RECOMMENDED: 2562 - Aquatic Family Affair/This Is Hardcore [When In Doubt]

Over the last two or three years there really hasn’t been someone whose command and deployment of rhythm has so completely enthralled me as much as the man behind 2562, Dave Huismans. His music, whether under the aforementioned numerical postcode guise or his more heavy handed house orientated moniker, A Made Up Sound, always brings a pang of excitement and that palpable thump to any soundsystem its played on. Whilst other producers might choose to experiment more with the lower frequencies, relying on drawn out 808 kicks or tremulant low end to work the soundsystem, Huismans just further hones his craft, working overtime on his drum lines. Bringing the bump and snap like no one else, his tracks under either name are instantly recognisable.

‘Aquatic Family Affair’ and ‘This Is Hardcore’ are the first beats under the 2562 moniker to surface since Huismans’ last album under the name, 2009’s Unbalance – if you overlook his ‘The Wind Up’ track on Modeselektor’s Modeselektion Vol 1., which we are doing here to create some kind of elemental form of drama. They’re also the first 2562 material to not be housed on Pinch’s influential Tectonic imprint, with Huismans’ instead birthing a brand new label subjectively called When In Doubt, for the release of this single – 300 ltd edition blue vinyl 10”s. It's reportedly a prelude to a brand new 2562 album coming later this year.

‘Aquatic Family Affair’ should really be trademarked; it’s slamming kick drum, swung snares and chord interplay is classic 2562: his synths sirening up and out of earshot in the drum heavy breakdowns before he lets his hi hats fly and the beat rolls out again. His measurement and attention to the dancefloor make the rhythm omnipresent, its broken shuffle is destined to push your shoulders out at regular integers as the dry top on the kick drum works your ears perfectly, its base hitting you roughly in the chest. ‘This Is Hardcore’ is an ultimately darker beast, built on a brooding kick drum/bass stab pattern. Loop sampling keys and vinyl atmos in a similar manner to the way Addison Groove does on tracks like ‘It’s Got Me,’ gives it that eerie, anxious edge which suits the power and mannerism of the drum line to a tee. Huismans’ balances out the weight of the bass parts with little percussive flourishes and it’s those shakers and fills that keep popping out on repeat listens.

Two heavyweight cuts that suggest 2562’s prevalence, when the wider internet was loving off more on A Made Up Sound, was never in doubt.

Words: Oli Marlow
Out: 7th February 2011


2562 – Aquatic Family Affair [When In Doubt]

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

DOWNLOAD: 2562 - URB x fabric Mix

We're hyper aware of the amount of mixes that flood your eyes every time you look at the internet (I mean sheeeeeeeeeeit, we do it too) and in an attempt to distance ourselves from the tide a little, we quashed a lot of our own gumpf. But sometimes, there's an artist that does something special that's truly worth shouting about.

Dutch producer 2562 made a massive impact on us with his debut album for Pinch's Tectonic imprint, 'Aerial' and his follow up 'Unbalance' topped our 2009 retrospective chart with its characteristic colourful trajectories. Since then Dave Huismans has released countless gems under his A Made Up Sound guise, constantly bringing his hard edged, dancefloor punch in new and beasting ways.

Ahead of an appearance at fabric this very evening, he put together a mix for American site URB.com (what's good Mitch?) and it's simply total class. Anyone who's seen him play out can testify to his mechanistic poly-rhythm matching, and its here in full effect alongside a whole bunch of unreleased heat from SR family like FaltyDL, Blawan, Pinch and West Norwood Cassette Library.

