It’s deceptively easy to get swept away in the constant barrage of new material coming from the post-garage/dubstep/UK-bass axis. Individual stand out pieces of music often end up fading into the background in favour of an unbroken mass of newness. The end result is a feeling of quantity over quality, or at the very least a serious case of split attention span. That feeling has escalated over the last couple of years as the scene’s increasingly gone global and split off into a thousand different strands. But once in a while something comes along that forces you to sit back and take stock for a little while, or holds your undivided love and attention for long enough to ignore the masses of sound streaming past on either side.
Drew Lustman’s music under his FaltyDL moniker is one of those rare things. Nothing he’s released thus far has fallen below the ‘utterly essential’ benchmark, largely because it so rarely stands still. Rather than remaining content to churn out 12” after 12” of re-arranged but essentially identical sounds, everything he’s put out so far - from the US/UK hybrid garage of Love Is A Liability to Endeavour’s restrained house experiments – has stood totally apart from its predecessors. In essence, Lustman is one of the very few musicians operating within this sphere that use their influences like gene pools to draw upon for individual flashes of inspiration, rather than allowing them to restrict the breadth of their ambitions.
That’s the reason he appears to be so strikingly original – with only a love of Luke Vibert and early breakcore binding everything together, his shifts between tempo passing those sounds through various different filters: house, garage, dubstep, electronica. ‘Regret’, his forthcoming contribution to Hotflush’s Back & 4th label compilation, is one of the most sophisticated examples of that approach so far. After allowing a bass-less breakbeat to gather momentum and intensity over a backdrop of swelling ambience, Lustman finally allows all it’s pent up tension to release in a deft two-step groove. It’s both utterly energizing and curiously relaxing, as though by suspending hyperspeed drums in mid-air he strips them of their grounded, floor-filling effect. It’s a similar trick to the one used by ambient junglists like LTJ Bukem and Source Direct - accelerating breakbeats to the point at which they’re faster than the body’s metabolism; when, as Simon Reynolds writes, “rhythm itself becomes a susurrating, soothing stream of ambience.”
And Lustman certainly deserves to be ranked at the same level as the pioneers. He’s not merely regurgitating his influences - he’s remoulding them into the shape of a unique and exciting cross-Atlantic narrative. His new single ‘Hip Love’ for Ramp (his last before fantastic new album You Stand Uncertain is released on Planet Mu) is ample evidence of that, as it’s probably his finest single track so far. Once again set around rapid-fire programmed beats that form a curiously downbeat backdrop, he playfully sets shards of brass and a yearning vocal sample to ricochet across its surface, occasionally colliding in glorious flashes of harmony. The end result is at once exhilarating and exhausting, and imbued with more emotion (both implicit and explicit) than almost anything yet to have emerged from the fray surrounding dubstep. Yeah, it’s that good.
On the flipside, Jamie XX’s remix would always have struggled to match the stunning original, and it’s to his credit that he doesn’t attempt to. Rather, he builds an entirely different sort of track around it base elements, a thick drumfunk that swings unsteadily back and forth before dropping to the floor. It’s a surprisingly unique take on bass-heavy floor music, and bodes well for his upcoming Gil Scott Heron remix album.
Rudi Zygadlo’s Great Western Laymen album, released last year on Planet Mu, was something of a triumph that saw him mix weighty low end with his own brand of whimsy, borderline operatic song writing. Tracks like ‘Resealable Friendship’ start in full choral effect before Zygaldo unleashes the best synthesized parts of the 1980s all over his simplistic drum patterns. His bubbly instrumentals came across completely different, fully harnessing the luminescence of skweee with a distinctly layered approach to production.
Since his album release Rudi’s been on something of a mission, performing his gloriously peculiar brand of music in front of people. Come January 17th he’s giving out two tracks that in his own words are “essentially reworks of ‘Filthy Logic’ and ‘Manuscripts Don’t Burn.’ I can’t really justify physically releasing them so here they are free of (obligatory) charge,” so we quickly caught up with him to learn us and you a little bit more about his forthcoming music.
SR: What have you been up to since the album release? How are you finding performing your music to people?
Rudi Zygadlo: Touring, somewhat sporadically, which has been bizarre. And I suppose it’s been a maiden voyage, having never really played live or otherwise before the release of the album. It's really a gratifying experience, having people appreciate your stuff live and recognizing the sounds you made whimsically in your bedroom.
What’s the deal with the new material? Is it a departure for you?
