WORDS: MATTHEW DUFFIELD PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))FRONTLINES WHAT’S YOUR What’s the concept behind Illusion? “The PLEASURE? vibe of the label is to create tracks for the dancefloor which are still very musical Here at Knowledge we’re always on the rather than all the dark tunes that are lookout for new talent breaking through going around at the moment. I like making and a young London producer, Simon mellow tracks, but I also want people to Neal, fits the bill perfectly. Recording be able to play my music out. Originally I under the name Pleasure, Simon, aged was planning more mellow stuff for the 24, has been making music and DJing label, but then I heard guys like Fabio and since 1993 with singles on Grid Records Jumping Jack Frost play a very musical as well as a track, ‘Lost Soul’, on style that still cuts it on the dancefloor. I’ve Formation’s ‘Jazz & Bass Session II’ heard this kind of sound described as compilation. Expect to hear more of him ‘cool step’ and that’s what I’m aiming for.” soon, however, with the formation of his own label, Illusion Records. There’s a techno flavour to Simon’s music Run in collaboration with Dylan at that makes sense when you discover Alphamagic, who he first met through who his greatest musical influence is. “It’s Grid, there have already been two Carl Craig and his production is simply Pleasure singles on Illusion, ‘Utopia’ / amazing. He doesn’t need to use ‘Automatic’ and ‘Faraway’ / ‘Projections’, samples; it’s purely sounds that he and both have been well received. creates himself and the whole way he Indeed, ‘Utopia’ was favourably reviewed goes about making music is an inspiration. in our last issue and is an excellent He puts such emotion into his music. On example of Simon’s style that combines the drum & bass scene Andy C is definite- warm, gentle soundscapes with a ly my favourite DJ.” healthy dose of dancefloor funk. So, how did he first get involved in Illusion is more than just an outlet music? “It was around 1991,” he for Simon’s music, however, and he has explains, “and I was well into the rave already lined-up tracks by other scene, but the first person I really liked producers. “I’m responsible for A&R and was Grooverider. When I heard the Karl Miller, Zen, E-Type and PSJ1 will all sub-bass he was playing, it blew me be releasing singles on the label before I away. I then began making my own do anything else. I want to try and music with Karl Miller who’s one of the push Illusion as far as I can and get their other artists on Illusion. He had his own music out there.” studio and I caught the bug after that.” The next single on Illusion will be from Zen 08 KNOWLEDGE and released at the beginning of July.
FRONTLINES(( CHOKE Debuting with ‘Fight Club’, a book heavy with black humour, Chuck Palahniuk continues his literary career with ‘Choke’. The author follows anti-hero Victor Mancini, a drop out from medical school who works with a group of losers and stoners, cruising sex addiction groups to find some action. Victor has also devised a complicated scam to pay for his elderly mother’s care; pretend to choke on a piece of food in a restaurant and whoever ‘saves you’ naturally feels responsible for you. Pulling this scam generates Victor a healthy flow of cheques. An antihero for our deranged times, Victor’s existence is a struggle to find an identity against overwhelming forces. Palahniuk explains, “I wanted to write about the moment when your addictions no longer hide the truth from yourself. When your whole life breaks down. That’s the moment when you have to somehow choose what your life is going to be about. Doping yourself with sex or drugs or food, or choosing something like writing, body building, gardening. In a way this is trading one compulsive behaviour for another but at least with the new one, you’re choosing it.” Choose ‘Choke’ by Chuck Palahniuk from Doubleday (£10). DEAL WITH AYIA NAPA SPRITE URBAN GAMES If you thought clubbing in the sun was only for the garage and Founded in ‘99, the Sprite Urban Games supported by Board X have continually house heads you obviously haven’t heard of The Velvet succeeded in bringing underground urban sports and lifestyle to the masses Rooms trip to Ayia Napa. Starting up in 1993, the venue’s at Clapham Common, London. This year sees the Games hosting UK and interna- reputation has always been strong nationally, not least due to tional skate and BMX stars with a purse of £20,000 added to give their competition the storming popularity of Fabio’s Wednesday regular, an extra edge. Scenarios to challenge the riders this year include a skate/BMX street Swerve. Now the club feel it’s about time to stamp an course hall, vert ramp, BMX dirt jump course and a BMX flatland area allowing room international mark. Velvet Rooms’ General Manager, Billy for airborne moves and street tricks. A purpose built tiered public gallery means commented, “This year we are going to alter people’s views won’t be obstructed and make sure you check the breakdance competition perception that Ayia Napa is Garage Island and are leading tent too. Other distractions include a games tent for some ‘Tony Hawks’, graffiti the way in proving it to be THE clubbing holiday destination to designated areas for invited painters and food stalls and various retailers for the rest. rival Ibiza. We are expecting very good things this season...” Beats and rhymes are provided by Gemini, who are also throwing a public Every Friday, The Velvet Rooms take over the inter-connect- mixing competition in the DJ tent. ed Babylon and Castle clubs to hold two joint parties in a DJ Open all day from Friday 27 July to Sunday 29 July, tickets cost £5 on Friday and head to head. With complimentary beach parties during the £10 over the weekend. Get them in advance from 020 7729 8424 daytimes and some of the boys playing free and exclusively you could be back at the Miami WMC all over again. KNOWLEDGE 09 DATES TO LOOK OUT FOR INCLUDE: 29 Jun: Fabio and Grooverider - live on Radio 1 6 Jul: Movement - Frost & Bryan Gee 20 Jul: Big Beat Boutique - Felix Da Housecat & Touche 3 Aug: Movement - Bryan Gee & Ray Keith 10 Aug: True Playaz special 31 Aug: Movement - Roni Size, Marky & MC Dynamite 7 Sep: Fabio & Grooverider - live on Radio 1
))FRONTLINES ICE MINUS - SERVED CHILLED SIDELINES Ice Minus Recordings’ first release is breaking out this summer. The label focuses around the Ice Minus collective, a long serving DJ Krush supports his 7th LP, ‘Zen’, Bristol crew consisting of Bart Icus, Ayton, Keiren Lomax (Kire 1) and Joe Publick. Having released on Hardleaders, Audio Couture, by touring Europe throughout June Moving Shadow and Tech Itch, and connections with old partnerships remain and will continue to be maintained. Look most and July. UK dates in July include immediately to Moving Shadow’s ‘Killabites 2’ EP, a sampler to the forthcoming album, for Ice Minus & Decoder’s ‘Drowning’, Ice Fabric on the 13th before finishing Minus’ ‘Jabba’ Ice Minus & Technical Itch’s ‘Altered Beast’. Compiler Technical Itch comments, “The ‘Killa Bites 2’ EP basically at the Essential Music festival the consists of tracks from our little crew with various people working together. It was a good way for us to get eight tracks out together day after. as a mini album, something we haven’t done before.” D-Story, formerly of Arsonists fame, Ice Minus’ first track on their own label is the suitably titled ‘Break The Ice’, plus another an old skool remix awaiting legalities. Ice has stepped out on own to produce a Minus and Decoder have completed a track, ‘Angel’ ready to rock after it’s been tested on dub. Looking to add to the Bristol sound, new 12”, ‘Roll Out’. Meanwhile, The the boys feel a lot of producers, “Are coming out of the cracks and building on something that others in Bristol have been doing for Arsonists themselves bring out a new years.” Not that going over old ground appeals: “Everything coming out will be well produced and polished.” album, ‘Date Of Birth’ in September. Check www.iceminus.co.uk for more info. Combination Records release the a ESSENTIAL pure drum & bass album from The MUSIC FESTIVAL Green Man LP in the autumn. As mentioned last issue Knowledge have The functional drumandbass.de web- joined forces with Legends Of the Dark Black site has been relaunched to represent for this year’s Essential Music Festival. The the strong German drum & bass full arena line-up can be confirmed as scene. Most content is translated into Grooverider, Fabio, Rap, Hype, Randall, English to help international visitors. Optical, Andy C, Ed Rush, Darren Jay, Kenny Ken, Dazee and Trex with GQ, Humdruma Recordingz was formed in Fearless, Skibadee, Foxy, Frenzy, Junior 1998 by DJ Satin after six years of Red, Magika and Illmatica all on mic duty playing out in LA as he wanted to add throughout the event. Elsewhere Public his own flavour to the scene. Enemy, Reprazent, Q Bert, Jurassic 5, Humdruma offers d&b on a ragga, Dilated Peoples, Aspects, Mr Scruff, DJ hip-hop, jump-up tip and look out for Krush, Luke Vibert, Adam Freeland, Rennie the ‘Rude Metal’ CD album out in Pilgrem and Freq Nasty play various stages. August. ‘Lexus & Beamaz’ is the single cut from the project to look for Kosheen, Biz Markie, Mark B & Blade, Jeru, earlier in the month. Ugly Duckling and Rodney P and Skitz are among those joining the party on the Sunday. East Coast Mix, ‘Another Reason to Other attractions include the first leg of the Rhyme’, is a hip hop documentary out Xtreme Vert Sk8 series showing riders Ali July 2. Nas, Q Tip, Jay Z and record Cairns, Pete King, Dave Allen and Jocke industry insiders reflect on struggling, Olson skating for $25,000. The breaks being surviving and politics amongst hip rinsed in the Experiments arena will be hop culture. As they trip back to old twinned with some cutting edge technology Queensbridge hangouts and chill in for a world exclusive in interactive video the studio, the rappers consider mixing. Using specially designed sensor-pads where hip hop has brought them. the crowd take part in the show by simply treading or dancing on sensor pads placed Munich based label, Compost, around the dancefloor and triggering live celebrate their 100th release with a audio and video samples. double album entitled ‘Compost One Hundred’ arriving on July 2. The Tickets are £35 for each day or £50 for a compilation comprises new, exclusive weekend pass from Ticketmaster but you tracks from the label’s roster including can win one of five weekend pairs (including Truby Trio, Minus 8, Fauna Flash etc one VIP pair) by telling us where the etc and is accompanied by sleeve Essential Festival’s last location was. notes from Gilles Peterson. Compost will be doing a UK tour in July. 10 KNOWLEDGE Skitz’s second single from the unmissable ‘Countryman’ LP is ‘The Killing’ which includes mixes by Skitz & Mad Money Wah and Mr Rodney P and Supanatchlus. Keep your ears up from June 25. At around the same time, Skitz’ own Titan Sounds has its fourth release from Skinnyman and Tibz. One of the tracks is to be called ‘A London Sumting’. After the success and sell out of ‘The Rabbit’ EP, Gain Recordings latest release available in June is ‘Diced Turkey / Disconnected Funk’ written by Wrisk and Mu Ma respectively. Aquasky have taken it upon them- selves to launch Incident, a platform specifically designed for other artists tunes, with a particular emphasis on international heads. First up comes Tekken from Holland with his tracks
FRONTLINES(( ‘Hardcore / Lisa’ with the next artist DAY IN THE CITY from the States. Closer to home, Sonix, Aquasky’s own imprint, is Day In The City makes use of London town on July 9 to highlight the skate and film talent bubbling in the UK. The 13 entrants must ready to drop their fourth release late produce a three minute skate video, using a minimum of five classic London skate spots from a selection of 20. These include in June with a relick project of ‘Lords notorious spots such as the South Bank, Rom Park, Marble Arch, St Pauls, Victoria benches and the PlayStation Park. Each director Of Motion’ including a Tech Itch is paired with a skater for the day and having shot a mix of Street and Transition styles, the directors then have one week in which to remix. And the word is Aquasky will edit the most original section of British skateboard cinematography. Two separate awards go to the Best Director and the Best Skater. be producing an album for Botchit & Scarper before Christmas. Day In The City have drawn together an expert panel of judges to decide on the winners from both skate and cinematic backgrounds: Geoff Rowley, Frank Stephens, onedotzero, John Robinson, Gavin Brocquet (production designer for Star Wars 1 & 2) and Matt Ibiza Records, 3rd Party and Limited Davies. All 13 videos will be cover-mounted only on skateshop copies of Sidewalk magazine, along with various incidentals shot by E have joined to pool their best of the the organisers and hung together with an Attica Blues soundtrack. Although the very first in the series, events organiser Phil has best from the last few years for a diverse hopes for future contests, “I want to do something similar with snowboarding, ‘A Week In The Mountains’. But then surfing series of EPs. The first arrives mid or BMXing too... there are a lot of possibilities.” June and features ‘Champion of Champions’ and ‘Let’s Go’ from KNOWLEDGE 11 Potential Bad Boy. Future retro EPs are to include ‘The Seed’, ‘Screwface’ and ‘Can You Feel The Rush’. 3 Lion Records is being backed by Ibiza to build an imprint that fuses modern production with an older skool reggae and soul feel. Dark Art Killer is responsible for the debut sound, ‘Evil Intention’ featuring vocals from Tremma. After the classic UK hip hop brought together on ‘Wordlab’, it’s time for ‘Wordlab 2: The Next Chapter’ again on Wordplay. Highlights include Phi Life’s remix of ‘Ya Don’t See The Signs’ and new gems from Ty & Shortee Blitz, Plus One & Killa Kela as well as Estelle running a track all for herself. The first single is to be Blak Twang & Seannie T’s mix of Karl Hinds’ ‘Don Gramma’ arriving late in July. The whole package becomes available around the same time. Slum Village have narrowly avoided being hit for royalties after unknow- ingly sampling Daft Punk on new 12” ‘Raise It Up’. Rather than collecting though, Daft Punk asked Slum Village to remix their ‘Aerodynamic’. Hopefully it will get a general release but a new album is due from Slum Village in September in any case. Canada based DJ ESB is mixing down a compilation of Canadian and international drum & bass from the likes of Dune, Subtitles, Precision, Petrol, Timeless and Certificate 18. Aiming for an August/September release, the Urbnet CD is available from the urban entertainment site www.urbnet.com Villains fans should be aware Vicious Circle release their LP, ‘Bagged Out’ late in July. Kosheen, originally signed to Moksha, have been licensed over to Arista BMG. The group are keen for their completed LP, ‘Resist’ to be distrib- uted globally, using Arista’s global channels, as quickly as possible. An electronic compilation with attitude, ‘No More Rock and Roll’ is out now on Make Some Noise / Spiky. Features tracks come from Bomb 20 and 2nd Gen, both of whom you can catch on the live UK tour of the same name over the summer.
))FRONTLINES DJ Krust’s remix of ‘The Flipside’ is on Moloko’s ‘All Back To Mine’ TEN DAYS OFF double CD remix album out 23 July on Echo. Ten Days Off is a Belgian indoor festival kicking off every night between 10pm and 7am for a 10 day period. Beginning in ‘96 with a techno vibe, Next up for Simon ‘Bassline’ Smith the event has gradually expanded to invite DJs and live-acts from all areas and Drumsound is the first part of of dance and is an established part of the larger, annual ‘Gentse Feesten’ ‘The X Project’, celebrating the festival that draws hundreds of thousands to the Ghent area. It has label’s tenth release and including a gathered momentum from a 500 deep event to the current venue in The remix of ‘Distortion’ by Aquasky. Eskimo-factory providing a 2500 capacity. Wait for the autumn for part two and a remix of ‘Beeswax’ from Teebee. As the festival has become less techno-driven, many of the acts who have To coincide with the tenth release appeared have been brought in for their innovative quality. DJ Food and the Technique crew are going on Red Snapper provided as much a break from typical Belgian clubbing as an extensive UK, European and Bukem, Conrad and Ed Rush & Optical did on their visits. Those in American tour taking Bassline, attendance and looking to push boundaries this year include John B, J Drumsound, Digital, SS, Aquasky & Majik, Adam F, Mickey Finn, Rap, Afrika Bambaataa, Squarepusher, L Double along. Check www.techni- Jazzanova, Fauna Flash, Les Gammas, Peshay, Moose and Andy C. Call: querecordings.co.uk for dates. 32 (0)900 00600 or go to www.5voor12.com for ticket info. Accidental Heroes, Sonic and Silver FREESPORTS FESTIVAL have three new cuts signed to Metalheadz as well as forthcoming Well into the summer swing is the National Adventure Sports Show at the Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet with numbers on TOV, L-Plates, & their 20 - 22 July bill. Europe’s biggest freesports festival is holding the British wakeboard double up championships, a Infrared and a label project of their snowboard and BMX 1/4 pipe, Zap Cat racing, downhill mountain biking, vert ramp freestyling and a MotorX big air own due in September. The boys competition. Mad Mountain Bikes, Team Extreme and Animal Team Orange are on hand to show how they do things and have a very particular flavour and visitors can handle the activities on offer; public BMX park, skate park, zorbing, firewalking, reverse bungeeing, kayaking, design in mind for the label and are jet-skiing and hot air ballooning. Run DMC and Mark B & Blade are also appearing live over the weekend. Tickets are £29.50 going to release some of their own per adult to camp for the weekend or £9.50 for the day from 0870 120 0723 or www.national-adventuresports.com exclusive material in combination with music from Digital & Spirit, CHU’S YOUR WEAPON Total Science, Marcus Intalex and Future Cut. Chu is showcasing his pioneering stereoscopic works for the first time in Skunkrock are keeping busy this London at a solo show in Cargo. By summer with two releases over the combining sketches, 3D modelling next two months. First up is Alpha and painting Chu has compiled a Omega’s ‘Promised Land’ due out in varied exhibition of his works that fits late June and following that in well in the outdoor and indoor venue. August is Alley Cat & Savine’s The launch party on 10 July premiers ‘Captive’. Native Minds & Alley Cat his 3D animated short ‘Hip Hop also recently had a 12” picked up by Weaponry’ and follows a turntable the legendary Reinforced imprint tank rolling through derelict streets. which is due out later this year. The 2D, 3D and 4D works are on show from 10 July - 10 August. Canada’s Furious Records launches Another Graffiti Bastards show is with ‘Union Station’ by Illfingas in being planned for summer 2002. late June whilst September sees the www.schudio.co.uk arrival of hard techno-style stomper, ‘Redline’ from D-Region. Late in the year look for a Furious EP show- casing all of the artists. Roebuck have added to their range by creating the Vinyl Carrier, a DJ box / rucksack. With space for 75 records and various detachable padded pockets and straps it could be the travel box you need for £60. Find one at 0207 4375121. Future Thinkin’ (F.T.P.) have been around for four years and recently started on a series of events with Speedlincs and Mean Fiddler at the Subterania venue. Unfortunately it was mis-communicated within last issue’s cover CD feature that there was a link with the artists on F.T.P. with those on Speedlincs, or that some artists on F.T.P. are on Speedlincs’ rosta, this is not the case, and as such SpeedLincs wish to make this apparent. 12 KNOWLEDGE
FRONTLINES(( FORMATION After a quiet start to 2001 Formation get into gear with ‘Power Play 3’, featuring contributions from John B, DJ SS, Twisted Individual, Distorted Minds. Meanwhile, SS has reviewed his entire back catalogue to showcase on one album, ‘The S Files’. He has revamped his favourites for today’s dancefloors, so expect ‘01 remix- es of ‘Lighter’, ‘Dual Voltage’, ‘Motorways’, ‘Black’ and ‘Simplicity’ and maybe even a few new tracks to appear on four 12”s in September. There’s also ‘The S Files’ remix triple pack featuring remixes from John B, Shy FX, Twisted Individual, Sonic and Matrix plus ‘Jazz & Bass Session 3’ remixes with contributions from SS, Twisted Individual, Distorted Minds and Matrix. With so much going on, the website might be the best place to start: www.formationrecords.com TRU THOUGHTS DISCOVER THE TIGER ECOSYSTEM 1.0 Jon Kennedy of Tru Thoughts fame releases his Few places on earth match the magic and vibrant Having announced Ecosystem 1.0 last issue, debut album, ‘We’re Just Waiting For You Now’ at the atmosphere so unique to the Far East. Just as the Knowledge can now reveal more confirmed exclusives beginning of July. First up though is a four tracker called Orient is a myriad of intriguing sights, sounds and for the four day event taking place in the stunning the ‘No TV EP’. This features an LP track, ‘What You smells, our tastes to sample its exotic cultures are ever Amazonian rainforest between August 2 - 5. Searchin For?’ and three exclusives. July 30 introduces increasing. Tiger Beer, one of the Far East’s better Greenpeace have been instrumental in supporting the ‘When Shapes Join Together Vol.2’ featuring exclusive known beers is a charismatic blend of Oriental and eco-friendly festival, so the 5,000 - 10,000 expected tracks from Bonobo, Quantic and Jon Kennedy plus Western lifestyles. With its cool, clean, smooth taste visitors have as little destructive impact on the forest as music from the better demos they’ve received. Expect a coupled with an alluring and sophisticated image, Tiger possible. Involved at all levels, the global organisation funky bar style album crossing a variety of tempos and Beer reflects the colour and appeal of pure gold that have even associated themselves with building the main styles. The radio show continues each Sunday with brings the mystery of the Far East to life! Brewed in arena. Co-ordinated by an environmental architect but Rob Luis between 6pm-8pm on Surf 107.2 in the Singapore since 1932, Tiger Beer is a mystical treasure constructed entirely by the native Ianomani tribe people, Brighton area but recent updates to www.surf107.co.uk of the Far East that is now available in leading bars, the ‘Maloca’ will be an impressive venue to house an allow the show to be heard across the world. Rob also clubs and pubs and all major supermarkets and equally impressive diversity of tunes. presents a weekly one hour, ‘Unfold’ show on off-licences around the UK. Discover the Tiger for an www.totallyradio.com The archive has guest mixes from experience that is a world away from life in the West. A feature performance comes from tribute collective, Mr Scruff, Bonobo, Fila Brazilia and Coldcut. ‘Suba Dream Band’, dedicated to Suba, a backbone We have five cases of Tiger Beer to give away to the first producer of the new Brazilian drum & bass sounds who BULLETPROOF reader to send a postcard with their name and address died last year. Brazilian DJs, MCs and drummers on to: Knowledge magazine / Tiger Beer reader offer, provide more homegrown talent and entertainment in Long-time New Zealand based producers / promoters / 37 Golden square, London, W1R 3AA. Or e-mail: the form of the Amazon’s traditional ‘Boi’ battle. Taking DJs Bulletproof are preparing to make some noise for [email protected]. Please state that you are over place on Sunday, Sao Paolo and Rio De Janeiro hip hop themselves, this time with a debut release on their own 18 years of age. Prizes will be dispatched within 28 days. DJs and MCs contest across two soundsystems. Cyanide Recordings. DJ Pots explains that their own imprint came about, “partly because it’s another step PHUTURISTIC BLUEZ Meanwhile the international stars queue up: JJ Frost, towards helping make New Zealand one of the major Mixmaster Morris, Bryan Gee, Craze, Randall, Kenny scenes outside of London, but mostly because of the As drum & bass steadily makes its way onto our Ken, Simon ‘Bassline’ Smith, A Guy Called Gerald and knowledge and inspiration we gained from spending screens, Phuturistic Bluez has been invited to feature Soulslinger were all originally confirmed. Joining them in time in the studio with guys like Danny Fresh, Kemal and some of its music in the upcoming MTV Show Manaus come Shy FX, Twisted Individual, Warren G, Rob Data. They believe in what they do, and [therefore] ‘Becoming’. There will be exclusive cuts especially for Skibadee, DJ Krush, Shabba D, Q-Bert, SS, Aphrodite, create whole new realms within the scene.” this weekly affair. On wax, Phil Wells and Peshay’s L Double, Foxy, MC Navigator and Pish Posh. Pivotal Entertainment have finalised a two-part collabo- The first release is ‘The Nephilim’ late in June, which ration with Phuturistic Bluez for a PB vs PE face-off. Packages range from a four day admission ticket for $160 comes backed up with a Kemal and Rob Data remix. Bluez owner, Al Fougy comments, “It’s definitely going US to a pair of four day passes and accommodation in Meanwhile, Cyanide have also signed two tracks, to lean towards to soul/jazz influenced drum & bass, but the five-star Tropical Hotel for $750 US. Contact Amy ‘Frozen Light / Quiet Wars’, from San Diego producer, not necessarily stick to that genre. It is how we feel. As Snow at [email protected] or for more info visit: Vector Burn for the second release, while Bulletproof long as it is good music, that’s what we are about.” www.ecosystem1.org follow that themselves with ‘The Klink / Jah No Dead’. You can also hear ‘The Birds / Bombjack’ from The labels will be releasing the singles simultaneously in the Return flights to Brazil from Heathrow from £488 (inc tax) Bulletproof on another New Zealand label, Subtronix summer. Not before new pair of artists Legacy (who have Valid for students and those under 26 only and ‘Deadman / Surge’ on Guildford imprint Perspective. strong CIA ties) drop their ‘Double Exposure / Concussion’ STA Travel on 0870 160 6070 release. For the remainder of the year, Matrix and Miguel Q or to find fares, check availability and even book online visit have remixed Fellowship’s ‘Delusions’ and Danny Byrd has www.statravel.co.uk lent his touch to Sonix’s ‘This Feeling’. Broadening the STA Travel are specialists in student and youth travel label’s emphasis, young producer The Seventh Wonder with over 300 branches worldwide. (aka Chris J) has been signed to Phuturistic. Having supported LTJ Bukem on his Progression Sessions tour, his establishing record of putting out detailed, occasionally deep house tunes has caught the attention of Al so look for the ‘Xcel’ EP soon. More specifics can be found at the revamped site www.phuturisticbluez.com KNOWLEDGE RADIO Knowledge magazine are teaming up with www.cnsoholive.co.uk, Total Dance Radio, every Tuesday night between 8-10pm BST (3-5pm EST). Bryan Gee and Kenny Ken are weekly rotating residents for the Knowledge drum & bass show that fits neatly amongst the beats, breaks and hip hop of other shows. Catch the show or miss the real deal of drum & bass. KNOWLEDGE 13
