Trap Magazine 009

JUNE | JULY 2012

09

E V E RY B A S S C O V E R E D

FREE

M U S I C I FA S H I O N I A R T

DISCLOSURE TWO INCH PUNCH THE HEATWAVE

DISMANTLE I FEEL LIKE THE SHACKLES ARE OFF...

MIDLAND MJ COLE

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ART FASHION REVIEWS CLUB LISTINGS WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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Photo: GAVIN WATSON

JUNE/JULY>2012 MONO AUDIO VS LOUD NOISE/////////////////////////////22ND-JUNE PINCH-ZED BIAS-HORSEPOWER PRODUCTIONS-J:Kenzo COMMODO-Jack Swift-Kai Marley b2b Lean-Dank + MORE STANTON SESSIONS//////////////////////////////////////23RD-JUNE STANTON WARRIORS-DOORLY-THE FREESTYLERS FEAT SIRREAL EVIL NINE-SAI-REVEAL + MORE SUBDUB//////////////////////////////////////////////////29th-JUNE IRATION STEPPAS SOUND SYSTEM-GENERAL LEVY & JOE ARIWA IN DUB - MUNGO’S HIFI -KRYPTIC MINDs + MORE BUTTERZ & HARDRIVE/////////////////////////////////////7th-JULY Newham Generals-Trim-Logan Sama [ Garage Set ] Terror Danjah & Riko -Swindle-Elijah & Skilliam+ MORE ERGH 23///////////////////////////////////////////////////13TH-JULY Special guests to be announced...

IDIOSYNPHONIC////////////////////////////////////////////20TH-JULY Special Guest TBA - Document One [ Live ] -Tantrum Desire Bar9- Rollz-Mattix + Futile - Dark Stranger + more LICKED BEATZ////////////////////////////////////////////27TH-JULY DC Breaks -Elijah & Skilliam - Logan Sama-B.Traits-Cotti J-Sweet-Rattus Rattus + MORE Opening times, line ups and tickets available at www.cable-london.com FIND US ON FACEBOOK “CABLE OFFICIAL” INFO@CABLE-LONDON.COM // 020 7403 7730 CABLE, BERMONDSEY STREET TUNNEL, LONDON BRIDGE, SE1 3JW

“when it hits, YOu feel no paIN” -Bob Marley DESIGNED WITH LOVE, BY SUMTHINKMUSIC

THE DROP

JUNE | JULY 2012

09

FREE

E V E RY B A S S C O V E R E D M U S I C I FA S H I O N I A R T

DISCLOSURE TWO INCH PUNCH THE HEATWAVE

DISMANTLE MIDLAND

I FEEL LIKE THE SHACKLES ARE OFF...

MJ COLE

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ART FASHION REVIEWS CLUB LISTINGS WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

09

TRAP MAGAZINE J U N E / J U LY 2 0 1 2 WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

REGULARS

FEATURES

HYPE THINGS WORTH GETTING EXCITED ABOUT

06

RISE UP KOAN SOUND / DISMANTLE 22

MONKI

09

DISCLOSURE

25

URBAN NERDS

11

TWO INCH PUNCH

28

FASHION

12

SUB FOCUS

30

iPHONE GADGETS

17

ART: KING OF PAINT

35

FIFTY FIFTY

18

CARASEL

49

BOSS SELECTIONS DJ’S TOP TENS PLUS IN-DEPTH CHARTS

20

HEATWAVE

51

FASHION SHOOT FRIDAY NIGHT

38

MIDLAND

54

REVIEWS THE LATEST MUSIC & GAMES

57

BASSPOINTS THE HOTTEST EVENTS ON PLANET BASS

64

25

28

30

51

54

FACEBOOK: Search ‘Trap Magazine’ TWITTER: @trapmagazine EMAIL: info@trapmagazine.co.uk

EDITOR: Jon Cook CREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGN: Andy Hayes FASHION EDITOR: Kasha Malyckyj SALES & ADVERTISING: Iain Blackburn MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION: Justin Iriajen SOCIAL NETWORKING: Amy Stiff WEB: Daddison.

COVER: Sub Focus by Laura Lewis.

PICTURES: Theo Cottle, ASHES57, Marc Sethi, Hacker, Edwige Hamben, Shifteye.

WORDS: Jon Cook, Kasha Malyckyj, Jason Gardener, Oli Marlow, Mike Roberts, Sam Bates, Gwyn Thomas de Chroustchoff, Sean Kelly, Jeryl Wilton, Amy Stiff, Sophie Thomas, Oli Grant, Tim Rayner, Adam Scotland, Geoff Wright, Joanna Ranson.

THANK YOU: Dane @ Two Plates, All @ Urban Nerds, Adam @ Backdrop, Ben @ Run, Rob, Tom & Ollie @ The Blast, Leo @ Darling, Johnny @ Outlook, Scott @ Fabric, Andy @ The Bank, Steve @ Cooshti, Louis, Rich & Syd @50/50, Cheba & Sam @ WOC, Johnny & Ben @ Outpost, Steve & Diccon @ Chemical, Chris @ Cable, Chris @ Idle Hands, Danny Keston, Sioned Holloway, Jo Williams.

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HYPE

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09

SEE NO EVIL RETURNS

CREPE CITY X NIKE

After the massive success of last year’s event, which saw some of the world’s best street artists transform a horrendously grey part of Bristol city-centre into a technicolour street-art wonderland, See No Evil returns in August.

Another cultural event that’s benefitted from the pots of Olympic cash flying around, this year’s See No Evil will run across both days of the weekend of the 18 and 19 August, and once again see artists from around the world turning Bristol’s Nelson Street into the largest permanent street art gallery in the world.

If you love trainers like we love trainers, then you won’t want to miss the latest Crepe City event down at Nike’s 1948 store in Shoreditch. Taking place on Saturday 7 July, running from 10.30am through to 6pm, this is, as you’d expect at 1948, a Nike special, with hundreds of pairs of kicks on offer from over 15 traders.

With events and activities running throughout the weekend, including seminars and workshops, plus after-hours events with some stellar names from Bristol’s legendary music scene and beyond, book yourself a train ticket and make sure you’re there.

So, if you’re desperately seeking those sold-out retros or just fancy breathing in the atmosphere (and that delicious fresh trainer smell), you know where to go.

www.seenoevilbristol.co.uk

www.crepe-city.co.uk

DIPLO AT SW4 The man behind Major Lazer and

KEEPING FRESH Birmingham/Wolverhampton grime

XX 2.0 Adored by everyone from indie

CANDY STORE SOHO Birmingham’s premier streetwear

one of the world’s most influential

collective Stay Fresh are making

kids to garage girls, The XX have

boutique, The Candy Store, is

producers and DJs, Diplo, touches

moves right now. Their self-titled EP

been hard at work finishing the

launching a new London outlet later

down in the UK for an exclusive

was released in March, and two

follow-up to their game-changing

this summer. Located in Berwick

festival performance at SW4 on

instrumental EPs are set to follow in

2009 debut. Produced by Jamie XX

Street in Soho, the new store

London’s Clapham Common on 26

June. The first comes from producer

and titled ‘Coexist’ the LP will be

will be a stone’s throw from the

August. The rest of the line-up is

Swifta Beater and should be out now,

released on 10 September on the

area’s many other streetwear

pure fire too.

while Mocky’s ‘Chunky’ EP is out

Young Turks label.

www.southwestfour.com

24 June.

www.thexx.info

institutions. www.candystoreclothing.com

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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LONDON PLEASURE GARDENS As w e a ll k n o w o n ly to o w e l l , th i s s u mme r, th e r e ’s th e s ma ll ma tte r o f th e Ol ymp i cs ta k i n g p l a ce i n Lo n d o n .

An d w h ile it’s e a s y to d i s mi s s th e Ga me s a s a ma s s i ve w a s te o f mo n e y th a t b e n e f i ts o n l y vi s i to r s f r o m a b r o a d a n d glo b a l TV a u d ie n ce s , th e r e a r e a ctu a l l y a l l s o r ts o f a ma zin g h o me -gro w n cu l tu r a l p r o j e cts th a t th e Ol ymp i c millio n s a re fa cilita tin g.

Op e n in g o n 30 J u n e , Lo n d o n P l e a s u r e Ga r d e n s i s a b ra n d n e w 20-a cre si te i n th e h e a r t o f Ol ymp i c E a s t Lo n d o n . Tra n s fo rmin g a s tr e tch o f i n d u s tr i a l w a s te l a n d in to a n e n ch a n tin g cu l tu r a l p l a ygr o u n d , LP G i s th e b ra in ch ild o f th e te a m b e h i n d Gl a s to n b u r y’s l e ge n d a r y Sh a n gri La , w h o ’ve b e e n gi ve n f r e e l i ce n ce to l e t th e i r ima gin a tio n s ru n fre e o n a ma s s i ve s ca l e .

COMPA TRAP RISE-UP MIX One of dubstep’s most exciting new talents, Compa, has done a truly incredible mix for Trap’s Rise-Up series, where we cast a light on the hottest breaking talents around. The mix was meant to go live last month, but hold-ups with our website mean it will be up online sometime during June. Keep checking the website and grab his mix to discover exactly why we’re backing him so hard.

Wi th a 2,800 cap aci ty ma in s pa ce, a 1,000 ca pa city d o me a n d a 27,000 ca p a ci ty o p e n s p a ce f o r l i ve co n ce rts , p lu s a n ‘Ar t Ho te l ’, f l o a ti n g co ck ta i l l o u n ge , s cu lp tu re ga rd e n s a nd w i l d n a tu r e r e s e r ve , i t’s e a s y to s e e w h y Blo c fe s tiva l h a s ch o s e n LP G a s i ts n e w h o me .

Ch e ck th e vid e o o n lin e f o r mo r e ta n ta l i s i n g i n f o , a n d ma k e s u re yo u ge t yo u r s e l f d o w n th e r e a t s o me p o i n t th is s u mme r.

www.londonpleasuregardens.com www.blocweekend.com

ONLY ONE Not coming soon enough in

www.TRAPMAGAZINE.co.UK

ART FACTORY East London’s Rhythm Factory is

JA TURNS 50 Celebrating the fiftieth

CRAZY LABEL Bristol based club-night

Trap’s opinion, one of this

renowned for having hosted some

anniversary of Jamaica’s

Crazylegs has been bringing some

generation’s most skilled and

legendary parties over the years, and

independence, from 25 July to 6

of the most on-point line-ups to the

knowledgeable DJs, Oneman,

now the venue is launching a

August some of the biggest and

city for nearly four years now, and

becomes the latest selector to drop

monthly exhibition series. Utilising

most legendary artists in reggae

this summer sees the collective

a mix for the acclaimed FabricLive

the walls of the entry room as a

take over London’s O2 for a series

launch their very own record label.

series this summer, with the launch

gallery, ASHES57’S show began on

of incredible live shows. Damian

With an outstanding debut release

party happening on 3 August

7 June. Check the website for more.

Marley, Tarrus Riley, Gyptian and

from hotly-tipped newcomer Ziro,

at Fabric.

www.rhythmfactory.co.uk

more will all be attending.

this is clearly just the start.

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TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

WIN

TICKETS

WIN TWO TICKETS TO DIMENSIONS FESTIVAL! Dimensions is the brand new electronic music festival from the team behind Outlook, happening this September in the see-it-to-believe-it surroundings of the ruined Fort Punta Christo on the Croatian coast.

With a line-up that draws from the most credible and artistic quarters of the world of dance music, an intimate capacity of just a few thousand and the best soundsystems you’ll hear at any festival, there is no better way to finish your summer this year than at Dimensions. With techno legends such as Carl Craig, Moodymann and Theo Parrish headlining, alongside the likes of Mala, Floating Points, Loefah and dBridge, you get an idea of the quality on offer.

We’re hyped to announce that we have a pair of tickets for this year’s festival to win. To enter, just email competitions@trapmagazine.co.uk with your full name, post code and DoB. All entrants must be over 18, a winner will be selected at random and the competition closes on 21 July. Good luck!

www.d i m ensi onsfestival.com

MORE OF THE MICS

YEAR OF THE JORDAN

ORIS JAY LP

NETSKY TOUR

After returning in style with last autumn’s ‘Lord Of The Mics 3’, the mastermind behind the legendary on-camera grime clashes, Jammer, has just announced he’s started planning the fourth instalment. Details are still to be finalised, so keep checking Jammer’s twitter for more info. @jammerbbk

The last year has already seen an amazing amount of classic Nike Air Jordans retro’d and re-released. After this June saw the arrival of the Miltary Blue Jordan IV, it’s the re-issue of the White/Varsity Red/Black in August that’s got us excited.

Start saving now!

A key figure in the ‘dark garage’ sound of the early Millennium, which laid the way for the emergence of dubstep, Sheffield’s Oris Jay releases his debut album on 30 July. Titled ‘To The Fly’ the LP promises a breadth of styles and collaborations with Toddla T, Pinch and more.

Hospital Records’ D&B superstar Netsky releases his second album this month and is hitting plenty of UK festivals with his ‘Netsky LIVE!’ show, too.

The album is called ‘2’ and is out on 21 June, and you can catch Netsky live at Lovebox, Beach Break, Global Gathering and more.

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FM’s Monki delivers the latest of her regular pages for Trap…

I LOVE…

NIGHTS

CATCH ME AT:

This month, we’re taking things European. I’ve only covered British soil until now, but with summer here, I thought you might be doing a bit of travelling…

15 JUNE - LOVEBOX

Dismantle - ‘Dots’ I'm excited for June! It's the beginning of the summer and that means festivals! I'll be playing at Lovebox in London on Friday 15th, which holds a day of huge dance tents, with Rinse, Digital Soundboy Taken from his forthcoming ‘Warp’ EP on Digital Soundboy, ‘Dots’ brings you something totally different, yet still very much Dismantle. Sticking to his 4/4 70BPM, housey roots, it may be a lot softer on the ears than ‘Warp’, but ‘Dots’ still happily holds a rave. .

