Crate Diggin': DRS' Top 5 Calibre Productions

Instead of imparting yet more of our own, endless, opinions on you - something we take pride in doing day in day out - we wanted to ask someone who in themselves is a pretty studious devotee and touring companion of the artist in question to pick some of his favourite Calibre productions. So we asked DRS (pictured) if he'd be able to narrow it down and provide a tailored glimpse into Dominick Martin's back catalogue ahead of them sharing the bill for their imminent 6 hour set in Room Three for the entire night on Friday 7th March. Considering that they've shared bills, sets and tours for a while now, we figured DRS' personal insight would be something we ourselves would want to read. As we've outlined already here, Calibre's a pretty iconic figure in terms of drum & bass. He's a man blessed with a seemingly impossible work rate and a midas touch, capable of producing a commendable amount of high grade tracks and it's a sentiment DRS definitely shares saying: “Calibre has hundreds of tunes I love, truthfully, so it’s hard to pick favourites but here are five that have personal meaning or connection to me.” In no particular order: ‘Hypnotise’ This tune really reminds me of the time me and Dom (Calibre) first met. I think it was the first tune I actually knew he made, afterwards I realised loads of tunes I love we're crafted by his soulful hands. Mad ting. ‘Even If’ This is probably my favourite or if not, in my top three productions from Dom, it’s just an absolute classic feel good tune. Dom’s music always seems to come from a sombre place inside, but they also have such a positive vibe about them and this is where all the imitators fall short! ‘People Never Change’ Me and Dom wrote and recorded this tune in a hotel room in New Zealand, we wrote a few tunes on this trip. I was going through hard times with a previous relationship and this tune was the musical realisation that things weren't gonna work out. So anytime I hear it and it reminds me of how I was feeling. That's the beauty of music I guess… ‘Easy Living’ I love this tune because I feel like it was Dom trying something new, something that he had wanted to do for a while but he had felt confined to drum and bass. Also I know as a vocalist that you try and add loads of fx To your voice to mask or hide it at first. This was one of the first tunes we're I heard confidence and a bare exposed vocal and what an amazing feel good tune this is. ‘My Friend Alone’ This is the second of those tunes we recorded on a tour of New Zealand and Asia. This was recorded on a stormy night in Singapore I was also struggling with my addictions at the time and I had broken and given into them on this very evening. The lyrics and the vibe are me talking to my sobriety telling myself ‘don't worry, I’ll be back soon’. And in saying that like just let me enjoy this moment and I will face up to the consequences later. Photo: Sarah Ginn