SR Mix #74: Zeppy Zep [Fortified Audio]

To be fair to Zeppy Zep, this mix/post/textual fellatio should have happened a long time ago, but whatever; things get in the way and needs must. It still doesn’t detract from the quality of his music and it’s nice to have our initial rush of interest cemented with more great music. - Ed

First popping out in a mix from Manc beardo xxxy, Zeppy Zep’s production moniker, is characteristic of the personality contained in his music - it’s just as animated, fully dosed up on high octane dancefloor workouts. Tracks like ‘Marillion’ emulate the snare work of the afore mentioned chromosomed one, hitting in a typically splashy way, glitching into frams over weird concoctions of reverbed chords, but it was the awkward drum fumble of ‘Rebis’ that first sent us into a headspin. Built around a true earworm of a leadline it flips through beat progressions ending up in a 4x4 strut that pounds over the descending vocal snatches with authority. It’s a bonafide show stealer and the tune that opened the door for us to a handful of original productions and his remix of former SR mixer The Phantom’s ‘Night Game.’

Long since the third producer in our Polish club music Bermuda triangle, he’s channeling the energy and rush of a sweaty dancefloor straight into his melodies and he’s just confirmed his debut solo release on Fortified Audio. Along with fellow countrymen The Phantom and Sentel he brings something fast and fresh to his releases, not afraid to ‘do a Canblaster’ and drop straight out of a rigid house kick sequence and run headlong into something completely different 8 bars later. It’s refreshing and duly exciting to dwell on the prospect of new music from him, so we pinned him down through his weeping, alcohol-soaked familiar, grabbed an updated version of his Sonic Router mix and shot him some questions designed to give him the platform to introduce his music properly.

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

Zeppy Zep: Hi, my name is Michal and I'm from Cracow, Poland. I'm 21. Sometimes I make tunes and play parties.

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

I do some graphic design, I should be in an art school by now, but things went out and I am not. Procrastinating. Playing Quake on dm17.

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

I think I always wanted to make music, but this need kind of exploded right after primary school. I remember I bought Prodigy's Fat of the Land and Chemical Brothers Come With Us on a cassette. Damn, those beats sounded so fine I just wanted to do something like that. I knew my schoolmate was making hip hop beats and he told me about Fruity Loops. Then I saw a music magazine, with a CD attached, I remember Fruity Loops 4.0 had just been released so they've put a Demo version on a CD. I bought a magazine and boom, I was making music.

First it was hip hop beats, and then they slowly turned into more electronic stuff. My dad is a musicologist and he can play nearly every instrument, we had a piano at home but I barely played on that thing, I never took any lessons either.

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

Funny thing is, it's still FL Studio. Yes, I tried Ableton and Logic but always ended up returning to FL Studio, it feels like home there. Nowadays, multiple display-pro-tools-uberproducers laugh at this but I don’t care, I love this piece of software. I got a MIDI controller but I don't use it, it’s kind of a shame that I play better on qwerty keys than on normal piano. I am planning to buy some superb monitors, right now I use typical computer speakers but I know them so well it's enough to make a fair-sounding tune.

Favourite bit of kit goes to Soundgoodizer, for this ridiculous name.

Where do you take inspiration from when making music? I mean it’s easy to hear the funky influence... something that Poland is getting something of a rep for at the moment. What’s the scene like in your native Poland?

The most boring thing is to look for inspiration in the same genre as the track you're trying to make. You should teach yourself to discover the great little things in places you'd never think of exploring. For example, I got this hardstyle sample pack and some sounds are just awesome. I am also a fan of early NFS games soundtracks lol.

Speaking of funky - yes, it had its big time in Poland but seems like the things are changing now, some people play more house, some others more of that "future" stuff. People are very open minded, we have plenty of awesome events going on, even in Warsaw which used to be a more fidget house oriented place. And of course brostep is getting dangerously bigger…


Zeppy Zep - Rebis

Are there any producers you rate that the world should know about?

Hoodmode, I saw his soundcloud lately - niceness. Lokiboi is a talented beast. Sentel are getting stronger every second. Also, from Poland - Vanatoski and Intreau.

We’ve heard a few production bits from you that’ve blown us away, ‘Menace’ in particular, plus there’s your remixes of people like The Phantom too. Does it differ for you, the way you approach remixes to normal productions?

Remixes have deadlines haha. I don't know, I feel that my The Phantom and Tom Encore remixes are polished just as I wanted them to be. I heard that you can somehow focus better on someone else’s track than on your own, but I don't think it’s true.

Have you got any releases have you got in the pipeline? I saw a bit about a 12” coming on Fortified Audio, can you tell us a bit more about what’s coming up?

Yes, ‘Menace,’ ‘Rebis’ and ‘Marillion’ are coming out on Fortified Audio but as slightly different versions. I did those tunes some time ago and want them to sound a little bit more fresh. Also my Tom Encore remix is out now on Concrete Cut.

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

There are some dubs from Superisk and Lokiboi plus Hoodmode’s ‘Everything’ - that guy I told you above. Two Blawan tunes, he's killing it right now, I cannot wait for ‘Getting Me Down’ to be released. There’s Jamie XX - so obvious but so damn good - some acid sounds - everyone already knows that 2011 will be year of tb-303 references right? The outro is John Roberts, with this sweet piano breakdown, really soft stuff.

Any words of wisdom, for our readers?

When in elevator, press floor number and close button at once - it won't stop on other floors.

::

DOWNLOAD: Zeppy Zep – Sonic Router Mix #74



Tracklist:

1. Tom Encore - Spellbound (Zeppy Zep Remix) (Concrete Cut)
2. Gil Scott-Heron And Jamie XX - I'm New Here (XL)
3. Objekt - The Goose that Got Away (Objekt)
4. Superisk - Life is Live (Dub)
5. Ben Westbeech - Falling (Dark Sky Remix) (Strictly Rhythm)
6. Hoodmode - Everything (Dub)
7. The Hundred In The Hands - Pigeons (Blawan's bare bones Remix) (Warp)
8. Lokiboi - Marina Faib (Dub)
9. M.I.A. - It Takes A Muscle (Pearson Sound Refix) (XL)
10. Damon Wild - Aqua (Synewave)
11. Hackman - Made Up My Mind (PTN)
12. Martyn & Mike Slott - All Nights (All City)
13. Mount Kimbie - Mayor (Hotflush)
14. Hardrive - Deep Inside (ZYX Music)
15. Beat Pharmacy - Piece of Mind (Ramadanman Refix) (Deep Space Media)
16. Joy O - Jels (Hotflush)
17. Blawan - Kaz (R&S Records)
18. John Roberts - Ever Or Not (Dial)