ONE TO WATCH ZOO MUSIC

GLOBAL GHETTO ANTHEMS The small city of Lucerne in Switzerland isn’t the sort of place you'd think much would be going on, but don't let this quant mountain city fool you. Global Ghetto Anthems, run by Hood Regulators, has hosted the likes of Mosca, Rustie, OM Unit and Jackmaster. With a capacity of only about 300, it’s very personal and they love to go in on the visuals.

TRASH DANCE This month I present to you the ‘Needs To Be Said’ EP from TOYC & ZULU, forthcoming on my new label Zoo Music! With previous releases on Girls Music and Mimm between them, these two team up to make a dark and tribally EP that’s had support from Mensah and AddisonGroove, and Radio 1 plays from Toddla T. I have high hopes for these guys and I'm glad their part of the Zoo!

Trash Dance takes place about two hours north of Venice, in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy. It may be a small night, but the vibe is anything but. Canblaster, Nightwave, Martelo and Oneman have all blessed the decks at Trash Dance, so if you’re passing through Italy, go check it out!

and Redbull all hosting stages and Hot Chip, Magnetic Man and Sub Focus on the main stage.

Personally, I'd stick around for Chaka Khan on the Sunday!

22 JUNE - TWO INCH PUNCH EP LAUNCH To celebrate his forthcoming ‘Saturn: The Slow Jams’ EP, PMR are putting on a party at Notting Hill Arts Club on 22 June. I first heard TIP’s music last year - tracks like ‘Love You Up’, with its blissful sonics, got my attention straight away! Bristolian duo Velour will be joining him on the night, along with London’s Brey. It's guestlist only, so make sure you check it out online and get your name down!

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Our bass-music buddies over at Urban Nerds drop the latest instalment of their regular page for Trap...

www.urban-nerds.com

Photos: MARC SETHI

After celebrating five years in the game at the end of May, we at the Urban Nerds have a very busy schedule set for the festival season. Below are the best places to catch London’s leading bass brand do what we do best; party!

RATTUS RATTUS HOT 5IVE

Also, to celebrate our 2012 carnival warm-up party on the 25 August, us Nerds are holding a competition for one lucky designer to have his or her design chosen and printed as the next limited-edition tee-shirt design. For more info and rules, go to www.urban-nerds.com/carnival.

FIVE TRACKS THE NERDS RESIDENT CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF… 1. OSCAR LUWEEZ JUNCTION 10 Absolute banger. As simple as that.

29 J u n e - U rban N erds h ost dan ce stage at Lee Fest - Su rrey leefest.org.uk 6 J u ly - U rban N erds h ost Fabri c Roo m 2 - Lo n do n fabriclondon.com 7 J u ly - U rban N erds h ost dance stage at Lou n ge O n Th e Farm - Canterbu ry loungeonthefarm.co.uk 5 August - U rban N erds h ost dan ce stage at Stan do n Calli n g - H ertfo rdsh i re standon-calling.com 25 August - U rban N erds Carn ival warm-u p party - Lo n do n urban-nerds.com/carnival

2. DISCLOSURE WHAT’S IN YOUR HEAD (MAK & PASTEMAN RMX) The original is brilliant, but this remix is sublime.

3. RUDIMENTAL DEEP IN THE VALLEY (WOZ RMX) Woz on the buttons for this remix of the soon-to-be-chart-topping dance act.

4. SEVEN EVOLUTION His new album is so strong, it was hard not to list the whole thing.

It’s just that good.

5. DISMANTLE DESTROY With the VIP of ‘Computation’ on the B-side, this release is pure fire.

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FA S H I

ON 09

M a lyc k : K as h a Wo r d s d en er r a G n o & Jas

yj

UNO ONE ALPHABET SERIES www.unooneprint.com

Design an d p rin t s tu d io U n o On e h a s j o i n e d f o r ce s w i th one of Tra p ’s fa vo u rite a rtis ts , Da d d i s o n , to b r i n g yo u a unique s e rie s o f co lla b o ra ti ve te e s . Fo l l o w i n g th e alphabet, e a ch te e is re le a se d i n a l i mi te d r u n o f 20 w ith a diffe re n t d e s ign e r le n d i n g th e i r s tyl e a n d skill-set to e a ch le tte r.

So far, as w e ll a s in -h o u s e gr a p h i cs , w e ’ve s e e n Ba k e Designs ta k e o n ‘B’, w h ich ca me w i th a ma tch i n g to te bag, and clo th in g a ficio n a d o s Do n u ts b r i n gi n g yo u ‘D’, complete w ith d ip -d ye d h e ml i n e . K e e p a n e ye o n th e i r website f o r th e re le a s e o f yo u r f a vo u r i te l e tte r.

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SCHWOOD SUNGLASSES Oregon based Schwood has added further styles to its extensive collection of wooden eyewear. Known for their unique craftsmanship, Schwood frames are constructed in the USA entirely from precious wood and Carl Zeiss lenses.

Our favourite style is the Canby, which boasts a classy take on the standard wayfarer.

WAH NAILS BOOK If you are a big fan of jazzy nails and haven’t already picked up your copy of Wah Nails’ Book of Nail Art, then you need to have a word with yourself. The original pioneer of this massive trend, Sharmadean Reid, advises you on everything from prep to finish, and the book is packed with jaw-dropping designs and projects you can attempt yourself. Go get your nails D-I-Y did.

THE RAGGED PRIEST The Ragged Priest has been causing quite a stir lately those super sexy hot pants Rihanna has been rocking didn’t stud themselves you know! With an ability to take hold of a trend and whip it into a vintage fashion frenzy, these guys have everything you need to stylishly take you through festival season.

Mix it up with dip-dyed pastel shirts and bleached denim or be fearless and go in on RiRi’s bejewelled batty riders.

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

FA S H

015

ION 09

VANS VAN DORAN Just in time to see you through the season, Vans has delved into its archives and switched up some of the brand’s most iconic styles for the next in the series of the Van Doren collection. Featuring re-issued prints available in the Era, SK-8 Hi and Slip-On shapes, there’s a pair for every Vans junkie.

LEVI’S COMMUTER Levi's has just unveiled its new ‘Commuter’ line, offering a functional solution for the fixie crew. There’s an altered Trucker jacket featuring elongated cuffs, reflective trim and a drop tail for added coverage, and then there’s the 511 Skinny, which feature reflective stripes on the turn up and a D-lock supporting waistband.

DQM SHORTS NYC's Dave's Quality Meats has a tidy little line-up of 10oz canvas shorts that are perfect for the summer months.

Available in two tonal colour-ways of olive and tobacco, these shorts are a day-to-night staple.

LOVE

Whether you’re reaching every festival your bank account will allow this summer, or just off abroad for a week or so in the sun, your trusty smartphone will no doubt be going with you. Here’s Trap’s pick of some of our favourite accessories to help you get the most out of your phone - and your summer!

PHONE

INCASE That iPhone in your pocket is worth too much not to make sure it’s properly – and stylishly – protected while you’re frolicking in fields and basking on the beach this summer.

There are literally thousands of covers and cases out there, but these from American company Incase really caught our eye.

Check their website for more styles and colours than you can imagine...

HINTER LENS SYSTEM For the Instagram addicts out there, this tidy case/lens combo from British brand Hinter should help your photos stand out from the hipster crowd. Cleverly combining an iPhone case with a set of three lenses, which attach via a screw mount on the case, you can forget taking a stand-alone camera away with you, as this should be all you need. With macro, wide-angle and fish-eye lenses all included, you can bring some really dramatic effects to your photos, and leave your Instagram buddies gasping at your new-found artistry!

Currently only available for iPhone, but with a Galaxy version promised soon, along with lens filters and a telephoto, make sure you keep checking the Hinter website for more!

MINIRIG Most of us don’t have separate mp3 players anymore, opting instead to keep our precious music permanently by our sides, stowed on our phones. And while the in-built speakers on most phones are pretty decent these days, there’s one very important thing they all lack – BASS. The Minirig is the best speaker solution for phones and mp3 players we have come across.

Lovingly hand-built in the UK, this little badboy needs to be heard to be believed.

Constructed from sturdy aluminium, and rechargeable with a battery life of 50 hours, the only drawback for those travelling with a Minirig is its weight – but it’s a price worth paying for bass-heavy, beautiful sound, straight out of your phone!

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Trap welcomes back Bristol skateboarding institution fifty fifty for another rundown on the latest happenings in their world...

WWW.5050STORE.COM

NEWS At the end of May, four riders from the fifty fifty team competed in an invite-only jam at the newly developed Kennington Bowl in London.

The team made the final and ended up in fourth place, battling the likes of Slam City and Supreme.

The refurbishment of Kennington, which is one of the oldest parks in London, was carried out by Converse, who staged this event as the official opening jam. Once again, a big up to Korahn Gayle , Flynn Trotman , Tom Gibbs and the newest rider to be added to the roster, Phil Parker - they repped Bristol hard in this one!! Expect to see a “Hold tight London” edit up from this event soon.

Late May also saw the premier of the new Skateboard Café promo and in-store product launch. There were two showings of the film, which the entire Bristol scene has been working on. Check the Harry Olgilvie part that’s shot as close to the store as you can get, and also the section featuring the first out-of-town Skateboard Café recruit Shaun Currie. The entire new line of Skateboard Café hardware and apparel is available now.

Finally, the Bristol Urban Sport exhibition at the M-Shed gallery is now open, so if your passing these ways, be sure to check it out.

The mini-ramp will be up at the start of June, with riders from the store doing demos and running a skate jam on the weekend of 16 and 17 June.

NEW FIFTY FIFTY WEBSITE We are excited to tell you that our new online store is now up and running. It’s taken a lot of time and hard work, but we all wanted a website that we felt reflected fifty fifty online. The site includes a brand new blog, where you can catch up on what the team have been up to and all the recent goings on in the store. Make sure you check it out.

fresh to death

Four brands we’re rating this month.

You can find all of these in store or online at www.5050store.com

CONVERSE SKATEBOARDING

SKULLS

Still relatively new, Converse Skateboarding is now on its second instalment. The brand already has pro models from heavy hitters Anthony Pappalardlo, Kenny Anderson and Nick Trappasso, as well as bunch of reworked classics for the team shoes.

Skater-owned independent Skulls was established in Barcelona and has now relocated to Brooklyn, NYC .The brand focuses on the 5-panel camp cap, which seems to be growing in popularity at a quick pace, although it’s always been our favourite style of cap!

The ‘Elm’ is a new introduction to the range, and is a simple but very effective price-point shoe. Featured here is the smoke grey version. With the line expanding every season, we expect big things from Converse.

Skulls produces a wide array of designs, but is renowned for all-over prints as seen on the ‘Mia’ , ‘Un Peru’ and ‘Postage’ this season. The caps are all handmade in the USA and are produced in small runs, so they never stay on the shelves for long.

GLASSY SUN HATERS

ORCHARD

Owned and operated by skater Mike Mo Capaldi and his brother Vince, Glassy Sun Haters already have a heavy hitting roster, with pro shades from Mike Mo and Stefan Janoski in the first line that’s now out. As well as the pro shades, there are a bunch of nice colourway team shades in four varying styles, using different finishes and lense options. This is a rad shades brand with a very reasonable price tag to match.

Another skater-owned brand, this time out of Boston, USA. Orchard has concentrated on its own brand products heavily and come through with some very nice pieces in a great selection of materials and prints, including the line of 5-panel camp caps featured here.

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MJ Cole is a garage legend. Here, he reveals the ten tracks he’ll love forever...

GOING IN DEEP

MJ COLE LTJ BUKEM – ‘MUSIC’ This record says everything about the latter half of my raving days. Reminds me of sitting out in the sun on the Greek islands, or driving back from raves at 8 in the morning. This is liquid, fresh-air style. Warm pads, classic drums and a minimalist style chime that cements it all together.

MASTERS AT WORK FT INDIA – ‘TO BE IN LOVE’ I had the honour of remixing this record at one time. It's always been a favourite of mine. The Kenny and Louis skippy drums with live bass and soulful vocals really inspired some of my earlier music. Another summer favourite. Classic.

ANGIE STONE – ‘WISH I DIDN'T MISS YOU’ Summer is here and this track brings back memories of 2002. I was soaked with garage at the time and this was the perfect antidote. Masterfully smooth and a very solid use of a great sample - something I didn't realise until later.

THE TOMMY CHASE QUARTET – ‘THE MESSAGE’ Stumbled across this in an ex girlfriend's record collection when I was about 16. It's always rung true to me. She liked Super Noodles - I liked jazz noodlings. We both liked the other.

HYPER ON EXPERIENCE – ‘LORDS OF THE NULL LINES’ (FOUL PLAY RMX) This takes me back to my bedroom DJ days. I was busy playing classical music at the time and never thought the turntables would become part of my life. This was a cheeky 10" back in the early 90s; everyone loves a dubplatesized piece of vinyl. Impresses your mates, too.

TOWER OF POWER – ‘WHAT IS HIP’ (1973)’ The ultimate funk workout. The videos of live versions of this online are unreal. Pure musicianship, pure funk.

The tightest horn section in existence. I played keys in a funk band at one time and this was always the jam. Written before I was born; I'm not that old after all.

RADIOHEAD – ‘JIGSAW FALLING INTO PLACE’ Have always been a massive fan of Radiohead. ‘In Rainbows’ is one of their top albums; it stands up to repeated listens, on so many levels.

Reminds me of slogging it out at the gym, and has been a permanent fixture on my iPod for years now.

D'ANGELO – ‘BROWN SUGAR’ The master. Highly influential on my productions in the late 90s.

I challenge you to let this pass you by without a head nod. Amazing groove, vocally astounding, musically next level.

