After Tiran‘s superb inaugural first, and a brief (or rather lengthy?) hiatus, we’re back with the second Access Autonomic – our fledgling mix series that revisits and celebrates anything and everything that made the Autonomic movement so special. Mixed by our very own Jack Smith, this week’s selection is a pre- and post-amalgamation: half stone-cold classics, half leaders of the new school. We hope you enjoy!

 

Keep em peeled for some very special guest mixes to follow in the near future (near future, we promise!)

 

Access Autonomic 002: Jack Smith by Urban Essence on Mixcloud

 

Full Code – Sixty 8 (Consequence’s Fears Remix) [Free Download]

Almost suicidal vibes from Exit regular Cam Consequence and I mean that in the best possible way. Less is more is the key here: kicks rumble into life as if previously dormant and hi hats patter delicately throughout, punctuated by some wonderfully morose vocal work. Generously given away for free some time ago via Consequence’s MySpace page (DNBShare re-up here).

Blocks & Escher – Shiver [Narratives Music]

Solidified Blocks & Escher’s reputation as flag-bearers for the sound ‘post-Autonomic’ if you will, and an impressive follow-up to Narratives‘ excellent debut 12″ back in 2012. Dreamy and patient, ‘Shiver’ rewards repeated listens with its subtle progression and focused musicality – a testament to the duo’s variety when compared with the fragmented-Amen, rugged dystopia of ‘Broken’ / ‘Sagan’.

Genotype – Distorted Dreams x Meleka Go [Unreleased]

A damn shame this one’ll never see the light of day and my personal highlight of dBridge and Instra:mental’s fantastic FabricLive. 50. Such creativity in combining Genotype‘s brooding, sub-heavy minimalism with Meleka’s catchy UK funky acapella typifies the Autonomic approach to a T. Sounds like the two were made for each other.. Vibes of the highest order.

dBridge, Instra:Mental & Skream – Acacia Avenue [Autonomic]

A guaranteed reload when it first arrived and a perfect combination of broken arrangement versus that absolutely relentless one-key bass. Would love Skream to revisit these themes some day… You never know…

Vaccine – Irradiate [Auxiliary]

This one’s got an interesting history. Its first iteration arrived as ‘Radiate’ on key left-field label Offshore Recordings back in 2009; then it evolved from 140 to 170bpm to the even better ‘Autonomic VIP’ – a classic of the genre unlikely to see the light of day, unfortunately like most of the early Autonomic material. Then finally after a production hiatus Vaccine confirmed ‘Irradiate’ via a Facebook post after much demand for a release, appearing on her husband ASC‘s label Auxiliary in 2013. Where’s that album Vaccine?? Give us some hope!

Tokyo Prose & Fis – The Truths [Samurai Horo]

Sticking my neck out here to say Samurai Music‘s Horo offprint is the post-Autonomic frontrunner (honourable nod to Auxiliary and dBridge and Kid Drama’s newly revived HeartDrive). Label owner Geoff Presha showed fantastic vision here: collating this unique sound by sticking two of the scenes most exciting new talents on the same record, ‘The Truths / ‘The Dares’ was Horo’s debut single. A precursor for Fis‘ phenomenal debut single to come the year after and the start of a ten-piece, vinyl-only series that has surely become one of the most sought-after in recent years.

Instra:Mental – Pacific Heights [Darkestral]

One of the defining tunes of the era and one that actively transposed the atmospheric jungle sound onto a new sound palette, ‘Pacific Heights’ stands as perhaps the duo’s finest standalone tune. Nothing like this sounds just as natural within the 170 bracket, a ‘roller’ so finely crafted as if effortless, and, coupled with Jonny L‘s uncompromising ‘Output 1-2’ on the flip, to this day remains a highly, highly sought after 12″. Absolutely essential.

 

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