BAD COMPANY WORDS: BEN WILLMOTT PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))BAD COMPANY THERE CAN BE NO STRANGER CAREER IN DRUM & BASS THAN THAT OF BAD COMPANY. THERE’D BEEN SOME PRETTY PROMISING NOISES FROM FRESH, VEGAS AND RENEGADE HARDWARE DUO FUTURE FORCES BEFOREHAND, BUT WHEN ALL FOUR TEAMED UP IN 1998, THEY SEIZED THE SCENE IN A WAY THAT NO-ONE HAS MANAGED BEFORE OR SINCE. )) Tunes like ‘The Nine’, ‘The Pulse’ and their immense without hearing them in a club, only to end up howling breakbeat DJs, not just drum and bassheads, a chal- remix of Q Project’s hardcore classic ‘Champion with collective laughter at the sound of their indignant lenge they relish. “They’ve just got a very different way of Sound’ tore up the rulebook, rebelling against years of ranting and asking, as Maldini does, “We don’t sound like looking at it all,” Fresh continues, “they don’t really see so-called good taste with frantic, energetic, balls out we’re whinging do we?!” the divisions in it that people do here. To them it’s all the hardcore rave music not heard since the days of same thing, and the tent they put you in has got all sorts Rufige Kru and ‘Terminator’. Their debut album, ‘Inside “We just want to tell people that a lot of these magazines of different stuff happening in it.” The Machine’ was heralded by the critics and caned aren’t giving you the full picture of what’s going on,” on the dancefloor. maintains Fresh. “It’s just so contrary to our experience of Ironically, after crueller critics compared ‘Digital what’s happening in the real world, because we’re out Nation’’s extremities unfavourably to heavy metal, a But what goes up, as Isaac Newton once noted, there all the time and we can see how well the tunes are noticeable chunk of converts to the cause in the US inevitably has to come down eventually. In the matter going down with people with our own eyes.” have been metal fans. The gap from rock to rocking of months that it took to make another album - the breakbeats may not be as wide as we thought. ever fiercer ‘Digital Nation’ - the music press had This much is definitely true. While they may not be But, given that their next three EPs are called ‘Book Of turned. The smoother, more accessible sounds headlining every trendy London night out like they were The Bad’ Volumes 1-3 - Spinal Tap eat your leather being played at Swerve and Kosheen’s ‘Hide U’ about 18 months ago, go beyond the Watford Gap and clad hearts out - will we be seeing that metal influence, were suddenly where the future lay. Meanwhile, ‘that it’s a very different story. In the rest of the UK and never bad for record sales if usually lethal to credibility, Bad Company sound’, a phrase that basically tarred abroad, they’ve remained a household name. Two days seeping into their music?! “I don’t think so,” laughs BC with the same brush as their legion of second after the interview one half of the band is due to fly off to D-Bridge. “I mean, there are a couple of guitars on a class imitators, starts getting slagged off in interviews the States to promote ‘Digital Nation’ (which was couple of our tracks on the new EP but I certainly with various producers. released more recently there), while the other half wouldn’t call them metal.” prepares to do Canada. But if being catapulted from relative obscurity to new He and Fresh seem like the pivotal members of the skool darlings and then backlash whipping boys (“only In the US, as the band’s most vocal and outspoken team, at least when it comes down to laying down BC Knowledge and ATM have kept the faith,” says member, Fresh, is quick to point out, BC appears to be policy in interviews, Fresh speaking at a constantly Maldini) in the space of two years has left the happening big time. At the recent Winter Music Conference excited pace, often coming up with outrageous foursome bewildered and cynical, they aren’t in Miami, Vegas adds, they were moved from the drum & statements that D-Bridge then streamlines into more showing many signs of it today. Huddled around a tiny bass stage to play the main live stage along with Basement politically sensitive quotes, punctuating his partner’s table in an Old Street bar, they’ll have a good moan Jaxx. Elsewhere in the States the bills they’ve been proclamations occasionally with, “hmmm, maybe you’d about the reviewers who write off their records playing have seen them pitted against hip-hop acts and better not print that.” Maldini, meanwhile, attacks from 16 KNOWLEDGE
the other side, usually with a healthy dose of filthy In the DJ arena, meanwhile, they’ve been overhauling What is becoming very clear is that far from being humour whenever he reckons anyone else is starting to tradition by cutting up-to-the minute tracks on CD to undermined by the backlash, BC seem to have sound too grandiose or over the top. roadtest them alongside the latest vinyl. Fresh is the been even more fired up by it. It’s almost as if, as format’s most vociferous supporter, enthusing about people, they’re secretly or even subconsciously more So, after you’ve given up trying to find anything to talk about being able to play out tracks literally only hours old and comfortable as underdogs than flavour of the month. that all four of them actually agree on, you begin to realise insisting much of people’s love of vinyl is down to Fresh even confesses that he often logs on to a it’s the combination of these polar elements, these four very nostalgia. But his statements provoke the others to pitch growing site called www.dogsonacid.com, where different people, that actually drives their music. Just as in and stick up for vinyl and dubplates, Maldini insisting, disgruntled d&b heads chat and rant without ideas are tossed around the table, so the band’s music “Nothing’s going to replace vinyl, I reckon we’ll always constraint. “It’s great, because people will say we sounds like the vinyl embodiment of conflict and struggle. use vinyl in our sets.” thought this or that was shit to you - you get real Nothing’s stationary - everything is being manipulated, unadulterated, honest opinions on there. It’s all under pulled from side to side, up and down, the whole time. It’s a similar state of affairs when Fresh says he could assumed names, but I’m sure there are one or two envisage the darker end of drum & bass splitting apart other producers on there too.” Even their modus operandi in the studio, recording tunes from the music mainstream and mutating into a scene all with whatever members are around at the time rather of its own, the others quick to point out that they dis- And, in the best d&b tradition, their anger is being chan- than wait for the increasingly rare moments when all four agree. It’s a fascinating theory all the same, especially nelled directly back into the music. The first of them can actually get together, is the opposite of the when you remember that none of the producers who instalment of the ‘Book Of The Bad’ trilogy is even more traditional group set up. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the have gone off to build up their own followings and sign raging and tempestuous than ‘Digital Nation’ was, even Drum Kru supergroup they’ve formed with Optical, Ed their own like-minded artists after being given the cold the deeper sounding ‘Numbers’ is uncomfortably Rush, Matrix, Ryme Tyme and Fierce operates along shoulder in public (Hype, Zinc, Shy FX, LTJ Bukem, intense in all the right ways. If you’re holding your pretty much the same lines, not least because you Mickey Finn and Aphrodite all spring to mind) have breath for that female-fronted Swerve anthem, probably couldn’t fit all of them in one studio at the same suffered in the slightest as a result. The fact is that like all stop now because it simply is not going to happen. time. But if ‘Thin Air’ and ‘Poltergeist’ on the Kru’s first 12” those other exiled producers before them, in another Then again, with BC, it’s probably wisest to merely (out on Ryme Tyme’s 1210 label), are anything to go on, couple of years the same journalists currently being expect the unexpected. it’s a formula that reaps devastating results, even if the grumbled about around the pub table will be dispensing public never knows precisely who has twiddled what on glowing praise again. “We kind of knew this would But when Fresh fixes you in the eye and says, as if his which record. “It’s our Wu-Tang,” says D-Bridge of the happen anyway,” D-Bridge says. “We were quite cynical life truly depends on it, “we’re going to crack ‘Digital project, with tongue slightly in cheek, adding a brief about all the good reviews we got when we started. We Nation’,” somehow you know they will. Whatever, the impersonation of ‘36 Chambers’ for afters. were thinking ‘it can’t really be this easy’.” big noise is not over yet. KNOWLEDGE 17
JOHN B : COVER CD WORDS: KATHLEEN LINGO PICTURES: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))JOHN B BETA RECORDINGS JOHN B’S VERSION OF DRUM & BASS STANDS OUT BECAUSE OF ITS DETAILED, DIRECTED AND DELICATELY ASSEMBLED PRODUCTION. WHILE SOME DRUM & BASS PRODUCERS USE DIRTY BEATS AND DIRTY SAMPLES, JOHN B’S CUTS HAVE A METICULOUSLY CLEAN FEEL TO THEM. 18 KNOWLEDGE
His cuts are always crisp, and nothing seems left to chance. Every sound - from the chimes, to the whistles, saxophones and, of course, the bass and the drums - seem arranged by a tireless perfectionist. ‘Future Reference’, his new vocal album proves that John can create a lot more than clean beats, but also soulful, sexy, and satisfying music. John’s rise to the top of the heap in drum & bass has been well documented... DJ SS gave him a deal with Formation and Goldie offered words of encouragement that led to releases on Metalheadz. John B quickly became one of the most respected producers on the scene all while still at university studying Cell Biology. His vinyl releases now are too numerous to mention, but John has released three albums so far: ‘Visions’ (1998), ‘Catalyst’ (1999) and ‘Redox’ (2000). People might get a sense that John’s a bit of a studio geek because of his high concept second album, but John’s a normal guy really who loves to hit the sauce, and big, loud drum & bass clubs like any self-respecting DJ. John doesn’t hide out in the studio at all, quite the contrary. He DJs all over the world, on a recent weekend he went to Thailand and Singapore, and is in North America touring almost constantly. He is a regular at all the d&b nights in London out dancing along with all the punters. Even though John loves to play, he is still an intellectual. For example, whatever the fad of the moment in d&b seems to be John will always offer up a well thought out and timely comment on vinyl. Take ‘Up All Night’, his take on the old skool trend. Instead of just doing a remix, John took the kernel of the idea in the old skool trend (to make a dancefloor ready vocal track reminiscent of early jungle) and came up with something completely new and fresh. ‘Future Reference’ builds on another current theme in drum & bass production, making tracks that have more traditional song structures and pretty vocal arrangements, something that had been out of vogue. While drum & bass never completely stopped making vocal tunes, the kind of vocal tracks produced by the dark, techstep movement were nothing like the vocal tracks of the old skool jungle days. For a while vocals were used more as sounds like the bleep to add texture to tracks than something to sing along to. While drum & bass became more technical, a lot of the party vibe left the scene, and the popularity of drum & bass in the eyes of the masses dwindled, according to some people. Meanwhile UK garage came on strong, and a lot of the women left drum & bass for the more sensual, vocal and danceable rhythms of the 2-step movement. This version of events is open to debate, but for whatever reason, as garage’s popularity blew up last summer some drum & bass heads murmured about wanting to ‘bring the ladies back’. John witnessed these events unfolding in London first hand on the dancefloors. England was awash in vocal fever, and feeling the times a-changing he jumped into the studio to make some vocal tracks that eventually led to his upcoming album. ‘Future Reference’ tries to mix catchy, accessible songs (instead of abstract tunes) with futuristic d&b beats. “I wanted to do an album that was a lot more accessible than anything that I had ever done in the past,” John explains, “and vocals was a way to do that. Since I got a lot of new studio equipment I was able to do all sorts of things with vocals like multitracking, and sound design that I had never been able to do before. I wanted to do an album that flowed together instead of being separate tracks, and to do some catchy tracks instead of the same old instrumental dancefloor tracks.” John doesn’t think that songs with vocals are going to save drum & bass, but he does hope to put out some vocal music that puts out a more positive and uplifting vibe: “I want to make the music more light-hearted and less anal. But just because there is a vocal in a track doesn’t make it a good one. A lot of vocal tracks are wack.” John B’s critics charge him with producing music that is a bit too much on the light side, and not rough enough (or something) to be drum & bass. But John still makes hardcore dancefloor ready d&b, and no one should lose sight of that just because some of his d&b comes down more on the experimental side. To appease the nay-sayers who like their drum & bass straight up, no ice, he has created different labels so that he can release tracks under his own name on labels with defined styles. Beta Recordings is his flagship label that showcases the straight dancefloor stuff he still makes in abundance. It has releases by himself, Exile and Nu/Tone. The website for the label (beta-recordings.com) is a clearinghouse for everything John B and is updated frequently - from live dates to links, a discography, MP3s and a diary section. His second label is the Tangent imprint which has just put out its first release, ‘No One Like You / It’s So Real’. Tangent encompasses the non-classicly dancefloor tracks John says sound more melodic, jazzy, musical, soulful, and less predictably like drum & bass. His third label is Chihuahua, strictly for latin tinged d&b. “It’s going to be really fun, I am looking forward to doing it,” says John. “A lot of people take the piss, but latin drum & bass hasn’t been done before properly. I did my first latin tracks about three years ago with ‘Salsa’, but I’ve waited to put out more latin tracks until I felt people were ready for it. Now there is more of a latin-friendly environment with the success of people like Marky and V’s ‘Brazil’ EP. John’s commitment to pushing the genre in a new direction seems to continue at a breath-taking pace with so many labels, releases and tours. His motto could be, “changing the face of drum & bass from a grimace to a grin.” The tracks on ‘Future Reference’ all sound energetic and emotional in a positive way. It’s the kind of record that might sound like it could be too light, since it’s just vocals, for some trainspotters. But the album’s production and song structure are so good that there is plenty for the most snobbish d&b listener to pick apart. It takes vocal d&b in a new direction, away from its cheesy past, and into a future where vocals aren’t a novelty in d&b but a respected component carefully crafted into quality tunes. This album will probably pave the way for a slew of imitations, but even if they aren’t as good at least we will all have this album to go back to and sing along with. >> [Continued overleaf]
BOTCHIT & SCARPER WORDS: STU C PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))BOTCHIT & SCARPER IT HASN’T BEEN AN EASY YEAR FOR BOTCHIT & SCARPER. DEPARTURES FROM THE FAMILY HAVE FORCED CHANGE AND NOW THE CREW ARE PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR THE NEXT PHASE… )) …maintaining an ever-fresh supply of mutant funk, Looking back, Botchit & Scarper’s first compilation, independent label to earn a living for an artist and after served up by beat mashers from all corners. And with ‘Militant Science’, contained downtempo trips, vocal years of struggling if they get the opportunity to put those basslines is it really a surprise that the label has excursions and jungle as well as heavily featuring Asian a deposit on their house or pay off the bills, live a little even been spotted in the record boxes of some Dub Foundation. As breakbeats moved into the clubs financially, then they gotta do it. There’s no disrespect to heavyweight UK garage DJs. Times have changed in more, the demands of the public changed. “Unfortunately anybody that decides they gotta move on.” their world and now, more than ever, it’s about the art that sort of music is really hard to promote without major of moving butts. Summing up the motivation behind resources and we are governed by DJs being able to It’s undeniable that the label’s momentum was affected, their latest offering, ‘Botchit Breaks 4’, label man play the stuff. We have slipped into that trap a bit.” Other but independent labels have traditionally played this role Martin Love outlines the simple, and supremely albums like ‘Organic Tecnoloji’ and ‘Breakspeech’ have in the record industry. “I’d love to be an A&R man at a executed, plan: “Our only ethos with that is to keep continued the tradition, and Martin assures us that major, it’s gotta be so easy. All you’ve gotta do is check it dirty, keep it funky.” there’s more to follow on that tip. the press, see who’s doing it, who’s working it... they don’t have to go out and find talent, we find it for them.” Originally set up to flex skills at tempos outside of the Having recorded for each of the labels, the first After breaking the artist, putting out a debut album, drum & bass restrictions of the older labels under the graduates of the stable were always gonna be the building up a 5 to 10,000 fan base, the time will come same personnel, SOUR and Emotif, Botchit became, hardest to see leave. Freq Nasty has always been when the majors come knocking. “It’s easy for a major to according to Martin, “Vini’s vision of mixing it up more; around and Martin remembers that BLIM even, “lived in come in and exploit that with their big money cheques taking in all forms for music from around the world Vini’s front room when he first moved to London.” Tighter that aren’t really big money at the end of the day. All I’d based around breakbeat, doing something different.” purse strings will always mean that some have to go. say to any artist out there is don’t sell yourself cheap.” “Losing them is about more than losing them as artists. Despite some of the cash figures that roll around the Although he admits, “a fair amount of blame,” for the The sad thing for Botchit at the time was that it broke up music industry, everyone’s got their laments about label must be apportioned to partners in crime from the camp. We had a strong family at that time, everyone their first deal. “It doesn’t go that far by the time you’ve those days, Dave Stone and Norton Blue. The diversity pulling together with no money around. I don’t feel any paid your manager 20%, your tax 40%, you buy your apparent on the first releases is often forgotten but it’s a bad blood towards Freq, he’s a true friend and equipment, and it takes two years to get your album out.” fact that is mischievously appreciated by those involved. supporter. But me and Vini were gutted when we lost “I think actually we’ve got a reputation for our B sides him, gutted when we lost BLIM as well.” While still London based, an ever-growing network of being better than our A sides a lot of the time. I love it friends and associates has resulted in a roster that when that happens,” Martin admits. “In the beginning Pressures of trying to pay them bills had to take continues to look outside the capital. Manchester, Wigan, we ignored the dancefloor really then nu skool breaks precedent eventually, as always, and people moved on Stockport, Bournemouth, Newcastle are all represented, came about and sort of pigeonholed us.” to further reaching companies. “It’s really hard for an “people that maybe aren’t so saturated with it. In London 24 KNOWLEDGE
you can listen to breaks 24/7 and it’s easy to follow get that demo through from an unknown, like with Botchit & Scarper is about artist development really, what you’re surrounded by.” As always, the message Backdraft.” In this competitive climate, as the new skool which is a shit quote but it is really about artist albums. I is originate don’t imitate. “If you try and copy a sound of breakbeat pioneers consolidate their positions, think the T Power album was a good example of what then by the time you’ve done it, the people that anything arriving in the post could be the next big one. can be done alternative to dancefloor, creative beats, created that original sound have moved on. They’re “I think all breaks labels have to listen to it as soon as it something he has proved time and time again.” creating another thing.” comes through the door because TCR are there!” laughs the label boss. “You gotta check it quick or Rennie will be One of the next artist albums will be from Aquasky. Admitting that to an extent the label’s output is dictated on it. But respect to Rennie, that’s what it’s all about. “They’ve blown us away with their first singles. ‘Sureshot’ by the moods of the artists, this has never been the kind Anyone can go and give a named artist a grand plus and and ‘777’ took the breaks scene by storm.” Although a full of imprint that orders music according to what niches get a good tune, that doesn’t take a lot of A&R skill.” time job will slow down the proceedings, Jason Sparks is they want to fill. The whole office family have a voice working on his album, building on the reputation gained to what should represent Botchit, pushing on with Vini’s As for the loss of friend and colleague Vini Medley, while from producing, “tracks that stand out from the albums.” vision. Input from ex-artists is also very important. “Freq his memory will continue to be served in everything that Down in Brighton, Orange Kush and Osprey are pursuing Nasty’s still very close to us, does a bit of A&R himself, Botchit do, a specific tribute is in the pipeline, not an easy new musical routes and were unlucky to be edged off an T-Power, BLIM, they’ve always all got something to thing to do, finding something fitting for the man. “The overflowing ‘Botchit Breaks 4’ line up. say. And we love it, bring it on. It’s nice to get some plan at the moment is Ed Solo and Stoney, Click & Cycle, differences of opinion.” relaying the basis of ‘Forever Young’. Elizabeth Troy has A collaborative spirit remains. Long time man-about- agreed to revocal, and we’re hoping for a little Det & the-place Klaus (think Main Source Promotions, New acts like Backdraft, fast getting the right rep for their Skibadee vocal to go with it.” As the first release on Mechanoise, 2 Sinners) has always had major input. heavy slices of drum & bass flavoured breaks, are an SOUR, it’s an outstanding song that means a lot to What’s destined to come out of it later in the year is a full example of the vibe that makes a label’s juices run. everybody involved in the operation. And then there’s the collaboration project from Botchit & Mechanoise. Although the common knowledge is that record company tribute album to tie in with the anniversary later this year. Other than Backdraft, new singles are on their way from offices are designed to include a black hole for unheard Although the number of people who’ve expressed an the T Power album (with remix pressure from Shy FX, demos, there’s an enthusiasm here when talk turns to the interest in getting involved with such a project could Aquasky and Jason Sparks) while the DJs from the label next skool for the label. “The excitement of it all for me is mean that a series of albums in necessary. are clocking up a few air miles with the ‘Botchit Breaks what’s coming through the door next,” Martin enthuses. 4’ tour, Plenty to do and plenty to get excited about for “There’s not a lot of fame or money in it. When T Power So what about the rest of the current crop? “To be breakfiends all over. “Yeah, it is an exciting time. comes in with a track you expect it to be good, Freq, honest, with both labels we’re looking to work with And we’d enjoy it a lot more if Vini was still here to see BLIM, all of them. For me the biggest buzz is when you people that are going to develop into album artists. it through with us.” KNOWLEDGE 25
PRECISION BREAKBEAT RESEARCH WORDS: CHRIS MUNIZ KABUKI MIGUEL AYALA MAINFRAME MC RONIN ))PRECISION BREAKBEAT RESEARCH ORIGINALLY FOUNDED BY MAINFRAME AND KABUKI IN 1996, THE HANOI, GERMANY BASED RECORD LABEL AND CREW HAVE COME TO REDEFINE THE STANDARDS FOR GERMAN DRUM & BASS. )) Yet even with a series of high-profile reputation as a hip-hop MC and DJing. While Mainframe concentrated on When we began, we really didn’t singles and albums, including Makai’s therefore he inevitably was invited to engineering, I graduated in production envision it turning into what it’s unforgettable ‘Behind the Mask’ 12”, host our early parties. These days, from the school of hard knocks. become. We only started the label the Precision Breakbeat Research scien- Ronin is not only one of the most Originally, I studied classical guitar at the because we needed an outlet for 12”s. tists remain low-profile and fiercely requested continental d&b MCs, but he’s conservatory in Frankfurt and later went In 1996, there were no other domestic independent. Ignoring the trends and also busy running the booking agency to Vienna to study jazz at the MI-related [German] labels where our sound focussing obsessively on refining their Broken Beatz Entertainment where he’s AIM-institute. These days I’m either busy would fit so we had to do it on our own sound, Kabuki, Mainframe, Miguel organising the schedules of almost all DJing or producing tracks for labels like own. Our first single got a lot of Ayala, and MCs Ronin and Glacius are the top German d&b DJs. Reinforced, Jazzanova, Street Beats interest and we evolved from there. truly an inspiration for domestic scenes and, of course, Precision. One of the highlights of the last four worldwide. In an exclusive interview with Glacius was just like Ronin - he was years was when we found out ‘Omen’ Knowledge, Jan Kabuki takes us inside always around and when the time was Talk to me about the philosophy behind was going to be released on No U- the crew’s top-secret laboratory for a right he joined the pack. Glacius has the label. Precision Breakbeat Research Turn. They were massive at the time glimpse at what future generations are travelled the entire continent north to is such a great name and it seems to and we knew we could get some inter- sure to behold: south with only a handful of weekends encapsulate everything you stand for as national attention through that release. off in the past couple of years. a crew as well as producers. Another exciting moment was our co- First off, who are the primary members That’s how he got his reputation as the op with Intercord for Makai’s first of Precision and what are their roles ‘MC Machine’. That’s true. In the beginning, we wanted album. There had never before been within the unit? to not only come up with a catchy name collaboration between an independent Miguel Ayala was a natural choice as for the label but we were looking for a label like Precision and a major like Mainframe is the backbone of the whole he’s always been a very intense DJ who slogan, an attitude. The name itself Intercord / WEA. Suddenly we had enterprise. When he and I started likes to show variety in the styles he came from the analytical way we enough financial support to do a lot of working together in 1992, we decided to plays and creates. Recently he founded approach production. Every sound we things previously impossible: clearing specialise in different areas to make our his own imprint Socio which he’s done use is isolated and placed into the samples, doing interviews / tours, pay- production more efficient. Mainframe for the sole purpose of boycotting the overall sonic spectrum as well as in the ing remixers, etc. It was a very exciting picked engineering as his focus and current system of the music-biz. He timeline. Through this, we try to achieve time but, unfortunately, the hype wore became so proficient on this subject that does the distribution mainly on his a distinct sound contrary to the stacking off and French filter-house became the even collaborations with Nico or the late own and sells to the record shops by of sounds on top of each other. It’s next big thing! Future Forces were engineered by him. personal contact. Underground as f**k! comparable to architecture at times; we’re constantly struggling with the There seems to be a very strong Ronin stepped into the circle when the The last in line is me, Kabuki. I’m 50% of physical limitations of this music, as an identification with Japanese anime first demand for MCing arose. We knew the creative power behind the label and architect must be when he’s building a culture going on, discuss how that each other mutually because of his I’m also involved in production and 30-story skyscraper. came about? 26 KNOWLEDGE
MC GLACIUS KABUKI VS PENTAGON PRECISION CREW We’ve always been very interested similar to drum & bass, there are DECODER in Japanese culture so when we some rules that just don’t apply. SUBSTANCE picked our names and images we Seeing the double-speed fights borrowed from there quite exten- between Scorpion and Lizard in ‘The ICONONE sively. Also, after we licensed the Five Deadly Venoms’ for the first first Makai album to Japan I was time reminded me of the first time I DOUBLE PACK VINYL able to go over there and DJ for heard the pitched-up Hot Pants RELEASED: JULY 2001 quite some time. Through this we break. But, of course, we’re also liv- were able to connect with the drum ing on a healthy diet of science fic- BREAKBEAT CULTURE LTD & bass scene over there which tion and Mafia-flicks, so you might 60 PARK ROW, BRISTOL, BS1 5LE eventually led to our first internation- find some ‘Scarface’ references next al signing, Tsuneari Fujii. He’s actu- to a ‘Ghost In The Shell’ string pad. DISTRIBUTED BY SRD ally just produced an epic drum & There are always images arising 70 LAWRENCE ROAD, LONDON, N15 4EG bass album called ‘Death Drums from sounds so the references to [TEL]: 0208 802 3000 [FAX]: 0208 802 2222 Resonate’ that we’re going to certain slogans are inevitable. It’s release so be prepared. like a secret code; those in the know MADE IN ENGLAND will get the message. What I enjoy most about Precision records is that there seems to be a I envision you all as hi-tech scien- very distinct vision in place. The tists working in an underground lab images are epic in scope and feel creating secret weapons and futuristic. How has the cinema influ- machines. What sort of imaginary enced your sound? landscape would you inhabit if you could? Next to music, film has always been my greatest obsession. I love classic If I could choose the ideal setting for black & white flicks because of their our operation, it would be something construction, pace and dynamics. similar to the spacious office of Allen These days there seems to be too Tyrell in ‘Bladerunner’ with the dark little content buried beneath too liquid on the windows to block the many images. One of my great inspi- sunlight. And I think I’d definitely rations is the Asian cinema because need a heliport on the roof.
