Clipz – Give It To Me / Offline VIP

Clipz – Give It To Me / Offline VIP

Released in 2009 on Audio Zoo Recordings, Clipz's Give It To Me / Offline VIP is a heavyweight slice of late-2000s British drum & bass from the Bristol producer. Issued as a 12" single under catalogue number AZOO006, the release pairs the bass-heavy original “Give It To Me” with a VIP reworking of his earlier track “Offline”.

“Give It To Me” is built around a distinctive robotic vocal sample, heavy electronic bass and hard-edged drums, with plenty of space between the individual elements. That spacious production gives the track a particularly effective dancefloor quality, allowing DJs plenty of room to chop, mix and double-drop it. Contemporary reviews highlighted its unconventional arrangement and powerful low-end as key parts of its appeal.

The AA-side “Offline [V.I.P.]” takes Clipz's earlier Offline production and pushes it into considerably heavier territory. A deceptively simple synth melody gives way to abrasive mid-range bass and an intensely club-focused drop, creating the kind of production designed to cut through a loud drum & bass mix. The VIP was already attracting attention from DJs and listeners around the time of release, becoming a recognised Clipz tune within the late-2000s D&B scene.

Clipz, the Bristol-based producer also known as Redlight, was an important name in the UK's bass-music underground during this period. His releases on labels including Full Cycle and Audio Zoo helped establish a distinctive approach that could incorporate the energy of jump-up and dancefloor drum & bass without losing its experimental edge. Give It To Me / Offline VIP is a particularly good example of that sound at its most direct and uncompromising.

For collectors and DJs, this is a strong 2000s drum & bass 12", particularly appealing to fans of Clipz, Audio Zoo Recordings, Bristol D&B and heavyweight jump-up-influenced bass music. Its combination of the original Give It To Me and the sought-after Offline VIP makes it a useful snapshot of the hard, playful and highly individual sound of British drum & bass in 2009.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Give It To Me

Side AA

1. Offline [V.I.P.]