Trap Magazine issue 20 by Trap Magazine

A U T U M N

2 0 1 4

# 2 0

G O R G O N + ICICLE

SLACKK

BISHOP NEHRU

C I T Y ADAM BEYER

T H E D R O P DAT E

Death From Above 1979 Mogwai . DJ Harvey Liars . Black Lips . Actress . Zomby Nightmares On Wax . SOPHIE The Haxan Cloak . How To Dress Well Kode9 . DJ Sprinkles . DJ Nature Onra . Eagulls . DVS1 . Laurel Halo Hidden Orchestra . Amazing Snakeheads . Greys . Rejjie Snow . Turbowolf Ron Morelli . Dark Sky . Scratcha DVA . Max Graef . Seven Davis Jr Esben & The Witch . Redinho . Cooly G . Happa . Damiano von Erckert Svengalisghost . Futureboogie . Terekke . The Fauns . DJ October . God Damn Mirel Wagner . Eugene Quell . Volte Face . The Kelly Twins . Idles . Eaux Thought Forms . Cuts . Menace Beach . Pardon My French . Shapes DJs Studio 89 DJs . Stamp The Wax DJs . Lovepark . Scarlet Rascal Gramrcy . Bad Breeding . Seka . Dickon . Twin Picks Tickets from ÂŁ35 - tickets.crackmagazine.net Saturday 25 October Various Venues, Bristol

NOTTINGHAM ∕ SHEFFIELD ∕ LEEDS DETONATE NOTTINGHAM: FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER – STEALTH & RESCUE ROOMS

FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER – STEALTH & RESCUE ROOOMS

AUTUMN LAUNCH PARTY:

10YEARS OF SHOGUN AUDIO:

David Rodigan Hazard Melé Randall & MC GQ 20yrs of Metalheadz set Lenzman Rene LaVice Total Science Ivy Lab Jikay Highness Soundsystem & more

Friction Caylx & Teebee Alix Perez Cause & Affect Rockwell LowSteppa Technimatic Joe Ford & more MCs: Linguistics ⁄ AD ⁄ Ruthless

DETONATE SHEFFIELD: SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER – PLUG

SATURDAY 1 NOVEMBER – PLUG

DAVID RODIGAN’S RAMJAM:

RAM RECORDS HALLOWEEN:

David Rodigan Mike Skinner DJ set DJ Hype Dismantle Randall Jungle set Daddy Earl

Andy C Loadstar Hazard special guest Rene LaVice Frankee Transit Mafia

& more

MCs: 2Shy ⁄ Ruthless

Preditah Flava D Standfast

DETONATE LEEDS: SATURDAY 18 OCTOBER – CANAL MILLS

SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER – CANAL MILL

ZED BIAS RETIREMENT TOUR:

RAM RECORDS LEEDS:

Zed Bias Loefah Melé Preditah Benton Chunky Standfast

Andy C Wilkinson Calyx & Teebee Rene LaVice Transit Mafia

Flava D Mella Dee & more

MC:s 2Shy ⁄ Ad ⁄ Adapt

D E TO N AT EE V EN T S .CO M

@ D E TO N AT EU K

#20 A U T U M N 2 0 1 4

Sarah Ginn

EDITOR: Jon Cook jon@trapmagazine.co.uk

COVER: Gorgon City by Jimmy Mould jimmymould.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Andy Hayes andy@trapmagazine.co.uk

PICTURES: Jimmy Mould, Charlotte Thomas, Thomas Lindie, Sarah Ginn, Marc Sethi, Theo Cottle.

FASHION EDITOR: Kasha Malyckyj kasha@trapmagazine.co.uk REVIEWS EDITOR: Gwyn Thomas De Chroustchoff gwyn@trapmagazine.co.uk SALES & ADVERTISING: Iain Blackburn iain@trapmagazine.co.uk MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION: Justin Iriajen justin@trapmagazine.co.uk WEB: All That Good Stuff & Nick Hills www.allthatgoodstuff.co.uk

WORDS: Jon Cook, Kasha Malyckyj, Oli Grant, Monki, Deanne Ball, Gwyn Thomas de Chroustchoff, David Clark, Jeryl Wilton, Nick Watkins, Justin Iriajen, James Wesson. THANK YOU: Beth @ Toast, Ben @ Run, Johnny & Echo Empire, Cheba, Everyone @ Outlook & Dimensions, Everyone @ Urban Nerds, Erin @ Columbo, Erin @ Listen Up, Adam @ Backdrop, Dave, Tom & Zeina @ Team Love, Rob & Tom @ The Blast, Oli & Saul @ Fabric, Louis, Rich & Syd @ 50/50, Everyone @ Studio 22 and everyone else we forgot.

C 2014 Camouflage Media Limited. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine or its contents may be reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: The views expressed in Trap Magazine are not necessarily the views sharedby its staff or publisher. While we strive to ensure the information in Trap Magazine is correct, changes can occur which effect the accuracy of the copy, for which Trap Magazine holds no responsibility. t r a p m ag. c o m

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08 NEWS

FIFTY FIFTY

RISE UP #25 BENTON

T H E 46

10 QUESTIONS CERN

GORGON CITY

BISHOP NEHRU

SLACKK

THE DROP DATE

D R O P 68 ADAM

BEYER

FASHION SHOOT: L O S T D AY S

EDITION FIFTY

BOSS SELECTIONS

59 ICICLE

REVIEWS

Gorgon City by Jimmy Mould

OUTLOOK 2014 IN PICTURES

96 BASSPOINTS

2 0 1 4

23 MONKI

TRAP MIX #11 ALIX PEREZ

#20 A U T U M N

FASHION

RISE UP #26 BARELY LEGAL

N E W S

#20

Crepe City

urope’s leading trainer event Crepe City returns to the Old Truman Brewery on London’s Brick Lane on Saturday 8 November for its biggest instalment yet.

Thomas Lindie

Featuring thousands of super-rare trainers from over 200 sellers from across Europe, whether you’re looking for a rare pair of Japan-only Jordans or those sold-out adidas you still regret not buying, Crepe City is your best chance to grab some serious kicks without using PayPal. Taking place in a bigger space than ever before, November’s event will, for the first time, feature a dedicated streetwear clothing section and a bigger girls’ area, plus live DJ sets, sneaker exhibitions and giveaways. Keep checking the CC Facebook page for more info and to register for queue-jump tickets - with over 4,000 people attending the last event, it’s definitely worth it.

@crepecity 008

#20

N E W S

Fabric 15th b i rt h day W e e k e n d

true institution of our world, fabric celebrates 15 years in the game this October with, as you’d expect, a massive weekend-long party.

As in previous years, Saturday night will roll all the way through into the early hours of Monday morning, with a 30-hour party that offers you the chance to rave while everyone else is eating their Sunday lunch or watching Antique’s Roadshow. It’s the Friday night bash that’s really got our attention though, with a line-up that shows exactly what the Farringdon club does best, combining a four-hour mainroom set from Four Tet with support from Loefah and Barely Legal. Meanwhile Goldie goes back to back with Doc Scott in Room Two, supported by Pinch, Fracture, System and Dub Phizix & Strategy, and Martelo, Terror Danjah and Champion hold it down in Room Three. Tickets for both nights are on sale right now on the fabric website, with weekend tickets also available for those of you with the stamina. fabriclondon.com

trap anniver sary tees

nd talking of birthdays, Trap celebrates its fourth birthday this October. To celebrate we’ve produced a couple of super-limited tees, which are available to buy now via our website. We’ve cut no corners on quality and detailing with these, with both white and black versions made from the highest quality stock, featuring woven labels and front and back prints. Grab yours now before they’re all gone.

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N E W S

N y e i N Z ag r e b

roatia’s beautiful beaches and incredible summer festivals are no secret these days, with tens of thousands of us heading to the Adriatic coast every year for some of the best parties anywhere in the world. Out to show us all that Croatia can do it like the best of them in winter, too, are the guys behind NYE Croatia, who have just announced a NYE city-break package to the capital Zagreb. For just £349, you’ll get three days and two nights in Zagreb, including return flights, three-star accommodation and entry to two huge club-nights. Full details of line-ups are yet to be confirmed, but with full backing from the Croatian Tourist Board and an impressive sponsors list, it’s guaranteed to be worth considering for your NYE plans this year.

MiMM 2.0

ne of our very favourite U K stores, Nottingham’s MIMM has relaunched with a fresh refurbishment just in time for the busy autumn and christmas period.

Stocking a bunch of the best streetwear and U K brands around, including Grind London, Grand Scheme and Akomplice, the new-look M I M M is the spot for all you Nottingham people who like to look good.

Keep an eye on the Trap website for more details and your chance to win a pair of tickets to the party. t r a p m ag. c o m 010

m i m m . c o. u k

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N E W S

R e d B u l l C u lt u R e Clash 2014

ed Bull Culture Clash returns to London’s Earls Court on Thursday 30 October for a fourth year, with three warm-up regional clashes taking place across the U K set for the weeks before. Sounding off against one another at Earls Court will be undoubtedly the most impressive line-up of names yet at R BCC, all compered by Annie Mac and Doc Brown. Last year’s winners Boy Better Know (including Wiley, J M E, Skepta and the rest) will defend their crown against some formidable opposition in the shape of New York’s A$AP Mobb (yes, you read that right), bonafide JA sound-system legends Stone Love and the specially assembled ‘Rebel Sound’ made up of Rodigan, Chase & Status, Shy FX and more. Tickets for the Earls Court clash are on sale now from the R BCC site priced at £20, alongside those for the regional clashes happening in Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol on 9,10 and 11 October respectively.

redbullcultureclash.com 011

G O R G O N

C I T Y

#20

N E W S

Simple ThingS 2014 TRAp linKS WiTh h Y p e R D U B AT ThiS YeAR’S F e S T i VA l

n Saturday 25 October, Simple Things 2014 hits various venues across Bristol for a 17-hour celebration of the very best in forward-thinking new music, taking in everything from cutting-edge electronica to world-renowned rock acts. Trap is exceptionally proud to be involved, co-hosting the Hyperdub party, celebrating ten years of the iconic record label with four of the imprint’s biggest names, at the legendary Lakota venue in the heart of Bristol’s Stokes Croft area. Hyperdub should need no introduction here - Kode9’s label is one of the most respected and consistent imprints in the business, providing home for defining works from the likes of Burial, Zomby, The Bug and Joker over its ten years in action. Label supremo Kode9 will be joined by the exceptionally talented Laurel Halo, Cooly G and Scratcha DVA on the night, while elsewhere around town other acts confirmed include SOPH I E, Zomby, Actress, DVS1, DJ Harvey, Redinho, Dark Star, Seven Davis Jr and The Kelly Twins. The whole thing kicks off the night before with a Caribou-headlined opening party at Motion, tickets for both that and Saturday are available now from the Simple Things website.

s i m p l e t h i n g s f e s t i v a l . c o. u k 013

F A S H I O N

#20

Wo r d s : K a s h a M a l y c k y j , D e a n n e B a l l & J a m e s We s s o n

Real Friends

unchy and impeccably presented, Real Friends knows where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at when it comes to vintage and handmade clothing. The Londonbased webstore stocks a wide range of top-notch nostalgia for girls and guys, including coveted designer brands, as well as its own line of bespoke 80s and 90s-inspired pieces. Originally starting out as an ASOS Marketplace boutique, the brand launched its own site just a few months ago. Its latest womenswear collection is a sterling addition, comprising bold and boxy handmade twin-sets and shift dresses in eye-popping African print fabrics. r e a l - f r i e n d s. c o. u k

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#20

F A S H I O N

Wa h L o n d o n x Klear Klutch

In celebration of the launch of its eagerly anticipated nail cosmetics line, London nail-art powerhouse Wah Nails has collaborated with bag label Klear Klutch to release a small collection of super-cool clutches. The statement see-through Klear Klutch bags feature an all-over hand drawn print, which recites the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wah Manifestoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and comes in a range of eye-popping colours. The collection is exclusively available from London store Machine A and each bag retails at ÂŁ50. klearklutch.com w a h - n a i l s. c o m

K n ow w e a r . c o m

nowwear is a new online retail experience that uses an editorial format to give shoppers a well-oiled alternative to a regular clothing site. Featuring a fresh, user-friendly layout, the New York company creates styled shoots and then dissects the looks piece-by-piece. Mixing established labels with emerging designers, the overall look is slick and understated, enabling the customer to buy into a lifestyle rather than just an item of clothing. k n o w w e a r. c o m

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F A S H I O N

Diamond S u p p ly C o

or AW14, Diamond stays true to its roots with a collection packed full of staple skatewear pieces.

The collection features fuss-free printed sweats, hoodies, joggers and hats in premium materials and highly wearable red, blue and monochrome colourways; ranking it high on our list of streetwear collections to cop this season. Key pieces include the Arabic Beanie and the Supply Long Sleeve Tee. d i a m o n d s u p p l y c o. c o m

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SHOPDUTTY.COM

#20

F A S H I O N

Champion

ith 1990s sportswear trends dominating the streetwear world right now, classic US brand Champion has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance. Following recent collabs with the likes of Supreme and Herschell, Champion has unveiled this exclusive capsule collection. The range consists of crew-neck jumpers, sweatpants and zip hoodies and offers a contemporary spin on some of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic pieces, utilising reworked, washed-out fabrics in softer red, yellow, black and blue tones. c h a m p i o n s t o r e. c o m

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Fri 26 Sep

Sat 27 Sep

Sat 18 Oct

STUDIO SPACES E1: Potion

ELECTRIC BRIXTON: Wedidit

ELECTRIC BRIXTON

The Magician Karma Kid Blonde TCTS

RL Grime Ryan Hemsworth Melé Evil Needle New York Transit Authority

Groove Armada dj set Shadow Child Bodhi Casino Times

Sat 15 Nov

Sat 29 Nov

Sat 20 Dec

THE CORONET: Gloria’s

THE CORONET

ELECTRIC BRIXTON

Dimitri From Paris Mylo Shit Robot [DFA] Severino Joshua James

Danny Brown Mark Ronson dj set Redlight Kutmah Martelo

Very Special Guest Alex Metric Aeroplane Jonas Rathsman Jax Jones Kiwi

C xoyoloves

M xoyo_london

Very Special Guest

Chris Malinchak

Tickets available from www.xoyoloves.com

W H O ? ? C A R E S

ho??Cares is a brand-new mid-week party for Bristol, promising huge secret special guests supported by one of the most impressive residents list youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find anywhere in the world.

