SR Mix #76: Outboxx [Immerse]

Bristol’s Immerse Records were one of the first people to really support this site, with their label boss Kidkut providing one of our first mixes and with their output. Having released a texturally brilliant album by Kontext called Dissociate, along with a steady stream of great 12”s last year (from people like XI, Arkist, Late, Simon/off and Cloak & Dagger) their first release of 2011 comes from Outboxx, a pairing of Bristolian producers pushing a decidedly more house tempoed groove.

Jacob Martin (who also produces as Hodge - his excellent ‘Conjecture’ is out now digitally through Pollen) and Matt Lambert’s debut 12” under the moniker, ‘Kate Libby’s’ b/w ‘Bertie’s Groove,’ feels live, as if it was somewhat improvised during a particularly fruitful session. ‘Bertie’s Groove’ is overly infectious, the lush chord and bass progression splintering off into shards of pure sunshine, whilst ‘Kate Libby’s’ is more stripped back, powered by the constant shuffle of the handclap. Outboxx’s is purist house music; a little ponderous, produced with a sheen and built with a steady injection of musicality – something that doesn’t surprise when the duo’s partnership is broken down into specific roles.

With news of their second single being signed to Well Rounded’s house music offshoot, Well Rounded Housing Project, we caught up with the guys to peddle our snapshot Q&A and grab our 76th Sonic Router Mix - an extended session though likeminded grooves.

SR: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info? Whats the Ouboxx project all about?

Jake: It’s just us jamming, having some fun and making some music!

It’s more straight up house music. Is that something you’ve always been interested in? Are you influenced by certain producers or tracks?

Jake: Yeah we are. Loads of them. We’re generally influenced by music that sounds kinda raw and crackly… lots of 80s funk, garage and house music...

You are a duo. How does the partnership work in the studio?

Matt : I’m on the keys...

Jake: I’m on the computer making the beats, the partnership works well – it’s fun. We basically just jam...

I know you producer other stuff under different names but how did you first get into making this kind of music? What was it that infected you to do so?

Jake : When we make music we don’t really have an idea or direction at first, just jam for a while and see what happens. We both are really into a wide range of music and what we are making is a result of that.

Matt : I’ve played keys for more than 10 years on and off and been in a few funk bands and am interested to keep up that side of things as well but I’m getting more and more into electronic/dance music by the day. I’m influenced by people like Benji B, Gilles Peterson – People that generally play good music.

What’s your production set up like?

Jake: The set up is Matt’s Nord, some AKG mics, a R-09hr and Cubase. The hand held recorder is really important as it enables us to use field recordings; the voice in Kate Libby’s is a recording of shouting at a fireworks display. The keys on the tracks are all audio, no midi, we generally try and just get one takes from Matt to give the music a natural feel.



You’re Bristol based. The city has a shining reputation for dubstep/bass music in general, how is the house scene down there? Is it something you go out to a lot?

Jake: It seems the genres are really blending in Bristol, currently when going out you end up hearing a mix of genres which is what we love. There’s always something exciting going on in Bristol, for example this weekend we went down and saw 2562 play in the Idle Hands record store which was amazing, such a great, intimate atmosphere.

Immerse has often represented more of a dancefloor edge, but with releases like the Kontext album, it put itself into slower, more introspective territories. What’s it like to have your first tune out with them?

Jake: Its real cool, Adam Kidkut is a great guy and its nice putting out our first tune through friends in Bristol…. that just kinda makes sense to us. Immerse has some really exciting stuff emerging from less established producers, definitely a label to watch.

And the follow up is on the Well Rounded Housing Project. Can you tell us a bit about that?

Jake: The follow up is two tunes rooted in house music but also a slower hip hop track (‘Brighten My Day’) with Naomi Jeremy which kinda rounds off the release nicely for us. Its great being able to put out what we want with no restrictions on style, Donga is real open minded like that.

Anything else forthcoming?
Jake: Not as of yet, we have a few tunes that we have only just finished so time will tell I guess...

Tell us a little bit about the mix you’ve put together for us…

Jake: The mix is just tunes we are loving at the moment, it ran over an hour and it could have gone on for a lot longer. The mix starts out with some of the slower hip hop stuff we are really feeling and moves into house music. The Behling & Simpson and Portrait guys are ones to watch out for, loving their music... the new Appleblim & October Schmorgasbord release is a killer collaboration. Oh and had to put in the Andy Mac and Kidkut + Arkist tracks. Big big tunes!

Any words of wisdom, for our readers?

Matt : Jakes alright really.

Jake : Don’t try and take a photo with Matt. Ever.