RECOMMENDED: Ill Blu – Meltdown EP [Numbers]

Back in August of 2009 a video appeared on youtube from UK funky production team and Rinse FM regulars, Ill Blu and ever since that track has been lodged in my brain. That tune turned out to be ‘Meltdown’ the title track on the first 12” to be released on Numbers in 2011. With only a few other releases on wax - the phenomenal ‘Time To Get Nasty’ from The Fantastic 4 EP, the undisputed anthem in their ‘Pull It’ w/ Shystie, the odd remix here and there plus last year’s Hyperdub release of ‘Bellion’ b/w ‘Dragon Pop’ - it’s a pleasure to see them unleash some of that fire. Listeners to their ever growing collection of dubplates - which you can hear when you tune into their Rinse show (Tue, 11-1am) – will be more than aware of their combination of rude bass and supple hard-hitting percussion is on show here.

‘Meltdown’ comes right out the gate with galloping tribal drums, showcasing that irresistible percussive vibrancy that Ill Blu personify. Before you know it those skipping snare hits -that five in a bar flutter they’re so good at - skits over the bass tones and you’re shaking so much more than just a leg. Coupled with pulsing bass drops, acidic alien synth tweaks and melodramatic melodic ascents, - one of which sounds suspiciously like when you get spotted by a guard on Metal Gear Solid and have to go into hiding – well... let’s just say this one is a banger.

The other two track ‘Overdose’ and ‘Chelt’ aren’t to shabby either; skippy rhythms that ooze energy, rudeness and pure vibes are handed out in spades. ‘Overdose’ bleeps and bubbles in fine style, Ill Blu know how to get some dramatic dance floor tension rolling, here playing the vibey bleeps against over-saturated buzzy bass tones. The rolling snares and rushing synths on ‘Chelt’ make you feel like you’re at carnival, those raw bass hits are back and coupled with a euphoric electro rush and spaced out key melodies.

If by the end of this EP a robotic voice chanting “Ill Ill Blu Blu…” isn’t music to your ears then you’re just going to have to reach for the rewind.

Words: James Balf
Out: Now

Links:
http://nmbrs.net
www.myspace.com/illblu

RECOMMENDED: V/A – Tax Haven 1 [Iberian Records]

Conspira, 23Hz and Numaestro’s label, Iberian Records – those who gave Octa Push an outlet with their eponymous EP – step out once again and bring out the good time vibes with their latest collated 12”, Tax Haven. Featuring a track a piece from Relocate, Mr Gasparov and Nehuen the three producers all bring a different vibe to this pre-emptively tropical release, providing cut-up, sample heavy break-laden garage, laid back, loved-up, sun blazing dance floor soul and raw, colourful UK funky hybrids.

Relocate turns in an energetic diva blazing bumpy garage number with ‘Soul Survivor,’ the beats kick hard and relentlessly like a cross between UKG and jackin’ Chicago house. The bass is deep, the samples euphoric and its all brought together with cut up horn stabs and disco strings. It’s all pretty reminiscent of hey-day 4x4 UKG and thankfully it’s addictive as hell, thanks in no small part to the beautifully percussive drum breakdown. The summer time vibes really shine through on Mr Gasparvo’s cut with vocalist G.Rina ‘Transient Love,’ It’s a punchy dubbed-out shimmering, tropical gem that sounds like a laid back beach party replete with Care Bear waiters and bubble gum fixtures and fittings.

The flip is the all out dancefloor track on the EP and Nehuen’s ‘Between Love and Hate’ is made up of the raw artefacts of UK funky: relenteless snares and bass that just never gives in. Those bass tones make me wonder if I’ve heard it in Petchy set (though I probably haven’t) especially when they’re played off by the heavy handed beats. There is an eerie urgent air to the production brought on by that swirling grime-esque dubby mouth organ melody but it’s all brought back down to earth by warm chord stabs that bubble along in their own blissful way.

Words: James Balf
Out: Now


Relocate - Soul Survivor [Iberian]

Links:
http://iberianrecords.bandcamp.com

INTERVIEW: The Phantom [Senseless/Top Billin]

Another producer in the Polish contigent - whose hardcore, dancefloor aimed productions have breathed a little unexpected life into our ears on many occasions over the last few months - The Phantom, and his tunes have been rollocking around the globe in the record boxes of some of the most influential, tastemakers around. Sharing an affinity to the perplexingly infectious synthesized grooves of labels like Night Slugs and Hum + Buzz, The Phantom’s own rhythms centre around the 4x4 pulse, but come unique with a highly melodic slant.

Equipped with the rhythm and drive those shuffling, incessant snares provide his music hits heavy, but it’s the uplifting lean of his lead lines on tracks like ‘Girl’ and ‘Night Game’ that really stand out. With tracks and remixes for people like Jack Dixon and Supra1, popping up with ferocity and a debut EP for the Senseless imprint - out earlier this wee - we caught up with the producer to talk our way into grabbing the 63rd Sonic Router Mix…

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

The Phantom: Hi, Bartosz Kruczynski here. I'm a currently Warsaw, Poland based producer/DJ.

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

Studying the culture of early modern England! I'm writing my master's degree thesis on ritualistic laughter. Apart from that - sleeping a lot, watching obscure films, listening to weird experimental records.

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

I started putting together some ideas at the age of 15. All the tunes back then (made with a friend of mine) were sample-based, sort of early Coldcut or Big Apple Productions, despite being a fan of early XL Recordings rave records. At that time, I became influenced by the bootleg scene as well - Richard X/Girls On Top, Soulwax, Mark Vidler, Soundhog. All the early pioneers. Been making bootlegs for a couple of years now (I still produce them occasionally). Got back to writing my own music like a year ago.

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

Just a laptop and a pair of ears really...

How would you describe your music? I mean it shares a kinship with UK stables like Night Slugs and Hum & Buzz... Are those guys an influence for you?

