Running Immerse Records from his Bristol base, Adam Jackson aka Kidkut, has made sacrifices in the name of the music he loves. With his label passing the 10 release milestone recently we thought we’d check in and ask him a few questions on the history and the new directions for the label whilst we pestered him to spin us together a mix.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Kidkut: My names Adam Jackson, I run Immerse Records (since 2006), DJ under the name Kidkut and run the Immerse Sessions radio show with DJ ThinKing on dubstep.fm. My first exposure to underground music was 1992 and the heady days of Dreamscape, Fantazia etc, I used to live in Milton Keynes at that point, one of my mates brothers used to blag us in (I was only 13 then!) to the Sanctuary. Got my first set of decks in 1996 (used to get my dnb off Ed from C4C in Guildford), moved to Bristol in 1998 for university and never left the place. Since then I’ve been DJing, promoting (Noir, Deep, Immerse Sessions) and running the label.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
Well I’ve changed that all recently. I work in IT and last year had a big promotion but I winded up getting fuck all time for my music. So end of last year I started my own business and now do contracting so I can be a lot more flexible with my time, which has been great as I’ve finely had time to get into the studio!
What made you birth Immerse?
I used to run a night called Noir around 2004, which was a drumfunk and dubstep night. I was in touch with a lot of producers/dj’s and there was a lot of music I was playing that wasn’t getting out there as there wasn’t really that much of a scene for either. I had always wanted to run my own record label and it just seemed a natural progression considering all the other bits I was involved in. Fortunately it’s quite a close knit scene in Bristol so I spoke to a couple of people for some advice on what to do (big shout to Fidz!). The first release, I got in touch with DJ Walsh. I had heard a tune called ‘Dreamscape 24’ by him and Benga that was running. That was the first plate I put out.
Bristol seems like one hell of a creative space for dubstep and related sounds and has been for some time now. What do you love most about the city and how has it inspired your output?
I would say two main things. Firstly, the closeness of our scene is a massive help. If I need some advice there are lots of people I can turn to that are just walking distance away. Secondly, the vibe in this city when people are on it is amazing, people really let themselves go in the dance if their into something and I find the crowd a lot more open minded than most places.
Who’s your biggest inspiration for music inside and outside of the scene?
Inside the scene, most probably Mala, his beats just kill me; I would give up my first born for a copy of ‘City Cycle’, I cry myself to sleep waiting for that tune!
Outside, would have to be Bernard Purdie, it’s all about 16th notes!
What’s your personal favourite Immerse release that you keep finding yourself drawing for when you DJ out?
That’s a really difficult question, I don’t think I could pick one as my favourite, but one I think some people over looked was ime005, specifically Borg – ‘Frogman’.
You can hear echoes of 2-step in a lot of your releases... what draws you to that end of the garage and dubstep sound? Is that how you got into dubstep – i.e. from dark garage?
I wouldn’t say I came from Garage, although I am a big fan, I just love drums (garage, broken, jungle, jazz), anything with a groove. Immerse is built around breakbeat and sub culture. I can’t get enough of the classic breaks and I think a lot of people would be surprised how many of their favourite pieces of music are actually taken from sampling breaks from the 60’ and 70’s, check out Bernard Purdie!
I actually got into dubstep in 2004 through my mate ThinKing who put out a couple of classic mixes at that time, one which had Toasty’s ‘Splash’ on it, I heard that and was hooked (out to Damo!).
Tell us about your up and coming releases from TRG, Relocate and Kontext and how did you hook up with some of the European steppers?
To celebrate our tenth release we commissioned a series of remix’s, part 1 was Horsepower and Ramadanman. Part 2 is TRG, remixing his own ‘They Know’ and Relocate remixing Kontext’s ‘Plumes’. Cosmin (TRG) I’ve known and been playing his music for time, I actually gave him his UK debut early last year as well. The Relocate boys I’ve been supporting for a while as well, I put a record of Howie and Roo’s out as my 3rd release (‘Galleon Dub’).
Generally all the people I know are from either contacting them directly or meeting people out and about and building up a rapport over time as we have similar views and tastes in music.
If you could choose one of your artists to do the first full-length album for Immerse who would you choose and why?
Kontext. I know Stan can produce the wide range of musical styles an album needs to have that variation but still retain cohesion as a collective of music. It’s a bit cliché but albums need to convey a story, in my opinion. There have been too many dubstep albums that are just a collection of tunes, good ones granted, but they’re not an album, the only person who’s nailed it was Burial with his first album.
Any plans to start producing yourself?
Absolutely. I have been tinkering away, last year was difficult as per above but It’s always been on the agenda. Literally this last month I’ve managed to put some time aside for myself to get on it and I’ve been really pleased with the results so far. There’s a couple of good ones by myself and Forsaken, which we need to finish off if PETE WAS EVER AWAY FROM WORK...
Nah, I feel for Pete he’s a good mate and he’s basically having now what I had happen last year.
As a DJ whats your favourite place and soundsystem to play at/on?
I played at Subloaded a few months back at the Black Swan and that was great fun, that was a drumfunk set which I don’t get to do very often these days. I played over in Japan last year, which was pretty incredible, if only because finding out people were following what we are doing over here and I found that very over whelming. Out to Naoki and all at Disc Shop Zero!
Sound system wise, Dissident, without doubt, anyone who was at Subloaded 2 will know what I’m talking about.
What’s your current favourite dubplate?
Current : Sigha & Spherix – Separation
Classic : SLT – Zombie (Soulja)
What else can we expect from the Immerse camp in ’09?
New Kontext release end of March (and album later this year), we also have releases to come from Gatekeeper, Sigha & Spherix and Reform coming.
EXCLUSIVE DOWNLOAD: Kidkut – Sonic Router Mix
Tracklist:
1. War - Galaxy - MCA Records
2. Reform - Snowed under - Immerse Records dubplate
3. Untold - Dante - forthcoming Hotflush Recordings
4. Lil Silva - Funky Flex vs Pulse - White
5. Joe - Rut - forthcoming Hessle Audio
6. Marco Bernardi - Mystery of Nazerus (2562 rmx) - dubplate
7. Kontext - Convex Curved Mirror - Immerse Records dubplate
8. Planas - Agbekor - dubplate
9. Spherix - Lesser People - Immerse Records dubplate
10. October - Ya Know - Fluid Ounce
11. Spherix & Sigha - Separation - Immerse Records dubplate
12. STP - The Fall (Peverelist rmx) - Sub Solo
13. Flying Lotus - Roberta Flack (Martyn Heart Beat mix) - Warp Records
14. Rolan Vega - Skypoint Fall - Community Library
15. Appleblim & Gatekeeper - Tomb (Gatekeeper VIP) - Immerse Records dubplate
Links:
www.immerserecords.com
www.myspace.com/immerserecordsuk
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