::

DOWNLOAD: Outboxx – Sonic Router Mix #76



Tracklist:

Outboxx - Brighten my day (forthcoming Well Rounded Housing Project)
Sesped - Bastards (forthcoming Pollen)
Deft - Blade Runner Blues (unreleased)
Rob Hindle - Buenos Aires 2am read by Jonathan Tafler (LateNightTales)
Grooveman Spot - Going On (Jazzy Sport)
Portrait - Moving on (forthcoming Well Rounded Housing Project)
Anthony Shakir - Detroit State (Space Dimension Controller Remix) (Rush Hour)
Outboxx - Kate Libby (Immerse)
Chez Damier - Soul Minimal (Mojuba)
Outboxx - Bertie's Groove (Immerse)
Behling and simpson - Politics (unreleased)
Kidkut + Arkist - One Year Later (forthcoming Hot Flush
October & Appleblim - NY Fizzzzzz (forthcoming Smorgasbord)
Kowton - She Don't Jack (Idle Hands)
Andy Mac - Asteroid (forthcoming Punch Drunk)
Gerry Read - Untitled (forthcoming Fourth Wave)
Bakey Ustl - A Tender Place (Unthank)
Vessel - Glitter (unreleased)
Mean Poppa Lean - Personality (Leon remix) (forthcoming Well Rounded Housing Project)
Outboxx -Falling Apart ft Naomi Jeremy (unreleased)
Domu - Save it ft Face (Tru Thoughts)

DOWNLOAD: Appleblim - fabric 'Main Room' Mix

Sonic Router's editor spoke to Apple Pips boss Appleblim ahead of his appearance at fabric on the 12th March and "in Appleblim’s trademark gentlemanly fashion, when we asked him if he had anything on the horizon ahead of the show he went above and beyond both the call of duty and our expectations, providing us with a 90 min mix of super fresh material and giving the world what is probably the first public airing on over 50% of these tracks (only a couple of them are reportedly available at this time)."

Read the full article here and learn about his forthcoming projects and collaborations. You can catch him performing alongside his old Skull Disco cohort Shackleton and Ricardo Villalobos at fabric on 12th March.

DOWNLOAD: Appleblim - fabric 'Main Room' Mix



Tracklist:

1. Butahn Tiger Rescue - Beginner's Waltz - excerpt (Kompakt)
2. October & Borai - I Didn't Mean To (forthcoming Apple Pips)
3. Kowton - She Don't Jack (Idle Hands)
4. Axel Bowman - Naomi (forthcoming Glass Table)
5. October & Appleblim - NY Fizzzzzz (forthcoming Smorgasbord)
6. George Fitzgerald - We Bilateral (forthcoming Hotflush)
7. Al Tourettes - Badger (forthcoming Bloc / Baselogic)
8. SCB - Loss (forthcoming Aus Music)
9. Pulsar - Coconut Shuffle (unreleased)
10. Sunday Roast - Choices (Soulserious)
11. Arkist & Kidkut - Vanilla Imitate (forthcoming Hotflush)
12. Phat Chex - Can't Stop - (unreleased)
13. Paul Woolford - Let It Go - Komonazmuk & Appleblim Remix (forthcoming Intimacy Music)
14. Gatekeeper - Atmosphere Processor (forthcoming Apple Pips)
15. Gatekeeper - Let Us in (forthcoming Apple Pips)
16. Arkist - Fill My Coffee (forthcoming Apple Pips)
17. Gatekeeper & Kidkut – Alpha Apex (unreleased)
18. Gatekeeper & Kidkut - Code Red (unreleased)
19. Arkist - Rendezvous (forthcoming Apple Pips)

RECOMMENDED: Kahn - Like We Used To/Helter Skelter [Punch Drunk]

Accurate or not, there’s always a certain canon that immediately springs to mind when you think of Bristol. The likes of Peverelist, Rob Smith, Headhunter/Addison Groove, Appleblim and Pinch make up part of a core group who’ve had a major hand in developing the scene into its current state of health. Up until fairly recently it felt as though they remained the central hub in the city, but over the last couple of years or so there’s been a real burst of activity from a newer generation of producers taking inspiration from those that came before them. With new music coming from people like Hodge and Artifact on what feels like a daily basis, and the rise (and rise) of Julio Bashmore, it feels as though Bristol is currently poised to unleash another wave of sound on a largely unsuspecting rest of the country.

Kahn’s another one to add to that list; part of the Sureskank collective (which also includes recent Punch Drunk signee Superisk), he’s an established DJ presence within the city already and recently released the garage-infused Altar EP on A Future Without. This new release for Punch Drunk represents a considerable step upward though – along with Superisk’s ‘Find Your Way’ it’s another great example of Peverelist’s seemingly effortless ability to squeeze great tracks out of newer producers. In this case, fitting neatly with their casually hipster-psychedelic (hah) artwork, both ‘Like We Used To’ and ‘Helter Skelter’ wring surprisingly dance-friendly results from tightly meshed layers of synth.