The next release is certainly a development. Hopefully a maturation of the sounds you have heard on Laymen but in some cases, a simplification. I found producing the first album a fairly painless and fluid process. Most of the tracks took a day or two pen and the most burdensome part was writing lyrics. That has since changed. I guess on Laymen… I put all my ideas out there hurriedly and excitedly. Now the task involves trying break new ground and not repeat myself.
Alas these, two tracks are covers of myself, haha.
Rudi Zygadlo – Kiss the Braille Mirror
Why give this out for free?
Yeah so ‘Don't Distrub the Beast’s' are reworks of Laymen tracks, ‘Filthy Logic’ and ‘Manuscripts Don't Burn.’ I wanted to give those of you who supported me and enjoy my music something to hear while I finish and get round to releasing new material.
What else is coming up for you in 2011?
I am planning a release this year on Mu - the material is pretty much finished - a bunch of new songs and some instrumentals.
Bristolian producer Gemmel Phillips, better known by his shortened nickname Gemmy, blossomed out of the so called ‘purple’ quagmire. Spearheaded by fellow producers Joker and Guido, the trio’s penchant for naggingly catchy leads and squalling computer funk made them an instant hit in the dubstep world, servicing beats that were often drastically different to the deep and pressing bass loaded soundscapes. Feeding more off the energy and insistency of grime music, Gemmy’s debut release on the Punch Drunk label – a Bristol based label famed for bringing the emerging sounds of the South West to the wider world – ‘Bk II The Future’ b/w ‘Bass Transmitter’ wailed and staggered through contrasting synth lines.
Inebriated with the sound, his consequent release for the Planet Mu label ‘Supligen’ rewired the template whilst the flip side, ‘BT Tower,’ showed a different side to his productions, positively bruising speaker stacks with its pummeling array of low end frequencies. Following it up with the ‘Jonny 5’ double pack – again on Planet Mu – it was obvious Gemmy’s sound was maturing, deviating rhythmically from the halfstep template, he riddled the stand out track ‘Dolla Digital,’ with tom tom rolls piled on top of erratic snares.
Hard at work on his debut album, he's just dropped a freebie ahead of his performance at fabric on the 24th, which you can download below.
Over the last couple of years, since the dazzling blast of Ikonika’s ‘Please’ first electrified listeners, the impact of the sort of hyperchromatic fare she’s renowned for putting together has dulled slightly. Its less due to any failings on her part – or on the part of many producers writing tracks within similar regions – than a sense of over familiarity, the deliciously new and alien feel of those early tracks gradually settling down to something approaching a formula. Having said that, out of the many synth driven mutations currently bursting out of dubstep’s cracked exoskeleton Ikonika’s sound retains an intangible brilliance that’s tough to isolate in many of her contemporaries. The muggy, lo-fi feel of her excellent Contact Love Want Have album was a welcome shot of gritty adrenaline, and this follow-up EP on Planet Mu retains many of its traits to much the same effect.
The DCKHDBTCH EP, then, is Ikonika doing what Ikonika does best. Hardly a complaint when what she does is so compulsive, though the tunes here largely fit with the languid flow of the first half of her album than the jet-propelled pace of the final few tracks. The title track will be instantly recognisable to anyone who’s been to see her play in the last year or so, though taken apart from the sheer pace and frenetic energy of her DJ sets it’s a considered move though purple-tinted territory. ‘Ingredients’ is cut from the same cloth, riding off a peculiar broken beat that never really goes anywhere, instead choosing to hang somewhere in space between head and floor. That’s perhaps the one criticism it’s possible to level at the EP – it’s a little tough to figure out where it’s supposed to take you – though as usual her ability to infuse even the most wispy tracks with a real sense of melancholy remains fully intact. Final track ‘Shouldn’t Be Here’ is its real gem then, all muted synth pads and distant vocals over a slow-mo house pulse. It points in an entirely new direction for her music, as it drifts into view and remains for what feels like an all too brief moment before disappearing again.
As insanely prolific as Drew Lustman is, it’s still been possible to trace a definite forward shift in his music, between the glassy urban surfaces of last year’s excellent Love Is A Liability long-player and Bravery’s cooler, more reflective ambience (and again between this year’s housey All In The Place EP and this new release for Planet Mu). Phreqaflex is the first of two new 12” releases for the label, showcasing the two-step side of his musical persona before the slower moves of Endeavour. And it’s both instantly recognisable as FaltyDL – it’s nigh on impossible to mistake a Lustman production for anything else, what with his fragmented grasp of melody and the distinctive swish of his hi-hats – and a definite progression, experimenting with downcast moods and a strikingly coherent sense of pace. All three tracks are short, pensive and exist in a peculiar vacuum, as though viewed inside the modern equivalent of a snowglobe.
