Profane Brings the Experimental Funk on 'Final Version 38' EP

While Canada’s Profane has always delved into the breakbeat-heavy side of the drum & bass spectrum, his penchant for edited breaks have taken an interesting turn over the last few years. In August of 2017, his single “Drughms” sounded like a gospel band doing a number of different drugs during a recording session, but there’s was an off-kilter beauty to the subversive rhythms he employed.

Profane is riding that sound throughout his latest EP for Digital Wreka, Final Version 38. The opening track, “16 Bar Bullethell,” starts out unassuming enough, and while more understated at first, a guttural wail and an amen break falling down a flight of stairs summons a dynamic shift in tension for the track. “Laundromat Bees” is even deeper, with a thumping kick keeping the time for the lazy, drunken guitars and scattered percussion to fill in the dreamy landscape. The Twitch Mug remix of “Drughms” keeps the same energy of the original, with some more vibrant textures and fresher edits thrown in for good measure. A reprise of “16 Bar Bullethell” closes out the proceedings.

Ultimately, for a genre as progressive as drum & bass has been, Profane has found a way to take the sound back to the future, finding inspiration in the old to shape his sound for the aliens picking over our remains. Hopefully, they will see that there was indeed a soul in the machine, and it sho’ was funky!

Stream the full EP below, and cop it via Bandcamp today.

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Profane's Gone Wicked On The "Drughms"

Image via Profane

I feel like it's been a bit since Profane has hit me with some material, but he's more than made up for it with the maniacal drum set workout in "Drughms." Profane comes from that Inperspective / choppage school, where it's equally about the source of your samples as it is about the rhythm you concoct with it.

For "Drughms," I'm going to assume he lifted some live gospel band (something about the organ and the kick/crash patterns that have me quizzical), but instead of giving you a straight-forward anthem, he's gone a bit tribal-ish with it. It's drum & bass, but I doubt you're cutting a rug to this. "Drughms" is one of those tunes that you drop mid-set to have the crowd standing in awe at what you're drawing.

This one is available for whatever you want to pay for it via Digital Wreka. Stream the tune below, and if you want to really get entranced, check out the video he cooked up for this tune. Pure video game bliss.

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Profane Illisauga EP Cover+Tracklist

Profane is a talented producer who recently set up his Digital Wreka imprint to showcase some of his beats. His Illisauga EP is available now for purchase (CD & MP3), and I wanted to share the drop I did for the promo of the project:

Back like he stole something is the mighty Profane with a fresh five-tracker. If you can find an intro for any project that can top the sunrise-soundtrack that is “Stoned Love”, bring it on. Those string-lead stabs pair perfectly with some boastful horns, all falling atop some drumfunk-y Drum & Bass breakbeat pressure, sure to be the intro track to any forward-thinking DJ’s set. We get a re-touch on his “Ever Since” cut, which takes us on a bass-driven trek through some blaxploitation-era city streets. Sounds like the theme music for a modern day vigilante. The “v.808” re-rub of “Something Holdin’ Me Back” maintains the original’s throwback sound, while tightening up on other areas – all the while keeping you in that state of sullen paranoia. “Poisonous Swordz” thrives on a hybrid sound, combining pulsating beats with ‘Fane’s intoxicating use of vocal loops and a sick guitar snippet. Rounding things out is the heavy amen-pressure of “Illegal”, which will satisfy ANY fan of DnB’s most endearing sound. The Illisauga EP is Profane’s signature blend of Hip-Hop-soaked sample usage alongside breakneck beats, and should be a proper showcase for anyone who is looking for those dusty but digital riddims and finding nothing but cookie-cutter cornucopia’s of corny fodder in their record shops. Do yourself a favor and buy two copies: one for personal use, and another as a treat to an unsuspecting friend.

Here's the tracklist:

1. Profane - Stoned Love
2. Profane - Ever Since (Illisauga v.ersion)
3. Profane - Something Holdin' Me Back (v.808)
4. Profane - Poisonous Swordz
5. Profane - Illegal

I've also got a project where an ill Profane beat is featured. Keep it locked!

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