Scottish label and member of the Numbers crew, Wireblock just got touted as Label of The Month by all round music-knowledge-portal Resident Advisor... And deservedly so in my opinion.
Its like Mr Carnage says: "There aren't many other labels around that would go from UK funky to Drexciyan electro in the space of two releases".
Part 1, Mixed by Nelson Redinho - Boy Racer [Wireblock/Numbers] Cajmere - Percolator [Cajual] Cooly G - Narst [Hyperdub] Ghosts on Tape - Predator Mode (Roska remix) [Wireblock] Lil Silva - Pulse vs Flex [White] Emvee - Glitch Dub [Wireblock] Part 2, Mixed by Spencer Roska - Feeline VIP (Stop Start remix) [Roska Kicks and Snares] Shake - For The Lamented [Frictional] D Malice - Gabryelle Refix [White] Shystie - Pull It (Ill Blu Remix) [It's Funky] Waxmaster - Going Down [Dance Mania] Apple - Siegalizer [Slimting] Manix! - Special Request [Reinforced] DVA - Nasty Nasty Nasty [Earth 616 White] Rustie - Bad Science [Wireblock]
Part 3, Mixed by Jackmaster Radioactiveman - Goodnight Morton [Rotter's Golf Club] Rich Boy - Throw Some D's Accapella [Interscope] Untold - It's Gonna Work Out Fine (dub) DJ Deeon - Freak U Rite [Dance Mania] AFX - PWSteal.Bancos.Q [Rephlex] Human Action Network - Eating Angelic Diamonds [Alphabasic] DJ Assault - Ass N Titties [Assault Rifle] Drexciya - Digital Tsunami [Tresor] Mr. De' - Y2K Bug [Electrofunk] Redinho - Pitter Patter [Wireblock] Ghosts On Tape - Kryptonite (Dub) Ginuwine - Pony [550 Music]
After receiving our first ever exclusive mix from Rekordah and the ensuing banter and file exchanges that followed, I suddenly got all excited by the thought of the Pollen collective and what they were pushing. Whilst Rekordah’s beats were bordering on the ridiculous and completely un-quantizable end of the hip hop spectrum there was this whole super-pitched skwee influenced music fleeing from the headphone port by people like Brackles and Shortstuff.
EFA got in touch shortly after my initial interest spike, plying his label wares and offering his skilled hands and connections to showcase a few of his label’s and his friends unreleased material. Taking him up on the offer was decidedly fruitful as his complex mix of Brackles’ ‘LHC’ and Untold’s ‘Anaconda’ will undoubtedly prove. Oh... and he was kind (and patient) enough to answer some questions for us too. Soak it up and learn something.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
EFA: I’ve been DJ’ing various types of music including Jungle, House, Hip-Hop & Dubstep for last 11 years around my hometown of Nottingham and where I’ve recently flung my hat in Bristol. I used to be in an electronic band called Sounds of Science with my schoolmate Curtis Whitefinger who now plays guitar music and I dabble in production when I get chance.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
I’m Daz and to earn a crust I fix computers. I enjoy good beer, good food, country walks & trying to be ethical. I’m also addicted to chilli, love the way it smells, tastes…
How did you first get into recording music? What was it that infected you to do produce?
As a kid I showed a passing interest in the keyboard & guitar so ended up with a couple of them. I fell in love with Jungle at an early age and after getting a copy of Octamed for the Amiga started to dabble in beatmaking. It wasn’t until I was in a band playing keyboard for a bit that I started to take it seriously eventually starting a production partnership.
What’s the big idea behind the EFA moniker?
The big idea was to start a band with my old production partner in Nottingham called “Essential Fatty Acid” - we were gonna do Dub & Funk live with some added electronics. Alas this never happened so I teefed the name to DJ & Produce under – I’d previously used my initials Dr. G.
Whats your production set up like? Has it changed a lot since day dot?
I first started making beats properly in 1998 on a Roland MC303 I borrowed off a guy I used to produce with after showing signs I could do something with it. It was a great learning tool as you had synthesis, effects & midi all in 1 box and all you had to go on was your ears, no meters etc.
After the battery died losing the 30 or so tracks I’d done, the band split up and it was returned to its rightful owner, I didn’t get a computer until about 2005 when I built my own purely for music under the guidance of a friend (It was this which got me into the work I do as well). I then scoured the internet looking for the software that would suit me best and opted for Cakewalks Project 5 and later Sonar which you could rewire the former into.
After bashing out some reasonable sounding beats including a remix of Luke Vibert for a Future Music competition (which was actually won by Aphex Twin after he entered for a laugh and they passed the prize to the runner up) I decided to switch up to Cubase SX3 as it was far easier to use VST’s. Staples include Battery 2, Absynth (anything Native Instruments' good TBH) & Novation Bass Station – I also have a Novation KS Rack synth that I’m currently working into my set up. I monitor on Yamaha MSP5’s with a Tapco SW10 Sub and midi with a battered Edirol PCR 50 that’s too complicated for me to use its advance features.
You’ve been running Pollen the club night for quite some time. Can you give us a brief history?
The 1st time I played Dubstep in a club was at a night called Misst who made me their resident. As the night grew I started to see a divide between the bangers & the deeper, broken stuff which I wanted to push more of. I started Pollen in August 07 at a little out of town venue called Moog in Nottingham which used to host Electronica events until it was sold to some people who used it as more of a Disco/House party bar (legend has it Aphex Twin once played there!).
It’s a great space and I really wanted to bring some modern inventive sounds back and thought it could work there. Aside from the Dubstep I had been listening to a lot of Dub, Electronica and the forward thinking Hip-Hop of Madlib, Dilla, Prefuse 73 & Dabrye etc so I wanted the night to start off with that and move in to the 140 beats. We launched with Geiom headlining and had Gravious, Kion, Hizatron & Russian Linesman play the night amongst others. I pretty much did everything including lugging a Sub into the venue and causing a few noise complaints but it was good experience, I even managed to broadcast a few of them on streamizm.com.
When I moved to Bristol in Feb 08 all aspects of the Dubstep sound were covered so continuing the night as it was seemed pointless. After a meeting with Luke [Rekordah] at a PB Wolf show we decided to start a night focusing on the ever growing continuum of experimental beats and agreed on launching this under the Pollen brand. We did a Lone Album launch to test the water and then our 1st Pollen proper with Mike Slott headlining in November. We’ve since had Actress, Bullion, Lukid, Clause Four, Metske & Slugabed play and will be celebrating our 1st birthday on August 29th with a big lineup at The Croft, Bristol so watch this space!