))CLOWN SKATES 28 KNOWLEDGE CLOWN SKATES WORDS & PICTURES: DANIEL TURNER
)) Within every scene, whether it be music or lifestyle based, there are companies that jump on bandwagons to make a quick profit and there are companies that stay true to what they believe in, those that have paid their dues and earnt the respect of their peers through hard work and struggle. Clown Skateboards definitely belongs in the latter group, even though it is only a year old and is still in the infancy stage of what will hopefully be a long and productive life. The brainchild of Jeff and Vikas, Clown is a labour of love and the reasons for getting it started stem from a desire to represent the underground scenes of both skateboarding and music, from a grass roots rather than a corporate level. This ethos will stand them in good stead in industries where money talks and bullshit walks. People know that Clown is not full of shit and that it does mean something positive - it is not all hype and no product - it’s more a case of no hype and a real product. While Banksy’s logo of the clown with the gun is instantly recognisable, it is also a guarantee that what you see is what you get, Jeff and Vikas are not trying to be something they are not. “Clown is an entity within itself, the best way to describe it would be ‘people working together independently’, with everyone involved bringing their individuality and their skills to the table. A lot of people have put in a lot of effort to make it happen, and we want to make sure that we can continue to grow well into the future, we ain’t gonna blow up and then burn out just as quick, we are in this for the long haul.” Between them Jeff and Vikas have some history as well, they’re not new to this game, and alongside the numerous Banksy originals that line the walls of the office there is a gold disc recognising Vikas’ promotional skills for the first Roni Size / Reprazent album ‘New Forms’ from when he was one of the directors of Main Source Promotions. Jeff was responsible for Howies clothing and is a notorious mover and shaker in the UK skate world, another of his events - the Urban Beach International skate comp at Wembley Arena was a big success last year and so it is being repeated this August. While Clown is their passion, it is their Freewheelin’ Youth Marketing that is their bread and butter, and through the service they provide to some big time corporate clients, they are able to recycle money back into Clown so it can be developed at the correct pace. Fresh from sponsoring the Beatcamp party at the Miami Winter Music Conference (big up to Killa B and Marco) they have added an international string to the Clown bow. The musical side of the company has also grown at home in the guise of Lick Shot at Plastic People in London, a monthly Sunday night hip hop and reggae session with residents including DJ Skitz, Danny Breaks, Def Tex, Brent (Aquasky), Ned Kelly (Underwolves) and the Complex Broad Collective with special guest DJs and MCs every month. It is just a further extension of what they are into, and follows the motto of ‘what goes around comes around’ and just like the skate side, it is not trying to be something that it isn’t - it’s just a chill night to come and hook up with some crew, have a few beers and listen to some good music. Clown mixtapes will be available soon covering the three angles of hip hop, reggae and drum & bass. On the skate side, Clown has an impressive team which can handle itself on any type of terrain. The team manager is Simon Skipp, the absolute local ruler of Romford skatepark, and despite the fact that he has been on it nearly 15 years his love of skateboarding shows no signs of ending (shame his knees don’t agree!). He remains almost criminally underrated and under exposed, his knowledge of Romford skatepark is encyclopaedic and there are lines there that only he can really pull off with such a smooth flowing style it looks effortless - this picture of his snake run transfer being a case in point, as no one else has really ever done that before. Bryan Jones is the Scottish team rider, hailing from Edinburgh and he is just as into making beats as he is into making tricks [see Turntable Masochist feature in issue 2.19], a natural rider who literally seems to have his board glued to his feet, he lands pretty much everything he tries and consistency like that is hard to find. Together with the Complex Broad Collective, another set of friends who have become business associates as well, they represent the Scottish side of things. Chris Oliver and Benny Fairfax are both from down Southampton way, and while still quite young they can more than cut it with the big boys as their recent Radlands competition results of 3rd and 2nd respectively show, big handrails or big stairs are no match for their skills and are often conquered with ease. Mattias Nylen is the vert skater of the team and is rapidly building a name for himself as someone who can hang onto tricks that lesser people would bail, his recent cover photo for Document magazine proves that people are taking notice of him. 13 year old Mark Calape completes the team and will be one to watch out for. A strong team with a strong identity, held together by strong friendships and mutual respect for what each other is doing means that Clown will remain a force to be reckoned with long into the future. The Clown skate video with a UK hip hop soundtrack is in the skate shops now, and don’t forget Lick Shot at Plastic People in London on the last Sunday of the month. Phone: 0207 739 0026 e-mail: [email protected] / web: www.ukskatenews.com KNOWLEDGE 29
))GALLERY : MITCH 30 KNOWLEDGE
GALLERY: MITCH EMAIL: [email protected] KNOWLEDGE 31
TECHNICAL ITCH INTERVIEW: ALEX FARBER PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))TECHNICAL ITCH TECHNICAL BY NAME, TECHNICAL BY NATURE KNOWLEDGE FIND OUT THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF TECHNICAL ITCH’S HI-TECH WORLD [BY E-MAIL OF COURSE!] )) COMPUTER HARDWARE... powerful machine. I do use the laptop at WHAT DO YOU USE NOW AND ter and basically tell them when to WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST COMPUTER? the same time as the G4 as well though. HOW HAS THIS CHANGED SINCE trigger. You could run about eight tracks, The first proper computer I had was a I sync them up via MIDI and use the YOU BEGAN? hence the name, but the quality was Commodore 64. I used it mainly for laptop as a standalone synth controlled pretty poor. A lot of early tracks were games but it was also the first computer by the G4. I use the laptop as an office I just use the two Macs now along with written on programs like this. You could that I got online with, way before the machine also. a 24 bit soundcard and a decent pair of usually tell from the bitty sounding internet. I used a service called powered monitors. Before I got my samplers that were used. Music X was a Prestel/Micronet and another called HOW DO YOU SEE COMPUTERS laptop I was using a studio full of kit with MIDI based program that I used with my Compulink (I think that was the name). DEVELOPING IN THE FUTURE? a proper mixing desk, Akai samplers etc first proper gear. You could e-mail and chat to people and They’re already developed enough so but once I got Logic on my laptop I never play games online with other people, that anyone with a fairly decent machine went back in there again. We’ve sold a WHAT DO YOU MAKE USE OF NOW? download software, etc. My parents can make music. There are already fair bit of the kit now. The main program I use is Logic Audio weren’t too impressed when the first several software samplers and PCI card Platinum along with various software phone bill came in though!! hardware samplers available as well. It’s HOW DO YOU SEE synths and plug-ins. Logic is great, I was made buying a studio a lot easier and THIS CHANGING IN FUTURE? a Cubase user back in the day then WHAT WAS THE FIRST COMPUTER less expensive. You don’t need such a I was shown Logic and have never YOU USED TO MAKE TUNES? large room to put all your gear in I’ll pretty much stick with computers looked back. It’s just seems a lot more The next computer I got was the original anymore. In fact, you don’t even need a now. They just keep getting more and professional to me. Commodore Amiga A1000. I got myself studio room, just a laptop and a pair of more powerful and there are several a little sampler for it and used to mess headphones and you’re away. new sound cards coming out that will WHAT KIND OF SOFTWARE IS around sampling stuff and adding it to offer a lot more processing power as BEING DEVELOPED THAT MIGHT mixtapes I did when I first got decks. STUDIO EQUIPMENT well. Plus they’re going to be a hell of a HELP PRODUCERS? WHAT DID YOU USE WHEN lot cheaper than the Protools stuff that is There’s new software being developed WHAT COMPUTERS DO YOU USE NOW? YOU STARTED? out of reach of many people. all the time. There are so many software I’ve got two Apples Macs at the moment, The first pro piece of kit I got was an based synths available now it’s amazing. a G3 Powerbook and a Dual Processor Ensoniq ASR10 keyboard/sampler. I did COMPUTER SOFTWARE... New ones are being developed G4. I use the laptop a lot when I’m away my first tracks just with this, it had a WHAT WAS THE FIRST PROGRAM constantly as well as new applications from home. I usually start projects on it sequencer, sampler, keyboard and FX YOU USED TO MAKE TUNES? that let you do pretty much anything as then move them over to the more all built it. Serious piece of kit at the time. Octamed and Music X on the Amiga. long as you know what you’re doing. Octamed was a sample based program, you could load samples into the compu- 32 KNOWLEDGE
GAMES CONSOLES... Network I’ll be able to write a track WHAT WAS YOUR for them, then they can record the FIRST GAMES CONSOLE? vocals and it’ll be sent to my studio The old black and brown Atari. I system back here in Bristol. I can then remember playing things like Pac Man, do more work to the track and if I need Vanguard, Defender, etc a part of the vocal redone I can ask them to do it etc. You don’t have to WHAT DO YOU OWN NOWADAYS? work at the same time either. The track PlayStation, PlayStation 2, a Dreamcast is stored on a server so you can work plus we have all the computers on it when you want then when the networked where I live so we can play other artists feel like doing some work games like Unreal Tournament either they can login and download the just on the local network or with people changes. Crazy stuff. from the outside world. Tony Hawk’s Skateboarding was played pretty much MOBILES/PDAS to death, SSX Snowboarding for the WHAT WAS THE PS2 is good but Gran Turismo 3 for the FIRST PHONE YOU HAD? PS2 is the one that everyone is waiting One of those old Motorola brick for, that’s going to be completely sick. I phones. Pretty big but the battery last- don’t think much work will be done ed quite well. when that comes out! Colin McRae Rally as well, I’m looking forward to WHAT HANDSET seeing a version of that for the PS2. HAVE YOU GOT NOW? WHAT DO YOU USE IT FOR? HOW DO YOU THINK The new silver Motorola triband COMPUTER GAMES WILL DEVELOP Timeports and a Palm Pilot Vx. I got the IN THE FUTURE? Timeport because of the amount of time The graphics and animation are I spend in the States. With my Palm I improving all the time as well as the can get online, check my e-mail etc if I playability. With the internet there are a can’t get my laptop connected lot more games available that you can anywhere. I use the Palm for the diary play online against real people rather and contacts mainly. I have messed than computer controlled characters. with WAP a little bit but using the Palm This makes things a lot more interesting is much better. You connect the Palm to as you’re playing against a real human the phone via infrared and use the being. You can talk to/abuse people phone as a modem. while you are playing and often you can play co-operatively or blast the fuck WHAT CAN YOU SEE out of each other. There are some MOBILES / PERSONAL serious online gamers out there that ORGANISERS DEVELOPING IN form online clans and arrange big tour- THE FUTURE? naments and have rankings etc. The next generation of mobile phones are being developed at the moment INTERNET... which are going to offer higher data WHAT DID YOU USE THE connection speeds and many more INTERNET FOR WHEN YOU FIRST features. Plus you’re going to see DISCOVERED IT? mobile video phones and things are just going to get smaller, watch phones I first discovered the internet over ten for example. years ago, before the worldwide web was around as we know it today. CARS... Everything was text based, no pretty WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? websites like there are now. I used it for A Mk3 1.3 Escort. e-mail and newsgroups mainly plus you could download bits of software here WHAT DO YOU and there as well using FTP sites. DRIVE AT THE MOMENT? A Subaru Impreza WRX STi 4 Type R DO YOU MAKE Coupe that I got imported from Japan. FULLER USE OF IT NOWADAYS? It’s basically a road going rally car with all wheel drive, a 2.0 litre quad cam 16v Yeah definitely. Obviously e-mail is turbocharged engine, electronic centre used a lot and you kind find information diff lock control, intercooler water about anything you want online. I have spray, uprated brakes and a full Blitz a fast connection at home so I also use NUR spec exhaust system with a it for transferring files of various kinds Ramair airfilter. It pushes out just over including software, artwork, track 300bhp does 0-60 in about four sec- samples for remixes, even whole tracks onds and 160mph. to DJ friends around the world so that they can cut plates. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DRIVE IN THE FUTURE? DO YOU THINK IT I’m looking at getting the latest version WILL BECOME A MORE of the car I’ve got now, I’m sorting out KEY TOOL IN THE FUTURE? getting it one imported at the moment. It It already is a key tool for many people. hasn’t got many more features apart I’m also getting into working online with from better braking, six gears instead of other artists at the moment. There’s a five and newly designed engine with thing called the Rocket Network that variable valve timing. Should make it will allow several people to work on one even more crazy than the one I drive at track from remote locations. This is the moment. going to open up so many opportunities for artists to work together who might The Technical Itch presents ‘Killa Bytes not get the chance to otherwise. I’m 2’ compilation is out July 30th on currently working on some hip-hop stuff Moving Shadow. with some guys in Seattle. If they get their computer set-up to use the Rocket
PETE ROCK WORDS: PAUL SULLIVAN ))SOUL BROTHER NUMBER ONE PETE ROCK IS ONE OF HIP HOP’S MOST RESPECTED BEATMAKERS AND THE OWNER OF ONE OF THE MOST PANT-WETTINGLY LARGE RECORD COLLECTIONS KNOWN TO MAN. KNOWLEDGE HOOK UP WITH THE PRODUCTION DON DURING ONE OF HIS RARE VISITS TO LONDON. )) I’m about two feet away from Pete Rock but I’m damned drum machines and things. I was shown the TR 808, time between albums. Believe me I’m putting my if I can see him. It’s the middle of the day and the the Roland 909, the DX drum machine and Mr Rhythm, elbows, my feet, my fucking hands and chest and all of curtains are open in his hotel room, but there’s a sweet this little box, some drum machine shit. Then I got that into it when I do it. I always know that people are smelling dense fog around us that impairs my physical onto the SP1200 and learned how to make shit. I read gonna want satisfaction and you can’t let people down.” vision almost as much as it no doubt enhances his up on the manual after he’d shown me the basics. I creative vision. A throaty cough emanates from the bed was in the crib every single day trying to master that By the time he came to putting out ‘Soul Survivors’, and after a few waves of a hand the skunk cloud clears machine and I did it. It took me a few months, maybe Pete had amassed a huge collection of head nods that and a pair of bloodshot eyes hove into view... a year and shit progressed.” couldn’t go onto the LP for one reason or another. Three years on and he has put these off-cuts and a few Pete first blew up on the hip hop scene back in 1991 After slapping suckas silly with the ‘All Souled Out’ EP, other choice tunes onto a new album entitled with the release of his ‘All Souled Out’ EP, made with Pete and CL delivered the immortal hip hop album ‘Petestrumentals’. Released through London based high school friend and rapper CL Smooth. But his ‘Mecca and The Soul Brother’, a record crammed full of label BBE, the album – mainly instrumental as the title musical education stretches back way further than ‘91; the rawest and most souled out funk nuggets known to suggests – features the requisite glut of pedigree while many artists routinely claim to have been man. Spawning the classics ‘When They Reminisce jazz-funk-soul infused joints that Pete has become producing, DJing or rhyming before they’d learned to Over You’, ‘Lots Of Lovin’ and ‘Straighten It Out’, the LP known for. In contrast to ‘Soul Survivors’, the vocal wipe their own asses, in Rock’s case the cliché is true. put Pete and CL firmly on the map and earned them a tracks are limited to one or two joints from a talented place in rap music’s Hall Of Fame forever. In 1994 they new crew called the UN, whose album Rock will be “I was kind of born into music,” begins Pete in blunted followed up with the weaker ‘Main Ingredient’ before producing quite soon. New York drawl, motioning for me to take a chair going their separate ways. and making himself more comfortable on the bed. “My “‘Petestrumentals’ isn’t my best work,” admits Pete, “but father was a DJ back in Kingston, Jamaica. He was a Since then Pete has kept himself in the frame with a there’s a lot of stuff there that I wanted to share with the record collector and all of that, doing his thing back then. string of high profile remixes and productions (Lost Boyz, world. I wanted it to be instrumental and done this way, So when I was born, I was born right into the music. Nas, Large Professor, Rakim, Heavy D) but no big ‘cos it’s never been done before. I just wanted to try I remember seeing a bunch of albums and 45s in projects. Then in 1998 he suddenly came with ‘Soul something new and see what happened. I’ve had my fathers bedroom and basement, and remember Survivor’, a dope collection of tracks that pooled enough of all the ass-kissing that goes on in New York... how he used to show me how to clean and take care together some of the hottest cats on the rap scene – what’s the point of doing shit just for money? I’d rather of the records. He was doing this when I was like, three Method Man, OC, Raekwon, Large Professor, The just be me ‘cos all the cats with money have so many or four years old.” Roots, CL Smooth, Heavy D, Big Pun, Lord Tariq – and problems. I’m trying to do something different just to reaffirmed his status as Soul Brother Number One. make sure people know I’m a versatile producer.” It was when Pete started hanging with Heavy D that his rap career started to take off. The ‘Overweight Lover’ “I didn’t want to burn myself out,” explains Pete. “This Pete Rock’s ‘Petestrumentals’ is the second instalment introduced Pete to the likes of Marley Marl and Teddy industry can really do that to you. No-one gives them- of BBE’s ‘Beat Generation’ series which aims to release Riley and before long Pete was working on the ‘In selves time, they just keep putting shit out and straining quality original music from esteemed beatmakers such Control With Marley Marl’ show on WBLS. He was themselves. You can hear it in the music - it goes from as Pete Rock, Marley Marl, DJ Spinna, King Britt, Jazzy just a short step away from producing his own shit: good to mediocre and then to bad. I always try to stay Jay and others. “People like Heavy D showed me a lot about equipment, fresh, try not to go down that route, give myself some 34 KNOWLEDGE
FELLOWSHIP WORDS: RICHARD ARNELL PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))FELLOWSHIP )) As is the case for many an artist working in the wasn’t to signal any creative malaise though, for one It’s hard to describe but, way back, since I first did underground music scenes, a living cannot be made by man has always been a key supporter of Darren’s tracks on Xpressive, I was making drum & bass but beats alone and so Darren Hickey AKA Fellowship likes sound (“he’s the main guy I deal with”), and with there were a lot of garage influences. When I say to split his time between the studio and graphic design. ‘Mombassa’ b/w ‘Quartz’ he made his debut on Fabio’s garage, I mean US garage with really good vocals, but Not that you’d really know it though, for despite Creative Source label. in those days it wasn’t working so well. Defunked’s somewhat irregular release schedule, there always seems to be a fresh Fellowship slate in the This affiliation has since been sealed through further “I’ve grown up listening to garage, the real deep shops, but as he admits, “the design company has singles and a contribution to the ‘Liquid Funk’ LP with American stuff, that’s what I love, and that’s the sort been taking up a lot of my time in the last three months, ‘Divided Soul’, while a new single entitled ‘Hysteria’ has of the sound I want for Defunked. The music that but that’s all gonna take a back seat soon so I can get just been added to the Creative Source release people like Carlito & Addiction are making is exactly back on Defunked and the music.” schedule. During this time the Fellowship name went what I’m after for the label, and there’s not that many on to grace labels like Moving Shadow and Audio people doing it to be honest”. But there are enough And it’s the music that we’re most concerned with here, Couture (‘Vision’ and ‘Muthafunker’), Hard Leaders to put an album together and, following Carlito & for our dancefloors have certainly been feeling some (‘Sidewinder’) and Phuturistic Bluez (‘Delusions’), but Addiction’s next single, ‘Perfect Combination’, a label fine Fellowship cuts over the past twelve months; but as the years rolled on and musical vibes changed compilation is the end-of-year goal. “It’s gonna be a first let’s turn the clocks back to the mid-90s, a time everything seemed to say to Darren, re-launch the CD mixed by Addiction, about 15 tracks, and then the when jungle was already moving in its many different label. And so Defunked was born. six strongest will come out as three twelves. The line up directions and our man first started running record should be really good, Marcus Intallex is gonna do labels. Together with his brother Jeff and Daz Ellis Although only four releases in, Defunked has certainly something, John B, Total Science, Rikki Blue... virtually (AKA Undercover Agent), they blazed their way made an impression, with each track being battered by everyone that I wanted.” through the scene with the Juice and Splash sound, the likes of Fabio, Frost, Hype, Bryan Gee, Addiction Darren collaborating with Daz as M.T.S., and while he and Marky, and these cuts have created a very strong Before that though, Darren has himself found time enjoyed making tear-down tracks like ‘Hard Disk’, he identity for the label. From the breezy summer vibes of to contribute to a compilation, with a remix of the freely admits that, “I was trying to make tracks for Juice the opening twelve from Solid State, ‘Pure Funk’, sensational ‘Dark Flower Remedy’ featuring on the and they were coming out too musical.” through to Carlito & Addiction’s masterful ‘Supergrass’ ‘Playaz 4 Real’ album. “That’s an old track, but and Fellowship’s current release, ‘It’s A Mystery’, there Hype always loved it,” recounts Darren. “Him and Zinc The solution was for Darren to set up the Xpressive is something of a Defunked sound being shaped. both said they’d love to put it out on True Playaz, label, home to the melancholic masterpiece ‘Remotely “Definitely,” agrees Darren, “and I’ll tell you why.” so Hype said to me do a harder mix and I’ll put it on the Blue’, but, as he explains, the musical climate of the album. He’s actually gonna release it as a double time was soon to dictate the destiny of this imprint. “You know how quickly things change. A while ago we pack with the original, then I think Zinc’s gonna do a “Remember when all the musical stuff got a bit too had the 70s funk influence with the wah-wah guitar and downtempo remix and he’s gonna get Marcus Intallex jazzy and a bit too laid back and mellow. I think the double bass, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to do a mix as well. I’m not sure when he’s planning everyone lost sight of it working on a dancefloor. I know to just follow trends, if a song’s good I’ll put it out, but on doing it...” but when it drops, you sure know it’s I did with Xpressive, and it all went belly up”. This the fact is there’s a sound that I’ve been wanting. gonna be worth the wait. 36 KNOWLEDGE
NO U TURN WORDS: STEVE GOODMAN PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))NO U TURN AFTER A QUIET PERIOD WHEN LABEL BOSS NICO SYKES WAS TRAVELLING IN THE US NO U TURN HAS STARTED MOVING UP THROUGH THE GEARS AGAIN, REFINING AND ACCELERATING THEIR “SURFBOARD INTO HELL” SOUND FOR THE 21ST CENTURY. IN MID JUNE, THE LABEL IS ABOUT TO DELIVER ITS FIRST AMERICAN DRUM & BASS RELEASE AND NICO IS POSITIVELY BUZZING ABOUT IT. )) “My next No U Turn record gives me such a good get this first and you have that feeling in the US as well, Like an actor, Nico tends to get pigeon holed into a cer- feeling. It’s like I’m putting out a good, tastey, Duracell except the fact is that we are a UK label and there is tain sound, that tearing No U Turn sound about which of a fuckin’ track and I feel so passionate about that. It’s usually no fucking way that you are going to get these he is still so passionate. But he actually spends his time called ‘Gateway’ by these guys Impulse - Rob F & MC things first. That’s all I kept hearing, that ‘we always engineering diverse moods across the bpm spectrum Mecha from Washington DC. It’s a cool slice of future, have to get it late.’ So there were a few people who got and has just launched a stunning underground garage ‘on it’ funk that should be used for the lorry chase it early or well before or I would give them the CD of a label, Turn U On, with the Horsepower Productions scene in Terminator 3 as far as I’m concerned. It is tune and say, ‘go and cut it, you will be the first person crew including Nasis, long time drum & bass production impeccably done, I think. All the parts are nice, and to to have it in the world.’ And then a few weeks later Ed partner of MC Ryme Tyme. be honest I don’t know how to make something that is Rush and so on might have it. It’s all part of running going to damage me like this does without quite a lot of your own label and the fun you can have with it.” “So I’m feeling this record at 135bpm, it is sexy as fuck work. They are called Sinthetix.” and I want it to be my new release. So I put it out It was into this climate that Nico created the Nu Black on No U Turn. That is what I would love to do, but You can tell that Nico has enjoyed watching the imprint (keep your ears open for Rukus & Nico’s apparently you can’t do that, it is like ‘hey, you have just transformation which jungle has undergone from UK summer release ‘Defender2’) as a “reaction” label and got everyone into a certain sound and could you keep underground scene to global epidemic. Like Kurtz from an “experiment”. “We were making all this good music giving it to them please.’ But I live 24 hours a day and Apocalypse Now, Nico is a bit of a loose cannon. at the time, and because it is quite hard to put out more have more than just one kind of mood. So what should Hotwiring the closed circuits of the Uk dub plate elite, than one record every eight weeks or so, I wanted the next No U Turn thing be? Personally I think it Nico has taken pleasure in making sure that not just the to do a label that didn’t have any promotion at all. I should be even darker and even faster and even top UK DJs get fresh releases first. “When I went to the wanted to see what would happen if I didn’t dub plate more reflective of the people who are into that stuff, States, I often used to take 100 No U Turn promos over it, do mail outs or whatever. It just came out. These delivering the latest attempt at fixing you up straight in my luggage and just hand them out randomly in were all the things DJs were asking for. They were away; one minute and you are high.” skate shops and to DJs I met, or I would just go and sell saying to me ‘I want to keep it undercover. I don’t want some to shops and stuff. I would do this maybe the people to know what I’ve got. I want it early.’ But how While the sci-fi noir machine funk of No U Turn is still his week before it was coming out in England just because can we create a situation where everyone can have it core passion, Nico reminds us that cyborg music is about I felt there should be some American drum & bass fans early. So the idea was to release it all on the same day the symbiosis of human and machine. “I kind of think it who can acquire and hold a No U Turn release before in the shops and so whoever goes to the shop then better when it is machine and man mixed in a lovely new everyone else in the UK gets it.” gets it first. The first four were really dark records and way. That is the delicious one. The lovely combo of new were dubplated, but essentially they weren’t promoted. tech and processing but with immense bits of soul, slices It is that drug of speed, of having the freshest cuts They didn’t sell as well as No U Turn but people found of reggae and so on. Everything ever recorded loaded earliest that hooks DJs into the narcosonic addiction it. But it didn’t make much difference. I used it as a test. into one computer for decisions to be made.” cycles of dub plate culture. “Well, that was the feeling I’m always looking to make bad music and get it out that everyone in the UK always wanted. We wanted to with the minimum amount of hassle.” Either way, in 2001 No U Turn are still… masters of the ruff ride. Hang tight! 38 KNOWLEDGE
