160db The D&B Interface

Summary - Audio quality generally is very good, there are some clicks on a couple of sounds and some noise in places. On a few samples you'd have to do some noise reduction to make them usable in any context apart from totally buried in the mix. As a percentage of the entire CD though we're only talking 1 or 2%, so its only a very minor issue. The live parts have ambient noise, but this enhances the live feel rather than detracts. The drums in particular though are exceptionally well recorded, I'm unsure how exactly they were produced or recorded or on what equipment but they sound very powerful and very impressive indeed.

The producers have set out to provide the buyer with everything that they need to produce a decent Drum and Bass track (or ten), and to this end they have totally succeeded. You get the whole spectrum of components that make a track, plus some more basic building blocks to develop further should you so wish. The only downfall of this, "bit of everything approach", (albeit within a narrow definition), is that there isn't enough. I wished there were more breaks, more synth sounds, more of everything really, its not the producers fault, there just isn't much more room physically on the CD. Lets hope these guys are looking to make a follow up offering.

If your not looking to make Drum and Bass tracks then there is more here than you might imagine. The breaks, gated effects and drums apart, much of what remains can be used in many genres of music, double bass, sax, and those excellent atmospheres could find very useful employment far from the originally envisaged destination. If you want powerful sounding loops, sample a few from the breaks section, use recycle and fit them to a groove more akin to what your into. Your loop will standout for sure.

If your thinking of making Drum and Bass music then make this your first sample CD purchase, you will be able to make a decent sounding track from this sample CD. If your already making Drum and Bass tracks then add this to your library, there is a lot of usable material here that you will want to make use of. You might want to look elsewhere as well of course to add some original material, but this is a CD you will keep returning to.

Overall - Essential purchase for Drum and Bass makers - 9/10. For other genres - more here than you may imagine - 7/10.