Classified EP ft. Calibre, Total Science, Chroma & Mako – CIA

Whenever the Bristol based Computer Integrated Audio camp release something, you know its going to special and Classified V1. EP is just that! With Chroma, Calibre, Total Science and Mako all laying down the beats for them, you really are in for a treat.

First off we have Chroma taking on a big remix of Total Science & S.P.Y’s Whoonga. The intro is in the same DNA of the original, with the arabic sounding horns and the nice dark stabs that make the tune are still there except chroma has taken it forward with a lovely piano lick coming in heightening the intro. Then when we hit the drop you can instantly tell its chroma on the buttons with his signature reese baselines that makes the track just roll effortlessly. The break down on this track is amazing bringing in the memorable parts of the original mix but getting a nice twist up which is very refreshing, with some nice to and fro expertly edited snippets from the original, and some new echo effects and the piano licks keep this remix nice and fresh.
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Calibre was born to make drum and bass and this superb track shows why! Straight from the off your taken away with the simple warm melody and simple hi hats that then build up into a nice march then we are treated to the echoed stabs of the piano that make this track sound so clean and tight, once teased just enough we come to the drop. Now it all comes together perfectly. The soulful male vocal echoed stabs with a rolling baseline intricately laced beneath, tantalisingly,the piano, with lovely echoes linger in the air, becoming more prominent while the melodics become even more engaging, this is one that I will be playing out for ages!
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Next up we have Total Science & Riya’s Walk The Same Lines. Another liquid track but that goes without saying with the superb vocals of Riya and these are not just little vocals laid down here, these are full on vocals for the whole track. Big ups for Total Science for making the track like this, as the whole track bounces off of her sublime vocals with a lovely piano riff that make it just bubble right. Some lovely drawn out strings and nice little echoed synth stabs that build it up even more and the little harp stabs just to top it off. All these effects never take away from Riya’s sumptuous voice they just add another layer which in my eyes make this another big track.
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Last but not least we have Mako’s Eyes Bloodshot Red. We are going in deep with an eerie wailing sort of synth from the beginning that almost sounds like it is summoning you to take notice and listen, with a simple hi hat beat behind it just rolling over nicely. Then comes in the hi pass break building up the track till your subjected to the drop. Which hits you with force, hard stabs and a even harder kick. There is a heavy hitting amen and a even harder baseline that just sweeps in and out when it feels like and changes just enough to keep you guessing. This is a very cleaver track indeed which can only be put together by Mako. One for the headstrong. As always another solid EP from C.I.A, and all else I can say is I cant wait for the next one.
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