CERTIFICATE 18 WORDS: GAVIN WEALE ))CERTIFICATE 18 EVOLUTION OF SOUNDS, INTEGRITY AND DIVERSITY ARE THE GENERAL MANTRAS AROUND WHICH LONDON’S CERTIFICATE 18 BASE THEIR STRIKING ARRAY OF ARTISTS AND RELEASES. )) Not many labels can boast a musical span that extends Indeed, scene watching has never been on the “A lot of the twelves I release seem to fit better as part from drum & bass boundary-pushers like Klute and agenda for Certificate 18. With Klute and TeeBee the of an album. It makes sense to put them on a CD TeeBee through to the highly revered, yet totally stylistic lines have always been blurred. Although their because that way more people can listen to them. reclined, leftfield beats of artists like Pilote. So when tunes are regularly found in the boxes of drum & bass’s Although I’ll always keep putting out the twelves for the it comes to keeping the label synonymous with top top spinners, both have retained a single-minded more adventurous DJs who like to vary their sets a bit quality drum & bass of all persuasions, as well as approach to their sound, not afraid to show a soft more. And there’s a lot of stuff that DJs are playing - all encompassing a myriad of other styles, label boss Paul touch as well as a rough edge. This sense of freedom the Klute, TeeBee, and Lexis stuff - and that’s a broad Arnold (pictured second left) has always relied on his is echoed by their label-boss: “People always make section of the music that’s coming out of the label.” nose, sniffing out artists who make music he believes in: divides but I never pay much attention to them - I know no matter what the style. that they exist. I can’t believe that people don’t want to The empire is now expanding and diversifying even hear music with emotional moods and feelings! I mean, further with the launch of a new breakbeat label, Fat, Many labels might see the mix of styles under one imprint Detroit techno is all about mood and feeling, and based around long-running Brixton breaks night Chew as detrimental, but the Certificate 18 vision has it we’re looking at giving our own interpretation of that, The Fat. Certificate 18 have also just signed an album differently. “Because all the stuff I’ve put out has been whether it is with drum & bass or in an electronic way. from Mexican producer Panoptica (“almost house-y, worthy of identifying under Certificate 18,” Paul explains. I always go back to the thing where people say house very leftfield breakbeats with a Mexican vibe to it that “I always refer to Warp Records, because that’s the kind is ‘a feeling’ or drum & bass is ‘a feeling’, and that’s the makes it very original”), and Paul continues with his 6ft of reputation we’ve tried to build up over the last nine same thing for me.” Stereo project: a free-for-all club night where no DJ years. Hopefully people will always buy a Certificate 18 gets to play more than six records. “That sums up release because it’s quality, whatever style of music it is. So has house music been a big influence? “Again, it’s everything that I do under one roof. We’re trying to put about the evolution of sounds. House music was the fun back into what we all got into music for. We all “I’ve had to use some sub-labels, otherwise the Pilote around before drum & bass, so you can’t help but be enjoyed the music and that’s why we got into it, but releases end up in the drum & bass section of shops - I influenced by it. However, now I think it’s coming unfortunately it ends up being quite a serious affair now have to get around that sort of thing. Really, I’m just trying around full circle with people like Photek and J Majik that we’re all trying to make a living out of it. 6ft Stereo to develop artists whatever style of music they’re making, doing house-influenced tracks...” is something where we can go down, get trashed - but and it’s always been like that since day one. I’ve come anyone can turn up - and they can bring their records from a background of all different kinds of music.” Whatever their influences, no one can deny the prolific as well! That’s what the scene should be like really but output of Certificate 18: from their early championing of it just never turned out like that.” But with much of their output being in the drum & bass Photek, Source Direct, Danny C and Digital, through arena, is he ever conscious of having to gear his output two albums from Stuart Cullen (aka Pilote) and Klute, to But do all these commitments ever get too much? towards the ‘headz’? “No, not really. Hopefully they just forthcoming second albums each from TeeBee and “I don’t really struggle with it, I just do it, and it just all pick up on the quality of the releases, and if they’re not Polar. Why, then, have LPs been the optimal format for happens. If I do tear my hair out on occasion, I just go playing it, it doesn’t bother me at all. I mean, I never showcasing Certificate 18 music? “It’s mainly because and get pissed! I don’t really worry about it, because I’m really got heavily involved in the dub plate thing.” of the restrictions of the dancefloor,” explains Paul. enjoying what I’m doing...” 40 KNOWLEDGE
RODNEY P WORDS & PICTURES: DANIEL TURNER ))RODNEY P RODNEY P / LONDON POSSE - “TALKING FACT, NOT LIES, NOT FICTION, SOME CAN’T UNDERSTAND BUT THE BAD BOYS KNOW MY DICTION” - [‘MONEY MAD’ 1988] )) How do you introduce Rodney P? The godfather of UK hip hop? Best MC in the ‘Style’ in 1996 definitely said something new: “it wasn’t strictly a drum & bass tune; again country? Arguably he’s both and for anyone that knows his history he needs no it was an honest thing trying to merge hip hop and drum & bass because that’s what was introduction, but if you weren’t there first time round, you’re in luck. Rodney P and happening at the time. We were always true to ourselves, and if we had carried on Bionic were the London Posse, and their groundbreaking 1990 album ‘Gangster we wouldn’t be doing normal hip hop like Tom, Dick or Harry, it would have garage, drum Chronicles’ is being re-released along with four bonus tracks. UK hip hop is doing & bass, hip hop, reggae, all of that, because that’s what I’m living in, my whole thing is nicely at the moment and the strength within the scene at the moment owes about music, I just love it.” something to what they were doing all those years ago... There was no single reason why they called it a day but, as Rodney explains, “time wore “When we started recording stuff as London Posse back in the mid 80s we just London Posse out, there wasn’t enough support, no money to pay the bills, we were emerged with this ‘one style’ music, a natural blend of reggae and hip hop, we were getting bored. We made tunes for nearly 15 years, but there was always some compromise more honest than others. It wasn’t enough to just chat about this and that, you had because there were two of us and time just wore it out. I don’t see Bionic now, we kinda to be yourself. We wanted to bring out something real, to talk about our side of things. went our separate ways but if he walked in here now tings would be criss.” Bionic was more into the reggae thing around the deejay era, it was like hip hop in a way, but the London ragga flex was different then. It was badder, hip hop was a Like any good MC, Rodney has plenty to say and when asked about the future, he laughs little bit soft, and ragga was keeping it real on the inner city vibe. Everyone was and says now it’s time to start a fresh tape: “The most important thing for me now is rolling, hustling, making money and we brought all that to the music.” launching my label, Riddim Killa Records. The first release is ‘Murderer Style’, produced by Joe Buddha from Nottingham - London man have to recognise it ain’t all about London. Released originally on Mango, a subsidiary of Island Records, the album sold well The flip side is ‘Friction’ with myself and MC D, produced by Dobie. It’ll be out in July. I’ve but, unfortunately, the finance wasn’t there to keep it going: “We were tight with been working with Dobie and Skitz a lot, Deceive (Corin) and a guy called Stone from Mango, but the money ran out and that was that. I’ve been thinking about this Bristol. I work with people that I’m close to and who I know on a personal level, I ain’t re-release for a while, it’s a good time to give it a new lease of life because if you’re gonna rent-a-DJ or rent-a-producer. I’m like the elder statesman of this ting, and I can 17 or 18 now, how are you supposed to know what was going on 10 years ago?” do what I want - I don’t mean that on some war level, just that I’ve seen it all before and no one can’t tell me nothing.” Bullit Records came next, run by Rodney, Bionic and manager Errol Bull. These were some good times, the music scene had shifted away from hip hop towards raving, Big commercial success is going to rely on the hip hop audience getting over its differences “but we were doing alright - self financed,” remembers Rodney, “we had our first and coming together as one, Rodney paints the picture like this: “There are two hip hop video for ‘How’s Life In London?’, we stepped up the game and were doing tours all audiences in Britain and that’s part of the problem, Roots Manuva sells a lot of albums to over the place. We did a few local shows in New York and we used to kill it! You bring white kids and the black kids don’t even know he’s got an album out, and there is the under- the Cockney and the Jamaican and they can’t compete, we’d go up to all the girls ground shit that the black kids like that the white kids don’t buy into - we need to cross that “alright darlin’”, and they loved it as well!” gap because when we came out the first time it wasn’t like that, it was all one audience. 42 KNOWLEDGE
“British hip hop is almost like indie music at the moment,” he continues, “that’s how it feels to me. We need more artists and more characters to step up and sell records across the board. Man like Skeme is wicked, Big P, Danny Vicious, they are gonna be taking shit to the next level, shit that people ain’t gonna expect and it’s going to build this thing up. A club like Scratch is 90% white, while Ludicrous in Hammersmith is 90% black and they’re both hip hop but it’s two totally different crowds. The new thing has got to be to find some artists that can cross that barrier and bring the whole shit together into one big audience. Now we have this strong foundation we have to build on it.” In the end it all comes down to one thing - performing: “Some man now they just want to go into the studio and record a tune, they don’t even want to go on stage. Me and Skitz play all over the place and I get into that Rodney P mode and once I’m on stage that’s my thing. There ain’t no big money in hip hop here, so man gotta know how to make money outside of music, then you can do the music for love. Being on stage with your people, it’s the elixir of life. I do shows now for 18 year old’s, they don’t know who I am other than I got a tune on Skitz’s album, so we start with a blank sheet and I’m still killing it, serious, I’ve been reborn! Them young motherfuckers still can’t keep up with me, I’ll still out-drink them, out-smoke them, out-rap them and fuck more girls!” If you missed ‘Gangster Chronicles’ in 1990 get your history lesson now (big up Source/Wordplay). As far as the future goes: “I got to get all this new music out in time for summer, and believe me a lot of people are gonna have a lot of words to eat. I’ll promote myself because when I talk this shit I’m actually me, the Riddim Killa!” Check ‘The Killing’ video (big up Oswald Boateng for the garms) www.rodneyp.com / [email protected]
B.L.I.M. WORDS: RICHARD ARNELL PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))FROM MOVEMENT TO MODERNIZM )) As one of the original residents at Movement and first TCR cuts, a handful of breakbeat classics and the two other thing I want to do is split both sides in style, so artists on Emotif Records, B.L.I.M. is surely a familiar tracks that make up the first release on his Track label. one side is more straight up breaks, and the other is name amongst the junglist old guard, with his pedigree “It kind of picked itself to a certain extent,” considers G veering off towards more tech-housey vibes. And it’s going all the way back to the S.O.U.R. mother label. To on the album’s content, “but it just so happens that really paid off. People like Lee Burridge and Craig some though, the B.L.I.M tag is perhaps better known everything that’s coming up is incredibly strong and Richards [residents at Tyrant] have picked up on it very for his more recent exploits into the world of that’s one of the reasons I moved to TCR. Not only that, quickly, and the breaks bods have really gone for electro-breakbeat, providing original material for Botchit because there’s a lot of places where there’s strong ‘I Robot’. One other thing that I wanted to do, and that’s & Scarper, as well as laying down a selection of music, but it’s the kind of thing that I want to play, and I what’s good about having different styles, was make stunning remixes and collaborations, most notably with want to be involved in a label where nine releases out of sure the two tracks aren’t up against each other. Freq Nasty. This year has seen B.L.I.M. take an even ten are gonna be in my box. Permanently.” I really want each twelve to be a strong two tracker and more pivotal position in the scene, through the launch of because each one’s doing different things, they can his Track imprint, as well as signing to Rennie Pilgrem’s Two cuts that have already earned a permanent position stand completely on their own.” TCR label, so Knowledge caught up with him to get the in many a top jock’s box are those first rubs on Track, low down on these latest developments and the reasons ‘Check It Out’ and ‘I Robot’. Both collaborations The next release on Track is already lined up, also for his sidestep from drum & bass, into the blossoming between B.L.I.M. and Chris Carter who, together with featured on the ‘Modernizm’ mix CD, and is a new collab- UK breakbeat scene. Shara Nelson, previously combined as Kasha for the oration with Rennie Pilgrem entitled ‘Triffid’. “It needs a magnificent sounds of ‘U’ on Botchit & Scarper. “I little bit of tweaking,” admits B.L.I.M., “because we want to “On the musical side, I just started to feel that there always said I wouldn’t,” stresses G, on his starting up fatten up the drums a little bit, but it seems to be working wasn’t much room to work in drum & bass anymore,” the label, “but then Klaus, one of the 2 Sinners, came to well out, and it works well in that mix. Me and Rennie are recollects B.L.I.M., real name Gervase Cooke, also me last year and said he’d got this distribution deal with gonna do another side for that, again on the tech-ier side known as G. “Style-wise it got a bit narrow, and this was ST Holdings, and that I should consider it. I did consider of things, and that will hopefully be due in September.” the around the time when everything that came out it, then he rang me again when he got his first statement sounded like Ed Rush & Optical. Tempo-wise, there’s a through and said that I should really consider it!” In the meantime, work is underway on his debut album lot more room to work at around 135 bpm, and there’s a for TCR (scheduled for release next year) and, lot more genres to draw from, in a set as well as in After hearing the right words from the distributor, unsurprisingly, G’s, “got a strong idea about how an production. I enjoyed doing Movement. It was always a B.L.I.M. was convinced, and, as he says, “suddenly artist album from a dance producer should be, and high-pressure gig and there were some very serious realised that I did have a very good idea about what I I don’t really believe in a twelve track CD of 12” tracks, faces down there but it was a really good thing to do, a could do with a label if I had one, and that’s what was because I think it’s boring. Something with a bit more very good lesson. DJing-wise I learnt a lot down there.” lacking, actually knowing what I would do. variety and something that’s a bit more, not wanting to sound too clichéd, but a bit more of a journey. The vinyl And in some respects DJing is where we’re at now, “I don’t really want to make it a serious, release a month will be re-workings, so that will be in a DJ format, and because B.L.I.M.’s first release for TCR is ‘Modernizm’, concern,” he continues, “more like three or four a year, the CD will be more of a traditional album. Hopefully. a mix album that showcases a selection of upcoming and the idea is that they’ll all be collaborations. The Well, that’s the plan anyway.” 44 KNOWLEDGE
DEF TEX WORDS: STEPHEN LAWSON ))DEF TEX SINCE 1987 DEF TEX HAVE DROPPED ABSTRACT HIP-HOP WITH A DISTINCTIVELY MUSICAL EDGE. ALONG THE WAY THEY’VE SHARED STAGES WITH THE LIKES OF DE LA SOUL AND BDP, AND HOOKED UP IN THE STUDIO WITH EZ ROLLERS. KNOWLEDGE CAUGHT UP WITH RAPPER ANTHRO ON THE EVE OF THEIR BRILLIANT DEBUT LP ‘SERENE BUG’. )) After 14 years in the hip-hop scene Def Tex are the UK’s Def Tex had always been open to new sounds and Which brings us to the new album, ‘Serene Bug’. It’s most established group. Quite an achievement for a experimentation, and from the beginning the group a compelling record. On the one hand you have the relatively unknown act, especially considering those incorporated live musicians in their music. A decade hard sample based tracks, but then you also have more famous UK stalwarts Gunshot have recently hung before bands like Fugees and The Roots, this was a the live instruments which crop up intermittently. up their mics and turntables. In 14 years UK hip-hop has remarkable development. “We’ve pretty much What’s special about ‘Serene Bug’ is the way Def Tex had two ups and one depressingly large down. Def Tex worked with musicians since the start,” Anthro says. have maintained a distinctive vibe, despite the were there in the late 80s when record companies were “The first record with live instrumentation was the magpie nature of the tracks; they’ve taken the best of genuinely interested in homegrown hip-hop and acts classic ‘Tutorial Sessions’ EP. We’ve listened to hip-hop’s sampling techniques and added the live like Silver Bullet featured in the charts. They sat out the loads of other styles of music, which has always musician’s dopest grooves. genre’s dark ages in the 90s, as the industry lost given us the curiosity to experiment with different interest in British rap and heads were, fortunately, left sounds, and knowing so many talented musicians, “The album’s very varied, but everything has that to their own devices to regroup, set up their own labels how could we not use them?” Def Tex sound,” says Anthro. “It’s very honest and and, most importantly, innovate. Def Tex have been open, but lyrically it’s not instantly obvious.” The group’s there and done all that. Now they find themselves with The group’s musical curiosity led to them teaming up lyrical complexity is complemented on ‘Serene Bug’ their first full-length album at a time when proper with EZ Rollers in the mid-90s. About this time by cameos from UK hip-hop luminaries such as underground hip-hop acts like Mark B & Blade and UK hip-hop indie SON Records was finding its feet Huntkillbury Finn, Ty and Juice Aleem. “It was good to Skitz are getting airplay on Radio 1. What better time to and branching out. SON’s independent stance get the chance to work with the guest artists. They catch up with the Def Tex crew? suited the Def Tex ethos and so the two paired up helped create different styles and moods for the for the group’s critically acclaimed ‘Poetic Speech end result. We’d like to think it’s an album that Rapper Anthropologist began his career in Def Tex as Techniques’ EP. “It was cool working with EZ Rollers crosses boundaries and will be judged as music and one of the group’s dancers. Soon Anthro switched head- because they gave us a solid finished sound,” not just hip-hop.” spins for microphones and struck out as one of the Anthro says. “We were already feeling drum & bass crew’s MCs, along with Chrome and ex-member Sure stuff, anyway. They didn’t have any musical input Typically of the UK’s longest working hip-hop group, Delight. After gaining a name for themselves playing on the ‘Poetic Speech Techniques’ EP, but we do Def Tex aren’t about to rest on their laurels now their modest gigs in pubs, Def Tex were signed to Virgin respect what they do as artists.” debut album has received glowing reviews and subsidiary Ten Records (then home to Soul II Soul, admiration from their fellow b-boys and girls. “We’ve just Mantronix and Loose Ends) and went from bar-rooms to By this time UK hip-hop was enjoying something of a finished a track for Dynamic Syncopation’s new LP on sharing stages with their hip-hop heroes De La Soul, renaissance and the media swooped on material by Ninja Tune,” Anthro begins. “There’s a tune coming out Cash Money and BDP. “It was quite surreal being so the likes of Mark B & Blade, Skitz and MUD Family. with Sir Beanz OBE. I’m doing my new Monkeyface young and playing with your heroes,” says Anthro. Def Tex’s next release on SON, the ‘Synchronise’ label. Hopefully, a track with the Nextmen...” “We learnt that there were going to be lots of ups and EP, was equally well received by both the press downs; one minute playing with your idols, the next back and the native hip-hop scene. Shortly after the They’ve been here 14 years, an eternity in British doing a shitty day job!” release of ‘Synchronise’ the group teamed up hip-hop, and it looks like Def Tex are going to be around permanently with a trio of musicians, Matthew for a good few more to come. “We can only go up Though the group never had so much as a single released Jefferson on bass, Jasper Williams on drums and from here and increase our audience. Confidence on Ten, Anthro reckons the deal prepared them for the Toshi Matsunaga on guitar. The addition of these is high and the future’s looking good, so who knows long road ahead and the group’s exile in UK hip-hop’s musos meant Def Tex shows were more complete what could happen?” wilderness years. “It was a good experience. We learned and musically satisfying, so much so that now about the industry and we got our first studio out of the defunct indie mag Melody Maker took notice and Who knows, but rest assured we’ll be keeping a keen deal, so you could say it set us up for the journey ahead.” gave the group’s live show a five star rating. eye on developments in the Def Tex camp. 46 KNOWLEDGE
SLOW MOTION WORDS: RAHUL VERMA PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON )) ))SLOW MOTION Over the last decade dance music has been For Gambit, 24, aka Zula, it’s the tightness of the we have put out so far it’s quite different, but with the assimilated into popular culture to such an extent that crew that has forged an environment in which his same element of being for the dancefloor. It can be multinationals are a part of it - witness the Ericsson creative potential has begun to be realised. “I’ve been dark, noisy, jazzy but it’s got to have that dancefloor Homelands festival, Orange’s sponsorship of national producing for seven years, most of it on a home set-up edge that gets your hips swinging,” reckons T Lite. club tours or Emap’s ownership of Mixmag. On the and wasn’t fully confident in my own stuff. You need to human side of this symbiotic relationship are scores of be surrounded by the right people. I’ve known Tarik for Clearly, T Lite and Snypa form the axis upon which people who have been so inspired by their experience years - we were friends before any of this. So there’s no Slow Motion is built, but what is their day-to-day of underground dance music that they are dedicated politics, we’re all on the same level and I treat it as involvement? “We have a hand in production. Cab-E to its advancement - it’s what they live and breathe. my home.” Similarly, Cab-E has had a history of might be in the studio and we might go down and he’ll involvement in producing d&b with Bizzy B and Smokers see what our input is. The main engineers for the label Slow Motion is a relatively new label in the drum & Inc, before settling down to production and engineering are Bug 9 (Reinforced) and Cab-E (formerly of duo bass scheme of things, with their first release out duties with Slow Motion. THC). What with managing the shop, label and October 1999. In the 20 months since, the Slow website, production has taken a back seat. We’ve both Motion discography has grown to six. A mature, slow Talking of being surrounded by positive and got things coming out on Reinforced (Reinforced 159: and steady mentality seems to be at work behind the encouraging influences brings us to the involvement of ‘Mysterious’ by Snypa and Genotype and Reinforced label, which is why it is surprising to discover that the a certain Reinforced Records in the Slow Motion story. 166: ‘Lo Riderz’ by Genotype, Snypa and T-Lite).” combined age of the duo behind Slow Motion is 42. T-Lite cannot thank them enough, “I must say a big, big shout out to 4 Hero and all of the crew at Reinforced. The seventh Slow Motion release, ‘Platinum’ by Alpha T-Lite (aka Tarik) is a ripe old 23 compared Our studio is directly above theirs, which is the best Omega, will be out by the time you read this, along with to Snypa (aka Dom), 19. “We started up the label thing that could have happened to us. We used to hear the Reinforced cuts, and will be followed by an EP with when we worked together at Camden Records mad beats going on so we knocked on the door and work from Gambit, T-Lite, Snypa, Cab-E and some (www.camdenrecords.co.uk), the market stall we now it’s fucking Reinforced! Just the maddest thing.” remix pressure from the Undiluted boys – Brockie, run ourselves,” explains T-Lite. “Basically, enough of Kane and Ed Solo. his and my friends were making tunes and just not What have been the benefits of being based above getting anywhere, so we thought ‘fuck it, let’s put out Reinforced then? “Linking with those guys has opened And the motivation for getting involved in the whole our money together towards a label.’ our eyes and ears. You know the circle [popular d&b shebang? Money-making or labour of love? “Back to labels], Reinforced are out of that circle and they are as jungle, that’s what I want,” says T Lite, “the vibes were “We set up at the tail end of 1998, when we put our successful as anyone - if not more so, in terms of sales. better then. You used to go raving and it used to go off collectives together. But it wasn’t until late 1999, what You go in their office and they got MOBOs and it drives and it doesn’t anymore, just want to try my bit to make with getting a distribution deal, sorting out our you on and shows you what you can achieve in this it go off again. Everyone thinks they are too cool rather promotion, our logo, sound and all the other shit that business,” says T Lite. than before when people would turn up in tracksuit bot- goes with it, that we got our first release out,” toms ready to rave rather than a suit that cost £2000.’ enthuses T-Lite. They haven’t looked back since with Is the Slow Motion sound in a similar vein to a host of producers contributing, including Cypher, Reinforced? “It’s not our sound now, our sound is – we For further information or DJ bookings contact: Gambit, Cab-E and Genotype. try not to do the same thing twice. If you listen to what Makeda on 020 7394 0522 48 KNOWLEDGE
LITHIUM PROJECT WORDS: KINGSLEY MARSHALL PICTURE: COURTNEY HAMILTON ))MARS PLASTIC: LITHIUM PROJECT )) With Bryan Gee tapping into the samba vibe, liked. Originally the biggest interest came from “I don’t know how to best describe it either,” offers so Hydrogen Dukebox have chosen to follow on Moving Shadow but, as they were so involved with Jason. “Just before we took the break from recording from the recent Caribbean excursions of label veteran drum & bass, we figured that we’d be better off with we were seeking out a few more live players and James Hardway with a taste of the Americas from a more diverse label and ended up with Clear.” heading into a similar sort of vibe that 4 Hero had laid drummer Jason Farrall and studio wunderkind Kenny down within ‘Two Pages’. Would people call that a Clarke. The first taste of the project takes the form of All was not well however, with the trio only managing drum & bass album? Playing the tracks out live was ‘Passo Fundo’, a mini-LP which was nearly released to release a remix and an EP before the label folded. always the original intention and we’ve always had a on the now defunct Clear nigh on two years ago - the “Maybe it’s us,” laughs Jason. “The guy who signed problem with samples, where it would perhaps be longevity of the six tracks testament to their quality - us had made us a bit wary as he didn’t want to do easier to do something minimal over the top of some with the live percussion and complex key work of any marketing or anything but that seemed OK at the great loops as Massive Attack did with Billy Cobham the title enriched by the Good Looking atmospherics time, with it being a small label and everything. We’d or Portishead with the Lalo Schiffrin tracks - so as of ‘Earthly Egos’ and the techno infusion of ‘Moments had some good reviews but the whole scene seemed opposed to trying to find loops that fitted we found it In Neon’ which spills over into the meandering a little weird at the time, where nobody seemed to easier to drum them ourselves or whatever. For us if fusion of ‘Resurgan’. know which direction drum & bass was taking and we we haven’t created most of the element there in the first were pretty shocked to see it fragment as it did when place it just doesn’t feel right.” “We worked in the same studio in Basingstoke for the movement seemed to be so strong at that time.” Network Records around 1993 onwards,” opens Jason With bass player Raj having “disappeared” and in describing how he came to meet up with Ken. “I was Hardly surprisingly with the carpet pulled from under keyboardist Dove joining the project full time, expect part of an act called Aquarelle and Ken was training to them for a second time, the Lithium’s took some some more material within the next few months. be a sound engineer. We both worked with Mark time off. “We had a total break from music for just “We’ve decided that ‘Passo Fundo’ is a one sided Archer and Danny Taurus, who had gone on to form over a year. It had been difficult going financially album, six tracks instead of twelve. We’re intending to Slo-Moshun just after Altern-8, before going our sepa- prior to the whole thing with Clear and we essentially follow with some more recent material, which will rate ways when Network folded.” just had to get out there and earn some cash! include some songs, in around six months or so.” We’d spent a little bit of time trying to knock Continuing he says, “We hooked back up a little something out quick to make some money, as When questioned about the title of the mini-album, while later and really enjoyed what each other was everyone does from time to time I’m sure, but we just Jason pauses for a second - “Where did we get that doing. Ken had been working on house before dabbling weren’t able to do it in that we’d get a few samples from?” he asks Ken, before laughing. “I know it had in drum & bass while I had gone off on a tangent together but ended up going off in another direction something to do with Dove doing a Spanish course - working with a couple of other guys using live and doing something different.” maybe it was off a map? Essentially we wanted to instruments and stuff.” reflect that whole Cuban thing. We’ve always been into This year has seen a turn of fortunes with Hydrogen the percussive side and I think with things like the It was from these foundations that the Lithium Project Dukebox label manager Doug Hart signing the band Buena Vista Social Club and stuff people have started came about, crafting the best parts of these disparate and choosing to release ‘Passo Fundo’ having heard to reconnect with it - sometime you can hear that elements into a single entity. “Ken, myself and Danny some Lithium tracks at the MIDEM music conference. sunshine in music and I think that’s the vibe that whole were doing reviews for DJ magazine and had got to Though broadly drum & bass the material sits carnival style puts across.” know a few labels, so following the demise of Network uncomfortably with the category with strains of 70s we figured we’d send out a few demos to those that we fusion, techno and bossa all clambering to the surface. ‘Passo Fundo’ is available now on Hydrogen Dukebox. 50 KNOWLEDGE
))ART : KELZO : URBAN DAMAGE WORDS: MARK O’DONNELL [[email protected]] 52 KNOWLEDGE