E v E n t D at E s :

Taking place on the first Wednesday of the month, the debut Who??Cares kicks off on Wednesday 1 October at The Crofters Rights, on Stokes Croft in the city centre. This venue used to be known as The Croft, and was where the legendary Dubloaded parties were held.

@ THE CROFTERS RIGHTS, STOKES CROFT, BRISTOL

Residents include everyone from bonafide legends such as Die and Pinch, to dons like Addison Groove, Joker and Phaeleh, to ultra-hot fresh talent such as Kahn, My Nu Leng, NYTA and GotSome. As such, expect everything from house to grime to D&B and dubstep, with a secret selection of residents and a massive secret headliner guaranteed every month. Check the full list of residents list of residents on the right and head over to the WHO??CAR ES facebook page for more info. _

facebook.com/pages/Who-Cares

1 OCTOBER 5 NOVEMBER 3 DECEMBER

REsiDEnts: Addison Groove Joker Break Jus Now Die My Nu Leng Diskord New York Transit Authority Dismantle Phaeleh GotSome Pinch Kahn Woz Komon Hosted by: Dread MC / Juma / Koast

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M O N K I

#20

Back with her regular column just for us, Radio One’s Monki shares her excitement for the coming months…

I Love: Duke Dumont Won’t Look Back (Last Magpie Remix)

O n e To Wa t c h : Mella Dee You may well have heard of Mella Dee already - he’s been around for a hot minute, but it feels like recently, he’s really found his sound. Somewhere between aggy techno, 90s hardcore and jungle is where you’ll find Mella Dee. His production is dark and stripped down. The guy himself is as Northern as you can get and he proudly reflects his home of Doncaster and its 90s music scene in his own productions. Watch out for his latest release ‘GT Turbo’ on Shy FX’s Digital Soundboy and him joining me on tour throughout September and October.

There’s been a number of remixes of this record and, for me it was a close call between the Last Magpie and Special Request remixes, but I think this one has just tipped it. It’s almost as if the record’s big vocals were made for an old school hardcore break. If anyone is going to do this sound well, it’s Hypercolour man Last Magpie; from a D&B background and with a fond liking for analog equipment. This remix of the Number- One hit sounds every bit authentic.

Warehouse Project Manchester The return of the mighty WH P at Store Street is coming, fullline ups over on their site. thewarehouseproject.com

AMP Tour Nationwide AM P will be touring the U K from November, ending things with a big old bash at Brixton Academy. As resident, I’ll see you there.

Cat c h m e At : Monki & Friends European Tour I’ll be going on tour with a bunch of friends throughout September and October, around the U K and, for the first time, Europe. With 11 dates and 11 different lineups to suit each city, I can’t wait! The motley crew that’ll be joining me are: Lxury, Friend Within, Mak & Pasteman, Karma Kid, Cause & Affect, Mella Dee, Melé, Tieks, GotSome, Woz, TOYC, Zulu and more… A right squad! Join us in Barcelona, Berlin, Sheffield, Cardiff, Manchester, Leeds, London, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Bristol and Brighton.

anniemacpresents.com

Nights: Festival season is over and winter is coming, which means migrating back to your chosen city and keeping warm in dark sweaty clubs until the early hours of the morning. Here’s a bunch of big nights I’m looking forward to getting back to this winter:

Rainbow Warehouse Birmingham This has fast become one of the U K’s favourite venues in recent times and I know exactly why. Find out for yourself. therainbowvenues.co.uk

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F I F T Y F I F T Y

ith a cracking summer just fading away, we’ve been superbusy here in Bristol, with a whole sea of visiting teams passing through town. It’s been rad to see some of the world’s finest hitting our local spots up and throwing down some definite NBDs! Sorry, but there are no spoilers on what they were this issue - but plenty witnessed some of what will be dropping on various sites and mags in the coming future. Make sure you keep an eye on the fifty fifty site for news of that, and we’d like to say thanks to everyone who attended this summer’s events - they’ve been amazing. Until next time! We’re off to cram in a few last late evening missions while we still can! 5 0 5 0 s t o r e. c o m

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F I F T Y

#20

F I F T Y

K o r a h n G ay l e - Switch Heel P h o t o : Reece Leung

Cons Project

he team has been out shredding hard throughout the summer and we were invited up to the Converse â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;CONS Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Peckham, London to skate the temporary space and film an edit. The space was really well thought out, with a bunch of East Coast-vibed obstacles that you could move around to create various configurations of fun. The crew smashed it - as you can see from the shot of Korahn Gayle here. Our edit is now live, and you can go check it over on the fifty fifty site.

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hat leads on perfectly to the first featured product in this issue. The Converse CONS Autumn line has just dropped, with some new cleancut styles.

The featured shoe here is the Star Player Pro, which has a classic, clean sillhouete and includes a high-density Lunarlon insole, which the entire CONS line is now using. Originally found in parent company’s Nike’s recent ranges, the Lunarlon makes these way more comfortable and absorbs impact. Classic looking, functional skate shoes that are available now . Also - watch out for the very limited Converse X Polar skateboards pack, comprising of classic and apparel with all the fine details you’d expect from Polar.

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F I F T Y

#20

Cons Star P l ay e r P r o

5Boro

he final selection of goods come from our good friends over in NYC, 5boro. Attention to detail is always second to none with 5boro goods and the Autumn line is no different. These hats are amazing quality and super clean, making use of a wide selection of high-quality materials in an array of shapes. There’s definitely something for everyone in this season’s line from the NY brand.

5 b o r o n y c. c o m

S t y l e s Fo r Miles

his issue’s second featured product comes from our homegrown ownbrand line, which is ever growing. We pay homage to the great Miles Davis with the ‘Styles for Miles’ tees and long-sleeves. Designed by our very own Danny Wainwright, both versions come with all the usual fifty fifty detailing - you’ve gotta check the small print on this one!!!

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#25

BENTON

I am... Benton, aka Ol’ Dirty Benton, aka Bentondread. You might already know me for... Releases on labels such as Wheel & Deal and Black Box, lurking around, playing beats, making beats, partying and generally being a nuisance. I’d describe the music I play as... Jungle / Hardcore / Swamp. When I’m not working, you’ll find me... Playing Street Fighter, buying clothes, in the pub, or on a night bus trying to get back to epsom! If I was invisible for the day, I’d... Ruin everyone else’s day! After I’ve gone shopping…

If i need inspiration, I... Go for a walk and listen to something I wouldn’t usually, go to a rave or listen to radio. The one track I wish I’d made is... Peshay - ‘Vocal Tune’. I can’t get through my day without ... Music, a camera, Cutters Choice.

Three words that describe my mix are... Underground. London. Breaks. My life won’t be complete until... I get rid of the hissing sound my monitors make! Or I own a pet elephant…

The best party I’ve ever played at was... Probably the last Swamp81 at heaven on carnival weekend. I played after Skream, which I never would have thought I’d be doing any time soon. You may be surprised to know that ... I worked in Holland & Barrett but got

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fired for eating all the Pom Bears.

@bentondread

#26

B A R E LY L E G A L

I am... Small. You might already know me for... My BBC 1Xtra mixes. I’d describe the music I play as... Gun-finger music. When I’m not working, you’ll find me... You won’t find me I’m too small If I was invisible for the day, I’d... Tie shuff lers laces together. The one track I wish I’d made is... Any Timbaland production. I can’t get through my day without... Dubstep. The best party I’ve ever played at was... The Warehouse Project last year. You may be surprised to know that ... I used to be a semi-pro BMXer. Three words that describe my mix are... Life. Changing. Stuff. My life won’t be complete until... I feel complete.

@DJBarelyLegal

Download the mixes now at t r a p m ag. c o m

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THEKLA FRIDAY SERIES EVERY FRIDAY FROM 10PM / THEKLA, THE GROVE, EAST MUD DOCK, BRISTOL BS1 4RB THEKLABRISTOL.CO.UK / @THEKLABRISTOL / FB.COM/THEKLAFRIDAY FRIDAY 19 SEPTEMBER

EDIBLE EATS EVERYTHING / CHRISTOPHE / LUKAS FRIDAY 26 SEPTEMBER

51°27’ ONEMAN / DJ HAUS / JON K / SUNDOWN FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER

MOVEMENT ORIGINS SOUND / CHEESE / DOSAGE / MOVEMENT RESIDENTS / CONTRAST FRIDAY 10 OCTOBER

CRAZYLEGS 6TH BIRTHDAY / SPECIAL GUESTS TBA FRIDAY 17 OCTOBER

BOSS LIVE YES SIR BOSS / SUPERBEAT / DJ SMERIN / LINGO / BEATS BASS & BREAKS FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER

METALHEADZ LENZMAN / ULTERIOR MOTIVE / DOC SCOTT / ANT TC1 / LIQUIFYAH

MANY MORE EVENTS TO BE ANNOUNCED ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM THEKLAFRIDAY.EVENTGENIUS.CO.UK BRISTOL TICKET SHOP & OTHER GOOD OUTLETS

T R A P M I X T A P E #11

ALIX PEREZ

or our eleventh mixtape, we’ve called on one of our very favourite producers and DJs, Alix Perez.

After several years honing his craft, 2007 saw Alix break through in the world of drum & bass, releasing several tracks that epitomised the ‘liquid’ sound of the day for a bunch of highly respected labels including Creative Source, Integral and, of course, Shogun Audio. From here, Alix Signed exclusively with Shogun and went on to release two albums for Friction’s label, while also sating his life-long love for hip-hop under the ARP101 moniker for Alexander Nut’s Eglo imprint.

Last year’s album ‘Chroma Chords’ saw the coming together of these two aliases, with the London-based producer exploring the rhythmic structures and sonic spaces where D&B and hip-hop overlap with an impressive maturity and depth. Since then, Alix has recorded with the late great DJ Rashad and released the stunning ‘U’ EP on dBridge’s Exit, as he continues to prove there’s much, much more to him than just straight-up drum & bass. Expect, therefore, much more than just that on this exclusive one-hour mix, available to download from the Trap website from 1 November. t r a p m ag. c o m 031

10pm-4am Fri 24th Oct @ Plan B, Brixton The Doctor’s Orders Present #TDO323

“THE WORLDS GREATEST”

DJ JAZZY JEFF

DJ MK | MR THING DJ FERNO | SPIN DOCTOR CJ BEATZ & YOU?

SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN WARM UP SET!

THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS PRESENT

HIP-HOP VS R&B

SHORTEE BLITZ (KISS FM) MR THING (THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS) RUSS RYAN (THE DOCTOR’S ORDERS)

FRIDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2014 10PM-3AM @ JAZZ CAFE, PARKWAY, CAMDEN, LDN. NW1

party!party! Hip-Hop real real monthlY London’s Hip-Hop monthlY London’s Hip-Hop party! real London’s monthlY

£5 ADV | 200 TICKETS ONLY | £10 DOOR

MR THING MR THING MR THING SPIN DOCTOR SPIN DOCTOR SPIN DOCTOR CHRIS READ CHRIS READ CHRIS READ HOSTED BY MC PRANKSTA THE TRINIGLADIATA BY MC PRANKSTA THE TRINIGLADIATA HOSTED BYHOSTED MC PRANKSTA THE TRINIGLADIATA

FRIDAY 10TH OCT FRIDAY 10TH OCT FRIDAY 10TH OCT L IA L C IA E C P SSPSEPCEIAL

9PM -9PM 3.30AM AT Trapeze Basement (formerly East Village) Trapeze Basement (formerly East Village) 9PM - 3.30AM AT- 3.30AM TrapezeATBasement (formerly East Village) FOR TICKETS & INFO - WWW.THEDOCTORSORDERS.COM FOR TICKETS & INFO - WWW.THEDOCTORSORDERS.COM FOR TICKETS & INFO - WWW.THEDOCTORSORDERS.COM

FROM 24TH OCTOBER TO 3RD DECEMBER 2014

DJ JAZZY JEFF TALIB KWELI DEAD PREZ RA THE RUGGED MAN ELZHI DJ YODA GUILTY SIMPSON PHAT KAT DOPPELGANGAZ SHORTEE BLITZ MR THING SPIN DOCTOR CJ BEATZ DJ IQ IRON BRAYDZ & MANY MORE….

WWW.THEDOCTORSORDERS.COM TheDoctorsOrdersUK

@TheDocsOrders

B le s s in g s o f y o u t h

B I S H O P

N E H R U

ishop Nehru is an old head on young shoulders. A lot has been made of his age - at just 18, he makes the kind of music that has the older heads asking ‘Who is that dude?’, but exhibits a sound and mindset that the younger kids are feeling, too. Even in his relatively young musical life, he’s already opened for Wu Tang on tour, heard Kendrick Lamar wax lyrical about his mic prowess and now is set to release what’s only his fourth full project with cult , mask-wearing cartoon aficionado DOOM under the combined alias NehruvianDOOM. Ahead of the release of the LP, Trap managed to grab time with the New York MC between recording sessions and set about taking a peek inside the mind of the young Nehruvian…

W o r d s : B ’ To l

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Klaus Thymann

“ ”

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I M I S R P

’ D B E I S R E P F S O M A I D I A P P E R R O D U C

R E S E N T E D E B O D Y W A S A O R E R .

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Tr a p # 2 0 BISHOP NEHRU

lot is made of age in hip-hop today. Do you think age is important? Not really. I mean, as long as you are providing for the craft and doing something to enhance and better it, your own representation, I don’t really think that age matters. In an age of over-saturation in modern music, perhaps your biggest break was a 16-bar freestyle. Are you of the ethos that less is more? Or would you put out music every day if you could? Obviously, I’m at the stage that I want to release something new almost every day. It doesn’t make sense to do that, though. I’m not sure if less means more, but I just have to do my own thing. I guess my body and my senses tell me when to release something and it just happens. I don’t really ever think too much about when I need to release stuff. It’s organic; I do it because I have to, not because I’m forced to. You’ve already toured with Wu-Tang, collaborated with DOOM, received praised from Kendrick Lamar and now find yourself signed to Nas’s label. What next? I’m not really too sure as yet! I just want to keep making music and videos, branching out into directing and acting more. I see myself branching out. I’d be misrepresented if someone said I was a rapper or a producer. I am a big fan of ‘art’ as a whole medium. I love film, photography… I just want to do all the little things that show expression; things that nourish the soul. You have a background in jazz - any plans do go back to it for a project in the foreseeable future? I’m already producing my own stuff, producing for other people, but right now I feel like I’m really good and really comfortable with what I am doing. I’m in my comfort zone. Making rap isn’t the hardest thing for me - it’s organic and natural. At the same time, I definitely see myself expanding and making more jazz, or even rock or pop or electronic music. The Disclosure collab came about from just experimenting and trying something new. Building like that and stepping outside the box, more as a musician than a rapper, is really important.