Yes, they definitely are! I mean, thanks to Supra1, I was lucky enough to DJ alongside Bok Bok in Cracow, Poland like two years ago! And I was already a Faggatronix fan back then, as well as a a regular reader of Lower End Spasm (RIP). Club experiences are definitely a very important influence to me. The same with Ikonika playing at Unsound last year or, let's say, seeing Dam-Funk live. As for my music. I'm trying to keep it very raw and simple sounding, almost dated. It's also about the melodies, or particular chords rather than beats.



Where do you take inspiration from when making music? I mean it’s easy to hear the influence of more tribal drum patterns but outside of that...

If I had to choose any particular tracks sharing a similar sound these would be perhaps 'Desire' by Robert Hood or 'Strings' by Da Posse or some South African house music. Pop esthetics are important as well - I'd name Madonna's 'The Look Of Love' as an influence behind my own track - 'Night Game'. Apart from that - I'm using quite a lot of jazz chords.

You’ve turned ears with your remixes of people like Supra1 and Jack Dixon. Do you approach remixes differently to your original productions?

Yeah, to some extent. It is rather unconscious, but I always try to experiment a bit more when remixing, later incorporating the ideas (like new presets) into the original tracks.

What’s the scene like in your native Poland? There seems to be some really good producers putting out records at the moment... I mean we asked Sentel the same thing, but is the club side of it blossoming and is that affecting your profile do you think?

The scene is definitely growing strong here. Apart from Supra1, Zeppy Zep, Sentel, Sekta (releasing a new EP on Shifting Peaks soon) there are a couple of yet to be discovered producers like Rhythm Baboon, Venice Calypso or MCQ and Vanatoski. There's obviously also the tech-side - Catz N Dogz or Czubala. Lots of events here as well - almost everyone from the scene played in Poland - NB Funky, HH Banton, Crazy Cousinz, Untold, Kode9, Ikonika, Jackmaster, Bok Bok & Lvis, Girl Unit, Guido etc. All thanks to promoters like Unsound, Supra1, Sorry Ghettoblaster, BBQ or Gangsteppaz. As I said earlier - all the gigs definitely influence my music.

Are there any producers you rate the world should know about? I'm really into what Glamfranklin is doing,

I think signed to Hum & Buzz actually! Also the likes of Salva, Tri-Funk, Akhluts. I'm a big fan of Jam City as well.

How did you link with Senseless for you forthcoming EP? Did you choose the remixers yourself?

Senseless approached me over a year ago proposing the EP, despite me being completely unknown at that time. At first two completely other tunes were meant to be released. Decided to scrap them eventually tho. The remixers were chosen deliberately - already had quite a good contact with both Brenmar and Hackman (and Zeppy Zep obviously), loved their work so we offered them remixes.


The Phantom – The Phantom EP [Senseless Records]

What other projects have you got in the pipeline?

Working on a couple of remixes now, including Voltron (Discobelle Records) and French Fries (together with Zeppy Zep). Releasing an EP on Pets Recordings (Catz N Dogz label) and a single track on a Top Billin compilation. All early next year.

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

The mix includes a couple of new releases I'm really enjoying - 'The Alps' or the Brenmar remix (I think they are out already at this point), a demo by JTRP (Deep Teknologi Records), an African house anthem by DJ Bongz and 'Shivers' by Skalpel off their second LP.

Any words of wisdom, for our readers?

Don't eat the yellow snow.

::

DOWNLOAD: The Phantom – Sonic Router Mix #63



Tracklist:

Robert Hood – Clash – M Plant
Bateman – Tephra Riddim (Grevious Angel Remix) – Unreleased
Brenmar – You Make Me Say (Ikonika + Optimum Remix) – Forthcoming Discobelle Records
Braiden – The Alps – Doldrums
DJ Bongz – Underground Ft. Kgomotso – Huge Entertainment
JTRP – Shady – Unreleased
The Phantom – Night Game (Hackman Remix) – Forthcoming Senseless
Storm Queen – Look Right Through (Dub) – Environ
Untold – Come Follow Me – Soul Jazz
DJ Orgasmic – How Clap Low Trap (Joe x Ludacris) – Unreleased
Girl Unit – IRL (Bok Bok Remix) – Night Slugs
Jack Dixon – I Let You (The Phantom Remix) – Silverback
Ikonika – Simulacrum – Hyperdub
Skalpel – Shivers – Ninja Tune

The Phantom EP is out now on Senseless Records.

Link:
www.myspace.com/phantomghostwhowalks

INTERVIEW: Kaiser & Rory Power, Live From The Hive

Having been invited and involved in Hivemind FM since May of this year it’s easy for me to string together a few sentences on why the combined vision of its creators, Kaiser and Rory Power, is so very relevant to what we do here at Sonic Router. Giving people a platform to represent themselves sonically has become a vital thing to offer in this overtly digital age and, admittedly for us, it’s become way more of a focus for us since we joined the family of shows on the station.

Since then though, the station’s roster has expanded and its dominance on our social network feeds has become irreversible. With new shows from labels like Donky Pitch, Well Rounded, Robox Neotech and so many more the station is now less of a secret and with this interview should be set to become less of a mystery. Sonic Router sat down with the duo behind the hive to discuss the project after the launch of their spanking new web interface and in celebration they put together a mix spanning over 90 minutes and just as many micro genres…

SR: So, I’m super familiar with the concept of the Hive but for all those who might not be, what’s the thinking behind the station/site? Obviously the name suggests people with the same vision feeding off each other for a greater good...

Kaiser: I think that Hivemind has always represented something that transcends any kind of genre divisions or departmentalization in music - it's that feeling you get when you go to other parts of the country, or even other parts of the world and you meet people who seem to be on the same page, despite having different influences and backgrounds. I guess the internet is kind of responsible for this - the record-store-centric musical phenomenons of yesteryear have disappeared to some extent, and we now seem to be in a massive melting pot of sound, where you're not just influenced by the other producers & DJs in your postcode, but people from all over the planet. I like to think that the Hive represents this new approach to thinking about music, and that we're documenting this wild variety in some small way. Ultimately, we see Hivemind as more than just a radio station, but a culture or a collective way of thinking, at least in the future anyway.

What made you want to start it?

K: Haha, like most good ideas, alcohol was certainly a factor. We were sitting around Rory's kitchen table at like four in the morning after a night out, listening to some past mixes (Rory used to have a Murderbot-esque habit of making a mix for every single musical theme that seemed to exist) and we thought to ourselves "we should really put these somewhere online for people to listen to". It then evolved from that into the idea of an internet radio station, with other DJ's who we knew played amazing music getting involved. We were obviously aware of people who were already dominant in the field of web-radio, but felt that none of the big names really represented the story we wanted to tell. All of the other stations seemed to just let anyone have a show, and whilst I’m all for promoting grassroots DJs and giving them their opportunity, we didn't feel like there was anywhere where the 'heads' or the guys who had spent years documenting and understanding music (both its history and its production) were gathered.