)) Last year when a leading turntable cartridge manufacturer launched their advertising campaign depicting Mickey Finn with his arm a vivid extension of his life as a DJ, the needle his weapon of choice, it rang true to millions of DJs out there. In the same way graffiti artists all over the world might consider the spray can a natural extension of their being and the phatcap their preferred weapon of choice. Meet Kelzo: Born and bred Mancunian with a prolific history as a graffiti artist. When hip hop culture dropped on these shores back in 1984 and, “European youth fell in love with New York City street culture,” [www.at149st.com] Kelzo buzzed off the alternative lifestyle and jumped onboard. In 1989 at 19 years old he thought he, “was getting a bit old for it all.” Subsequently, he spent more time in what is known as the city’s ‘Madchester Years’. Based around clubs like the Hacienda and Conspiracy the city boomed and he revelled in his hedonistic lifestyle. Come 1992 he had ‘a lapse’ that made him give up his vices. Returning to do damage on the streets with his spar Tags under the Urban Damage moniker, they happened to do a piece in Hulme: “We did one wall and kept painting. There were times when the police would come down, take our paint and give us hassles but by the time we had done about 15-20 pieces down there the council had taken notice and gave us the OK.” They continued their visual assault on precinct M15 with Kelzo notching an astonishing tally of over 400 pieces. As the demolition crews moved in, Hulme had one of the biggest Hall Of Fame’s this country has ever witnessed. “More and more people came down nationally and from Europe,” Kelzo fondly remembers. “We had what were known as Smear Jams which attracted a really good mix of alternative people and mad artists from all over Europe. We knew if we got the artists and DJs it would work, in 1995 we had a wild Jam with DJ First Rate from Scratch Perverts and the Desert Storm soundsystem.” Time was up for old Hulme but Kelzo had made his mark all over the city and further afield gaining exposure in some heavyweight graf mags along the way. A short time later on a trip to the States, like many UK headz he, “thirsted to paint in the birthplace of the art” [www.at149st.com]. It involves quite a story, as he explains: “I went out in 1995 to New Jersey to meet up with a friend. We travelled to Philly then back to a RockSteady party in Harlem. I needed to paint in NY! There was this shop called XL (formerly owned by The Beastie Boys). I went into shop and asked if I could paint the front of the shop, there was a piece on it already but it was a bit dated. I was lucky because in this shop was a magazine called Crazy Kings Forever and one of my pieces was in it. So I said to the guy ‘I did that’ and he was like ‘cool’ and gave me the all clear.” The adventure continued the next day: “I got there the next day at 8am pissed out of my mind and it was baking hot. A guy passed by called Stak and told me the piece I was painting over was a memorial for a dead writer called Foe. I thought ‘fuck, I am in trouble now’ and made sure I dedicated it to Foe and a couple of friends of mine that have passed away. It’s gone now but it was there for five or six years.” Back in the UK, work has been rolling in. An auspicious link up with the program ‘everybody talks about’, Eastenders, showcased two pieces. Organised by a girl who had remembered his work from the Hulme days he, “originally did the ‘Inner City Damage’ piece and then went into the studio again to do the ‘Millennium’ piece that was on the club wall last New Year.” A local production of Prime Suspect in Hulme offered more TV exposure and Kelzo is a regular fixture at the Board X festival in London and Glastonbury. Other commissions have seen him doing portraits of Ali G, Eric Cantona, Jeru The Damaja and he has done many canvas pieces including community work with local kids. A couple of years ago Kelzo started his official business: “A lot of people were asking about my work and I had a lot of crazy new ideas for clothing. Out of this equation came the sum total of Urban Damage. It’s been doing really well all over the UK and in one outlet in Japan. I am really focussed on the clothing and bringing out a new range of designs. We already have hooded tops, t-shirts with baseball caps and other things on the way and I am in discussion with a female student who is going to design a proper textile style... a whole female range that girls will like.” Genuinely grateful for the opportunities that have emerged, Kelzo has now got the luxury of having room to manoeuvre. “Being respected as a graf artist you can take on other projects,” he outlines. I have seen Kelzo go to work as an artist. Visualising the piece is essential: “When I go to a wall, I can already see it done. This goes back to the use of hallucinogenics something that a lot of classic artists have admitted to. The 3D style and ladders (a trademark of his work) are based on personal progression in life, the fact that I am moving on as a person. My attitude is to always look up never down. Nowadays I only paint once a month, I am not going to stop doing graf, it’s always something I am going to do.” And as every man of the can would agree, “there is always one more painting to be done and why should you give up something u love anyway?” Manchester can be the most exciting city in the world and the most shocking but anyone who has lived there will have their own story to tell. Kelzo has many; enough for a book including stuff touched on in this piece and more extreme tales! Ultimately, like any real graffiti artist, the walls and streets are his gallery but now his work is to be recognised on a different scale and will be immortalised in the redevelopment of the City Gallery which gives him tremendous satisfaction: “I have been commissioned to paint a piece for the new City Gallery alongside the classic oil paintings. It will be in the Manchester room that includes a historic view of the city and is scheduled for viewing in March 2002.” Local boy does good... real good. Check out www.urban-damage.co.uk / [email protected] KNOWLEDGE 53
DRUM & BASS SINGLES(( IT’S IN THE BAG… ONLINE D-N-B STORE AT WWW.KNOWLEDGEMAG.CO.UK DRUM & BASS SINGLES REVIEWED BY: LURCH & SHAREE ? BLU MAR TEN / AKIRA CYCOM grooves from Davide Carbone and DJ Felony, these rubs are sure to propel this SCANDAL / SQUAREHEAD B.R.O / YELLOW RIVER OSCILLATE / ASTROPHYSICS new label further forwards. The intro to L-PLATES GOOD LOOKING SANTORIN ‘Crisis’ is tense, running along on a wave of ominous percussion, animal sounds, a It sounds like a phantom artist graces this After hearing ‘Progression Sessions 3’ I had Santorin is always a breath of fresh air and deathly drone, nervy chords and some next L Plate issue; cornering like a loon and to have this tune - finally available, the epic this latest is no exception. Cycom’s audio blazin’ old skool sounds. The phat bass then swerving all over the place. ‘Scandal’ opens that is ‘B.R.O’ is out now. The soulful chords, engineering skills can be detected early on in sneakily slides into the mix, giving the tune the account with a cracking trumpet line, breathtaking FX, the precise Amen break, this solid stepper. Powerful drums knock out its extra drive and killer dancefloor rattling drum breaks and choice bass hits, it’s all here and exactly as I remember it, a a rhythm you can’t help but move to. Add motion. ‘Spy Ring’ then flows in a similar vein soon developing into a charging dub-core classic. Cascading strings, a lively roller of a to that a sulky melody and grumbling bass of cultured darkness, again with a cut that will have the legs from under ya. beat and an insistent bassline are the undertones and you’ve got a real banger. super-chunky riddim track to propel the That tell-tale flava flows again on the flip, as backbone of Akira’s ‘Yellow River’ and are ‘Astrophysics’ is for all the beat scientists out groove, and approaching with a subtle, bright percussion is cunningly spliced with complemented by an array of aquatic there. Vigourous, meticulously syncopated though serious, dancefloor stance that this ominous sound, alongside a hypnotic sounds and refined FX that give the track drums traverse a landscape of uniquely man consistently delivers with such style. L six-gun bass. Recognise. L clarity and an uplifting vibe. M crafted sound. S DRUM KRU ACRYLIC CHAMPAGNE DAYTONA THIN AIR / POLTERGEIST OP FACTOR FLY GUY / DADDY MORPH ONCE AGAIN / POISON 1210 PIVOTAL NU-URBAN MUSIC EXPLOSIVE More fresh label shenanigans, with the After much speculation, the first release from This vinyl version of Acrylic’s full debut for Nu-Urban number five, and if my memory Daytona moniker being the cover for two, big the Drum Kru is finally cast to vinyl. This Pivotal features four rubs from the ten-track serves me right this follows up Champagne’s name, old hands. ‘Once Again’ rises with loose collective features such luminaries as CD, here focussing on the drum & bass floor contributions to the recent album from Vibe’z dense, rugged drumming and suspense Ed Rush, Optical, Matrix, Fierce, Trace, fillers, and opening with the spacious sounds Recordings. Both are simple funk tunes run- filled pads, before giving way to demonic BC and Ryme Tyme, who have or will of ‘Gaia Funk’. Coming complete with live ning with live sounds; ‘Fly Guy’ marching stabs, heavyweight bassline pressure and a contribute to the project in time, and while bass, steppy drums, jazzy piano and wispy with snapping snares while getting dirtier shadowy spread of twisted melodics and the artists involved in this release are being flute lines, this cut wouldn’t sound at all out with the bassline build, and ‘Daddy Morph’ vocal snippets. Meanwhile, those supa- kept under wraps, all you ‘spotters out there of place on a Peshay release, and similarly stepping out with slinky guitar licks, horns phat drums continue to rain down on the will no doubt know who’s responsible. the deeper, more dramatic, strains of the and warped bass. L flip, through ‘Poison’, rolling with nice ‘Poltergeist’ is a bright, yet spooky little rub, techno-tinged ‘Perhaps’ that follows. The mechanical percussion, deep bass tones but ‘Thin Air’ is the big one here, taking second slate keeps with the jazzy notion, CHRONICLE and a spellbinding mystical flava. Ruff and you on a strangely tuneful ruff-ride to the though drifts into more nervous and abstract VS. ORION off-key... it’s got to be Randall and Flex. L badlands, nasty raw and rolling, but territory through the tension filled spaces of irresistible in its subtly morphing flow. L ‘Strength In Numbers’ and finally with the AVIATION / REQUIEM JAY D’CRUZE forceful steps of ‘Cinedrone’, the most FOKUZ FACS & B KEY warped tune of all. Broad, melodic, well YBOR CITY / CONTRAST produced and worth investigating. L With a little nod to techno influences SPRAYCAN TECHNOTIC / ASTAROTH ‘Aviation’ has a steppy, clinical beat, swirling Hard-steppin sci-fi trekking is the way to get XXX JOHN B atmospherics and a deep, morphed bassline to ‘Ybor City’ on this first release from that sits perfectly with the percussion and Spraycan, as D’Cruze lays down some XXX gets down and dirty again with their UP ALL NIGHT / TAKE CONTROL almost hidden stabs and FX. ‘Requiem’ has incessant tumbling bass, rollicking drums sixth outing to date. ‘Technotic’ brings the METALHEADZ a brooding feel to it with its melancholic intro, and a catchy bleep hook, and while it’s the old school rave vibe with some siren keys chopped break and wistful melodies over a same kind of direction on the flip, ‘Contrast’ and long forgotten samples. The keys This is a quite sensational single from John B techno-tinged background. Both tracks are takes a noisier route to the dancefloor. L mutate down into a toxic, unyielding b-line with both tracks showing a different side of superbly programmed and are indicative of melody while hard hitting breaks battle to this man’s deft production skills and each the resurgence in European drum & bass DECODER break loose in this dancefloor stormer. setting the dancefloor alight. ‘Up All Night’ whatever style. M ‘Astaroth’ is pure gold as well. Tactile ‘96 opens deceptively, with a sweet vocal and CRISIS / SPY RING style drums and a sweeping synth melody strings but beware, for the grizzly bassline CONSEQUENCE BS1 create a dark and ominous mood. An menace soon looms large, as does a brazen unwholesome bass melody, which rave piano line and thundering beats; and CONSEQUENCE / CUBE Number three on this new Bristol label finds emphasises the pure nastiness of this cut, when this one drops, it drops hard - nothing FORM Darren ‘Decoder’ Beale taking time out from creeps in like a stalking jaguar. Terminally ill, to do but pull it back to the top. Taking a more his Kosheen commitments to deliver this pair overdriven machines at their best. S subtle and sexy approach is ‘Take Control’, SYNCOPIX of ruff ‘n’ tuff ‘floor shakers to BS1. Already using a wicked blend of vocals, delicate piano with a growing profile, thanks to the smart droplets, soft guitars, soaring sax and warm TURN / DOUBLE DRAG pads to create the sumptuous mood, while SYNCOPIX BC sharp, clipped beats and punchy bass keep the step in check. Highly recommended. L Number two from this new German label, THE BOOK OF THE BAD VOL.1 ‘Consequence’ drifting into view with soft BC RECORDINGS BASIC UNIT pads and friendly beats, before firming up into a nervy little roller as the raw mid-range Hot on the heels of the Prototype release of ‘Planet Dust’ the BC crew return to their own WRATH / TSAKAMOTO SYSTEMS and bubbling percussion come further into label with this gargantuan EP, stuffed to the gills with powerful dancefloor ammo. Each FLEX play. A tense tech-jazz intro then brings the track comes with its own little flava, ‘Numbers’ leading with a nice blend of tones and stabs flava on ‘Cube’, a serious and spooky track over a droning underbelly, ‘Spider’ running riot with a dark bass bounce and ripping mid Following releases from Visionary and Paul that completes a delicately dark twelve. range, and ‘Believe’ steering a spooky, inter-planetary course. However, the highlight on Reset & Pyro, Basic Unit reappear on Flex From the same camp comes the Syncopix this EP has to be the funky fury of ‘The Voice’. A busy, multi-layered track, excellently with the tumultuous bass and Amen twelve, both tracks following a similar pat- crafted, and with wonderful strings, pads and synths, tasty pummel-bass, driving beats pressure of the old skool riffing ‘Wrath’, while tern to the Form release. ‘Turn’ is perhaps and a neat Depeche Mode vocal sample. Once again this motley cru come up trumps. L the same ingredients are employed on the the most upbeat, blatant floor winner of them flip, though with extra interlocking beat-play all, approaching with a bubblin’ sci-fi intro and crazy vocal snippets. Mean and moody, and rolling out with total percussive pres- but a bit one-dimensional. L sure, while ‘Drag’ closes the account with additional futuristic rollage. L BLUE SONIX D PRODUCT GOT ME IN ITS SPELL / YOU NEED ME AQUASONIC TELEMETRY / WRITTEN OFF FULL CYCLE New label from Rikki Blue, and this first release is an absolute gem. Both tracks ooze Following his contributions to the ‘Through soul, roll with a sumptuous groove and let the The Eyes’ project, D Product takes time out sunshine into the dance. ‘Got Me In Its Spell’ from engineering for Reprazent to return to centres around the classic vocal of the title, the source with an experimental twelve. bathed here in a warm sea of gentle chords, Both tracks run deep... very deep. melancholic strings, deep bass hits, tribal vox ‘Telemetry’ most clearly so and for me mak- and a fruity rhythm track. All blending ing the most impression, as its warm and effortlessly on a cut that you cannot help but slinky bassline winds its way around the lose yourself in. A more driving, funk under- crisp percussive beats and distant industrial tone infiltrates the flip, making for an ideal echoes. ‘Written Off’ then takes a harder accompaniment to the lead; again with a cool stance in the bass and drum department, vocal selection, extra smooth melody and a with dramatic strings and tense techno bub- bubblin’ bongo line rising through those bright bles infiltrating the mix, to give this record a and breezy beats. Nice vibes all the way. L nicely rounded sound. L KNOWLEDGE 59
))DRUM & BASS SINGLES ( ( (((( IT’S IN THE BAG… )))) ) ) FALCON this latest Hospital signing is rather running with a flava true to the mother label MAD MAX large. With a fresh, musical approach to drum blueprint. The beats are ruff and rugged, the ANOTHER WORLD / REALITY & bass, the High Contrast sound very much vibes are dark and brooding and the TRIPLEBEAM EP CITRUS fits in with the label’s outlook, and with tracks production is tight and crisp, so check ‘em. BLACK PEARL as accomplished as these we’re sure Serious and neatly executed. L Holland’s Citrus come with Falcon displaying going to be hearing a lot more from Lincoln Haven’t got a proper track listing for this his considerable skills on the dark, mellow Barret. The vocals on both tracks are genius, THE INVADERS original triple threat, but from the get go you’ll roller ‘Another World’. Both this and ‘Reality’ ‘Passion’’s super-disco-loops are irresistible, delight in the sinister ramblings of this combine minimal beats with effective as is the swing of ‘Full Intention’, and THE BEATS / BREAKDOWN beat experimenter. The opener got me with basslines, just the right amount of filters and with some serious weight to the beats and INVADERZ the Frankenstein cut and paste, gritty heavy dancefloor friendly melodies. Also available bass there’s no missing these tunes on the metal analogue and sloshy supersonic and worth checking out are Falcon’s ‘floor. Top notch. L Waves of sustained strings lead up to a solid style. Pretty crazy. On the flip is an even ‘Bug Bite / Test Drive’ which is absolutely rhythmic drum pattern. Percussion loop and more detailed look into the wild world of tearing and even I can’t stop playing INFLUX DATUM percussion loop gets added until ‘The Beats’ Mad Max. The first number comes on strong and Dreazz & Falcon’s breaks stompers ‘Do is a totally filled out stepper. Echoed vocal with stabby techno keys and female Drop In / Retro’. M CAN’T UNDERSTAND / FOREVER stab and low end bass surges intertwine with vocal stab before high pitched munchkins NEW IDENTITY the drum elements making it a very rhythmic and ginsu sliced breaks reign supreme. But FILTOR PRODUCT cut. The ‘Breakdown’ is another percussive as close as this one comes to the brink of After their debut appearance on the ‘Jazz roll out. Solid programming is complemented mayhem, it’s still remarkably mixable. The FLATLINE EP & Bass 3’ album, Miami’s Influx Datum return by careful effects layering and power packed last cut continues with the techno theme - FILTOR PRODUCT to New Identity with a summertime roll-out bass rumbles. S stabbing out an epic intro. A maelstrom of that has understandably been turning the rough breaks and diabolic analogue come Promising four-track white label here from heads of many a DJ. Deceptively simple and INVADERZ next to make this one a steadfast and Edinburgh’s Filtor Product. All tracks very catchy, ‘Can’t Understand’ is a solid damaging dancefloor tear-out. S are techno bassline tunes, and although the soulful groove, built around sweeping strings, FEEL SOMEBODY / ECHOES final mix is admittedly lacking a bit, the crisp beats, tasteful male vocals and PIVOTAL PHILIPP MAIBURG & ideas are there and in terms of groove a deep sub, that all lovers of jungle funk MIGUEL AYALA and structure. Opening track, ‘Flatline’ is should check. ‘Forever’ then runs with a more As the press release rightly states, Invaderz certainly worth a listen. L frenetic vibe, bubbling away with some lively are one of the most talked about new UK SCHLAGABTAUSCH / KIEFERBRUCH percussion, bongos and warm, yet incisive drum & bass acts, and here they debut on SOCIO FUTURE CUT bass hits, nicely contrasting with its gentle Pivotal with two wicked and very different pads and yearning female vocal. Making rubs. ‘Feel Somebody’ is a warm and easy Second release here from the Socio label, OBSESSION / TEAR OUT YOUR HEART this a wicked two tracker of subtle, sexy track, feeding off stepping beats, deep rolling this time with Miguel Ayala being joined in the METALHEADZ dancefloor flava. L bass, breezy chimes and the cool, whispery studio by Philipp Maiburg. The results are vocals that give the track its name. A laidback akin to the first wax, with techno flava and a With an intro and vocal that is more than DJ INK dancefloor delight. The angles change with tempered darkness running through the slightly reminiscent of ‘Inner City Life’, this is ‘Echoes’, as the beats tuffen up and a grooves. My German, shamefully, begins and a record that could only be released on THE 7TH SIGN / THE POWER ghostly presence invades the mix. Once again ends at ‘prost’, so I can’t tell you what the Goldie’s label. That aside, ‘Obsession’ is a CYLON the production is excellent, the sounds are titles mean, but if murky, melodic techstep is very good track; using sounds and drum wicked and the vibes are runnin’ on this mini- your thing then the music’s all you need to patterns that have Metalheadz stamped all X-FACTOR mal menace, to complete a twelve that once concern yourself with. L over them, the sweeping strings, tumbling again shows this crew’s versatile approach to pads, crashing drums and screeching noise AMAZON / DISEASE the beats and the depth of their talent. L MANTIS breed a cavernous sound that will soon X-FACTOR ensnares you in this dramatic track. Flip for JO-S THE CRYPT / LOGANS RUN / the equally powerful force of ‘Tear Your Heart Doing everything that you would expect from HUMANOID / TIC TOC Out’, as vocal snippets, twisted horns, evil a DJ Ink release on Cylon, ‘The 7th Sign’ is a AFTERBURNER / SEPARATION VOODOO washes and dirty buzzing freqs roll out over a thundering, darkside roll out, oozing a sinister RAWKUTS selection of ruff drum breaks to seal another sense of the epic and delivering the pain in Mantis does the incantations for this, the milestone for this talented Manchester duo. L a gruelling, heavyweight fashion. On the flip, Furious darkside fare from the States here, fourth outing for the new Voodoo imprint. the more subtle percussive vibe of ‘The with ‘Afterburner’ letting fly with pummelling ‘The Crypt’ has some haunting sample swirls, HIGH CONTRAST Power’ comes across with a ghostly air in the bass, runaway beats and swarming techno while sombre synths and horror movie string intro, but the panic soon sets in as an riffs. A breezy vocal intro builds the vibe build before going into a ghostly, wobbly ana- PASSION / FULL INTENTION ominous knocking riff moves to centre stage, nicely on ‘Separation’, running with ‘I’m in logue breakdown. When this sucker kicks it’s HOSPITAL the doomy bass takes hold and the beats love with you’ vocals and increasingly tense off to the ‘roller’ derby. Lots of energy here. begin to boil. On a similar tip is the first synth play, but what follows is a bit iffy as ‘Logans Run’ comes off with some scrambled After his contributions to ‘Plastic Surgery 2’, release from Cylon sub-label, X-Factor, hyper bleeps and bass make the switch. L hyperactive breaks that lead up nicely to a this is the first full single release from High Contrast; and already the buzz surrounding FUTURE BOUND, RECALL & PROTOCOL KLUTE RED LIGHTS / THE RAGER TRANCEFORMAT / DUNNO FUZE COMMERCIAL SUICIDE Going under the collective guise of Phaze Syndicate, Recall and Protocol are two new producers that Futurebound has been working with and, alongside a collaboration This is the first release from Klute’s own imprint, and what an inspired name for a label on Infrared’s ‘Infrastructure’ LP, their first release is this twelve for Fuze. First it is. Curiously enough though, this opening release is one of Mr Withers’ more up, Futurebound and Recall team up for ‘Red Lights’, a rollicking tech-funk ride with accessible dancefloor missiles. ‘Tranceformat’ is absolutely superb, a steadily building plenty of juice for the floor and a wicked undulating bass-bounce to hook you. Protocol track, but one with instant dancefloor remedy and irresistible hypnotic qualities. Introing a then steps to the studio for ‘The Rager’, as the title suggests, a more ferocious tune, t length with beautifully atmospheric synths and nice rolling beats, the bassline drop adds runnin’ with fierce beat play, subtle hip-hop vox, nice techno pads and a deep, driving a tuneful churn to this epic cut, the awesome breakdown gives you relief before the bassline. Proper ruff bizniz. L final throw and, throughout the course of this cultured track, it never loses sight of its graceful melodic drive. Brilliant. L 60 KNOWLEDGE
DRUM & BASS SINGLES(( ONLINE D-N-B STORE AT WWW.KNOWLEDGEMAG.CO.UK blistering Amen fest. Saturated bass and No info on this but I can tell you it falls you’ll also pick out spoken vocal samples, another supreme slice of infirmary funk. movie score FX get added to create a perilously close to gabba bass territory. The saxophones and tribal drumming. Excellent Fresh and upbeat, with bright drums and a brooding atmosphere. After the break a more lead track runs with a frantic industrial groove release from this new label. M punchy bassline, cool keys, nice FX and rolled out drum pattern is thrown in to add and grinding dancefloor presence, while excellent use of the original vocal - it’s an to the mayhem. The second 12” offers up galloping along at an even greater pace is the POLLEN essential platter for the lazy, hazy days of ‘Humanoid’, a stabby, treacherous roll out similarly nasty flip. A bit too fast for me. L summer. Lush. L with evil buzzing bass and ‘Tic Toc’. ‘Tic Toc’ THE EELS / NEST / BACKLASH has a super lengthy intro with menacing NU MOON PERSPECTIVE 60 MINUTE MAN ‘clock’ ticking off the seconds till this one goes off. This track is all the way in my book - tight, DARK MATTER / SAHKMET Adding further international flava to their MYSTERY / ELECTRIC EMOTION hard hitting drums, surging b-lines and a GOOD LOOKING catalogue, Perspective release this dark INTERCOM bevy of well placed effects. Definitely a label three tracker from Pollen. Each track has a on the up and up. S ‘Dark Matter’ is something of a gem. Eerie similar vibe - rolling with crisp, busy drums, The 60 Minute Man returns with another fine chords set the scene with the enchanting techno flavas and nasty riffs. ‘Nest’ is my pick pair of vocalised grooves for Intercom, these MARK ONE synths adding to the vibe allowing the of the lot, with its trancey riff, bizarre vocal two featuring the vocals of Hannah Collins. deep bassline to pulsate and manoeuvre touch and less aggro stance, but something Touching down with a fusion of soulful HOOVERS & SPRAYCANS around the track ending up in the darker here is sure to hit home if you like the vocals and bouncy techno undertones, both RETRO corners full of raw energy. More cosmic is dancefloor techno sounds. L tracks work really well; ‘Mystery’ flowing ‘Sahkmet’ in part due to a maze of captivat- with a more melancholic melody and dusky Old skool remix tips here, with this big rave ing FX, spacey synths and aqueous atmos- RAREFORM bottom end, while ‘Electric Emotion’ runs tune getting a dark and doomy update from pherics. The urgency in the choppy break with a breezier vocal line and lively synth Dylan. Keeping all of the melodic elements and soothing bass keep you hooked into the SHINING FOREVER play. Hooks a plenty and packing a solid from the original - strings, stabs, vocals and hypnotic groove. M NEW VISION dancefloor punch. L that breakdown, the 2001 remix does stay close to the ‘91 vibe; and with this new mix PISH POSH Originally a mid-tempo breakbeat tune, eerie DJ SINE being powered by menacing rapid-fire bass melody and edgy vocals bring the intro vibe BRIAN DARC and phat interlocking drums, much like the HP-52 on Rareform’s drum & bass mix here, original, if you can’t get enough of those old WHITE eventually letting rip with slapping metallic REVOLVER / MASKED skool sounds, pick this up. L snares and surging bass. The Dope Ammo 611DRUMANDBASS Little info on this, save for the artist and crew turn in an alternative jungle flava, giving TOFU DE LA MOORE ‘Bootleg D&B’ scrawled on the sleeve, in the track a lively funk injection, while complet- Dark, gnarly tings run wild through JITSU a way that invites you to rip it out of ing the underground vibes of this twelve off is ‘Revolver’, a grungey ‘floor track tempered its sleeve and slap it on the decks immedi- the ‘baggy’ original version. Hallelujah! L by familiar knocking tones and, with a WICCASTEP / REGRET ately. It’s a good ‘un too, with the lead cut an similar dose of the dirty on the flip, although QUIZ / RUGGED PARAGRAPHS Amen bone-crusher - dark and menacing, RICOCHET this slate isn’t the finest in its field, it should UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT SOUNDS with sweet old skool, chipmunk vox and rap RICOCHET & SABOTAGE go down well with the nasty nasty crew. L snippets falling into the mix, while the flip This up ‘n’ comin’ stateside label (out of is an eerie and experimental jungle T5 / RUNAWAY SONIC & SILVER / Sacramento, CA) comes with a new vibe for hip-hop fusion. L BACK 2 BACK SUPPLY & DEMAND their second outing. Tofu’s ‘Wiccastep’ provides a influx of opulent key wobbles, PLEASURE The sharp strings and distant female 21 GUN / OH YES soulful female vocals and clattering drums. vocal on ‘T5’ are excellent, reminiscent of TROUBLE ON VINYL Slowly building beat patterns zoom in and out FARAWAY / PROJECTIONS Breakbeat Era in a way, and really should to create intricate chops that work well with ILLUSION have been given more room to shine, Sampler to the forthcoming ‘Champion the driving melody the runs throughout. taking the lead here rather than the filtered Soundz’ album, which holds further rubs ‘Regret’ is another from Tofu, but this ‘Faraway’ is a subtly building track, featuring tech-stab that does. As it is, it’s a decent floor from Future Cut & Kontrol, Usual Suspects one’s strictly an underground hip hop joint. a light beat, echoey keyboards, clever burner, but with the potential to be so much & Friction, Psychosis and Alpha & Omega. On the flipside, Jitsu works some aural kung percussion, minimal bass and some warped more. It’s a similar case of bassline over ‘21 Gun’ is a dark, Amen ‘n’ old skool, dub fu with ‘Quiz’. Moody intro sets a vibe FX that filter in and out of proceedings. vocal and melody on the flip, but this vox belter; the title possibly in homage to early on. Shuffling breaks come in and create Constantly changing, you’re never quite sure twelve is worth a listen. L one of the first jungle LPs from a fellow a mood to groove. Solid dancefloor fodder. what’ll happen next, some congas, the Mancunian music-maker, but then perhaps ‘Rugged Paragraphs’ is a tag on the end deepest chords I’ve heard for a long time, NITIN SAWHNEY not. Flip for something a little different, as with melodic piano, slowed up drum hits and vocal snippets - every listen uncovers Supply & Demand weld some nice steel boomin’ sub bass. S something new. ‘Projections’ steps along SUNSET: drum melody, simple steppas bass, phat briskly with the crisp break, minimal melodies LONDON ELEKTRICITY REMIX spacious beats and a cool vocal snippet to MUSIC FOREVER 004 and guitar-like refrain, if you listen carefully great effect. L Not too sure what label this is due to surface on, but you’re sure to be able to find it, and when it does make sure you do ‘cos it’s TEEBEE VARIOUS TRAVEL IN SILENCE EP INFRASTRUCTURE LP SAMPLER 1 & 2 SUBTITLES INFRARED Next from TeeBee is this four track EP and where the previous two Subtitles twelves rolled With the samplers coming as a double pack and a 12” respectively, this next compilation out with an aggressive, tearing techno flava, this EP is on a much smoother, melodic from Infrared is certainly shaping up to be a big release. The first taster features two tracks dancefloor tip. That’s not to say it’s not tuff, for it is, it has that futuristic edge and the from J Majik, firstly the delicate vocal and tight techno ride of ‘Solarize’, an absolute production is as crisp and detailed as ever, but there’s a more soulful feel to this collection dynamite tune, and likewise the blazing bassline tear down of ‘Tell Me’ featuring Kathy of tracks and overall it’s a quite sensational EP. From the warm and sexy flow of ‘April Brown. Futurebound then features on Part 1’s other two tracks, rolling out some fine Dawn’ and its sweet r&b vocal flex, to the dreamy techno blues of the title track, into percussive beats with Futurecut on the gruesome ‘Homocide’ before serving up further the sublime cover version of ‘Go’, the tribal hypnotist known as ‘Blue Rose’ and closing churning bass alongside Recall on the minimal ‘Hypnotizing’. Messrs Majik and with the slightly sinister, mystic jazz of ‘Touched By God’, this, I feel, is the best we’ve Futurebound then take a side each on the single sampler, the latter with the down tempo heard from TeeBee to date. L tech-jazz of ‘Iron Eyes’ while the lead cut is none other than J Majik’s cracking remix of Hatiras’ ‘Spaced Invader’. Already a classic. L KNOWLEDGE 61