DOWNLOAD: 2562 - URB x fabric Mix

Tracklist:

01 Reject Monkee – Sun Fever [unreleased]
02 Pinch – Get Out Of Here [unreleased]
03 Kowton – Never Liked Dancing [unreleased]
04 FaltyDL – Mean Streets Pt. 2 [unreleased]
05 Recloose – Us vs Us [Rush Hour]
06 Motorcitysoul – Ushuaia (Deetron Remix) [Simple]
07 T-Polar – The Ghost of Echerville [forthcoming NonPlus]
08 Seiji – Agua Riddim [Seijigoodies]
09 Blawan – Bohla [unreleased]
10 Knowing Looks – Abandoned Skip [forthcoming WNCL]
11 Boddika – Breezi’n [unreleased]
12 Pangaea – Won’t Hurt [forthcoming Hessle Audio]
13 Bio Method – Found In Translation [unreleased]
14 Skudge – Convolution (2562 Remix) [forthcoming Skudge]
15 Instra:mental – Tired Light [forthcoming Darkestral]
16 Morphosis – Androids Among Us (Just For One Day Remix) [M>O>S]
17 A Made Up Sound – Demons (Reprise) [A Made Up Sound]

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 14.11.2010

Sonic Router on Hivemind.fm
Hosted by Oli Marlow.
Bi-weekly/every 2nd & 4th Sunday of the month // 10pm -12am

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 14.11.2010

Tracklist:

1. Harmonious Bec - In The Bright Oval [Monotreme]
2. Shobaleader One - Abstract Lover [Warp]
3. The Phantom - Night Game (Zeppy Zep Remix) [forthcoming Senseless)
4. Simon/off - Resistance & Resilience [unreleased]
5. Becoming Real ft. Trim - Like Me [Not Even]
6. Icicle - Anything [Tempa]
7. Mumdance ft. Trim & Jammer - Tarahtid [forthcoming No Hats No Hoods]
8. Blackout - Blackout [Blackout]
9. Fantastic Mr Fox - Over [Black Acre]
10. mlr - Governor [unreleased]
11. Desto - Broken Memory [Ramp]
12. Mite - Keelo [unreleased]
13. Moldy - No Means To Smoke It [forthcoming Embassy]
14. Martyn - Hear Me (Vocal Version) [unreleased]
15. Nocturnal Sunshine - Broke [forthcoming LMD Skunkworks]
16. Jack Dixon - Low Tide [unreleased]
17. ptr1 - Comatose [Concrete Cut]
18. Mistamen - What You Do To Me (C.R.S.T. Remix) [forthcoming Greenmoney]
19. Scuba - On Deck (FaltyDL Remix) [forthcoming Hotflush]
20. Cubic Zirconia - Josephine (Egyptrixx Remix) [forthcoming Lucky Me]
21. The Phantom - Girl [forthcoming Senseless]
22. GuGu - Rock A Bye Baby [forthcoming DVA]
23. SBTRKT - The Unspoken [forthcoming Monkeytown]
24. Hizatron - Executive Ball Scratcher [Wigflex]
25. Taylor - CMB [forthcoming Super]
26. Knowing Looks - Abandoned Skip [forthcoming WNCL]
27. Martyn - Left Hander [forthcoming 3024]
28. Dreadsquad w/ Lady Chann - Money Ah Dem God (The Phantom Remix) [???]
29. Unknown - Unknown [Unknown]
30. Martyn x Mike Slott - All Nights [forthcoming All City]
31. Piece of Shh - Diablo Riddim (Zomby Remix) [forthcoming Svetlana]
32. ptr1 - Above The Structures [Concrete Cut]
33. Eliphino - L F [forthcoming somethinksounds]
34. Cosmin TRG - Space Station Love Affair [forthcoming Monkeytown]
35. Airhead - Paper Street (Nick Hoppner Remix) [forthcoming Brainmath???]
36. Ikonika - Idiot (Funkineven Remix) [Hyperdub]
37. West Norwood Cassette Library - Blonde on Blonde (Pearson Sound Remix) [forthcoming TEAL]
38. Scuba - So You Think You're Special (Joe Remix) [forthcoming Hotflush]
39. MJ Cole & Wiley - From The Drop [forthcoming Prolific]
40. Ratcatcher - Chlorophyll [unreleased]
41. Hypno - Sunkin [forthcoming Ramp]
42. Braiden - The Alps [forthcoming Doldrums]

Direct Download (Right Click/Save As)

Link:
http://hivemind.fm/

NEWSFLASH: Sonic Router x Bleep.Com Podcast #002

Round 2 of your Sonic Router x Bleep.com Podcast is now live.