The title track has been appearing in sets here and there over the last few months, and it’s the closest Falty’s productions have come to the sort of dark swing pioneered by the likes of El-B and Horsepower Productions. Still, where those early tracks were marked by an almost total absence of light, ‘Phreqaflex’ is set in a car speeding through the cosmopolitan night, lit up with streaks of halogen light and the odd fragment of music spilling from the doors of local bars. ‘Because You’ is set in the same twilit landscape but is beset by a deep, unnerved sense of melancholy, as though reeling from the aftermath of an sudden and unexpected break-up. That narrative is made more explicit in final track ‘My Friends Will Always Say’, led by a supremely lonely vocal and jazzy, In A Silent Way-esque key work, bringing an end to a tantalisingly brief experience. Here’s hoping for album number two soon; there are very few producers out there operating with Lustman’s sheer consistency.
For a label that could so easily have been left lumped in with the stigmatised IDM set, Planet Mu’s not half managed to pull itself well away from any easy pigeon holing. The last few years – since they aligned themselves to the nascent dubstep scene, really, athough it’s been most apparent since that sound has branched off in all directions – have seen an explosion in diversity quite separate from almost any other imprint out there. In that sweeping statement I also include Hyperdub, which along with Mu has probably done more than almost any label in recent memory to break out of its comfort zone and head off on exciting detours. But while Kode9’s baby has remained beholden to variants on a localized theme (no bad thing, mind), Planet Mu seems to have disregarded them completely. This year alone, alongside snippets from the usual bass set – Ikonika, Jamie Vex’d/Kuedo, Swindle, Terror Danjah – has seen them snap up albums from both footwork maestro DJ Nate and unknown chillwavers Solar Bears. Hardly sticking to a rigid formula then.
London based Barcelona man Oriol Singhji definitely fits into the latter category. His Night & Day album is a set of sunkissed, superheated instrumentals that effortlessly align with the kind of retrofuturistic funk peddled by Floating Points and Onra. But his sound carries a definite emphasis on the ‘retro’, making easy reference to jazz-funk, Weather Report and Miami Vice, amongst other rose-tinted memories. That a certain seventies charm thoroughly permeates all the remixes on the Coconut Coast EP is, I suppose, testament to how convincing Oriol’s vision is. The title track is wildly addictive, kicking off with a gust of warm synth before heading off on a defiantly downtempo flex, riding ‘round South London with the top rolled down. FaltyDL’s house remix is slow and foreboding, pivoting around a lovely broken beat, and Jake Slazenger’s take on ‘Memories’ is hot and sumptuous, as befitting the source material. Shortstuff’s ‘Memories’ remix is the best of the three though, and it’s brilliantly deceitful, opening with the sort of jittery moves that you’d expect of a Blunted Robot but remaining unexpectedly contemplative throughout.
File in the ‘cider in a field on a hot summer’s day’ section.
Today's been a big day for sharing... so in the spirit of the thing Gemmy - in a probably unrelated act of kindness - has upped his remix of La Roux's 'Quicksand' to soundcloud for a free DL. First thing from him in a while...
Swindle comes at the dubstep/grime melee from a different angle, he can drop melodic funk or dirty rave bombs at the drop of a hat. His last outing on Planet Mu came on the form of a quality funked up remix of Terror Danjah’s ‘Zumpi Hunter,’ which blended together like a grime/skweee hybrid, but with the four tracker Air Miles EP he steps out with his own diverse style.
The A-side really throws down some killer material with the eponymous track opening proceedings with Swindle in rave mode making a grime tempered instrumental so twisted I’ve yet to hear an MC ride it right. The energy is embedded in the melodic tension-building intro; pads and skipping percussion lead into a deadly drop that bounces into action hard and ravey like. If you put it next to Terror Danjah’s ‘Acid’ it’s like grime has done a Marty McFly and found its way to ’92, dripping with energy and a massive grin on its face. Another highlight is ‘Daredevil’ which creates some serious hyper funk without veering over the line of cheesy preset midi funk tinkling; it’s big, brash and snappy with big basslines powered instruments that sound like they’re being squeezed through a talk box a-la Tupac’s ‘California Love.’