Everyone who's on the station today has been invited personally by us, because we're aware of how good they are at what they do. We're really happy to have everyone who's on board at the moment, because they all represent everything we intended the Hive to be.

Can you give us more of an idea what shows are on the station?

Rory Power: Being Bristol based is great for us cause it’s definitely the most forward thinking musical hub outside of London. When we started we searched out the best Bristol selectors and crews which makes up the core of our content, people like notorious rave smashers Shit the Bed, Agro and Bashout regularly represent their sounds and on the deeper end of thing’s UFO, Pollen, Work, I Feel Space & Falling Up cover our love of all things house, disco & funky.

Since then we’ve built on this backbone with talent from further afield including Lowriders (NL), Kanji Kinetic & Z-Kat (UK/CZ), Donky Pitch & Slugabed (UK), Slit Jockey (US), Steakhouse & Pollinate records (UK,) Well Rounded (UK), Robox Neotech (DE), and of course yourselves… Plus there’s’ a few more Bristol crew’s in the shape of Tape Echo, Always Everything and Koan Sound. There are loads more besides these and plenty more to be added in the near future so keep ‘em peeled for schedule developments.

That ties in nicely with the next question… what kind of developments are in store for the project?

K: The first thing that we've got going on is the site re-launch. We're aware that up until now, the site's always appeared to be a bit of an empty shell. Due to our limited resources, we've always been reliant on the assistance of others in helping us shape our vision into something that people enjoy interacting with (we're useless at web design!). Fortunately, we found our savior in the form of Kane aka Neka, who's part of the Tape Echo project. Thanks to him, the site has a lot more scope for content, with a new blog feature, featured artist interviews with podcasts, recordings from live events and a much better timetabling system. We've got lots more exciting plans for the site in the future though, as this is essentially only version 1.5 of the Hive. With some of the things we have planned for the future, we hope to see the Hive grow and become a tool for the underground music community to interact with a massive variety of content.

We've also recently started doing nights in Bristol with some of our favourite promoters. The whole premise around the events is 'Hivemind Presents' - whereby we team up with our favourite promoters, and help put on more than just a party, but a snapshot of what's going on in music at a particular point in time. We recently hosted the Chicago Juke Tour in conjunction with our friends from Brock Out. DJ Spinn, Chrissy Murderbot and Girl Unit all absolutely killed it! We also did some mad carnival lazer bass thing with Pacheko, Deville & Hanuman which was probably one of my favourite nights I’ve ever been to in Bristol. We're hoping to expand the whole 'Hivemind Presents' thing to other cities around the UK and all over the world, hooking up with our favourite promoters and helping to show off a wide range of talent from all over.

As people, what have you got coming up worth plugging?

K: Personally, I’ve just put out my debut EP on Slit Jockey records called 'The Art of War' on a kind of synthy-future bass vibe. I got snapped up by Starkey pretty early on in my producing career, and the material on it is all from kind of around that time where I was experimenting a lot and trying to find my own thing. I'm really happy to have it finally out and I've had some nice comments from people about how it flows nicely from start to finish. Otherwise, I've got some nice offers from people and a few different EP's and side projects I’m working on, including a collab with me & Kanji Kinetic. By the looks of things, 2011 should hopefully be pretty exciting.

Can you give us a little bit of an introduction to the mix…

R: The Hivemind principle of shared thought is a presence throughout this mix. Me and Will approach things from totally different angles but we’ve managed to bring together all our influences to represent what we see as the collective vision for Hivemind: a willingness to dig through classics whilst staying ruthlessly on point. There’s a bit of everything we love in there; classic RnB, hip hop from the LA school of beats, synth-laden electronica, NY x UK house & garage, Berlin dub techno, Drexciyan electro, Chi-town juke and its Detroit based booty bass cousin. London is heavily repped with some grime and funky – all with a cheeky nod to the dancefloor and mixed together at a fairly breakneck speed. 62 tracks in 99 minutes ain’t bad!

::

DOWNLOAD: Kaiser & Rory Power – Hivemind FM x Sonic Router Mix



Tracklist:

1. letherette - eye to eye
2. take - neon beams
3. maxmillion dunbar - pretty please
4. oriol - flux
5. tropics - give it up
6. om unit - the corridor
7. american men - tenzin zopa (machinedrum remix)
8. dj rashad - gettin some head
9. kelis & andre 3000 - millionaire
10. pariah - c-beams
11. arpanet - grossvater paradoxon
12. jimmy edgar - one twenty detail
13. space dimension controller - journey to the centre of the unknown sphere
14. 808 state - flow coma (afx remix)
15. kidkut - ilove04
16. karizma - darqness
17. roof light - palm
18. falty dl - odyssey
19. cosmin trg - tower block
20. dva feat fatima - just vybe (soulepower mix)
21. oriol - lw
22. omar s - plesetsk cosmodrome
23. funkineven - heart pound
24. roska & untold - long range
25. aardvarck - cult copy 3 (dub)
26. bok bok & cubic zirconia - reclash (give it to me)
27. green velvet - answering machine
28. lone - once in a while
29. steve poindexter - work that motherfucker (paul johnson remix)
30. ramadanman - mir
31. subeena - wishful talk (ghosts on tape remix)
32. boddika - boddika's house
33. morgan geist - airpour
34. girl unit - wut
35. ti - yeah ya know (instrumental)
36. mosca - square one (bok bok remix)
37. scratcha dva - 32da4
38. terror danjah - power grid
39. royal-t - hot ones (remix)
40. plasticman - cha
41. lv - boomslang
42. seiji - straylight
43. crst - may not be real
44. wax - 10001 a
45. basic channel - phylyps trak ii
46. george morel - let's groove
47. hardrive - deep inside
48. jus ed - marco's love
49. africa hitech - how does it make you feel
50. kingthing - bump
51. boddika - syn chron
52. jameson - urban hero
53. dj funk - booty perk-u-later
54. drexciya - digital tsunami
55. mr de - time space scrilla
56. remote - the swarm
57. redinho - pitter patter
58. dj spinn & dj rashad - daydreamin (juktronik)
59. 2am/fm - landing dock two
60. rustie - dragonfly
61. model 500 - ofi

Link:
http://hivemind.fm

VIDEO: Future Sound

Future Sound is a short documentary that looks into a small cross section of London's forward-thinking underground dance music scene, exploring some of the things that define and affect it as it moves into a new age of digital innovation.