Featuring a look back at the best of this month's releases from an SR perspective it contains brand newisms from producers like Tokimonsta, Fantastic Mr Fox, SBTRKT, 2562 and Daniel Savio. Stream supreme on Soundcloud, kop the direct download or subscribe to the whole podcast feed - which features other noteworthy shows from Allez Allez, Bleep themselves and Alex Wilson.

DOWNLOAD: Sonic Router x Bleep.com Podcast #002 (Direct Download)
SUBSCRIBE: Bleep.com Podcast



Tracklist:

1. Tokimonsta - Lucid Waking [Listen Up]
2. Madlib - Young Guns [Stones Throw]
3. Samiyam - Bonus Mission [Poobah]
4. Kelpe - No Film [Black Acre]
5. Rustie - Starwolf [Warp]
6. Darkstar - Two Chords [Hyperdub]
7. Dylan Ettinger - Rico's Pawn Shop [Not Not Fun]
8. Daniel Savio - Warhead [Losonofono ]
9. Kontext - Sattva [Immerse]
10. Elgato - Tonight [Hessle Audio]
11. 2562 - The Wind Up [Monkeytown]
12. Hardhouse Banton - Sirens [Soul Jazz]
13. Doc Daneeka - Mario's Mushrooms [PTN]
14. Lone - Once In A While [Werk]
15. Jack Sparrow - Loveless [Tectonic]
16. Girl Unit - Wut [Night Slugs]
17. Numan - XX [Planet Mu]
18. Raffertie - Rank Functions (Ital Tek Remix) [Super]
19. SBTRKT & Jessie Ware - Nervous [Numbers]
20. Fantastic Mr Fox - Over [Black Acre]

Link:
http://bleep.com

RECOMMENDED: A Made Up Sound - Alarm/Crisis [AMUS]/Basic Soul Unit Remixes [Creme Organization]

As much as his output as 2562 is exciting and intriguing in equal measure, Dave Huismans’ house and techno inspired music as A Made Up Sound manages to retain a sheer visceral thrill that just pips his other material to the post. Last year’s incredible 'Rework'/'Closer' EP is still on heavy rotation round these parts, the lead track’s lurching parabolic motion somehow even more exciting now than when it first emerged, and its follow up 'Sun Touch showcased a suitably deeper and more experimental bent. This month sees two new releases from the man like AMUS: a new pair of original tracks for his own label, and a pair of razor sharp remixes of Basic Soul Unit’s ‘Jack’d Freq’.

Huismans’ take on Basic Soul Unit is a little reminiscent of the awkward, peak-time power of his DJ sets; his ‘Puur Natuur’ remix rides off a gloriously bizarre, broken beat which maintains a relentless momentum despite its minimalist structure. Over the top he strafes the track with jagged barbs of synth, culminating in a slow peak and gradual dissociation. The ‘Acid Bonus’ mix on the flip fills in the gaps, pushing the A-side’s more considered shapes into overdriven techno territory. ‘Acid Bonus’ is about as terrifyingly apt a description as you could get as well, the track’s central motif a bracing wall of abrasive squiggle that takes the prettier melody of ‘Love In Outer Space’ and feeds it through a retro-futuristic blender.

His latest for his own AMUS label, the 'Alarm'/'Crisis' 12”, acts as a real contrast to the less straightforward ‘Jack’d Freq’ remixes: both tracks are among the most direct he’s put out. ‘Alarm’ retains their acid-tinted feel, but sets it over a heavy percussive jack, but ‘Crisis’ is the real gem here. It’s probably the thickest and most heady groove his A Made Up Sound music has ever managed to lock into, powered by steamroller bottom-end and his characteristic offbeat hi-hat figures. The overall result is sheer, brainmelting peak-time techno, but delivered in Huismans’ distinctive style it’s somehow both deliciously subtle and utterly brainless at once. Once again, he’s less leading the pack than forming a kind of vanguard, entering unknown and exciting territory long before anyone else even dares to follow.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

DOWNLOAD: 2562 - RA Podcast

Dutch producer 2562 is someone you should never let out of earshot for a minute - although once you have done just that, when he returns with something like this its a sheer delight... With his two long playing albums under the numerical moniker (the most recent of which, Unbalance, stole the top spot in our 2009 Retrospective) and his other work as A Made Up Sound, Dave Huismans, is steadily creating a superb back catalogue and his prowess behind the platters is just as press worthy; with his steadfast and sturdy beat matching and impeccably bumpy selection always standing proud.