How did Pollen evolve into a label?
I was being sent so many amazing unsigned tracks that I played at Pollen [Notts] and on radio and Brackles had given me a CD of ‘Broken Harp’ and another Shortstuff bit. I had an idea for the artwork after a workmate sent me some of his photography so it was just a case of working out the logistics. I just felt that what I was doing with the night could translate into a label. I had moved to Bristol by the time I had my 1st P&D offer for the label in March 08 and then the Geiomix came along from out of nowhere a few months later. After some good advice from Geiom I released the record through a different distributor and despite some manufacturing issues & delays we got it out this April.
What are you plans for it? Got any new releases coming up you wanna shout about?
Well since Luke was involved in the night it made sense to have him on board with the label too, especially as I was interested in his beats. We will be putting out our 1st 7” as soon as possible with Rekordah’s ‘Bedroom Suite’ B/W ‘Burger Sauce’ and the next 12” is going to be XXXY – ‘Rain’ B/W a Jack Sparrow Remix. The plan is to put out equal measures of forward thinking Dancefloor & Hip-Hop beats, expect stuff from the likes of Slugabed, Gravious & Ekelon in the near future.
You’ve even got a Pollen show on Dubstep.fm, what’s it like playing out over the airwaves? What sounds are you pushing out to the masses?
It’s a good place to test new music and have instant feedback in the chat and the infrastructure they have in place is amazing, they can accommodate hundreds of listeners at a very high resolution. I try to have as many guests as possible and turn it into a sociable thing, these days I push new and old music starting with the Hip-Hop and into Dubstep and the fringes of what that’s become along with Dark Garage and some UK Funky. I tend to do the shows less these days but there will always be one in the works.
Tell us a little about the mix you have done for us, what tracks just had to be in there?
I wanted to showcase a few forthcoming Pollen bits, the rest is just new & old stuff I’m feeling chosen mostly on the fly which is how I prefer to do most of my DJ sets.
What is the thing that is most exciting you at the moment in the bass music scene?
The inventive use of beats and the slowing of the 140 tempo are producing some amazing music at the moment from the likes of Peverelist, the Hessle crew, Brackles, Shortstuff and many others. I was a little reluctant towards the UK Funky movement at 1st but have started to see its potential for producing both inventive music and chart crossover’s.
The Wigflex boys up in Notts are set to clean up this year crossing Techno & Bass together to devastating effect with a dash of Skweee, watch out for the next Wigflex EP and a Hizatron release on Berkane Sol! The Bristol based Purple Trinity continues to push the boundaries of production and is set to go into orbit this year. Hopefully Rustie will continue to churn out the likes of his Kapsize release which I still cannot take out my bag!
When is the next Pollen night and who’s playing?
The lineup for the 1st birthday is still in the work’s... however I am involved in a thing called Focus @ The Tube, Bristol promoting forward thinking, innovative dance music in all its forms.
Have you got anything else you want to tell us, words of wisdom for our readers?
Don’t watch too much TV and avoid comments sections of news stories and You Tube, they’ll just lower your opinion of humanity!
From humble beginnings in the Whitechapel Art Gallery, the Dirty Canvas club night has succinctly and surgically carved its own niche into London’s nightlife. As the first club night to regularly feature grime music alongside dubstep, garage, bassline and hip hop, they stood as highly vocal pioneers throughout their shows at the heralded regal hollows of the Institute of Contemporary Arts. Since those days they’ve taken their hyper-wiggle formula to the dancefloors of London’s Cargo, Rhythm Factory and 93 Feet East before taking themselves further afield, cross promoting parties in Brighton and Bristol, with Plat Du Jour in Barcelona and taking over The Villa in Berlin back in April of this year.
Friday 10th July sees Dirty Canvas welcomed with open arms into the freshly tweaked soundsystem space of FABRICLIVE’s Room Three. Bringing the proprietor of one of 2009’s most anticipated ‘musical’ dubstep album’s, Silkie, residents Reecha and DJ Magic have irked out one of the most varied bass music lineups you’ll see all month. Alongside Silkie, the Applepips affiliated Brackles will be bringing his sleek, tech infused, super quick mixing to the platters, alongside the dancehall tempered bass pressure of Mumdance and the eclectic selection prowess of Rinse FM’s own Alexander Nut. With MC Badness hosting, the vibe is sure to be on par.
Despite the amount of times you’ll have surely read that “Bristol is like a ‘small London’ in terms of forward thinking bass music,” it doesn’t make it any less true each and every time the overworked sentence is used. In fact, I never tire of hearing it, possibly due to the fact that I am jealous as hell that I've never been. Yes that’s right, like a speng, I have never been. It doesn’t stop me from enjoying the sonic progression emanating from there though, oh no, not one little bit; especially when the likes of Phaeleh arrive in my inbox. He’s carved out the next plate on Surface Tension Recordings, his 2nd for the label it includes his brand new tune 'Lounge,' and its accompanying Geiomix, and his (Phaeleh's) remix of Vaccine's 'Atrium.' Putting the whereabouts of producer’s aside, as it is completely irrelevant when it comes to this release (as the label owner is from America alongside Vaccine, Phaeleh is from Bristol & Geiom is from Nottingham) one vibrancy that brings them all together is garage.
Nobody can disagree with the fact that Garage, (2-step, speed, 4x4 or otherwise) albeit banal in some ways, was never really explored in its entirety, which is a shame as it is considered by a lot of producers to be either their 1st contact with dance music, or even their favourite genre. Examining today’s progression, it’s easy to see how it's sexiness, dance-ability and general vibe has allowed dubstep to claw back a bit of 'musical' credibility and has inspired a generation of producers to push past the aforementioned genre and into a world of moody-but-sexy, swung to fuck drones, with endless possibilities for exploration.
Many producer's, I believe, have used Dubstep as a canvas, adding each genre as a colour to make these hybrid's into something unique and genuinely engaging each time. None so other than the artist's featured on this latest release. Phaeleh’s ‘Lounge’ is an out and out roller, with a tiny little stream of hope included in the shape of the flute featured within, which keeps the progression up nicely; the Geiomix is fantastic, and really does re-carve the original, turning the bumpiness up and out under the kind of melodic progressions grime music harnesses so well. The ‘Atrium’ remix does is for me though, keeping to the OG structure, Phaeleh delivers, driving his smooth sine waves under the loose piano rolls, airy vocals and percussion perfectly.