You listen to a lot more than just hiphop, then? The first genre I listened to was soul, funk and R&B from my grandma. The first rap album was by Nas and then Eminem - listening to shit I wasn’t supposed to listen to. There was certain stuff that my parents said ‘Don’t listen to this’ and that just made me want to even more. But I still listened to Luther Vandross, Al Green… In seventh grade, I was into Radiohead and AC DC. I was into rock. So I got the game Rock Band, and I ended up selling that, so I could get more music equipment. The only thing I kept was the Rock Band mic! After that, I got into jazz, and then in ninth grade I made my jazz project. I would say I have a pretty good ear. I didn’t really have that many people to mess with in high school, because I wasn’t listening to the same thing everyone else was. Everyone else was into Chief Keef and things like that. I loved him too, but I didn’t want to listen to that all day. To me, the most amazing album was the NERD one. That got me through my days. I’d rather listen to soul records than just party music all the time. Thoughtfulness or ‘consciousness’ has become a bit of a swear-word in modern rap. Would you say you are a conscious rapper? There’s a time and place for everything. But without consciousness, what are you? I think that answers that question! [laughs] What can we expect from ‘Nehruvian DOOM’ that we haven’t already heard on ‘The Mixtape’, ‘StrictlyFLOWz’ and the ‘BrILLiant Youth EP’? Super emotional! It’s conscious and it’s really bitchy! A lot of my personal, Nehruvian problems. I feel like I’m better lyrically; it’s just more of the realness, the things that are actually going on for me. Not a lot of people seem to know that DOOM is actually from the UK. What are your thoughts on our fair shores? It’s like a second home now! I mean, I don’t like the food at all! But your french fries! Oh my god! UK has the best french fries in the world. And your chicken is dope. But I don’t really eat chicken anymore; I’m doing a little vegetarian thing. But your french fries! AAHHH! I want to go to London right now!

And I love UK cinema; the plots are actually kind of dope. There are some dope movies. I’m like ‘This is better than the films in America!’ You know that film Eden Lake? It is fucking amazing! That movie is awesome. Doghouse, I thought was dope. It had dope cinematography. A lot of classic UK cinema is dope to. Speaking of classics – if you only had one ‘classic’ beat to rhyme to, what would it be? Oh man! If I had one beat to chose, it would be J Dilla, ‘Sounds Like Love’. That is the best beat of all time; it’s on the ‘Yancey Boys’ tape… FUCK! I gotta go find it now… [Bishop starts scrabbling around in the background]. Keep asking questions man, I gotta find this now! On the subject of J Dilla - how do you feel about people who had never met or worked with him now being able to buy one of his beats to rap over? I know, it’s fucking weird right? I dunno, I rapped over a classic beat of his! I felt like it captured my emotion. I’m a fan of J Dilla. I mean, it could be tricky; oh man, that’s a weird situation! At the end of the day, Dilla had so many beats, we shouldn’t let something that amazing go to waste. At least the world is getting to hear it… Man this beat - it is on ‘Yancey Boys’, the Illa J tape, I’m just trying to find it! So what can we expect in the future from Bishop Nehru? I just work on stuff all the time, I make beats very, very secretly. Every day I’m working on something new, keeping active, keeping the tools sharp. It’s all NehruvianDOOM right now. I still want to find this freaking song for you! Get your Google up! Oh it’s gonna come, it has such beautiful saxophone and trumpet in it! OH I GOT IT! [scrabbles around and then plays Illa J - ‘All Good’ down the phone]. You hear it?! THAT IS THE ONE!

@BishopNehru

SEEDY SONICS birmingham Rainbow warehouse & garden

3rd October 4th Birthday

5th December Food Music

SHADOW CHILD MELÉ KRY WOLF MAK & PASTEMAN + MORE TBA ARTFUL DODGER KURUPT FM 10 years of Shogun Audio

ICICLE FOURWARD JOE FORD

Critical Music

KASRA

EMPEROR HYROGLIFICS

L etti n g L o o s e

S L A C K K Wo r d s : O l i G r a n t

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Tr a p # 2 0 SLACKK

ur conversations with Paul Lynch also known as the Liverpool raised, London based producer, Slackk up to this point have usually been limited to brief, blurry exchanges in the hectic midst of one of his Boxed events, the thriving instrumental grime club night he runs alongside Oil Gang, Mr. Mitch and Logos. Ahead of the release of his forthcoming album ‘Palm Tree Fire’, Trap has taken the opportunity to sit down with the producer in decidedly more sober surroundings, over a pint in a quiet Woolwich pub, to chat about the LP and to look back over what’s been a stellar 18 months both for him personally and for the Boxed crew since their inaugural event on a freezing cold evening back in early 2013. Lynch originally made his mark as a producer in the house and UK Funky scenes, notably releasing an EP on Numbers back in 2010. It wasn’t, however, until he had developed the craft to build his own unique, colourful take on grime that he started to operate closer to where he wanted to be, musically. “I am progressing,” he says. “I look back to my earliest releases and I think there’s been quite a stark transition, but, at the same time, I think also it’s because I’m more invested in what I’m doing now.” Part of Lynch’s sense of belonging since that transition stems from being integral in promoting such an exciting, healthy environment through Boxed, where both established and relatively unknown producers air interesting new strains of grime. On a more personal level, Lynch is driven by a love of the sound, past and present, and has the opportunity to add to the lineage of a genre he’s followed closely since his teenager years when he would meticulously archive pirate radio sets on the notorious, now defunct, Grimetapes site. Local Action, the label that put out Slackk’s most overtly grime-oriented record at the time - 2012’s ‘Raw Missions’ - has supported the producer in finding his niche and is releasing his new album, which is Lynch’s most expansive and diverse work to date. “I’m never 100 % happy with anything, but I’d say I’m quite close to being fully

there with Palm Tree Fire. There’s been development, in a sense; you get to know hardware or your software better, you can experiment with more sounds.” Even the more straightforward club tracks on the LP aren’t just your average 8-bar grime banger, characteristically melodic and busy as they are. Lynch’s inherent drive for experimentation - and inclination towards what he would describe as ‘weird tracks’ - shines through, especially with the space afforded to him on the long-player format. “I’ve always been writing these little daft sketches and I was glad to get some of them on the LP. It was nice to have the opportunity to put on a few of the more experimental things, trying to find a segue. With an album, you don’t necessarily have to think about ‘the club’, it’s about headphone or speaker f low, and having something cohesive.” A couple of Slackk’s quaint, shorter compositions featured on his last Local Action EP, ‘Failed Gods’, including the beatless ‘Jackpines’, rich with his trademark wandering synth leads. “Surprisingly, that was the one people talked to me most about,” Lynch notes. The positive response for tracks such as Jackpines, and massive crowd reactions at Boxed from the tracks you would sometimes least expect, combined with his increased technical skill has encouraged Slackk to include more of the brilliant oddities that stand out on ‘Palm Tree Fire’. “My music has just got weirder and weirder, and I haven’t even intentionally done that. I guess as you grow in confidence as a producer, you feel a greater ability to experiment and make weird shit, whereas two or three years ago, there’s no way I could have done half of it”. Slackk’s propensity to create music that’s out of the ordinary is synonymous with the forward-thinking nature of his peers. The community of Boxed-affiliates are all striving to push boundaries, elevating the sound to new, individualised territories rather than build pastiches or rehash wellworn motifs of classic grime. The dancef loor of Boxed provides the perfect sounding board, a place to road test music and to compete to see who’s built the standout beats of the night,

while getting pissed and having a bloody great time. And the creativity rubs off on each other - “If it wasn’t for Boxed, my music wouldn’t sound anything like how it does at the moment,” Lynch remarks. While the collective is clearly trying to do something different, there’s no air of pretentiousness, and it’s clear the last thing Lynch would want is anyone to think they were trying to be ‘cerebral’ – it’s just about good, original tunes, plain and simple. The collective is going from strengthto-strength, with acknowledgment from the ever-inf luential Rinse FM, in the form of a regular show, being a particular highlight. Oil Gang’s label continues to be, arguably, the pick of the bunch of the few imprints pressing grime on vinyl, Mr. Mitch has just had an album signed to Planet Mu and Logos’s work on Keysound and Tectonic, not to mention the countless dubs knocking around, is among the best club music to come out of the UK in the last couple of years. That quartet each represents a different element of the sound too, and will play everything from a sparse, deconstructed Logos track at a lower tempo, to a peaktime JT The Goon banger. “It wasn’t even intentional at first, it’s more just that we all know each other. When we put it all together, it was just ‘Let’s just do a night.’ But then, when you actually start playing the nights, it’s like ‘Rah, we’re actually covering the whole spectrum here.’ It’s healthy that we’re covering all aspects and it means you’ve got a varied night. It’s helped us in a way because it means you’ve got fans of all spectrums coming and discovering and embracing new stuff ”. Guests have included, now established, names like Murlo and Dark0, but also a whole swathe of fresh talent are making crucial contributions with their productions, something Lynch obviously appreciates. “I feel like I’ve made my name a bit more substantially by playing all these quite underground, newer names, I feel really happy that I’ve helped bring people through. It’s often the producers you haven’t heard of that make sounds that help progress the scene. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t exist, in a sense.”

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A C P F A W

S O R E B E

N O E I I

Y F D L L R

O U G R O W I D E N C E A U C E R , Y O A G R E A T I T Y T O M D S H I T .

I N S A U E R A K E

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B E A U T Y F R O M T H E C H A O S Photos: Thomas Lindie

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Tr a p # 2 0 T H E D R O P DAT E

he shoes on your feet matter. Here at Trap, we’re well aware that all you guys reading this have, like us, lived by this simple fact ever since you first convinced your mum to buy you a pair of trainers that cost more than a PlayStation - or ever since you first cried over the fact she wouldn’t . Trainers are an integral part of the DNA of UK street culture and have been since they first made their way from the sports field to the pavement back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Generation upon generation of UK subcultures have defined themselves by the shoes on their feet - from the adidas loving football casuals and early hip-hop heads of the 1980s, to the Vans-sporting skaters of the 1990s and Nike and Reebok obsessed inner-city youth of the turn of the Millennium, trainers and the brands behind them have always inspired a point of definition and near-religious zeal among Britain’s young, regardless of social class or interest set . For a long time, that’s how it was you were into a certain scene, and the shoes on your feet supported that fact . Whether you were a skater, a raver, a sports-freak or a rocker, you told the world with your choice of footwear. But then, as time passed and the

world of trainers grew, a new strain of affecianodo started to appear; a small world of total obsessives to whom shoes weren’t just a signifier of their chosen youth tribe, they were their youth tribe. These were sneaker freaks, the hype beasts, the train(er)spotters. A compact collection of individuals with bedrooms full of box-fresh kicks they had no intention of ever wearing. Everybody knew one or two people like this, but that’s all it was - a few people with an obsession bordering on the insane, who clung together on nascent internet message boards and spoke in a coded language of acronyms such as ‘QS’ and ‘NSW’.

high-street and where massively popular online trainer communities and websites get more hits than the biggest music magazines. And among those websites, none have made quite as much impact , quite so quickly as The Drop Date. Since first appearing in 2012, TDD has dominated - and helped cultivate - the booming UK trainer world, providing a place where you could not just check what shoes were dropping, but where you could cop them too, enabling you to check stock levels and order direct from retailers.

While these individuals were often mocked, even by their trainer loving, but not obsessed, friends, as we head towards 2015, it’s now clear that it’s these are the guys who are having the last laugh.

With the world of trainers booming like never before, the guys behind TDD are clearly loving their lives right now - as made clear at any industry launch or party we at Trap attend, where you’ll find the TDD guys grinning from ear to ear and passionately engaging everyone there in a discussion about their shoes.

With the advent of the internet , and a combination of myriad social and cultural forces, we now all live in the sneaker freaks’ world. It’s a world where the Metro vomits out kitsch ‘trainers are back’ editorials to the masses and where Topshop sells what were once the rarest of kicks, and a world with a Size? on nearly every

With the subculture they’ve dedicated their lives to blossoming, and with whispers of massive plans ahead, we knew the time had come to grab some time with one of TDD’s founders, Ry Barr, to find out more about how TDD got to where it is now, the exploding world of trainers and his thoughts on the industry he loves…

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W E M A W E S P T H W E H A U S T H W E T H

’ R E G P I E S , L I K E A R K L Y I N G S ; M A Y N O T V E M U C H E F O R E M , B U T W A N T E M .

Hi Ry, first things first , how, why and when did The Drop Date start? The Drop Date was conceived as an idea back in late 2010 and we launched the site in June 2012. It was started by myself, Ryan Barr, and Chris Alyen, one of the founders of Crooked Tongues. I had the idea and concept and I paired up with Chris in order to execute it and get it off the ground. Crooked Tongues is one of the best known brands in the trainer world having Chris on board must have been a big help? It was a massive help. We’d only met a few times in reality, but knew each other virtually off the Crooked Tongues forum and we also shared numerous friends and colleagues. It just seemed like an ideal match. You’ve been involved in trainers for a long time before TDD, then? Yes, for many years. I probably first got on the Crooked Tongues boards in 2002, around the same time as I opened a store in Oxford, called Ryouki, the sneaker boutique. We eventually stopped trading in February 2011; they were hard times, difficult times in the economy. It was my kids that really convinced me to shut the doors - they wanted their dad back, and not some horrible ogre who was completely engulfed in his business. But it gave me the experience I needed to work like I have on The Drop Date. We hear that a lot - so many people lost everything in the recession, but it gave them the opportunity to do something great and they went for it .. A lot of good stuff went down, but yeah, a lot of good stuff came out of the recession. It was a bit of a cleanse. People who were maybe a little too comfortable, it was a bit of a rocket up their arse. I stepped back, went out to the country side and worked with my youngest brother for a while doing something completely different. Then, after a year or so, I decided to get back into the industry, but it was still very, very tough, there were very few jobs. Everybody had to work really hard to get back on track. You couldn’t leave the industry you loved behind? No. I tried! Nobody ever gets out, though. There’s guys I’ve known for years from the collecting side of things and everyone who tries to get out gets sucked back in again - they want to get out for family reasons, try to grow up; but once those things are sorted, everyone comes back.

