The Qemists – Join The Q (2009)

By Ben Vernel

The Qemists are a 3-man wall of fast, loud sound.

The drum and bass group's debut album, "Join The Q" is a fusion of guitars, beats, and electronic wizardry.

I don't know much about D&B, but I know this much... this is it.

This is the kind of music that angry vampires listen to.

This is the definition of 'banging'. It's the kind of stuff that you hear in Ibiza at 4am, when everyone is clearly using some sort of chemical to keep from collapsing in a heap in the middle of the 'D-Floor'.

Hang on, I feel a pun coming on...

The Qemists provide an aural chemical - a heady mix of beats, sounds, instruments, and guest vocals – that is bound to keep people on the dancefloor well past 6am and into the morning sun.

Like I said, I don't know much about Drum & Bass. However, "Join The Q" sounds exactly like I imagined Drum & Bass would... with a few surprises.

Sure, the speed is often over my limit, but I can definitely appreciate the music and I'd have to say that this is a fine representative of the genre.

And, no, its not just music for angry vampires.

There is some fun stuff, some upbeat moments, and a fair bit of diversity that really speaks well of a group releasing their first album.

Guests like Mike Patton (on Lost Weekend) and Wiley (on Dem Na Like Me, probably my favourite track on the album) liven up the affair and keep the album from being a repetitive beat-fest.

The tempo drops in tracks like S.W.A.G and Dem Na Like Me, providing an oasis of calm amidst the rest of the album, and the structure of the songs is obviously very well thought out.

I've said it twice already, so I might as well say it again; I don't know much about drum & bass, but I've got to recommend this to D&B fans, as well as fans of dancehall, house, techno, and electro.

The Qemists have put together a very solid debut.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5