Nottingham's Dealmaker Records are carving themselves out a serious instrumental hip hop pedigree of late. Not content with simply giving birth to the pastoral synth textures of Lone - one half of the former production duo Kids In Tracksuits who has gone on to sign his second album to Actress' revered Werk Discs label - they've unleashed a second producer whose music is just a stylistically individual.
Keaver & Brause is uniquely just one dude called Tom, but his new album 'The Middle Way' is not by any means a straight up slice of instrumental hip hop; its a collection of 15 tracks thats peppered with ideas, synthesized drones, vocal snippets and impressionable melodies.
Choosing his snatches of melody carefully on tracks like 'Airborn' and 'Summers t'Say' he stutters his drums thoughtfully around the riffs, carving the head nod out of his percussive patterns rather than thumping it forcefully to the forefront of the mix. Tracks like 'Cnsr,''Quasar'and the time stretched opener 'Cleef Rechard' take an incredibly wide birth in terms of cohesive instrumentation but oddly enough its these heavily sidechained almost haphazard beat sketches that manage to make the most lasting impression.
Tight, dense and fiercely characteristic of a producer on the up, 'The Middle Way' breathes life into a beat maker's penchant for harp samples, whilst turning its cheek at every possible moment to obtain that vital mix of variety needed to hold the attention across a long player.
We also managed to steal another exclusive mix from the hands of Keaver to add to our series and it really is a milestone for us as he's the first person to include a track from seminal rapper Bigg Jus...
Another 12” from France’s premier techno infused dubstep label 7even, this time not only featuring long time contributor and proven badman F but also sometime France resident and Hessle Audio co-owner Ramadanman. This is the ninth release so far for 7even and the third by F and let me tell you; once again they haven’t missed a single step.
The original is a deeper than deep mood piece with a 4x4 pulse and subtle pads that gently build over loops that sound like a tiny machine whirring into life. It’s got the ambience and delicacy of Kompact’s ‘GAS’ in the way the elements flow. It’s a sublime composition suited to sunrises and the dawning on a new day.
Ramadanman’s Rerub on the flip takes all the elements of the original and shakes it up for the dance floor; but, as with much of his recent work he’s been turning his hand to many style, from D’n’B to techno and funky, Mr. Kennedy has made this into a tech house meets funky jam, with greatresults. He takes away some of the deepness in favour of the swing and energy, by tweaking some of the elements that were buried deep in the original and throwing them out front and putting it to an almighty soca/house beat.
This is one solid plate from F, Ramadanman and 7even. With each side doing something totally different from the sublime deepness to a bumping tetchiness; it really is a match made in 7even.
A well placed word and eye contact means a lot. If you can team it with a firm hand on the shoulder and a caring smile people might just start trusting you too.
Anyway, I digress... so... when word came through pon the email that I run a "pretty cool" blog it really was do or die. The fact it was concerning a Grievous Angel mix, truly is fucking excellent news if his past works are owt to go by.
This time the Griev's project is in aid of Bristol clubnight Crazylegs who are compiling a series of proper badboy mixtapes just for the shit of it.
With a name sounding straight outta the pages of a Marvel comic, Justin Shields is San Francisco-based producer, Jus Wan. As North-California continues to establish itself as the home of Stateside dubstep, the Bay Area’s leading man serves up a three-course helping for Naked Lunch.
With a clear penchant for the up-tempo, Jus Wan’s previous releases for Applepips and Tube 10 have both been frenetic-steppers that many spinners taking the dub-tech route have found repeated use for. Still sticking with his half-step sensibilities, Shield’s has now chosen to drop the pace down for what’s aptly titled ‘Submersive.’ The result is a heavy, yet deeply emotive dive into sunken-bass, ideal for DJs looking for a new set-opener. Sounding like the lost file in Shackleton’s hard-drive, the following 'QB41’ continues the aquatic vibe, but propels the claustrophobia up a few the notches with its percussive intensity.
Over on the flip, Scuba characteristically plunges the title track several leagues deeper by sinking the bassline even futher and adding more echo to the reverb, before eventually emerging into a chugging 4/4 roll-out.
Overall, this is a well-rounded slab of atmospheric half-step, which also suggests Shields isn’t a producer desperately eager to jump out of the pack. However, with plenty of the newer kids on the block, making cack-handed attempts to desperately progress the dub-tech sound, an artist simply improving his solid work-to-date is no bad thing at all.
Floating Points, aka Sam Shepherd, a composer and producer residing in London via Manchester, has already made an impact on the thriving beats scene after only a handful of releases on labels like Eglo Records (the label he runs alongside Alexander Nut), R2 and now Planet Mu. With a mix on Mary Ann Hobbs’ BBC Radio 1 show already under his belt, he is really making moves and when you listen to his music you can instantly hear why.
‘J&W Beat’ has some of the skippiest funky rolling garage rhythms around, which is underpinned by a seismic dancehall bass, dense melody and psychedelic bleeped out synths. ‘K&G Beat’ on the flip takes things a little deeper with the electronics and pads taking more of a prominent roll. Both tracks have a really warm soulful even jazzy feel but unlike some of Floating Points deeper house/disco style cuts, which are more grounded, this sounds like the ideas where streamed straight from outer space.
Shepherd takes slanted 2-step and hip-hop beats, smeared synths and layers of mesmerising, atmospheric electronic trickery, couples it all with some earth moving bass and aligns the product with that all important slice of soul, otherwise known as the sultry spine that runs through all his work; again proving that he definitely has one of the most exciting sounds on the underground today.
Anyone who attended the last Thugs'n'Hugs w/ Slugabed and Joy Orbison will know whats up.
This is the first mix I've seen pop up from Joy Orbison so I'm trying my darndest to filter my enthusiasm for it, through this text and into your jittering eyeballs.