MADEON – ‘ICARUS’ A much more recent record. There's loads of this kind of gear around, but this is the one that does it for me, and I’ve been known to slip this into my sets of late. Really fuses well with some of the more skippy four-to-thefloor stuff. I especially love the majestic flourish of chords at the start. So bright, so colourful, so good.

ERYKAH BADU – ‘OTHER SIDE OF THE GAME’ Another groove from heaven. Pure American class. Tight as anything. I love the lyrical content of this - she's so in love with the wrong kind of guy.

Quality Fender Rhodes playing too.

DUSKY DOGMATIK

MISANTHROP NEOSIGNAL

MARTELO NTS

1. HEAD HIGH – ‘RAVE’ (POWER

1. NEOSIGNAL – ‘MOTOR’

1. JESSIE WARE – ‘110%’ (PMR)

HOUSE)

(NEOSIGNAL)

2. MONO/POLY – ‘CREW’ VIP

2. DUSKY – ‘FLO JAM’ (DOGMATIK)

2. NOISIA & THE UPBEATS -

(HIT+RUN)

3. LUCA LOZANO – ‘SOUL123’

‘DUSTUP’ (VISION)

3. LIL SILVA – ‘WHO HURT YOU’

(KLASSE RECORDINGS)

3. PHACE & MISANTHROP –

(LS WHITES)

4. JOHN CONVEX FT DBRIDGE –

‘PROGRESSION’ (NEOSIGNAL)

4. FANTASTIC MR FOX –

‘LIED TO BE LOVED’ (3024)

4. NOISIA & PHACE – ‘IMPERIAL’

‘SPEAK NUH’ (BLACK ACRE)

5. DUSKY – ‘HENRY 85’ (SIMPLE

(VISION)

5. ZEBRA KATZ X BOYFRIEND –

RECORDINGS)

5. KOAN SOUND - ‘MEANWHILE IN

‘WINTER TITTY’ (LENKEMZ RMX)

6. JASON GROVE – ‘RAW IN 92’

THE FUTURE’ (OWSLA)

(SENSELESS RECORDS)

(SKYLAX RECORDS)

6. NOISIA - ‘TRYHARD’ (VISION)

6. XXYYXX – ‘ABOUT YOU’

7. GEORGE FITZGERALD – ‘CHILD’

7. PHACE - ‘SYSTEME MÉCANIQUE’

(RELIEF IN ABSTRACT RECORDS)

(AUS MUSIC)

(NEOSIGNAL)

7. FAT TRELL – ‘RESPECT WIT THE

8. A1 BASSLINE – ‘SOUL BEAT

8. MEFJUS - ‘DISTANTIA’

TECH’ (UNKNOWN)

RUNNING’ (CDR)

(NEODIGITAL)

8. MIGUEL – ‘CANDLES IN THE SUN,

9. OKAIN – ‘O'CLOCK’ (GERD'S DEEP

9. EMPEROR - ‘THE FIRE’ (DUB)

BLOWIN IN THE WIND’

MIX) (TSUBA)

10. ALIX PEREZ & ROCKWELL -

(UNKNOWN)

10. HECTOR COUTO – ‘ADO SADO’

‘BALLBAG’ (NEOSIGNAL)

9. BAUER – ‘MY NOSE’ (UNKNOWN)

(BRISE RECORDS)

10. SOUTH LONDON ORDNANCE – ‘SANCTUARY’ (2ND DROP)

SEVEN BLACK BOX 1. SEVEN – ‘MORNING LIGHT’ (BLACK BOX) 2. SEVEN – ‘CAME TO PLAY’ (BLACK BOX) 3. BIOME & DEMON – ‘INCUBUS’ (DUB) 4. CHEWIE – ‘SOLICE’ (UPRISE AUDIO) 5. DUBTEK – ‘PLUS ULTRA’ (UPRISE AUDIO) 6. SEVEN – ‘TWILIGHT HORIZONS’ (BLACK BOX) 7. JAY KENZO – ‘INVADERS’ (TEMPA) 8. IPMAN – ‘RADIATE’ (SUBWAY) 9. SEVEN – ‘BREATHE’ (BLACK BOX) 10. BEN VERSE – ‘TIGER FOOT’ (CRUNCH)

EATS EVERYTHING FUTUREBOOGIE 1. EATS EVERYTHING – ‘JAGGED EDGE’ (PETS) 2. JUSTIN MARTIN – ‘RUFF STUFF’ (DIRTYBIRD) 3. JUSTIN MARTIN – ‘MOLOKINI’ DIRTYBIRD) 4. DUKE DUMONT – ‘STREETWALKER’ (TURBO) 5. KERRI CHANDLER – ‘BACK TO THE RAW’ (DEEPLY ROOTED HOUSE) 6. CHAMBOCHE – ‘SMOKE SCREEN’ (KRL RMX) (UNDER THE SHADE) 7. EATS EVERYTHING – ‘THIS ELBOW’ (PETS) 8. F.U.S.E, LFO – ‘LOOP’ (PLUS 8 RECORDS) 9. UFFE – ‘LEAVE SOON’ (CATZ N DOGZ RMX) (MORE MUSIC) 10. AND.ID – ‘AIR’ (MOBILEE)

SWINDLE BUTTERZ 1. JOKER – ‘OLD ERA’ (KAPSIZE) 2. MALA – ‘CALLE F’ (DEEP MEDI) 3. JOKER – ‘SKITTA’ (KAPSIZE) 4. ROSKA FT RUBY GOE – ‘MEMORIES’ (RINSE) 5. ROYAL T – ‘INSIDE THE RIDE’ (RINSE) 6. PREDITAH – ‘NOSEY PARKER’ ( DUB) 7. CHAMPION – ‘CRYSTAL METH’ (BUTTERZ) 8. BOK BOK – ‘SILO PASS’ (SPYRO RMX)’ (DUB) 9. L-WIZ – ‘N’BELIEVABLE BLITZ’ (DUB) 10. R1 RYDERS – ‘LOW TREAD’ (DUB)

01

INTRODUCING TWO FRESH TALENTS WE’RE TIPPING FOR THE TOP...

MY NAME IS...

KOAN SOUND YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW US FOR...

Releasing music under several labels over the past few years, DJing in Bristol and beyond, or winning the National Harmonica championship in 2001.

WE’D DESCRIBE THE MUSIC WE MAKE AS...

No-one likes trying to describe their music in one sentence but I suppose the two words that spring to mind would be funky and techy.

WHEN WE’RE NOT WORKING, YOU’LL FIND US...

Listening to music; chilling with friends; pursuing our photography careers via Instagram.

WHEN WE WERE YOUNGER, WE DREAMED OF BEING...

Professional gamers. We’re keeping the dream alive.

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IF WE WEREN’T DOING MUSIC, WE’D...

Probably still be living at home and/or lurking around the Job Centre with a bottle of White Ace. OUR MUSICAL GUILTY PLEASURE IS...

Daniel Bedingfield – ‘Gotta Get Thru This’. Or anything in that vein for that matter.

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT...

We used to be a trio of DJ/Producers under the name of ‘Bristol Rootical Ninja Soundsystem’. Never quite got around to building the rig though...

IN 12 MONTH’S TIME...

Hopefully we’ll have travelled the world further and visited places like Japan and South America. And released an album. Maybe. @koansound www.koansound.com

02

MY NAME IS...

DISMANTLE YOU MAY ALREADY KNOW ME FOR...

Making weird bleepy sounds - that and probably ‘Computation’.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD TO ME IS...

This sounds very clichéd, but probably my family and friends.

I’D DESCRIBE THE MUSIC I MAKE AS...

Kick drums with weird bleepy sounds!

MY MUSICAL GUILTY PLEASURE IS...

I sing ‘Barbie Girl’ with a hairbrush.

WHEN I’M NOT WORKING, YOU’LL FIND ME...

At the pub, or on twitter. Or both!

WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I DREAMED OF BEING...

A footballer and then a skater. I think most people my age can agree with me here.

IF I WASN’T DOING MUSIC, I’D...

Be down the Job Centre right now.

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT...

I've skydived from 15,000 ft, and I'm not a keen flyer.

THE BEST ADVICE I’VE EVER HAD IS...

'Buy a pair of turntables', I guess.

IN 12 MONTH’S TIME...

I'll probably still not have left the pub. @dismantle_ggd TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

023

MUSICAL YOUTH.

DISCLOSURE

WORDS: MIKE ROBERTS PHOTOS: EDWIGE HAMBEN

Successfully sculpting an innovative sound that rapidly becomes the staple of the electronic underground, whilst also evoking the trendy ear of student-land and tastefully venturing into popular territory is no easy feat. South-London siblings Guy and Howard Lawrence, aka Disclosure, have created a full bodied style that’s done exactly that.

Brandishing a fresh amalgamation of sizzling, vocal-tinged 2step garage and deeply sexy bass-licked house has seen these two youngsters from Redhill meteorically emerge as some of the hottest property around, with a rich line of tastemakers including Pete Tong and Annie Mac all enraptured by their productions.

Evolving swiftly from a couple of young brothers putting out their music for free on Facebook last year, to a pioneering production duo supporting SBTRKT on tour, being called up to remix everybody from Jessie Ware to Emile Sande and releasing new material on Greco-Roman, the pair are clearly set on turning more than a few heads in 2012.

Guy, being the elder of the pair, takes the lead here as they chat to Trap Magazine about their influences, inspirations and what's in store this year...…

TRAP_Sorry to begin with this, as we’re sure you're constantly asked, but how old are you guys?

GUY: I'm 20.

HOWARD: And I'm 18, as of like two days ago.

TRAP_Do you think your youth has anything to do with the sudden hype and fascination?

G: Definitely, yeah. I think most people are really quite impressed that we’re so young and everyone seems to say that we have a really mature sound for our age. Generally, though, I think most producers are getting younger.

H: It’s so easy to produce these days, just on your laptop, so it's shouldn't be so much of a big deal really.

TRAP_Things have changed rapidly for you two - where were you and what were you up to this time last year?

G: This time last year, we’d just put out our EP on Facebook, where you had to like our fan-page to download it for free. That unexpectedly went crazy. We'd also just started live shows abroad and performing in Europe. I guess we're still kind of doing that really, but just bigger.

TRAP_So what’s your musical background? And when did you officially create Disclosure?

G: We've always kind of made beats together, but when I was in college I played in a band just with my mates, you know... We'd just play house parties and that for a laugh. I play drums and guitar and stuff and it was good fun, but it had to end when all this [Disclosure] kicked off last year really.

TRAP_Who is one artist that really compelled you to start producing electronic music?

G: I caught a guest mix from James Blake, Joy Orbison and Pearson Sound on a Mary Ann Hobbs show a few years back that really got me excited and hooked on that sound. And then we started hearing artists like Burial and Floating Points, who I guess were the first guys that really started inspiring us.

TRAP_The EP you made available for free on Facebook, how has that helped you and your career?

G: It was a huge blessing in disguise. Although we wanted to sell it, we didn't have any money to clear the samples and didn't want to risk officially releasing it, so we put it out for free and we gained something like ten thousand fans, so it was well, well worth it.

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“U SWAEN DJ UOSUT RMMA KA TE EMS URSEI CA LFLOY R. . .

IT TURNS OUT A LOT MORE PEOPLE LIKE IT. DISCLOSURE

”

TRAP_Did you expect it to blow up so big?

G: Nahhh, not at all, no way, it's been mad.

H: We don't really expect anything from our music.

G: We just make music for us and our mates really. It turns out a lot more people than just us and our mates like it.

TRAP_Your Jessie Ware remix has been massively hyped and praised. How did the collaboration come about?

G: Jessie came to one of our shows in Brixton where we met her. We then got sent the promo for ‘Running’, which we instantly knew we could remix and that the vocal would sit well on one of our tracks. We get asked to remix a lot and we turn down quite a lot, but once we hear the right vocal we know we can make it work. With that track, we automatically knew what we wanted to do before we'd even started.

H: She's coming out to Ibiza with us to perform live, which should be really amazing.

TRAP_Supporting SBTRKT on his recent tour must have been a highlight for you?

G: Yeah, it was great... it was a perfect match. I think we have elements of his sound in what we make, not intentionally, but we kind of get put in the same bracket. It was pretty cool to step out and perform to a SBTRKT crowd each night because we knew most of them would be into what we do. It was like no fear really, which was sick.

H: SBTRKT and Sampha, they're both really nice guys and we learned so much from being on tour with them.

TRAP_What direction are you looking to take your own live show?

G: Set-up wise, we're trying to get it more like SBTRKT. I play drums so I want to bring in that and we're working with vocalists, so we want to make sure that’s in there too.

TRAP_Where do you draw your influences from, past and present?

G: Over the past year, we've kind of gone back in time a bit more...

So, guys who were making music when we were like nine or 10 or something are big influences now, guys making 90s garage and deep Detroit house. It's weird how our influences are going backwards really.

TRAP_Your new EP came out on Greco-Roman on 4 June. How has your sound progressed since the free EP last year?

G: The speed is definitely slowing down; everything is slowing down to lower than 140bpm. I guess if you want to call it house, you could; we're definitely working the house beats now.

TRAP_You've recently been added to bill of one of the biggest dance festivals going, Global Gathering. How does that feel?

G: Yeah, really excited. We've never been there before so we're definitely looking forward to that one. Our whole summer is looking great.

TRAP_What other festivals are you performing at this year and which are you looking forward to the most?

G: Festival wise, to be honest, we don't really want to do too many this year because we kind of want to peak next year when we will be putting our album out, so when that happens that's when we want to hit all the festivals. But we're doing Outlook in Croatia this year and Secret Garden Party is my favourite festival ever and we're playing there, so that should be great. Then, in August, we're doing Space in Ibiza - that should be really amazing too.

TRAP_Lastly, what's your one top tune/artist tip at the moment?

G: George FitzGerald’s track ‘Child’.