DOWNLOAD: 2562 - RA Podcast

Tracklist to follow

Look for A Made Up Sound – 'Alarm' b/w 'Crisis' forthcoming on the A Made Up Sound imprint.

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

READ/DOWNLOAD: SRQ010 - F [7even]

I was so close to making the February deadline, but after a run of pars this past week the latest Sonic Router Quietus column managed to surface today, on the 1st March. This edition focuses on F, aka Florent Aupetit, a French producer releasing mainly dub-techno influenced material on the 7even label.

Catch him in the chat and in the mix...

READ/DOWNLOAD: SRQ010 - F [7even]



Tracklist:

Untold & LV - Beacon - Hemlock Dub
Helixir - Untitled - 7even Recordings Dub
Instra:Mental - Vicodine - Naked Lunch Dub
Jus Wan - Untitled - ?
Headhunter - Evolver - ?
F - Chillin' - 7even Recordings
J. Sparrow - The Fullest - Tectonic
Ruckspin & Quantum Soul - Venus Project - Transistor Recordings Dub
James Fox - Put It Back (Ramadanman Refix) - Take Records
F - Hologram - 7even Recordings
J.Sparrow - Untitled - ?
DJG - Avoid The Noid - Pushing Red Dub
DJG - Avoid The Noid (Headhunter Remix) - Pushing Red Dub
F - Funk Injection - 7even Recordings



F - 'See The Lights'
directed by DBKN + FxAxXx

Link:
www.myspace.com/musicbyf

PRE-ORDER: Asusu - Small Hours/Taurean [Project Squared]

On the surface at least, the legacy of 2009 seems to have been to render obsolete any simplistic notion of a discrete techno-dubstep crossover, as many of the artists previously making music that could loosely be placed under that bracket have begun to further absorb influence from a host of surrounding genres. The result has given rise to an often inseparable hybrid that presents techno as merely one of its many facets, alongside Chicago house (Untold), funky (Ramadanman and the Blunted Robots stable), old-school garage (Martyn, 2562) and awkward, jittery electronica.

Bath’s Asusu, whose debut 12” ‘Small Hours’/’Taurean’ was released this week on the new Project Squared imprint, provides further assertive evidence to support this notion. The two tracks here draw unmistakable influence from Berlin, shrouded in dense clouds of static and swirling, barely there melody as they drift with a subtle but deadly forward propulsion. Yet just beneath the smoked out surface of ‘Taurean’ lies a tightly swung garage flex, lending its shiny chrome exterior a welcome human element. By the time its simple three-note melody ushers the track’s midsection into action, its core is breathed into fidgety life by the tight tessellation of three separate elements – four-to-the-floor pulse, rattling London percussion and fast-paced subs.

‘Small Hours’ is a slow-burner by comparison, driven by dubby bass and a more overtly half-stepped rhythm, yet its subtle track-length synth mutations point as much towards Maurizio as towards El-B. In a year when producers like Dave Huismans (2562) have upped their game significantly, it’s good that UK talent continues to prove itself in rude health.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
www.myspace.com/asusumusic

NEWS: fabric 50: Martyn

Its official, after those few leaked hints, Martyn is handling the landmark 50th CD for fabric's Saturday night mix series and yes, the tracklist features a smattering of producers you might expect if you've seen the man DJ lately.

Its truly an impeccable mix, spun together by one of dubstep's stand out artists in 2009. His sense of timing and mood is superb and the selection features several of the remixes forthcoming on his own 3024 label.