The flip leaves me a bit colder, ‘Coffee’ and ‘Molly’ have a big beat feel to them when they whip out the tweaked and filtered guitars, and just step over the line from fun to cheese though ‘Molly’ redeems itself with a killer low end that growls and twists with plenty of funk. ‘Coffee’ meanwhile has a good skippy feel to it and brings some hi-tech soul and the production, much like on the EP as a whole, is spot on.
Words: James Balf Out: Tuesday 4th May (Bank Holiday innit)
You can kop Swindle’s recent LuckyMe mixtape here or catch him at Crazylegs in Bristol on the 8th May with Joy Orbison and the one ton heavy Pev meister.
Surefire Sound’s debut release features two fine beat makers in Eprom and FaltyDL. Both bring a skippy garage-esq variant to the table with San Fransisco resident Eprom – here deviating from his more prominent boom bap sound found on his forthcoming Rwina release - brings the source material and New York’s FaltyDL showed us his slant. The two seem to share a love for deeply hypnotic bumping garage, full of twisted, clattering drums and funky basslines that seem to echo with a spectral atmosphere.
Falty gets darker and more spaced out with his take, chopping the drums up into fragmented breaks and making the samples float even more ghostly. The bassline gets dubby and smeared into a pulsing buzz while all the other elements shuffle in all directions. The breakdown melts into sub territory before the breaks and a subtle synth melody takes hold again.
Street Bass don Starkey drops another single from his forthcoming album ‘Ear Drums and Black Holes’ on Planet Mu. After the smooth R&B meets grime episode of ‘Ok Luv’ featuring the vocals of Badness comes another vocal cut but it’s on an entirely different tip. Featuring the vocal stylings of Anneka, who you may recall from Starkey’s ‘Build a Beat’ session on BBC Radio One the other month.
‘Stars’ comes in two forms here; the original is a warm, mellow and cosmic journey, whilst Brighton based beat merchant Slugabed takes that template and shatters it, in a freak experiment that leans it away from the headphones and more towards the dance floor. Anneka shines on both versions, either sweetly floating over the original’s deep space soul or chopped into melodic accents on Sluga’s refix. The remix isn’t as bat-shit as some of Slugabed’s previous material but he adds a nice bit of robo-boogie and keeps the vibe of the original in-between outbursts of smeared bass noise and clattering beats.
The two b-sides see Starkey back in the mode we’re most use to; on ‘Starting Gates’ he unleashes some of his evil bots, who I presume control the basslines as they’re pretty deviant, but as always Starkey’s melodic nature nestles inside the hype within the twisted musical progressions. It’s the wide screen cinematic experience of ‘Millennia’ that really takes the biscuit on the flip, Starkey shows his 3D sound ambition with massive builds full of sweeping synths before launching into a hyper-melodic bass drop and a positive flurry of snappy R&B beats.
His last two EPs, under the Jamie Vex'd and now Kuedo moniker, have been a great departure from the sound he pushed alongside production partner Roly on the Vexd project for Planet Mu. Read more on that here, then go kop the fresh RA podcast from Kuedo himself.
The Creatures - Morning Dawning - Wonderland Mike Slott - Snow Birds Expansion - LuckyMe Kuedo - Glow - Planet Mu Kuedo - Joy Construction - Planet Mu Krystal Klear - Boogie Wan Om Unit - Lightgrids - All City Records Little Dragon - A New (Clay Moon remix) - Peacefrog Mount Kimbie - At Least (Instra:mental remix) - Hotflush Recordings Kuedo - Shutter Light Girl - Planet Mu Kuedo - Shutter Light Girl (Falty DL remix) - Planet Mu Computer Jay - Maintain (Ikonika remix) - Ramp Recordings Rudi Zygadlo - Resealable Friendship (Slugabed remix) - Planet Mu Slugabed - Take Off (Kuedo remix) - Ramp Recordings Starkey - Ok Luv (Instrumental) - Planet Mu Kuedo - Starfox - Planet Mu Zomby - Mercury's Rainbow Rudi Zygadlo - Resealable Friendship (Doshy remix) - Planet Mu Diplo - Boi (Zomby remix) SDUK - Clunge - Slit Jockey Records Starkey - Pressure Points - Planet Mu Sully - In Some Pattern - Keysound Recordings Ramadanman - Work It Tiago - Babel Fish - Rush Hour Low Limit - Trapper Keeper Loops Haunt - Rubber Sun Grenade - Fortified Audio Comanechi - Close Enough to Kiss (Ghost Hunter remix) - Merok Clark - Future Daniel - Warp Records Alva Noto - Xerrox Phaser Acat 1 - Raster-Noton Tim Hecker - Harmony in Blue II - Kranky Mike Slott - The Now - LuckyMe
Catch him for free alongside Scuba, Untold and Mike Slott at the T Bar this Thursday.