H: Paleman and Squarehead are both making some sick stuff, too.

G: Yeah watch out for them!

T h e Fa c e E P i s o u t n o w o n G r e c o - R o m a n R e c o r d s TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

027

TWO INCH PUNCH the search for that new sound WO R D S

Oli Marlow

“

Fo r t h e fi rst t i m e, I j u st decided to do something t h at wa s m e . .

TWO INCH PUNCH

Next time you’re out in a crowded town centre, look around at the people either side of you. Some of them have known what they wanted from day one. Remember that kid who was 15 and had already found his girlfriend for life? He’s still happy now; dude is married, chuffed and comfortably living two streets down from his old dears. Then there’s you… chances are you probably haven’t found every last thing that you’re looking for, no matter how old you are. It can take people a whole lifetime to really tie themselves to something; to perfectly find a routine, method or purpose that they can truly call their own.

Good musicians are the same; they’re never happy, always pushing and plucking at things, testing out new chord phrases, structures or mediums. So, when one of them finds a particular soundset that they’re pleased enough to call their own, it’s kind of a big deal; a new world that's ready to explore and populate with nuggets of sound. That's how I picture it anyway. Some people are happy to rework the same beat over and over and maybe, I dunno, just reverse the vocal samples so they sound different but stay in the same key.

Ben Ash is one guy from the former camp, a producer who gets excited at the notion of his own ‘sound’, and rightly so.

As Two Inch Punch, Ash released one of the most delightfully mournful records of 2011 with the ‘Love You Up’ EP. Dropping on PMR, it was tied by association to the work of labelmates Julio Bashmore and L-Vis 1990, but it was uniquely different; a tortured exploration of conventional, three and a half minute pop songwriting set atop embellished hip-hop instrumentals that blurted emotion out of every synth lick or choked vocal phrase.

“When I first did those tracks I wrote them on nothing really,” Ash tells Trap over a skype line on one of the hottest days of the year yet. “It was a new project I did for fun and it just started to grow and develop. I was actually writing for other people for ages but it was never really quite right, like it didn’t fit because I was always trying to do what I thought they wanted or what their sound was. But then, for the first time, I just decided to do something that was me.”

A producer in the traditional sense - a central figure directing the songwriting and driving the recording processes – Ash took stock of some of his favourite artists and their audible calling cards, citing DJ Premier and Neptunes as two obvious examples.

“I was writing for all kinds of stuff,” he continues when pushed on those past collaborations. “It was all on whim. The biggest thing I did was a beat for Lil Wayne, which he rapped on but it never came out. I only heard it played back to me down the phone, they wouldn’t give me a copy. I didn’t have a sound yet, so there was no reason that people would come to me. I was just doing stuff and hoping it would work. It didn’t have an identity; it didn’t really feel like anything, so that’s why I decided to do Two Inch Punch and just set up my own thing and try and get a sound that people would want.”

“I don’t really listen to tons and tons of electronic music,” he continues. “I’ve sort of been put in that bracket somehow but really, everything I do and have listened to has all been song based; whether it’s The Beatles, some Motown or even various aspects of hip-hop, which is more sort of verse/chorus format.”

With Ash not really locked into the cyclical transience of electronic dance music circles, over time he was able to establish something that he was totally happy with, which resulted in that first EP; a collection of songs that shared a tonal familiarity with each other as well as a similar sentiment.

One of the most overwhelming things about Two Inch Punch’s songs is just how downbeat they feel, even when they're paced up a bit. And given the loose shroud of mystery (he didn’t have an exhaustative biog or cliched press shot) around him when that first EP emerged, you’d be forgiven for half expecting him to be hard work. But, in person he’s positively chipper, talking incredibly fast through the formal part of the interview like it’s not something he’s entirely used to just yet.

“I remember back in the day, in the 90s and stuff, there was a couple of bands I was really into and you couldn’t just go online and find images of them. All there was was the one photo on their album and that’s all you had, you didn’t know anything else about them. It made reading interviews and seeing them live much more exciting, whereas now you think ‘that’s a nice track’, go online and find out everything about them. It kinda kills the mystery a little bit. It can kinda ruin it y’know?”

With his second EP, ‘Saturn: The Slow Jams’, due out on PMR later this summer Ash will soon be entering into another promotional phase that’ll no doubt take him away from the seclusion and security of his studio and expose him to the world. You get the impression after talking to him for half an hour that he’s crafted a certain level of comfort for himself, able to really explore the depths of his own sound-set, so it’s interesting to learn how much he relies and feeds off the collaborative process: “What I’ve always really wanted to do is just write and produce and that’s been my main thing, but I don’t sing. Like, I’ll do some backing vocals, but I always try and get inspiration from another vocalist, so I always need someone to work with. It’s always gonna be me producing for them, that’s the natural thing and I’m comfortable doing that now because I’ve got a sound, that thing that I wanted, so when I go in to a session people know what to expect from me.”

Having already committed to an album, and with his new EP being preceed by the ‘Paint It Red’ single, a duo of collaborations on Javeon McCarthy’s forthcoming PMR EP and a remix for Wacka Flocka Flame, it would seem that the world’s yet to be that privileged in its expectation. Like I said before, most people don't even know what they want… ‘ S at u r n : T h e S l o w J a m s ’ E P i s o u t s o o n o n P M R .

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

02 9

S U B F O C U S taking control WORDS:

Jon Cook

PHOTOS: Laura

Lewis

A

s any regular reader of Trap will know, hidden away deep in the basement of central London’s opulent County Hall building sit the studios of many of bass music’s biggest stars. We at Trap have found ourselves here before, awaiting our cover star, confounded by the contrast between the music represented by the rows of platinum discs spanning the walls of the PWL studios (belonging to one Pete Waterman) and that of the artist we’ve come to meet.

Today is no different, and although we’ve seen it before, the sight of hundreds of glimmering discs bearing the names of some of the most famous pop songs of modern times is breathtaking. Surrounded by so much inspiration and success, it’s no surprise that the individuals who occupy the building’s studios have each been instrumental in taking underground bass-driven music to unprecedented heights over recent years; producing for major artists, headlining festivals and taking it in turns to dent the UK Top Forty with their own bass-heavy productions.

Chase & Status, Breakage, Nero, Shy FX and Caspa can all be found here on any given day, working away in their soundproofed rooms, exchanging ideas and plotting the music you’ll be hearing next year.

And so can Nick Douwma, better known as Sub Focus - the man we’ve come to meet today ahead of the arrival of his second album and a festival-packed summer of live shows, and who’s gone from producing drum & bass in his bedroom to signing to a major label and touring the planet with his genre busting, bass-focused sound.

030

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

“I moved here about three years ago,” explains Nick as we take a seat in his studio, being careful not to knock over the vintage Korg and Moog synths leaning against the wall. “I started coming here when I was working on my first album; I’d come down here to Chase & Status’s studio and they’d help me out with vocals, as I only had a small studio at home.

“The vibe here, it felt nice, and what attracted me most was having likeminded people around – Chase & Status and Shy FX were here, then Nero moved in, then Breakage and Caspa.

There’s a really great group of us here; having that exchange of ideas, talking about things playing each other music. It’s a creative atmosphere; we’re all artists who, in our own ways, are trying to push the envelope a bit.

“That was especially the case when I first moved in; we were all people that were taking a bit of a chance and moving outside of what we were known for. Shy was one of the first people from D&B to start playing dubstep in his sets, and obviously it was the same with Chase & Status. It was great, because back then, when things were still quite segregated musically, we all encouraged each other to play whatever we wanted to in our sets.”

In today’s multi-genre world, where D&B, dubstep, house and everything in between can now all sit comfortably aside one another not just on a line-up or in a DJ’s set, but also in the hearts of the fans, it seems bizarre to think that just a few short years ago, dance music was a strictly schismatic school.

And while Nick is keen to praise the likes of Chase & Status and Shy FX for their work in smashing down the barriers between genres, his own role in all this shouldn’t be underplayed.

With an obvious melodic influence taken from house and electro, even the earliest Sub Focus tracks made clear that this was a producer with influences from far beyond just drum & bass. But while tracks such as 2006’s ‘Airplane’ and later ‘Time Warp’ made it clear this was a producer with little regard for convention, it’s only since the release of his self-titled debut album in 2009 that Sub Focus has evolved from being just another D&B producer and DJ, to a dance music artist in his own right, playing and producing tracks across genres.

And while his most recent single, April’s ‘Out The Blue’ was another piece of classic Sub Focus electro-tinged D&B, last year’s ‘Falling Down’ definitely wasn’t.

A ten-tonne slab of outrageously produced floor-serving dubstep, the track not only helped widely establish the Sub Focus name beyond just D&B, it also caught the attention of a certain American dubstep megastar...

“I released ‘Falling Down’ as a free download last year, but we’ve just put out the remixes on OWSLA, which is Skrillex’s label,” Nick explains. “That’s a great thing – I’d played it to Sunny [Skrillex] when he was here in the UK and he was really into it. We kept in touch afterwards, I always see him at various things and he was keen to release the track, so I ended up doing a VIP version and getting a couple of remixes done – it all worked really well.”

“I didn’t want to be trapped in drum & bass.”

With a Skrillex supported dubstep banger only just behind him, and a vocal led D&B track currently lighting up the Radio One playlist, where does Sub Focus see himself as a producer in 2012?

“For the last few years, I’ve been trying to make sure people don’t see me as a producer of one style,” he answers

immediately. “It’s not very nice to feel like you can only do one thing. I was in bands and stuff as a kid, so I’ve always been into a lot of different music, but became known for making D&B. So for the last three of four years, I’ve been making and releasing multi-genre stuff. I just want to be known as a dance music producer and I try to keep a common thread running through the tunes; a prominent bassline, riffs, catchy elements. I like to think my tracks, regardless of genre, have a sound that ties them together.

“But yeah, I like it now, the crowds accept it, which wasn’t always the case. I love playing mixed genres sets. I listen to a lot of house music, and electronic music in general. I love ambient music like Vangelis and Brian Eno, and there’s a pile of cheesy 1980s boogie there,” he says pointing to a stack of CDs on his desk, “I just love electronic music.”

In today’s open-minded musical landscape, such affections are nothing to be ashamed of. However, back in the deeply tribal days of the late-90s and early part of the last decade, where any self-respecting dance music fan was typically devoted to just one genre, admitting you liked Brian Eno or 80s boogie would have been considered near blasphemy. And no school of dance music was more puritanical than drum & bass. With that in mind, was Nick one of those D&B kids that never listened to anything else?

“Definitely for a bit,” he confirms. “I remember it was D&B versus garage for a while. It’s funny because I’ve started playing a lot of garage again recently in my sets. But D&B was the one, I started collecting vinyl in 1997, and I was predominantly listening to D&B. My tastes slowly began to broaden out again later, and I started to really want people to hear my other genre stuff, and then in the late-2000s I started to release that stuff.”

So you wanted to prove to people you could do more than just drum & bass?

“I didn’t want to be trapped in it,” he says. “And doing other stuff keeps it more exciting; it’s so much better nowadays.

I can play across the board; house, dubstep, D&B, and everyone accepts the music. I feel like the shackles are off!”

As we’ve already mentioned, Sub Focus isn’t just playing all sorts of styles and tempos in his sets; he’s producing them too. With an album due later this year, we’re keen to hear more about what we should expect from a producer who now feels free to fully express himself.

“The album is pencilled in for October, but there’s no name for it just yet,” Nick explains, clearly guarded about giving too much away. “I want it to be a continuation of what I started with the first album. The best way for me to describe it is how it’s different from before. There’s more songs, more vocals; I prefer to work with unknown vocalists, but I’ve done a track with Kele from Bloc Party. And this album is more evenly weighted between tempos. There’s some D&B, some dubstep, some house music, so it’s an even mix. When I put out my first album, I was nervous of the reaction to the other genres that were on there, but now it feels like I want to just do as much different stuff as possible. I can do what I like now; I’m in complete control.”

Like any artist working in any medium, control of his craft is understandably of paramount importance to Nick, a fact made clear as he talks us through the improvements he’s made to the live show he’s been touring over the last year and that he’ll be carting around various European festivals this summer.

“It’s so easy to turn up with records or, in my case, USB sticks. My entire set is on there!” he says holding up the Angry Birds USB key he’s been fiddling with throughout the interview.

“I wanted to do something more. The main motivation is having control of the whole experience and getting over to people your brand; I love acts like Justice that create a world around their brand and have such a strong visual identity. That’s what I strive for.

“We’ve just updated the show,” he continues. “We’ve created a 3D version of the installation we were using before; we’ve got three interlocking discs of LEDs, one of which is tilted forwards. It’s a lot bigger than the last show. We’ve just started touring with it and it’s going really well. We’re using a lot of new technology for the show; I enjoy what the possibilities are. I’m using two iPads with bespoke software on that give me the ability to sequence and re-arrange the track on the fly; it’s live remixing of the tracks.

“And I’ve had these two motion sensors made. They’re two boxes, above which are invisible beams in which you can move your hand to control, a bit like a Theramin. So I can bring in the bass or change the pitch of a sound just by moving my hands around, which is mad. We’ve also got sections of the set where the instruments are transmitting stuff to the lights, so I can use the motion sensors to turn the lights on or off. I’m trying to do a live show, but in a futuristic way that feels right for my music. I thought we could go down the band route, but it would feel sort of wrong to have my music played by a drummer. I love electronics and I love the beat being totally steady and sounding like the record. So I wanted to think of ways to perform it but still have that electronic element there.

“We’re trying to really push the envelope. I love having that control over the visuals as well as the sound; like I said, the whole experience. We’re doing, Lovebox then Radio One big weekend in Hackney, Global Gathering, Creamfields, Bestival, EXIT, Hideout, Pukkelpop in Belgium. A really good run, and we can use the new installation and new music. It’s gonna be great to play it for the first time; there are a lot of new tracks from the album in the live set.”