Featuring interviews with Roska, Scratcha DVA, Blackdown, Mark Fisher/K-Punk, and the Wire's Lisa Blanning, plus footage from a live SBTRKT DJ set.

Dir: Jamie Whitby & Rachel Lob-levyt // UK // 2010

COMPETITION: Win Copies of Soul Jazz's Riddim Box

After the unveiling of their Future Bass compilation - something of an emphatic compilation of exactly that, future bass music (including producers like Distal, Randomer and Untold amongst others) – Soul Jazz Records are outing a similar collection of UK Funky. Not so obsessed with that next shit, Riddim Box is a 2 CD collection of classic dancefloor cuts that epitomise the club sound of funky - much like their previous series Box Of Dub of Steppah’s Delight have done.

Being compiled by Alex Stevenson (whose name you might recall from our interview around the release of the Brownswood Electr*c compilation) and Deep Medi’s Kris Jones it features a lot of cuts you might have missed like the instrumental of Donae’o’s ‘African Warrior’ or Zumen and Aaron Phiri’s ‘Rolexx,’ as well as some classic scene starters like Hardhouse Banton’s ‘Sirens’ and Kode9’s ‘Black Sun.’

Titled after the NB Funky track of the same name, which features on CD1, it’s been put together with love and a dedication to getting the order and styling just right. Put simply it’s a succinctly stylized snapshot of the sound of 2010, some of that raw, snare heavy dance music that has infected almost every dance in the last 12 months.

The good news is we’ve been given 3 copies to give away. To win a copy just email us the answer to the following question by 8th November.

Q: Soul Jazz operates out of which Soho based record store?

::

Tracklist:

CD1
01. Altered Natives - Rass Out
02. MJ Cole - Volcano Riddim
03. NB Funky - Riddim Box
04. Tubby T - Ready She Ready (Seiji Remix)
05. Sunship feat. Warrior Queen - Almighty Father (Solid Groove Underground Souljah Mix)
06. Zumen Feat. Leafnuts and Aaron Phiri - Rolexx
07. Hard House Banton - Sirens
08. Ghosts On Tape - Predator Mode (Roska Remix)
09. Donae'o - African Warrior (Instrumental)

CD2
01. Stereotyp Meets Al Haca - Blaze N' Cook (Radio Slave remix)
02. Kode9 - Black Sun
03. Lil Silva - Pulse vs. Flex
04. LV Feat. Rubi Dan and Errol Bellot - Crossfire
05. Omar and Zed Bias - Dancing (Instrumental)
06. D-Malice - Gabryelle (Refix)
07. Grievous Angel - Move Down Low (Dubplate Mix)
08. DVA - Natty
09. Shystie - Pull It (Ill Blu Remix Instrumental)
10. Crazy Cousinz – Attract

Out: 8th November on Soul Jazz Recordings

INTERVIEW: Sentel [Concrete Cut]

Casting our ears back to the first dalliances with Polish outfits like BBQ (their blog, parties, promo mixes and giveaways) and labels like Concrete Cut we're completely in agreement with the recent XLR8R penned notion that, Poland is on fire in terms of fresh and interesting bass music of late. With artists like Zeppy Zep, The Phantom and now Sentel littering our inbox, conversations and radio show tracklists we're totally assured that Poland is doing it about now.

The duo of Sentel, aka Sylwia Kopys and Bartek Baran, hail from Krakow - a town you might have heard referenced in a tale of debauchery or a last ditch effort to lose a mind before committing to someone in matrimony. Keeping their four four kick drums prominent, together they make music that sits as easily between the flummoxing styles of producers like Brackles, Untold and the extended Night Slugs family. Enriched by the erratic, almost scattergun synth lines that incline up into themselves on 'Chapel 20' their style is encapsulated beautifully on their debut release, 'Chapel 20' b/w 'Widow' on the Concrete Cut imprint. Their sound is thick, almost toxic in its luminesence, with the stabbing leads pulling and nagging at your ear drums. In a similar way to the recent work of Egyptrixx: if a producer like Ikonika's world is plagued by hyperbolic shades of neon, Sentel's is swamped by woozy, pixel patterned shades; colliding in flashes.

Grabbing our 56th Sonic Router mix as we did it, we caught up with the duo, asking them to learn us a few things we could tell the wider world in return...

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


Sentel: We are Sylvia and Bart. We live in Krakow where we try to get by making beats, playing out, and spending too much time in clubs.

Outside of music who are you guys? What do you do on the daily? 


Bartek is attempting to figure out his life after an unsuccessful stint at uni, and Sylvia has just started hers at an old, respected university. In his free time Bartek works in computer graphics and Sylvia spins disco every night in a Ukrainian club.

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

From the beginning, when we first started playing house parties in our hometown (Kielce) we were sure that we wanted to, at some point, start making our own music. At the time we didn't really have any idea of how it would turn out in terms of style.

Bartek: I remember the first tune I finished. It was in 2008 and it was a remix of Blur's 'Boys & Girls'. It was so bad it was barely listenable...

How does the partnership work between you when making tunes?


Everything happens fairly naturally. One of us starts a project and then we work together with each others' ideas. Sometimes one of us stays up later at night and when we wake up the next day we work on the project together. You could say that we split the work 50/50 (Bart makes the beats, Sylvia buys the beer).

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


To be honest we only use a laptop with Ableton live. We do have a Akai mpk49 midi keyboard and an apc40 controller, but we use those pretty rarely. Until now we haven't even been able to get a hold of studio monitors or even a single fully functional pair of headphones. That might be partially responsible for the sound on our debut... haha.

Where do you take inspiration from when making music? I mean it’s easy to hear the influence of people like Scratcha DVA and Ikonika in your tunes but what do you think influences the music you make? I mean your myspace quotes black metal as an influence...


Of course you can't directly hear the influence of black metal in our music but I think that there is a certain aura and a kind of straightforwardness to our melodies that we can attribute to the sounds of Burzum, Xasthur or Bathory. You certainly shouldn't take that too seriously. In the same way we could say that the board game Magia i Miecz (Talisman in English) from our childhood is an inspiration, or the kids cartoon He-man.