DJ Deeon – Freak U Rite Zomby – Pumpkinhead’s Revenge DJ Guy – Ghostdick DJ Godfather – Tom’s Bomb 2 Jody Finch - Jack Yo Big Booty (BHQ no acid vocal mix) Nightcrawlers – Surrender Your Love Kings Of The Universe – Acid Love Final Cut with True Faith - Take Me Away Hot City – Hot City Bass Playgroup feat. KC Flightt - Front 2 Back (Todd Terry Remix) Ian Round – Trippin Chelley - Took the Night (Rizzla's Cunty Refix) Benny Rodrigues – I Like Catch - Free (to the point mix) Lil Silva – Different Shortstuff – A Rustling $tinkworx – Coelacanth
With the Portugese sound of Kuduro blowing up, with the scene's main exports, Buraka Som Sistema, going from strength to strength its currently a great time for Portugal's underground music network. Octa Push are a duo who fuse rolling drum breaks with sub bass in a particularly driving minimal style, eeking out a beautifully complex and forceful style all of their own.
Ahead of a couple of London dates and just after their performance in the Red Bull Music Academy tent at Sonar we tracked them down to an IP address to DL their exclusive Sonic Router mix and get the lowdown on what they do.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Octa Push: We're Dizzycutter and Mushug, two brothers from Portugal, we've been making tunes for a while. In 2008 we started this live project [Octa Push] that fuses Garage with Bashment, Afrobeat, Techno and Dub.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
Dizzycutter is Leo a Web/graphic designer. Mushug is Bruno and he studies sound.
How did you first get into recording music? What was it that infected you to do produce?
We both started making tracks around 1997/1998. Dizzycutter used to play drums at a Metal and Hip-Hop band. The band split, and then he started building jungle tracks at home with some material from a friend. Mushug was younger, he eventually ditched his Sega Master System to make beats aswell.
What’s the big idea behind the Octa Push moniker?
It's about pushing octaves, not really underwater hockey unlike most people think.
How did you get into making music?
Last year we were talking about how it was stupid that we were both making music for a long time but we werent collaborating or taking it seriously. Then Conspira - one of the first portuguese crews pushing bass music - asked us if we could play a show at one of their nights. We accepted and started making loads of tracks and found a really silly name. From that point it was on!
Whats you production set up like? Has it changed a lot since day dot?
We're using mainly Cubase, loads of VSTs and midi controllers, pretty basic and simple but we plan to extend it at some point with some hardware! Individually we started making tracks with a small keyboard and a 2 deck tape recorder. After that came Acid and Rebirth using a wack Hi Fi music system's speakers.
How did you first get into the dubstep sound? What was it that sucked you in?
There was this DJ ThinKing mix from 2004 that was really fresh. The music had lot's of space and bass. It's funny because we knew a bit of UK Garage and names like Zed Bias, DJ Zinc, Ed Case, The Streets before but took a while to see a relation between them and the particular sound from that mix.
Whats the scene like out in Portugal? Is it going strong?
Loads of wicked music coming from here, things are really taking off. It's great to see that there's actually a new portuguese sound shaping up, drinking from all the influences of different cultures that this country has/had!
What can we expect from you guys in 2009?
We've just finished a couple of official remixes, one for DJ Znobia and other for Debruit. There's also an original 12" coming out on Iberian Records, it features panamanian badman MC Zulu and cape verdean talent Toni Clean.
As for gigs, we just played Sonar and we're at fabric on June 26th. In July we've got gigs lined up at Cable and Glade Festival.
We're really happy how things are moving...
Your mix represents your live sets quite nicely… what are you using to mix your sounds together live?
We're using laptops, Ableton and MPD samplers. This mix was recorded only by one of us, so live we have an extra couple of arms and more things happening. More dynamic in general!
What can people expect when they come to see you?
Expect two guys pushing buttons while dancing like cavemen.
Have you got anything else you want to tell us, words of wisdom for our readers?
Always take care of your back if you dance like a caveman...
Don't you hate the way European countries get everything we have but in like 5 different flavours that seem exclusive to them? Case in point: Banana and Chocolate Cornettos, Cola flavoured Calippos and the fruit rich Fitness Cereal that kept me super regular in La Herradura last month.
Anyway - Senseless honcho DeVille is back with a Summer selection featuring Joker and Ginz's refix of Basement Jaxx.
Instituto Mexicano Del Sonido - Cumbia (Tom Tom Club Remix) w/ Bun B - Pop it 4 Pimp Acapella Coki & Benga - Night (Sonido Del Principe RMX) Amadou & Mariam - Sabali (Dakunt & Stinj RMX) Basement Jaxx - Raindrops (Joker & Ginz RMX) Pacheko & Pocz - Zarbak Shystie - Bad Gal Bass (Ill Blu Funky RMX) Benga - 26 Basslines (Dubble Step RMX) Sticky ft Marvin Brown - Jack It Up Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers (Club Dub) Buraka Som Sistema - IC19 Maxwell D & Lil Silva - Blackberry Hype DJQ - Shottas (MR V RMX) Stagga - Rockin Down The House Lol Boys/Sukh Knight - Diesel Paint Job Sasquatch - Kickboxer Swindle - A Different World Toddla T - Shake It (Donaeo RMX) DJ Gregory - Block Party (DJ Spen Dub) Untold - Anaconda Iron Soul - Pressure Instrumental Tempa T - Next Hype (Mosca RMX) Roska - Climate Change DeVille ft Violet - Click (Octapush RMX) Metronomy - Radio Ladio (Radioclit RMX) Madeira Limpia - La Lenta (Schlachthofbronx RMX) Boy Better Know - Too Many Man (Heartless Crew RMX) DeVille - Calippo / w Busy Signal - Step Out Acapella Ghosttown - Greezy
Turbo Crunk affiliate and one of the finest body poppers YouTube has ever seen, Lunice, has put together an exclusive mix for the peoples over at Dazed Digital.
Slump-hop producer extrodinaire, 1000 Names, was drafted in to remix Zomby's smash 'The Lie' but for whatever reason this official remix didn't get used, so he's kindly offered it up to the interweb for a free download.
Warlock is one hell of a DJ, splicing styles and mixes mannerisms as quickly and stylishly as possible. His 'Out On The Lash' mix smacked the SR camp between the eyes when it was unleashed all those months ago and his genre blending really is nothing short of legendary.
Ahead of his Rag And Bone label's takeover of Room 3 of fabric this Friday we sat him down and he dropped some knowledge all over us as well as blessing us with our 11th exclusive mix.
Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Yeah I like to spin bass heavy gnarly music with a good sense of rhythm and funk. My usual set then comprises a mix of dubstep, bassline, fidget, minimal, ghetto, bmore and a fair bit of stuff that fuses a lot of those styles but hasn’t really got a name of its own yet.
