5 tunes that never leave my USB: Ant TC1

Ant TC1 along with Hidden Agenda founded Dispatch Recordings back in 2001. Ant originally helped out with the management side of the label before finding his feet within the realms of production.

His production output has featured on a mass of compilations and mix CD’s compiled by Shy FX, LTJ Bukem, Total Science, AI, Spectrasoul, Klute and Brian G. Additionally his work has featured very heavily within Friction, Grooverider, Fabio, Goldie & Bailey’s respective BBC Radio 1 slots over the years.

Ant is now responsible for the label management roles of both Metalheadz & Dispatch Recordings. Having released numerous compilation series on Dispatch, the hugely successful “Transit One” & “Transit Two” albums (topping almost all the usual stores weekly dance music sales charts across all formats) and the more recent milestone ‘Dispatch 100’.

With all this going on he has still managed to find time to tell us about the 5 tracks which never leave his USB!

Boom Boom Satellites – Dub Me Crazy (Optical Remix)

For me, this is the best remix Optical has ever done, his work in this era/period stood out from anyone else’s, him and his brother Matrix just stamped such an original style and twist on what was a very heavily jungle inspired time before it all got a fair bit darker and tech influenced. This is absolutely timeless stuff, it’s still to this day one of my favourite D&B tracks ever written, I can’t put it down, ever, just too good.

Break – Bongo Fire (Unreleased)

This is something from one of my all time favourite artists and all round production extraordinaire Break, I’ve no idea why it never came out, I’ve always been a big fan of bongos in D&B tracks, ‘percussive rollers’ (I just made that up by the way) tend to be the ones that stay in the folder for me and this is a standout example of just that. Dunno when I’ll ever get bored of this one, it’s absolute fire.

Dillinja – Unexplored Terrain

Every few months this crops back into my sets, I’m drawn to just how good and original it still sounds as soon as I hear it again, it’s a lovely track in the mix and the anticipation before the screwface drop is executed in a way Dillinja only ever could, it’s a masterpiece at 170 bpm still to this day.

Future Cut – 20/20 (DLR Rmx)

I’ll be honest, the original Future Cut remix version has been a 2 decade long anthem for me so I was left feeling pretty nervous when my old mate DLR told me he was gonna remix it, luckily, in my opinion, he’s smashed it right out the park, it’s excellent – retains the vibe of the original remix (and even ups it a little for me), it’s now my ‘go to pick’ above Future Cut’s version (which has never left my USB, it’s been on since the first USB I ever purchased and used), my vinyl copy of the original Future Cut remix is so worn out it’s barely playable now. I absolutely love both versions and yeah, again I’m buzzing DLR’s remix has enhanced something that was already really great (and a very special piece of D&B history to me personally).

Marcus Intalex – Stark

From a sorely missed friend and incredibly talented musician, I quite easily could have filled this list with just Marcus’s own tracks, to be honest, that’s how strong the music he’s left behind is (and I know many that will agree with me here), I still pinch myself thinking back that I got to release this on my own label, it’s one of my proudest moments and favourite releases ever on the label and it’s still (and always will be) very much cherished, I always draw for this or the track on the flip ‘Virgo’ quite frequently, both are vintage Marcus classics for me (from many).

Catch Ant TC1 atSubdub 21st Birthday this Saturday 4th May at Beaver Works, Leeds. Grab tickets here

Ant TC1 also has 2 tracks out at the moment which you can get below:

https://metalheadz.lnk.to/valleygroove

https://metalheadz.lnk.to/captivateep