The former betrays a sophisticated grasp of melody and composition, setting a deftly sliced vocal refrain adrift in space above a gradually developing percussive backbone. Impressively, at certain tiny moments the two appear to snag upon one another as momentary harmonies flicker before dissipating. The same trick is used, sans vocals, for ‘Helter Skelter’, which, as its name suggests, spirals around buoyant pulses of effervescent synth and diffuse, skittering percussion that’s not a million miles away from Peverelist’s own signature drum sound. The overall effect is both energising and calming at once, perhaps mimicking that wobbly lucidity it’s only possible to achieve at three or four in the morning, assisted by a headful of sub-bass and cheap booze.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Links:
http://sureskank.blogspot.com
punchdrunkmusic.com

RECOMMENDED: Peverelist & Hyetal – The Hum/rrrr [Punch Drunk]

Punch Drunk serves up a massive collaboration from label boss Peverelist and collaborative tour de force Hyetal, whose first release on the imprint came sharing production duties with Blunted Robot Shortstuff at the turn of the year. Following big singles from each part of this production team - Peverelist’s ‘Better Ways Of Living’ came out recently on Punch Drunk and the freshly minted Orca Records released ‘Pheonix’ from Hyetal a month or so back - it’s not the first time the two producers have worked together with Pev’s remix of Hyetal’s debut release ‘Pixel Rainbow Sequence’ twisting the original in a trippy number that still sounds like nothing else around. This time the two hook up for a duo of original productions with Peverelist’s knack for hypnotic techy dubbed-out sounds and Hyetal’s bittersweet melodic sensibilities merging perfectly.

The two tracks ‘The Hum’ and ‘rrrr’ feel like early electro experiments that were forgotten but dug up, rearranged and lovingly finished especially to move dancefloors. There’s a retro feel in there but it’s one that’s brought on by the melancholic melodies and synthesized sounds rather than any kind of revivalism. You can hear Peverelist’s swirling dubbed-out percussive ticks and bumpy rhythms and Hyetal’s knack for shimmering synthesized melody in both of these tracks and as a result the rhythms feel hypnotic and introspective but the bright synth tones and subtle funk keep them from being ultra deep eyes down material. With a slightly unnerving uplifting quality the tracks hit that magic bittersweet middle ground that never fails to deliver in the dance.

Words: James Balf
Out: 18th October 2010

Links:
www.myspace.com/punchdrunkrecords
www.myspace.com/thepeverelist
www.myspace.com/hyetalmusic

Peverelist & Hyetal – The Hum [Punch Drunk]	Peverelist & Hyetal – rrr [Punch Drunk]

DOWNLOAD: Gemmy - The 1987 Bounce

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.

DOWNLOAD: Gemmy – The 1987 Bounce



Read the full interview with Gemmy, where he discusses album plans and forthcoming projects, here.

Link:
www.myspace.com/djgemmy

RECOMMENDED: Hyetal - Like Silver/Phoenix [Orca Recordings]

Hyetal has remained one of Bristol’s most underrated – or at least underexposed – producers. While many from the city’s sizeable musical community have been making real waves over the last couple of years, with highly acclaimed singles and albums from the likes of Peverelist, Guido and Joker gaining attention among a wider audience, his music has tended to remain steadfastly below the radar. Which is perhaps a little surprising, given that it’s among the most richly melodic, thoughtful and downright soulful dance music currently being made. ‘The Last Time We Spoke’ was among my favourite releases of last year, and the hip-hop infused ‘Pixel Rainbow Sequence’ is a more than worthy match of anything the purple trio have yet committed to tape.

Hopefully his latest release should launch his star that little bit higher. It’s commonplace for bloggers to rant about everything coming out of the post-dubstep milieu as ‘next level’, but there really has been very little released recently with anywhere near the flair for melodic invention Hyetal displays on this EP for Snugfelix’s Orca Recordings. It’s the same tricksy, simple-yet-effective grasp of dynamics and musicality he brought to the tracks on his excellent collaborative twelve with Shortstuff – unashamedly larger-than-life, both sonically and emotionally, but never overblown. ‘Like Silver’ thrives off the same frosty calm as ‘We Should Light A Fire’, building from drifting pads into a driving, Hotflush-esque house/garage hybrid, avoiding the thrill of an explosive climax for something less tangible and far more beautiful.

That said, if ‘Like Silver’ is a lit touchpaper slowly consumed by its own flames, ‘Phoenix’ is the resulting atomic explosion, a rebirth that bursts into shards of a thousand colours. In the mix it dwarfs everything else around it, like lying on the ground staring at the millions of stars in space, and it’s certainly the finest thing he’s ever put his name to. Have the rewind ready for this one, because it bears repeating. A lot.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Shortly

Links:
www.myspace.com/hyetalmusic
www.myspace.com/orcarecordings

PRE-ORDER: Al Tourettes - The Next Meal/When I Rest I Rust [If Symptoms Persist]

The entire concept of dubstep multiplied by techno – thrown as an overarching blanket over the sort of static-drenched cuts that made up Appleblim’s Dubstep Allstars mix a couple of years ago – is essentially a redundant one at this point. Much as it’s easy to single out groups of producers making stuff that’s heavily influenced by both stables, in most cases there’s such a density of things going on that any attempt to unravel them into two such broad regions runs the risk of tunnelvision. Scuba’s excellent Triangulation album is one recent example; Al Tourettes’ latest plate for If Symptoms Persist is another.

As a regular Appleblim co-conspirator and Bristol resident, the techno comparison was always going to be there. But where many of that stable take the ashen motion of the Berlin set as a primary source, there’s a lot more Detroit in Al Tourettes’ music. Certainly, if there’s one common trait most easily singled out, it’s both tracks’ sheer, irresistible funk. ‘When I Rest I Rust’ positively oozes body movement, powered by an irresistibly liquid groove that acts in stark contrast to the ferrous vocal motif that gradually seizes up across its length. It panders far more to Drexciya’s oceanic obsessions than to dubstep’s bassweight fetish, and relishes in the tension of an all-too-long interlude that carves through the centre. There’s swing here for sure, but it relinquishes its power to a restless, jittery mood that offsets party vibes for something far more sinister.

