Misanthrop – Black Rain / Moon Clouds

Misanthrop – Black Rain / Moon Clouds

Released in 2009 on Neosignal Recordings, Black Rain / Moon Clouds is the second Neosignal 12" release and an excellent example of the dark, highly engineered sound that was emerging around the label in the late 2000s. Issued as NSGNL002, the release pairs two distinctive productions from German drum & bass producer “Misanthrop”, with “Black Rain” delivering the heavier, more aggressive A-side and “Moon Clouds” taking a more minimal and atmospheric approach on the flip.

“Black Rain” is built around tight, forceful drums, hypnotic synth stabs and a deep, guttural bassline, creating the kind of dark dancefloor pressure associated with the emerging Neosignal sound. The track was already being championed in DJ circles before its full release, with the label specifically noting support from artists including Ed Rush, Noisia and Mayhem.

On the B-side, “Moon Clouds” takes a different route, stripping back some of the aggression in favour of minimal rhythms, spacious production and detailed bass sound design. Misanthrop himself later discussed the track's pronounced stereo treatment and mid/side processing, making it a particularly interesting example of the meticulous studio production behind this generation of technical drum & bass.

The two tracks were circulating through the underground scene from late 2008 into early 2009, with promo copies appearing in January 2009 before the full release in March. The record sits within the same influential Neosignal catalogue as releases by Phace and later collaborations involving Phace, Noisia and Misanthrop, making it a key 12" for collectors of late-2000s techstep, neurofunk and experimental drum & bass.

Tracklist:

Side A

1. Black Rain – 6:07

Side B

1. Moon Clouds – 4:37