Forward thinking cutting edge music I like to think, frontier business. I try to deny it but often there’s usually the odd old skool reference and the occasional hoover mooching about. After all, I’m an old raver at heart and I’m probably living out the hardcore continuum so that’ll explain it. I’m not averse to dropping some old classics in there too, acid house, electro, hardcore, 90s techno, the like.
So that’s me, I’m a DJ by default but got into producing some time after, making music along similar fronts. I’ve been ducking in and out of the music industry for a number of years. I’m currently out cause I’m co-running my own underground label Rag & bone, but perhaps I’m ‘in’ the industry, I’m not really sure. I’ve also got a regular show on Sub FM which I co-host with Noyeahno (archives here http://www.dubstepforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=59998
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
When I’m not running the label or dj-ing I teach, music production, music industry stuff, DJing, In some ways I’m a bit sad because everything I do evolves around music but at the same time its wicked as I’m working in the area I like.
Whats the meaning behind the Warlock moniker?
I was about to start playing on a London pirate radio station and needed an alias. I went to a clairvoyant once and she said I used to be a Warlock in a past life and at the time so I thought yeah that fits. I’d been playing heavier darker music (no change there then) so it definitely seemed suitable. I don’t believe in any of that mumbo jumbo though. She must have had a tip off I was coming.
Funnily enough everyone thinks I grew up playing dungeons and dragons which I’ve never done in my life!! I’ve never really been into anything like that at all to be honest.
How did you get into making music?
The flashing lights and dark noises sucked me in. As a teenager I was an indie kid, was learning guitar and then acid house came along and completely fucked my head up. I was like “what is this stuff?” Sadly I’ve now demystified the aura of how on earth people make these incredible sounds and how a DJ could possibly blend 2 or more records together into one big long continuous soundscape but I still seek that same sense of “what the fuck? What is that? Where did that come from?”
I’d been DJing a few years before buying my first piece of kit, an Akai sampler. It was such a wicked machine, was a really good grounding and taught me a lot about making music with technology. It took me a few years to realise this is what I was supposed to be doing. I kept going round denying it, thinking yeah I must sort myself out with a proper job.
What’s your production set up like? When did you start producing and what was your set up like then compared to now?
My first sessions in the studio were with Asides and Optical and also Sebastian from Spiral Tribe. It was wicked working with them because they knew so much, but I’ve always been one for doing things myself and wanted to be more hands on, so I spent a good few years setting my own studio and learning the gear.
Not the quickest way of going about things but its how I wanted to do it. This was about 1995. Back then computers were just a small part of things, just a midi arranger. I started out working with an Akai 3000 sampler, 808 drum machine and a Sequential 6 track synthesiser. I still have all the gear and have combined the studio with Noyeahno’s which now means among other things there’s some fat analogue Roland synths in there too.
However that said everything is now done on the computer. I’ve always used Cubase since day one but have recently switched to Logic so its been back to the drawing board with having to re-learn everything.
You run Rag & Bone alongside Noyeahno. Can you give those who may not be so up on it a brief history?
Noyeahno is my other half and even before we knew each other we had both been playing similar music in similar places, so once we’d been together for a while it seemed a logical thing to set up a label. The focus has always been about releasing bass heavy dance music with some kind of funk, and which doesn’t really fit easily into one genre, kind of straddles the lines a bit, is original. And its always been about trying to sign big big tunes that rock a dancefloor.
Originally it was for our own productions which all too often were never clearly one style, but we’ve opened up the label to other artists to keep everything fresh. Over the years we’ve released music by Drop The Lime, Kanji Kinetic, King Cannibal, Blackmass Plastics, FZV, and more recently Excision and Stagga. We’ve always been about releasing 12” vinyl which we’re still doing, but it’s a difficult time at the moment with that format ever more under pressure. We are selling records but it can be difficult because the style of some of releases only sells on digital so it’s making us wonder if we should become purely a digital label.
We’ve always been under the radar in terms of this development that has been going on with the way consuming music has changed in the last decade but things seem to be reaching a point where even we are now feeling it. Pressing up vinyl is a costly process so one big fail can hit you really hard. It’s always good having that sort of pressure though because it forces you to make sure you don’t release any old shite, gives some quality control, unlike some digital labels out there. There’s more stuff out there than ever before (which is good), but if you’re prepared to commit to vinyl then you would like to think it has to be good.
We’ve been planning for ages to expand into the CD album market but again its another declining format so it’s a case of whether its worth taking the risk or not. For the long term future, it’s really difficult to say. The concept of a record label in the sense it has existed up to this point is dead. The future of consuming music is getting it for free. That’s how it is. That’s how it’s going to be. There was a really interesting debate recently organised by Music Tank which stated that in this digital age, anything that can be copied has zero financial value, and anything that can’t has immense value. Thus music has no value but an artist (which can’t be copied) is incredibly valuable. Doesn’t look good for the record labels does it?
I’m happy to embrace this but from a label’s perspective, we’re living on borrowed time. The only reason we can still do this for now is because the music has a niche status and there is still a certain cult appeal for the vinyl format. But yeah I’m actually positive about this. I’m in it for the long haul because I still get off on all the new music that comes through, and this flow of music won’t stop regardless of whether you can sell it or not. I’m just a bit unsure which way it’s gonna pan out though. Exciting times though... really exciting.
Your hosting a Rag & Bone room at fabric on the 19th June. What have you got in store for the punters?
I’m really pleased with the link up. We’ve got to program some of the artists that myself and Noyeahno really think are doing it at the moment. We’ve done club nights in the past where you get to curate all the best music you want to hear but because you‘re running around like a blue arsed fly you don’t actually get to appreciate it. So the Fabric night is gonna be well enjoyable. Everyone we have chosen is totally on fire at the moment, Stagga, Kanji Kinetic, Raffertie. Both myself and Noyeahno play a variety of styles, new and old and are quite versatile with how we play so we will both slot around the others to make sure there is a good flow to the night but still bang it out in our own way.
Musically it’s gonna be pure filth. Stagga has just got this totally warped take on dubstep right now. He’s got a real trademark sound at the moment which over the next year I’m sure your gonna get a lot of copycats for. Less typical for a dubstep producer, he’s actually got a good grounding in hip hop and so his music is fat as fuck, swung lo and super crunchy. Kanji Kinetic, well, again, he’s come through with a completely unique mash up bassline sound, which its unfair to call it bassline, because its as much that as it is bmore, hardcore and more. Man makes proper big belters of a tune. And Raffertie; yeah, utterly next level. It’s like he just emptied trash into a food blender and makes totally wrong but actually completely right fucked up shit as a result. There’s psycho basslines from hell, alluding to dubstep, 4/4 etc and then in comes a cheesy steel from some 90s dance hit. Its nuts, but the whole thing completely works. What else is coming up on the label in 2009?