With all this going on, and an album to finish, we can’t help but think Nick must have better things to do with his time than talk to Trap for hours. With his brain picked and our curiosity sated, we thank the Londoner for his time and get up to leave.

Walking out with us through the vast gold-disc packed PWL studios, and with the likes of Breakage, Chase & Status, Nero and Shy FX all working away behind closed doors, we can’t help but comment on how crazy it is that so many producers from a scene that was once considered the antithesis of commerciality, D&B, have taken over the charts in recent years.

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Nick agrees as he scans his thumbprint through the biometric entry system. “I’m not sure why that it is, but then, I guess coming from a scene like D&B that was so marginalised and anti-mainstream, you feel like you have something to prove. Maybe coming from a scene like that, you strive more for recognition. But then, personally, I hate the idea of being typecast as someone that can only do one thing.

I guess I’m quite competitive; I want to prove to people that I can do it all.”

Sub Focus’s second album is due in October.

Catch his live show at EXIT, Hideout, Bestival, One Big Weekend and more.

WWW.SUBFOCUS.COM

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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KING OF PAINT

You don’t need to have watched that recent cringe-inducing episode of The Apprentice to know that street art is big news these days - and nowhere more so than in the dishevelled, graff-daubed streets of Trap’s home city of Bristol.

Among the first places outside of New York to take the discipline of graffiti to its heart in the 1980s, Bristol is now considered to be one of the art-form’s true spiritual homes, as any visitor to the city will quickly discover when wondering its streets.

But no matter how big or popular it becomes, every artistic movement needs an epicentre, a place for its practitioners to meet, talk and demonstrate their talents. Since opening in late 2010, that’s exactly what Bristol’s King Of Paint has become.

Stocking everything the budding or professional street artist could need, and hosting regular exhibitions on their extensive gallery walls, King Of Paint has built a rep not just a hub for the vibrant local scene, but as one of the best places in the UK to discover and, of course, purchase artworks from the next big street-art thing, just before they blow up.

Trap caught up with Paul Villalba and Matthew Hibbert, the two men behind King Of Paint, to find out more...

TRAP_Hi guys. You’ve been running for about 18 months now, what was the idea behind opening?

MATT: Well, both of us are Bristolians. We knew a lot of writers and artists in Bristol who’d said to us that there was no one-stop shop in the city to get everything you need.

PAUL: All the writers and artists were literally going to three different places to get all their colours. I’d always wanted to open a gallery, but I wasn’t willing to sit in one all day and never have any visitors, only at shows. I thought, ‘How can I have a gallery space, but also get a community vibe going on.’ So the paint was a no-brainer.

M: We now have more colours than anyone else in this part of England. That’s one of our USPs – if you stand in front of the counter, when it’s full up with paint, it’s amazing to look at. You see people come in with their list of paint and then get distracted by the choice.

And by stocking the paint, it means writers are always coming in, we get to chat to them and they can then show us their work. If we like it, we’ll ask them if they want to do a show. We’re booked up 18 months in advance now, which is great; that’s where we want to be at.

P: That was the motivation, having a gallery but also wanting to help the community... The paint, it’s a service really, it’s not an earner. It helps us get that community vibe going on.

TRAP_Beyond the art on the gallery walls, what exactly do you sell?

M: We’ve got Belton, 94 and Montana Gold paint, plus pens, caps, masks, gloves - all the paraphernalia that goes with graffiti. We’re trying to get to the point where we are that one-stop shop. We’d like to eventually do our own emulsion, rollers, everything.

TRAP_Do you guys have a background in street art and graffiti?

M: I’ve always loved graff, always been around it and had lots of friends involved in it. But I’d never found an option to be involved. It makes me happy now to be in it, and I swore to myself I’d never go back to what I was doing before – working in pubs, call centres and even a bank - it made me so miserable and unhappy.

P: Living and growing up in Bristol, it’s always around you. I got involved a few years ago, collecting pieces. I did a show out in Bali with David Walker and Jo Peel that went really well.

After that I did a couple of shows at a friend’s pub, The Library in Islington, and it went off! I thought, ‘I can make a career out of this, I love it.’

TRAP_What have been the shows you’ve been most proud to have put on?

P: China Mike, Paris, Stik were all great shows, and we’ve got Xenz, David Walker and Dicey all 036

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coming up. Now, we constantly have quality artists approaching us for shows. When we started we were trying to get the shows, now people have the trust in us.

We’re trying to do it correctly, rather than doing a pop-up and throwing a load of shit in the window.

We’ve spent a lot of money on lighting, the flooring is tarmaced – you walk in and it’s an experience. There are galleries that just move into old shops and stick a load of art on the walls and that’s it; they’re not hung properly, the lighting is bad.

You’re trying to sell beauty to people; you can’t just chuck it on the wall. You’re selling an experience; you have to put the effort in and do it correctly. I’m always travelling round the planet checking out how other galleries do things, trying to take the best things and apply them here.’

TRAP_Bristol is quite the artistic community. We all know about the legendary musicians that have come from there, and, of course, no street art feature would be complete without mentioning the city’s most famous graffiti son, Banksy. What is it about Bristol?

M: I think Bristol is an amazing place. It’s quite small, which can be a negative in that it can make people narrow minded - Bristol Village, I call it. But in terms of creativity, you have this focus in a small area of lots of different talents.

P: It’s so multi-cultural. It’s not like other cities in the UK, they are mulit-cultural in the traditional sense, but they’re not really, because no one interacts so it’s segregated. Everyone gets on with everyone in Bristol; it’s not like the turf wars in cities up North or in the Midlands. I was one of only two white boys in my class at school, but there was no issue; everyone just mixes and gets on. Everyone works together here, music, art, people just get on.

TRAP_And for the future...

M: During See No Evil in August we’re gonna do a group show, an All Stars sort of thing. We’ve been talking to several artists.

P: We’ve got some really interesting shows coming up over the next year. I’m getting artists from around the world. I want to show people what’s out there. Next up, SEPR is curating a show, with DILK from Nottingham and BASE23 from Berlin.

We just want to try and bring different aspects to the city – there are other galleries that just constantly recycle the same artists and shows. We want to be unique in what we do; we want people to say ‘Wow, how have you got this here!’ That’s what we want. Push boundaries; that’s the mission. w w w . k o pa i n t . c o m

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037

FRIDAY NIGHT

WITH A HEAD FULL OF EARLY-90S NOSTALGIA, TRAP GRABBED THE CAMERA, GOT SOME DRINKS AND WENT INTO THE NIGHT...

Photography Theo Cottle

Styled by Kasha Malyckyj

ASSISTED BY Sioned Holloway

Hair and Make Up JO WILLIAMS

MODELS Alex @ gingersnap and Jake

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RAM RECORDS PRESENT

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CARASEL

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P H OTO

M

aking a name for yourself as an MC isn’t easy. While, these days, it only takes a couple of big tracks and the right support for an unknown producer to suddenly become the next big thing, the path to success for anyone with a calling to the mic remains one of endless graft, dedication and persistence. Luckily for him, the MC known as Carasel has all these qualities and more, enabling him to succeed where many have failed and establish himself at the top table of drum & bass MCs. After first picking up the mic almost a decade ago, the last eighteen months have seen Carasel’s stock skyrocket. Regularly touring the world with D&B stars Sigma, releasing the track ‘Snakes’ with N3GUS on the mighty Hospital Records, and hosting more raves, festivals and club-nights than most of us will attend in our entire lives, this is clearly a man with momentum behind him.

Now, Carasel is focusing that energy on the release of his debut album, ‘Progression’, and the accompanying ‘Carasel Live’ shows at some of the UK’s leading festivals this summer. Predominantly a hip-hop album, ‘Progression’ features guest spots from the cream of D&B MCs including Eksman, Dynamite, Stamina and Juiceman, all doing their thing over slower tempos. Trap caught up with Carasel to find out more about the album, D&B vs hip-hop, his live show and more...

TRAP_EZ Cara! Your debut LP is out this summer – tell us more!

I’ve been putting my blood sweat and tears into the project for about 12 months. The album is called ‘Progression’; it’s predominantly hip-hop, so I’m sure it’s gonna take people by surprise and help them see me in a new light. Most of the struggle has been holding it down and not letting anything leak out; I’m so excited to let it go now it’s ready!

TRAP_You’ve got some amazing guest features on there. How did they come about?

Most the features on the LP are from MCs that are massive in the drum & bass scene, but probably not so well known in UK hip-hop circles. I guess that’s just a representation of where I’m coming from and friendships and relationships I’ve built up over the years. Still, I’m really blessed that everybody was so keen to be involved and related to the vision. I think the producers need to be thanked massively as well, all the guests responded so well to the music I was sending them; without the beats, I’m sure we wouldn’t have got the features we have.

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Hacker

TRAP_You’re best known as a D&B MC, but the album is hip-hop. Is hip-hop your true love?

I grew up listening to hip-hop, I’m a massive fan and that has never left me. But D&B plays a huge part in my life as well; I love the music, clubs, energy and scene so much that I can never imagine being without it. The LP has such a hip-hop influence because I started linking up with Blacksmith [producer] on a weekly basis. We just really clicked and before we knew it we had eight or nine tracks. I never set out to make a hip-hop album; our work rate and drive just made it happen!

We are, however, planning a big D&B remix project for the LP, with remixes pencilled in from Stanza, Dr Meaker, Benny Page, Serial Killaz, Run Tingz and N3GUS to name a few.

TRAP_You’re also touring the album with Carasel Live. What should we expect from the shows?

Carasel Live is a high-energy showcase of the album tracks, cut up by DJ Skint with splashes of D&B and bass music to keep the crowd moving from start to finish. I use Jman as a hype man to back me up and the chemistry between the trio just seems to work. Catch us at Glade, Boomtown, Brisfest and NASS festivals, as well as an Amsterdam show and Eksman’s Birthday Bash before the album drops.

I’m lucky to have travelled far and wide with D&B and now I want to do that with my own music as well.

TRAP_You’ve managed to do what many have tried and failed at; establish yourself as a top MC in D&B. We all know there are a lot of wannabe MCs out there – what advice would you give to aspiring mic men?

Ah, that’s very nice of you to say, but I feel I still have a long way to go before I’ve achieved all my goals in D&B. As for up-and-comers, just stay true to yourself, don’t beg or ask for anything, make as many friends in the scene as you can, write as much as possible, let your passion empower you and you will be OK. Oh, and master hosting!

Half of the art of D&B MCing is not MCing!

TRAP_Any last shouts?

Without the following people the album wouldn’t of happened, so I’ve gotta give special thanks to Blacksmith, Dr Meaker, Gorman, Sinai, Redz, the Ambush fam and everyone that has featured , produced or helped in any way. Shouts to all the promoters and supporters that have had my back in the last ten years! It’s been a journey!

Progression is out 20 August on AFT Records.

TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

STARTING A FIRE “

W e’v e m a d e a r ea l effo rt t o s h o w p e o p l e t h at

dancehall is something

th ey can con n ect with.

THE HEATWAVE

WORDS: JON COOK

0 51

In the ever shifting world of dance music, trends and fads come and go like the British weather. This year’s biggest sound will be passé by the next, and what was big ten years ago will suddenly be embraced by a whole new generation discovering it for the first time. These are the cyclical inevitabilities of the UK dance music underground in the internet age.

familiar to anyone that’s been to a Heatwave dance. “I’m a bit younger, so I had to slyly sneak in; I was that guy making spliffs, cheekily rolling up the weed. And as I grew up, I’d be going off to a dubstep rave or whatever, but I’d always pass through the Heatwave parties on the way. The vibe would set me up wickedly for a big rave after.

And while new musical schools such as funky or dubstep can explode into popularity seemingly overnight, and then fade from the centre just as quickly, some sounds take a little longer to burrow their way into the consciences of the trend-driven masses, even if they’ve spent years quietly operating on the periphery doing their own thing, waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.

“From there it just developed naturally. In about 2007, The Heatwave stuff started really happening for me; I started doing some hosting. Rubi brought me in and showed me the ropes – I’d done MCing before, but not in that style. Rubi, the way he interacts with the crowd, it’s a specialist thing.”

With this in mind, it’s fair to say that 2012 has been the year that the UK underground finally caught up with dancehall, or bashment as it’s often called. Of course, this club-centric progeny of reggae has enjoyed massive popularity in its home of Jamaica since its birth in the 80s, and much of Europe, Africa and North America have maintained healthy fan and artist communities consistently ever since. But in the UK, with so many of our own home-grown bass-driven genres available to occupy the attentions and talents of our musically inclined youth, since the early 90s dancehall has had to settle with being one of those aforementioned sounds; quietly doing its own thing, waiting for everybody else to come back round to its charms and realise its integral importance in the evolution of all the bass-driven, MC-led UK sounds we declare so proudly as our own.

And with the likes of Jamaican dancehall artists such as Popcaan, and even UK ones such as Gappy Ranks and Stylo G, now regular fixtures on the Radio 1Xtra playlist, dancehall is enjoying a level of popularity not seen since the early 1990s, when Shabba Ranks topped the charts and reggae music’s influence was everywhere.

In all this, the role of the bashment triumvirate known as The Heatwave shouldn’t be underestimated.

Over the last few years, the trio of DJ Gabriel Heatwave and hosts Benjamin D and Rubi Dan, have taken a carnival with them wherever they’ve gone – from the fashionable micro clubs of Shoreditch, to student-packed Croatian beaches and provincial nightclubs – delivering energy packed dancehall parties to an ever growing crowd of eager fans, while their weekly Sunday night bashment shows on RinseFM have become one of the station’s most essential broadcasts.

With The Heatwave’s Hot Wuk parties now happening in cities across the UK, a packed summer schedule of festival shows and the imminent launch of their own record label with Wiley’s ‘Ninja Riddim’, the three Londoners are busier than ever, but still found time to talk to Trap about their story so far...