You have a big collection? Yes. Very much so. I sold a hell of a lot of it off in order to live day to day when I was setting up TDD. But yeah, there are a few I look back on and feel sad to have sold, but it gave me the opportunity to be able to pay the bills, make sure the kids could eat every other night and to get what we have now off the ground. I’m not a collector, I’m a person who really really likes trainers. In the same way some people appreciate music or food - I appreciate footwear. The shoes, the apparel and the lifestyle that goes with it. Is there any shoe you regret selling? Yeah, about 35 off the top of my head! I had pretty much every Huarache Lite, but unfortunately, I never had the Ultramarines which was the original colourway and has itself just got a rerelease. It’s lovely to see it back in the market, but, yeah, every single pair of the Huaraches went… I did buy some of them back off a mate the other day though, actually! Huaraches were super-rare until recently, but now they seem to be absolutely everywhere! Yeah, there was a period when they were rare. But there was also a period where they were on every sales rack around. But now, yeah, it’s nuts.. That word, the Huarache, the Heartache, the Hurricane, whatever anyone else wants to call it and get it wrong; that shoe is nuts. We’ve been in it for so long, we’ve seen it all come wrong. There’s a cycle where people won’t want said shoe, but then a few years later everybody wants it, for whatever reason, whether it be endorsements, the way it’s been released back into the market place, the trends, the subcultures. There are so many different factors in why shoes get brought out again. The recent re-issues have put a lot of people off who had love for the Huarache, but at the same time it’s opened the door for a lot of people who never even knew of the shoe… It’s evolution. You can’t get away from that. As much as we’d like to keep the industry clean and pure, as we grew up with it, it’s not possible now. You have to go with it, and the kids are embracing it and fair play to them. What do you think is the appeal of trainers for you and those like you? We’re kind of magpies, I suppose, we like sparkly, glittering things; we may not have much use for them, but we want them. And it’s something to latch on to, something to be a part of. Trainers are a commodity

like no other. If you were to put trainers on the stock exchange, they would be a commodity like no other. The resale values, the hype, the units, everything, it’s calculated at the top, but when you look at street value, it’s very interesting. There are a lot of people out there who think they can talk a good game about how the industry really operates, but I don’t think they really know. These are moves that are calculated by the brands years before anything comes to fruition… Carrying on the economics analogy these are the boom years for trainers… Yeah they are. But the initial years, way back, when it first kicked off, the likes of Michael Koppelman importing Air Force 1s, that was when the interest first boomed. But then as an industry, this side of the sportswear industry, the limited-edition, hard-to-find product, the collaborations, it’s been really the last couple of years that it’s gone crazy. It’s such a small percentage of the sportswear and footwear industry, but it’s a massive marketing tool for the brands to get their names out there. It’s not about the money to be made on this side of things, it’s the exposure, it’s a marketing tool. Why do you think it has gone so crazy in recent years? There’s no getting away from it, the internet has driven everything. The internet is our friend; not just with TDD but in what we all do on a day-to-day basis. I love it, it’s opened up everything and the internet has been a massive catalyst in the explosion of trainers. The internet has obviously been great for a business such as TDD, but is there not a part of you that laments the change and feels saddened to watch your world gain mass popularity? It does sadden me and I’m sure it saddens the retailers and saddens the brand themselves. But again, it’s evolution. You can’t get away from the fact. There’s sadness, but then there’s happiness. If we look back on the days gone by - tight numbers, super limited - if it was still that hyped, we wouldn’t go anywhere, we wouldn’t be able to move forward, and a business needs to do that. Back to The Drop Date itself, have you been surprised by its success? We’ve been blown away by the success. It started out as a labour of love and we then realised there was a business opportunity in it. Every day we wake up and pinch ourselves that TDD is what it is, that we’re working with the brands and retailers we are and providing a service that, to be honest, we actually use ourselves.

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We’ve been massively surprised and humbled - we’ve been kids buying shoes, we’ve been through it all. To know that we’ve been able to help people find the shoes that they may not have been able to locate otherwise, that’s great. It makes us smile. It’s fun, we enjoy it all. We want to make sure the industry continues to run as it is, we don’t want to change anything, we just want to help and support it, all those out there working in it and buying the product. It’s a real passion for you guys? It is. We work 16-hour days, we’re up for midnight launches, up for 8am launches on Saturday mornings. A lot of people think it’s automated; it’s not. You cannot automate a system like this. You can if you’ve got a lot of money to throw at it, but we’re self evolved; we’ve just worked with the money the business has earned. So, we feel we do it for the right reasons. You told us how TDD started, but who’s involved now? There’s myself and Chris and we’ve been able to bring in a third person, Nick, who is a young kid, very, very switched on and very much an extension of us and the way we see and respect the industry. And we’ve got a bank of people who write for us and provide content. We’ve got Will; the reviews he pulls out are brilliant, some of the best we come across anywhere; they’re honest. Then we’ve got Thomas up in Aberdeen, Erica who works for Well Gosh who provides some of the women’s content for us, again she’s clued up and a nice person to deal with. And we have another few people we’re looking to bring on board. We have photographers, a guy doing videos. There’s no place in this industry for shit pictures and shit write ups, so we have to do it right. We have a service we provide and we have to keep to it. We have our own benchmarks and we stick to them. What’s the next step now for The Drop Date? You talk a lot about evolution… I’ll be honest, none of it we can mention right now. We need to keep our cards close to our chest. We want to take things to the marketplace that are unique and that we can make and keep our own. It’s a competitive market out there. We have a

lot planned, not just shoes, but a hell of a lot more with shoes. Not just the UK and Europe; the idea is to take things global. That’s always been our plan, we’ve never kept that quiet, but there’s no point doing that until we’ve nailed where we are now. This business is built on a strategy. It’s never been a case of waking up and then deciding what to do - we know what we’re going to do and we’re working to a goal. We’re getting there. We’ve had the same site pretty much since we started; reason is because it works. Everything has a use, it’s simple, takes a few clicks from coming onto the site to buying shoes from a retailer. We’ve kept it simple and will continue to do so, but there’s phase two in the mix, then after that it’s Skynet…. And while we have you, we’ve got to ask what releases you’re looking forward to most from the seasons ahead… There are a lot. We’re privy to information three to six months in advance, so we see a lot of stuff ahead of release. It’s still runners, there’s no two ways about it. That category of shoe is in charge. It won’t go away, but you’ll still have the vintage basketball side of things, the tech basketball and the tech running. What adidas and Nike are doing on the tech side of things… Nike have been doing it for a while, and now adidas are getting involved with the ZX Flux, they’re gaining ground, which spurns Nike on to work even harder.

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I don’t think there’s a shoe specifically. I think we all know the shoe that’s gonna carry on in the coming months and couple of seasons, and that’s the Huarache. And the Reebok Workout - a great shoe, Reebok are doing good things. The product is street; they’re pub shoes, real-life shoes, and that’s important. But runners are the category that’s gonna just carry on. Now they’re global, they’re in the US. A year or two ago, the only runners in the US were the ones that 50plus guys would wear, but now it’s filtered right the way down to the kids on the street. Things are changing in America; I think the hype that’s been created in the European market has made the US market sit up and take note. Personally, I think the UK market is the leader in the majority of categories in the industry - you’re never going to take it away from the US on the Jordans and the basketball, but we’re definitely setting the precedent for the runners… We’ve heard a lot of people say that London is the trainer capital of the world… It is. I think that’s because of the size, the density, the amount of retailers and kids out there with money to spend on the product. London is the capital at the moment. I’ll put my neck out there and say it always has been and always will be, both in my mind and a lot of other people’s, too. Big up London - and big up the UK.

A O R , I ’ M A W H O R E A L L Y L I K E S S

t h e d r o p d a t e. c o m

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Q U E S T I O N S CERN

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Tr a p # 2 0 1 0 Q U E S T I O N S - Cern

1. Hello mate. Where in the world are you right now and what are you up to? Hi! Currently, I’m sitting in my kitchen in Stamford Hill contemplating whether I’m going to have vodka or gin. 2. You’re from New Zealand - a lot of amazing bass-driven music, from Fat Freddy’s Drop to State Of Mind, has come from there over recent years. Why do you think that is? I think New Zealand has a pretty longstanding history of great music, bassdriven or otherwise. Kiwis take real pride in the artistic output of our country because we are a small nation, and maybe on some level, we punch above our weight in that respect. We have a unique culture and I think isolation plays a huge part too, in that it can breed creativity when channelled constructively.

ctober sees the release of the second album from New Zealand born, now London based D&B producer Cern. Coming on Ant TC1’s hugely respected Dispatch label, the album, titled ‘Under Another Sky’, follows releases for premier imprints such as Renegade Hardware and Commercial Suicide. A real favourite of ours here at Trap, we caught up with Cern for to ask him ten quick questions… _

3. And you’re now living in London why did you move here? I think the allure of greater opportunity was a big factor. New Zealand is a small place and although it’s beautiful and a great lifestyle, there are limited options for you in many respects. London is a first stop for a lot of Antipodeans, but for me, experiencing drum & bass in its home was a big motivation for moving here as well. 4. What do you love about London, and what do you hate about it? There are so many things to love about being here. Like when the sun comes out after not seeing it for 4 months, and suddenly strangers are really nice to each other. The countryside in the UK is beautiful, contrary to what some people might think – parts of the North remind me of Queenstown & Wanaka back home. And the proximity to the rest of Europe. The access to any music you want is the thing, I love the most though.

5. You have your second album coming in October. Tell us more… Yeah, the new LP is called ‘Under Another Sky’ and it’s something I’ve been working on since the end of last year. Moving here has definitely changed the way I see music, so I wanted to put together an album that ref lected the experience. Since my last album, I have bought a few analogue synths and other bits, and it’s like starting all over again, which is so much fun. I experimented a lot more

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than I have in the past and made a lot of mistakes, some of which are in the album, but I’m happy with it. Ant at Dispatch just let me do my thing and it was great to have that support. I’m looking forward to people giving it a listen. 6. And you’ve done a fair share of collabs in your time - what would be the dream studio link-up for you? I love doing collaborations for lots of reasons, but most of all, I just like hanging out and learning stuff. Dream collaborators would definitely be either Source Direct or Photek, because they both embody everything I love about music and what I would like to achieve with it. 7. You’re signed to the excellent Dispatch Recordings - If you could release for any label, which would it be? Ant and the Dispatch team have given me everything I need in a label as an artist. To have been given full freedom to do what I want in regards to the LP is an ideal situation and it feels great to be a part of a team that are making such an impact on the music. 8. If you could have been born in musical era, which would it be and why? 1950s Blues in the US - Chicago, Memphis, Detroit… Just raw music with soul. What a time and place to be a f ly on a wall! 9. What was the first D&B track you ever heard? (Please go into detail on where you heard it and what you thought .) The first one I definitively remember would be ‘Where’s Jack the Ripper’ by Grooverider. This tune changed my life, and I still play it in my sets. Jonny (the other half of Cern) played it to me at a time when I hadn’t heard much electronic music at all, and it just blew my mind hearing something so fresh and basically just not of this planet. 10. What’s next for Cern? I’m going to focus on just getting back into the groove of writing music. And I’m heading back to New Zealand for a New Year gig at Northern Bass, which is an honour. In the run up to then i’ll be visiting a handful places through Europe and the UK touring the album. Fun times for sure.

Sti l l R eal

G O R G O N C I T Y Wo r d s : J o n C o o k Photos: Jimmy Mould Styled by: Kasha Malyckyj A s s i s t e d b y : Ta z m i n O s b o r n e S a n d e r s

hese are boom years for dance music. Although there have been times before in the last 30 years when tracks made for clubs and raves have found unlikely acceptance in the mainstream, right now, the widespread popularity of all forms of electronic music is at a level not seen since the 1990s. The last couple of years have seen Rudimental go from playing tiny underground clubs to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, Sigma top the UK charts with a full-on D&B track not once but twice, and the house music renaissance take full hold and control of not just the underground, but the radio waves and festival tents, too. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not even to mention the dance music explosion in Americaâ&#x20AC;Ś Fitting neatly into all of this, and looking to match the success of their aforementioned peers, are Gorgon City, the London-based duo who have toured with Rudimental, who grew up listening to jungle and D&B and are now are at the forefront of the house music wave relentlessly rolling out of the clubs and into the charts.

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Matt wears: Jacket: Libertine Libertine Jeans: Levis Shoes: Nike Ky e w e a r s : Shirt: Samsoe and Samsoe Jeans: Edwin Shoes: Levis

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After a year that’s seen them twice break the UK Singles Chart Top Five with the singles ‘Real’ and ‘Ready For Your Love’, as well as produce music for Jess Glynne and The Klaxons, Gorgon City are about to finish 2014 in style with the release of their debut album ‘Sirens’ accompanied by a 30-date tour of the UK, Europe and America. With the album and tour just on the horizon, Trap caught up with the guys behind Gorgon City, Kye Gibbon and Matt Robson-Scott (who some of you will already know as Foamo and Rack’N’Ruin), to talk about how they began working together, what to expect from the album and life on a major label… Hi Guys. How did you both start making music? Matt: I started making D&B stuff was I was about 16. I had a few releases, put out a few white-labels, but never really cracked the D&B sound; it’s a tough thing to master, especially when you first start making music. So, I began experimenting with different tempos and started to make a more electro sound, which would eventually turn into 140 stuff as Rack’N’Ruin. I was always into everything when it came to dance music, but I got really excited when I went to Ibiza and saw the big main-room guys of the time like Carl Cox. I got really switched on by that, and at the same time the likes of Fake Blood, Crookers and Zinc were doing their thing and that gave me a lot of inspiration. Kye: I started making music when I was 13 or 14, making beats on the Playstation. Then, I got well into jungle and D&B, I started making music on my mum’s computer at home and I used to DJ at parties a lot. I’d cut D&B tunes I’d made to dubplate and play them out. There was a promoter in High Wycombe where I grew up who’d book us to play alongside really well known MCs, so I ended up DJing with people like Shabba and Foxy and Fearless when I was only 15!