We’re really exited about the future releases. There is about 3 or 4 really exciting projects being lined up but because they’re not 100% locked down I can’t really say!! And in terms of Warlock productions can we expect to be slewed anytime soon?
I’ve got a track coming out on Coin Operated in the next couple of weeks. Again it’s a label that’s on form at the moment. My track ‘Black Bag Of Doom’ (check da myspace) is on there which typically, and not by design, doesn’t really fit into a genre. Loosely its got a heavy uptempo grimey beat in there with some frenetic latin vocals, but I’m not totally sure what it is. Need an outside perspective on that one.
I’ve also got a remix about to land on the streets for Cynthia Stern and his Input/Output label from Sweden which is actually a cheeky remix of Follow The Leader. There was a quirky dubstep track of mine called ‘Click Clack’ which recently came out on Scan One’s Yellow Machines imprint too. But yeah I’ve definitely got to get back on it as I haven’t been too productive lately. I’ve been busy running the label, dj-ing and also had problems with my studio computer (which have thankfully been resolved) but to doubly compound matters I’ve just taken on the task of learning Logic. But its all good, I’m well itching to get a load of new ideas down. Soon come!! Got any wisdom you’d like to impart on the interweb?
Don’t live in the past because you’ll be there when you die.
1. Jannner - Beelzebub 2. De Niro - Babylon 3. Untold - I Can't Stop This Feeling 4. Howie B vs Casino Royale - Ramandanman Redub Dub 5. Ramadanman - Revenue (Untold Remix) 6. Dead Sound - Shuffle 7. NB Funky - Riddim Box 8. Whistla - 420 Lockdown 9. DJ Comix - 2 Kool 4 School 10. DJ Comix - Run Da Track 11. Kanji Kinetic feat Shifty Moova 12. AC Slater - No Party For Old Men 13. Cryogenix - Jungle Tribe 14. Stagga - Sick As Sin (Ultra V.I.P)
Thanks to the kind people behind Friday 19th's Medium vs. Sin City clash at Cable we've got 2 promo pressings of Sin City 001 to give away to you lucky people. The 12" features:
Coki & N-Type - 'Debt' Benga - 'On The Edge' Chef - 'Obama Bass' Lost - 'Nack Back' Crazy D - 'Flex Ting'
Just answer the following question with an email to be in the running.
Steeped in 2-step rhythm s p a t i a l's productions across his two 10" releases on his own Infrasonics imprint have earned him two Boomkat 'Single of The Week' acolades and a hell of a lot of interest. Choosing to stick closer to the shadows the fact that the anonymous musical craftsman chooses to name his tracks with purely numerical titles only adds to the cloak of mystery surrounding a producer and label about to blow.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
s p a t i a l: I produce music as s p a t i a l and run the Infrasonics imprint. The first two releases were my own material in a hybrid format that encompassed 10" vinyl and some freely downloadable/distributable creative commons tracks.
How did you first get into recording music? What was it that infected you to do produce?
Usual story I guess: raves -> decks -> samplers/synths. I've been messing around with sound for quite a while now but largely for my own amusement. I find it quite therapeutic actually, there's a reflection of my state of mind through engagement in the creative process which can be helpful as well as painful!
I'd actually tuned out of a lot of dance music for a while, but a few years back I found some material in Smallfish that rekindled my interest and had similar themes to ideas I'd been thinking about. That was the first Hyperdub 10" and The Bug thing on Rephlex, and a Tempa 12". I was keen to try an enforce some more clearly defined boundaries within which to produce and I could relate to the common threads in those records.
I'm pretty fascinated with sound at its most fundamental level and the psychological/visceral impact that it can have on us. There's an innate connection that's more obvious to me than with any other artistic medium. Bearing that in mind I guess it was a fairly obvious step to become immersed in production.
What’s your production set up like? Do you use software most of the time while producing or do you have a nice stash of synths and all that to play with?
I just use a laptop with soft synths, a sequencer and a sample library that I've collected. I have a couple of midi controllers, actually one is a Yamaha An1x but I never use it's sound banks. I had a full hardware studio a few years back I decided to streamline my setup. Now I've got a few bits of redundant kit hanging around.
Your music has heavy garage rhythms, how did you get into 2-step?
A mate of mine used to run a speed garage night a few years back, a lot of it was too glossy but some of the tracks had a nice 'grimey,' ravey element to them. I never really paid much attention to track details mind and I certainly wasn't buying that kinda material. When I started the s p a t i a l project, I wanted to have a sound that was very clearly repping the UK, but take in other sounds that influenced me along the way.
I've never really been interested in working with breakbeat loops (despite finding the results effective) and I find there's quite a lot of room to play with rhythm in a 2-step groove. You can play around the meter a little to get things sounding less regimented. I quite like the space to have implied or extra swung embellishments around the more accented half time beats.
Your productions are all titled in numerics. Is that a conscious decision to enamour people to take the music properly, without any hype or judgement clouding? Or is it something entirely different?
I really just wanted to keep the names neutral to fit with the minimal aesthetic of the design. Track names seldom mean much outside of the artist naming them. There's also a small dose lethargy and impertinence involved.
Ha!
So after 2 solo releases from you on your Infrasonics imprint we're expecting a split 12" from Hot City and Ike Release. Firstly, why the split single format? and Secondly what was it about their beats that appealed to you?
I'm keen to challenge the stylistic boundaries to some extent and I think it's more interesting to offer variety in a climate where it's increasingly difficult to justify physical releases, but not so much in an economic sense - more in terms of exposure. Actually, despite the relative cost ineffectiveness of nice design on short vinyl runs it's still something the I hold as a pretty core value, I want the releases to be desirable objects.
Hot City produces relentless, unselfconscious dance-floor bangers that neatly triangulate Hardcore, UK garage and jacking Todd Edward's style New York House. His material neatly encapsulates Occams Razor, and simplicity is something that always seems more easily obtainable when looking with hindsight at an elegant solution.
