READ/DOWNLOAD: Drowned In Sound - 10 Years Of Dubstep

Sonic Router contributor Rory Gibb has taken the reigns over at the respected music portal, Drowned In Sound, this week, putting together a series of articles on a decade of dubstep. Already featuring an interview with FaltyDL, and opinion pieces documenting the rise of Skull Disco and the scene in general he's put together a mix chronicalling the genesis of our main squeeze.

All the articles are (to be) collated here: http://drownedinsound.com/lists/10-years-of-dubstep

STREAM: 25 Tracks: A dubstep chronology



Direct Download (Via Megaupload)

Link:
http://drownedinsound.com

Photo: Nico Hogg

RECOMMENDED: T++ - Wireless [Honest Jon’s]

So we reach the final transmission from Torsten Profrock’s ever compelling T++ project and as its final notes fade to nothingness it’s difficult not to feel a sense of sadness that his pairing with the Honest Jon’s label has come to a standstill so swiftly; when this one contains his most fully realised music yet. One cursory spin instantly reveals why. Spiralling ominously just within earshot, its source material stalks Wireless, lending these four tracks a sense of hanging dread but also, more importantly, a tangible presence in the physical world. Profrock has certainly taken full advantage of the sampling possibilities the Honest Jon’s back catalogue opened up – the label describes it as a kind of ‘remix project’, as each track has at its heart some of the label’s oldest 78 recordings of African music.

Working with this kind of disintegrating matter couldn’t be more right for T++. His music has always both signified and amplified the processes of decay, deconstructing his influences – techno, jungle, two-step – down to their barest elements before reanimating them with a blast of electricity. His remix of Shackleton’s ‘Death Is Not Final,’ itself a dusty approximation of flesh falling from bones, creaked like the undead: hard and permanent as ancient granite but also fluid, shot through with jittery junglist breaks and irresistible forward momentum. The same is true of Wireless, where he resurrects the musicians who originally recorded these tracks – at this point, who knows whether they’re dead or alive? - and gives each a new and eerily eternal life.

So during ‘Anyi’ voices rise and fall through the mix, accompanied by buzzing melodies that surface only to fall away under the weight of sub-bass and brittle percussion. His production is as gritty as ever, and placed alongside samples with such a weight of history manages to change the properties of his music to something more primitive than programmed. This is deeply ritualistic stuff – the metal wasps that buzz furiously around ‘Cropped’ moan like mourners at a burial rite, while its furiously driven pace brings to mind a macabre Day Of The Dead parade.

Of course, for all its neatly theoretical properties this is still dance music, and it fulfils that role far more directly than any previous T++ material. ‘Dig’ shuffles like garage, driven with hard edged pulses of sub-bass, and ‘Voice No Bodies’ operates on so many levels that it’s almost impossible to know which element your body is tracking. Both haunted and haunting, heady and hugely physical, Wireless is the most complete and rounded release in T++’s catalogue. It’s a shame the project’s come to an end, but if this is anything to go by whatever Profrock does next will be just as exciting.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
T++ on Discogs

SPECIAL OFFER: 20% Off At High Rise Clothing

January is commonly known as a time for rash purchases. You've been there, clambering over everyone else in the overcrowded, overheated shop just to get a shirt you kind of like because its £10 cheaper than the usual asking price.

In an attempt to give you something you might actually want we've teamed up with High Rise Clothing - the Bristol based tee shirt outlet stocking exclusive designs from Monsta and Spam Chop as well as Punch Drunk, If Symptoms Persist and Skull Disco label tees - to give Sonic Router readers a juicy little discount.

• Head over to the shop.
• Enter the code 'sonicrouter' at the check out stage (in the discount code field - natch).
• Get yourself 20% off.

This offer is valid until the end of January. Stocks are limited, so act fast.

Link:
www.highriseclothing.com

READ: Artist Profile: Shackleton

Shackleton returns to the performance fray alongside Scuba, the Moody Boyz and Dub Syndicate at fabric this Friday. Here's a piece written by my hand heralding Shackleton's return in as much stead as oh say... a free version of Logic 9 or an office with actual functioning air conditioning.

READ: Artist Profile: Shackleton

Link:
www.skulldisco.com

PRE-ORDER: Mordant Music - Picking O'er The Bones [Mordant Music]

New compilation CD from Mordant Music featuring much overlooked tracks from the Godfather of skeletal dubstep, Shackleton.

Read the full review here: http://www.factmagazine.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2719&Itemid=84

Link:
www.myspace.com/mordantmusic

INTERVIEW: Appleblim

Laurie Osbourne aslo known as Appleblim, is possibly one of the best monikered producer/DJs in dubstep. Alongside his genre spanning sets he birthed one of the most fiercley exceptional record labels Skull Disco alongside Sam Shackleton, releasing 10 vinyl singles and 2 double CD compilations of uber percussive, techno flecked dubstep. Bringing this new wave of minimal production to dubstep’s mainstream conscious with the release of his Dubstep Allstars mix on Tempa its been non step for Mr. Osbourne ever since.

