Fixate

Exit Records events have a reputation for musical bravery, and Fixate's set for the Dolenz LP launch is a perfect example—a genre-obliterating sprint through drum & bass, breakbeat, and hardcore that feels like a manifesto for modern bass music. The vibe is intense and cerebral, a room of heads nodding in approval at every complex rhythm switch and blistering amen break. It's the sound of someone who treats the DJ booth as a laboratory, with results that are both chaotic and meticulously structured. Technically, Fixate covers a vast BPM range from 130 to 171, averaging 161.6, and favors the 3B Camelot key for its darker, more ambiguous harmonic quality, with shifts to 5A and 10B.

The energy balance is robust, with a strong low end (0.575 average) and significant mid-range presence (0.3603), creating a dense, textured soundscape where intricate drum programming and synth lines vie for attention. Mixing is virtuosic, blending quick cuts with long, layered transitions that morph tracks into new entities, focusing on rhythmic complexity and sonic weight. The arc of the set is a journey from atmospheric intro to full-bore assault, with careful dynamic shifts that prevent fatigue. The crate digging is exceptional: 'E-Mantra - Starlights' opens with ethereal, almost goa-trance textures that slowly coalesce into a rhythm.

'Jowaa - Banku Dade' introduces African percussion patterns over a rugged breakbeat, while 'Lil Texas - Work (Gabber Kick Edit)' is a hilarious and brutal detour into hardcore terror. Fixate's own 'What Goes Around' showcases his production prowess with clattering, syncopated drums. The refix of 'Double 99 - RIP Groove' is a stroke of genius, updating a UK garage classic for a D&B context. The journey begins with the ambient glow of 'E-Mantra - Starlights,' peaks with the chaotic fusion of 'NOTION & Cameron Hayes - SECRETS,' and closes with the anthemic drum & bass of 'Watch the Ride - Mash up the Dance,' a full tracklist that rewards every bit of our obsessive attention.