The internet is a beautiful thing when two hot to trot producers can get to link up over it. Here's the result, an exclusive, heavy as fuck 2 minute + remix of Slugabed's 'Pressure' by Belgian producer Dynooo.
New clip from Starkey, succinctly timed before the release of his sophomore album, 'Ear Drums & Black Holes' on Planet Mu, due 19th April - though this is him embracing his compositional side. An orchestral work rather than the brash street bass fuelled energy fans are used to.
January's URB.com column just went live-o with discussion points ranging from Shortstuff & Hyetal to the new double pack Pangaea EP, Airhead & James Blake, Kuedo, Joy Orbison, Slugabed, Low Limit & Lando Kal, Martyn (and his forthcoming bunch of remixes) plus word on long players from Scuba and Starkey.
Veteran grime producer Terror Danjah has been producing his own strain of grime since day dot as part of both the Aftershock camp and the Nasty Crew before breaking out and making beats for the biggest names in the scene. Last year the Planet Mu label released an instrumental retrospective of his productions, entitled ‘Gremlinz’ it brought his unique horror film funk style into focus for a whole new audience.
This year he’s set to continue that trend, doling a few more of his productions out to Kode 9's Hyperdub label, oft reffered to as seminal across the specturm of December 2009's end of year polls; and the freshly birthed Butterz imprint. With a truck load of history and a bright future we thought it was high time we pinned him down for a chat...
Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?
Terror Danjah: I am a producer from East London, one the original pioneers of Grime. I started of as a jungle/drum & bass DJ; I ran my own crew called Reckless Crew, members included where D Double E, Hyper, Bruza, Triple Threat (known as Lethal MC), Scratcha DVA, Mayhem, & DJ Interlude. In early 2003 I started my own label called Aftershock, which had big releases such as Crazy Titch 'I Can See U,' 'Cock Back' by myself which featured Hyper, Crazy Titch, D Double E & Riko, 'Get Me' by Bruza, 'So Sure' by myself featuring Sadie Ama & Kano, 'Frontline' by Big-E-D, 'So Contagious' by myself featuring Shola Ama & D Double, etc etc…
More recently, I have released two instrumental CD's 'Zip Files Vol. 1' and 'Gremlinz, The Instrumentals 2003 -2009' via Planet Mu. A vinyl EP entitled 'Industry Standard part 4' which includes Swindle's 'Zumpi Huntah' remix & 'Sidechain' is also on Planet Mu and theres the 'Hardrive Grime Compilation (Hardrive volumes 1 & 2).'
Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily?
I don't do anything but music. I'm sad really…
How did you first get into making music? What was it that infected you to do produce?
Well when I was a Jungle DJ, I wanted specials with my name in it, and I started to put my name in tunes. A lot of the drum & bass producers where tight with giving out tunes, you had be apart of the elite to get tunes. It was hard most times but I got lucky, DJ SS, Pascal, Bad Company, Brockie, Shy Fx, DJ Kane all used to look after me. That's when I decided to make my own tunes, mainly because I was getting all the tunes to compete.
What’s your production set up like?
A Quad Core PC (yes a PC lol), EMU 1820m soundcard, Neuman U87 Mic, Liquid Mix pre channel, KVK 12" Monitors speakers, Cubase 5, M-Audio Radium Controller Keyboard, Sony DAT machine, and billions of sly VST's & VSTi's (now that really would be telling… mwahahaha)!
How would you describe your sound to someone zoning in for the first time?
I couldn't, I have too many different styles, its hard, some of my sound is minimal techy, some days more R&B and hip hop like, other days ther'es a drum & bass influence… I dunno where to start…
What inspires you musically?
Different things like watching films, new VSTi's plugins and sample packs/sample CDs… going to different types of raves where I wouldn't normally go… hearing new albums or new tunes from every genre. Even sometimes being pissed off inspires me!
Your sound is really unique and not just the cackle; you’ve got this heavy funk, wide screen horror sound track thing going on. What draws you to the sounds you use/make do they just come instinctively?
I guess its more instinctively, growing up in the 80's & 90's listening to Jackson 5, Earth Wind & Fire, Afrikka Bambatta through to Notorious BIG, Tupac, Wu Tang etc has left an impact on me.