His new label Apple Pips is now on its 5th release with platters in your local shop from people like Martyn, Jus Wan, T++ and Ramadanman. Taking over the 2nd room of The Arches in London on Friday night gave us the perfect opportunity to corner ‘Blim and quiz him on a few things.

Sonic Router: Can you give those who may not know you a little bit of background info? What you do, releases etc?

Appleblim: The names Appleblim, I DJ house, dubstep, techno, whatever takes my fancy! I ran Skull Disco with Shackleton… now running Apple Pips!

What’s the ethos behind the Apple Pips label?

Simply to release great music…

What tasty 12” shaped Pips do you have lined up?

Ooooh loads - got stuff coming from Brackles, Will Saul & Mike Monday, Ramadanman, Greena and many more!

You have secured some tracks and remix from some of techno’s main men, from Brendon Moeller to T++ and the Sven Wiseman. How did they come about and what drew them into playing around with the dubstep sound?

They were all kinda cool coincidences from musical connections - T++ I met when I first went to Berlin and visited the legendary Hardwax record store. I’d been a fan since ‘97 and hadnt worked out T++ was Resilent, Various Artists, Erosion and all these other great records I loved from that era!

Brendon and Shackleton had been in touch, him and Francois K have been supporters of the Skull Disco sound for quite some time, so it was natural to ask him for a remix. Ramadanman had been in touch with Sven, and he'd delivered a great remix of ‘Humber,’ it all just slipped into place really!

I am very honoured to be releasing music by these people - a dream come true.



Have you got any more plans to work with Shackleton in the near future? How’s the elusive fella doing?

He’s very well, writing some amazing music, playing some amazing shows, and there will be some very interesting stuff from him in the not too distant future! There are no plans to work together yet but you never know!

I’ve noticed you’ve been doing a lot of collaborations lately (Berkane Sol 12” with Geiom, remix with Komanazmuk) What do you like about working with others and how did they come about?

I like the vibe of bouncing ideas off people, it makes being in the studio exciting I think. When it all comes together and your grooving over a beat that came out of nowhere, thats the best feeling ever! I find that hard to get on my own...

When can we expect some of your own (solo) material to drop again?

Release wise keep your eyes and ears out for a remix of Brendon Moeller by myself and Komonazmuk, and 'Sous le Sable' a house tune by me and Ramadanman coming on Aus Music real soon!

Anything else you’d like to plug?

We also have our first Apple Pips showcase night in Bristol at Native on May 1st with Will Saul, Brackles, Greena and myself. Also gonna be a really cool night, loads of different music, funky, house, techno, dubstep, garage, an extra sound system in a nice little club - come down!

Link:
http://www.myspace.com/appleblim

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We Fear Silence presents A Bunch of Cuts
Friday 17th April 2009
10pm - 6am

Room 1 - A Bunch of Cuts: Marcus Intalex, Calibre, D Bridge, Doc Scott, Klute plus guests, Break, Survival
MCs: SP:MC, Justyce, DRS
Room 2 – Apple Pips: Appleblim (2hrs), Peverelist, Geiom, Brackles, Greena

The Arches, 51-53, Southwark Street, London Bridge, London, SE1 1RU.
Tube Station: London Bridge

::



Apple Pips’ spanking new signee Greena recently put together a mix for our good buddies at FACT. An extreme mixture of tracks and styles it offers a little glimpse of the melting pot you might get to immerse yourself in at either of the Apple Pip nights.

DOWNLOAD: Greena – FACT mix 41

Tracklisting:

DJ Tameil - Body
Cybotron - Clear
Andrea Parker feat. DJ Assault & DJ Godfather - Freaky Bitches
>>Wonder - What (Geeneus Remix)
Trim - The Lowdown
Lil Silva - Funky Pulse
Crazy Cousinz feat. Kyla - Do You Mind
NB Funky - Riddim Box
Greena - Actual Pain (forthcoming Applepips)
>>>> Shackleton - Blood on my Hands
>> Geoim - Seventy Four
Rustie - Throw Some Ds
Hard House Banton - Siren
More Fire Crew - Oi
Drop The Lime - Hear Me (Buraka Som Sistema remix)
>> Shackle ton - New Dawn
The Bug feat. Flowdan - Jah War
Ikonika - Sahara Michael (forthcoming Hyperdub)
>> Timbaland - Ayo Techology
>>>> Clipse feat. Pharrell - Mr. Me Too
Greena - Vansan Remix
Joker - Digidesign
>> Kraftwerk - Boing Boom Tschak
Joe - Rut
Martyn - Suburbia
Wiley - I’m A Sinner
Zed Bias - Ring the Alarm
El-B - Serious
Pangaea - Memories
Burial - Unite