What is truly inspirational for us is stuff from Werk Discs, Night Slugs, old deep house, acid house, Detroit techno, and rave tracks that you can find all over the internet.




Sentel – Chapel 20 [Concrete Cut]

What’s the scene like in your native Poland? There seems to be some really good producers putting out records at the moment... is the club side of it blossoming?

The scene isn't particularly big, but there are a few really great producers in it. We have to mention Zeppy Zep and The Phantom (check out the last track in our mix), Tomek Urbanowicz from Supra1, Vanatoski from Gangsteppaz, Tom Encore, Liquid Molly, the Concrete Cut crew, Sekta, DJ Spox, and the whole PL Funky crew. The scene is quite good now and we have a feeling that more and more good new producers appear in time. Keep your eyes on Poland, it might surprise you yet.

How did you link with the Concrete Cut crew for you first 12”? What can people expect from it if they’ve heard it? I mean RA commented on the frenetic energy of the thing... do you feel that’s a good description?


We had a few tracks up on the internet that Concrete Cut liked and they asked us if we'd like release something on their label. Simple story really. As for the single, we wanted it to be weird and aggressive, and totally different from the standard approach to UK funky. I think we achieved our goal.

The artwork for it is incredibly strong, kind of bleak but a throwback to the primitive platform games of the past... was that a conscious thing for you? To give it such an arcade feel...


Of course, it was intentional. Bartek was the proud owner of a Commodore 64, and he also played NES. Games like Contra, ShadowGate, Last Ninja left their mark in their own way and Bartek used that as a guide when he designed the artwork. Apparently you can hear the echoes of this kind of visual style in our music. Maybe it's a little cheesy, but it's certainly sincere.

What other projects have you got in the pipeline?

We plan to release our first vinyl this year, with Concrete Cut of course. We haven't DJed a lot recently and we'd like to change that. We're open for bookings! haha

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

We wanted the mix to be a little different. We didn't keep a steady tempo and the energy is spread out in an usual way. We wanted to tell some sort of story rather than it just being a standard selection of tunes. That's why we used a song from an old Polish children's film, Akademia Pana Kleska (Mr. Kleks' Academy), after some serious modifications of course. In general the majority of the tracks we used we edited in some way specifically for the mix. There's also a new track of ours there with a working title of 'Bones' and a second untitled track which will likely never be released, but we decided to use it here as a sort of exclusive.

Any words of wisdom, for our readers?



We're the last people who should be giving out any sort of wisdom. Hahaha

::

DOWNLOAD: Sentel – Sonic Router Mix #56



Tracklist:

01. Velour - Booty Slammer
02. Mele - Bombay
03. Marcus Price & Carli - Var E Näääken (Girl UNIT Remix)
04. Claude VonStroke - Who's Afraid of Detroit (Edited by Sentel)
05. Revenge of Philip Golarz - Theme From Ms.Kleks Academy (Edited by Sentel)
06. Aiku - Just Can't Sleep (Egyptrixx Remix)
07. Sentel - Untitled
08. Hanuman Feat Kanji Kinetic - Bola (Kanji Kinetic Remix)
09. Kanji Kinetic - Thrill Seeka (Kingdom Remix)
10. Sentel - Bones
11. Pirate Soundsystem - Dub N U (Bare Noize Remix)
12. Nightmare Feat Skepta & Lil Nasty - Badness (Edited By Sentel)
13. DVA - New World Order
14. Redinho - Boy Racer
15. Modeselektor - Art and Cash (Phono Remix)
16. Zinc - Nexx
17. Jam City - Let Me Bang Refix (Edited by Sentel)
18. Makongo - Angolan Kung Fu (Double Dutch Remix)
19. Zander Hardy - Signalling
20. Sentel - Widow
21. Style Of Eye & Slagsmålsklubben - Homeless (Canblaster Remix) (Edited By Sentel)
22. Micky Slim & Nom De Strip - Do It (Original Mix)
23. Bobmo - Bring It (Hot City Remix) (Edited by Sentel)
24. The Phantom - Nightgame (Zeppy Zep Remix)

Link:
www.myspace.com/itssentel
www.myspace.com/concretecut

Photo: http://trouble-lighting.blogspot.com

DOWNLOAD: Simon/off - No Turning Back

One of the regular producers whose unreleased productions feature on our Hivemind.fm show, Austrian producer Simon/off, just dropped a free track for the Elevate Festival website. He’s the latest in a line of festival performers to do so with the site already hosting tracks from DJ Spinn and Pursuit Grooves whilst it promises more from people like Girl Unit and Altered Natives.

Gumpf:

“This year's Elevate Festival is marked by numerous innovations! Following on from the previous festival compilation, the new MP3 podcast will be available as a free download at the festival-homepage. Offering weekly new audio-excerpts from the music programme 2010, the podcast will feature artists including DJ Spinn, Elektro Guzzi, Pursuit Grooves, Over At The Stars, Simon/off, Girl Unit, Walls, Re-lay, Altered Natives, Piece Of Shh..., Chrissy Murderbot, The Tweakers, Dead Fader, WoO, Fontarrian and many more. Finally, a collection of all tracks will be made available as the Elevate Festival 2010 compilation.”

DOWNLOAD: Simon/off – No Turning Back (Direct Download - Right Click/Save As)

Links:
www.myspace.com/simonoff
Simon/off - Sonic Router Mix (April 2010)



For more info on the 2010 edition of the Elevate Festival - which features headline slots from players like Mount Kimbie, Joy Orbison, Claro Inteleco, Sandwell District, Emeralds, Oneohtrix Point Never, Actress, Hudson Mohawke and Merzbow amongst those already mentioned and many more - head over to the website: http://2010.elevate.at/

RECOMMENDED: LV & Okmulumkoolkat - Boomslang/Zharp [Hyperdub]

Since their earliest releases, which saw them travel through dubbed-out, post-Mystikz headspaces, London-based Hyperdubbers LV have stubbornly resisted pigeonholing at every turn. Revisiting the likes of 'Globetrotting' and 'Dream Cargo' now, the clues were always there as to their shifting identity - the former a rootsy stomp as comfortable played from midsummer speakers as headphones on a cold winter evening, the latter a more muscular take on Burial's melancholy images of London. After 'Turn Away', which brightened the opening segment of Hyperdub's 5 compilation with a shot of synthesised colour, the 38 EP earlier this year was a drastic departure. A concept album in miniature, it mapped the psychosocial spaces of a London bus journey, moving in and out of different personae like quicksilver. Sonically it saw the group experiment with form and tempo a little more, but unless you'd been paying attention to their interview and excellent Okzharp mix for Blackdown earlier this year their latest for Hyperdub would, I'd imagine, come as a real surprise.

