Sometimes things form and merge iconically. The fusion of Dutch producer Martyn's music and the artwork of label artist Erosie seemed to be only the start for the 3024 label, with the two individual's vision working in perfect tandem, but now the whole production has gone one step further, with a fully functional website co-incided to drop at the same time as the tenth release on the label. Martyn's storming 'Shook Up' b/w 'Left Hander' marks the first thing you'll have heard from the producer in a while and it sees him come running out of the blocks with some huge, tuff ended house. An emphatic return if ever there was one; total undeniable proof of his mania enducing dancefloor prowess.
You can hear audio of both the tracks in one of our recent Hivemind fm shows here.
Go check: http://3024world.com, there you will find full and absorbing information on the outlook and aim of the label and amongst other things an exclusive recording of Martyn's set at this years Solar Festival in Holland, that we've linked to directly below.
Since our first encounter with Doc Daneeka back at the tail end of last year thanks to his inclusion of the Elevator Music Vol. 1 compilation with the positively tribal 'Drums In The Deep,' the Leeds based producer has gone from strength to strength to strength, with global publications like XLR8R and FACT becoming more than a little smitten with his production and remix work.
Following his recent Kelis 'Milkshake' bootleg, audio of which is available on our Hivemind.fm show (archived here), we've been bestowed with something of a coo, thanks largely to Manchester's Illum Sphere - a man also experiencing somewhat of a boost in profile thanks to his recent 12" on Martyn's 3024 label. Basically, Illum commissioned a slew of remixes of his most recent Fat City release, Long Live The Plan, and he's kindly decided to give us dibs on the freebie Doc Daneeka re-rub of 'Psycho.'
The eighth release on Martyn’s 3024 label comes from Manchester beat technician Illum Sphere who has been responsible for some killer off-centre hip-hop instrumentals on Fat City Recordings and the Hoya:Hoya club night; joining the dots between the fringes of dubstep and hip-hop in fine style with the likes Martyn rubbing shoulders with Flying Lotus, Dam-Funk and Ikonika. It’s his second outing on 3024 after remixing Martyn’s beat-less surge ‘Brilliant Orange’ from what was essentially an instrumental segway on his fantastic album Great Lengths, but in Illum’s hands it was flipped and extended into a full, pulsing, emotional slab of atmospheric beat work. This platter carries on very much in that vein.
The crackle fest that is ‘Go Killum’ gets things off to a good start, fitting somewhere between Flying Lotus, Actress and Kyle Hall, bumpin’ with a skeletal yet warm soundsystem funk. The sound of being lost, driving around a city at night; as the light trails fly past, you feel apprehensive but at home in your motor, heaters on stereo turned right up.
The low-slung magic of ‘Technopolis’ isn’t too dissimilar to the Flying Lotus workout ‘Disco Balls’ from Hyperdub’s ‘5’ compilation: in that it’s got off-kilter slow and punchy house grooves and a funky as hell synth bass groove that has that warm tweaked-out buzz. It’s an altogether more spaced out affair, putting emphasis on the crackle, atmospheric pads and jazz-house subtleties whilst the drums get the head nodding as layers of sub bass squirm in all directions. The energetic synth surges of ‘Titan’ pick up the pace and bring a dose of euphoria to the platter as digital crickets chirp like sprites in a computer game night time scenario.
Post Red Bull Music Academy, London has been all too quiet. Parting, for me anyway, with Brainfeeder at fabric it was an intense month; packed with shows from DOOM at the Roundhouse, Jamie Vex'd, Mike Slott, Scuba and the unrelenting Untold at TBar and a rather special Deviation in the basement of Camp. As well as the headliners, resident DJ Benji B and Skream - dropping a disco set, there were sets that night from beat protege 00Genesis and Manchester's Illum Sphere.
Now any regular followers of us will know the work of Mr. Hunn excites us deeply, so it was a touch to finally catch him spinning, eventually chat him up; and learn of his impending release on Martyn's soon to be further blossoming 3024 label. We caught up with him once again - re-visiting old email transcripts to figure how it happened - and asked him a few questions in search of that all important update...
Sonic Router: I've spoken to a few participants since the end of term and the feeling definitely seems to be one of... hollowness... How are you finding life after the Academy?
Illum Sphere: I think we've all got depression haha. I really miss being in that environment and all the people there. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and 100% worthwhile, I can't thank the people in charge enough for letting me on.
So how did you link up with Martyn for the forthcoming 3024 12”?
