RECOMMENDED: Jam City – Night Slugs White Label [White]

It’s easy to end up with a spot of tunnel vision when you’re locked to the constant shifting of sounds and styles going on in a scene, so when I say Jam City’s anthemic refix of Endgames’ ‘Ecstasy’ is hotly anticipated, it’s hard to really gauge whether that excitement spreads beyond the borders of the usual Night Slugs/UK bass followers. Still, it ought to – while the track’s been doing the rounds on dubplate for what feels like an age now, it’s just as good as it was when it first started appearing in mixes from Bok Bok, Greena and the rest of the London crew.

The first thing that strikes when needle hits wax is just how stripped-back and lo-fi Jam City’s production sounds. It was initially tempting to write off its canned feel as a product of the low bitrate mixes it appeared in, but placed alongside the highly buffed sheen of everything else coming out at the moment, ‘Ecstasy Refix’ stands out as a maverick and entirely successful experiment. It helps that its percussion is perfectly pitched - 808 hits rattle around the mix, seemingly in a hundred different places at once. Played off against the hypnotic repetition of its maddeningly catchy central motif the overall effect is one of stasis, of having to run flat out just to stay in the same place. If that sounds like strange praise, it’s probably not quite doing justice to the jittery, adrenal feel of the whole thing, or its compulsively twitchy charm.

On the flipside, JC offers another pair of reimaginings: a venomous house refix of DJ Deeon’s ‘Let Me Bang’, replete with an insistent drum hook – clearly an emerging trademark – and an odd but very interesting Wiley-styled ‘Devil Mix’ of DJ Bone’s ‘Shut The Lights Off’. Considering the unrelenting nature of Bone’s own productions, its spaced out eski-stylings come as a surprise, but a welcome one. Once again it relies on a central hook around which to hang incremental change – in this case an abrasive, grinding sub – and burns itself out over four airy minutes, and rounds out a 12" that may well be the best Night Slugs have yet put out there. It's certainly their finest white label so far, and to be honest if you haven't managed to snag a copy by now it might well already be too late. Still, it's well worth the effort to track down.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Link:
www.myspace.com/jamcitytrax

DOWNLOAD: Greena - XLR8R Mix

Another XLR8R podcast goes up, another post on SR goes up pointing out how they are probably the best US site pushing the variant chasms of UK dance music. It seems to been a chain reaction of late...

Wandering asides aside, this week's podcast comes from Greena (with another tailored Steve Braiden image) and taking in everything from unreleased Terror Danjah, Untold and Ikonika, to Omar S, Carl Craig and Villalobos the Applepips affiliated dude smacks it on the TL.

DOWNLOAD: Greena - XLR8R Mix

Tracklist:

01 Omar S "Flying Gorgars" (FXHE)
02 Carl Craig "Sandstorms" (Planet E)
03 Mosca "Nike" (Night Slugs)
04 Ghosts on Tape "Predator Mode (Roska Remix)" (Wireblock)
05 Afrojack "Cheese" (Wall)
06 DJ Funk "Dik Work" (Funk)
07 Geeneus "Ultrafunkula" (Warp)
08 Jam City "Let Me Bang Remix"
09 Major Lazer feat. Nina Sky "Keep It Goin' Louder" (Mad Decent)
10 Julio Bashmore "Um Bongo (Deadboy Remix)"
11 DJ Mystery & Natalie K "Speechless" (white)
12 Untold "Bad Girls" (Fabric)
13 Terror Danjah "Acid" (Hyperdub)
14 Kingdom "You" (Fool's Gold)
15 Martinez Bros "My Rendition (Bonus Beats)" (Objektivity)
16 Mya "Free (Brackles bootleg)"
17 Karizma "33rd Street Anthem" (ITH)
18 DJ T "Dis" (Get Physical)
19 Villalobos "Chromosul" (Perlon)
20 Apple "Dutty Dance" (white)
21 Bok Bok "Ripe Banana VIP"
22 Mosca "Square One (Greena Remix VIP)" (Night Slugs)
23 L-Vis 1990 "Untitled"
24 Ikonika "The Idiot"
25 Claude VonStroke "Monster Island" (Dirtybird)
26 Electrik Red "Freaky Freaky" (Def Jam)
27 Davinche "Megadrive" (white)
28 Low Deep "Down Like That" (white)
29 Terror Danjah feat. Sadie Ama & Kano "So Sure" (white)

Link:
www.myspace.com/ukgreena

DOWNLOAD: Mosca - Square One (Greena Mix)

Limited freebie from Greena and Mosca (pictured): Greena's remix of Mosca's 'Square One' track which is forthcoming on Night Slugs with original versions of 'Square One' and 'Nike' alongside remixes from Bok Bok & L-Vis 1990.

Available for 7 days only.

DOWNLOAD: Mosca - Square One (Greena Mix)

Links:
www.myspace.com/ukgreena
www.myspace.com/deejaymosca

DOWNLOAD: Braiden - Mixing It Up for Discobelle

"I found this picture of an absurd technicolour utopia on a Jehova’s Witness pamphlet in a changing room in South London and it reflects this mix better than any picture of my face could. I’ve put together a varied mix of electro, techno, grime, and whatever you want to call this 130bpm uk bass music. Some old, some new, some unreleased, mixed with decks and Serato, clocking in at just over 35 minutes. It’s unlikely you’d see me play such a wide range of genres and tempos within half an hour in a club scenario, but that’s the beauty of studio mixes." - Steve Braiden

DOWNLOAD: Braiden - Mixing It Up for Discobelle

Tracklist:

Aphex Twin – Windowlicker [Run Jeremy edit]
Deadboy – Ifuwantme
Japanese Telecom – Japanese Animation
Little Jinder – Youth Blood [Bok Bok remix]
Mark Henning – Sick Note
Greena – Actual Pain
Alden Tyrell – Disco Lunar Module
Major Lazer – Pon De Floor
Housemeister – Rambo
Martin Kemp – No Charisma
L-Vis 1990 – Untitled
Pangaea – Sunset Yellow
Dizzee – Stop Dat
Crystal Fighters – I Love London [Brackles remix]
Ruff Sqwad – RSMD

Link:
www.myspace.com/djbraiden
www.stevebraiden.com

DOWNLOAD: Greena - Ballers Mix

Here is the latest in a long line of Baller 5ocial Club mixes... this time from the Applepips affiliated, Greena.

You can catch Greena playing in Glasgow @ Ballers on Oct 22nd w/ Terror Danjah.

DOWNLOAD: Greena - Ballers Mix

Tracklist:

kraftwerk - metropolis
drexciya - wavejumper
untold - its gonna work out fine
mosca - squareone
martin kemp - after the night
lvis-1990 - zahonda (greena rmx)
shortstuff & hyetal - don't sleep
brodinski - peanuts club (bok bok and greena rmx)
kingdom - mind reader (bok bok rmx)
joy orbison - BRKLN CLLN
crystal fighters - i love london (brackles rmx)
martyn - hear me
greena - maracay (hard house banton rmx)
shackleton - tin foil sky
erro johannes - we could be ikons (ikonika rmx)
andrea parker ft dj godfather - bounce that ass
the other people place - running from love...

Link:
www.myspace.com/ukgreena

INTERVIEW: Appleblim

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

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

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

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

What’s the ethos behind the Apple Pips label?

Simply to release great music…

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

Anything else you’d like to plug?

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

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

::



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

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

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

::



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

DOWNLOAD: Greena – FACT mix 41

Tracklisting:

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