2 Billion Beats are Manchester-based DJs and producers Tom Lonsborough and Col Hamilton who have risen through the rainy city’s thriving club scene after being inspired by acts such as Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers and Crazy P. They want to carry on that legacy of taking electronic beats live to smash up dance floors, mosh pits and festivals. The next step to that goal is their debut album Be Nice To Each Other, which is released on Thursday 3rd November.
They have been part of the legendary Paper Recordings roster since 2011 and have gone on to deliver remixes and originals to an array of international labels such 3AM, Stoneyboy, Finish Team and Deep Site. DJs such as Ralph Myerz, Justin Robertson, Aeroplane, Tensnake, Horse Meat Disco, Eric Duncan, Fingerman and Danny Krivit have been turned on with tracks such as The Moodymann and Noise In Your Eye that are regarded by some as modern club classics.
Their remit is tight disco and house influenced grooves created with a love for live recording of real instruments and synthesiser hardware and a writing process that involves multiple reworks, samples and chaotic collaboration. The album is a 13-track paean equally to the dancefloor, festival and bedroom. 2 Billion Beats have hooked up with vocalists Marietta Smith and Dieter Lynch for the production and song writing. From dance floor bangers to full blown hands-in-the-air anthems and super deep tech-house to 80s inspired nu-disco nodders, the album packs a punch as its songs flow seamlessly from one to the next, created to be listened to as a whole as it segues together from track to track.
Some of the lead tracks include Sold My Soul, with classic synth stabs and buttery-smooth bass, with Marrietta’s amazing voice and a big old hands in the air piano section; Revolutions is a dark and melodic journey track in the vein of the Life & Death sound – it’s a track designed to really burn up the dancefloor; I’m A Lover is a straight up good feeling house track with a killer vocal sample celebrating the musical influences of the early naughties; Warm Feeling is on the deep house, jazz-tinged tip, featuring subtle and looped vocals from Dieter, with a humming dark sub-bass and razor sharp synth leads, all working together in electrifying harmony; and Feedback Loops is an epic instrumental track full of fireworks – the perfect way to end the album.
In an increasingly uncertain world, this album comments on the grind of life in an ever morphing, media controlled environment and asks the question ‘are we as able to just be nice to each other?’ There’s only one way to find out – 2 Billion Beats are coming on November 3rd.
