron - 'Parallel Drift' A short, sharp synth sequence rides a deep, driving Reese, while a Middle Eastern vocal sample and tense strings give the whole thing an uneasy edge. Underneath, a rolling amen keeps it locked. The production draws on the darker, more understated side of 90s jungle without ever sounding like a retro exercise. A heads-down roller, pushed along by the bass.

A2) Duburban & Galvatron - 'Angel' Rhodes chords roll under layered strings as a soulful, solemn vocal drifts over the top: "looking into your eyes, it's like an angel". A short arpeggio flickers in and out over rolling breaks. One for the deeper end of the set.

B1) Duburban - 'String Theory' Stripped-back beats ease in before an instrumental first drop built on a huge, euphoric pad, layered strings and congas, with effects whooshing down through the mix. Then the drop proper lands, with big, chaotic breakbeats and ride cymbals splashing across the top.

B2) Galvatron - 'Haze 4 Dayz' A sunny, chilled one for the smokers. Syncopated drums and open hats set it up before Brazilian-style keys, guitar and percussion roll in. The drop brings Funky Drummer breaks, short vocal snippets and a big 808, and the breakdown drifts off on sax and blissed-out pads.

IR Records started as a home for Icon Roller's own productions. Now five releases in, the label has morphed into an imprint for talented, like-minded artists.

Get inside the tunes before you buy: all four tracks are loaded into the IR Records Tracker, where you can mute, solo, filter and reverse the parts to build your own version.

Mastered by Beau Thomas at Ten Eight Seven Mastering. Design by Nick Pointon.

Pre-release coming to Bandcamp shortly, with the full release in early November.