’ V E C O M E E U N D E R G R D W E D O N ’ N T T O L O S

F R O M O U N D T E V E R E T H A T .

But then, I sort of lost touch with D&B in my later teens. I was still making music, but I didn’t really know what I wanted to make. And then in about 2007, I discovered house through people like Switch and Jesse Rose; that all sounded real interesting to me. I never really thought I was into house music before then, but that drew me in. I hadn’t sent any music out for years but made a house track, sent it out to a few DJs and within a couple of days it was getting played on Radio One and KISS. That’s when things really took off for me as Foamo. How did you two first meet? M: I met Kye when we were playing at the same night in Swansea. We had the same agent, so would end up playing quite a lot of nights together and got to know each other pretty well. It was that era, he was doing well as Foamo and things were taking off for me as RackNRuin We made a tune and found we worked really well in the studio together. It was just a one-off, but we decided pretty quickly we should do more, because it wasn’t just a combination of our individual sounds, it was something new, it sounded like a new artist in itself, so we came up with a new name and that was Gorgon City. And you two found you worked well together in the studio? K: Yeah, when I first started making music with Matt, I was going through a period where I was finding it difficult to finish music on my own. M: Likewise, I was finding it hard to finish releases, hitting brick walls and getting annoyed with production. When we started working together, suddenly we could finish tracks really fast and we were able to bounce ideas of each other and get things done. K: It’s difficult sometimes as a producer; you can be working on something for days on your own and not know how to finish it or whether it’s any good or not… I used to spend weeks on one tune and not get anywhere sometimes.

M: Working together got rid of all of that - we could make decisions on sounds, basslines, beats quickly, we could tell each other what was working. If I was on my own, then the riff I just played that might be great, I wouldn’t even bother to record; I’d go make a cup of tea and go out. It works amazingly in the studio and it makes playing out a lot more fun too. Travelling the world with someone is way better than being on your own in airports and hotels. I remember doing RackNRuin shows in little towns in Poland and at 3am you’re on your own… It wasn’t always fun. This way, it’s all a lot less lonely. The album ‘Sirens’ is about to drop and features a bunch of different vocalists. When did you decide to focus on working with vocals as opposed to just club tracks? Was there a conscious decision to make dance music that would also work on radio and the charts? M: It was completely natural - we never planned anything with this project. It’s all happened organically, we never sat down and decided to make a certain tune, or work with a certain vocalist in order to do a certain thing. We made the first Gorgon City release, the ‘Crypt’ EP, as a laugh and just put it out there. Remember when Toddla and Redlight did Roller Express, where they collaborated brief ly, did some shows together and that was it? That’s what it felt like at first for us, we were doing our own projects, so we just thought, ‘let’s do it for a laugh’. But then we made ‘Real’ with Yasmin, and that’s when it all changed. K: Yeah, I think that was the main switching point. When we got to the studio, she was saying she was listening to a lot of Miguel Campbell and Hot Natured, we just thought let’s do a summery tune, we had a disco beat, those chords, the verses written down. We just came up with the track then. We weren’t thinking this would work for radio; when we made that tune we wanted it to be a straight-up club tune. 051

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M: It was completely experimental, at first we just thought it was a really clubby house track with a vocal on it. But then it got picked up by Radio One and Nick Grimshaw started playing it, and it got into the charts and we though ‘Jesus, this is crazy’. K: It was a really big surprise when we started hearing it on radio, especially when it started getting daytime play. We never would have thought that tune would get as much radio love as it did, neither of us had ever had that before; it came out of nowhere. But it did make us want to work with more and more vocalists. It set us off and we just went with it. M: After that, our management hit us up to work with a few people and we did a tune with MNEK, that became ‘Ready For Your Love’ and it all just kept happening. Before we knew it, we had a whole album’s worth of material. So is there a clear concept or idea behind the album? K: Like we said, we weren’t really thinking too much about where we were going with it, it all just seemed to happen naturally and we just wanted to keep writing songs. We kept getting sessions with interesting singers. We were just making as much music as we could. We didn’t want to make anything cheesy, we wanted to make songs that meant something and weren’t too simple, songwriting wise. I think in the end, the album has a narrative to it from start to end; it begins all positive and kind of naive, then, as you go on, it gets a bit more fucked up lyrically… But we didn’t have a big objective or concept. Talk us through some of the vocalists on there - there are quite a few… M: Yeah there’s obviously ‘Real’ and ‘Ready For Your Love’ with Yasmin and MNEK which we’ve mentioned, and then we have ‘Lover Like You’ with Katy B. She’s a UK treasure now, and we play on Rinse so she’s part of that family. It’s great to get her on the album And there’s Erik Hassle - we worked with him in LA. We spent a week and half writing in LA while doing some shows out there, we wrote that with him, he’s a Swedish guy, but lives out there. Then the track ‘6am’ was done with a girl called Tish Hyman out in LA as well. K: Working in LA was great. Because we’re signed to Universal, it means we’re signed to Capitol records, so we got to work in

their building - that famous Hollywood building. That was cool man, recording in there. We wrote those two tracks there, that was a great experience. All the other tracks on the album were done in our little studio in Finsbury Park, so it was crazy going from there to that studio in LA with an engineer to help record vocals. All the other vocals on the album were recorded in our home studio, so it was great to record somewhere like that. M: And there’s Maverick Sabre and then Katy Menditta, who sings on the track ‘Imagination’. She’s a young vocalist from London and she’s going to be touring with us on our US tour, singing a lot of the female songs, because unfortunately we can’t ask all the vocalists to come out and play with us! There’s obviously more to Gorgon City tracks than just the vocals though; what sets you guys apart is the weight of the tracks you set behind the songwriting… M: “Yeah that’s what it’s all about, and what we wanted to do. Produce an album of music that works in the club or a mum’s kitchen when she’s cooking beans on toast. We always wanted to do that, and I think we’ve just about managed it. K: Yeah, I think it’s a case of taking our production techniques from what we’ve made before and where we’ve come from and combining it with songwriting. We use the club production techniques, where we make sure it’s weighty, it has that subbass and hits hard, and then once that’s sorted we can write an actual song to it. Your album is coming out on Virgin, but are you guys still linked to your original home Black Butter? M: Yeah, we’re signed to Virgin EMI and Black Butter; we’re still very much part of Black Butter. But Virgin are obviously a big help with things like putting videos out. Black Butter is a real family; we do parties together and it’s a lot of fun. And the label is still signing loads of great new artists who I’m sure will end up doing massive things with majors too, eventually. It’s good, because everyone makes sure they stay part of the family and do shows and tours together, like My Nu Leng have been touring with Rudimental in America. It’s a cool family to be part of. Is there anything you think you’ve gained or lost from working with a major label? We haven’t lost anything and I feel like

we’ve gained a lot. We’ve got a creative team now at Virgin who we meet with and get ideas for the live show, videos, visuals, the aesthetics of the project. It gives you the opportunity to expand your vision and your creativity, so it’s been one of the best things thats happened to the project. It’s basically given us the opportunity to do loads of cool shit that we couldn’t have done before! K: Our A&R at Virgin, she worked at Rinse, so she knows her stuff, she isn’t some suit. She’s actually into good underground music, so it’s cool working with her. Overall the benefits creatively of being on a label like Virgin are huge. Maybe at the end of the process, there was a bit of pressure when it came to what tracks made it onto the album - there were a couple I really loved that couldn’t make it onto the album, due to the artists featured and the politics. You have to compromise a little bit, but overall it’s all been good. Now you’re signed to a major and setting off on your own headline tours, do you ever worry about losing touch with the underground? Is the underground even important to you anymore? M: Yeah, it’s very important to us. At the end of the day, we’re house music producers, we’ve come from the underground and we don’t ever want to lose that. That’s the reason we still play banging underground tech house and jackin’ in our sets - we love it, it’s very important to not lose that. That’s why, when people come to see us play live, like when we did Brixton a few months back, maybe 20 % of those people there hadn’t been to rave before - they’d heard ‘Ready For Your Love’ and ‘Real’ on the radio and thought ‘I’ll go see Gorgon City’. And then when they get there, they get a two-hour set of banging house music and loads of other DJs playing as well. We do the live PAs, but hopefully by then end of it, they’ve experienced something they might not have known about before. K: That’s a really cool part of what we do, that we can introduce rave culture to someone who’s previously only listened to Radio One or Capital just because they’re playing our music… We can bring people into music they might have not heard before. Gorgon City’s debut LP ‘S i r e n s ’ is out now

Ky e w e a r s : Jacket: Copson London Jeans as before Matt wears: Shirt: Libertine Libertine Jeans as before

E D I T I O N F I F T Y

aunched in June of this year, Edition Fifty is new online art store selling highly-limited prints from some of the world’s best and most well recognised artists.

Releasing a new print on a (roughly) monthly basis, in runs of just 50 each, the prints range from £80 to £500 in price. The store is the brainchild of renowned street artist and Weapon Of Choice Gallery owner Cheba, and Mike Bennet who co-founded Bristol’s See No Evil street-art event.

So far, prints have come from the likes of Mr Jago, Will Barras and Radio Head artist Stanley Donwood, each of which is featured here. Next up will be a print from Nychos (also shown here), with the promise of something from legendary graffiti artist and Massive Attack member Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja before the end of the year.

Check the Edition Fifty site for more info. e d i t i o n f i f t y. c o m

‘New Atlantis’ by Mr Jago 054

‘Human Explosion’ by Nychos

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‘Goya & His Dog’ by Will Barras

‘Fucked Millennium’ by Stanley Donwood

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T O O C O L D T O H O L D

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Tr a p # 2 0 ICICLE

n integral part of DJ Friction’s Shogun Audio family, Icicle has been turning out quality D&B and dubstep for nearly a decade now. Known for his deep, atmospheric and often hard sound, stripped back from needless embellishment , the Dutch producer enjoys a reputation as one of the best producers out there. As such, the release of his second album for Shogun this October got all of us here at Trap a little excited. We caught up with Icicle at his home in London to find out more about that project , life on Shogun Audio and his views on the sounds and scenes he operates within… Your new album ‘Entropy’ is out soon. How is it different to your last album, ‘Under The Ice’, and what should we expect? ‘Entropy’ will be my second album and I’ve been working on it since I finished ‘Under The Ice’. I spent a lot of time working out how to differentiate between this album and my first. My first album was really an attempt to sum up my inf luences and where I came from musically; a bit of a look back. ‘Entropy’ is more of a look into the future, an imagining of the progression of my sound. It’s more sonically advanced, a bit harder and more chaotic, but has a lot of musical moments, too. The album features several guest vocalists SPMC, Manchester’s Skittles, Foreign Beggars’ Metropolis and vocalist Sarah Hezen. What was your thinking in getting them involved? It’s always a little difficult to find vocalists for my tunes, as, mostly, they don’t have obvious riffs, but these were the people that really made it work for us. SP, Skittles and Metropolis are simply just some of my very favourites MCs out there, and Sarah Hezen was bit of a find. She’s undoubtedly one of the most unique sounding vocalists I’ve ever come across and I had so much fun working with her. Working on future vocalist-driven projects is something I just got into and it’s definitely something to develop more in future. You’ve lived in England for a while now - what do you miss most about Holland? Well, the obvious thing would be my family and friends. Holland is a great place, but in work terms, I haven’t really go that many ties with there anymore. Leaving behind

people you’ve know all your life isn’t easy, but then Holland is only a 45-minute flight away. You’re one of many D&B producers to come from Holland, and in particular Eindhoven. Why do you think so many quality producers come from there? Eindhoven is definitely a creative place, but, I think, to an extent it was just a random coming together of likeminded people. We had a good group of people sticking together and helping each other forward, that helped a lot. To be honest, I haven’t lived there for six years so I am getting out of touch. Shogun Audio has been your home almost since the start of your recording career - what does the label mean to you? Shogun has been great for me, and Ed (Friction) and Keir (K-Tee) have pushed me hard and been open to my ideas about my music. We’ve always had a very nice group of producers who are also actually all friends; that’s helped to keep it a nice place to release music.

Dubstep as a sound and movement has retreated to the underground since its popular pinnacle a few years back - do you think the genre will ever return to the fore? I think the retreat in popularity was to be expected. When something becomes as unbelievably popular as dubstep did, there will always be a terrible backlash. Dubstep is going to be fine, though, it’s building identity still, in my opinion, and has a long way to go. As long as people like Proxima, Thelem, Commodo and Biome keep popping up and keep dubstep inventive, everything will be OK! Who are your biggest influences as a producer? I would say people like Amon Tobin for pure sound design, Noisia for pushing the limit of musical dynamics and maybe Blawan for reinventing an age-old music style such as techno and showing that there’s always more to do.

Who inspires you most from among your fellow Shogun producers? I think, right now, we have a nicely varied group of producers. I wouldn’t pick a standout person, but it’s nice to see everybody working themselves near to death to improve their music! That’s inspiring for me.

And who’s exciting you most as a producer in electronic music as a whole right now? That’s an impossible question, I think. I have to give two very different answers; I’m really into FKA Twigs and her absurd song structures - that sounds fresh to me. On the other end, Mefjus is putting so much into FM type sound design; that really feels like the forefront of modern dance music to me.

Do you feel any restrictions from being so closely tied to one label? Or is it a happy marriage? It’s a happy marriage, but there are obvious restrictions, because of the exclusivity. It’s hard to not think the grass is always greener. Shogun have always let me do certain other things when I really wanted to and, overall, the drawbacks of being signed exclusively are dwarfed by the payoffs, such as promotion and development. Bit of a PC answer, but that’s really how I see it.

D&B has been around for almost two decades now - does it still excite you and do you feel it still has room to grow? Absolutely, music is never finished. If you look back over the last few years of D&B you can see the progression; even if there were times you may have felt D&B was a little stagnant, you can really see the jumps in quality. D&B will always take inf luence from what’s happing in all other styles of music and so will stay alive, in my opinion.

You’re known for producing both d&b and dubstep and your new album features both - which do you prefer making? I always find that a bit of a weird question. I think the whole point of making more that one style of music is because it feels like the same music to me. I think my dubstep and my D&B are very similar in energy and sound. From tune to tune, I might prefer a certain project to another, but that’s not because of what genre it is.

And finally, now the album’s here, what’s next for Icicle? An audio visual live show that is coming next year...

_ Entropy is released early N o v e m b e r o n S h o g u n A u d i o.