You’ve collaborated with some quality grime producers recently with DOK, Rudekid and Swindle, what do you like about hooking up with those guys and have you got more in the works with them or any others?
I rate them guys highly, I like collaborating with other producers like how MCs/artist would. It brings a fresh sound to whats already there. A new mix and blend.
You’ve worked with some of the biggest MCs in grime; do you have a favourite vocal of one of your beats?
Its quite hard to say, it depends what mood I'm in, but if I had to pick a favourite, it would be 'So Sure.'
Are you working with more vocalists at the moment?
Not really, I'm more concentrating on myself as a Producer/DJ. I'm getting back to my roots of making instrumentals, but saying that, I have submitted tracks for D Double E, Smurfie Syco, Griminal & Mz Bratt's albums.
Tell us a bit about the latest Hardrive compilation; what’s the thinking behind those?
My motive for 'Hardrive' was really to showcase my diversity as a producer and to highlight a few artists that weren't getting heard like One 4 One & Dream Mclean, Yazmin etc. Also there aren't hardly any grime compilations out there. I wanted to stray away from the name mixtape, because I didn't feel like it was an album as such.
Your retrospective Gremlinz on Planet Mu really got you attention from people all over the place that maybe weren’t following grime very intently before; tell us about how that comp came about?
I had featured on Mary Anne Hobb's 'Warrior Dubs' compilation, which was released on Planet Mu. I had tune on there called 'Give It To Em' which featured Mz Bratt & Bruza. Mike from Planet Mu contacted me and suggested the idea, and I was on it. The 'Gremlinz' album actually gave me a new lease of life, I didn't realise alot of people never knew I existed (I guess I was caught up in the whole grime bubble...).
Having the album out on Planet Mu really opened doors for me, so I have to thank Mike and all the Planet Mu staff!
What was your favourite instrumental from it and what did it mean to be put out there by that kind of label?
'Zumpi Huntah' is still one of my favourites; I didn't think about making the tune, it just made it self. Because I mostly had my own label Aftershock, I didn't feel the need to release my tunes any where else but I'm actually glad I've released my tunes with other labels; they each have different reaches, outlets and their own cult following!
You’ve got releases coming on Hyperdub and Butterz, tell us a bit about those tracks and how the hook ups came about?
I've known Kode 9 for while, he's the main reason why the interest is all on me, I've kinda known but never really realised that throughout the years Kode has been playing all my old material. Over the last 12 months people have been asking me like, "I've heard Kode 9 playing a new version this and that etc etc..." I always get confused by people asking for tunes that had been released in 2003 so obviously I had to return the favour and do something on Kode's label, Hyperdub!
I made two tracks on the Hyperdub release, 'Acid' & 'Pro Plus.''Acid' is like a ravey type of track thats got the elements of acid rave era synth stabs; Kode said it reminds him of 'Charley Says' by The Prodigy. Also there's an 8 bar drum & bass build up going through the track a few times to help split it up, plus theres a minimal tech sort of bridge. 'Pro Plus' is a more typical grime track; its myself and D.O.K collaborating on the production.
I know Elijah [from Butterz] through Loudmouth. Over the last year he and myself have been talking a lot about grime music and he told me that he wanted to start a label. The jokes thing about 'Bipolar' and 'Air Bubble' - which both feature on 'The Bipolar EP' - is that he was on the phone while I was making them! The EP also features D.O.K remix of 'Sidechain.'
What do you want to see happen in grime this year?
More proper and stable releases… more raves and more singing vocals on grime tunes but not the cheesy ones, lol!
Will you be DJing more in 2010?
Yeah defo, I'm full time DJ now, a mans got to eat! My bookings are already stacking up, I got Dublin, Glasgow, Nottingham and a few London dates coming.
What else have you got on the horizon with your music in 2010?
Along with the Hyperdub and Butterz 12s, I've got releases on True Tiger and No Hats No Hoods. I don't wanna say too much, I gotta keep the element of surprise, so just keep your eyes peeled at myspace.com/terrordanjah and twitter.com/terrordanjah.
Finally, have you got any words of wisdom for our readers?
Don't listen to no one, follow your heart and gut feeling. Take this music game with a pinch of salt whether its good or bad.
Ahead of his 2nd album for Planet Mu, 'Ear Drums & Black Holes,'Starkey speaks to the fabric Blog in anticipation of his Room 1 debut at the London club on the 15th January.
They've also given out a mix initially recorded for Redlight's BBC 1xtra Radio show...
