Netsky – Netsky

Not a bad album, one of the better entries into the lighter side of drum and bass for liquid fans, however I do think drum and bass album of the year is a little overflattering.

I think the best tunes from this are Escape and Pirate Bay, full of soul and energy too, worth having for these tunes alone. It does have to be mentioned tough, it has one of the worst dubstep tunes I think I've ever heard with Missing You, how Tony signed off on that I'll never ever know.

I think his '2' LP is better, but some great liquid gems here the more melodic orientated fans shouldn't miss out on!

Simply one of the best Netsky's album. Liquid DNB lovers, this one is a must have !

I’ve always liked Drum ‘n’ Bass but I’ve never really been particularly knowledgeable in terms of the key artists and labels that really define the genre and take it forward. And as I inevitably stumbled across Hospital Records, I found what I understand to be one of the most eagerly anticipated D ‘n’ B debut albums for some time from Belgian producer Netsky. So, for those ‘real’ Drum ‘n’ Bass fans out there, I’ll try to do it justice in my ensuing review!

What struck me most about this album was the variety and the maturity of the young artist that crafted it. As much I enjoy music from this genre I often find that at the same time it can be quite formulaic and, invariably, rather predictable. Not this album, however. For me this covers the spectrum of the Drum ‘n’ Bass sound and as such will appeal to many a learned follower of the scene. You’ve got floor rocking vocal cuts such as opener ‘Escape’, which gets the album off to a great start and really sets the tone for what follows as its melancholic piano key and string combos work really well together. Next up you have the single ‘Iron Heart’, an instrumental powerhouse with its insane loops and sprightly melodies. Without seeking to risk the wrath of all you D ‘n’ B fans out there, it reminds me a little of what I liked about ‘Hold Your Colour’ era Pendulum with its (albeit slightly) rocky edge. ‘Moving With You’, featuring vocals from Jenna G, has to be one of my favourites from the album; I love soulful vocal Drum ‘n’ Bass like this, the kind of stuff that demonstrates that D ‘n’ B can have an emotional side. Following that is ‘Secret Agent’, another top drawer instrumental with a tumbling melody and relentless pace setting it apart.

With its whirring bass, sprinkles of piano and Terri Pace’s searching vocals, the downtuned ‘Mellow’ is another favourite of mine, as is the slow burning bludgeoner that is ‘I Can’t Hold It’. I’d love to hear this on a world-class soundsystem, because I bet it sounds absolutely immense with its abrasive bass and heavy duty beats. The drifting ‘Let’s Leave Tomorrow’ is another more sentimental track; chilled yet metronomic beats, blissful atmospheres, floaty vocals. A really beautiful track this one. The claustrophobic ‘Lost Without You’ is another personal highlight.

I’ve only taken a snapshot of the album here but as I mentioned before, this album is all about variety and the rest of the tracks on here really are testament to that. As such I think this will appeal to D ‘n’ B junkies and non-fans alike, and of course would highly recommend it to both. An essential purchase.