artist: Pacific Heights country of origin: New Zealand style(s): Ambient/atmopheric drum 'n' bass, tech house essential releases: Frozen Fears (2003, Fabel Music)

Drum 'n' bass as chillout music? Actually as d'n'b aficionados well know an atmospheric vein has existed since pretty much the beginning of this uniquely British vein of dance music, a genre generally identified by it's fast and stuttering breakbeats. This blinding solo debut from New Zealander Devin Abrams (also a member of the more dancefloor-orientated Shapeshifter) may fit within the tradition of atmospheric d'n'b releases from labels like LTJ Bukem's Good Looking Records but it could never be said to be directly aping them.

It's not easy being epic without sounding pretentious but Frozen Fears manages it and the result is one of the greatest-ever albums in this d'n'b sub-genre. Its glistening, shadowy, lush and psychedelic. Abrams expands the d'n'b palate with deft skill, incorporating 4/4 tech-house rhythms and the skittering percussion patterns of jazzy Detroit techno into the mix. The track titles capture the vibe perfectly: "The Sorcerer", "Ghost Dream", "Coloured Rain". What's most striking is Abram's sense of space: it's enormous. The extended epic "Sailing Spirit" builds up an incredible emotional rush and seems to be expanding forever outwards. Frozen Fears shows a love of spacey textures and an understanding of tension-and-release dynamics that's mighty impressive. If the genre is a mystery to you then here's an invitation to investigate now.

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