Flames

Released in late 2020 on the Soul in Motion imprint, Flames represents a pinnacle of Need for Mirrors' (Joe Moses) minimalist approach to drum and bass. While Moses has long been associated with the 'skeletal' sound, this twelve-track collection pushes that aesthetic to its logical conclusion. The album eschews the maximalist drops and aggressive mid-range synths common in contemporary D&B, instead focusing on the interplay between crisp, high-frequency percussion and deep, rolling sub-bass. Tracks like 'Witch Shark' and 'Coppola' showcase a cinematic sensibility, utilizing long runtimes to build hypnotic tension. The album was received as a sophisticated evolution of the techstep subgenre, moving away from the 'angry' tropes of the late 90s toward a more polished, atmospheric, and 'grown-up' sound. It stands as a definitive statement in the modern minimal D&B movement, bridging the gap between club functionality and home-listening depth.