Spor – Supernova

Spor – Supernova

Released in 2007 on Lifted Music, Supernova is a landmark four-track EP from Spor, the drum & bass alias of British producer Jonathan Gooch. Issued as LFTD002, the release followed the first Lifted Music release and established the label's distinctive combination of futuristic production, dark techstep influences and high-impact dancefloor drum & bass. The original release was a UK double 12" vinyl pressing.

"Supernova" opens the EP with an intense, futuristic take on drum & bass, combining heavyweight drums, distorted electronic textures and a huge bass presence. The release arrived with considerable anticipation and widespread DJ support, with Andy C, Calyx and Teebee among the names backing Spor's increasingly distinctive sound. Contemporary coverage described the EP as four powerful rolling tracks and highlighted Spor's growing ability to carve out his own niche within the drum & bass scene.

"103 Degrees" keeps the pressure high with another rolling, bass-heavy production, while "The Resistance" is one of the standout cuts of the EP, built around hard-hitting drums, dense electronic sound design and a particularly forceful drop. Both tracks became regular fixtures in the Lifted Music podcast series, helping establish Spor's sound alongside productions from artists including Evol Intent, Apex and Calyx & Teebee.

The closing track, "1up", provides a slightly more stripped-back but equally futuristic take on the Spor sound. Together, the four tracks demonstrate the highly polished production and aggressive bass design that became synonymous with Spor's early Lifted Music material. At the time, the tracks were commonly categorised within the darker and techstep-influenced side of drum & bass.

Jonathan Gooch would go on to become better known to a wider electronic audience through his Feed Me project, but Spor remains one of his most influential identities within drum & bass. Supernova captures the project at an important stage, before Gooch's later international success, and is an essential piece of the early Lifted Music catalogue for collectors of neurofunk, techstep and heavyweight 2000s D&B.

For collectors of Spor, Lifted Music, neurofunk and classic 2000s drum & bass vinyl, Supernova is an especially desirable EP. It is a concise snapshot of the futuristic, aggressive production style that helped make Lifted Music one of the era's most recognisable independent drum & bass labels.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Supernova – 5:49

Side B

1. 103 Degrees – 6:06

Side C

1. The Resistance – 6:14

Side D

1. 1up – 4:05