Ummm... well, I did the remix for 'Brilliant Orange,' and we'd chatted about maybe doing something for 3024. Martyn was quite into this demo tune I had called 'Technopolis' which was a way off being finished. I then sent him 'Titan,' and he showed interest in signing that and a finished version of 'Technopolis,' before suggesting I do another nugget for it. So I did 'Go Killum,' and that was that really, from the initial interest to finalising was rather quick.
What can the world expect from it? Does it differ from the Fat City material in your opinion?
I think it shows a broader range. 'Titan' and 'Technopolis' are two very different tunes, sound very different to stuff I've done, yet sound like me, if that makes sense? 'Go Killum' is more like the Fat City stuff, but still definitely different, I think anyway...
Speaking of the Fat City stuff, when is the 2nd part of your LP dropping?
It's gonna come out fully first, in the summer. I'm gonna switch it around a bit, maybe ditching some of the stuff from the 'Long Live The Plan' EP, playing with the order a bit more and trying to include as much new stuff as possible...
::
And to quote a subsequent and somewhat ominously relevant conversation with label boss Martyn: "Following up on the two remix 12"s that were released in January, I'm really happy we're able to put out Illum Sphere's EP. He's one of those new producers that effortlessly blends different styles and sounds."
And looking towards the future for the label he also divulged that: "after this release in May, we'll have Altered Natives for 3024-009 with 'The Bitch' and 'Crop Duster.' Then later in the year Deadboy will do a record on 3024 as well. So all in all: there's forthcoming bits from three people who aren't easily classifiable, but are busy developing their own sound."
Its impossible to stress how much fun I've had at Brainfeeder parties over the last couple of years. The first one in the Hearne Street carpark in Shoreditch was mental; simultaneous proof that this toxic stew of skewed hip hop has a voice beyond small basement clubs and evidence that whiskey maketh the man crazy. The next one I attended was in Barcelona, a first night pre-cursor to my first Sonar experience... crazy rammed, hot as hell and super super fun... I remember Martyn b2b Pinch.
Damn.
So, this post gives me double the pleasure to be able to give away a pair of tickets to next week's Brainfeeder LDN event at fabric. With the combined pull of Brainfeeder and the Red Bull Music Academy, the incredible initiative currently beginning term 2 today, you can scoop the opportunity to see Flying Lotus, Kode 9, The Mother Fucking Gaslamp Killer, Martyn, J Rocc, Dimlite, Daedelus, Nosaj Thing and TOKiMONSTA all on fabric's custom tweaked soundsystem.
Just email us the answer to the below question.
Q: Flying Lotus' debut album on the Plug Research label was called:
01 Washed Out "Get Up" (Mexican Summer) 02 Lukid "Veto" (Werk) 03 King Midas Sound "Lost" (Hyperdub) 04 Rotating Assembly "Orchestra Hall" (Sound Signature) 05 Anthony Shakir "Shake it Up Dub (Remix)" (KMS) 06 Robert Owens "Bring Down the Walls" (Trax) 07 Lone "Once in a While" (Werk) 08 Jacob Korn "Grosskariert" (Permanent Vacation) 09 Joy Orbison "The Shrew Would Have Cushioned the Blow (Actress remix)" (Aus) 10 Prince "When Doves Cry" (Warner Bros) 11 Dez Williams "Abandoned Emotions" (Cheap) 12 DJ Duke "Future Blast" (Music For Your Ears) 13 Glass Domain "Interlock" (Clone) 14 Drexciya "Lost Vessel" (Tresor) 15 The Future "Daz" (Black Melody) 16 Aardvarck "Tulti" (Eat Concrete) 17 Motor City Drum Ensemble "Raw Cuts #5" (Faces) 18 Basic Soul Unit "Hopy Unity Vision" (New Kanada) 19 Adonis "No Way Back" (Trax) 20 K-Alexi "Vertigo" (Transmat) 21 J Dilla "Nothing Like This" (Stones Throw)
After twitter ruminations and rogue facebook updates broke the news of an imminent 2010 Brainfeeder LDN showcase - the two previous events were held at a warehouse location in Shoreditch - we're happy to be able to confirm that, yes, the Flying Lotus helmed Brainfeeder family is traversing the oceans and once again coming to London this March.
With the presence of the Red Bull Music Academy weighing heavy on our nation's capital this month, FlyLo has teamed up with the RBMA crew to bring his label's party to fabric on the 10th March.
