By: Brit Ahr

Two-One-Live, BioDiesel’s new live album serves as an authentic snapshot encapsulating the evolution of the live drum n’ bass duo; offering a passenger seat ride down the path of BioDiesel’s musical journey.  Dropping on April 3rd, the album was recorded at The Blockley in Philadelphia in July 2011 and is a mastered version of their lively performance that night.

BioDiesel is the collaboration between Johnny Rabb (world renown drummer and pioneer of the freehand technique) and Clay Parnell (Brothers Past, the Join, Philabuster).  The duo have been performing together since 2006 and have since gained international acclaim.  Rooted in drum n’ bass, BioDiesel’s genre bending live performance is ever evolving as demonstrated on this new release. 

Two-One-Live starts slow and steady, opening with the track “Liquid,” which with it’s soaring synth lines, funky yet mellow bass lines, and punchy drum n’ bass breaks is definitely a good representation of fluidity.  The next track, the faster paced “Hippo Breaks,” allows drummer, the legendary Johnny Rabb to really show off his prowess and undeniable precision as he effortlessly hits every beat.  Slowing it down or rather “Powering Down” for the next couple minutes, BioDiesel plays a dance-y, yet chill groove (complete with a robot-like vocals) before launching into the infectious “Tranzam” which blasts the listener into another dimension. 

The next 15 minutes of the album is super high energy with Aron Magner of The Disco Biscuits sitting in on keys.  Aron Magner’s keyboard sensibilities on songs like “Mellow Tone” and “A.M. Radio” adds elements of jazz, live house, and psychedelia to the album.  One of the highlights of Two-One-Live is “KGB,” a rousing, high energy dance track that incites a full-on dance party whenever played.  “Turning Back,” the last track on the album, possesses a consistent energy and introspective quality, reverting back to the familiar live drum n’ bass beats that BioDiesel has become known for.

This powerhouse duo’s new release is going to be a staple in any fan’s collection as it offers an authentic soundscape of BioDiesel’s evolving sound: bridging the gap between the old and new.  Clay Parnell says of the album, “Most people that have been seeing BioDiesel for any amount of time will tell you that our sound is constantly evolving... both the tracks and the improvised sections we use to connect them.  One of our thoughts on the record is that it is a good snapshot of what we sounded like in summer of 2011. So, we want to get it out there so we can continue to explore the musical path are now stepping down.”

In addition to the album release this week, BioDiesel will embark on a tour of the North East making stops in Boston, New Haven, Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Newark.

April 4 - Allston, MA - Together Festival w/ Grimace Federation
April 5 - New Haven, CT - Stella Blues w/ Grimace Federation
April 12 - Philadelphia, PA - The Blockley w/ Damn Right!, D.V.S*, Pixel8ter
April 13 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage w/ Ozric Tentacles
April 14 - Newark, DE - BassCampus @ University of Delaware
April 16 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl w/ Kung Fu and Sonic Spank

Here's a sneak preview of "KGB and "Turnin' Back" from Two-One-Live

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