))DRUM & BASS SINGLES IT’S IN THE BAG… ONLINE D-N-B STORE AT WWW.KNOWLEDGEMAG.CO.UK SONS OF MECHA production style to what’s out there right TOTAL SCIENCE across the entire selection. Pieter K now. The smooth soulful vocals certainly touches down with a more mystical flava, IMAGINE THE FUTURE dominate the track, together with the EXTRA CURRICULAR / JET SET and the greater techno influence, as open- FEEL NO WAY catchy backing vox, as unobtrusive ADVANCED ing track, ‘Riverine’ demonstrates setting MECHANOISE 2000 stepping beats, warm electro bass and the pace on a deep and hypnotic, travelling an uplifting backing track roll below. A new label from Total Science, with tip. ‘Dig’ then takes a more experimental With about five or six fresh singles lining up Perhaps not to everyone’s taste, but much the same sound as CIA, though and intricate approach to the beats; laying in this next Mechanoise onslaught, these check it out, and if you do like it you’ll no perhaps a little more directly focussed on down hollow drums and spectral pads, are the two that come with drum & bass doubt be into the downtempo, r&b swing bus’ing up the venue. Both tracks here sitars, melodic bleeps and dirty bass remixes. DJ Red draws out a dark and epic of ‘Vibe’ on the flip. L are unashamed dancefloor boomers, surges in a cavernous soundscape that all track, taking a doomy, hard stepping route contrasting but complimentary, charged serious beat heads should investigate. By into the night on his remix of ‘Imagine the SUB, ERB N’ KAOS with old skool reference, and executed way of contrast, Juju runs with a more Future’, and on a similar, though livelier, tip with the finesse that we’ve come to expect uplifting flava through his tracks, is Future Cut & Kontrol’s take on ‘Feel No 2001 BASS / THE BUZZ from this duo. ‘Extra Curricular’ trades the ‘The Summer’ a self-explanatory cut, char- Way’. A nasty, rolling bassline tune that HOMEGROWN harsher sounds, laying down clattering acterised by cool retro vocals, delicious you can find on the flipside of ‘Psychotic drums and driving bass, while the equally melody, staccato bass and bright stutter Break’, by Mechanoise Sound System. L Entering with a techno 4/4 kick, a forceful ‘Jet Set’ offers the more beats. There’s a similar approach to the snare, then an Amen, ‘2001 Bass’ isn’t the uplifting alternative. Pure class. L rhythmic backbone of ‘Yemaya’, giving this SPECIMEN A most subtle of tunes. Confirmation of this heavier tune that jittery feel as it completes comes when the 2001 Space Odyssey TRONIC & RAGE the EP in a fresh dancefloor mode. L BLOODTHIRSTY / 154 horns and rave stabs kick in, but I have INSPIRIT MUSIC to concede there is a vibe to this tune. MANGO EP VECTOR BURN Amens, sustained bass, a quirky frequen- NU-URBAN MUSIC Gargantuan shards of mid-range filth cy squeeze and ‘music’s hypnotising’ FROSTBITE / HYPOTHERMIA dominate the slightly one-dimensional vox then complete the package on the flip. Set up to showcase up-and-coming talent RUMBLE ‘Bloodthirsty’ and though ‘154’ drops in a Not to everyone’s tastes, but sure to and experimental projects from established similar manner, this track has more of a please many. L labels, the first release from Nu-Urban Number three from New York’s Rumble vibe to it and explains the forthcoming full Music was an undercover project from Recordings, and as the titles suggest these release, complete with breakbeat mixes TEEBEE Decoder & Substance, but here we have are two chilling tracks. Both are tight and and a relick from Twisted Anger. Also look some of that fresh talent in the shape of this run with a similar flex as frantic bongos, out for the next single, ‘Armed & DECEIVE / MEET YOUR MAKER debut EP from Tronic & Rage. When I tell clipped beats, busy synth play and Dangerous’, which comes with a Dylan SUBTITLES you that labels like Reinforced, CIA and ethereal vocals make up the weird bubbling remix. L Phantom Audio have shown interest in this groove of ‘Frostbite’, while on the flip, a TEEBEE VS FUTURE duo, you can get an idea as to the kind of further epic slice of hard-hitting space and SPIRIT / DIGITAL PROPHECIES sound featured here; and with a strong bass is yours for the taking with focus on the beats and percussion, this ‘Hypothermia’. L MAYHEM / GATEMAN DIMENSIONAL ENTITY / THE PATH is an intricate selection. You get ‘Blackjack’ PHANTOM AUDIO SUBTITLES - a deep and dirty dub bass roller, ‘Global’ VENETIAN SNARES - a dreamy, but ruff, sci-fi steppa, ‘Mango’ Following up the full release of Digital’s Many different vibes from TeeBee this - a tense, beat clattering retro-rinse, and to & SEVENS.MED EP ‘One Ton’, this is the second in the series of issue, with these two twelves showcasing close, ‘Tyme Slip’ - a rugged, eerily padded LOW RES limited edition twelves from the Phantom the more thundering, hardcore flavas in his soundscape. A debut to check. L Audio axis. Spirit drops a Jeckyl & Hyde repertoire. His solo twelve hits you where it From the apocalyptic urban wastelands of track in the shape of ‘Mayhem’, switching hurts, the mental surging power of TWISTED INDIVIDUAL Detroit comes the ghetto breakcore noise from dark, droning and percussive into old ‘Deceive’ an absolute tower of strength, of Low Res’s latest sacrificial offering. skool, ambient pads ‘n’ bass with a deft while the tense ‘Meet Your Maker’ steps SCURVY / DISFUNKTIONAL Definitely in a league of their own, Venetian and deadly touch. Brooding reggae-tinged out on a more experimental, soundscape NEW IDENTITY Snares set out to create an invasive flavas run through Digital’s drifting tip. This spacious, futuristic vibe is mishmash of maniacal jungle breaks, cut to ‘Gateman’ track, with the gentle power of continued on the eerie oriental flow of ‘The Showing a versatile approach to the beats, ribbons by razor sharp machine noise. Pile its bassline tumble providing the backbone Path, the flipside of his collaborative twelve though without conceding his recognised driver, pummelling Amens and seething on this off-key minimal track. Trademark. L with Future Prophecies, which also holds style, Twisted Individual sidesteps to New analogue will rip a hole right in the my favourite rub from this selection, Identity with this pair of complimentary hard underbelly of what you thought d&b could STAR COMPANY ‘Dimensional Entity’. A rugged and epic jazz steppas. Both tracks lead with edgy be. Not for the faint at heart. Fans of techstep track; well crafted, neatly chord play, ‘Scurvy’ bringing the melody Amputate and Praxis will rejoice. S TIME / VIBE structured and given essential balance with a cool xylophone line, oriental vibes CHEEKY SOUNDS through the inspired employment of the and some spacious stepping beat play, DJ XS spine-tingling vocal used on ‘The Gift’. L while ‘Dysfunctional’ approaches with ‘Time’ is the cut to head for here, a full discordant keys, ruffer drums and little MACHINE DRUM / TENSION vocal track with something of a different touch of techno. Nervy bizniz. L 24 SEVEN WILDCHILD & FLOYD DICE VARIOUS DJ XS FLASHBACK / INFLUENZA COOKIN’ EP 6 COME ON / AMEN FIRE RED MASTER COOKIN’ DUB PLATE SESSIONS Returning for the label’s third release, Wildchild and Dice follow up the cracking ‘Hitchhiker’ The phat and phunky Good Lookin’ imprint Two fresh slates from Stevie XS, the first with a pair of darker riddim tracks. Needling techno mid-range features heavily through release a 2 x12” EP mid-June with four release on Dub Plate Sessions hitting you ‘Flashback’, contrasting well with its clean, tumbling tone riff and nice rave stabs, though tracks of the smooth late nite blues they’re with a pair of tear down Amen cuts, ‘Come certainly not as overtly old skool as the title suggests. Things get a bit more edgy on the renowned for. Solaris’ ‘Timed Reality’ is a On’ with a nice little vocal touch and military step of the flip, as mechanical stabs and washes drape themselves over an inces- slick groove with gentle chimes, subtle demolition Reese, while the filters go into sant kick snare pattern. Grinding. L chords and a steady beat. A warm plucked overdrive on the similarly fierce flip. bass adds atmosphere along with warped Following that comes the next 24 Seven FX and deadly drop-outs. B.E.L.T’s offering, release, where evil sounds abound once ‘Magic Horse’, is a high-speed chase more. ‘Machine Drum’ fields rampant snares through twilight soundscapes. A chopped and filthy raging mids, and with nasty stabs break races neck and neck with the jazzy and subtle ‘Tension’ vocals rolling on the flip, piano and a restless bassline. A cocktail of these are four raw selections. L chimes, soft key stabs and warm bass give ‘Higher’ from Realside a snappy, energetic MARK XTC freshness that is uplifted by a catchy vocal and the soulful vibe. ‘Abominable Snowman’ SO ADDICTED EP is a sweeping soundscape of warped FX, PENNY BLACK instrumental delicacies, cold structured funk and moody bass that along with the sharp, Manchester’s Mark XTC breaks the silence hasty carries the tune confidently. M with a release on Penny Black that fits the sound of the label to a tee. The simply VARIOUS tearing ‘So Addicted’ is a demonic Amen slammer, peppered with the old skool vocal TRANSATLANTIC EP of the title, and this housey flava is duly RENEGADE carried through to the comparatively relaxed, melodic steps of ‘Generations’. As the title suggests, Renegade reach to The second slate then returns us to the the US for this release, with two tracks a vibe of the lead track through ‘Feel The piece from Pieter K and Juju. It’s a broad Music’, throwing down some rather tasty EP, with both artists delivering the goods in strings, Amens, dirty freqs and vocals, different, but complimentary, styles, with before ‘Getting Dumb’ rounds things off some original vibes being thrown down with brutal technoid efficiency. L 62 KNOWLEDGE
))HIP-HOP SINGLES HIPHOP SINGLES REVIEWED BY: BEN WEAVER & LOPEZ ALIEN EARTH tion peppered with some of the West dancefloor, anywhere. On the flip ‘The GRAND AGENT Coast’s most lauded emcees. Quality Movement’ features the whole Lootpack ALIEN EARTH and quantity are the order of the day, and Madlib has dropped the bassline of GRAND RIGHT NOW AE PRODUCTIONS this bad boy is three tracks deep and the year here. Add to this ‘Laugh Now IT’S ONLY RIGHT (RAP NIGGAZ 2) made of sterner stuff than your average Cry Later’ and you is one happy FEAT. PLANET ASIA This is the record causing a helluva stir platter. Mr Chavez likes his production customer. BW SUPERRAPPIN in the western sector right now... Alien chopped up and his drums hard, which Earth are an outfit comprised of a is all good. The choice of lyricist DFXO Sure contender for nicest cover handful of crews in the Bristol region and (Iriscience, Evidence & Encore) is artwork of the year, trivial I know, but this four track EP is up to the high stan- nothing short of wise and with Babu KILL YA WIV A DEMO a plaudit I can safely give. This has all dard expected in the area. Things kick dealing with the cuts on two of the S.F.D.B. RECORDS the makings of a high-grade indie off with the tune to set the scene tracks, the outcome is pretty much an single - Paul Nice, Hi Tek & Chops on ‘Alienatic’. G Swift, Truck (Beat allstar turn. If you like any of the rappers Same Family Different Ballbag. That’s production with the mighty Planet Asia Route38), IDS and Supreme Shar let featured previous output then this is the label doing it right now. Alongside on a guest slot. Grand Agent still loose like they were from another world going to be a winner. This is another Junior Disprol’s sick EP comes this, and doesn’t drop outstanding material, indeed, while DJs Krome and Mr ABB release firmly rooted in the no it’s some ruffneck bizz all round. why I don’t figure. His rhymes are nice Fantastic tear things up with the nonsense league of hip hop. L Originally a six track demo, DFXO: and the flow is dynamic when it wants styluses. Next is ‘Bristol Fashion’ which Defisis and Xeno impressed heads at to be. It’s just his presence on the mic, adds Rola (Numskulls) to the equation DECKWRECKA & MCD S.F.D.B. so much they released the little and it’s especially obvious when next who drops butter verbals as only he can. blighter as is! And that’s the whole point, to Planet Asia, is dangerously close to This leads us into ‘Kit Peak’ a little WHAT CHU EXPECT these guys cane most of y’all fools with nondescript. I hate to say it, but this nugget from Shar, before finishing with RONIN their demo. Hardcore headnod fodder, single has received more scrutiny ‘Piece Of String’ whereby the four not for the weak. BW than any other has this issue from emcees mash it up delightfully. All in all The latest from Ronin with Deckwrecka yours truly to arrive at this conclusion. Alien Earth are as tight as you like, with laying down four tracks for MCD to FLEAPIT L a sick array of beats at their disposal. orchestrate his return to vinyl. For an old Seek ‘em out post haste. BW hat of the scene, I feel dues are expect- MANGLE TO THIS MASTERS ed, but this single especially in the SFDB RECORDS OF ILLUSION BEN ONE present state of fantastic British material FEAT. KOOL KEITH doesn’t hit the mark quite how I had Fleapit. From the bowels of Wales they COMMUNICATION EP hoped. With the exception of ‘Linguistix’, came, dragging with them a festering LET ME TALK TO YOU CREATIVE CONTROL I’m not feeling the beats. They are very sack of ablutions to leave underneath RAPSTER much on a London/Ronin tip, but that’s their unwilling hosts throw cushions. A splendid slab of wax from the CC by the by. In their favour the construction Junior Disprol, Secondson and Uppacut This is f*****g filthy. How it is that Keith stable. Who better to bless the sophisti- is complex and they provide the platform have produced an EP best described manages to be so dirty and nice at the cated and sublime production of Ben D needs. I just don’t feel they can stand as a rough diamond. I love it all. For same time is a mystery to me, and One than Numskulls and Tommy Evans? next to their peers comfortably. Hearing the production, Secondson has kept most of the rap fraternity by all ‘Communication’ sees the unstoppable MCD on wax is good though. He still has everything mighty funky and managing accounts. Where many emcees feel Rola alongside Jay Le Surgeon sparring the presence and originality of flows and to slip English Country Garden into ‘Lord the only way to describe the art of freely with slick verses and clearly doing it’s on ‘Linguistix’ he shines the nicest. L Blatchford’s Conquest’ is frankly classy. loving as blowing some poor females what the title suggests. Beautiful. Then Uppacut keeps the cuts intense and back out, Keith drinks tea by the fire ‘What You See’ or rather hear (after a DECLAIME Junior Disprol has found his platform and focuses on his lady friends “slot” dope skit) is Tommy Evans putting to shine. Admittedly, the quantity of for the evening (I’m still reeling from across thoughtful prose with perfect EXCLAIM THE NAME scrotal references unnerves me slightly, the word slot). Massive props for this results. Like an abnormally gigantic dart SUPERRAPPIN but who cares, he’s got mad lyrics of single, Kutmaster Kurt has laced up a board, this is unmissable. BW the highest, sickest calibre (check the beauty of a beat, smooth all over, for Single No. 2 from the insane LP Lord Blatchford alter ego for starters). Motion Man and Kool Keith to soft talk JOEY CHAVEZ “Andsoitisaid” and it’s summer vibes all The man must have nurtured his voice their way into whatever the hell they round, Declaime’s sometimes tipsy from exclusively smoking the twiggy want. Both remixes do their work too, THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE sounding vocal has the listener warm to bits from discarded Cutters Choice each working a similarly mellow beat ABB him immediately. This shit str8 bumps. In packs; this is reason enough for for the vocals to ride over, it all sounds the motor, in the walkman, on the a mandatory purchase. L good. This is 21st century porno music Much like the recognised ‘After The at its finest. L Heat’ EP, Joey Chavez drops another hefty slice of his own veritable produc- LONDON POSSE HOW’S LIFE IN LONDON? WORDPLAY / SOURCE Take a flashback to the early 90s - forget about Eddie Royal in the Queen Vic and focus on music wiseguy. Thanks to Wordplay sorting out the paperwork this bonafide classic of yesteryear is now available to all us whippersnappers sniffing at the hind of that old dog, the rap world. Rodney P and Bionic cut lean figures back then, dropping punchline manna and showing us nowt’s changed in what occupies their time between now and then. Props to Dobie for his tight club friendly production and for the London Posse giving equal room to the original lick and ragga rerub. For a track that’s over eight years old, it’s stood the test of time and comes out looking like a distinguished gent (the type who leers at gal in the park and spends his pension on yard weed) in our present musical climate. Without a doubt a must have for any hip hop devotee and I hope after his dalliance with Tricky, this’ll prompt Bionic to get back in the loop. L 64 KNOWLEDGE
MOORISH DELTA 7 flex. This sees the label branching out further afield, and incorporates some SILENT SCREAMS musical ideas that prove Techno E1 RECORDS Animal have their tents pegged up in camp original. BW Cipher Jewels, Malik and Jawar are representing raw rap from Brum. The UNSUNG HEROES style throughout owes a lot to New York ghetto artists especially the beat on MAGNIFICENT ‘Silent Screams’ sounds like it’s straight SCENARIO out of the Wu back catalogue. Moorish Delta 7 still retain their own slant on One of the highlights of the LP Insite what’s going on and I love hearing the and Shiver dropped last summer. The West Midlands bickering at the end of original version works the nicest, led by the track. Where the Wu and other a super jazzy organ lick and some artists had their raw production accept- thumping drums. It’s fast becoming an ed because it was more innovative than Unsung trademark that everything is amateurish, this single unfortunately so tight production wise. From their doesn’t hold the same weight. L sample selection (blooming marvel- lous), and a tailor made beat for Rob O, NEW FLESH that must have had him query the degree of the inside leg measurement. COMMUNICATE FEAT. GIFT OF GAB / And, finally, the cuts require a very BOUND FEAT. JUICE ALEEM biased, but much deserved shout to LG BIG DADA for being on it as ever. A premium quality example of that transatlantic Damn those fellows from New Flesh, style we know so well. L this is some inspirational ish they’ve dropped for rap inclined lugholes world- VICIOUS CIRCLE wide. ‘Communication’ is a light, bubbly number, with that uptempo feel from BWOY speedy percussion licks courtesy of WOLFTOWN Part 2. The coup is thanks to Gab from Solesides who tears up his (no, I don’t Cries from The City of Wolves can now need to breathe) verse. Supreme word- be heard countrywide, yet these cries play that gives all a reminder why the do not go unnoticed. After the craterlike West Coast one gets super props left, impact that was the Villains debut LP, it right and centre. With a sweet chorus is now time for Wolftown labelmates from Toastie the package is completed. Vicious Circle (with their second 12”) to ‘Bound’ is a corker too. Juice Aleem step into the limelight once more. Taken waxes lyrical over the illest slow beat from their forthcoming LP ‘Bagged Out’ heard for a good while. Very tasty all this EP lets you know what’s in store. round and a perfect point for all those And that’s brash, honest lyrics over unaware of New Flesh to get on it. L some thumping bass heavy beats. ‘Bwoy’ also includes ‘Money Makin’ and TECHNO ANIMAL ‘Burglars’ a tune inspired by the recent incident of a farmer shooting a robber in DEAD MAN’S CURSE order to protect his property. “A man’s MATADOR home is his castle,” I can imagine him saying. Anyhow, it’s a serious tune, A surprising EP, that takes you utilising some dark humour. Sniff it out. unexpectedly with the introduction of BW some huge, bassy sounds, it’s experi- mental and electric, with the emceeing primarily on some spoken word type DEF TEX & THE LARGE LEFTIES SING SAD SONGS MONKEYFACE A very, very ill tune gets reworked on a limited 7” release, ‘Sing Sad Songs’ is taken from the utterly magnificent Def Tex LP [see albums] and it was as dope as dope gets before the Large Lefties got involved. Now, it just got doper! Who’d have thought it! Kicking it live, the thought provoking lyrics are set to reach ever further- and that people, is a good thing. A little opal. Search. BW
))BREAKS SINGLES BREAKS SINGLES REVIEWED BY: LURCH RONI SIZE ELITE FORCE album with a wide array of vocalists. This MARSHALL BURNZ release features EQ, a familiar voice on the LUCKY PRESSURE GASOLINE ALLEY breakbeat scene, here dictating his own SOMETHING FOR YOUR EAR TALKIN’ LOUD WHOLE NINE YARDS kind of love song over nervy beats, oriental BOOMBOX melody and staccato bass. The original Deep, dark and driving is how Ils delivers Thumping tech house here from sHack, but works best on the head, though daring DJs More versatile beats from the Boombox the goods on his remix of this latest as is the W9Y way, breakbeat heads are may like to risk it on the more open-minded camp, with this three tracker from Marshall Reprazent release, and his dense, catered for on the flip by way of a Dylan floors, but for guaranteed satisfaction in the Burnz touching down with a nice blend of rolling beats and heavy, melodic bass Rhymes remix. This mix makes the most dance simply turn to the 2 Sinners remix. breakbeat and house angles. The title track work perfectly with the dramatic string impact for me, keeping the hard-beat flava These boys are on fire at the moment, and blends both sensibilities in a funky electroid and vocal of the original. Nicely comple- of the original, throwing down an incessant this release is no exception. Full up of funk fusion, the more stripped back ‘Booty Beat’ menting this rub is the MJ Cole vocal mix, dub bass drive and rolling it with minimal and rolling with the kind of swing first injects a lickle hip hop ‘n’ acid to its bass keeping the vibe dirty in the bassline finesse. A strong bridging track. shown on ‘Ubiskiboo’, they keep the deep heavy breakbeat groove, while rounding department, while rolling it out with those vibe of the original, but give ‘4U’ a new things off is Reazonic’s fruity re-touch of bright, 2-step beats which give the tune RHOCA identity through their dirty union of ‘Something For Your Ear’. a nice extra lift. Both bound for the box, mid-range and bass and those chunky, so the decision is yours. VENOM STRIKES BACK / PULSAR stepping drums. Quality. BROTHERS OF FUNK VS KILL O ZAP DARREN CHAPMAN CHAMPION BURNS SOUND OF HABIB T-BOY G13 CRAZY WAYS Straight out of Sweden, the Sound Of ADIE’S GOOSE FUNCTIONAL BREAKS NUKLEUZ Habib stable drop one of their most SACRED convincing releases since Spark’s ‘Enjoy Another strong issue from Functional Something of a surprise here from this hard remix’ from that very first twelve. Further funky techno breakbeat from Breaks, with this being the debut from the house label, but the Majestic 12 remix of Breakbeat garage anyone? These two T-Boy, with ‘Adie’s Goose’ building nicely Exeter club’s resident, Darren Chapman, the above track is a bit of an essential tracks come with a more trancey flava than with driving beats, melodic synth play here in collaboration with Florida’s Brothers all-rounder. Touching down on that that though, and while ‘Pulsar Kill-O-Zap’ and tasty vocoded vocals, though the Of Funk. Delivering perhaps the dirtiest of knife-edge between breakbeat and house, may be a little introverted for the dance, the peak of the track leaves you wondering tracks on the label to date, ‘G13’ is a fierce much like Freq Nasty’s ‘Amped’, it is more floor-friendly, travelling sci-fi sounds whether it would have been best left to and funky techno breakbeat excursion, sure to find favour across the board. An of ‘Venom Strikes Back’ are particularly roll along its already beaten path. McMillan rolling with a tight build, a neat vocal sample, irresistible vocal hook goes a long way to well executed. & South are on remix duties once again, gnarly mids and all the right ingredients to ensure this track’s place at the front of the taking a laid back approach, though ignite any dancefloor. Remixes come from box, and combined with wickedly winding HEDROCK VALLEY BEATS throwing down a deep and edgy track. The Spoon Wizard and US duo Sensei, but bass, stiff beats and a multitude of bleeps, Again superbly structured and designed to the original is the mix doing all the damage. beeps ‘n’ FX it’s sure to stay there for some KING OF ROCK / RADIO BEATBOX grow and grow on you. time to come. Crazy ways for sure. FREAKABOOM PAUL RESET Can’t say I’m feelin’ much on this release CHRIS CARTER BEBER & TAMRA except the Phantom Beats remix, and SELF SUFFICIENT unless you missed the mid to late 90’s you VOYAGER / PLEX BACKROOM TRAVELLIN’ ON will have no doubt heard this kind of big TCR MOB beat rock ‘n’ hop mash-up many times Already a name in the drum & bass scene, before. It’s not all bad though, ‘cos make it This is the second TCR release for Paul Reset turns his hand to midtempo Reviewed previously, but as the sublime through to the last track and you’ll be Chris Carter, with ‘Voyager’ exploring breakbeats with the churning, dark jazz of original version of ‘Travellin’ On’ finds its rewarded by a stiff and stripped, dare I say similar themes to the lively sci-fi ‘Self Sufficient’, though the real star of this way onto the major radio station play-lists, it, nu skool re-lick from the Phantoms, soundscape of his previous release release is that man Stabilizer. The original the remixes of this vocal breaks gem touch which goes all the way to save this record ‘Moonshot’. No need to hesitate if you is well executed and rolls with a phat down. Meat Katie rolls out the deep, tribal from the bargain bin. were into that, for the slinky sustained dancefloor step, the Dubwise Selective mix house vibes on his vocal and dub mixes, bass, spacious beats and tight production then takes things right back to ‘91, but the flip while the ‘breakbeat police’, who maybe SOUL ELECTRIC & EQ of this are an equal match. Meanwhile, on has to get the props here. Taking the jazzy weren’t feeling the original, have just gotta a slightly different tip, and my pick of the essence of the original, building on that with check the masterful Koma & Bones remix. 4U two, is the quirky tech-funk of ‘Plex’, extra melody, pads and chords, laying down Tuff, futuristic and rolling, with all of their IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT stepping lively all the way and giving this a crisp set of beats, reaching out for a touch trademark groove, while balancing this twelve a nicely versatile edge. Further of that ‘Passion’ style bass riff, while rhythmic ruffness with an excellent treat- Coming in original and remix 12”s, this new quality from the Thursday Club, and up wrapping it all up in a silky production and ment of the vocal. project from Danny McMillan & South rolls next is Rennie & B.L.I.M’s ‘Eskimo’. hypnotic dancefloor approach, this is a with an even deeper sound than their genre-hopping cut that won’t be held down. usual, gearing up to a full Soul Electric DIGITAL PIMP DJ QUEST & KEN-MAC FREQ NASTY ATOL 935 / EVOLUTIONARY BLUEPRINT EGYPT / HERBAL POWER AMPED / TRANSFORMA MECHANOISE 2000 PULSE SKINT R-KIDZ VS NOIZE Quest keeps the pressure on, this time Second sampler to Freq’s album, with the grungy undertones of ‘Amped’ flexing their alongside Ken-Mac, as they deliver a further funky bits in that versatile breakbeat house fashion, grinding away with the mids, rolling I CAN’T STAND IT / C2 IT dose of straight up and raw, bassline out the shakers and letting fly with pure dancefloor sauce. Flip for the more straight up MECHANOISE 2000 rollage. ‘Egypt’ runs with twilight zone breakbeat styles of ‘Transforma’. A track for all the crazy-heads out there, with its dark melody, grungy tech-bass styling, ‘are you bass, militant beats, mental call and response vocals and old skool chords doin’ the BIONIC VS OUTLASH ready - yeah’ vox and busy drums, while the damage on this raw, ruckus track. brighter sound of ‘Herbal Power’ centres on STAY FOREVER / HAZARDOUS YOUTH those bouncy, bubblin’ basslines, old skool MECHANOISE 2000 bleeps and classic smokers’ hip hop vox. A good fistful of twelves are on their way BADMARSH & SHRI from the Mechanoise squad in the forthcoming months, and my pick of the SIGNS bunch has to be this startling sound off OUTCASTE between ex-Hard Hands boys, R-Kidz, and resident Mechanoise engineer Noize. One of the boom tracks from the album of ‘I Can’t Stand It’ runs with the old skool the same name, and this single release vocals of the title, squelchy technoid flavas comes with a superb remix package that will and funky beats, while ‘C 2 It’ dives deeper ensure it gets heard in all quarters. into robotics mode. Elsewhere, Digital Pimp Breakbeat heads are well catered for, with offer up the dirty stepping sounds of ‘Atol the original a spine-tingling downtempo 935’, Bionic vs Outlash combine for the excursion, fully showcasing UK Apache’s most overt audio terror on ‘Stay Forever’, sensational vocal, and on a similar tip is and with other recent releases from Sons Bonobo’s earthy, instrumental remix. Flip for Of Mecha and Mechanoise Sound System, Dom T’s take, sending the track direct to the plus there still being a few copies of dancefloor, upping the tempo nicely, though Uncouth Youth and MC Dee’s ‘Steppin’ Up’ without spoiling the vocal, to make for a floating around, this lot are becoming smooth, dub breaks experience that’ll have increasingly hard to avoid. A track for all the whole dance a winding. tastes are on offer here. 66 KNOWLEDGE
ALBUMS(( DRUM & BASS with the chunky, London Steppers remix of twisted jazz flavas, Kalm & Citizen draw out the ALBUMS REVIEWED BY: RICHARD ARNELL / LOPEZ / COLIN STEVEN / BEN WEAVER ‘Breakbeat Etiquette’. Meanwhile, to complete this obscure, cavernous sound of ‘Rollerball’, J Raq kills it DILLINJA PRESENTS album’s sweeping sound, you have the dubby with the irresistible, quirky tones of ‘The Buzz’, and all dow tempo vibe of ‘A Little Rain Must Fall’, and the these tracks will be unleashed on you vinyl hungry CYBOTRON deep, mid tempo breakbeats of ‘Lucid’ and beat-headz very shortly. In the meantime though, fans FFRR ‘Kashmir’. Such range and consistency is rare. of hard beats, sick bass and alien sounds must check Recommended listening. RA this raw and uncompromising label showcase. RA Without doubt, this is one of the most eagerly awaited artist albums to emerge from the drum & TOTAL SCIENCE VARIOUS bass scene in years and, as far as hype goes, the scene has known nothing like it for a long time. It’s AUDIOWORKS VOL. 1 CHAMPION SOUNDZ been talked about ‘til tongues go dry, there were (CIA / AUDIOWORKS) TROUBLE ON VINYL ‘official’ track listings appearing on the ‘net up to 18 months ago, but finally all speculation can cease, as As you no doubt know Total Science have been This is album number three from the Trouble On Dillinja’s debut album touches down. Flowing with all around since the very beginnings of jungle but have Vinyl posse and, as you would expect, it’s a proper of the raw, dramatic and heavyweight style that really come on strong during the last year or so. It tearing selection through and through. Coming as has made him one of the most popular and in would be easy to view this 12 track compilation CD as four-piece vinyl and double CD, we’ll take a look at demand producers in the d&b world, this is indeed a ‘Best Of Total Science’ with anthems like their recent the particularly hard and doomy, new music to start a hard-hitting album, but certainly not one without remixes of Q Project’s ‘Champion Sound’ and What’s with. Manchester represents through Sonic & Silver, soul. It’s a broad album too. Of course there’s no My Code’s ‘Dub Plate’ making early appearances. But on the sci-fi ruffness of ‘Lucas’ (now I wonder where mistaking the mind behind the music, but there’s a there’s more to it than just their biggest dancefloor the inspiration came from here!), and Future Cut; real variety to the tracks, with a particular flava to hits, as there later on are a few undiscovered who, with DJ Kontrol, lay down the raw, kung fu each and every tune. From the sumptuous swing mellower gems, remixes from Spirit and Phantom inter-play of ‘Crouching Tiger’. In fact, it’s a right trek beat of ‘Together’, the sinister industrial sound of Audio, some downtempo breaks and beats tracks and across the UK, with south coast pressure coming ‘Cybotron’ and the hip-hop influence of ‘Human current ‘floor favourite ‘Jet Set’ rounds things off. All from DJ Red on the blistering sounds of ‘The B-Bop’, to the dark soul of ‘I Told You How To Rock’, for only £4.99 as well... bargain! CS Hacker’, DJ Friction gets together with the Usual the tech-jazz of ‘What’s the Deal’ and the steel drum Suspects for the fiercely rolling ‘Stress Factor’, while thrasher, ‘All Aboard’, you just can’t move for one VARIOUS Stakka & K-Tee appear with a remix of Friction & dancefloor hit after another. Nu Balance’s ‘Movement’. BIOGENESIS As well as Dillinja’s infamous beats and bass ALGORYTHM Elsewhere you get the bass heavy steps of Supply & sounds, the breath of this album also owes a lot to Demand’s ‘Gangsta’, some ‘Tribal Tones’ from DJ the predominance of vocals, many from Dillinja Based around the three man hit squad of Animal Damage and Alpha Omega’s ‘Klash’. Bristol gets a himself, and the human voice is frequently the Chin, 500 Mills and Carl Fremen, this is the sound of look in too, through the Undiluted remix of Psychosis’ defining element of the tune. Often with a sweet, South African drum & bass. With worldwide support, ‘Freefall’, a rub that’s reminiscent of the TOV of old female or deep, male vocal to contrast with the counting the USA’s No.1 DJ, Dieselboy amongst and the only real moment of respite amongst the rugged rhythm tracks, the vocal styles on this album those rinsing their plates, these characters do terror sound here; which is a bit of shame, because are showcased to awesome effect on the belting get around, with Animal Chin and 500 Mills being the album would have benefited greatly from a few ‘Valve Sound’, where male and female vox intertwine signed to Canada’s Allied Recordings as Counter extra dimensions. However, that bigger picture is above an evil bass, mental horns and simply Strike. Back to this album though, and while there’s revealed on the Usual Suspects’ mix CD, with the devastating beats. Coming with all the tracks that little information regarding the artist input latter half of the mix plundering a broad range of have been smashing it on plate, ‘Cybotron’ is an throughout, the mix rolls with the consistency of flava champion sounds from drum & bass history, album that all the drum & bass massive will not want that suggests all the tracks have come from the including anthems like ‘Peace, Love & Unity, to be without. Unmistakably dancefloor, but with Algorythm studios. It’s a frantic, grinding techno- ‘Bambaataa’, ‘Just A Vision’, Bad Company’s remix vibes enough to be a winner with both the open influenced journey throughout, and while the mixing of Pressure Rise’s ‘Stranger’ and the dusted down minds and the weekend warriors alike. RA is tight I did feel that some of the tracks lacked Dillinja remix of Future Forces’ ‘Strontium Jazz’. Now identity and, after 70 minutes of rhythmic tension and that’s what I call trouble. RA OMNI TRIO sonic terror, you might be looking for a bit more variety and depth in breadth. RA VARIOUS EVEN ANGELS CAST SHADOWS MOVING SHADOW VARIOUS MODERN LIVING HARD LEADERS Rob Haigh reaches album number five, and once CENTRAL MIX again he’s produced a masterstroke of melodic and CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE Following up the excellent ‘Listen Up’ album, this next moving breakbeat music. With a subtle range of mood and tempo, ‘Even Angels Cast Shadows’ With DJ Kalm at the helm, Central Intelligence have, compilation from Hard Leaders again takes a diverse, flows with the timeless, musical quality of his over the course of the past three years, made a quite previous albums. Taking in hard beats, techno bass sizeable impact on the drum & bass scene, and this musical direction; so prepare to discard any remain- and sci-fi themes on ‘Diffusion Loops’, ‘First Contact’ album documents the growth of the label. Mixed by and ‘Kinetic’, he goes on to draw out those bright, Kalm himself, and taking in tracks from each of the ing preconceived ideas that you may have about this yet melancholic, vibes he is most known for through label’s releases to date, this is a fierce and intricate the soulful ‘Nu Birth Remix’ and the melodic rolling breakbeat assault, full up of ruffness and approaching label. Now. As well as drum & bass, this album also vibe of ‘Artificial Life’. Echoes of the old skool with an eerie, complex air. Featured tracks come from Omni sound are evident in that track, but they are all on the Central Intelligence axis: Citizen, Kalm, features subtle, melodic breakbeat from Justice, hip unmistakably revisited on the cascading piano lines Future, Defuse, EB1 & Keaton, Killawatt and of ‘Higher Ground’; a haunting cut, that can be found Shuriken, plus there are a handful of dub plate hop from Canada, courtesy of Rogeraudio and Buck on the flipside of the album sampler, together specials thrown in for good measure from Quartz, Kalm & Citizen and new signing J Raq. Quartz’s 65, while the inclusion of Jaffa’s ‘Sneak In’, a cover of ‘Nightlight’ opens the mix with bruising drums and Billie Holiday’s ‘God Bless The Child’ featuring the vocals of Miss B, laces the album with an enchanting, soulful vibe. A lot of the fresh cut drum & bass mate- rial comes from DJ Pulse; with the Underwolves on the mellow ‘Change’, through the tuffer, suspense filled beats of >> [Continued overleaf] KNOWLEDGE 69