“The Heatwave started in London in 2003,” begins Gabriel, the mastermind and selector of the operation. “It was myself, a couple of mates and Henry Heatwave. We’d all been living in Bristol, but moved back to London after university; Henry stayed behind and set up Dub Studio. A couple of years later we were doing a night at Rhythm Factory in East London, called Heatwave vs Mas Fuego, it was bashment and reggaeton, and it was there that I met Rubi. He came down, did some hosting one time, loved it and kept coming back.”

“I knew a DJ that Gabriel was working with at the time he was doing nights at Rhythm Factory,” adds Rubi, The Heatwave’s flamboyant front of house who, along with Ben, runs the mic at Heatwave shows. “I went down there and it was a great vibe, playing 90s bashment, which I’d not heard out for a while. I just started picking up the mic and hosting; it wasn’t planned, it just came together.”

“I met Ben around the same time,” Gabriel continues, “He used to come down with his brother, hang out and smoke weed – he was that guy passing us spliffs while we were playing!” “Gabriel and my brother are friends from back in the day,” confirms Ben, in a voice

With the collective as we know it today formed and beginning to make waves in a London scene that was about to become overrun with the carnival-inspired vibes and rhythms of UK funky, and with The Heatwave’s ‘An England Story’ out on Soul Jazz, the collective’s sound and ethos was starting to make sense to the wider bass-music world. In 2009, hugely influential London radio station RinseFM gave The Heatwave their very own show, and with it free licence to play their beloved bashment to an increasingly interested audience.

“

D a n c e h a l l i s at t h e r o o t o f s o

m a n y t h i n g s a n d p e o p l e h av e n o w s ta r t e d a c k n o w l e d g i n g i t f o r w h at i t i s i n i t s o w n r i g h t .

T H E H E AT WAV E

“I think Rinse could see we were pushing something that wasn’t really happening on the station, but that was closely linked to everything on there,” reflects Gabriel. “It made sense for us to be on Rinse, because what we do and push has been an influence in the foundations of all the music on there, but no one was really playing it. Garage, grime, jungle, funky, dubstep – they all kind of come from dancehall and have that link there. I don’t think people always recognised that before that time. When we did Heatwave vs Mas Fuego just a few years before, I know people didn’t really get why we’d have Klashnekoff or Riko at a dancehall night. They may be hip-hop or grime rappers, but they come from dancehall.”

This school of thought is at the very heart of what The Heatwave do. Joining the dots between dancehall of all eras and the past 20-odd years of UK MC-driven music is something they clearly delight in and that enables them to reach out to whole new audiences by highlighting the connections. This ethos became more than an idea last summer, when The Heatwave put on ‘Showtime!’, a glorious demonstration of the evolution of UK MC culture from its dancehall reggae roots. Inviting legendary British MCs from jungle, garage, ragga and grime to chat over dancehall for an evening at London’s Cargo, the night was blessed with bars from the likes of Wiley, Skibbadee and General Levy and will be long remembered as a truly legendary event.

“Showtime was everything we hoped it would be, and more. We knew it was going to be something special, but even we hadn’t been prepared for how crazy it would be and the buzz,” Gabriel explains.

“For us to get people like Skibbadee and Wiley to come and spit on dancehall, it felt like taking things full circle and bringing those artists back to their roots, the music they grew up with.”

An event like Showtime is obviously about much more than just a good party, and with another lined up for 5 July in Birmingham, it’s clear The Heatwave are continuing on their mission to not just give their crowds a good time, but educate them too, and as such their role in the rise in popularity of dancehall in the wider bass music scene over recent years is of real significance.

“Yeah, I think we have helped,” agrees Gabriel when this is put to him. “We’ve made an effort to show people that it’s something they can connect with, understand and relate to. When we started doing the nights in London, as much as Jamaican music has always been at the root of UK music, people just took it as an influence and something to sample; they weren’t interested in what the Jamaican artists were doing currently.

“For a few years when we were pushing the sound, people weren’t getting it so much. But now, people are watching what’s happening in Jamaica, they know the tunes, the dances, and they understand the lyrics more. I think that’s one of the barriers with it, people can’t get the lyrics at first, but it’s just a case of getting used to it.”

“Dancehall is at the root of so many things,” continues Ben, “and people have now started acknowledging it for what it is in its own right. I think it’s things like The Heatwave hammering it out there, playing dancehall in places where people wouldn’t normally hear it, so then they start connecting it up; it begins to make sense.”

“A lot of the Hot Wuks have a lot of students, it’s a really mixed crowd at them,” Rubi adds. “It feels like we’ve educated a lot of people about bashment, dancehall; what it is. They get the gist of the forwards, the banging on the walls, and they get involved now.”

Hot Wuk is the final piece of The Heatwave puzzle. Along with Showtime and their weekly Madd Raff parties every Wednesday at The Social in London, Hot Wuk is The Heatwave’s weekend party that’s recently evolved from an occasional London dance to a nationwide dancehall brand, with events popping off all over the UK. Brighton, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and of course London all now have regular Hot Wuks to call their own, with more cities coming soon.

“Hot Wuk; it’s carnival vibes, people having a good time,” explains Rubi. “You know sometimes you have a really bad day, and you wanna go somewhere and forget about it all? Hot Wuk is a place where you can come have a good time, there are loads of girls, we give out whistles and horns, people just get into a frenzy, get mad and express themselves in the way they dance. There are no bad vibes – if you wanna be a bad man, be a bad-man dancer!”

“Until you come to a Hot Wuk, I don’t think people understand the vibes,” Ben agrees. “We’ve built it up and got a family connected with it, so you know when you go there, you’re gonna hear upfront dancehall, hardcore dancehall, and the people will appreciate it. It means we can now go to Leeds or Brighton and it has that same energy and vibe.

“And the Hot Wuk girls are magnificent in themselves, they’re a magical thing. I love Hot Wuk and it’s exciting spreading it. I can’t wait to take it to cities overseas; I think they’d love it. What’s not to love! It’s the international language of absolute madness. All cultures have an element of carnival spirit in them; most people will be able to connect with that. Getting mad excited; it translates well.”

“Yeah, we’ll get it established here then try and take it to Berlin, Amsterdam, those places...” says Gabriel. “But we wanna keep the parties small - not do arena parties or anything like that; it would lose what’s special. We want that community vibe and Hot Wuk is where people that know each other and love dancehall can go and meet and dance. We’d like to build a live show with dancers, MCs, bring the carnival thing. We’re playing a lot of festivals, so would be good to get a big summer stage show going.”

“The sound is called Heatwave,” adds Rubi, “and every time we play it gets so hot! It’s the levels of energy and hype! All we really need now is a big yacht and to sail ourselves to the Caribbean or the Mediterranean, be there for a hot minute. That vibe!”

Showtime! Birmingham Edition is at The Rainbow on 5 July.

The first Hot Wax release, Wiley’s ‘Ninja Riddim’, is out soon. w w w . t h e h e at wav e . c o . u k .

M I D L A N D WO R D S

Sophie Thomas

From sparse, dancefloor focused dub techno, to rough, primitive campfire bass, London-based Midland’s music quickly found its calling, garnering releases on prolific labels Phonica and Aus Music.

Much like his housemate - Hessle Audio label boss, Pearson Sound – Harry Agius’s electronic journey began with an avid passion for sweaty drum & bass and jungle raves, and these distant student memories still live strong in his productions.

Midland’s most recent EP, ‘Placement’, maintains that UK grit, despite its flawless execution, and although the Leeds original has come a long way in just over a year, we’re expecting a whole lot more as the summer unfolds. Discussing choral scholar careers, dream labels and moving his music away from the club stage, Trap gets at the guy with his feet firmly rooted in new house, yet with a cautionary elbow gently leaning on classic bass.

TRAP_Hey Midland. Your well known as a producer now, and your sets are highly regarded too - how does making music affect your craft as a DJ? I don't think it affects it that much, obviously it gives you a certain understanding of structure and maybe a slight insight into different components of tracks, but they are very different things for me. I wouldn't go as far as to say they are mutually exclusive, but there are many great DJs who make no music and many great producers who can't DJ. TRAP_How do you approach the ‘ b2b’ sets? We caught the one you did with Pariah and Blawan ages ago, which was a lot of fun. Is there a sense of competition in these sets, or do you sit down and briefly plan where it’s going?

Well, I have only done a couple and they are quite different to solo sets. I don't think there’s an element of competition, it’s more that you have to raise your game when playing with artists you know and respect. With that one, we had a mix together and got a vague idea of where we wanted to go with it, but essentially it was all off the cuff.

TRAP_We’ve heard that you come from a musical family and did a five-year stint in your school’s chamber choir. Do you have any classical training? If so, does it influence you as an electronic music producer?

We aren't necessarily musical in the sense that all my siblings play instruments and my dad’s a composer of anything, we just love it and there was always music on when I was growing up, from Fleetwood Mac to Electric Light Orchestra to Simon and Garfunkel. I was a choral scholar at school so sang a lot (like five times a week) but never stuck to an instrument. I wanted to learn the piano and was meant to get free tuition as part of my

scholarship, but the musical director wasn't on that so I missed out, sadly. Still time to learn though!

I think what singing taught me was how harmonies and melodies interact and the importance of dynamic contrast in music. We once sung a piece by John Tavener called ‘The Lamb’, which starts off very dissonant and then gives way to the most beautiful harmonic section. It was a real eye opener on how you can use things that sound harsh or wrong to contrast with rich melodies.

TRAP_Is there a distinction between composition and production in your opinion?

Definitely. A good mixdown is important, but it’s obsolete in comparison to how you arrange and build your music.

Arrangement for me is the single most important part of the process - how the track builds and where it takes you - and trying to keep people interested while not alienating them.

TRAP_You produce entirely on your computer, right?

How do you achieve that analogue ‘ liveness’ in your tracks?

I do indeed. It’s quite odd, recently a lot of people have been asking me how I get that analogue sound when I pretty much produce 100% ‘in the box’. It’s basically down to the fact that I like gritty warm sounds, so when I produce I find myself gravitating to sounds and synth patches that are a little less clean or predictable.

Sampling drums off vinyl is a good place to start. For my new EP, I recorded a lot of guitar sounds with my brother and then mangled them up in Logic. I have a few techniques for ruffing and warming up sounds but they will have to stay secret for now.

TRAP_If you could be released on any label, past or present, which would it be?

That question has the dangerous potential to make me sound like a desperate fan boy, ha ha… That said, it would be amazing to one day release an album on a label like Domino. An electronic album, not a ‘dance’ album; that’s where I see myself going. Not away from the dancefloor but just to a room off the side of it...

TRAP_And finally, should we expect an album from you in 2012? Does the idea of writing one appeal to you as an artist?

It's definitely not something I’m considering this year.

Although, saying that, I do have lots of ideas on my computer that have never come to fruition, but that I keep for later use, so who knows what capacity they will be used in. I really want to be in control of my production, or at least have a real idea of where I want to take it, before embarking on a project like that. No rush.

www.soundcloud.com/midland

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a room off the dancefloor

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M U S I C R EV I EWS REVIEWED BY: BASSMUSIC BLOG, SAM COLLENETTE, DUB BOY, GEOFF WRIGHT, JON CARTER, SEAN KELLY, OLI MARLOW, GWYN THOMAS, JERYL WILTON, FIREMAN SAM, JUSTIN IRIAJEN, NICK HILLS, OLI GRANT, BELINDA ROWSE.

‘Delay No More’ continues that tradition, and pushes the duo further than ever before, taking in multiple tempos and rhythmic structures, and resulting in one of 2012’s best albums so far.

SPECTRASOUL ‘Delay No More’ (Shogun Audio) One of D&B’s most credible, forward thinking acts drop their long-awaited debut album for Shogun Audio and the results are, unsurprisingly, awesome.

Jack Stevens and Dave Kennett have paid their dues over the last six years, forging a reputation for producing some of the finest tracks D&B has to offer.

COOLY G ‘Playin’ Me’ (Hyperdub) The debut album from Merissa Campbell, after nearly three years of releasing music, is a smoky jewel; a dubbed out soundtrack for the night bus, that staggers in the shadows of dubstep, UK funky and deep, soulful house. Cooly G’s connection to real house music (note: not ‘bass music’) is represented through collaborations with US legend Karizma and brilliant French DJ, Simbad,

both of which came out as a recent EP. Hot, air-vent throbs of sub-bass and stuttering digital drums create a shady inner space of neon-lit, concrete architecture. Campbell’s yearning, ghostly voice winds through this urban gloom, exalting and lamenting with the same cold breath. It’s tempting to place it in the same lineage as Burial as a reflection of the spirit of London’s bass culture that feels totally of-the-moment.

T R ATPRM GA C EO. .CUOK. U K0 5 70 5 7 AA PM A ZGIANZEI.N

To those who dismiss drum & bass as passé and little more than shallow rave fodder for taking drugs to, listen to tracks such as lead single ‘Light In The Dark’ with Terri Walker or the sublime yet rugged half-step of ‘Buggin’, and get ready to have your mind changed. The house tempoed ‘Away With Me’ with Tamara Blessa provides an oceans-deep middle act to the album, while elsewhere the duo explore rhythm structures and tempos with the the depth and skill that proves they’re as good as anyone when it comes to making credible, quality dance music with real soul.

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MELLA DEE ‘CTRL’ EP (Coyote Records)

SILKIE & QUEST ‘Dubstep Allstars’ Vol 9 (Tempa) Tempa were instrumental in taking dubstep from Croydon backrooms to the biggest international clubs, and the ‘Dubstep Allstars’ series has been there throughout. Quest and Silkie, and their loose collective, Antisocial, don’t go back quite that far, but their introduction of brightness into dubstep’s stagnating murk was important.