Ike creates an energetic hybrid of deep, glacial synthetic textures underpinned by solid subs and UK influenced grooves that I found very appealing. The British rave continuum is clear and present across both tracks but re-contextualised amidst a discerning European sonic palette. It's a very warm and optimistic sound.
What else have you got coming up - on the label and otherwise - that you can talk about?
I've done a remix for Badawi which should be coming out on a new label called The Index run by Raz and Dave Q (Dubwar NYC), it looks like an interesting series - the other mixes are by Shackleton, Headhunter and Cardopusher.
I've also completed another remix of a False Prophet track for a label that's being formed now. Both tracks are in the mix.
And I'm currently working on the next 10" of my material.
Can you tell us a bit - walk us through - some of your choices for the mix? Your production style seems to be very heavily detroited 2-step, yet your mix is incredibly varied. Does this represent a normal DJ set for you?
Yeah, if I've got enough time in a set then I like to mix it up. I enjoy playing with the energy levels and although you can do that within one tempo I much prefer to morph things stylistically if I can. The first track by Brassica is just killer, he's a very talented producer of various styles. His "Microvictories" album is very lush, organic electronica where's this track is just vibing!
Probably slightly confusingly, I prefer Dave H's A Made Up Sound moniker to the 2562 stuff. I do like the 2562 material but there's a rawness to the production with AMUS that just gets me. The Omar Funkyman track - hmm, that could cause trouble! In general, there's a lot of interesting Funky tracks around and that soca-esc rhythm is very danceable so that's why there's a healthy dose of that included. The Emvee track is sick! It's funny actually as I was in South America a few years back and started thinking about trying a take on the Reggaeton / Calypso when I returned. Missed a trick there!
I'd been into Disrupt's stuff from when Jahtari was a pure netlabel, before the Werk release, I love it and was glad to see the CD come out. Then there's a couple is more overtly Ravey tracks: a while back I was listening to some old mixes and I was really struck by the energy of that music. After that we're probably into the more expected 140bpm stuff. I really love that Kloke track, the James Blake bit is super addictive and a nice new slant on things and Untold is doing great work also.
I could rant on about all of the tracks really - that's why they're on there! Some of the older stuff is there because I've rediscovered it again recently and still find it so appealing, 2 Bad Mice makes me wanna dance around the room and Phylyps Track has an sonic intensity that parallels the intensity of FWD>> when it's firing.
You got any wisdom you'd like to impart on the internet?
1. Brassica feat. Lakey - dumdadumdum (forthcoming on Highpoint Lowlife) 2. A Made Up Sound - Next (Subsolo) 3. Hot City - Setting me free (forthcoming on Infrasonics) 4. Omar Funkyman - Jani (Unknown) 5. Emvee - Glitch Dub (Wireblock) 6. D-Malice - Bad Habbits [Roska Mix] (Visions) 7. Drop the Lime - Hear Me [Buraka Som Sistema Remix (Unknown) 8. Disrupt - Riddim Grid (Werk Discs) 9. La Roux - In For The Kill [Skream's Let's Get Ravey Remix] (CDR) 10. 2 Bad Mice - Hold it Down (Moving Shadow) 11. Kontext - Plumes [Relocate Remix] (Immerse) 12. LAZARUS PROJECT - Aftermath Booty (Cease & Desist) 13. Hatti Vatti feat. Sara Brylewska - Different Music (forthcoming on Mindset) 14. False Prophet - Wake Up [spatial Rework] (forthcoming on Take Records) 15. Kloke - Aquarius (Entrada) 16. RSD - Green Hill (Punch Drunk) 17. Taz Buckfaster - Quack [Original Mix] (Ramp Recordings) 18. Quarta 330 – Sabacco (Hyperdub) 19. ERDBEERSCHNITZEL - Drehundangelpunk [spatial Rework] (forthcoming on Alt Recordings) 20. Ike Release - Jenova (forthcoming on Infrasonics) 21. Badawi - More Of The Same [spatial Dimension Intrusion] (forthcoming on The Index) 22. Clouds - Timekeeper (Ramp Recordings) 23. James Blake - Air and Lack Thereof (Hemlock Recordings) 24. Sully - Duke St Dub (Mata-Syn) 25. Basic Channel - Phylyps Trak (Basic Channel) 26. Untold - Dante (Hotflush Two)
FaltyDL's 'Love Is A Liability' album, due soon on Planet Mu, is incredible. It truly is one of those sheer loose yourself in the reams of energy long players and to celebrate those loveable rogues at RCRDLBL have nabbed an mpFREE from him.
Ryan Hunn has unknowingly been littering my interweb perusal for weeks now; whether in the form of emails from pals, online record shop e-shots, gig listings or flyers with his moniker on, his easily recognisable production moniker, Illum Sphere, has popped up everywhere. From the first moment you slip on your headphones to listen to his heavy, atmosphere-laced analog drums you’re sucked in. And sucked in deep.
With the release of his perplexingly moody first 12”, ‘Incoming EP,’ on Manchester’s Fat City label, we thought we’d pin him down and wrestle a little history out of him.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Illum Sphere: I'm 24, based in Manchester, and run the monthly session Hoya:Hoya. My first release 'The Incoming EP' landed on limited wax back in April and has just landed on download from all the usual spots.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
I work a few days a week in the Fat City shop, which is cool cause you get the good stuff first! I'm also in the process of setting up a Hoya:Hoya record label, along the other head honcho Jonny Dub, which will launch with a 12" from myself and then will only feature artists that have played at the night or one-offs we've done. We're looking at releasing a comp next year featuring an exclusive from every artist who's played, including Dabrye, Ras G, Samiyam, FlyLo, Daedelus, Rustie, Mark Pritchard, Danny Breaks, Bullion, Paul White & myself, plus some up and coming Manchester peeps.
How did the name Illum Sphere about?
I didn't want to be releasing music under my own name, but because I've been DJing under my own name for a few years it was hard to pick an alias that people wouldn't laugh at! Not because the names were shit, but purely because my friends know me as Ryan, and I've never had another alias.
Illum Sphere came from browsing a list of old Sci Fi B-movies and novels that I found on some random website. I liked the way that the name is pretty ambiguous, mysterious and open ended, so it frees me up to make anything I want.
How did you get into making music?
I've only been making electronic music properly for about 2 years. I just started dicking around in Cubase with some M-audio synth. I have actually been making music since I was about 11, but back then I was more into instrumentation. My mate who lived round the corner from me had a killer set up in his attic, so we combined gear and used to record random shit with one cheap mic flown in the middle of the room. The stuff was kinda weird, but more guitar band stuff, playing electric guitars with violin bows and running them through random effects units etc. I've been meaning to dig out some of the tapes actually and sample some of the randomness!