Featuring a factual whos who in instrumental hip hop, the line up is hands down, jawdropping. Dimlite - the originator - alongside the only man alive capable of playing a micro korg with a shoe and making it sound beautiful, Dorian Concept, alongside future dubstep masters Kode 9 and Martyn, plus the bountiful energetics of Gaslamp Killer, Daedelus and J Rocc. Topped and tailed by Warp's wonderboy Flying Lotus (whose 2nd LP for the label, 'Cosmogramma,' is due around Easter time) and former Sonic Router mix giver (thats the official title of all SR featured artists), Tokimonsta.
All personal bias aside - go read the liner notes - 'Elevator Music Vol. 1' is an impeccable collection of beats and fresh ideas from some extremely talented underground producers. Joining the likes of Mosca, Julio Bashmore, Hackman and Doc Daneeka with more established artists like the work of Martyn, Untold and Starkey pays dividends in the end listen and an extremely high percentage of these tracks are a sheer pleasure to mix.
In addition to the monthly column on The Quietus you'll now be able to catch Sonic Router writing on URB.com too.
Between you and I the SRQ series will now focus on interviews and profile pieces whereas the URB column will centre around upcoming releases. With that said...
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
The full announcement is done. Rather than rephrase I bring you word seeded from Bleep:
"October will see the release of ‘5 Years of Low End Contagion’, a double CD marking Hyperdub’s five years of life as a record label. Honouring their past, present and future in equal measure, ‘5 Years of Low End Contagion’ is comprised of one disc of prior highlights, and one of freshly composed material contributed by Hyperdub artists and close friends. A series of five 12-inch EPs in special sleeves featuring a selection of the new tunes will be issued, one per week, leading up to the release of ‘5 Years of Low End Contagion’."
Which equals:
Hyperdub 5.1 EP - 12"Vinyl (HDB023) Released: 31/08/09 Kode9 & The Spaceape ft. ChaCha - ‘Time Patrol’ Black Chow – ‘Purple Smoke’ Flying Lotus – ‘Disco Balls’
Hyperdub 5.5 EP - 12"Vinyl (HDB027) Released: 28/09/09 Mala – ‘Level Nine’ Cooly G – ‘Weekend Fly’
5 Year Of Low End Contagion - 2x CD Compilation CD#1 - A CD compilation including all the tracks featured on the 5 EP's. Plus several additional previously unreleased tracks. CD#2 - A 16 track mix of hyperdub back catalogue, many of which have never been released on cd before.
The Naked Lunch label is rolling 3 releases strong as I write this, after putting out TRG’s ‘Generation EP,’ a split 12” betwixt Breakage and Instra:mental and a little more recently a 3 track single from American producer Jus Wan (full review here). With an exciting array of styles and approaches the Irish label is proving to be one for those in the know to keep eyes out for as they’re intent on using their 12”s to propel music thats a little left of centre into the lugholes of a very hungry audience.
It also helps that label boss Micky, is as much the exceptional DJ as he is the proverbial A&R man. Our earlier post on his May mix got us talking and now we’ve nailed it… a Sonic Router exclusive from one of the most interesting selectors to come through our world in a while.
Big Smiles.
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Micky: My names Micky, I live in deepest darkest Ireland. I just moved back here after 11 years living in Amsterdam & Rotterdam.
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
I work as a debt collector… possibly the most frustrating job on earth due to the fact most of the people I deal with have plenty of cash but will complain and cry about having to pay a €200 bill while sitting inside of a 2009 6series BMW
How did you first get into DJing?
I really got into DJing when I moved to Amsterdam in 1996, a friend of mine managed the Fat Beats hip-hop store and he gave me a pair of sl1200's and a mixer. Then I started making mix tapes and giving them to some of the Dutch promoters... but they more or less told me that they only booked Dutch DJs. At the time I started working in Amsterdam with a guy called Andy Haze, he was an English DnB promoter who had just started a weekly night in a club called Mazzo and he made me resident.
From there I went on to promote a night called Redzone with Martyn and Nymfo and be involved with a night in Amsterdam called Ichione.
Do you have plans to produce yourself? If so what’s your production set up like? Has it changed a lot since day dot?
I have great plans but it never really works out so I gave up trying years ago… the way the music scene works it seems you do need to be a producer to get gigs…
What got you into dubstep?
I lost interest in DnB due to the fact for me it basically boils down to a few key producers and if your buying records or listening to music and your choice is restricted to about 6/8 artists it gets boring . I got into dubstep via buying vinyl… I buy a lot of different styles and dubstep was just the logical progression in my music tastes.
I think the turning point was when I went to see Kode 9 playing in Rotterdam in 2005. That sealed the deal.