They keep things personal here; almost every track is their own,or one of Swindle’s. It’s a shame that the newer efforts on show never reach the dizzy heights of Quest’s tunes circa-2008, heard at either end of this mix, but the vivid, colourful swagger hits hard – even after being bastardised by many lesser producers. The quicklymixed ‘showcase’ style lacks flow, perhaps not suiting these big, emotive tracks, but it’s totally functional in reflecting the headspace of some artists with attitude and integrity.

KAHN ‘Angeles’ / Superisk Remix (Soul Motive) The old hands at Soul Motive drop an entirely ‘Bristol bass’ affair, marking a broadening of young champion Kahn's talents. ‘Angeles’ works garage rhythms, sweet melody and Todd Edwardsinfluenced vocal chops into sugar-crystal brilliance. Superisk’s three-ton kick drums dents the fragile 2step backbone out of shape on the remix, and the contrast with his familiarly eerie lo-fi strings culminates in an eyesdown soundsystem banger with a dark, faintly mystical slant.

Me lla De e is o n e h a l f o f Mi s ta Me n , w h o ’ve mad e s e ri o u s w ave s o n Gr e e n mo n e y Re co r d in gs o f late . H e re , h e d r o p s an o ld style gri me ri d d i m, r e ad y to d amage clu b s a n d gi ve MCs so me th in g to r u n w i l d o ve r.

Almo st a n e w -sch o o l ve rs i o n o f ‘P u lse X ’ o r Bo ssma n ’s ‘Bo n go E ye s’, th is is r aw, u n d i l u te d , b ar e b o n e s b ass an d d ru ms , acco mp an ie d w ith r e mi xe s fro m b ass mu sic lu min ar ie s , Bao b in ga, Gr e ivo u s An ge l , MA1 an d Mr Mitch .

NETSKY ‘2’ (Hospital) Now a huge star in his own right, it was just three years ago that Netsky made his debut on D&B’s biggest label, Hospital Records. It’s fair to say that he’s made a remarkably rapid ascension in a once impenetrable scene and this LP is, for the most part, a continuation of the sound that made Netsky a brand name in D&B. Predominantly borrowing concepts and sounds from disco and hardcore, there are plenty of hands-in-the-air synths, catchy hooks and rather predictable climactic drops; typified by the euphoric dubstep banger ‘Wanna Die For You’. There are occasional deviations, such as the Urban Takeover-esque ‘Drawing Straws’, and the uncharacteristically aggressive ‘Detonate’. The UKF listenership will no doubt relish Netsky’s latest offering, but those seeking a more progressive approach might find the style overly familiar.

SEVEN

‘Evolution’ (Black Box) One of dubstep’s most anticipated LPs drops on the mighty Black Box label just in time for summer, with Seven delivering a batch of bass-bin workouts as eclectic and precisely executed as his highly lauded DJ sets. Expect obscenely taut basslines and plenty of groove across the 13 tracks, and the inclusion of everything from the 90s rave throwback flavours of ‘Feel It’ to the murderous bass savagery of ‘Invasion’, with no filler in between. Seven enlists talented songstress Alys B, injecting some soul on the punishing ‘Morning Light’, and expertly intertwines dashes of Eastern melody into ‘Breathe’, creating a slick subterranean roller. The ambient subtleties of the title track ‘Evolution’ might just be the pick of the bunch, and overall it’s a certified banger of a debut album.

MR BENN FT SEROCEE ‘Rising Star’ (Nice Up) Ever popular Bristolian reggae hip-hop producer Mr Benn teams up with Serocee for their first release on Nice Up records. ‘Rising Star’ is a skanking party starter that has a wicked reggae horn lick, tuff squelchy bass, big dubstep beats and a steppin riddim. King Yoof provides a solid 140bpm jungle remix, while Tomb Crew flip the tune into a rowdy African house banger

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DISCLOSURE ‘The Face’ EP (Greco Roman)

JAM CITY

‘Classical Curves’ (Night Slugs) Night Slugs, run by Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990, is the London label responsible for introducing us to Mosca, Girl Unit, and Kingdom.

Jam City’s LP, the label’s second full-length, is a strange thing overall: experimental, beat-driven music that doesn’t lend itself to the dancefloor, or the home.

Although it’s not a commercially viable premise, there is much in the way of creativity, intrigue, and bewilderment. This is a postmodern cacophony: abrasive, reverberating percussion; motorised, warehouse bass noise; and sometimes – out of nowhere – haltingly beautiful clouds of synthesized melody. The sample bank and the rhythmic arsenal are fully globalized, grabbing at grime, Chicago house, and the NY ballroom sound (suddenly trendy now). It’s great that the UK’s ‘bass music’ scene accommodates such strange and original expression of ideas.

VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘Throw Me Herb’ Riddim

(Hot Coffee Music) UK reggae's brightest star, the multi talented Gappy Ranks, releases his self-produced ‘Throw Me Herb’ riddim perfectly timed for summer dances. Busy Signal's turn is the highlight, with the anthemic 'Hottest Hot Head', and is backed by further excellent cuts by Gappy himself (‘Maddest Ting’) and Reddman's 'Clean Up Me Herbs'.

This is a really strong set of ganja tunes and a great example of UK Dancehall at its best.

Ar gu ab ly d an ce mu s i c’s mo st-talke d ab o u t d u o ri gh t n o w, th e o u tlan d ish ly tal e n te d Disclo su r e jo in th e Gre co -Ro ma n r an ks w ith th is asto n i s h i n gl y go o d f o u r-tr ack E P. Fe a tu ri n g th e ir tr ad e mar k d e l i ci o u s ch o rd s , in ge n io u sly ch o p p e d vo ca l s a n d masse s o f su b -str a i n i n g b a s s w e igh t, th is is a f in e d e mo n str atio n o f ju s t w h a t th e s e tw o b r o th e r s can d o . ‘Wh a t’s I n Yo u r H e ad ’ an d ‘ Bo i l i n g’ s h o u l d b e w e ll f amiliar, w h i l e ‘Li vi d u p ’ an d ‘Co n tr o l’ sh o w a d e e p e r s i d e to Disclo su r e ’s so u n d .

LENZMAN ‘How Did I Let You Go’ ft Riya / 'Wordsworth' (Metalheadz) Anything Lenzman has touched since he came to prominence has emitted a certain undeniable quality. This latest release follows the Dutchman’s trusted formula.

Title track ‘How Did I Let You Go’, featuring the luscious vocals of regular collaborator Riya, is the perfect deep soulful roller that the producer has made his trademark.

‘Wordsworth’ on the flip is, again, a deep contemplative mover. An artist at his peak.

DARQ E FREAKER ‘The 924’ EP (Boogaloo City) Boogaloo City’s third release is from one of the producers of the moment, Darq E Freaker, whose collaboration with US rapper Danny Brown has made waves way beyond the grime scene. This EP continues that rich vein of form, with four buckshot rhythms showcasing Darq E’s instantly recognisable production style; serrated bass slashes, violent string stabs, heavy electronica influences and drums that are, occasionally, reminiscent of juke at times.

RODNEY P, ZED BIAS & FALLACY ‘Sleepin’ Giants’ (Tru Thoughts) Ma nchester, London, a nd Br i ghton come together a s Sl eepi n' Gi a ntz r el ea se thei r debut a l bum on Tr u Thoughts.

The pr oj ect sees pr oducti on geni us Z ed Bi a s j oi n f or ces wi th U K r a p or i gi na l Rodney P a nd hi p-hop/gr i me cr ossover speci a l i st Fa l l a cy. Lea d si ngl e ‘Ba dungdeng’ i s sur e to k eep da ncef l oor s j umpi ng thi s summer wi th i ts bl end of tr i ba l r hythms a nd hea vy ba ss topped wi th di sti ncti ve a nd cha r i sma ti c voca l s. The LP i s consi stent thr oughout a nd r epr esents a pr oducti on tour-de-f or ce a s Z ed Bi a s demonstr a tes hi s l egenda r y ver sa ti l i ty, dr a wi ng f r om ga r a ge, hi p-hop, dubstep, a nd house i nf l uences. The ba ss a nd dr ums a r e una pol ogeti ca l l y a nd typi ca l l y no-nonsense, thr own down wi th bone sha tter i ng f or ce, whi l e the ecl ecti c styl es a r e a bl y ba l a nced wi th the sk i l l s of the men hol di ng th e mi cs , gi vi n g th e r e co r d a cohesi ve f eel . Recommended.

BARESKIN ‘Flow’ EP (Losing Suki) H yper col our si ster l a bel Losi ng Suk i a r e f a st emer gi ng a s a f ont of soul f ul mel odi c U K ba ss, a nd thei r l a test r el ea se f r om 17 yea r-ol d pr oducer Ba r eSk i n i s no excepti on. ‘Fl ow’ i s the sta nd-out tr a ck on the E P, dr i ven by undul a ti ng synth pa tter ns a nd i nnova ti ve voca l chops. The bl end of deep mel odi es wi th ener geti c dr ums i s both i nter esti ng a nd ca tchy, cr ea ti ng a n i mpr essi ve debut f r om a pr oducer wor th wa tchi ng.

FACEBOOK: CARASELMC / TWITTER: @CARASELMC / WWW.CARASEL.CO.UK

R E C O R D S

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JAMMER ‘Big Man’ (Big Dada)

MUTED

‘Muted World’ (Nu Directions) ‘Muted World’ is the debut offering from Icelandic producer Muted, aka Bjarni Kjartansson. With a handful of fairly low-key ‘minimal’ drum & bass releases under his belt, it comes as a slight surprise to hear an album without a beat over 130bpm. ‘Muted World’ is an impressive debut that offers a multitude of different styles, while maintaining a somber and reflective outlook. While the album ranges from the Martyn-esque twisted house of ‘Circles’ to the subdued two-step of ‘Bright Eyes’, it’s mostly notable for several downbeat numbers and engaging interludes. The smokey 2 ‘til 4am sounds of ‘Us’ and the breathtaking ‘Special Place’ featuring the vocals of Jófríður, help make this an album of deep, musical substance. Nu Directions on the money once again .

DUSKY ‘Flo Jam’ EP (Dogmatik) Dusky have been turning unlikely heads since the tail end of last year with their hypnotically catchy, bass-ridden take on the house music template, and ‘Flo Jam’ is without doubt one dance music’s biggest tracks of 2012 so far.

Having previously produced tracks for dance music giants Anjuna Beats, this EP will ensure Dusky’s bass-driven sound continues to reach whole new audiences. Watch out for their incredible Hot Chip remix too.

I n r e ggae , th e ‘r e -li ck ’ i s a co mmo n o ccu r r e n ce a n d gri me ar tists h ave o f te n ta k e n th i s r o u te to p r o d u ce th e n e xt h i t.

‘Big Man ’ is th e late s t i n th a t l o n g lin e . Th is is a r e in te r p r e tatio n o f Sk e p ta ’s h u ge ‘Du p p y’ an d is su r e to b e gr ime ’s n e xt su mme r a n th e m.

Classic o ld -sch o o l ga ra ge b a rs f r o m Vip e r, alo n gsid e s o me k i l l e r r e lo ad lyr ics f r o m th e l i k e s o f B-Live, Scr atch y, Fl o w Da n an d mo r e .

VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘Tempa Allstars’ (Tempa)

Glaswegian reggae soundsystem giants Mungos Hi-Fi finally release the massive Eek A Mouse sampling 'Hire & Removal' that's been smashing up dances on dubplate for the last year. Killer reggae dubstep with Mungo’s trademark massive bass and infectious dancehall skank. On the flip is the foundation rumbling 'Kung Fu Know How' featuring Solo Banton & Rueben Da Silva, which is another absolute beast.

Don't sleep.... Ruff!

In the hi stor y a nd evol uti on of U K under gr ound da nce musi c si nce the Mi l l enni um, ther e a r e f ew mor e i nf l uenti a l a nd i mpor ta nt na mes tha n tha t of Tempa Recor di ngs, r un out of E a st London by the Ammuni ti on f a mi l y. Af ter mor e tha n a deca de of essenti a l r el ea ses tha t ha ve hel ped to def i ne, sha pe a nd push f or wa r d the cour se a nd di r ecti on of dubstep, Tempa ha s br ought together some of the hea vi est tr a ck s i n thei r ba ck ca ta l ogue f or ‘Tempa Al l sta r s’, a 14-tr a ck compi l a ti on f ea tur i ng the ta l ents of Loef a h, Sk r ea m, P i nch, K ode 9, Di gi ta l Mysti k z, Ma r tyn a n d ma n y mo r e . I t’s a speci a l tr a ck l i st tha t’s enough to ma k e your ha i r sta nd on end, whether you’r e r emi ni sci ng or di scover i ng the musi c f or the f i r st ti me, a nd i t’s a n a pt cel ebr a ti on of a genui nel y outsta ndi ng l a bel .

CHRONIK ‘Man In The Boot’ (No Hat’s, No Hoods)

VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘Sequence 2’ EP (Critical)

Chronik, part of Tempa T’s Slew Dem crew, shares the same cartoon attitude to violence of his more famous compadre. However, unlike ‘Next Hype’, this is much darker and brooding; the S.k.i.t.z Beatz production creates the perfect canvas for Chronik to unleash his relentless grimey lyrics.

Backed up with a remix featuring the equally off-the-wall Trim and Roll Deep’s Roachee, this is a must for grime fans.

Cr i ti ca l r ecor di ngs seems to be on a mi ssi on to r el ea se the most i nter esti ng, bounda r y pushi ng D& B bei ng pr oduced a nywher e r i ght now. Thi s E P f ol l ows tha t tr end. Sta nd out tr a ck s ha ve to be the da r k si de stepper tha t i s ‘H a r sh Rea l i ty’ by For ei gn Concept & X tr a h, a nd the cha ra cter i sti ca l l y mi ni ma l i st r ewor k of E nei ’s ‘No Fea r ’ by Spectr a Soul .