Over on the A, the clipped two-step stylings of ‘The Next Meal’ prove less immediate, but vertiginous in depth. Although neither track makes any kind of concession to dancefloor ease – far from it – it’d probably be easier to get down to; its garagey flex ebbs and flows around warm gusts of sub that drift up from some subterranean lair. Hardly easy listening then, but a seriously impressive display of how it’s possible to assimilate the best bits from a host of other influences – techno, electro, dubstep, even noise – and reimagine them as something that’s entirely its own. It’s certainly a damn sight more compelling than his debut 12” for Apple Pips, and is suggestive of the emergence of something totally unique that for now remains hidden just around the next corner.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
www.myspace.com/altourettes

INTERVIEW: Cloak And Dagger [Immerse]

Time messes you up sometimes... You look forward to something for so long, it comes and goes and then you realise you haven't done anything productive in the run up thanks to the anticipation and expectation; still, its a great thing to be able to come back and go big the very first day...

Evan Gach, a little more commonly known as Cloak and Dagger, had us enraptured with his very first release at a dubstep tempo; his 12" for Immerse, 'Crimewaves' b/w 'In The Cut,' making the grade for our radio show straight away, fusing gloriously with the minimal work of people like Joe, Blawan and James Blake. We caught up with him to reignite the SR mix series and get the low down on his music and life choices...

Sonic Router: Can you provide those who may not know you with a bit of background info?

Cloak & Dagger: I’m 27 years old, from San Diego, California, and have been located in Japan for the past four years or so. After DJing for a few years, I first started experimenting with production in 2003 making mostly drum & bass, and I’ve had a few drum & bass releases out over the past couple of years on labels like Intasound, Offshore, and Subtle Audio. I’ve been focusing increasingly on slower tempos over the years, and for the past while have been really enjoying working with the possibilities of 130-145 bpm range.

Outside of music who are you? What do you do on the daily? Where are you based etc?

I recently finished a master’s degree in Environmental Policy focusing on global climate change policy - that’s been taking up the majority of my time over the past few years. I just relocated to Tokyo for work, so it’s looking like I’ll still be quite busy with that. Most of the little free time I have is dedicated to music, but when I’m not doing that I enjoy messing around with photography or hiking when I have the chance.

How did you first get into making music? What was it that infected you to do so?

I bought a guitar when I was 13 with money I saved up and played in a few punk/hardcore bands with friends since then. Around the same age, I was introduced to jungle, and for the first time I felt like I heard a style of music where you could seemingly do anything. I was always into a wide variety of music, mostly from having two older brothers, and hearing a genre where you could incorporate any of those was eye-opening for me. By 15 I was buying records with every spare bit of cash I had. I’d always been interested in electronic production, mostly because I had no idea what the producers were actually doing to make their music- it was all a big mystery to me. DJing was fun (and still is), but I always wanted more than anything to actually make music where I felt like the only limit was my own creativity. When I was 20, some friends showed me the basics of Reason one night, and I just got hooked; the experience of seeing a crowd of people enjoy music that I enjoyed making is still the best feeling in the world to me.

Why the decision to switch styles, slowing it up from a d&b tempo to a dubstep speed?

It was never really a conscious decision. Production-wise, d&b was my first love, but I always enjoyed the UK garage I heard. In America we were never really exposed en masse to the commercial side of the genre, it wasn’t really getting played in San Diego, so it was easy to weed that stuff out and just enjoy the sounds that were closer to d&b in their aesthetic; people like Wookie, Zed Bias, El-B, Horsepower Productions etc. As this stuff developed into dubstep, I heard in the music what I loved most about jungle - a mash of influences, a drive to experiment and develop a unique sound, and the idea that you could have a general aesthetic (tempo, bass, etc.) and just push it until it was almost something else, yet still accepted within that genre.

Even when making drum & bass, I had always still experimented with slower tempos, and I was finding it a little hard to make music at 170bpm that didn’t sound like d&b; a lot of the stuff I was making was deliberately trying to push (or at least blur) the boundaries of the genre’s conventions, which is what I loved about the genre in the first place. It wasn’t an act of defiance or leftfield elitism or anything like that; it was just how I thought it was supposed to be done. At the same time, the scene seemed to be splintering more and more into predefined subgenres, each with their own set of rules, and I was finding that I could go to a drum & bass night and not really identify with the majority of what I was hearing. I think this is pretty natural for a music genre that had seen as much growth and different “eras” as dnb had and new producers and DJs come into the scene after being influenced by a particular sound or era.

However, as a producer, hearing a lack of “grey areas” between subgenres and a lack of outside influences as a fundamental part of the genre was frustrating, but I found that at slower tempos, the opportunities for mixing genres, influences, and experimentation were overwhelming. Overall, I find this more interesting and more challenging, and so this has led me to lean naturally towards the 130-145 range.


