Societe Perrier, a rather haute blog focusing on nightlife and culture, had this to say about producer Atlantic Connection: “Those who follow drum ‘n’ bass will know Nathan Hayes. The force behind Atlantic Connection, he’s steadily produced a multitude of soulful, bass-driven gems over the years. Though he’s known for his work in d’n’b, Hayes has continued to explore the boundless possibilities of bass music, integrating his recent output with dubstep into his trademark signature.”
To a large degree, the first sentence rings true. “Those who follow drum ‘n’ bass will know Nathan Hayes.” Dance music can be very compartmentalized at times, and so the well-known producers in lesser-known genres might still not receive general public acclaim. Though it doesn’t really matter in Atlantic Connection’s case, as his music and skill are well-established beyond just simple DnB. As a part of SMOG, he released multiple bass-driven EPs that ranked highly among fans, and has toured with a lot of the crew including Kelly Dean and SMOG leader 12th Planet. His album You & Me was even placed #10 in The Music Essentials‘ list of top albums this year.
Now, however, it is time to say goodbye. Hayes has announced his new, and final, album due out January 19th, 2015. Titled Human, it is a very personal and dark album that takes influence from bass music all over, though the theme is heavily swayed toward his roots in DnB. Do Androids Dance premiered four tracks off of the forthcoming album, and I asked if I could do the same. Below you’ll find my personal favorite tracks on the album, “Without You,” “1992,” “Neon Sunset,” and “Gratitude.” 
“Without You” is undoubtedly the climax of the album, a massive drumstep tune featuring vocals from Rose Hart. The lyrics are powerful and emotive, perfectly complimenting the half-time rhythm of the track with its uplifting synths and dark, reticent bassline. “1992” is a throwback to jungle, thought with a considerable modern update. You would never hear those bass kicks in a typical jungle tune, though the classic drums keep it grounded in reality. The vocal sample comes from “Jonestown & Peoples Temple” and espouses idealisms of economic freedom from capitalism. “Gratitude” is in fact the last track on the album, and from the sample you might agree that it is a perfect “period” on an otherwise dark work. It’s bright and hopeful, almost as if to say, “Don’t be sad I’m gone, I’ll be back in another way eventually.” Though, I can truly only speculate on that point. Finally, “Neon Sunset” is a jazz-influenced tune that is a step down from the intense DnB on the rest of the album. It’s almost like an extended interlude, but it’s beautiful in its simplistic arrangement and harmonious chords. The bassline and drums flow throughout the song and give it quite a flighty quality, really stepping up the quality and diversity of the whole album.
From just these four tracks, you should get at least a good idea of what to expect when the full album drops on January 19th. I’ll probably miss new original content from Atlantic Connection, but then again, if you love something you have to set it free, right?
Check out the sampler below.
Tracklist
1. Introduction (Chapter One)
2. Go ft. Tunde Olaniran
3. Ina Dem
4. Cryogenic
5. 1992
6. Shatter
7. Geppetto ft. Tunde Olaniran
8. Understand The Youth
9. Without You ft. Rose Hart
10. Interlude (Chapter Two)
11. Speakeasy
12. Foundations
13. 360 ft. Jarell Perry
14. Neon Sunset
15. Siren Songs
16. Gratitude ft. Tali
