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

RECOMMENDED: Bowly – Bleeps/Idee D’Un Tropique [Berkane Sol]

Despite the runaway dancefloor success of Martin Kemp’s brilliantly oddball releases on Blunted Robots, there has been comparatively little of the same sort of stuff appearing from other sources. It could well be because Kemp’s take on broken house is a delicate kind of alchemy, and one that’s difficult to replicate outside of optimum laboratory conditions. It’s certainly true that the tricky sense of swing and timing that makes ‘No Charisma’ and ‘What U Got’ so fiendishly addictive – and impossible to avoid dancing to – is a tough balancing act, and one that very few have managed to match. Cooly G’s new 12” for Hyperdub is one contender, though both ‘Phat Si’ and ‘Up In My Head’ are still tied to a far more traditional house template. DVA’s upcoming Hyperdub release again touches on similar territory, but so far this new release from Bowly is the closest anyone’s yet come to matching the unique tension between rigidity and flexibility that marks out Kemp’s tunes.

Bowly’s not entirely there, in the sense that both tracks still pivot around a recognisable house pulse, but they aim for something else entirely. With its slow pace and delicate conga rolls, ‘Bleeps’ is a slightly more contemplative take on the UK funky sounds Geiom’s recently been putting out, hitting similar humid notes as ‘Sugar Coated Lover’ or the best of Hackman’s music. ‘Idee D’un Tropique’ is the more interesting thing here though, and it’s a fantastically supple track, riding off a broken beat that seems to contort into a thousand different shapes over the course of its five-minute runtime. What’s most enjoyable about both these tracks though is how strongly they remain connected to the evolutionary lineage of UK bass music – you can hear grime’s heatshocked synths exploding in the backdrop of ‘Idee’, and the descending chords of ‘Bleeps’ are straight out of the first wave of funky. But alongside the likes of Cooly G, Kemp and Hackman they’re breezily unconcerned with where they end up along the way, and all the better for it.

Words: Rory Gibb
Out: Now

Links:
www.myspace.com/zorbowly

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

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

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 23.05.2010

The archive of our Sunday show on hivemind.fm is now live on mixcloud.

Note: the mic wasn't working so theres no chat, just extensive stings.

Catch Sonic Router on Hivemind.fm every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month from 10pm - 12am.

STREAM: Sonic Router x Hivemind.fm 23.05.2010



Tracklist:

1. Downliners Sekt - Negative [disboot]
2. James Blake - Postpone [R&S]
3. Cloak & Dagger - In The Cut [forthcoming Immerse]
4. Blawan - Fram [Hessle Audio]
5. Jack Dixon & Robin Card - Adrian [unreleased]
6. Dong - Suzuran (LV & Quarta330 Mix) [Hyperdub]
7. Cloak & Dagger - Crimewaves [forthcoming Immerse]
8. Duncan Powell - Pushing (FaltyDL Remix) [forthcoming 2nd Drop]
9. Dark Arx - Streak [Dark Arx]
10. Rossi B & Luca - Saturn [forthcoming Double Science]
11. Kuoyah - Angels Dub (Sully Remix) [Frijsfo]
12. Ital Tek - Spectrum Falls [Atom River]
13. 16 Bit - ADSL [forthcoming on Brownswood Electric]
14. Rudi Zugadlo - Filthy Logic [Planet Mu]
15. Sepalcure - Love Pressure [forthcoming Hotflush]
16. Kontext - Ocean In The Bathroom [Immerse]
17. Orphan 101 - Tribtek Pt. 1 [forthcoming Saigon]
18. Unknown Artist - Blackout [BLACKOUT01]
19. Subeena - Rakeeh [forthcoming Astro:Dynamics]
20. Samuel H Simpson - Spronkle (F Remix) [forthcoming TAKE]
21. mlr - Its_not_working [unreleased]
22. Eleven Tigers - Atomic Turnip [Soul Motive]
23. Ital Tek - Midnight Colour [forthcoming Planet Mu]
24. Guido - Shades Of Blue [Punch Drunk]
25. Doc Daneeka - Deadly Rhythm [forthcoming PTN]
25. DVA - New World Order [forthcoming DVA]
26. Hackman - Gutterflower [forthcoming PTN]
27. Hypno - Over The Top [forthcoming on Brownswood Electric]
28. Pearson Sound - Wad [Hessle Audio]
29. Ikonika - Psoriasis [Hyperdub]
30. Sigha - Shapes [forthcoming Hotflush Two]
31. A Made Up Sound - Alarm [AMUS]
32. Zander Hardy - Signalling (To The Chosen Ones) [forthcoming Deep Teknologi]
33. Becoming Real - Fast Motion (DVA Hi Emotion Remix) [forthcoming RAMP]
34. Scratcha DVA - Natty [Hyperdub]
35. Sonarpilot - Mothership (Ramadanman Remix) [Sonarpilot Audio]
36. Gremino - Problem [forthcoming Rag & Bone]

Direct Download Link (Right Click/Save As)

Links:
www.mixcloud.com/sonicrouter
http://hivemind.fm

READ: Sonic Router on URB.com

Sonic Router's monthly column for URB.com just went live-o today with words on forthcoming releases from Blawan, Joe, Al Tourettes Scratcha DVA, Brackles, West Norwood Cassette Library, Hackman, xxxy, Ike Release, XI, SRC, Swindle and Guido...

