- The Intrinsic label has really performed quite well of late, with quality releases from Tocharian & Christian Lewis, Aftercast, and the last release from Amalgam which saw good support from the likes of Danny Howells and John Digweed. It was indeed a good year in 2003, and what is promising is the year ahead for the label, starting with this release from Aftercast. Aftercast, you may remember has a quality release on the label with ‘Solar Guerrilla’, and they return with two new mixes of their latest production, Tyranny.
The Original Mix on the a-side builds nicely for the first few minutes, with solid tribal like drums and a smooth and thick baseline which gives the production a solid early groove. Not before long though, melodies start to swivel their way into the production, an element of Intrinsic releases that is quite strong. The track builds into the breakdown, where it hits its epic peak with a break that is similar to the main riff in Bedrock’s ‘Heaven Scent’. As the beats come back in, armed with a solid baseline and a trickle of melodic tones, it is clear to see why this track already has had solid support with some of the big name DJ's.
The Angry Dub Mix on the flip, as the name suggests, gets a little tougher then the a-side. The drums seemed to be intensified, and a nice squelchy baseline is used to good effect in the main loop. The track features some nice atmospheric elements throughout, as well as snippets of the main riff, and all in all it is a great alternative to the uplifting main mix.
It’s another solid release by the good men at Intrinsic, and it is clear to see why this label is a favourite amongst so many progressive aficionados. Another move in the right direction for the label, and the anticipation rises yet again for its future releases.