Cloak & Dagger - Crimewaves [Immerse]

What’s your production set up like? What’s your favourite bit of kit in the studio?

I’ve always been a huge proponent of the idea that it’s not the gear that you have but rather what you do with it. All of my favorite electronic music - jungle, electro, techno, hip hop, whatever – was made on so much less than what’s available to bedroom producers nowadays, so I never really fully understood when I would talk to other producers and they would tell me I couldn’t make good music using certain software or without a particular piece of gear. My setup itself is pretty minimal; apart from a few cheap toys, a couple of low-budget midi controllers, a mic, and a pair of monitors, everything is done on my PC. I use a lot of free plugins and have more fun getting interesting sounds out of those than a lot of the professional, powerhouse plugins that are available. Up until recently, I was using Reason as my main software, so even the ability to use and experiment with different plugins is pretty exciting for me!

Where do you take inspiration from when making music?

More than anything, inspiration comes from my environment and surroundings. I’d been living in Nagoya (Japan) for the past four years, which has a very industrial vibe, similar in some ways to Detroit in atmosphere, as well as a lack of sunny days throughout the year, so my music would often reflect that in its sound. If we had nice weather for a week, my next tune would generally be more upbeat and dancefloor-friendly. I didn’t realise quite how influential my surroundings were to me until I played in San Diego last year and realised how out-of-place some tunes felt compared to Nagoya and vice versa. Other than that, I listen to very little dubstep and don’t follow the scene that closely, so musically a lot of my inspiration comes from various other genres I listen to and trying to incorporate other philosophies, ideas, and attitudes from my influences into my own music.

Your moniker suggests hidden talents or an underlying intention. What was your thinking behind it?

I think it encompassed the attitude I had when making music; it’s always been the subtle things and little nuances in songs that I’ve loved the most, even in really simple music. Also, I’m a small guy, so the characters in books, movies, video games, etc. that have always left the biggest impressions on me were the ones that weren’t physically strong or socially/politically powerful, but rather came out ahead through wit, deception, and skill – spies, ninja, detectives, all that cool stuff. I’ve just always dug the idea that there’s a whole world behind the scenes that we can’t see.


Cloak & Dagger - In The Cut [Immerse]

How would you describe your sound?

This is a hard one for me to answer. Knowing that what I’m about to say is extremely cliché, I’ve come to realize over the years that, first and foremost, I make music for myself rather than for others, and at this point it’s more of a therapy than anything else. I never feel comfortable sticking to a particular sound, and on the contrary my motivation comes from pushing myself to make something I didn’t think I could or experimenting as a learning experience. Even so, I’m sure there are similarities in my approach that can be pointed out - as I said before; I love the idea of making music that doesn’t sit completely comfortably within a particular style but at the very least flirts with the grey areas between them. Percussion and rhythm is the driving force behind my music, and overall I think space and groove are the most important elements to a track…

Your first release for Immerse comes out shortly. Whats the deal, what can we expect from the release?

I’m extremely happy to have both of these tunes released and even happier to have the support of a label like Immerse behind them. I think both tunes showcase the genre blending I’ve been going on about so much; you can hear dubstep, garage, broken beat, drum & bass, and other influences in there. Both are percussion driven, but ‘Crimewaves’ takes a more upfront approach, whilst ‘In the Cut’ is a bit subtler and darker. I think they both represent my sound really well and hope others dig them as much as I do.

What other projects have you got in the pipeline?

Hopefully I’ll see more releases, but anything regarding that is too early in the pipeline to mention. But I would definitely like to try and get more of my stuff out there; not following the dubstep scene so much is great for my music, but not as good when it comes to getting my music to DJs and labels. As far as gigs go, I’ve been DJing less and instead doing a live set of my own tunes over the past year and just remade it from the ground up, so I’ll continue to perform that when I have the opportunity. I also just moved and started a new job, so I’m expecting my output to slow down for just a bit as I get settled in.

Any words of wisdom for our readers?

I’d like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who’s supported me over the years, whether it be through buying or playing my music, attending a show, giving me feedback and criticism, or teaching me a bit about the business. Props to Immerse and every other label who’s stood behind my music, and thanks to Sonic Router for the opportunity to provide a mix and rant about myself a little.

Hope you guys dig the mix, and words of wisdom… stay positive!

::

DOWNLOAD: Cloak & Dagger – Sonic Router Mix



Tracklist:

Africa Hitech – Blen [Remix] (Warp)
Loefah – Fire Elements (Rephlex)
Uday Napoleon – Crack Crack Crack (Flogsta Danshall)
Kidkut – Lilt (Applepips)
Addison Groove – Dumbsh*t (Swamp81)
Soft Pink Truth – Big Booty Bitches (Soundslike)
Cloak and Dagger – Snaketopus (Dub)
Untold – Gonna Work Out Fine (Hemlock)
Akufen – Synthaxis 2 (Source)
Cloak and Dagger – Raspberry Beretta (Dub)
Eero Johannes – Finnrexin (Planet Mu)
Midwest Product – Swamp (Ghostly International)
James Blake – CMYK (R&S)
Slicker – Frustrache (Hefty)
Paperclip People – The Climax [Basic Reshape] (Basic Channel)
Hyena – Puma [Cloak and Dagger Remix] (Dub)
Cloak and Dagger – Slither (Dub)
Two Fingers – Broken [Stance] Rhythm (Ninja Tune)
Late – Phantom Papers (Immerse)
Cloak and Dagger – Thrive Un Oncertainty (Dub)

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

‘Crimewaves’ b/w ‘in The Cut’ will be out in July on Immerse Records

DOWNLOAD: La Roux - Quicksand (Gemmy Remix)

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...