“I did the whole mix CD live just because I thought that was more honest than doing an Ableton DJ mix," he muses. "It is how I would play live - not everything on the CD is perfect, but it’s not meant to be. That goes for my DJ sets and for my music as well; there’s always little bits and pieces that could have been much better or more streamlined or whatever, but that’s the beauty of music to me. I wanted it to be raw and honest. As for the selection, I just wanted to try and make it as varied as possible and get people from all different corners of the globe together on one CD. The idea of it was to bring together all these sounds and vibes, something I would never be able to do on a studio album, just because I’m not able to make all that sort of music. It's amazing music though, I love it, so I want to play it to people.”



Tracklist:

01 - Hudson Mohawke – Joy Fantastic Feat. Olivier Daysoul - Warp
02 - Alec Wizz ‘Drummin’’ (Louis Benedetti Drumminpella) - Defected
03 - Nubian Mindz – Bossa Boogie – Rush Hour
04 - Maddslinky – Lost On Tenori Street – Biasphere
05 - Altered Natives - Rass Out – One Minute Music
06 - Zomby - Little Miss Naughty – Zomby Productions
07 - Uncle Bakongo - Afar – Roska Kicks & Snares
08 - Zomby - Light Cycle - Zomby Productions
09 - Deepgroove & Jamie Anderson – The Clock (Ben Klock’s Timepiece) - Rekids
10 - DJBone - We Control The Beat – Subject Detroit
11 - Detachments - Circles (Martyn's Round & Round Mix) – This Is Not An Exit
12 - Joy Orbison - Brkln Clln - Doldrums
13 - Cooly G - Feeling You - Dub Organizer
14 - Martyn Feat dBridge - These Words (Roska's Speechless Mix) - 3024
15 - Kode9 – Oozi - Hyperdub
16 - Roska - Without It - Roska Kicks & Snares
17 - Martyn – Friedrichstrasse - 3024
18 - Levon Vincent - Air Raid - Ovum
19 - Martyn Feat Spaceape - Is This Insanity? (Ben Klock Mix) - 3024
20 - Martyn - Seventy Four (Redshape Mix) - 3024
21 - Actress - Slowjam – Werk Discs
22 - Zomby - Mercury's Rainbow - Thriller
23 - 2562 – Flashback - Tectonic
24 - Martyn – Vancouver - 3024
25 - Jan Driver - Rat Alert – Made To Play
26 - Dorian Concept - Trilingual Dance Sexperience – Affine

In UK shops as of the 11th January next year.

Links:
www.myspace.com/martyndnb
www.fabriclondon.com

DOWNLOAD: Sonic Router Radio - Session 006

Session 006 marks a new look to SRR thanks to the man like Spam Chop, who took time out from running Wigflex (eyes peeled for 003 - its dapper don, believe me) to create a new logo for us and on this edition you can hear a mix of skweee, beats, dubstep and all that other stuff I play and talk about on the podcasts usually.

DOWNLOAD: Sonic Router Radio - Session 006

Tracklist:

1. Robot Koch – Death Star Droid (forthcoming on Robots Don’t Sleep)
2. Beat Bully – Buck Fergen (Dodpop)
3. devonwho – Whispers (free download from http://devonwho.bandcamp.com/album/3p)
4. Hudson Mohawke – 3.30 (Warp)
5. DOOM ft. Kurious – ? (forthcoming on Gold Dust Media)
6. Pariah – Detroit Falls (R&S Records)
7. Rigas Den Andre – New Plastic Bastard (Flogsta Danshall)
8. Darkstar - Aidy’s Girl Is A Computer (Hyperdub)
9. Ikonika vs. Eero Johannes – We Could Be Ikons (Planet Mu)
10. Gemmy – Johnny 5 (forthcoming on Planet Mu)
11. Desto – Broken Memory (forthcoming Ramp Recordings)*
12. 2562 – Like A Dream (Tectonic)
13. HXDB – Showdown At The Cinema (Mindset)
14. Blackdown – Concrete Streets [Zomby Remix] (forthcoming on Keysound)
15. Blackdown ft. Durrty Goodz – Concrete Streets (forthcoming on Keysound)
16. Fantastic Mr Fox – Sketches (forthcoming on Black Acre)
17. Headhunter & Invisible - Love Dup (forthcoming on Soul Motive)
18. Untold – Palamino (Hemlock)
19. Joy Orbison – J.Doe (forthcoming on DLDRMS)


* This particular mp3 clips. We are aware of the issue.