))ALBUMS ‘Ghetto Tactics’, before returning to that more offerings. With some seriously epic soundscapes of the guests aren’t all that either, but only a small laidback sound, as the Jazz Cartel, with the rolling this LP should get even the most unimaginative proportion (guest spots are all about business these ‘Freedom Time’. Firing drumfunk flavas are handled heads thinking. An apocalyptic post millennium days anyway). It seems ridiculous trying to find here by A-Sides, who appears with his recent tension is evident throughout, and such themes are faults anyway as from here on the LP shines. Missy single ‘Spread Love’, and Greg Packer, who serves explored musically to the fullest extent. Tracks like has got the golden touch and (with the able up a delicious slice of drum & double bass from ‘Playing With The Big Boys’ raise a smile as the Ruf assistance of Timbaland) from the intro skit through down under, in the shape of ‘We Hear Drumz’. kicks a story in which he name checks all manner of to the final hidden track “Miss E...” bumps. Most Further smooth and summery grooves come from big league muso’s, managing to diss Oasis early on must have heard ‘Get UR Freak On’ which is maybe Dune, with ‘White Sands’, Tertius, who goes in the proceedings! This one is the longest number, the best example of the LP’s strengths - the beat is all Balearic on his ‘Holiday’ and Carlito & Addiction’s ending after seven and a half minutes! Elsewhere out there - a mix of ragga and bhangra sensibilities. magnificent ‘Supergrass’, an essential track, to top a old skool ethics are apparent in some dancefloor This premise, of musical diversity and aiming to marvellous album. RA bombshells, and ambient sci-fi vibes drift about the send carnival-sized crowds into flip mode is the mix in a predominantly instrumental outing. driving force. And Missy has come up with the HIP HOP Vehemently anti-industry, The Ruf is a one man goods, whether it be 80s influenced ‘Old School army, however he does let K-Delight and Jabba Joint’, or ode to masculine neurosis ‘One Minute DECLAIME The Cut (ill name) lend a hand or four with their Man’ it’s all good. An LP with mad soul, that’s sharp turntable terrorism. Once again Ruf Beats certain to keep Elektra shareholders happy to boot ANDSOITSAID keeping shit unique. BW - the term is result I believe. L SUPERRAPPIN This is an album that will grab you and not let go. LONDON POSSE MOKA ONLY Infectious hooks and loops have had me bumping it all day everyday, and I’m not in the slightest bit GANGSTER CHRONICLE LIME GREEN bored. Declaime is a master of the laidback left coast WORDPLAY BATTLEAXE drawl, down with the Lootpack crew this mainly Madlib produced LP hits the spot with every spin. It’s Bionic and Rodney P were dropping London This is an officially inspirational album. For those the funkiest material to hit the streets since Lord accents with the JA lick when most people were that know, from previous Moka releases, expect to Quas touched down. D has the stories, the battle saying it shouldn’t be done and, in retrospect, a hear some wily, soulful and complex material. The styles, the insight. All this makes for some special massive shout out needs to be given to these man has been blessed to a jealousy inspiring music, with his focus on all the right areas. Clever innovators for laying the foundations to what’s here degree, as it is Moka Only who has dealt with most ‘less is more’ rhyming is how it’s dropped with his today. Wordplay has wisely pressed it to double of the production and, of course, handled the character being the dominant factor. Declaime’s vinyl and plumped up the original package with microphone duties. The style is going to fox a few voice will keep you magnetised. Draw closer. BW some of the London Posse’s later releases - check harder heads. The production is almost exclusively ‘Funky Rhyme, Funky Style’ and ‘Pass Me The synthesiser music, which in my head sounds like a DEF TEX Rizla’. And in fairness it is these that appease wide berth should be steered. But forget that any today’s sensibilities more. The content of then and excesses of the 80s are wisely avoided. All the SERENE BUG now ain’t changed a jot though, as the partners melodies have soul dripping from every bar. It’s a SON endeavour in chasing as many women as possible brave step to make and one that shows Moka is a Why Def Tex are even slightly slept on within the and doing their lungs long term damage. But it goes madly talented musician. Lyrically he reflects the media keeps me awake at night. Here at last is the to show that nothing changes, they sound fresh virtues of the West US (and uncannily similar to full length album, and believe me it is an awesome as... and that’s the final word. The production is Mos Def and Common sometimes too), weaving his work. Pushing parameters of delivery, flows and obviously more age damaged, but in hip hop this is flow around, amongst and side by side with the programming these Norwich natives have pioneered a universal precedent, be it Biz’s greatest hits or beat. Wordplay is prominent and stands proud with the music for well over a decade and ‘Serene Bug’ is London Posse’s. I would of course say buy it as I try the best of them. Add to this a natty singing voice one of the most impeccable records I’ve ever had the and grab anything Rodney P has released recently, and line in melodies that lace much of the pleasure to hear, let alone review. There is so much but being more interested in Super Sprint on the choruses. It makes me sick, frankly. A damn fine going on here my measly column space cannot do it Atari than rap music, when ‘Gangster Chronicles’ debut. Ladies and Gentlemen doff your hats for the the justice it rightly deserves, however, let me say it’s first dropped it’s a personal bonus. The new and mighty Moka Only. L got every angle covered, with some amazing guest improved version is an essential addition for the spots adding further flavour to the feast. Chrome and crates of any rap devotee. L REACHOUT Anthropologist are unarguably the most incredible lyricists our shores have ever conceived. The LP MISSY MISDEMEANOUR ROKS N’ ROLLS includes immortal cuts from their classic 12”s and ELLIOTT OH-EYE RECORDS even an accapella track. ‘Toes Are Sinking’ (with its live instrumentation) might even make you cry. This MISS E... SO ADDICTIVE Scottish artist Reachout does just that here with an LP commands your ownership this summer, with its ELEKTRA eyebrowraisingly impressive LP. Largely slept on jazzed out anthems and devastating display of skills. below his home turf Reachout steps into the fore In a league of their own, Def Tex have produced a Well, to say this is unexpected is pushing British and lets it be known he has some serious ability. masterpiece. BW understatement to its limits. Missy hasn’t featured With a big hand in the production and some smooth amongst this shit for brains Ikea shelving since verbals, this man has made an indelible mark. The JEEP BEAT SWV dropped ‘Can We’. And what a fool I was for LP oozes soul and guest spots (Roots Manuva, COLLECTIVE the neglect. I can see my positive sentiments going Philly, Africa Sam, Profisee, Necaras) show a knack against the grain of feeling of those reading this for successful collaborations. The beats are crisp DEATHRACE 2001 mag primarily for the hip hop reviews, but listen up and turntablist’s will not be displeased with the RUF BEATS alright. For the sake of it, I’ll start on a negative assortment of DJs flexing within. Expressive stuff, The Ruf returns with a full length release of more out angle: The content sometimes smarts a bit. ‘Bling yet maintaining the refinement that is oh so there atmospherics and fundamentally independent Bling’ still doesn’t cut the cheese and a proportion essential. Check it. BW 70 KNOWLEDGE
ALBUMS(( VARIOUS VARIOUS single on TCR, featuring Rennie and The Brothers Of Funk. An excellently crafted mix; well structured and A BIG DADA SAMPLER GENETICALLY MODIFIED with no filler to speak of. If you want a sample of BIG DADA HOPE what’s coming up on TCR then this is the best place to hear it, and if it’s just a phat breakbeat album Some wildly original material has emerged from Laying down a tuff and trancey selection of you’re after, then you’ve found it. RA the Dada fold over recent years, and it’s about that breakbeat goodies, Hope Recordings and TCR’s time to put the highlights of them in one place, on General Midi rolls out his debut mix CD with VARIOUS one record. ‘Skiver’s Guide’ with Roots Manuva, considerable aplomb. Naturally, a fair few of his own Black Twang and Gamma had to get an airing, productions enter the arena, with the subtle technoid MUSICAL PATHS & RHYTHMS as did ‘Showtime’ from the whole Big Dada crew. drive of ‘Daft Funk’ opening the account, while the X:TREME French Crew TTC provide us with ‘Leguman’ and Ty flipside of that TCR twelve, ‘The Future’ closes the An eclectic DJ mix here, the first album release from has a coupla tracks on there for the unfortunates album. The build throughout the mix is perfect, really Waiwan, I believe, since 1998’s excellent ‘Distraction’ who slept on ‘Awkward’. 14 tracks deep, and with hotting up by the time ‘The Westerner’ is dropped, LP for Autonomy. Obviously this is a mix album, a bonus freestyle from Juice Aleem and Mike this being one of the General’s first ‘head-turning’ featuring none of his own material, but including cuts Ladd, this all proves just how strong the label rubs from a couple of years ago. We then move into from fellow Manchester musicians, Marcus Intalex & has become. Dada’s home, pull your trousers the absolutely massive ‘Put Your Earphones On’ ST Files, as well as Pressure Drop, Yukihiro Fukutomi down son. BW from P.F.N., ‘Pulse’ by the Future Funk Squad’ and and Nathan Haines. Overall it’s an enjoyable, probably the hardest tune in the mix, Aquasky’s melodic funk experience that rolls with drum & bass, BREAKS & BEATS mental ‘777’. Elsewhere, you’ll find Chris Carter’s house, techno and downtempo beats. RA sensational ‘Moonshot’ and P.M.T.’s anthemic DYNAMOE ‘Gyromancer’, as well as the General Midi remixes of VARIOUS Silken’s ‘Gizmo’, Sonic Infusion and Subgod; putting JUMP START the seal on another firing compilation that shows the OUT PATIENTS 2 APOLLO variety and verve of the noughties breakbeat scene. HOSPITAL Touching down on R&S offshoot, Apollo, this is the Recommended. RA After the sensational drum & bass flavas of the debut album from Scandinavian duo, Dynamoe. ‘Plastic Surgery 2’ album, comes the second of With the project initiated in 1997, it sure has taken a VARIOUS Hospital’s freestyle compilations. Flowing with the long time to come to fruition, while drawing on hip bright musical outlook that governs every Hospital hop beats and breaks, abstract 70s kitsch, jazz funk INGREDIENTS release, I just hope that this album doesn’t confuse flava and acoustic instrumentation to provide COOKIN’ any recent converts; for, while the vibes enclosed its driving force, the ultimate result is a diverse, are intrinsically related to their drum & bass releases, breakbeat experience. RA Cookin’ continues to release quality downbeat I feel that this album is going to be most well received compilations that highlight the diverse tastes and in nu-jazz, soul, electronica and breakbeat circles, EKO influences of Good Looking’s roster. Coming in two though the open minds in the jungle should certainly servings, the first of which features musical gems investigate. Hitting you with smooth dancefloor DISCOVERY from, primarily, drum & bass artists like Artemis, presence, this is no chill-out album, though it does NU URBAN MUSIC Nu-moon, Bjorn, Cedar and Secret Fish. The second sink in delightfully with a comfy chair and herbal helping has those already mentioned with extras remedy; and from rare groove to tribal, dream-funk Although this has been circulating for a while now, a from Lacarno & Burns, Aphratec, Realside and Life to jazz step, bossa beat to house, ‘Out Patients 2’ is copy has finally arrived at the Knowledge office, and On Mars & Mantovani. Some of the tracks have fea- a wonderfully warm album of soulful music. RA for those that don’t know this is another pseudonym tured on some of the EP released already and on the for Decoder & Substance. On a similar tip to excellent ‘Soulfood’ compilation. If you like your VARIOUS Kosheen, in that it came from their experiments out sounds cool, chilled, funky and a little bit different of the d&b confines, this weighty 12 track selection then this is for you and is ideal for lazy days and URBAN UNDERGROUND VOL.1 touches down with a variety of tempos and flavas. even lazier nights - preferably not alone. M MOB / INCREDIBLE Their drum & bass grounding clearly coming through on the uptempo dancefloor cuts, while the warped, VARIOUS Designed to showcase the breadth of the burgeoning organic flava that you can hear on some of the breakbeat scene, the first in this fresh series of mix Kosheen tracks can be felt on the more chilled MODERNIZM albums comes from the unstoppable Plump DJs, Lee grooves. No doubt destined to be a collectors item, TCR Rous and Andy Gardner. Their acclaimed debut but music-wise dive in with the spooked ruff-step of album from last year, ‘A Plump Night Out’, has since the title track and take it from there. RA Recently signed to TCR, the first release from our brought in remix requests from BT and, most Boy Lost In Music is the ‘Modernizm’ CD, a mix recently, Orbital, but it’s their turntable skills under the PANOPTICA album that showcases many upcoming TCR cuts, a spotlight here. Only a few of their own tracks feature, few breakbeat classics and a handful of tracks from ‘Big Groovy Fucker’ and their Stakker ‘Humanoid’ PANOPTICA B.L.I.M’s own Track label. The album reaches with a re-lick, but with the mix as tight and fruity as those CERTIFICATE 18 firm techy sound, but with a range of mood that Plump productions, this really is a selection to savour. switches from the quirky, swingin’ steps of ‘Chris Driving and energetic all the way, cuts like Soul Of Hailing from Tijuana, Mexico, this debut album of Carter’s ‘Plex’ and the 2Sinners incredible ‘Mr Man’s ‘Killa Brew’ and the fresh Finger Lickin’ joint global musical styles is further proof of the lengths Jingles’, via the dark power of Subphonic’s ‘Brain from Lee Coombs & Arthur Baker, a remix of ‘Put The that Certificate 18 go to source new and original Barrel’ and Breakneck’s ‘Y Trip’, and into the Needle On The Record’, are a few of the representa- music. Taking an electro-organic stance, breakbeat house groove of Dub Marines’ saucy tives from the funky end of spectrum, while the more ‘Panoptica’ is quite an odd album to say the least, ‘Layo La Luna’. Further fresh music comes from Blu hard-ball flava comes on the form of Freq Nasty’s but with a definite appeal to the fans of abstract Mar Ten, who will shock you all with their dirty elec- ‘That’s My Style’, Aquasky’s thundering ‘777’ and The electronica, and if you’ve picked up on any of the tro rub, ‘The Swarm’, Rennie joins B.L.I.M. in the Freestylers’ classic ‘Now’s The Time’. All in all, an non-drum & bass releases that this label have put studio for ‘Eskimo’ and ‘Triffid’, coming up on TCR essential snapshot of breakbeat Britain. RA out, from the likes of Pilote and Hi-Rise, then you and Track respectively, while one of the most in yer will find reward in this original offering. With this face cuts is ‘The Sermon’, another forthcoming KNOWLEDGE 71 project also being released as four, 2-track 10”s, it’s a collectable lil’ bugger too. RA
))DECKSTERITY MIX-TAPE COMPETITION also starting to knock his own tunes out, Concern. The mix is tight and well INTERNATIONAL WINNER and if his prowess on the decks is programmed, as you’d expect from a guy With another heaving postbag this issue, anything to go by they’ll be ruff. So then, with over 12 years record shopping NAME: DANIEL FEARY it’s four winners this time and less chat onto the mixes. The key phrase here is experience. Overall, a solid effort, from a DJ NAME: MOTIVE from me! Once again the jungle massive ‘dancefloor’. The studio mix offers a high- DJ well worth checking. HOMETOWN: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA have been the ones getting busy, density, energetic selection of bang-up- DJING FOR: 5 YEARS virtually every entry this month has been to-date tracks from artists right across UK WINNER 3 CONTACT: [email protected] d&b! So I’ll reiterate that non-drum & the board, too many to mention, but rest [email protected] bass DJs are more welcome than ever to assured, the quality and range is superb. NAME: ANTHONY HERVE An exceptional effort from the only step up fe test in the competition; as long Better still is the strategic use of bits of DJ NAME: MR MUNCLE overseas winner this issue - Motive as there are breakbeats, the tempo tunes quickly cut in and out, or used as HOMETOWN: BANGOR, N. WALES scores points on a number of levels, not doesn’t matter. Don’t forget the an interval before the next track is DJING FOR: 4 YEARS least for showcasing an excellent [email protected], who is brought in - devastating in the mix when CONTACT: 0113 2787469 (EVENINGS) selection of pan-global d&b on a highly ever ready to give you a personal review it’s done with precision, as (of course) it intricate CD of minimal darkness. The of your mixtape, good or bad. You can is here. CD two features a live mix that, [email protected] track-listing is a carefully composed also use this mailbox to contribute any through a blizzard of MC chat, offers Top marks for originality now, as Mr selection of forward thinking material, other ideas or comments you have on impressive evidence that DJ Flex can cut Muncle busts up my hi-fi with his from up-and-coming producers such as Decksterity, so get writing... anyway, it live, reproducing that original, confident amusingly titled ‘Feelin’ Muncled Vol. 1’. Sydney’s V-Tek, Kabuki & Savine, Simon here we go with the winners. style on the decks. Bad boy. Muncle has had a scattering of plays V from Germany and more... alongside around the country, but as this mix familiar artists like Stakka & K-Tee and UK WINNER 1 UK WINNER 2 shows he deserves to go further. A DJ TeeBee. The production benchmark is with ranging musical tastes, here we see sky-high throughout, boosted with NAME: BEN CLARK NAME: NICKY VAUGHAN an eclectic hip-hop-based mix flipped crystal-clear sound quality and precise, DJ NAME: DJ FLEX DJ NAME: ONYX with an equally diverse foray into jazzy metronomic beat-matching throughout. HOMETOWN: HASTINGS, SUSSEX HOMETOWN: NEWPORT, WALES d&b. Further to this, Anthony also plays Overall, Motive’s rolling, beat-edit-rich DJING FOR: 6 YEARS DJING FOR: 10 YEARS “a lot of breakbeat / jazzy / instrumental selection satisfies both the dancefloor CONTACT: 07979 003000 CONTACT: 07970 771019 stuff”, which I’d like to hear more of... and the educated listener; a highly 0700 7070770 / [email protected] however, the selection on offer was disciplined, scientific approach that A big up for the first artical don of the Seconds out, round two, and in blazes DJ already phat enough to guarantee this demands attention, suggesting that month, DJ Flex of the Fru Tan Clan, who Onyx with a selection of tuff d&b to rival man a place on the winners’ podium. On Motive deserves to be a major player in also scoops the keener award for the previous winner. Travelling regularly the a-side there’s flava from Eric B & the world d&b scene. Also deserving of a sending in the following items: an A4 to Cardiff over the years for his vinyl fix, Rakim, Show & AG and Gang Starr mention was the lavish CD packaging autobiography, flyer gallery, interview, Onyx used his record shop connections nestling in the mix with instrumental flava that accompanied the mix - the best even a baby photo for Christ’s sake! You to obtain a number of residencies there, from Aim, DJ Vadim and Coldcut. we’ve seen so far on any entry. Respect. can imagine my irritation when the two supporting such auspicious guests as Smooth, rolled out mixing with ickle CDs also enclosed turned out to be Jack Frost and the great Grooverider. His baby-scratches and fine attention to If you would like to enter the mix-tape absolutely rinsing. No, credit where it is latest residencies are at Bulletproof and detail. The flipside d&b mix is equally competition, then go to: www.knowl- due, Ben Clark is clearly a man serious Caerleon Uni, check them if you’re about strong, with funked-up grooves from the edgemag.co.uk where you will find a full about his d&b. His Fru Tan party organi- Wales-side. Again, this is a mix selection likes of Special Forces, Capone, Roni run-down of the competition rules; plus sation has been going for over three that benefits from a diverse track listing - Size and Carlito & Addiction. The overall the list of the previous winners and their years, playing regular sets in the there’s nothing worse than seeing a mix flow of both mixes is just ill, Muncle is contact details. Hastings area as well as promoting tape that approximates a ‘greatest hits’ of, definitely one to watch out for. events featuring the likes of Andy C, say, Bad Company - and the flava ranges Moving Fusion and DJ Reality. Flex is from John B, Photek and J Majik through to Digital, Loxy & Ink and Cause 4 72 KNOWLEDGE
DECKSTERITY(( VESTAX DJ ENDORSEMENT PROGRAMME With most major manufacturers of DJ gear having a big name DJ endorse their products, Vestax are making positive moves to strengthen the relationship between equipment distributors and the globe’s young DJs, with their new Worldwide DJ Endorsee Programme. Consolidating the DJ endorsement ethos, Vestax are arming their distributors with a wide-ranging programme that will offer all levels of DJ discounts on Vestax equipment and other associated benefits. The programme is split into five levels. Level 5 is entry level, dubbed ‘Future DJ’, and aimed at young DJs who are breaking new ground. Applicants must own some Vestax equipment and, on application, provide a resume of their experience, including pictures, web address and promotions, as well as proof of Vestax product purchases. The contact point for applying is with the retailer, or distributor, that you buy your kit from, who will then forward your application on to Vestax for approval. Successful applicants will receive a special Vestax promo pack, clothing and a Vestax Future DJ Certificate, while after twelve months you will be able to apply for an upgrade to the next level of endorsement. The remaining levels are, Level 4 - National Amateur DJ, Level 3 - National Pro DJ, Level 2- International Pro DJ Performance Artist, and Level 1- International Pro DJ Chart Artist. Who knows, if you’ve got the skills, then you might soon find yourself joining peeps like Tony Vegas, Prime Cuts and Q-Bert endorsing Vestax gear! For more in formation on the Worldwide DJ Endorsee Programme, go to: www.vestax.co.uk PIONEER CDJ-1000 cue up as they would vinyl, by reading the track’s nuances on the display as Pioneer, one of the market leaders in DJ they would read the physical ‘groove technology look set to revolutionise the contrast’ on a record. market once again with the imminent launch of their brand new CDJ-1000. Uniquely, the CDJ-1000 also incorpo- With a design based on their rates removable memory technology, groundbreaking, and now industry through the use of a MultiMediaCard standard, CDJ footprint, the 1000 really (MMC), that allows the DJ to store does look like a beast of a machine, and favourite cue and loop points, as well as while its design is firmly rooted in CD and all the track WAVE data from the CD for sampling technology, this piece of kit has future use. Other top features include undoubtedly gone furthest in the emula- instant reverse, Hot Cue buttons that can tion of the traditional vinyl turntable. be used like a sampler to jump to vocals, stabs or breaks, and a Real Time With the world’s largest, touch sensitive Seamless Loop that lets you adjust the in Jog Dial, designed to accurately emulate and out points of the loop. the characteristics of a turntable, this fea- ture allows DJs to treat CDs in exactly With such creative potential coupled with the same way as they would a vinyl Pioneer’s fine reputation in this field, the record - cueing, pitch-bending, CDJ-1000 has all the credentials to back-spinning and even scratching. A become the new industry standard. further nod to vinyl mixing, and another Available in the stores from mid July. world-first, is the WAVE display on the CDJ-1000, which reads the CD and For more information, go to: www.pio- displays the corresponding sound level in neer.co.uk or www.djsounds.com graphic format. This enables the DJ to STANTON As always, Stanton have got a trailer load of new gear lining up, with a nice selection of turntables and mixers for you to check out. Deck-wise, look out for the range-topping STR8-100, a high torque direct drive turntable, coming with straight tonearm, a pitch range of +/-8, 16, 25%, manual pitch bend, key adjust, reverse and line input; and also the ST-100, holding all the same features, except this one has a traditional S-shaped tonearm. On the mixer front there’s the new SK-4. A compact, two-channel scratch mixer with two line and two phono inputs, two band EQ, plus crossfader reverse and curve adjustment. There’s also an SK-2F Limited Edition on the way, with this having been fitted with the V2 Focus Fader, a second headphone output, and the OS2 ‘optical scratch’ input switches; basically a phono / line switch with a fader as the user interface. Unfortunately, though, these new features cannot be retrofitted to earlier designs, such as the original SK-2F. Finally, following up the RM-80 and RM-100, Stanton launch the RM-50, a mixer designed for smaller installations and mobile jocks, but this one still comes packed with features. It’s got four channels, nine line and four phone inputs, four mic inputs, three-band master EQ, with kill, and a fully assignable crossfader. For more information, go to: www.stantonmagnetics.com KNOWLEDGE 73