I f you’r e D& B connoi sseur, thi s won’t di sa ppoi nt.

MUNGO’S HI FI ‘Hire & Removal’ / ‘Kung Fu Know How’ (Scrub A Dub)

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GAMES REVIEWS WITH CUTLINE

Trap geek division Cutline have been pretty busy recently.

When they’re not flying the globe repping Mistajam’s Speakerbox label, they’re usually found sat in the dark, playing computer games and bickering like a couple of old women. Despite all this, they’ve managed to find the time to bring us another run-down of the hottest happenings from the world of gaming...

TOM CLANCY’S GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER UBISOFT (PS3, XBOX360, PC) OUT NOW

LOLLIPOP CHAINSAW

Bigger, better and bolder than its predecessors, Ghost Recon: Future Soldier is the latest instalment in Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon series. But, with a weight of military style stealth shooters available for consoles, how does the newest edition stand up to the competition? Well, it dons some active camouflage, teams up with three of its mates, marks the competition and simultaneously headshots them all at once!

Yep, that’s one of the major features of the game, marking your targets so that you and your team can take down up to

DRAGON’S DOGMA

four hostiles at the same time. And, as the title is ‘Future Soldier’, you’re treated to a selection of the very hottest ideas in weapons technology. It’s not quite Tony Stark levels of ingenuity, but there’s plenty of cool stuff to sink your teeth into.

As you’d expect from Ubisoft the plot, graphics and gameplay are all top notch and it really feels like this latest incarnation of Ghost Recon is the slickest and most enjoyable yet. If you like the idea of a Tom Clancy third-person stealth ‘em up on a next hype, then this is the game for you.

TRIALS EVOLUTION

Warner Brothers (PS3, Xbox360) Out 15 June

Capcom (PS3, Xbox360) Out Now

Red Lynx (Xbox360 Live Arcade) Out Now

The opening moments of the Lollipop Chainsaw trailer feature a blonde cheerleader, who cuts a zombie punk in half before he sticks himself back together and chides her. Pfft, teenagers, eh? If Quentin Tarantino made computer games, they would probably look like this. Packed with B-movie and grindhouse references and with more blood than a slaughterhouse floor, Lollipop Chainsaw will excite those with a propensity for comedic violence.

Here’s the setup; you’re a dragon hunter and, along with three friends, your goal is to roam a vast open world, adventuring through a rich population of characters and settings to destroy an evil fire-breathing lizard. Clearly this is either going to excite you or send you running for snoozeville, depending on your take on all things mythical. For those who like the sound of sword fighting with goblins and stuff...

The Trials series is today’s Micro Machines. For those who don’t remember, the aim of the game was to drive a tiny car around impossibly ridiculous backdrops, and it was probably one of the most addictively fun computer games series in human history. Swapping cars for motorbikes and dragging the idea into 2012, Trials Evolution threatens to topple the Micro Machines crown one addictive level at a time. This is serious fun!

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STILL

HOT

RESISTANCE: BURNING SKIES NIHILISTIC SOFTWARE (PS VITA) OUT NOW

MASS EFFECT 3 EA (PS3, Xbox360, PC)

HALO 4 343 Studios (Xbox360) Out 6 November

If you’ve played the Resistance franchise before, you’ll quickly get to grips with its handheld counterpart released this month on the PS Vita. At once rewinding to 1951 and zooming to an alternate history where the majority of Earth has been overrun by an alien race known as the Chimera, Resistance has the first-person, kill-everything-that-growls be-afraid-to-turn-off-the-lights act down to a tee.

Combining the now traditional dualanalogue sticks with some of the Vita’s more modern technology, Tom Riley, fire fighter and alien killer extraordinaire, merks his enemies with a cunning combination of touchscreen homing bullets and rapid-fire machinegun fun.

If you love this series but wish you could take it away when you leave home, this new instalment will set your world alight!

Seriously, it’s still absolutely awesome.

Go and play it again, you know you want to.

STILL

NOT The entire gaming community is currently moistening its collective pants for the latest instalment in the Halo series. Having doomed millions of teenagers to a lonely life glued to their chairs fragging the living hell out of strangers via Xbox Live, Halo is officially one of the world’s most prolific time vampires. This is Halo’s first incarnation under their new developer 343 Studios and, just like everyone else, we can’t wait to play it.

FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 Square Enix (PS3, Xbox360) Please, for the love of God Square Enix, do a reboot of Final Fantasy VII.

BASSPO I NTS

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CLUB LISTINGS

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COMPILED BY: MARIE-CHARLOTTE DAPOIGNY

JUNE 2012 FRIDAY 15 JUNE TRAP #009 LAUNCH @THE BANK, BRISTOL

BLACK BUTTER F R I D A Y 1 3 J U LY

THE BANK OF STOKES CROFT, BRISTOL

DJ Smu tl e e , OH 91, Diss Miss + more

SATURDAY 16 JUNE SHIT THE BED @MOTION, BRISTOL Skre am, P Money, Mosca , Pla stician, Hazard, Ru d i me n tal , Ca libr e, dBr idge, + more.

SUNDAY 17 JUNE STAUNCH SUNDAYS @ VIBE BAR, EAST LONDON Du s ky, Lo e fa h, KloseOne, Chunk y + s pecial gues ts .

FRIDAY 22 JUNE AUDIO DOUGHNUTS, CIVIL MUSIC & TEMPO CLASH @HIDDEN, LONDON Dru ms o f Dea th, Da r ling Fa r a h, OM Unit, Jehs t + mo re .

MACHINEDRUM (LIVE)

Afte r a ye ar th at’s s e e n Bl ack Bu tte r n o t j u s t e s tab l i s h its e l f as o n e o f th e mo s t co n s i s te n t b as s mu s i c l ab e l s aro u n d , b u t s o me h o w al s o e n d u p h i tti n g Nu mb e r On e i n th e U K ch arts wi th o n e o f th e i r co re arti s ts Ru d i me n tal , th e imp ri n t ki cks o ff a s e ri e s o f re gu l ar b i -mo n th l y p arti e s i n Bri s to l o n 13 Ju l y.

Taki n g p l ace at Th e Ban k, wh e re Tra p als o h ol ds i ts Bri s to l is s u e l au n ch e s , an d p ro mi s i n g s e ts fro m th e l ab e l ’s in cre as i n gl y i mp re s s i ve s tab l e o f p ro d u ce rs s u ch as Wo z, RackNRu i n an d , o f co u rs e , Ru d i me n tal , th e s e p arti e s lo o k b i g. w ww. theban ko fs tokes c ro f t.c o m

@ THE NEST, LONDON Mach i n e d ru m, Thr ow ing Snow, Pa tchwork Pirates + mo re .

SATURDAY 23 JUNE GENESIS @ HIDDEN, LONDON d Br i d ge , Do c Scott Amoss, Xtr a h, Pes s imis t + more.

BUTTERZ & HARD DRIVE S A T U R D A Y 7 J U LY CABLE, LONDON

FRIDAY 29 JUNE STAUNCH @ CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON Be n n y I l l , Dusk y, Clive H enr y, Dexter Kane, Jakkin Rab b i t, On e ma n & Klose One + mo re.

DETONATE @ STEALTH, NOTTINGHAM To tal s ci e n ce + mor e.

SUBDUB @ CABLE, LONDON Ir ati o n Ste p p a s, Gener a l Levy, Mu ngo's Hifi, Youngs ta, K r yp ti c Mi n d s , J :Kenzo, LX One, SP:MC.

SATURDAY 30 JUNE

On e o f Trap ’s favo u ri te ravi n g s p o ts i n th e cap i tal , Cab l e , d e l i ve rs a ki l l e r gri me l i n e -u p o n Satu rd ay 7 Ju l y as E l i j ah & Ski l l i am’s Bu tte rz l i n ks agai n wi th Te rro r Dan j ah ’s H ard Dri ve fo r a n i gh t o f b e ats , b ars an d mad h yp e fro m two o f th e s ce n e ’s s i cke s t l ab e l s .

@ PECKHAM PALAIS, LONDON

Ve te ran s s u ch as Ri ko , Tri m, Lo gan Sama an d th e mi gh ty Ne wh am Ge n e ral s are j o i n e d b y fre s h b l o o d s u ch as Ch amp i o n , P re d i tah an d Swi n d l e , p l u s , o f co u rs e , th e l ab e l b o s s e s th e ms e l ve s o n a wh at make s fo r a ri d i cu l o u s li n e -u p .

Lo e f ah , Fa n ta stic Mr Fox, Ra ndomer, Leon Vynehall + mo re .

www.c abl e-l o n d o n .c o m

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CLUB LISTINGS

JULY 2012

S WA M P 8 1 F R I D A Y 2 7 J U LY

CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON

FRIDAY 6 JULY HOSPITALITY @ MOTION, BRISTOL Ne ts ky, Lo n d o n E l e ktri ci ty, Camo & K ro o ke d , Cyan ti fi c, Wi l ki n s o n + mo re .

BLOC 2012 @ LONDON PLEASURE GARDENS Sn o o p Do g, Fl yi n g Lo tu s , Je ff Mi l l s , Ri ch i e H aWti n , Jo ke r + mo re .

SATURDAY 7 JULY MAU5TRAP WAREHOUSE PARTY @ THE GREAT SUFFOLK ST WAREHOUSE, LONDON Last issue’s cover sta r, and this year’s man of the moment, Lo ef a h, br ings his SWAMP81 family together for another k nees-up on Fr ida y 27 July at the label’s now regular party s p ot a t South London’s Cors ica Studios .

To mmy Tras h , Fo re i gn Be ggars Li ve , K l o s e On e , Rattu s Rattu s + mo re .

FRIDAY 13 JULY

Lo ef a h is joined on the night by Swamp’s mos t prolific artis t to da te, Boddik a , plus the man behind ‘Don’t As k, Don’t Ge t’, Mick ey Pea r ce. Eliphino, Synkro and a load more fo r w a r d-think ing pr oducers and DJs will be bles s ing the n i ght w ith sets, w hile the inimitable MC Chunky takes care o f hosting duties lik e only he can.

CHURCH BRIGHTON

w ww.c orsic a st ud ios.com

JUNGLE FEVER VS AMAZON

@ LIFE, BRIGHTON Synkro, Fantastic Mr Fox, Apes + more.

SATURDAY 14 JULY @ THE RAINBOW, BIRMINGHAM

SHOWTIME!

BIRMINGHAM EDITION T H U R S D A Y 5 J U LY

THE RAINBOW, BIRMINGHAM

Mi cke y Fi n n , Swi ft, Ran d al l , K e n n y K e n , Bro cki e , Ro n , Bas s man , Sp yd a, Navi gato r, Ragga Twi n s , Ski b b ad e e , Sh ab b a, De t + mo re .

REGGAE ROAST JAMDOWN @ PLAN B, LONDON Tro j an So u n d s ys te m, Ch an n e l On e , Re ggae Ro as t, Ad am P re s co tt + mo re .

OVERCOOKED RECORDS @CABLE, LONDON Swi tch , Lo e fah , Las t Jap an , P e o De P i tte , H e avyFe e t, CRST + more.

FRIDAY 20 JULY CHURCH & SELECTIVE HEARING @ CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON Ge o rge Fi tzge ral d , I n s tra:me n tal , Lo n e , Be h l i n g & Si mp s o n , Ob j e kt, Ap e s + mo re .

Last summer, RinseFM’s dancehall dons The Heatwave assembled an incredible line-up of MCs from across the full timeline of British bass-music history for ‘Showtime!’ at London’s Cargo. The night saw the likes of Wiley, Skibbadee and Riko dropping bars over bashment and dancehall beats, and has gone down as a legendary evening.

On Thursday 5 July, ‘Showtime! Birmingham Edition’ takes place at the Second City’s Rainbow venue. With everyone from Gappy Ranks and Top Cat to Rodney P, Durrty Goodz and Lady Leshurr on the line-up, make sure you’re there for a second slice of history. www. the he a twave .c o.uk

SIN CITY @ FABRIC, LONDON H atch a & N Typ e , E Z, Scratch P e rve rts , Fri cti o n , Jake s B2B Lost, S.P.Y, K lute, Total Science, Rockwell, Joe Syn tax, Lu n g, P h ae l e h + mo re .

FRIDAY 27 JULY DETONATE @ STEALTH, NOTTINGHAM H azard + mo re .

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FABRICLIVE COMING SOON ANDY C ARTWORK BAILEY BART B MORE BREAKAGE BROOKES BROTHERS CALIBRE CALYX & TEEBEE CASPA CULTURE SHOCK CYRUS D1 DANIEL AVERY DBRIDGE DIE B2B BRYAN GEE DILLINJA DISTANCE DJ CAMEO DJ HYPE DJ MARKY DUBPHIZIX EMALKAY EROL ALKAN EZ FOREIGN BEGGARS (LIVE)

FRICTION HATCHA ICICLE ILL BLU J SWEET JACK BEATS (DJ SET) JACQUES LU CONT JON RUST JUBEI JUSTIN ROBERTSON KASRA LENZMAN LOADSTAR FT TEXAS LOGISTICS LONDON ELEKTRICITY LTJ BUKEM MARCUS NASTY MARTELO MATTY G MAURICE FULTON MELE MENSAH MJ COLE MZ BRATT NORTH BASE N-TYPE

NU:TONE ORIGINAL SIN OSSIE PASCAL PHACE B2B MISANTHROP PILLOW TALK (LIVE) PREDITAH PROLIX RAF DADDY (THE 2 BEARS) RAS KWAME RATTUS RATTUS ROSKA RUDE KID S.P.Y SCRATCH PERVERTS SEIJI SIGMA SKEPTICAL SPECTRASOUL TAYO THE LOVELY JONJO THE OTHERS TUNNIDGE ULTERIOR MOTIVE WOOKIE