READ: SRQ007 - A Dubstep Column For November

Get the skinny on the new 2562 LP and Peverelist's forthcoming CD plus news on new Guido, Gemmy, Headhunter, Sigha, Joy Orbison and Untold by reading this month's Sonic Router Column on The Quietus.

READ: SRQ007 - A Dubstep Column For November

PRE-ORDER: 2562 - Unbalance [Tectonic]

Returning with an impeccable follow up to his debut LP, 'Aerial,' Dave Husimans aka 2562's new album, 'Unbalance,' is in stores now.

It really is nothing short of breathtaking.

Read the full review here: http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=6716

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

PRE-ORDER: Unknown - Idle Hands001 [Idle Hands]

Two tracks of iconic dancefloor music from a brand new label run out of Rooted Records in Bristol, Idle Hands. The true tune spotters amongst you may have spied the B side in 2562's recent FACT mix...

Read the full review here: http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=6636

Link:
www.myspace.com/idlehandsbristol

EVENT: 2562 Album Launch @ Corsica Studios

Link:
www.wefearsilence.com/

NEWS: 2562 - Unbalance [Tectonic]

News posts are particularly rare round these parts and in fact are usually reserved for posts that we really want to shout about but can't ever fit into any of our existing categories... Anyway, I digress... for me its a hearty and emphatic pleasure to be able to announce details of Dave Huismans aka 2562's sophomore album, 'Unbalance.'

The forthcoming follow up to the 2562 debut 'Aerial,' a full length stark and oft cold exploration of greyscale dubtechno through stark monochrome synth washes and torrential drums, finds Huisman's exploring his production with a touch more colour, fleshing out his impeccably stumbled drum patter with bold strokes of synthesizer warmth and a flair for higer pitched melody. The recently released 'Love In Outer Space', is included and is definitely indicative of Husiman's matured approach to the dancefloor.

Possibly the most anticipated album release of 2009, I can tell you now, 'Unbalance' will NOT by any strength of the imagination dissapoint.

Tracklist:

1. Intro
2. Flashback
3. Lost
4. Like A Dream
5. Dinosaur
6. Unbalance
7. Superflight
8. Yes / No
9. Who Are You Fooling?
10. Narita
11. Love In Outer Space

+ Escape Velocity [digital only]

Out: 2nd November on Tectonic

UPDATE:

2562 has also just done the latest FACT mix.



DOWNLOAD: 2562 - FACT mix

Tracklist:

Starfighterz - Flavour 1
Telex - Raised by Snakes (Shake remix)
Deetron - Let's Get Over It (Marcel Dttmann remix)
A Made Up Sound - Bounce
Solid Groove - Flookin' remix
Shortstuff & Hyetal - Don't Sleep
Seiji - Yo Voy remix
A Made Up Sound - Rework
Jack Sparrow - Terminal
Untold - Never Went Away
2562 - Lost
Geiom - Reminiscin' (Kode 9 remix)
St Files - Tek Dub
Martyn - Mega Drive Generation
Headhunter - Prototype (Modeselektor remix)
? - Idle Hands 001b
Thomas Bangalter - What to Do
Tom Trago - Lost in the Streets of NYC (Actress remix)
Elemental - Undulating Elf (2562 edit)

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub
www.myspace.com/tectonicrecordings

PRE-ORDER: 2562 - Love In Outer Space/Third Wave [Tectonic]

Some unexpected, down played pressure from Dave Huismans aka 2562 appeared on Boomkat at the end of last week and it really is as good as Rob Booth says it is...

Full review here: http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=6357

Link:
www.myspace.com/2562dub

STREAM: Sonic Router Radio - Session 003

After a forced hiatus owing to computer problems, sound card issues and wallet shaped malfunctions, MLR returns before the turn of the month [sic] with another hour of cracking music.

Featuring the best in the way of slumpy hip hop from Slugabed, Illum Sphere, Nosaj Thing and Mark Pritchard with Om Mas Keith and some top new dubstep pressure from Brackles, Martin Kemp, 2562, Pearson Sound, Emvee and Hot City, this month’s show is stacked to gills with brilliant music.