))SOUND BWOY SOUND BWOY TECHNOLOGY If you don’t have a multi-band compressor, but are using LABORATORY a normal compressor you can still tighten your mix. Set the GUEST WRITER JIM MOTLEY EXPLAINS ratio to around 2:1, and the threshold to -6dB. This should SOUND BWOY ‘HOW DO I TIGHTEN MY MIX?’ catch most of the peaks but not flatten the dynamic of the I tried some small experiments on my track. Make sure that you use the make-up gain of the sequencer but I can’t manage to find that Many of us own hardware boxes or software programs that claim to compressor to boost the signal to as close to 0dB as real fat analogue sound. Can you give put “that professional polish” over your mixes, but how do you use possible without peaking. Compression actually removes me some tips what to use to produce fat them? Why do the CDs you burn at home sound much quieter than volume from a signal, so sometimes we have to add a analogue sounds which is essential in commercial CDs? Have you had a track badly pressed onto vinyl? little back in. d&b? I’m looking for a softsynth There are a few simple tricks that can be used to make your mixes (because I’m on a tight budget) but if it’s sound just as full and phat, and they can be simply done without too Setting the attack and release times of the compressor only possible with hardware I would like much cost. Peak limiting, compression and a little EQ can turn a can also make a difference. If you set these wrongly you to know too. weedy mix into a full-on low-end nightmare so read on, and really will get “pumping”. This is where the track gets louder and Thanks, Erwin Granger give your mixes “that professional polish” they talk about. quieter as the compressor starts and stops working. Pumping can be used as an effect. It gives the “sucking Erwin, If you are looking for a softsynth COMPRESSION IS ONE OF THE MAIN FACTORS, the air out of the speakers” sound as the compressor there are quite a few around. Personally SO HERE AREA FEW HINTS... pumps in and out. However, be careful with this, as it can I’d recommend either Pro-52 or If possible get a multi-band compressor. Multi-band compressors act ruin a track making the level vary wildly. Set your attack Mercury-1 if you are looking for phat like three separate compressors; one for the treble, one for the mid times fast, and your release times slow. This means that bass. There are a few others worth and one for the bass. This allows you to control the energy in the the compressor comes in quick - catching the downbeat, checking like Model-E, Reakor and bass to stop those big sub notes from drowning the mix and and then goes out slowly - so longer fading sounds like Waldorf Attack. However, just like every- distorting. Try setting the bass compression ratio a little higher than cymbals and pads keep their volume constant. thing it is your creativity and techniques the other bands - say around 3:1 for the bass, 2:1 for the mid, and that will give you the sound you want. 1.5:1 on the high bands. This will keep your hi-hats nice and crunchy, Compression is possibly the most important tool in Use the force! Sound Bwoy and your bass punchy but not overpowering. Set the thresholds to shaping a mix, but there are other tricks we can use. Read around -8dB (-6 on the high band), if you’ve mixed properly that next month’s article to find out the best way to mix a track SOUND BWOY should catch all the peaks. Programs like Waves L1 Ultramaximiser to be pressed up on vinyl. I’m trying to decide between the Mackie and TC Works Spark can do this for you, as can hardware boxes like 24x8 and the digital one. Money is not a the DBX Quantum, Focusrite Mixmaster, and TC Electronic TripleC. big factor but it is one nonetheless. What are the pros and cons of both? Is the SAMPLE CDS type of music I’m recording a factor? I’m mostly hip-hop, but I do live percussion ABSTRACT HIP-HOP and live instrument as well. What (E LAB) AUDIO CD & WAV CDR outboard equipment is recommended for Those of you familiar with e lab CDs will know these people only deal in the highest hip-hop? Would you recommend quality and these new CDs are no exception. ‘Abstract Hip-Hop’ is a full bodied flava-some different equipment for different types of CD jammed full of to quality loops, break, sounds and FX and simply oozes class. Kicking music, or does it depend on how I use of with inspiration kits this is a very vibesome selection of short grooves with individual the equipment? loops, hits and sounds afterward. Next up is an excellent section of grouped drums with edits and effected loops ready for arrangement. Then it’s a large selection of music loops I almost have everything to start off with at 90 and 100 bpm. These loops have a very deep vibesy feel, I think these could be well but I can’t seem to decide on a recording used not only in hip-hop, but also drum & bass and just about any deep dance music. Then device. ADAT was my initial plan but I comes many more drum loop groups, these are very original sounding breaks. Next up is was advised against it by three of my a wicked section of sounds, chords, riffs and vox FX. These stabs and atmospheric sounds regular engineers, now I have no Idea create a deep jazz funk vibe for the 21st century. It rounds off with a hefty selection of kicks, what to get. I need 16 to 24 tracks and snares, hats and other percussive sounds. Highly recommended. unfortunately I’m not ready for Cubase... Yet. Stone NU GROOVE RNB (E LAB) AUDIO CD & WAV CDR Stone, these are some searching ques- Nu Groove RnB is jammed full of the phattest RnB breaks around. Mostly concentrating on tions and just like all aspects of studio drums this CD excels in the realm of breaks with hefty kicks and cutting snares leading the technology there are many competing charge. There are many varied rhythms ranging from 60-111bpm. There are loads of products to choose from. Your require- percussive loops to layer and mix and match. This CD is a wicked source for clean hip-hop/ ments are what will drive your choices. I RnB drum loops for all types of production, especially commercial style RnB (I think I hear would recommend any Mackie desk but Mel B in there!). The CD is intelligently laid out with 79 groove kits of drum loops with as to which one, it’s all dependant on variations and layers plus individual hits - this gives instant access to any kick or snare you your budget and whether you really want like even if you don’t like the programmed rhythm. The next section is loop tools, a large full automation. Personally I always go section of grouped drum loops ranging from phat punchy RnB to lively percussion loops. for simplicity so I got a 32x8. As for The CD round off with a section of kicks, hats and snares to feed your sampler with. recording devices, I think that computer recording using Logic or Cubase is the most flexible way to do it. E-mail your questions to: [email protected] 74 KNOWLEDGE
))DANCEFLOOR SCIENCE Music First has had a number of homes but it always seems to be able to bring a unique good-time AT SNOBS atmosphere wherever it touches down. Ed Rush & BIRMINGHAM - 6 MAY Optical back2back kept the main room buzzing. The crowd responded to every track as the duo showed why Sundays are traditionally a day of rest, when most they are so highly sought after, switching between people take time to out to relax and perhaps typically hard and intense drum & bass to some more gently mow their lawn. That is unless you happen laidback tracks to work with the mood. to be involved with Birmingham based promoters Music First and Science, who have been putting on The second room had begun to fill with people taking legendary d&b events across the city since 1998. time out from the frenetic atmosphere of the main arena to sample some more soulful d&b and acid house Not content with running a successful record store, provided by Jay Le Rock, Glen Aston and Devize. It was putting time in at the studio and appearing on Kool left to Doc Scott to round off proceedings in the main FM Midlands, the crew found the time to put on a room, leaving a still eager crowd whistling for more. tearing bank holiday Sunday party at Snobs nightclub in the centre of Birmingham. A line-up Afterwards I ask JB if the group ever consider taking a featuring Kool’s Escape & Hazard, Ed Rush & break? “We can’t, it’s just in us. Everyone involved just Optical, Doc Scott, JB & Spice, Randall, Ray Keith loves drum & bass and we put everything into it. When and the promise of a lie-in on Monday was enough you see everyone’s hands in the air, reaching for the to persuade hundreds of eager punters to part with roof, that’s what makes it worth doing.” their hard earned £10. Science will be teaming up with Birmingham’s excellent I arrived just before midnight to find that Randall Broken Minds night, which has rapidly established a had played, Ray Keith was on the decks and the reputation for quality drum & bass. Its home is the main room was rammed with people already Sanctuary night club, Digbeth. Watch out for a reaching maximum speed, dancing, whistling, Metalheadz night arriving at the start of August, with a hands in the air. Soon after JB & Spice stepped up line-up that has to be seen to be believed. For upcoming next to keep the crowd bouncing with plenty of Music First events check: www.music-first.co.uk no-nonsense drum & bass mixed with fresh tunes, Spice’s own ‘It’s Love’ causing uproar and getting Words: Mat Hamilton ([email protected]) heavily rewound. fridays Nicky Blackmarket; 29 Jun: Peshay, MC ETCH HARD EDGE Moose. Residents: Orbit, Aquasky, Element, THE BASS:TRAP SESSION Deep, Shaftie, Carlos, MC Manic AT THE CONCORDE 2, MADEIRA AT THE CAVERN CLUB, 83/4 QUEEN DRIVE, BRIGHTON ST, EXETER. AT BAMBOO, SOUTH BRIDGE, COUNTER CULTURE 9pm-3am. £6/7. Info: 01273 720000. 6 Jul: Fortnightly. 9pm-2am. £3.50/£5. 22 Jun: EDINBURGH Mr Scruff Andy C, Cookie 9pm-1am. Weekly hip-hop, broken beats, 2- AT THE OCEAN ROOMS step, breaks and drum & bass with resident 1 MORLEY ST, BRIGHTON E.N.V.Y. HOMBU G-Mac 10pm-2.20am. £6/£7. Info: 01273 608886. Sophisticated beat variance from Fat City/ AT THE AZTECH LOUNGE, 415 AT LAS IGUNAS, MILL LANE, CARDIFF BASSHEADS Grand Central. 22 Jun: Mark Rae, AS-IF and TOTTENHAM HIGH RD, LONDON, N17 Free, weekly hip hop, new wave breaks & DJ Format Weekly. £10/Ladies £7 b4 12pm. Info: 0956 deep tech house with residents DJ Sek, Matt AT THE MATRIX, LONDON ST., 111833/07811 81607/0208 8062700. Jarvis & Neil Hinchley, JJ Smoothie & DJ READING DANCE CONCEPT Residents on rotation: Hype, Brockie, Swift, Drop Last Fri. every month. 9pm-4am. £10/£8 Shy FX. MCs Skibadee, Det, IC3, Shabba. NUS. Info: 07971 970703. 29 Jun: Mickey AT CLUB COLLOSEUM Guests: Ray Keith, Mickey Finn, JJ Frost, HOMEGROWN Finn, Swan-E, Randall, Nicky Blackmarket, 9 ELMS LANE, VAUXHALL, LONDON Kenny Ken, Nicky Blackmarket. MCs Illusion, MC Trip, Wong. South Bound: 10pm-6am. £12.50. 29 Jun: Mampi Swift Navigator, Moose, Fearless AT THE WAREHOUSE Rodney P, 2-CO, Frenic, Hoopa. 27 Jul: Ed b2b Zinc, DJ SS, Bryan Gee, Aphrodite, NORTH ROAD, LANCASTER Rush, Optical, Matrix, Fierce, Panic, Crisp, Twisted Individual, Dfrnt-Lvls, Nicky FABRIC LIVE 10pm-2am. £4. Fortnightly. Info: 01524 MC Ryme Tyme, Trip, Fat Man D. South Blackmarket, Benny V + MCs GQ, Fearless, 846877. 22 Jun: Sub, Erb ‘N Kaos. Bound: People Under The Stairs, Rodney P Rage, IC3, Eksman, Fun, Shabba & Illmatika AT FABRIC, 77A CHARTERHOUSE live. Oldskool & Nuskool Breakz: Slipmatt, STREET, LONDON EC1 HYPNOSYS V BEATZ & BOBZ Dee Kline, Soto, Demolition Cru, Ratpack, 10pm-5am. £12/£10. Info: 020 7336 8898. Syras, Triptonite, Stranger, Everson Allen, 22 Jun: Stanton Warriors, Dub Marines, AT QUEENS HALL, NARBERTH, AT THE CAVERN CLUB, 83-84 QUEEN Demus Jay, Mirage James Lavelle. Room 2 - Grooverider, Fabio, PEMBROKESHIRE, WALES ST, EXETER Bad Company, Optical, DJ SS, MC Moose, £5. 8pm-1am. Info: 07967 858425. 13 Jul: 9pm-1am. £4/£5. Info: 01392 420580. 29 THE DANCE FACTORY MC GQ; 29 Jun: DJ Hype, Zinc, Pascal, DJ Noog vs DJ Sparky, DJ Rudeboy vs DJ Jun: Freq Nasty, Darren Chapman, Ben & Randell, Swift, Phantasy, MCs: GQ, Fats & Phil Good, DJ Paco vs DJ Snatch, DJ Jaw Lex; 27 Jul: Dominic B, Darren Chapman, AT THE SANCTUARY, BIRMINGHAM Rage; 13 Jul: Dillinja, Lemon D; 20 Jul: vs DJ IC, DJ Mash vs DJ SLS, MC Therapy, Ben & Lex £5/8. Fortnightly. 22 Jun: Randall, Matrix Grooverider, Fabio, DJ Die, Bryan Gee; 27 MC Shogun, MC C Jul: DJ Hype, Zinc, Pascal, Andy C, Brockie, BITING BACK DRIVE BY Wildchild HUSTLER SHOWCASE BRISTOL AT THE OCEAN ROOMS, 1 MORLEY ST, AT CREATION, 13-21 BALDWIN ST, FUNK BOUTIQUE BRIGHTON BRISTOL AT THE THEKLA, EAST MUD DOCK, 10pm-2.30am £6/£5 concs. Info: 01273 10pm-4am. £8 with flyer b4 11pm/£10. 13 AT THE BUTTERMARKET, BRISTOL 608886. 3rd Fri. every month. Residents: Jul: Movement B2B Special SHREWSBURY £6/8. 10pm-3am. 15 Jun: The Creators, Plus Cut La Roc & Krafty Kuts 10pm-2am. £8. 13 Jul: Grooverider, Nik One; 13 Jul: Blak Twang. Residents: Hustler DRIVE BY Jonson, Sonny and Bionics. Allstars, Hombre Records Crew BULLITT AT THEKLA, THE GROVE, BRISTOL FUEL HUSTLER SHOWCASE AT DOGSTAR, 389 COLDHARBOUR 10pm-4am. £6 B4 11 with flyers/£8. 0117 CARDIFF LANE, BRIXTON, LONDON 929 3301/ 0117 9297342 (night). Fortnightly. AT WATERFRONT 9pm-2.30am. £5. Info: 0207 740 6677. 29 Jun: Bad Company, Amo MCs Retna & KING ST, NORWICH AT SOLUS, CARDIFF UNIVERSITY Weekly hip hop with residents Sahin Sweetpea; 27 Jul: EZ Rollers (live), Danny 10pm-4am. £9/11. Info: 07810 562 534/ STUDENTS UNION Dellemann, DJ Vadim & Andy Smith Byrd & 60 Minute Man. Residents: Gerard, 01603 50 80 50. 13 Jul: Die, Suv, Killa Kela £11.50. 13 Jul: Ozomatli Ramjack, Lurch, MCs Foxy & Risky CHEW THE FAT FUTURE RETRO KILLIMANJARO DUST AT BUG BAR, ST MATTHEWS CHURCH, AT THE FACTORY, SANCTUARY, AT FLUID, 40 CHARTERHOUSE ST, BRIXTON, SW2. AT THE BASSMENT, MERRION DIGBETH, BIRMINGHAM FARRINGDON, EC1 Free/£4 b4 11pm/£6. 7pm-2am. Info: 020 CENTRE, LEEDS £7 b4 10.30pm/£8. 9.30pm-4am. Fortnightly. 9pm-2am. Free b4 10pm/£3. 22 Jun: 7924 1333/07776 215 180. 22 Jun: Precision 10pm-2.30pm. £3.50. Info: 0780 3204045. Info: 07870 525424. 29 Jun: Freestylers Residents; 29 Jun: Jay 33; 6 Jul: Residents; Cuts; 29 Jun: Tayo; 6 Jul: Slinky (Oz); 13 Jul: Weekly hip hop, skate & drum & bass with (live), Krafty Kuts, Amo & Bluey, Whitty. 13 Jul: Pete Herbert; 20 Jul: Ramon Plump DJs; 20 Jul: Lee Combes; 27 Jul: residents Dr Dust & Zak Arena Omega - Bionics, Shaolin, Glen Aston Santana, Rob Summerhayes; 27 Jul: Tayo. Resident: Paul Arnold Residents. Residents: Orson, L, Circus Love DUSTED GET IT ON COCOSHEBEEN MANGA AT THE CAMEL CLUB AT THE VOID, GLASS STREET, AT URBAN, FIRVALE ROAD, JOHN WILLIAM STREET, BYRAM HANLEY, STOKE ON TRENT AT LA BELLE ANGELE, 11 HASTIES BOURNEMOUTH COURT, HUDDERSFIELD 10pm-2am. £8/£9. Info: 0777 865 4409 / CLOSE, EDINBURGH 9pm-3am. £10adv. Info: 01202 555129 / 10pm-2am. £5/4. Info: 01484 535303. [email protected] 20 Jul: DJ Die, J Majik, 9pm-3am. £10/8 membs. Info: 0131 07976 558073. Weekly. 22 Jun: Ray Keith, Weekly. Residents: D.C., Eddie Scratch APB & MC Maveric 2257536. 13 Jul: G-Mac, Unify, DY Kid & The General 76 KNOWLEDGE
DANCEFLOOR(( INKEY PROMOTES running that isn’t dependent on students SPELLBOUND, or whichever big name happens to be MANCHESTER’S TOUGH on. When something comes out of DRUM AND BREAKS Manchester it comes out ferociously NIGHT... proud and now we can stick our head up because now there’s talk of breaks POLICIES... nights and break-step and we’ve been Up here, there’s a big breaks doing that for years. A breaks vibe, background. Massive 2-step, drum & heavily influenced by drum & bass is bass, ol skool influence, an exceedingly where we’re going. lively sound. We do breaks for the first half of the night, straight in at the deep MCS... end. We moved to this bigger venue two We’ve got three or four MCs with anoth- years ago and decided to split it. We er dozen to come through. They mean promote 12 months of the year and there more to people up here than the DJs, aren’t 12 drum & bass DJs to pack it out the respect is huge in the city. There’s every month, so you need a different been enough drum & bass nights up package. The breaks isn’t a massive pull here that haven’t worked and have been on its own but it makes the difference. It moody because they’ve booked a means I don’t have to go to the big names London MC. It’s not that people don’t all the time and the night will always pull like them, it’s just they don’t rate them. through. If you run things all year, every- So you’d get idiots trying to grab the one up here knows what you’re doing. mic and the DJs would go off in a huff and talk on the radio about Manchester MANCHESTER VIBE... being dangerous. We just put two We haven’t got residents, I just shuffle it mics up and any troublemakers went around. Otherwise you choose a couple home to write some lyrics! of DJs, have a big guest and you don’t get anywhere. We’re trying to nurture Andy C and Si Smith play Spellbound 29 something a little bit more unique. I do the June and the night happens each and night to get a Manchester scene up and every month at Planet K, Manchester. MELTDOWN 13 Jul: Grooverider; 27 Jul: Plump DJs. SUBTUB WAH WAH Resident: Sonny Woods AT THE BEACH AT PLANET K, MANCHESTER AT JAZZ CAFE KINGS ROAD ARCHES, BRIGHTON PROGRESSION SESSIONS £6/7. Info: 0161 4489431 / subtubclub@hot- 5 PARKWAY, CAMDEN TOWN 9pm-3am. £8.50/£7.50 concs. Info: 01273 mail.com 22 Jun: DJ Krush, DJ Hide, 10.30-2am. Weekly. Residents: Chris 608886. 3rd Fri every month. 15 Jun: AT THE END, 18 WEST CENTRAL ST., Quantic, Goose & Roscoe Goss (London Elektricity), Dom Servini, Brockie, Ray Keith, Marly Marl, Friction + LONDON, W1 Simon Goss. MCs Det & Darrison; 20 Jul: Optical, Swift, 11pm-5am. £12/10/8. Info: 0207 419 9199. SURE THING Total Science, Quantum + MCs GQ & 13 Jul: LTJ Bukem, Nookie, PFM, MC WASTED Darrison Conrad AT FORM, 4/5 GREEK ST, LONDON W1 £5. Weekly hip-hop & breaks AT THE EMPIRE CLUB, BOGNOR REGIS MIXED SUBSTANCES RAM RECORDS 3rd Friday every month. 10pm-3am. TEMPO TANTRUM £6/£5. Info: 07940 245724 / www.waste- AT THE JUNCTION AT THE END donline.co.uk Beats & breaks with residents: COLDHARBOUR LANE, BRIXTON 18 WEST CENTRAL ST., LONDON, W1 AT MINT. 182-186 ST JOHN ST, Karoshi & Disco Assassins, Spencer 9pm-3am. Free b4 10.30/£3 after. 1st Fri 10pm-6am. £12/10. Info: 0207 419 9199. 6 CLERKENWELL, LONDON EC1 Chapman, Dillinger & Dave Roman. every month. Residents: Justice, Doug Hart, Jul: Fabio, Andy C, Red 1, Shimon, Moving £3 after 9pm. Monthly. Info: 020 7253 8368. Nick Pond & Curtis. Fusion, Ed Rush, Optical, Hype, Randall + 29 Jun: DJ Tipper + residents Marcus, X MCs GQ, Flux, Moose Darius, Matt Juice, & G Man with breaks MONTHLY SESSIONS & 2 step AT LE BATEAU, DUKE ST REFUGE LIVERPOOL. 10:30PM-4AM AT CLUB BAY, WITNEY TOWN THE CLINIC £11/£9 Concs. Info: 07967 626 927. 6 Jul: FOOTBALL COMPLEX, OXFORD AT SWITCH, EUSTACE ST Hype, Futurebound, Andy Haze, MC-S. £5. 9pm-2am. 29 Jun: Rareform, Alicia, TEMPLE BAR, DUBLIN. AT COSIES, BRISTOL Lunar, Nugroove + MCs Manik D, Benji, Killa 10.30pm. £7. Weekly. Info: 00-353-1-874- Last Fri of the month. 8pm-1am. £3 after saturdays & Evil G 1243. 22 Jun: AAA, Rohan & Ali; 29 Jun: 9pm. Residents: General Midi & Lurch. Naphta, Psyence & Don Rosco; 6 Jul: BREAKSPLOITATION MOVE SOMETHANG Rohan, Ultra and Kenny; 13 Jul: Naphta. TOTAL ECLIPSE Kormac, Rosko & Rory Byrne; 20 Jul: AT THE BACKYARD CLUB, GREAT AT THE PHOENIX, 37 CAVENDISH Rohan, Calibre & Zero Tolerance; 27 Jul: AT THE FIRKIN CLUB PORTLAND ST.TUBE, W1 SQUARE, LONDON W1 Naphta, Criminal K, Con & Indica PINNACLES, HARLOW, ESSEX 8pm-2am. £5 b4 10pm/£6. 23 Jun: Mr 10pm–3am. £5. Info: 0973 802162. Abstract Info: 07940 187963. 8:30pm-2am. £5 b4 Dexter, Break DJ Leacy, DJ MK, Aidan beats & killa grooves with residents Flowerz SCIENCE 10:30/£6. 29 Jul: Residents; 6 Jul: Orange, DJ Skye & Des on the 1st Fri every month BROKEN MINDS Residents; 13 Jul: Darren Jay; 27 Jul: Ashatak. Residents: Tony B, Ric-o-chet, BUST THE BOX MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S AT DANCE FACTORY, THE Squidge, Sabotage + MCs HI Rarki, MAD DREAM’ PT I SANCTUARY, DIGBETH HIGH ST, MC, Rolls AT PRESSURE POINT, BRIGHTON BIRMINGHAM, B5 £4/£6. 10pm-2am. 7 Jul: Pete B. Residents: AT PHOENIX CENTRE, EXETER £10+bf. 10pm-6am. 3 Aug: Goldie, JJ Frost, TOKYO GROOVE Sonic Boo, Shonky Don, Citizen K 22 Jun: Hard Edge, Beatz & Bobz - Randall, Storm, Digital, JB & Spice, Phase 2, Bushwacka!, Andy C, Hybrid Sound System, Escape, MC Biggie, MC Fila AT FAY, SPRINGFIELD MOUNT, LEEDS ESCAPE IN THE PARK Dazee 10pm-2am. £2.50. Weekly downbeat, rare SOURCE groove + d&b in back room, hip-hop & latin AT SINGLETON PARK, SWANSEA MUTINY break house in the main room Noon-11pm. £15. 28 Jul: Science Arena - AT THE ZODIAC, 190 COWLEY RD, Hombre Records, Numbskullz, Fabio, Ed AT LAKOTA OXFORD TWISTED FUNK Rush, High Contrast, DJ Active & 81-83 STOKES CROFT, BRISTOL 9.30pm–2am. £7adv. Info: 01865 420042. Sidewinder 9pm-5am. £12adv. Info: 01179 426208. 22 13 Jul: JJ Frost, DJ Lee, Jay Jay, DJ Baron, AT ENZO’S, HIGHPOST, SALISBURY, Jun: Mickey Finn, J-Majik, Frost, Nicky MC Justiyc WILTSHIRE ESSENTIAL MUSIC Blackmarket, Addiction, Bunjy + MCs Det, £6/8. Info: 01722 782618. 22 Jun: Mickey FESTIVAL Shabba, Foxy SPELLBOUND Finn, Aphrodite, Leggy, N-Deva & MC Fearless. AT HACKNEY MARSHES, LONDON PERVERTED SCIENCE AT PLANET K, OLDHAM ST, £35adv. Info: www.essentialfestival.com / MANCHESTER UNITED DANCE VS FEVER 0990 344 4444. 14 Jul: Reprazent, AT 333, 333 OLD ST, LONDON, EC1 10pm-3am. £6adv/£7 b4 11/£8. 29 Jun: Freestylers, Nextmen, Goldie, Grooverider, 10pm-5am. £5 b4 11 or members/£10 oth- Andy C, Si Smith. AT BAGLEY’S, KINGS CROSS, LONDON Fabio, Hype, Randall, Opitical, Andy C, Ed ers. Info 0207 739 5949. 20 Jul: Plus One, 10pm-6am. 315+bf. Info: 0208 3421155 / Rush, Darren Jay, Kenny Ken, Rap, Trex + Matt Flint, The Funky Lowlives, Rick STEALTH 0990 3444444 / www.united-dance.com 6 MCs GQ, Fearless, Skibadee, Foxy, Frenzy, Hopkins, Orson, Pete Herbert, L, A.D.J. Jul: Ed Rush, Zinc, Bad Company, Andy C, Jnr Reid, Magika, Ruff. AT THE HOLLYWOOD CLUB, KEATS AV, Brockie, Grooverider, Nicky Blackmarket, PLANET OF THE BREAKS POOLSTOCK, WIGAN Hype + MCs Shabba, Det, GQ, IC3 & EXIT 9pm-3am. Weekly. £5. Info: 01942 793356. Fatman D. Kool FM - Hoodlum, Papa-Gee, AT THE CELLARS, BUTTERMARKET, Residents: Fatboy, A-Jay, XTC, Bones, Filthy Rich, D Law, RuffStuff, Shockin’, AT UNION 1, WILLOW RD, DERBY HOWARD STREET, SHREWSBURY Sub’Erb & Chaos. MCs Madrush & Broxi. Logan D. MCs Shockin, Junglist, Lok-i. 10pm-3am. £4/£6. 14 Jul: Bryan G & TC One. £6. Info: 07968 077705. 29 Jun: Andy Smith; KNOWLEDGE 77
))DANCEFLOOR FRICTION’S SET WARNING FOR THE TOV 6TH BIRTHDAY LAUNCH PARTY AT THE JUNCTION, CAMBRIDGE AT KINGS CROSS’ THE SCALA... I was looking forward to Warning this time OPENER... around. The DJ line-up was looking impressive ‘Haunted Dreams’ by Universal Project on to say the least and with a live PA from Shy FX the newly formed Universal Project label. and UK Apache as well, I was surprised to find It’s one I’ve been battering, the drums are myself eagerly anticipating a drum & bass really familiar and the break is straight out event in Cambridge (for those not in the know; of Doc Scott’s ‘Here Come The Drums’. the university tends to stamp on non-students having fun in this city). FLOOR FILLERS... ‘Stressed Out’ by myself and Usual Unfortunately, Shy FX didn’t live up to the Suspects is really dancefloor friendly. masses’ expectations, although the mixing There’s tough breaks and it filters into a was fine the selection could have been slightly Mentasm sound. ‘Ghetto Style’ from more inspiring. I think the running order had Future Cut is more steppy. It’s got a subby more to do with that than anything, coming on bass and a huge breakdown in the middle after the older, less ‘serious’ jungle sets his that goes off. slightly harder, darker approach left him with a bunch of die-hard original nutters who really REWINDS... were there just to see Shy. ‘Spaced Invader’ by J-Majik on Infrared is a anthem of a number. It’s a remix of a Although I’ve never been that impressed with house tune so it’s kept that funky vibe. It Nicky Blackmarket, his six years of Warning gets the girls on the floor. set b2b with Frenzic and Barrington did rock. I was up and about throughout and thoroughly ONE MORE... enjoyed every last minute. Another set which The Total Science remix of ‘Hardcore stood out, perhaps less surprisingly, was Junglism’ is another killer. Zinc’s: fat, bouncy jump-up all the way, he kept the crowd jumping, the vibe alive and any other clichés which might spring to mind. It was classic. Although Warning has never had a problem with attitude (well, you just wouldn’t expect it in Cambridge, would you sweetie?) this one in particular had quite a special atmosphere about it. Maybe it was the crowd, maybe it was the celebration vibe, I don’t know - whatever it was, here’s hoping for more of the same. Words: Alex Millar HOMELANDS Wandering around the site in the early afternoon, weaving my way in and out of 26 MAY Kappa jacketed ravers and clubbers in furry boots and not much else, the clientele “Oh, is this the way they say the future’s seemed a little too diverse, but it wasn’t meant to feel? Or just 50,000 people long before drum & bass heads were standing in a field. And I don’t quite under- dancing with glowsticks to Fergie while UK stand just what this feeling is. But that’s garage fans were chatting away to okay ‘cos we’re all sorted out for Es and handbag house fiends. After all, what wizz,” sings Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker at about would a festival be without the random 8pm in the main arena at Homelands, just element? And random it certainly was. The as the sun is setting. The kings of geek chic Orb provided a welcome chill-out zone in may have seemed a rather incongruous the early hours of the morning. St choice for a club festival, but the punters Germain’s noodly jazz suited the mood are loving it - and looking around, they cer- perfectly. Richie Hawtin proved techno still tainly seem to have hit the nail on the head. rocks. Danny Tenaglia went down a storm. By far the most unusual track I heard all With five competing dance events this year night came from the Stanton Warriors on (the others come courtesy of Gatecrasher, the Bud Ice Bus, a nu-school breaks Ministry of Sound, Cream and Gods number mixing in - of all things - Kitchen) Pulp may have been a wise Radiohead’s ‘Street Spirit’. As Jarvis him- choice to pull in a few extra bodies. 11 self would say, “At four o’clock the normal arenas, a strong presence from all areas of world seems very, very, very far away.” the dance music spectrum and a beautiful location in the Hampshire hills (narrowly It’s impossibly early in the morning. I’ve escaping a ban from MAFF), meant that staggered back to the drum & bass arena Homelands promised much. Traditionally to catch Andy C round off the event. The an afterthought at dance festivals, the place is still rammed, and everyone is still Movement/End drum & bass arena going for it. Roni Size is on stage with boasted a tasty line up with excellent sets Andy C. There are massive grins on every- from the likes of Fabio, Craze, LTJ Bukem, one’s faces, DJs included. As the last Ray Keith and Bryan Gee probably worth reverberations die away and the crowd the ticket price on its own. And far from realise that the sun is well and truly up, being a poor alternative to everything else I think everyone shares my thoughts on on offer, by the time Roni Size came this one. Although I’ve had a superb (if a on stage, the tent was so packed it was little surreal) time, “It’s six o’clock, I wanna difficult to fight your way in. The biggest go home.” Till next year. track of the day (as it has been for a while) had to be Bad Company’s Words: Becky Moran extremely dark and dirty ‘Planet Dust’, Photos: Cleveland Aaron using Olympus mixed seamlessly by DJ Hype. Camedia E10 78 KNOWLEDGE
))DANCEFLOOR TNT A 9pm kick off meant the Soulcialists and Kenny a’ la fu had their work cut out pulling an invisible AT THE LEMON TREE crowd on to the dancefloor but by the time Finnie ABERDEEN - 12 MAY had reached the stage things were moving. The train that is TNT, Aberdeen’s premier drum Building up an excellent hard, hip hop, dark and & bass night just keeps rolling, and the future is dirty set, DJ Tez moved in with the familiar looking good. TNT residents, Andy Profile and MC Jakes (‘Up the Dons’) with some deep and Finnie, have expanded their collective with the nasty tracks to finish the job before an unseen Soulcialists and Kenny a’ la fu providing a hip phenomena occurred... hop spin on things, and DJ Tez (Jungle Nation) joining them in the drum & bass arena Andy Profile and the Jungle Drummer took to the plus Double DC working some wizardry with stage armed with a full drum kit and MC Jakes to animation and the lights. create that ‘richer style’! As the night took on a rave slant with stacks of currently popular vocal With these extra numbers and ambitious tracks, respect has to be given for the skill plans, TNT launched their assault on Glasgow and the sweat of the Jungle Drummer belting with a new monthly residency at The Arches along with the b-lines. and tonight celebrated their move to a bigger Aberdeen venue, The Lemon Tree in Grooverider came storming on for a set no less true TNT style. storming but slightly more mellow than his usual standards. Bringing a taste of summer with him, A lot of hard work over the past three years has it felt like Aberdeen had definitely been lacking seen TNT become one of the best drum & bass some of that party spirit of late. Overall, an nights in Scotland with previous guests including excellent night though slightly disappointing night Goldie, J Majik, Quannum, DJ Die & Dynamite, in terms of numbers but hey, it was the first day Peshay and The Jungle Brothers to name but a of sunshine Aberdeen has seen all year. One few. Renowned for consistent quality line thing’s for sure, TNT is back, it’s bigger and ups, tonight’s was no different with a host of better, and you know they’ll have a bag of tricks home-grown talent, the introduction of The each time they come banging at your door. Jungle Drummer banging a live element into the show, the familiar MC Jakes and the Godfather Words: Mel George Photography: Dave Howie of them all, Grooverider. FULL MOTION tuesdays TUBBYFUNK breaks & hip hop with residents: Crisp, Panic, Jurassik, Haze, Tizz, MC Trip plus guests AT WEST ONE FOUR PM SCIENTISTS AT THINKTANK? 3 NORTH END CRESCENT 2A CALL LANE, LEEDS HUSTLIN WEST KENSINGTON, W14 AT HERBAL 10pm-2am. £2.50/£3. Weekly. Info: 0113 Weekly. 2pm - Midnight. Free b4 6pm/£3. 12-14 KINGSLAND ROAD, LONDON 2340980. Bass’d up breaks & funky beats with AT MADAME JO JO’S, 8 BREWER Info: 0788 84428831. Residents: DJ 9pm-2am. Info: 0207 426 5106. Monthly. residents Bobzilla & Oversize Benjamin STREET, SOHO, W1 Fusion, Micky V, Dj Wigley, Dom B. & Residents: Lazarus, Rob Mello, Stanton Info: 020 7734 3040. Hip Hop & Funk. 1st & Alywn Warriors, DJ Zinc, Mo Morris, Wa-chu-ku thursdays 3rd Thursday of every month. 9.30pm-3am. and Jay Da Flex £3/£5. 21 Jun: Mr Thing; 28 Jun: Quinton FUNK SHUI BREAKAGE Scott; 19 Jul: Foreign Legion; 26 Jul: Skeg, SPREAD LOVE Rob Life & Tufkut. Residents: DJ Danny AT THE BRUNSWICK, PARK ROAD, AT SOPHBECK SESSIONS, COBBLE Delta & Nuphunk GLOUCESTER AT THE SOCIAL, 5 LITTLE PORTLAND YARD, NAPIER ST, CAMBRIDGE Weekly. 7pm-11pm. Free. ST, W1 (OFF REGENT ST.) £4/5. 5 Jul: Mampi Swift, Spawn, Sir-Plus, MOVEMENT Residents: Off The Beat ‘n’ Tracks DJs 7pm-12pm. Info: www.spread-love.com Sarah Tonin, Sublime & KeyNote Ade, Stoph & Angel B Residents: DJ Yoda, James Lebens & DJ Go AT BAR RUMBA BROKEN IDEALS 36 SHAFTESBURY AVE, LONDON, W1 LICK SHOT wednesdays £3 B4 10.30/ £4 membs/£5 NUS/£6 others. AT SOUTH, SOUTH ST, MANCHESTER Weekly. 8.30pm-3am. Info: 0207 377 9494/ AT PLASTIC PEOPLE 147 CURTAIN CLUB WORMHOLE 9pm-4am. £4 b4 11, £6 after. Info: www.barrumba.co.uk 21 Jun: Back 2 Basics; RD LONDON EC2A www.despres.co.uk/broken / 07989 039476. 28 Jun: Marcus Intalex, Total Science; 5 Jul: 7pm-12am. Residents on rotation: DJ Skitz, AT THE MEDICINE BAR, CUSTARD Fortnightly d&b, hip hop and leftfield with resi- Randall; 12 Jul: Fabio; 19 Jul: Ed Rush & Danny Breaks, Brent (Aquasky), Ned Kelly FACTORY, BIRMINGHAM dents James Blessing & DJ Naturalistic Optical & Ryme Tyme; 26 Jul: Kenny Ken. (Underwolves), Def Tex, Complex Broad £3. Info: 0701 0720688. 11 Jul: Nicky Residents: Bryan Gee, Ray Keith, Tonic with Collective, Clown Sound System Blackmarket, DJ Escape, DJ Hazard, Crazy- CONTROL MCs Moose, IC3, Fearless & Darrison T, Weasal b2b Reflex , Unkey, Accapello, METALHEADZ Biggie & Snappa AT BOURBON, 1E NEW YORK ST, LEEDS OMNIPRESENCE Weekly. 9pm-1am. Free. Info: 07931 160409 / AT THE LIMELIGHT, LONDON MINIMELT www.listen.to/scsi.co.uk Residents: Scsi, AT PO NA NA £5 b4 9pm/£7/£6 NUS/£5membs. 7.30pm- Covert, and JC. 13 ST GEORGE ROAD 12.30am. Weekly. Residents on rotation: AT OCEAN ROOMS 1 CHAPEL WALK, CHELTENHAM Goldie, Fabio, Doc Scott, Storm, Randall, 1 MORLEY STREET, BRIGHTON DESTINY 9pm-2am. £2/£3. Fortnightly. Info: 07790 Marley Marl, Bailey, Clarky, Loxy, Ink, Future Paces of Drum and Bass. £5. Info: 665563. 21 Jun: Gerard, System Addict, Flight, Total Science, DJ Lee, Future Cut, 01273 608886. 20 Jun: DJ Krush & Hide, AT CLUB MILLENIUM, BOURNEMOUTH Curious, LS, Poison, Dread, Marquee B Marcus Intalex, Digital, Spirit, JJ Frost, Quantum, JFB & MC Darrison Weekly. 9pm-2am. £2/£3. Info: 01202 467486. Photek & Special Guests. MCs on rotation : Residents: Deep, Dark Dean, LJ, Vesta, MC STEALTH GQ, Rage, Moose, Fats, Cleveland Watkiss MIXAMATOSIS Budz & Justiyc AT THE MILL AT MADAM JO JO’S DEFINITION AQUEDUCT ST., PRESTON SUBTUB BERWICK STREET, LONDON, W1 10pm-2am. £4. Info: 0793 234927. Weekly £5/3. 10pm-3am. Fortnightly. Info: 07930 AT BROWN ST. SHEFFIELD drum & bass with residents Ajay, Dr H AT CARGO, 83 RIVINGTON ST, 627 523 / 07740 592 489 / Free. 9pm-2am. Info: 07932 629044/ dbbrad- Bones, Phatbwoy, MC Broxi, MC Madrush SHOREDITCH, LONDON [email protected] 27 Jun: Titan Sounds [email protected]. Weekly hip-hop, house, and guests. 3pm-12pm. £3 b4 6pm/£5. Info: 0161 showcase; 11 Jul: Nicky Blackmarket; 25 drum & bass with residents: Dave, Vik & Luke. 4489431. 22 Jul: Fourth Island, DJ Asa, Jul: DJ Plus One. Residents: Bustawidmove, TRAFFIC Serial Thrillas. Deksta & Itchi & Rodney P DFX AT THE VIBE BAR, BRICK LANE, E1 mondays SWERVE AT DOGSTAR, 389 COLDHARBOUR 7pm-12pm. Free. 1st Thu every month. LANE, BRIXTON, LONDON In rotation: The Bays (live), Shur-I-Kan (live), SONIC SABOTAGE AT THE VELVET ROOMS, CHARING 9pm-2.30am. Free. Info: 0207 740 6677. Pete Lawrence, Rob Da Bank, Mark CROSS RD, LONDON W1 Weekly d&b with residents Kane, Nash & Pritchard, Simon Smugg, Massimo, Tom AT REDSTAR 9.30pm-2.30am. £6/£5. Weekly. Residents: Mickey Blue Eyes Szirtes, Des Berry, Rob Wood. CAMBERWELL, LONDON SE5 Fabio & Addiction Free. Weekly. 9pm-2am. Info: 020 7703 ENTROPY XEN 7779. Sean McLuskey with hip-hop, funk & TEAR IT UP experimental breaks AT SAVILLES, 2 SAVILLE ROW, BATH AT CARGO, 83 RIVINGTON ST, AT REDSTAR Free. 7.30pm-2am. Info: 07808 602268. SHOREDITCH, LONDON THE DROP ZONE CAMBERWELL, LONDON SE5 Fortnightly drum & bass and funk with resi- Last Thursday of the month. 8pm-1am. £5. Free. Weekly. 9pm-2am. Info: 020 7703 dents Rob Ward, Pelvio and JUX 28 Jun: Jonathan More, Amon Tobin, Funki AT FOUNDATION 7779/ [email protected] Residents: Porcini, Bonobo; 26 Jul: Russian Percussion MARKET ST, WAKEFIELD Apollo 440 & A1 People DJs. Guests include FREQUENCY live (Vadim, Killa Kella, Mr Thing, John Ellis), 8pm-12pm. £1. Weekly hip-hop / drum & Freq Nasty, D-Zine & Lexi Love Skinny Man & Demolition Man, DK bass with residents DJ Pash & MC Primus AT THE MATRIX, LONDON ST., READING £3. Info: 07971 970703. Weekly d&b, nu skool 80 KNOWLEDGE
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