In the wake of a trip to South Africa (his country of birth), LV's Gerv started to piece together a spring-loaded, London-soaked variant on the kwaito/house flavours he encountered there. The result is a formidable dancefloor double header: both 'Boomslang' - the most maddeningly catchy track this side of Mujava's 'Township Funk' - and 'Zharp' brim with a restless excess of nervous energy. There's so much pent-up tension in the skeletal beat of 'Zharp' that it sounds spring-loaded, liable to burst at any time - it's the kind of tune that could take someone's eye out. Fittingly for the African/reptilian implications of the title (and the glorious artwork), it's a snakelike riddim, slithering and shuddering to a sudden pinpoint stop. The A-side is likely to decimate dancefloors for the foreseeable future, and perhaps the only worry it's possible to hold onto for too long is that it'll burn itself out through overplay, in the manner of 'CMYK' or 'Footcrab'. Durban MC Okmalumkoolkat's semi-nonsense chatter drifts between tightly syncopated stabs of bass and snare, and its central bleep melody lasts for a tantalisingly short period of time before disappearing again. Both tracks are short, sharp shocks, far removed from LV's previous material, and point towards enjoyable new developments, even if this 12" proves more a one-off than a wholescale change in direction.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Monday 11th October



Links:
http://www.hyperdub.net

RECOMMENDED: T.Williams – Chop & Screw EP [Deep Teknologi]

T.Williams’ first EP on the freshly minted Local Action label is still a personal favourite; with Mr. Williams rolling on a dark, teched out stompy flex that gets pretty addictive considering the insistent nature of his pounding kick drums. After the last two releases on Deep Teknologi from Zander Hardy and J.Bevin, both maintaining the quality levels of his own output, the label boss steps up with a three track EP all of his own that picks up where the Local Action EP left off, evolving into something that could easily slay a bigger room dance.

Opening with ‘Chop & Screw’ we walk right into peak time on some hazy Ibiza dance floor; bumpy disco and funk loops building like a filter house track – a trick you wouldn’t necessarily expect to hear on a dark edged UK funky release. At first it’s a bit awkward, seemingly a little hard to get on board with; but when the beats drop into that punchy, rolling rhythm with the deep flexing bassline and skittish snare hits, it’s hard not to lose yourself in it.

Things get darker with the rest of the EP, ‘Hard Cash’ and ‘In The Deep’ sound like they’ve been carved out of heavy summer heat, shaking themselves free from a dense haze of dubbed-out bass frequencies. The basslines on both of these get thing moving; ‘Hard Cash’ pulses and drones until unleashing deadly down turning rave stabs and ‘In The Deep’ has an impressive pulsing funk to it. Maybe its Williams’ grimy side coming out again but both of these are dark with a restrained swagger that means business.


T.Williams - Chop & Screw [forthcoming Deep Teknologi]

Words: James Balf
Out: Soon

Links:
www.myspace.com/deepteknologi

VIDEO: Martyn - Great Lengths

Finally embeddable...



Hullo Martyn.

Link:
www.myspace.com/martyndnb

STREAM: Geiom - Planet Mu Mix

With the absence of time and with all the good will in the world we can muster we thought we'd share the new mix from Berkane Sol boss man, Geiom.

So in short:

He just emailed.
Said he had a new mix for the world.
We listened to it.
Decided quite quickly that it is awesome.
Posted it here:

STREAM: Geiom - Planet Mu Mix



Quite what the relevance of its title is, shall be revealed soon no doubt.

Edit:

DOWNLOAD LINK NOW LIVE-O: Geiom - Planet Mu Mix (via Sendspace)

Link:
www.myspace.com/geiom

DOWNLOAD: Scratcha DVA - disko404 Podcast

There's no one quite like Scratcha. His melodies on tracks like the Hyperdub released 'Natty' and 'Ganja' stand out like sunburnt lips in the sea of soundalike thump heavy funky and when you combine his flagrantly outlandish melodies on tracks like 'Jelly Roll' with his pedigree as a DJ and radio show host you get this...

Another awesome, exclusive loaded mix.

DOWNLOAD: ScratchADVA - Disko404 Podcast

Tracklist:

1. COOLY G - UP IN MY HEAD
2. FINGAPRINT - RISING SUN
3. L VIS 1990 - FOREVER YOU
4. SMASHER - DUBZ 2
5. DVA - NEW WORLD ORDER
6. MAGNETIC MAN - I NEED AIR (REDLIGHT REMIX)
7. BOK BOK - DANCE REPORT
8. FUNKYSTEPZ - FULLER
9. BREACH - FATHERLESS (DOC DANEEKA REMIX)
10. DONAEO - IM SO FLY
11. R1 RYDERS - HYDRAULIC
12. DEEP TEKNOLOGI - DISTORTION 101
13. EL B - I FEEL
14. KODE 9 - BLACK SUN
15. DVA & STARKEY -
16. GREENMONEY - WHO'S GREENMONEY (DUB MIX)
17. REDLIGHT FT MS DYNAMITE - WHAT YOU TALKIN' ABOUT

DVA005 - The New World Order EP is in shops now.

Link:
www.myspace.com/scratchadva

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 27.06.2010

Yesterday's show is now archived on Mixcloud, featuring Cloak & Dagger's Sonic Router Mix and an exceedingly dodgy mic cable.