DOWNLOAD: La Roux - Quicksand (Gemmy Remix)



Link:
www.myspace.com/DJGEMMY

READ/DOWNLOAD: SRQ012 - Eleven Tigers

SRQ012 focuses its attention on the work of Lithuanian producer Jokubas Dargis aka Eleven Tigers - ahead of the release of his astounding Clouds Are Mountains album on the Soul Motive label - concentrating on his strong bond with technology, a deep love of Talk Talk and his improvisational techniques.

His Sonic Router mix is also strangely bewitching.

READ/DOWNLOAD: SRQ012 - Eleven Tigers



Tracklist:

Insides – Yes
Apparat – Wooden
Hildur Gudnadottir – Elevation
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions – Lose Me On The Way
Arovane – Auben
Autechre – Sim Gishel
Efterklang – Chapter 6
Bark Psychosis – Burning The City
Biosphere – When I Leave
Spyweirdos – Should Be A Spell
Deaf Center – Eloy
Tomas Dvorak – Mr.Handogate
Pangaea – You & I
Eleven Tigers – Autogenesis
Caural – Cruel Fate Of Spring

Link:
www.eleventigers.net

RECOMMENDED: Kowton - Basic Music Knowledge/Hunger [Idle Hands]

One of the unavoidable issues associated with music blogging, as highlighted so eloquently by Kode9 in a recent interview with Resident Advisor, is for a fickle online community to make out that there’s some kind of revolutionary shift occurring every time a decent new track is released. Unavoidable, because among such a large group of individuals there will always end up being at least one person who hears something extra special in any given release. With that in mind, that the praise has been pretty much universal for Idle Hands’ 12” releases is testament to Bristol’s capacity to nurture unique music. While never claiming to offer radical upheavals, the imprint has consistently put out material that suggests a concentrated distillation of form and function. Each – the rolling technoid mutations of the ‘anonymous’ first 12”, the hypnotic tropicalia of Atki2 and Dub Boy’s anthemic ‘Tigerflower’, and now two slow-mo transmissions from Kowton – is finely-honed evidence of how far UK bass music can deviate from the norm.

In the case of these two tracks from Kowton, what immediately strikes the listener is just how slow they are. We’re used to escalating tempos in nuum music; certain quarters aside, drum ‘n’ bass continues to peak well above the sensible limit, and at the wobbly ends of dubstep some artists are pushing for 150bpm. So it’s a refreshing change to hear a producer slow their music down to a snail’s pace. In this case, these two tracks are a culmination of what Kowton started with his bewitching ‘Stasis (G Mix)’, stretching the beats out to allow ample space for swing and crafting house tracks that flex like garage. ‘Basic Music Knowledge’ does exactly that, brooding darkly over nocturnal pulses of sub-bass and percussion that hesitates just enough to introduce palpable tension. ‘Hunger’ is even better, filled with a sense of twilight yearning appropriate to its title, and so cavernous in depth that it feels far slower than its already soporific pace.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
www.myspace.com/narcossist
www.myspace.com/idlehandsbristol

LISTEN: Sonic Router on Hivemind.fm

Made up of a potent stew of some of Bristol and the South West's most vital music collectives, Hivemind.fm is a brand new internet radio station representing a collective train of thought and a passion for innovative and fresh electronic music worldwide.

We've been invited to be a part of it so if you're at your computer between 10pm - 12am GMT - TONIGHT - lock into http://hivemind.fm to catch the debut live show from us. Alongside the mandatory idle on mic patter we'll be rocking some exclusive Sonic Router mixes (that aren't up online yet) from Belgian beat maestro Dynooo and Lucky Me affiliate Dema, amongst other bits...

LISTEN: Sonic Router on Hivemind.fm TONIGHT between 10pm-12am

Available to stream online or on your iPhone.

For shouts/insults log into the chatroom or hit us on the twitter @sonic_router

PRE-ORDER: Pursuit Grooves - Foxtrot Mannerisms [Tectonic]

In past interviews, Tectonic head honcho Pinch has spoken about there being a well-defined Tectonic ‘sound’ – records that fit its ethos, and those that don’t. The fact that the label has always focused on the deeper, more traditionally ‘dubstep’ end of the bass spectrum might have suggested that its particular sound was locked into that trajectory; so it’s great, if a little surprising, to see his A&R skills branching out with Pursuit Grooves’ Fox Trot Mannerisms taking up the mantra as Tectonic’s first defiantly non-dubstep release, with the New Yorker weaving together a set of curious and beguiling electronic soul hybrids.