READ: Sonic Router: Suburban Sine Wave Surfing

PRE-ORDER: DVA - Natty/Ganja [Hyperdub]

Rinse FM resident, Scratcha DVA, functioning here simply as DVA, drops his debut 12” for the iconic Hyperdub imprint, with his own take on the funky sound; one that the grime producer has been perfecting for some time. Hyperdub always seem to ‘do funky’ differently, be it the smeared secular synths of Kode9 or the loved up deep and spacious sounds of Cooly G, and after his infectious ‘Jelly Roll EP,’ Scratcha’s hitting back with two prime cuts of dark no nonsense percussive funky.

The snares on ‘Natty’ have that off-centre skippy nature, like skimming a pebble over open water; really giving the track a lilting groove, which plays off the tribal percussion in fine style, switching from one subtle groove to the other only to be enhanced by the pulse of a ragged bass tone that really makes things swing. It’s incredibly simple but so effective, a dark side funky track that really gets under the skin. ‘Ganja’ is less reliant on the percussive interplay and instead hinges on the catchy sinuous bass line that winds its way around the track not unlike DJ Mujava’s ‘Township Funk,’ a cycle of whining bleeps that twists into dance floor oblivion.

Words: James Balf
Out: 18th January 2010

Links:
www.myspace.com/scratchadva
www.myspace.com/hyperdub

You catch Scratcha alongside Ramadanman and Heny G at the Tropical Launch Party at the Wire Club in Leeds on the 10th Feb, for which he's done a mix...

DOWNLOAD: Scratcha - Tropical Mix



Facebook Event

EVENT: Blunted Robots present Robot Dance

In association with Dirty Canvas, Blunted Robots celebrate their 2nd vinyl release, Martin Kemp's highly anticipated 'Aztec' b/w 'After The Night,' with a launch party at Gramaphone in East London.

Link:
http://bluntedrobots.com

DOWNLOAD: CRAZYLEGS 004.3: mixed by Julio Bashmore

This weekend see's Bristol's blossoming club night, CrazyLegs, turn 1 year old and they've been celebrating for the past couple of weeks with a 5 part 30 minute mixtape series from a few people whos names are on that flyer up ^^^ there plus a few people who are playing the shindig but aren't on this visual propaganda.

The first mix came from Rinse.fm's Scratcha DVA, the second one was from Bristol producer Dub Boy and this 3rd one is from rising funky talent Julio Bashmore.

DOWNLOAD: CRAZYLEGS 004.3: mixed by Julio Bashmore



Tracklist:

1. Daniel Haaksman - Senta Senta (ZDS remix)
2. Julio Bashmore - Banda 2
3. Claude Von Stroke - Vocal Chords
4. Kenton Slash Demon - Singla
5. Lvis-1990 - Compass (Christian Martin Remix)
6. MJ Cole - AO
7. DJ Gregory, Gregor Salto - Con Alegria (Solo Remix)
8. Julio Bashmore - Batak Groove
9. Lvis-1990 - Hide

Link:
www.myspace.com/juliobashmore

PRE-ORDER: Scratcha DVA – The Jelly Roll EP [DVA Music]

Grime and funky have been creating some common ground of late with things starting to get really interesting when the smooth house grooves got the rude boy treatment from the grime heads, who added a bit of raw dance floor power into the mix. Rinse FM’s Grimey Breakfast DJ and all round badman producer Scratcha DVA has turned his hand to funky after creating some big grime anthems like ‘Nasty Nasty Nasty,’ the simply poisonous ‘Bullet A Go Fly’ and the monster riddim ‘Kill All A’ Dem.’

The ‘Jelly Roll EP’ opens strong with the title track, which will bring a smile to even the badest of a badman’s face with its unashamed cheesy and down right stupidly catchy hooks. Don’t get it twisted though, that isn’t even a dis, ‘Jelly Roll’ is a full on dance floor bomb for exactly those reasons. It comes on like a smoother, heavily swung and less annoying version of Felix Da Housecat’s ‘Cry Baby’ with the ascending and descending riffs getting persistently tweaked and flipped into bouncy synth lines that keep it rolling over the laid back soca-esque drum patterns.

The grime beats that is ‘Nasty Nasty Nasty’ makes an appearance on the flip in the form of two remixes, one from funky maestro Roska , who adds his very own deep dark and down right danceable vibes to the track, and the other by dubstepper Sukh Knight who spaces things out and adds his trademark distinctive wobble. The real mystery comes in the form of the deep house vibes of ‘Guro Triba’ by Soule Power, which finishes off the EP succulently with it's distinctly smooth groove brought on by some bongo action and a steady four four pulse.

Words: James Balf
Out: 14th Sept 2009

Link:
www.myspace.com/scratchadva