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 27062010

Tracklist:

1. Foals - Spanish Sahara (Mosca Remix) [Unreleased]
2. Illum Sphere - Psycho (Doc Daneeka Remix) [Unreleased]
3. Kode9 ft. Spaceape - You Don't Wash (Martyn Remix) [!K7?]
4. SBTRKT - Blaow [Unreleased]
5. Grey Matter - Eu Fumo (Altered Natives Remix) [forthcoming Unique Uncut]
6. Bakonga - Amhara [forthcoming Brainmath]
7. Jackal Youth - Let Me Be [Reduction]
8. Hot City - Another Girl [forthcoming Moshi Moshi]
9. West Norwood Casette Library - What It Is VIP [unreleased]
10. Cooly G - Dis Boy (Hi Emotions Remix) [forthcoming DVA Music]
11. Simon/off - No Pills [forthcoming Immerse]
12. mlr - TV on Mute [Unreleased]
13. Jamie Grind - Keep Wondering [Free mp3 via XLR8R]
14. Pocs & Pacheko - Zarbak [Senseless]
15. DJ Madd - Reasonz [Boka]
16. Gemmy - Maroon Chant [forthcoming 'Earwax]

:: Cloak & Dagger - Sonic Router Mix ::

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)

Direct Download (Right Click/Save As)

Link:
http://hivemind.fm

DOWNLOAD: Illum Sphere - Psycho (Doc Daneeka's Hatchet & Spade Remix)

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.'



DOWNLOAD: Illum Sphere - Psycho (Doc Daneeka's Hatchet & Spade Remix)

Soundcloud DL limit breached, now hosted on Fairtilizer.



Links:
www.myspace.com/theillumsphere
www.myspace.com/therealdocdaneeka

DOWNLOAD: Kode9 - You Don't Wash Dub

A busy couple of weeks for Hyperdub boss Kode9 then... he's just spun together a FACT mix comprised solely of jungle records, he has a label showcase off Sonar next Thursday featuring Cooly G, Darkstar and himself and the release of his DJ KiCKS mix on !K7 is rearing its head later this month. I kind of get the impression he thrives of this kind of a ram out attention schedule and maybe its not just the mandatory 'mpfree' most labels seem to be offering up around the release of the album, but google will probably see a heavy increase in Kode related traffic when word gets round that the Dub version of the exclusive track he made for the DJ KiCKS album is available for the price of an email address over at the album's minisite.

'You Don't Wash Dub,' appears on the mix in this vocal-less format that is up for downloading whilst the single versio - due out early July also on !K7 - features long time Kode collaborator Spaceape on mic duties. Splattered with nuances and a bracing groove ‘You Don’t Wash’ benefits a touch from The Spaceape’s phrases, almost every one is coated by Kode9 in layers of delayed decay, sprawling his deep tones on into the depths; but the dub version loses none of its potency without them. Both versions are a unique insight into the mindset of the producer and given its summertime release date, the vitality and soca flourishes of its drum pattern it seems destined to mark a new territory for dancefloors, providing something light and vehemently danceable for the dark underbelly of bass music.

DOWNLOAD: Kode9 - You Don't Wash Dub



Link:
www.kode9-djkicks.com
www.myspace.com/kode9

DOWNLOAD: Shortstuff - Hotflush Podcast

Mr. Shortstuff emerges from the cold static of his recent radio silence with the latest edition of the Hotflush podcast. News of forthcoming projects from him should surface shortly but for now get this on the DL and keep an eye out for Martin Kemp's next 12" - 'Fix' b/w 'Wot U Got' - dropping soon on Shortuff's co-run Blunted Robots imprint... 'sabiggun.

DOWNLOAD: Shortstuff - Hotflush Podcast

No tracklist given, sucker.

Link:
www.myspace.com/djshortstuff
http://bluntedrobots.com

PRE-ORDER: DJ Naughty - Firepower EP [Roska Kicks & Snares]

UK Funky has been branching out of its thriving London underground roots with great success of late. Names like Lil Silva are getting picked up by Night Slugs, Ill Blue have a Hyperdub release slated in, Altered Natives are dropping a 12” on Martyn’s 3024 label and Roska made funky work over an album on his recently released Rinse presents album. Roska’s Kicks & Snares label has done a lot to help forge the sound he’s gone on to trademark and the next 12” from the imprint, ‘Quicktime’ by DJ Naughty, helps cement his rep as a global representative of this sound.

Stepping up himself with a remix of ‘Quicktime’ Roska adds tough syncopated drum patterns that roll elegantly under a fully loaded sub bass line designed implicitly to make you shake it. The melody pops in and out, all dubby and funky, reminiscent of music one would expect to hear in searing out of portable radios in a Cuban town centre. The highlight of the release though has to be Naughty’s soulful soca roller ‘Firepower;’ it bumps and shimmies at you like a subtle variant of the foundations Scratcha DVA laid in the landscape with his ‘Jelly Roll’ release. Its less loony tunes than that and becomes more meditative, utilising a dub vibe alongside the sine wave workouts. The low down and funky drum workout on ‘Gearshift’ makes your hips move even before the dubbed out samples and bassline drops, a full and proper minimal roller that just keeps going, ready for the long teasing mix.

Words: James Balf
Out: Now

Links:
www.myspace.com/djnaughtyuk
www.myspace.com/rosiroska

DOWNLOAD: Scratcha DVA - FABRICLIVE Promo Mix

Scratcha DVA is the latest person to put together a promotional mix for London nightclub fabric, commemorating his forthcoming appearance at the club with a super fresh mix of upfront tunes and a likkle YouTube Diggin' feature where the Rinse.fm DJ goes deep with the jokes.

Check both bits at the url below and look out for DVA005, 'New World Order,' dropping shortly.

DOWNLOAD: Scratcha DVA - FABRICLIVE Promo Mix



Tracklist:

1 REDLIGHT – MDMA
2 MA1 - TRIBES OF AFRICA
3 EGYPTRIXX - DRIVE U CRAZY
4 DVA - STEP 2 FUNK
5 GEENEUS - ???
6 HARD HOUSE BANTON - GRRRR (DUMPLING MIX)
7 DJ TONKA – FREEZE
8 RAMADANMAN – GLUT
9 FIS T - 6 TRIBES
10 ZINC/MS DARKS - BLUNT EDGE (DUB SPECIAL)
11 DVA - NEW WORLD ORDER
12 GIRL UNIT - I.R.L (DVA'S HI EMOTIONS REMIX)
13 DVA – GANJA
14 DVA – MONOWAVES
15 ROSKA & UNTOLD – MYTH
16 DVA vs FIS T - NATTY HUNTER
17 DVA & LV – DUMPLING
18 ILL BLU – OVERDOSE
19 DVA – SCHIZOPHRENIC
20 COOLY G - I.C
21 UNKNOWN - UNTITLED

Catch Scratcha at fabric in Room 3 on the 25th June with Chef, Elijah & Skilliam and Deep Teknologi.

Link:
www.myspace.com/scratchadva