There’s still a certain something shared with the rest of the label’s output though. Call it intention, but perhaps what Vanese Smith’s music has in common with Pinch, Peverelist and the rest of the Tectonic roster is a sense of purpose, and an unwillingness to rush in order to reach its destination. As a result this mini-album’s most immediate song, opener ‘Pressure’, is also one of its most languid with Smith’s half-sung, half-whispered chatter drifting in space above lounge pianos and sparing hip-hop grooves. ‘Mister Softee’ is as much a piece of modern jazz as anything else, its spaced-out keys recalling the wide-open vistas of Bitches Brew, and the delicately pieced together haze of ‘Whisper’ is almost delirious in its feverish hyperreality. Hers is undeniably soul music though – released on the same day as the second of Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah albums, it’s possible to align the two’s common ancestry and shared intent.

The other aspect Fox Trot Mannerisms shares with its label’s UK counterparts is a sense of the urbane. Although ‘Tweezers’ could almost be described as pastoral, with its fuzz of distant clicks akin to the chirps of nighttime crickets, Pursuit Grooves’ music has a strong affinity with city life. It’s a balmy summer evening’s breeze through suburban streets, or a twilight headphone stroll through a dodgy area of town where the music acts as a barrier to the real world – or, in the case of the dubstep-tinted ‘Start Something’, vividly enhancing the surrounding environment.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now



London heads can catch Pursuit Grooves at the first instalment of Pinch's new Tectonic residency at fabric on the 11th June, where she'll be playing live alongside sets from Pinch, Skream, Kuedo and DJ ThinKing.

Links:
www.myspace.com/vjsmith
www.myspace.com/tectonicrecordings

DOWNLOAD: Geiomix for Soul Motive

Anyone not familiar with the work and releases of the Bristol based Soul Motive label should really take a long hard look in the mirror and analyse what they see cast in the reflection. Having released Joker’s breakout ‘Snake Eater’ alongside tracks from TRG, Hyetal, Headhunter & Invisible, Geiom and soon Eleven Tigers, the label and its ‘big boy’ full colour artwork should definitely be kept within earshot.

To commemorate the launching of a slick new website the crew invited Geiom to put together a mix, an invitation the Berkane Sol bossman accepted with vigour:

“As ever, I like to start out with something unexpected, reference the older music which influences what I do now, hype current tunes that I'm feeling, and push forthcoming Berkane Sol material,” Geiom told us when we asked how he approaches such an opportunity. “I love the challenge of mixing from house tempos up to the 140 region, but it does requires some careful tune selection to make it work.”

Keep an eye out for forthcoming releases by Bowly, Hem, Shortstuff, Siobhan Lynch and Alex Zen on Geiom’s Berkane Sol imprint and international readers can catch him at Dub War in New York, at a Planet Mu night in Belgium and at “a festival on a Greek island with RSD and Subeena” in the coming weeks. Check his myspace for further information.

Download: Geiomix for Soul Motive



Links:
www.soulmotive.co.uk
www.myspace.com/geiom

NEWS: Guido Preps 'Anidea' Album for Punch Drunk

If you follow any of dubstep's 'super DJs' on twitter you'll have read two or three weeks ago about a forthcoming Guido album, something Punch Drunk label boss, Peverelist, has today confirmed. Called Anidea, the album follows two trail blazing 12 inches - 'Orchestral Lab' and 'Beautiful Complication' - for the label from the Bristol based producer who recently contributed remixes for Pinch, Lauren Pritchard and Wedge & Shadz on the If Symptoms Persist label.

Part of the Purple Trinity, a trio of incredibly brave and melodically inventive producers that includes Joker and Gemmy, Guido's will be the first album from the three artists to be released and it comes with no exaggeration to say that we are awesomely excited at the prospect and extremely proud to be able to bring you some advance previews of three album tracks.

Cue gumpf:

Guido cut his teeth in the embryonic mid-decade Bristol Grime scene, producing instrumentals for MCs and vocalists culminating in his ‘Unleashed’ mixtape in 2006. His production style shares the ultra vivid colour, melody and rugged texture of golden era Davinche, Skepta and Ruff Squad’s Rapid but also the playfulness and pop sensibility of Timbaland or Neptunes without losing underground edge or appeal...

The album will be preceded by a digital single, ‘Way U Make Me Feel’ featuring a vocal from Yolanda who has recently been touring with Massive Attack and who also featured on Pinch’s recent ‘Get Up’ 12” on Tectonic.