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I T ’ S N I C E S E E E V E R Y W O R K I N G T S E L V E S T O T O I M P R O V T H E I R M U S

T O B O D Y H E M D E A T H E I C .

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L O O K I N G O U T Photos: Sarah Ginn

s any regular reader will know, we at Trap have a long-running love affair with a certain medieval fort in Croatia where, every year, we leave a part of our hearts - and a fair chunk of our minds too… This year’s Outlook and Dimensions festivals at Fort Punta Christo on the Adriatic coast were, quite simply, the best yet. Trap was honoured to have been asked to return with our friends from The Blast to host our very own boat party at

Outlook. As every year, we’ll save you from reading us chatter on about how sick it was again, and instead use these pages to show you, through the lens of our amazingly talented friend and photographer Sarah Ginn. Tickets for next year go on sale soon - if you didn’t make it this year, you know what to do. _ outlookfestival.com dimensionsfestival.com s a r a h g i n n . c o. u k

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Mumdance Ko ast & My Nu L eng Bo ddika Dillinja

Clockwise: -

Go ldie DJ Marky The Fo rt Trap x T he Blast Bo at Party crew

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A D A M

B E Y E R

Wo r d s : D e a n n e B a l l

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Tr a p # 2 0 ADAM BEYER

n an industry characterised by the perpetual motion of shifting genres, Adam Beyer’s ability to stand outside of the mainstream and remain true to his vision is what makes him such an indomitable force in the international techno scene. With a passion for percussion that grew from teen years playing the drums, to the founding of his suitably-named Swedish techno label, Drumcode, in 1996, Adam Beyer has become one of the most respected DJs in the business - yet remains compellingly humble. We caught up with him ahead of the fifth anniversary edition of Drumcode’s Halloween event to chat about the label’s latest happenings, life on the other side of the decks and why his glass is always half-full… _ Hi Adam, you good? Where in the world are you right now? I’m fine thank you. I’m in Ibiza preparing to play for Carl Cox tonight. I’ve just had a really good meal at El Chiringuito in Salinas, so I’m happy and feeling good. What can we expect from this year’s Drumcode Halloween event? This is the biggest Drumcode Halloween party we’ve done in London after throwing events there for four years. We’ve really gone to town and are using a new venue called Tobacco Dock that fits 6,000 people and bringing in a lot of outside talent such as Nina Kraviz, Scuba and Paul Woolford. Parties aside, what’s your favourite place in London and why? I should probably mention one of the best food experiences I had recently which was at Coya. It’s a Peruvian fusion type restaurant. It was incredible. Drumcode is almost two decades old. Has your vision for the label stayed

the same? In the beginning it was about releasing my own music and music from my Swedish colleagues. Gradually, I’ve expanded it over the years to include music from Italian artists who were impressing me and I’ve continued to broaden it. I think, if you listen to the music on the label, there’s a running theme throughout those 18 years, but I have expanded it a bit as I’ve become more open-minded musically.. Tell us about your new EP ‘Teach Me’ on Drumcode. Did you have a specific concept in your head for the release before you started out? Yes, it was meant to be an album. It’s the first time I went outside my studio and I took a lot of parts and went to another studio with an engineer called Dave Robertson, who also produces music under the name Reset Robot. We made around 15 or 20 tracks that were quite dance f loor orientated, but then I decided that if I release an album, I want to make quite a statement and do something different than 12” orientated techno. For this reason, I’ve decided to split the tracks up and release them as singles. I have a new one coming on Truesoul and there might be another one on Drumcode coming up as well. Do you spend much time on the other side of the decks? Unfortunately, not as much as I would like to anymore. Even when I started DJing, I was always a raver and enjoyed going out on benders, but I don’t have much time these days, especially with being a family man. The last dance I had was actually on the weekend just gone to Bart Skills at a Dutch festival called Woodstock’69.

in life that you can be part of as a human being. I’ve been in the room both times when my daughters were born and the emotion washing over you at that moment is just incredible – I’ll be both nervous and excited at the time. It’s all a big mishmash of emotions. Your music is a world away from the Swedish EDM phenomenon. What do you make of it all? I think it’s great. I’m always trying to have a positive outlook on everything that’s happening, as long as it’s progressive and leading to something. I think it’s a natural step for electronic music - which has been somewhat underground - taking over from rock and hip-hop as the next big musical genre. I only see upsides. And personally, I’m getting more people coming to my shows, better gigs and bigger festival bookings. Share three things you’re looking forward to in the last quarter of 2014. Number one, having a third daughter – that’s always going to be the biggest thing. Secondly, I’m really looking forward to going to the next level with Drumcode and the London party on 1 November; that’s a big deal for me. Tickets are f lying so we’re all very excited. And finally, I’m looking forward to some downtime as I’ve been playing three or four gigs a week. I haven’t seen my family much, so I’m quite looking forward to doing some studio work and being at home a bit more soon. Glass half-full or half-empty? Glass half-full. I always try and look on the positive side of things. _

We hear you’re expecting your third child in October. Are you excited, nervous or a combination of the two? Terrified! No, I’m kidding. But of course, it’s one of the most powerful experiences

Adam Beyer plays Drumcode H a l l o w e e n p r e s e n t e d b y Aw a k e n i n g s a n d L W E a t To b a c c o D o c k o n S a t u r d a y 1 N o v e m b e r.

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L O S T D A Y S Photography: Charlotte Thomas Styled by: Kasha Malyckyj a n d Ta z m i n O s b o r n e S a n d e r s Hair and Make Up: Sophia Cox Model: Carly at Lenis Models

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C a r ly W e a r s : C oat : M A N G O £ 1 3 9 . 9 9 mang o . c o m Tr o u s e r s : Z A R A £ 3 9 . 9 9 z ar a. co . u k Shoes: REEBOK £55 r e e bo k . c o . u k Sweatshirt Stylist’s ow n

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C a r ly W e a r s : jacket: T H E W H I T E P E P P E R £80 the w hi t e p e p p e r. c o . u k L o n g S l e e v e Te e : S T U S S Y X G A S I U S £ 4 5 goo dh o o d . c o . u k trousers: RASCALS £50 r as c al s . d k

C a r ly W e a r s : Jumper: ZDDZ £350 mang o . c o m Tr o u s e r s : A C N E £ 3 7 0 ac ne s tu d i o s . c o m Shoes: ADIDAS ORIGINALS £62 adi das . c o . u k

C a r ly W e a r s : Jacket: HIDE £280 hi de -l ab e l . c o m sweatshirt: THIS IS WELCOME £69 thi s i s w e l c o m e . c o m

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B O S S S E L E C T I O N S #20

TOP SELECTIONS FROM FOUR BOSS SELECTORS

H a n n a h Wa n t s Dirtybird _

1. HANNAH WANTS & CHRIS LORENZO ‘Rhymes’ 2. SKIP SOUL ‘Gold Chain’ 3. MELLA D ‘GT Turbo’ 4. THE ORGAN GRINDER ‘Spanner In The Works’ (Alden Tyrell & Gerd Remix) 5. FSOL ‘Papua New Guinea’ (Shadow Child Remix) 6. HENRY KRINKLE ‘Stay’ (Justin Martin Remix) 7. PALEMAN ‘Beezeldub’ 8. DUKE DUMONT ‘Won’t Look Back’ (Special Request 72 hr Crack Binge Remix) 9. CIREZ D ‘On Off’ 10. ART DEPARTMENT ‘Much Too Much’

Metric

Hospital Records _

Slimzee

Slimzos Recordings _ 1. REBOUND X ‘Rhythm n Gash’ (Murlo Remix) 2. SPOOKY ‘Playground VIP’ 3. BIG$HOT D ‘Glitch’ (Trends Remix) 4. BLOOM ‘Cold Grip’ 5. SPOOKY ‘Spartan Remix’ 6. PINCH & MUMDANCE FT. RIKO ‘Big Slug’ 7. STIRLING ‘Wave Runner’ (Trends Remix) 8. BIG DEANN & LEMZLY DALE ‘Escape From Agrabah’ 9. DRIPPIN D ‘Kyoto’ 10. TRENDS & HI5GHOST ‘Duppymaker’

1. METRIK ‘Universal Language’

Logos

2. ERIC PRYDZ ‘Liberate’ (Matrix & Futurebound Remix)

Keysound _

3. TC ‘Everything For A Reason’ (Ivy Lab Remix)

1. SLACKK ‘Palm Tree Fire LP’

4. DEADMAU5 ‘Avaritia’ (Dimension Bootleg)

2. LOGOS ‘Metropolis’ 3. LOGOS ‘Glass’

5. DJ FRESH AND ELLIE GOULDING ‘Flashlight’ (Metrik Remix)

4. STRICT FACE ‘Into Stone’

6. KRAKOTA ‘Xylo’

5. MOLESKIN ‘Grand Ballet’ 6. JT THE GOON ‘Mystikal Dragon’

7. FLUX PAVILLION FT. STEVE AOKI ‘Steve French’ (The Protoypes Remix)

7. INKKE ‘Choong’

8. NOISIA ‘Asteroids’

8. RABIT ‘Hand of God’ 9. MUMDANCE & LOGOS ‘s550’

9. SECONDCITY FT. ALI LOVE D ‘What Can I Do’ (Fred V & Grafix Remix)

10. MR MITCH ‘The Man Waits’ (Logos Remix)

10. GORGON CITY ‘Unmissable’ (Metrik Remix)

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U N D E R

A N O T H E R

S K Y

F E A T U R I N G D L R / G R E M L I N Z / H Y D R O L O X Y / O V E R L O O K

[ S A M P L E R ] 2 2

[ F U L L

S E P T E M B E R

1 5

T R A C K

O C T O B E R

L P ]

2 0 1 4

FOR MORE INFO VISIT W W W. D I S PATC H R E C O R D I N G S .C O M

R E V I E W S

#20

Wo r d s : E r i n M a t h i a s , C h r i s T h o m a s , K o y e j o O l o k o , O l i G r a n t , O s c a r H e n s o n , S h a u n P h i l l i p s , B o r o , J u s t i n I r i a j e n , D e r r i c k B o n e s , T i m D u b B o y, Ta y y a b A m i n , G e o f f W r i g h t

VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘WORTH THE WEIGHT VOL. 2 ’ (Pu nc h D r unk)

ofty descriptors such as “seminal” are bandied about a little too freely, but few record labels are as deserving of their celebration as Peverelist’s Punch Drunk records. Integral to Bristol’s nascent dubstep scene, Punch Drunk have been responsible for more than their fair share of bonafide genre classics, many of which were featured on the first in this excellently titled and impeccably curated series back in 2010. The Punch Drunk roster’s evolution is perhaps just as impressive as their visionary sonic innovations back then, especially as it’s been a period where some quarters of dubstep saw a dearth of creativity and progression. Their sound integrated new inf luences, and the label nurtured fresh Bristolian talent; it’s this second chapter in Punch Drunk’s history of which Worth The Weight Vol. 2 provides a stunning vignette. The iridescent shimmer and lolloping beats of Kahn’s ‘Helter Skelter’ contrast wildly against the sunken, meditative sub bass of Zhou’s dub efforts. Drum machines clatter relentlessly on Tessela’s ‘Channel’,

next to a meandering 12-minute Bass Clef epic from his LP. There’s a subtly reinterpreted Kowton version of Pev’s deep classic, ‘Roll With The Punches’, and the pulsating broken techno of Hodge’s two inclusions, and plenty of other illustrations of their soundsystem prowess. Hearing these releases again, I realise what’s particularly remarkable is how well the tracks have aged - a sure signifier of Peverelist’s ability to feel a future classic. Here’s to hopefully looking back on Vol. 3 in the years to come. OG 083

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FOREIGN CONCEPT ‘MAKE MEALS EP’ (C r i t i c a l M u s i c )

APHEX TWIN ‘SYRO’

PAUL WHITE ‘SHAKER NOTES’

(Warp)

( R &S)

phex Twin’s first album in 13 years delights in the intense style he’s effectively patented. Ridiculously lithe drum programming - living breakbeats, it seems - spar with acidic, hyperspeed bass, beneath f luttering melodies, sent from some higher plane to haunt. The tone is often cooler and the grooves more funky than his last full-length, ‘Drukqs’. There are those kind of breathless moments of superkinetic beauty which, genuinely, only he could create, and his own voice enters at points too, from the rushing groans in ‘minipops 67’ to the heavenly blend of synth and sigh in ‘4 bit 9d api+e+6’. Foul-mouthed posh girl samples among the spooky gleam and judder of ‘produk 29’ reinforce the image of the character he projects through both sound and visuals: the lurking weirdo genius. The lord returns. GTDC

TODDLA T ‘KENSAL RISE EP’

haker Notes’ is Paul White’s debut for R&S, off the back of producing Danny Brown’s latest, and its wingspan surpasses the confines of hiphop, landing somewhere between downtempo psychedelic electronica, blues, jazz and beat music. There are highlights aplenty, from ‘All We Know’, reminiscent of ‘Black Sands’-era Bonobo, to White’s honed percussion over the Lenor lilt of Jamie Woon’s voice on ‘Where You Gonna Go?’. ‘Fighting to Dance’ ushers in the first hints of punchy belligerence on an album that deliberately pairs barroom blues with hazy, dizzying sonic explorations such as ‘Wait ‘n’ See’, which could sit nicely alongside Radiohead’s The King of Limbs. Paul White mostly exercises enough restraint in juggling inf luences, and balances intuitive progression and enthusiastic experimentation, so ‘Shaker Notes’ thrills the ears with ease and aplomb. TA

The latest offering from Foreign Concept highlights exactly why Critical have been steadily pushing him as an artist for the past few years; wearing his hip-hop influences proudly on his sleeve, this producer always brings something fresh. ‘Make Meals’ seamlessly transitions between classic breaks into vocal tinged bass-laden drops, while other highlights include a satisfyingly dark and murky collaboration with Klax on ‘Ask Yourself’. BORO

PLASTICIAN ‘PLASTICMAN REMIXED III’ (Te r r o r h y t h m) Plastician rounds off his throwback festivities on the third and final EP in this series. A typically haunting remix of ‘Shallow Grave’ from Wen sits with Mak & Pasteman’s clapand-shuffle house rework of ‘The Search’. Kahn & Neek’s overhaul of the same track is the real star of the show here though, breaking off the uneasy build-up with a flurry of punchy, potent kicks and synths typical of their grime style. Their signature strings turn it into a snarling, growling obliterator of a tune. TA

VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘TEMPA ALLSTARS VOL.7’

(Gi rl s M usic)

(Te mpa )

Toddla T teams up with friends old and new on his latest release. Heavy UK funky/soca roller ‘Propellah’, with Jus Now and Serocee, stands out as a choice cut. On top of that, there’s a super Toddla T & Melé remix of Tenor Fly’s classic ‘Rude Boy Talk’, plus features from the 2 Bears & Mr Lexx, and a beautifully deep, roots reggae piece with Sons Of Dub. Kensal Rise strikingly showcases Toddla’s interpretation of a defined spectrum of soundsystem music. TDB

Having gained a slightly stiff reputation in recent years on account of their staunch purism, it is refreshing to see Tempa once again open and receptive to fresh, forward-thinking takes on the sound they basically established. Luckily, the downtempo excursions provided by Wen, Batu and Coulton avoid seeming ad hoc or out of place. In fact, these three cuts are a perfect fit for Tempa - perhaps even more so than the traditionalist 140 tracks that accompany them. OH

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RUSTIE ‘GREEN LANGUAGE’ (Wa rp)

fter the silvery sturdiness of Rustie’s 2011 debut ‘Glass Swords’, Glasgow’s biggest producer since Hudson Mohawke assumes a different attitude and serves up a mixed platter - some meat and some cheese. In its most garish moments, for better or for worse, ‘Green Language’ recalls the feeling of finding yourself clapping along, smile all twisted, to the Eurovision song contest. The album is bursting with collaborations, streaming colours, and plenty of chops and changes in style. Delivering the goods as you might expect, there’s big, round, trap-like crowd-pleasers featuring modern grime and hip-hop icons D Double E and Danny Brown - testimony to the huge international profile this producer has achieved. The divisive ‘Raptor’ chucks out the hip-

hop inf luences for a spasmodic fourto-the-f loor foundation with touches of hard house; the synthy pop of ‘Dream On’, with Muhsinah, is unfortunately a little too f lat to enjoy fully. True excitement dwells in tracks like ‘Velcro’, a smart renaissance of Rustie’s classic synth-supercharged boom-bap style, with jubilant French house synths and eckied-up grin. Face Vega, of Gorgeous Children, blesses the swaying power rap of ‘He Hate Me’ with a smart, confident f low. Sometimes Rustie’s heart seems to be more in the crazy, fantasy-adventure interludes than in the singles. ‘A Glimpse’ oozes poolside Ibiza, while ‘Paradise Stone’ is the waterfall in a Japanese romance film. Overall this is a hugely confident album, and although it wants to keep everybody happy, there’s still enough of Rustie’s eclectic and interesting elements within to prove that he hasn’t sold out. EM + GTDC

MIDLAND ‘DUSTER’

SURGEON ‘FIXED ACTION PATTERN’

RUBI DAN ‘THE GODFATHER’

(Au s)

( Tok en)

(S o u l f o r c e )

Midland returns to his home label with the highly anticipated ‘Duster’ EP. Percussive UK funky-indebted DJ tools ‘Pitch Shift’ and ‘Reflex’ rattle along well, but it’s the title track that is the biggest draw here, building with a tense expectancy. The frazzling, mercurial movement of the bassline proves a fitting partner to the wistful Thievery Corporation sample that sits at the core of the track, flipped into a soaring, euphoric mode. SP

Surgeon debuts original material on Belgian techno powerhouse Token Records, as the shroud of the Eschaton EP finally lifts from the label. The single proves to be a dynamic counterbalance to Surgeon’s ambient set at Freerotation earlier this year, its stuttering and stammering chord progressions tripping and lifting ‘Fixed Action Pattern’ off of its own hefty kicks. Disorienting and disintegrating, it tumbles into the deep end, with a dub version on the flip. TA

Having spent recent years as UK bashment crew The Heatwave’s resident MC, Rubi Dan has played a huge part in spreading the sound all over the world. Now he steps up a gear and releases his first single since leaving the group. In ‘The Godfather’ his unmistakable booming patter delivers the details of his skills, his impact and his influence, over a wicked hip-hop reggae beat. UK bashment at its finest! TDB

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THE BUG ‘ANGELS & DEVILS’ (Ninj a Tune)

Fabrice Bourgelle

he Bug’s long-awaited and eagerly anticipated follow up to the explosive ‘London Zoo’ some six years ago, draws upon Kevin Martin’s extensive explorations of dub, ragga, hiphop and avant garde noise to form a seminal piece of work. The first half creates a wonderfully tense sense of dread through subtle dubwise electronics on ‘Ascension’ and the twisted dancehall bounce of ‘Mi Lost’, featuring Miss Red. Despite

the relative calm the pressure never dilutes. Things ramp up as Martin unleashes his love of hardcore sonic brutalism with a series of bombs featuring longtime collaborators Flo Dan and Warrior Queen, but its Death Grips who collude on the high point, ‘Fuck A Bitch’. The vision, creativity and fearlessness of leaves all other pretenders in the shade. ‘Angels & Devils’ is stunning; possibly the album of the year. TDB

TREVINO ‘BIRDIE 01’

JAMIE CURNOCK ‘TRANSPORTATION’ EP

(B irdi e)

( O nns et )

Trevino, AKA Marcus ‘Intalex’ Kaye, follows up a steady stream of high quality material on labels including Craig Richards’ The Nothing Special, Ben Klock’s Klockworks, and Martyn’s 3024 with the debut release on his own imprint. In fully personal, exploratory mode, the EP showcases the Manchester-based producer’s full range of moods within the boundaries of the house/techno bracket, ranging from deep and soulful, to dark and dangerous. GW

Despite Bristol not being best known for its techno scene, there’s an active group keeping things interesting in the underground, including Emptyset, Shifted and Ekoplekz. New label Onnset, with its debut from Jamie Curnock, is another example of such a struggle. Halfway between being outright experimental ‘Extract’ and properly raw ‘Transportation’, this is a well-balanced record in which technodon Truss delivers a powerful and rolling remix. Keep an eye on these guys. NJP

HUXLEY ‘BLURRED’ ( Au s M u s i c )

aving risen through the UK underground for five years with releases on Hypercolour, Tsuba, and 2020 Vision, Michael Dodman arrives in a wider musical context with a diverse debut on Will Saul’s Aus imprint. The title ‘Blurred’ references the rich mix of genres within this LP, drawing on house, techno and garage, as you’d expect, but making a conscious departure with use of pop, dubstep, and D&B inf luences. There’s plenty of the usual throwback bangers, blending classic house and speed garage - ‘Callin’, featuring S-Man, aka house and garage pioneer Roger Sanchez, is a highlight. But elsewhere, Huxley spans everything from the daytime radio perfection of guest spots from UK pop crooners FEMME (‘Give 2 U’) and Yasmin (‘Say My Name’), to fiercer tracks that seem to have been dragged from the darkened dancef loor of a warehouse, while maintaining a continuity of sound that melds it all together. GW

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WEN / FACTA ‘LATE NIGHT’ / ‘POLIWHIRL’ (Wisdom Tee th) Take another sure-shot, 130bpm bass-bin rattler from the highly prolific Wen, cut in the mould of his brilliant work on his debut LP Signals, together with Facta’s most sought-after dub, and you have a storming split 12” for the latter’s brand-new imprint. Wen’s moody dynamics hit as hard as ever, but the eerie atmospheres and driven, syncopated bassline of Facta’s ‘Poliwhirl’ steal the show. OG

GARNIER ‘BA371’ (Hyper col our ) The combination of a French techno god and a heavyweight contemporary British house/ techno label was always going to be incendiary, and this record hits every bit as hard as could be expected. ‘ENCHANTé’ fuses a gutwrenching kick and bassline with trademark soaring synth-strings to create a sound harking back to his classic ‘Unreasonable Behaviour’ era. Meanwhile ‘Confused’ provides a raw and relentlessly energetic voyage through shattering snares and soaring arpeggiators with a distinct Detroit influence. GW

LAMONT ‘FAR AWAY’ / ZED BIAS REMIX (Durkle D i sco) Bristol-born producer Lamont makes his long overdue debut for Durkle Disco. Referencing grime, techno, early dubstep and garage, this eerie, synth-laden track makes adept use of space, skilfully punctuated by a crisp 4/4 drum pattern and snappy bass line. Creating the kind of highly infectious groove found at the core of all good, underground club music, ‘Far Away’ is backed with an inevitably heavyweight remix from bass-music royalty Zed Bias. An exceptional release. JI

NEHRUVIANDOOM ‘NEHRUVIANDOOM’

DARK SKY ‘IMAGIN’’

( Lex R ecor d s )

( M o n ke y t o w n Re c o r d s )

our debut album is entirely produced by and featuring verses from one of the best in the game. You’re being supported and getting name dropped by some of the best to ever do it. You know you must be doing something right. 18-year-old villainin-training Bishop Nehru, armed with MF Doom’s signature soundscapes, is set to wreak havoc. This confidence boost can only push him onto greater things. A collaboration of this nature would be a daunting task for even the most experienced MC, but he does well to make sure that he’s not just an artist featuring on his own album. The highlight is the introspective loner anthem ‘So Alone’, which doubles as a declaration of independence. Bishop Nehru has now set a precedent for his entire career, which in itself makes him a figure it will be exciting to watch grow and develop. KO

n first hearing about Dark Sky’s debut LP on Modeselektor’s Monkeytown Records, the news came with neither surprise nor excitement to this reviewer. Having been a longtime follower of the eclectic German techno label, but not of the London trio who made their name with their earlier dubstep production before switching to 4/4, I was skeptical. But my ideas started to change from the very first listen. ‘Nothing Changes’, ‘Purple Clouds’ and ‘Lucid’ are percussive journeys into the melancholy of sound, contrasting with the more bassline heavy ‘Odyssey’ and ‘Manuka’. Sometimes it’s good to be proved wrong and ‘Imagin’ is proof of that. Dark Sky have pushed boundaries and crossed frontiers on this beauty, which shines with its own light, in its own style. A futuristic and dreamy piece of music conceived as a story; each chapter immerses you deeper and deeper inside. NJP

WILLIE BURNS ‘I WANNA LOVE YOU’ EP ( U n k n o w n To T h e U n kn o w n ) Willie Burns’ multifaceted skill returns to DJ Haus’s ever-growing Unknown To The Unknown stable, to deliver more of the purpose-built 90s-leaning club tracks we’ve come to expect of him. There’s something for each stage of the party here, but the dreamy ‘Even If It Takes All Night’ is pure end-of-the-night bliss. KO

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SLACKK ‘PALM TREE FIRE’’ (L o c al Acti on)

ontemporary grime trailblazer and Boxed promoter/resident Slackk christened ‘Palm Tree Fire’ thus after somehow associating his sound with desert landscapes. It must take real vision to forge that connection, as his debut album seems to sound like everything. That is to say, it draws inf luence on a global scale, rolling a rich variety of inspiration into one well-blended sequence of sparse movements. There’s always room to breathe in his instrumentals, and the tracks f low so well that transitions barely register, even if the record moves from surprise to surprise, with barebones Bollywood melody next to rustic Chinese woodwind. ‘Bullfight’ messes with squelchy synths, while ‘Hope You Got A’ interpolates vocals in hyper-emotion. Slackk had given us good reason to expect an impressive album, but there was no way of seeing ‘Palm Tree Fire’ coming. TA

MOLESKIN ‘SATIS HOUSE’ EP (Keysound) In a step away from the tough material inflected with grime and Jersey club that Moleskin has released on Goon Club Allstars, his new Keysound EP is a spellbinding journey through vivid synth colouring and weightless bass. The mesmerisingly melodic film soundtrack feel, with wistful moods and emotive peaks across the three tracks have us absolutely hooked; a hat-tip to Moleskin for such a beautifully captivating release. OG

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JESSIE WARE ‘TOUGH LOVE’

ICICLE ‘ENTROPY’

( P MR / I s lan d )

( S h o gu n Au d i o )

he breathy South London girl hits the big-time with her second album. She’s collaborated with SBTRKT, Joker and other club people in the past, firing her brilliant voice from the speaker stack on shiny slammers like ‘Nervous’ and ‘The Vision’, but it doesn’t seem to have inf luenced her direction, as Tough Love stays downtempo all the way. That’s not to say the emotion levels aren’t ramped up to the max though. Cutting through the narcoleptic fug of hazy rhythms and soulful musings is ‘Kind of…Sometimes…Maybe’, a collaboration with young US crooner Miguel, where the oozy pulse hits the spot. On ‘Keep On Lying’, Julio Bashmore’s subtly synthetic beats and exceptional studio know-how make it a chest-piercing, diamond arrow of R&B-soul, reminiscent of Whitney Houston’s ‘My Love is Your Love’. Topshop-pop or not, there’s still plenty to enjoy. GTDC

cicle returns with his second LP for the consistently on-point Shogun Audio imprint. Now firmly established within both D&B and dubstep circles, the producer has spent the three years since his debut album honing his already impressive talent. ‘Entropy’ represents a certain, important point in that progression; with each drum break sharper, every bassline punchier and even more precise edits. It’s a clear step forward. Noticeably, regardless of tempo, his trademark dark and minimalist template still permeates throughout all 16 tracks, but the structure is more refined, further infused with less instantly tangible elements - the groove and atmospherics - to create an altogether more mature sound. The results are a fresh and captivating album from a producer on the path to mastering his craft. JI

KOMON & APPLEBLIM ‘MOTION BLUR’ EP ( Au s M u s i c ) Kieran Lomax and Laurie Osborne return to Aus with a house trio that maintains an air of unpredictability, while remaining solidly memorable and dancefloor friendly. ‘Motion Blur’ infectiously blends jagged percussion with a rolling bassline and stab riff, while ‘Key Vision’ is built upon a complex-yet-catchy kick and bass combination. Lomax’s solo offering ‘Astir’ provides a journey into the deep and mournful, before Osborne rounds off perfectly with his acid-infused ‘Echos Retreat’. GW

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HUDSON MOHAWKE ‘CHIMES’ (Warp) Hud Mo returns, galvanising his epic, hi-glo sound and taking cues from his work with Lunice as TNGHT. ‘Chimes’ sees brash electronic brass and plasticised bass erupt beneath sparkling melodies, drums lurching playfully between zones. In his classic style, ‘King Kong Beaver’ pairs triumphant synths with whacking drums, feeling restless and gleefully instinctive. An edit of ‘Chimes’ by hard house king Gammer unexpectedly adds some hypey D&B-style builds and drops, in half-step, finishing off a killer release for the floor. CT