The real switch came when I started getting into people like Dabrye. That feeling of being completely blown away by his 'sound' had a huge effect on my music making, and since then I've just been kinda doing what I've been doing.
What’s your production set up like? When did you start producing and what was your set up like then compared to now?
Ummm... I use mainly analog equipment: Casio SK-1, Moog Concertmate MG-1, Roland MC-303 as well as a random collection of Boss and Roland effects units. My flat mate has an MPC2000XL, but I rarely use it. I also have an MPD 24, and a few midi synths. I've only really just started to use midi, but I'm not really a fan. I have to process midi sounds so hard to make them not sound cheap or crap (in my own mind), but in my opinion, analog sounds piss all over midi.
I didn't use any midi at all on the EP, all audio. I also arranged all of the EP in a really old version of Cubase, but have now switched to Logic Pro, which is well better. I don't really sequence too much, most stuff is played live and roughly aligned, but Logic has just helped me create a better sound, in terms of sonics. I've just bought a load more gear, a random Japanese electric piano etc, as I'm getting into fucking around with equipment more. It really appeals to me as you can essentially create your own sounds than you can't get anywhere else, and I like that individuality.
Do you have any regular processes you go through when making music?
I drink a lot of tea and smoke a lot of cigarettes. That's the only regular process that occurs when I make stuff! I don't make stuff everyday, but go through phrases. I find it really hard forcing myself to make stuff and just end up getting frustrated, so I make music whenever I have ideas. This will sometimes happen on the way home from somewhere at 2am, for example, so I'll just get in, lay down as much as I have in my head, then come back to it when I feel I've got something to add to it. That's when I find things come together easier, it feels right and I make better music.
When did your love for hip-hop start, what drew you to the sound?
Ummm... I can't remember really. I'm by no means a hip-hop connoisseur, but used to listen to bits of Biggie, Wu, Nas and Dre when I was 12/13/14, but I was mainly into stuff like Jimi Hendrix and Pink Floyd at that age. I got more into hip-hop around 5 years ago: early Premo, Madlib, Dilla, Diamond D, Wu-Tang etc. But to be honest, I'm not a hip-hop head. I love Yusef Lateef, Alice Coltrane, Axelrod, Leroy Burgess, Jimi Hendrix, Augustus Pablo, Fela Kuti, Mulatu (the list could go on) as much as I love any hip-hop producer. Being from London too (I moved up when I was 11) we used to go to a lot of garage raves when we 16, so I've got as much love for hip-hop as I have for have for a lot of other types of music.
You’re currently lumped into this whole ‘wonky’ movement. A lot of beat makers have been (deservedly) very vocal of their disdain for the genre label. What are your thoughts on the tag?
I think it's a bit of a lazy naming of a genre that is probably broader than the taste and knowledge of whatever journalist named it. But, on the other hand, it does describe some of the music that's being made. To be honest, I tend not to like stuff that's 'wonky'… I like stuff that experiments. Rhythm is far more important to me than pulling a beat apart for the sake of 'swing'. Swing should be a natural thing, you shouldn't need to force it, not everything has to swing super hard. Also, I don't think my stuff's clean enough to be 'wonky', it's just essentially dusty electronic music. I don't really consider it 'beats' either, cause I don't make beats, y'know?
There are a lot of people who want to be beatmakers and that's totally cool, but I don't. I just wanna make music; fast, slow, happy, sad, beautiful, ugly, scary, comforting, whatever!
Illum Sphere - Murky (You Know)
You’ve played at Low End Theory – a club that from this side of the ocean at least feels like a US bass mecca – how did you link that? What was the experience like?
Yeah it was cool, man. They're doing good things out there! The West Coast hasn't got the sound system culture that we have here. On that trip I played a few shows, on systems that aren't as good as here. The thing about Low End is that the rig they have is the only one that really comes close to the ones we're used to here!
The policy is pretty similar to what we do at Hoya:Hoya: anything goes. It isn't a beats night, I was playing Turkish stuff, dub, grime and people dug it. It was nice to see so many people that I knew reaching too. People and friends from that scene and some I met for the first time. I know your pals with Fly Lo. Is he a big inspiration for you to continue making music?
I know FlyLo, but we're not super tight y'know! We chat and chill occasionally and we've done some shows together... I do like his music heaps and it does influence me to some extent, but I'd say Dabrye, Ras G and Dilla's music inspires me more than anyone else currently producing music.
Who else inspires you?
My friends! We're surrounded by a lot of creative people here in Manchester, artists, DJs, wicked club nights, producers, designers etc, you never have to really look too far to get inspired. Also my family! M little brother is 12, and he's getting pretty sharp on the production, and it's inspiring, but kinda frightening as he's gonna be well better than me probably by the time he's 15!
Your debut 12” is out now on Fat City. What can the record buying public expect from it?
Ummm... something different, I hope! It's sinister, dense, dusty and musical, so I've been told, so hopefully people will dig it.
What else have you got coming up this year?
A remix of Kidkanevil's 'Real Wild' drops next month (that got me my first Radio 1 play on Mary Anne Hobbs' show). In late July, early August, me and Mono/Poly have a split 7" dropping as part of the Fat City producer series. Then probably a 12" to launch the Hoya:Hoya label, and some more releases on various labels, some well known, some not so well known!
It includes: "some ufront MF Doom, Flying Lotus, Samiyam, Ras_G, Dabrye, Mike Slott and Bullion cuts as well as some rare old shit and some faves from the club over the past year!"
AND if you so happen to be Manchester based, get your sen along to the next Hoya:Hoya featuring Ikonika and the one Alex Nut:
Damn. The collective behind Kwatro keep doing this; unleashing free downloads of impeccable quality that is. Each recent beat tape has carved its own path into my headphones, working my neck like crazy and getting me wondering where in shit they're coming from.
The latest one comes from the homie Hubert Daviz who's beat 'Sketches' have been spun together by Illaz into a classic tape format i.e. 15 mins over 2 sides of virtual cassette.
I like Simbad. He used to roll through the old office in the Cargo arches all the time, asking questions about what was on the stereo and linking promos,;so when he unassumingly hit me with a link to his new mix for Brainfeeder I was understandably impressed.