STREAM: Guido - Album Snippets (via Soundcloud)


Guido ft. Yolanda - Way You Make Me Feel


Guido - Mad Sax


Guido - Shades Of Blue

CD Tracklist:
1. Guido ‘Anidea’
2. Guido ‘Orchestral Lab’
3. Guido ‘Woke Up Early’
4. Guido ‘Cat In The Window’
5. Guido ‘Beautiful Complication’ featuring Aarya
6. Guido ‘Mad Sax’
7. Guido ‘You Do It Right’
8. Guido ‘Take Me Higher’
9. Guido ‘Way U Make Me Feel’ feat Yolanda
10. Guido ‘Tango’
11. Guido ‘Shades of Blue’
12. Guido ‘Tantalized’

2x12” Vinyl LP Track list:
A: Guido ’Shades of Blue’
B: Guido ‘Cat In The Window’
BB: Guido ‘Woke Up Early’
C: Guido ‘Tango’
D: Guido ‘You Do It Right’
DD: Guido ‘Mad Sax’

Release Date: MAY 2010

Link:
www.myspace.com/guidoproductions

DOWNLOAD: Furesshu - Milennia

Hailing from Bristol, Furesshu, has been in our peripheral vision for a while now; probably due to his role running the Seasonfive nights in Bristol, and his position on the flyers with a bunch of the scene's leading lights. After a 12” popped up on the newly minted Project Squared label – a subsidiary of Project Mooncircle – recently, he hit us up touting his wares.

Coming from the deep end of the spectrum echoing shards of sharp edged chords particularly fluently, he’s offering Sonic Router readers the chance to bag his ‘Milennia’ track for free…

“I first got into producing music about 3/4 years ago, messing around on Reason with a Mac at Uni,” he informs us. “The sound of Bristol's take on dubstep was very inspiring factor for me to start my own productions...”



“After releasing digital only on the net label Echodub, my debut vinyl release on Project Squared has just dropped which I'm really excited about, I was really happy to hear Marcel Dettmann playing my track ‘Untitled’ from the Project Squared 12" recently at Bloc Weekend. Asusu has done a remix of ‘Horizons’ which is forthcoming on Immerse and later in the year I will be dropping something else on Project Squared. In my spare time I'm writing more music in my bedroom studio and saving up for some kit to go in it. I have also recently recorded a mix to promote the release which is available for download through my soundcloud; it was also featured on Super Ultra Mega's Podcast.”

DOWNLOAD: Furesshu – Milennia



You can catch Furesshu at “Bristol's premiere techno night” under_score in April, MIMM in Nottingham in early May and Monochrome, also in Bristol, at the end of May.

Link:
www.myspace.com/furesshubeats

DOWNLOAD: Peverelist - FACT Mix

Tom Ford makes music as Peverelist; his debut album, 'Jarvik Mindstate' (read the SR penned RA review here), came out late last year to mass acclaim. Its not everyday you get a Pev mix -the only one I recall seeing at this moment in time is on the DubWar NYC podcast - so its a coo for FACT and for the world to be treated to a mix from the Punch Drunk kingpin.

DOWNLOAD: Peverelist - FACT Mix

No tracklist given.

Links:
www.myspace.com/thepeverelist
www.myspace.com/punchdrunkrecords

DOWNLOAD: Baobinga & I.D. - Bass Music Sessions

Bristol producers Baobinga, himself half of The Bodysnatchers duo, and I.D. are releasing a pay what you want album simply called 'Bass Music Sessions' - a tilte that ties into their blog of the same name - just without the 'Sessions'.

All proceeds raised by this project will be donated to Dove House Hospice in Hull, UK.

Cue Gumpf: "Called 'Bass Music Sessions', this album confirms their forward-looking approach, as it will be released for free through their website at www.bassmusicblog.com, using platforms such as bandcamp.com to take advantage of the flexibility and possibilities for promotion open to artists in 2010.

Since the last album, 2008's critcally acclaimed 'Big Monster,' the pair have released on labels spanning the bass music spectrum; from US hiphop innovators Mad Decent to dubstep legends Earwax, from NY crew Trouble&Bass to Portugal's Enchufada, home of Buraka Som Sistema, from Tayo's groundbreaking Cool & Deadly label to a remix of the Wu Tang Clan on BabyGrande. "

DOWNLOAD: Baobinga & I.D. - Bass Music Sessions



Links:
www.bassmusicblog.com
www.myspace.com/djid
www.myspace.com/baobinga

VIDEO: Wedge & Shadz - Running Away

If like me, you saw the behind the scenes snaps, forgot about them, subsequently got sent the mp3s, bummed the shit out of the Guido remix, playing it to death and every opportunity and then kinda forgot about the video; then this is for you.

If Symptoms Persist label boss Wedge informs us:

"This is the video we made for the first release on ISP - Wedge and Shadz - 'Running Away.' The video was shot at a remote location in South Wales and filmed on 16mm..."



Here's the 'making of' clip too:



Link:
www.ifsymptomspersist.co.uk

EVENT: Bristol Takeover @ Rhythm Factory

Bristol's grasp on dubstep is undeniable... There's something about the city that breeds great music, from the hyperactive colouration of people like Joker, Gemmy, Guido and Hyetal, to the deepness of Pinch's Tectonic imprint (home to 2562 and Jack Sparrow amongst others) and beyond into the technoid void of people like Peverelist and Kowton.

And so its with a smattering of smugness we present you with Rhythm Factory's Friday line up bringing the best of the South West to East London...

Pinch
Peverelist
Redlight
Gemmy & Guido
Hyetal
DJ Derek

Venue: The Rhythm Factory
Date: Feb 26th
Doors: 10pm - 5.30am
Cost: £5 (Advance)/£8 NUS/£10 Door After 12

Facebook Event // Tickets