You’re the first dubstep label to come out of Ireland right? Is there a big scene for dubstep in Ireland?
I think I was first by default... The label was up and running and I moved back here around the same time… there is another label based in Galway called Dub Culture.
There is a decent scene and you can and will see almost all the brand names. Some of the nights I have been to have been great but the scene seems to be centralised in Dublin. Everything in Ireland seems to centre around Dublin though (public transport, money, work, clubs etc)
Do you see yourself as sitting on the periphery of the scene? Geographically as well as in terms of the music you’re releasing…
Well I have no real choice about being on the periphery of the scene living where I do in Ireland, but I have always been an outsider when it comes to scenes, I tend to be more into the music and not the scene. As regards the label being on the periphery, I don't have aloof ideas of what it’s about or what it stands for; it is what it is really.
Obviously Instra:mental and Breakage are crossing some kind of invisible genre divide by making more 140bpm music. Did they need convincing or were you just tapping into the well of beats sitting on their hard drives?
I met Instra:mental via Martyn and kept up communication, they are real good guys and really into what they do and they wanted to help me out with the label so they gave me ‘Futurist’ and the rest is history, I’ll be eternally grateful to them as it turned out to be something very special to me.
Instra:mental - Futurist [Naked Lunch]
Do you think DnB producers bring something else to 140bpm music?
I suppose they bring their take on what dubstep should sound like, some get it right and turn out something pretty original and some of it just ‘sounds’ like a DnB producer making dubstep.
What else have you got coming up this year? More releases/gigs etc
I don't know about gigs, I have a few things lined up but like I said in dance music it seems you have to be a producer to get gigs, the age of the DJ died around 96... If anyone wants to book me drop me a line.
On the label front next up will be a 10" by Scuba which hopefully will be out soon. I’m just waiting on the artwork then it can be sent for mastering. Following that will be a 10"from a Detroit legend Sherard Ingram aka Urban Tribe/Stingray313/Drexciya, then something from Instra:mental and lots more stuff which will all be revealed in due time.
The forthcoming tracks can be heard on the myspace page
Tell us a little about the mix you have done for us, what tracks just had to be in there?
There is no concept behind the mix it’s just a selection of tunes I’m playing out when I do DJ. I play records a lot, it’s my way of relaxing and every now and then I smoke a joint and record what I’m doing; sometimes it turns out real good other times its shite.
I had to put the Omar-S tunes in there as they just turned up in the mail last week and I’m going through a real Omar-S phase now.
What is the thing that is most exciting you at the moment in the bass music scene?
How there seems to be a blurring between all the styles, it’s nice to hear DJ playing across the board and having people being into it and not turning their nose up at it - something that never happens in DnB… when you go to a DnB night you get only DnB - at least at some of the nights I go to…
Have you got anything else you want to tell us, words of wisdom for our readers?
Think hard about the reasons for starting a label. If your reason is to get DJ gigs or status then don’t bother. If your reason is to get music heard that you truly believe in regardless of who made it, then go ahead and work as hard as you can to get it realised.
Stingray313 – Sphere of Influence (forthcoming on Nakedlunch) Instra:mental – Temptations (forthcoming on Disfigured Dubs) Untold – Reminder [Ramadanman Remix] (Unreleased) A Made Up Sound – Closer (A Made Up Sound) Dj G & Headhunter – Spacecake (Subway) Scuba – Speak – (forthcoming on Nakedlunch) Unknown – Untitled (Unknown) Pearson Sound – Psln (forthcoming on Hessle Audio) Jaques Palminger - Tudeldub Remixe [Shackleton Remix] (Pudel Produkte) Cooly G – Narst (Hyperdub) Omar s – The Further You Look The Less You Will See (FHXE) Martyn – For Lost Relatives (AUS Music) Sperix – Structure & Function (Unreleased) Moderat – Rusty Nails [Shackleton Remix] (BPitch Control) Unknown - Untitled (Unknown) Instra:mental – Leave It All Behind (Applepips) Omar s – U (FHXE)
Floating Points aka Sam Shepherd just put together a tough mix for fabric's new blog. Including an in depth interview its one of the most revealing insights I've read about FP's music and musical lineage so far...
Various Production - Lost (Actress Remix) Falty DL - To London Marcellus Pittman - There's Somebody Out There Omar S - Psychotic Photosynthesis Brothers' Vibe - Step Into It Pangaea - Bear Witness Martyn - Vancouver (2562's Puur Natuur Dub)
