- Following on from DJ Zinc and Friction's critically acclaimed Bingo Sessions Vol 1 from last year, Brazil's DJ Marky (of Marky & XRS fame) steps up to mix the second installment of the Bingo Sessions series - for those confused, the Bingo Beats series tackles the breakbeat/2-step/grime side of things whereas Bingo Sessions concentrates its focus on the drum'n'bass side of things. As per usual with Marky's mixes we can expect to hear unreleased exclusives, double drops and scratches like he is highly recognised for.
Marky kicks the CD off with one of his own tunes, the VIP mix of Misto Quente which translates to "grilled ham and cheese sandwich". The tune itself features a dreamy arpeggio line, percussive break and a jazzy piano riff with lots of sweeps and lines in the background. Chase & Status who are known for their hard take on drum'n'bass deliver something quite unlike anything we've heard of from them with Love's Theme dropping a soulful vocal line with a sorrowful trumpet melody - all in all a very deep and moody feel on this one.
Hospital Record's Logistics continues with the Hospital sound dropping funky synth work and melodic bass on top of really energetic beats on Together. Marcus Intalex then drops dark tribal beats, tribal vocal stabs and deep, hollow bass in Afrikka. Plucked from his recently released long player, 97 Moody from Influx UK picks up the pace a little bit more dropping charging beats and bass and we finally get to hear Marky pull off a scratch routine in this mix - a very tidy one at that with Marky scratching in time with the rhythm.
Sub Focus' X-Ray sends the mix into peak time dancefloor mode with a big synth riff and really energetic drum breaks, not to forget the hard bass line action down below. Relative newcomers to the d&b scene, Craggz & Parallel Forces are getting into everyone's record crates lately with their brand of infectious rhythms and catchy melodies. Here their Flatfoot features a summery guitar lick, ragga vocal stabs, video game stabs, a catchy bass line and gets the double drop treatment courtesy of Marky.
Siren by Spirit picks up the aggression with a beat that leans towards the hardcore jungle days with crashing cymbals on the first beat of each bar, and heavy rolling breakbeats with intricate snare work and is called Siren due to the insane siren work used through out the tune. This then leads into the first vocal tune in the mix with DJ Zinc and Eksman's Drive By Car VIP featuring MC Eksman's quick oratory skills underpinned by a chugging bassline and heavy beat.
Having never heard the first Bingo Sessions, it's hard to say whether this is an improvement on the series or not. What I can say is that with the quality of the mix provided by Marky here, Bingo Sessions is certainly one series that fans of drum'n'bass should be looking out for when going for their d&b fix.