No commercials. No mercy.

STREAM: Sonic Router Radio - Session 003

Tracklist:

1. MLR – Blewbird (CDR)
2. Keaver & Brause – Airborn (Dealmaker)
3. Illum Sphere – Hyper [Instrumental] (Fat City)
4. Nosaj Thing – 1685 Bach (Alpha Pup)
5. Mark Pritchard & Om Mas Keith – Wind It Up (forthcoming on Hyperdub)
6. Bretzel Zoo – The Dunk (forthcoming on Eat Concrete)
7. Debruit – I’m Goin’ Wit You (Civil Music)
8. Slugabed – Mother Fuckeeeer (forthcoming on Stuff Records)
9. Flying Lotus – Glendale Galleria (Tectonic)
10. Martin Kemp – No Charisma (forthcoming on Blunted Robots)
11. 2562 – Love In Outer Space (Tectonic)
12. Pearson Sound – So Far Ago (forthcoming on Soul Jazz)
13. Brackles – LHC (forthcoming on Planet Mu)
14. King Cannibal – So… Embrace The Minmum (forthcoming on Ninja Tune)
15. Untold – Just For You [Roska Remix] (forthcoming on Hotflush)
16. Emvee – Glitch Dub (Wireblock)
17. Hot City – Setting Me Free (Infrasonics)

Link:
www.radiomagnetic.com

INTERVIEW: s p a t i a l

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.

With the first Infrasonics 12", a split release between American producer Ike Release and all around rave smasher Hot City, set for a release later this month we caught up with s p a t i a l, quizzing him in exchange for the 10th installment in our exclusive mix series.

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?

Make your own damn media!



DOWNLOAD: s p a t i a l - Sonic Router Mix



Tracklist:

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)

Links:
www.myspace.com/spatialdubs
www.infrasonics.net

DOWNLOAD: MLR - Celebrated Scenester Mix

In illustrious celebration of the traffic marker we reached this week - hold tight 20,000 seperate visits - I fully intended to give a mix out, done by my fair hands as a present to you, the readership. And whilst its been up and twittered to death for a week or so prior I still wanted to commemorate this moment with something... so here it is: the promise I've broken to myself by featuring my work on a blog that's fully supposed to be about how great other people are.

Special thanks to Radio Magnetic for packaging it up nice as a podcast and uber special thanks to everyone who's said nice things about the blog.

More soon come.

DOWNLOAD: MLR - Celebrated Scenester Mix

Tracklist:

1. Wollom – Serenade (CDR)
2. Joe – Rut (Hessle Audio)
3. Various Production feat. V.E.X. – Ramp (Various)
4. Gemmy – BT Tower (Planet Mu)
// s p a t i a l – 90121 (Infrasonics)
5. Joker & Ginz – Re Up (Kapsize)
6. 2562 – Embrace (3024)
7. Martyn – Vancouver (3024)
8. Ramadanman – Ofal (Soul Jazz)
9. Zomby – The Lie (Ramp)
10. Zomby – Aquafresh (Hyperdub)
11. Joker – Do It (Kapsize)
12. Kotchy – Check Out My Keychain (Civil Music)
13. Ramadanman – Blimey (Hessle Audio)
14. Pangaea – Bear Witness (Hotflush)
15. Cooly G – Love Dub (Hyperdub)
// Ital Tek – Octa (Planet Mu)
16. Phaelah – Isolate (Surface Tension)
17. Peverelist – Clunk Clip Every Trip (Punch Drunk)
// Toasty – The Knowledge [Untold Remix] - Hotflush

Direct download link here (via Mediafire)

Link:
www.myspace.com/myleftretina

STREAM: DFRNT - New Sound 003

New podcast from DFRNT on Radio Magnetic.

"When requesting this mix we asked for something that represents his own music and influences and thats just what we got, all that detroit goodness mixed up with some tech dub / dubstep basslines. A firm favourite in our household."

STREAM: DFRNT - New Sound 003
(podcast link available also)

Link:
http://radiomagnetic.com