COLECO ‘INDUCTION’ EP (Inf lec t Audio) Coleco continues his rich work at the higher tempos, with five feisty hybrid D&B tracks. Across rhythmic structures ranging from sparse, intricately percussive halftime to unstoppable, full-pelt collisions of breaks, he delivers satisfyingly darkside basslines, well-developed melodic flourishes and sweeping synths. The EP resolutely confirms that Coleco is one of the most exciting producers in this niche right now. GTDC

MICKEY PEARCE ‘INSTRUCTIONS’ EP (S w amp 8 1) Mickey Pearce follows his free download EP in March with an EP proper for Loefah’s label. Swamp 81 has isolated a particular vein of itchy, drum-wrenched rhythms and sonic paranoia in its music, and the artist formerly known as Shortstuff understands this mindset perfectly. ‘Instructions’ is ominous throughout, with vampiric splices of reverb and discordance, and chasmic bass adorning its spiky, minimalist 2-step beats. The closer, ‘Jersey’ is the one; vibrating with tension and poise, on a hard, rolling rhythmic chassis. GTDC

COOLY G ‘WAIT TIL NIGHT’

REDINHO ‘REDINHO’

( H y p erdub )

( N u mb e r s )

ex and sentiment abound in Cooly G’s second album, sharply veering away from club music into… R&B? The description is limiting. Merissa Campbell’s raw musical realm is reminiscent of PJ Harvey, as bass and electric guitar boom and whine, and vocals are sung with sensitivity and angst, not just sass. ‘Fuck With You’ is almost a capella in its sparse simplicity. South London soundsystem f lavours are still here, and tuned to perfection; in ‘I Like’, underwater, dubby bass soothes rather than throbs. Her ability to combine instrumentation with meaning peaks in ‘Want’, where she explores the urgency of lust; lyrics like, “when you come over, kiss me all over” are regularly interrupted by an obnoxious ratatat-on-the-door beat. This thoughtfulness marks a brilliant shift into a more empathetic musician who can create a powerful, revisitable album by putting the listener right at the centre of her world. EM

edinho blew minds with his debut ‘Bare Blips’, deftly fusing grime, hip-hop, synth funk and more. Later releases saw a heavy West Coast funk inf luence take centre stage, and it remains heavily present here on his first album in maximalist, synthetic glory. Straight groovers like ‘Sharp Shooter’ sit alongside slow-reveal, morphing beasts like ‘Searching’ and the triumphant fusion of ‘Stay Together’; swells of epic, colour-drenched synths ride lashings of playful talkbox, lyrics unfailingly energetic. Funk templates are made his own, with superb, detailed drum work, and an easy freedom that’s always present in his grooves. Pristine, modern production moves the record way beyond the G-funk sound into epic widescreen, all the way from its more contemplative moments to the bangers primed to detonate discerning speaker stacks. CT

WAZE & ODYSSEY VS R KELLY ‘BUMP & GRIND 2014’ (RC A / S o n y ) Serge Santiago had a decent run on when he was solo, but it’s his 2012 pairing with Firas Waez as Waze & Odyssey that has given him by far his biggest break after 15 years in the game; the duo have been signed by Sony and are embarking on a US tour. This massive track brings shuffling beats and old school garage organs to bear on R Kelly’s sweaty vocals in the manner of MK or Nightcrawlers. AB

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ULTERIOR MOTIVE ‘THE FOURTH WALL’ (Metalhe adz)

year in the making and under the tutelage of Metalheadz main man Goldie, Bournemouth pairing Ulterior Motive finally unleash their debut album. With the duo wanted to take full control of the creative process, they’ve boldly cut out collaborators and produced all the tracks themselves; their success here has earned DJ support from everyone form Sub Focus to Rockwell. One thing that really stands out is the variety throughout the album. Newcomer vocalist James Sunderland lights up the subtle amen roller ‘Stay’, and effortlessly graces the more beatfocused halfstep of ‘Muted’, with wooden percussion that has a touch of ‘Ni-Ten-Ichi-Ryu’-era Photek to it. The classic rave vibe of ‘Tape Pack’ is a perfect counterpart to the gritty thump of ‘INTA-National’, but if you like things a bit more techy make sure you check out ‘The Rattler’. Quality. BORO

MOSCA ‘THE GREYHOUNDS’ (No t So M uch) Not So Much’s second release again sees the label-head at the controls, with two tracks in-between house and techno. ’The Greyhounds’ lugs itself ahead in a druggy, tribal throb akin to Peace Division at their least yielding. The charge eventually stoops down into a ludicrously ominous, string-laden breakdown that has surely led to some seriously twisted moments on the dancefloor in the small hours. This is what tech house is meant to sound like. SB

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CALL SUPER ‘SUZI ECTO’

LV + JOSH IDEHEN ‘ISLANDS’

( H ounds t oot h )

(Ke y s o u n d )

istening to ‘Suzi Ecto’ while walking around Cardiff during a total security lockdown for the recent Nato summit provided a fittingly dystopian soundtrack to the sight of machine-gun toting police and vast fences cutting weirdly through the city on a beautiful summer day. Contrasts like this can be found throughout Call Super’s debut LP for the fabric affiliated record label. There’s a sense of awakening and discovery, but alongside the elation and hope there’s a more sinister undercurrent… like having a grand realisation with suddenly unpleasant implications. Call Super has provided a compelling listen here, rather than a simple collection of club tracks with occasional ambience. It’s a striking, almost downbeat album, which wouldn’t sound out of place next to Warp’s ‘Artificial Intelligence’ series. SP

ollowing up 2011’s ‘Routes’, South African house-inf luenced production unit LV and singer Josh Idehen create a sound that is current, yet entirely their own. Whereas the previous album was primarily driven by the rampant bounce of UK funky, ‘Islands’ draws more heavily on the dark tension of grime and, at points, the raw frenzy of footwork. This time round Idehen’s dynamic vocal work leads the record; whereas before his words were chopped and mangled, here his delivery is given space and room to breathe. The dynamic course of the album is shaped by intermittent moments of hush, such as ‘Out Of The Blue’, where the drums fall away and Idehen’s voice reduces to a murmur. Moments like these show a mature group who, by this point, absolutely understand the album format. OH

SK SIMEON ‘DOPER THAN DOPE’ / MACHINEDRUM REMIX (Ki n g To ppa Re c o r d s ) Melbourne-based Ugandan reggae man SK Simeon comes correct with a brilliant 90s throwback ragga tune. SK’s distinctive dancehall drawl perfectly compliments the Steely & Clevie-inspired riddim. Things get really exciting with Machinedrum’s blistering remix, spinning the track on its head to create an 808 bashment workout where drums rise and fall with fantastic dexterity. This is creative stuff, standing apart from all the tepid dancehall out there. TDB

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MARQUIS HAWKES ‘FIFTY FATHOMS DEEP’ EP (Houndstooth) Marquis Hawkes marks his Houndstooth debut with four tracks ranging from peak-time smackers to boogie-inspired pop house. Leading track ‘Can’t Find a Room’ is the obvious standout; simplicity is often harder to pull off, but this pleasurable Roulé-esque stomp has been executed finely. Given the current climate in regards to hookladen house, you can expect to hear this one out a lot in the next few months. KO

BRUCE ‘JUST GETTING STARTED’ / ‘TILIKUM’ (Dnuos Ytv il) A brand-new name comes out of nowhere to give a stern kicking to your eardrums, with techno that performs the lean moves and agile impacts characteristic of Peverelist’s labels’ material. ‘Just Getting Started’ is a compacted banger, little more than a dynamic exchange of puffing rhythms and persistent lowdown thrust.’Tilikum’ is way more rushy, a twanged bassline dropping on your head and percussion sketching out mad shapes beneath. GTDC

ZED BIAS ‘SHIZAM’ FT. STYLO G & SCRUFIZZER (B l ac k Butte r) This legendary producer has worked in many styles over the years: UK garage, early dubstep, breakbeat and house. Here, he uses all his experience of the myriad soundsystem influenced forms of music to devastating effect. ‘Shizam’ is a wonderful beat, combining elements of bashment, grime and UK funky shuffle, sounding playfully murderous. Scrufizzer and UK dancehall’s man of the moment Stylo G combine brilliantly to deliver a proper club banger. TDB

GORGON CITY ‘SIRENS’

OBJEKT ‘FLATLAND’

( Virg in EM I )

( Pa n )

fter a year that’s seen them hit the Top Five in the UK singles chart with ‘Real’ and ‘Ready For Your Love’, expectations are high for the debut album from Gorgon City. With a solid underground following earned through their years as individual producers Foamo and RackNRuin bolstered by an expectant new audience who’ve discovered this London duo’s music through the mainstream radio stations supporting them so hard, the pressure was on for Gorgon City to deliver something special. Thankfully, that’s exactly what they’ve done, delivering 13 tracks that combine brilliant songwriting and vocalists with the weightiest of club production and, most importantly, plenty of bass. With the likes of Katy B and Maverick Sabre alongside new vocalists such as Erik Hassle and Tish Hyman, ‘Sirens’ impresses in both ambition and execution and looks set to take GC to heights unimaginable just a year ago. JC

J Hertz made an intense entry into the musical world with ‘Cactus’, a genre-bending Hessle Audio release that seemed to re-use the philosophy of big-drop dubstep with complexity and a kind of perfection. Since then he’s made subtle and brilliantly realised modern techno that shows an amazing technical ability and rhythmic awareness. After the superb build-up of the first couple of tracks, the beat properly kicks with the quite idiosyncratic ‘Ratchet’, fidgety and adrenaline-burnt. The utterly banging, burnt-out ‘Strays’ and the crazed contrasts of ‘One Stitch Follows Another’ are more suited to the warehouse than the city-centre club, perhaps. Other tracks are weirder and wouldn’t be out of place on Warp or Rephlex - high praise. This debut is a mighty work, confident and supremely modern. GTDC

CHIMPO ‘OUT AN BAD’ EP (E x i t ) Chimpo is part of a clutch of exciting producers who’re altering perceptions with their new wave of halftime D&B. This release finds the Mancunian in typically brash form, with hard, stepping drums, grime claps and chest-rattling basslines. With the producer’s wide-ranging influences, from 4/4 to footwork, obvious throughout, this is another forward-looking, quality release from a rapidly expanding movement in what’s now one of dance music’s most established genres. JI

fter a summer of amazing festivals, we dedicate some space to looking back on memories from Love Saves The Day, Eastern Electrics, Outlook and more.

Photos: Marc Sethi, S h o t A w a y, T h e o C o t t l e .

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B A S S P O I N T S

#20

RINSE | 20 MINIStRy LoNdoN

SouNd,

Saturday 4th October

n Saturday 4 October, Rinse FM rounds off its twentieth birthday celebrations with a massive party at one of dance music’s most legendary venues, Ministry Of Sound

Rinse has been busy making the most of entering its third decade in operation, with a series of parties, podcasts and special events throughout September, and all that will be coming to a head on the first Saturday of October in South London. Reflecting the station’s recent love affair with all things house music - and MOS’s legacy as a true church of the 4/4 - the line-up is topped by Route 94 and house legend Dimitri From Paris, with Skream, Mark Radford, Cause & Affect and Krystal Klear just some of the other killer names on the bill.

rinse20.com

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#20

B A S S P O I N T S

D E TO n AT E nOTTInGHAM / sHEffIELD / LEEDs

ith the Nottingham bass-music scene on lock, Detonate have a series of massive parties lined-up for Leeds and Sheffield too this Autumn.

After kicking off the season with huge Rodigan headlined raves in Notts and Sheff, four more parties will follow. On 24 October 10 Years Of Shogun Audio rolls into Nottingham, while 18 October brings the Zed Bias retirement tour to Leeds’ Canal Mills, and Ram Records will touch down in Sheffield and Leeds on 1 and 22 November respectively. detonate1.com

LIsTInGs 10 OCTOBER TREATMENT CARDIFF @ SOLUS, CARDIFF

21 OCTOBER BIGGER THAN BARRY @ THE WAREHOUSE, LEEDS

Jackmaster, Paul Woolford, Eats Everything, Monki, Huxley, Cause & Effect

Monki, Mak & Pasteman, Mella Dee + More

10 YEARS OF SHOGUN AUDIO @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON Friction, Marky, Rockwell, Spectrasoul, Krust + More

EXIT vs M E TA L H E A D Z

11 OCTOBER THE HYDRA: HYPERDUB X TEKLIFE @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON

vEnuE TBA

Kode9, Dj Spinn, Dj Earl, Scratcha Dva, Ikonika + More

Friday 21st November

wo of dance music’s most consistent record labels - and two of the key foundation stones upon which the D&B scene is built - combine on 21 November for a very special one-off party.

As yet, no line-up has been confirmed, but such is the strength of both those imprints and their respective rosters, it’s pretty certain this party would sell out without a single name being released. Expect immaculate vibes and excellent music from Goldie and dBridge’s sonic stables. basslaced.com

17 OCTOBER FABRIC 15TH BIRTHDAY WEEKEND @ FABRIC, LONDON Four Tet(4 Hours), Goldie B2b Doc Scott, Pinch(Live), Dub Phizix & Strategy, Loefah + More

THE BLAST PRESENTS: SWAMP 81 @ IN:MOTION, BRISTOL Benton, Loefah, Chunky, Zed Bias, Mike Skinner, Cause & Affect, Paleman, Oil Gang, Madam X + More

18 OCTOBER LICKED BEATZ @ PLAN B, LONDON Slimzee, Visionist, Murlo, Trim, Spooky

31 OCTOBER BLACK BUTTER RECORDS HALLOWEEN SPECIAL @ VILLAGE UNDERGROUND, LONDON Black Butter Records Family Plus Very Special Guests

CANAL MILLS PRESENTS: HALLOWEEN AT THE MILL @ CANAL MILLS, LEEDS Scuba, Jackmaster, Ten Walls (Live), Bicep, Leon Vincent + More

7 NOVEMBER GET BORN @ LAKOTA, BRISTOL Pearson Sound, Untold, Tessela, Wulfpack

22 NOVEMBER GARAGE NATION 17TH YEAR BIRTHDAY @ CORONET, LONDON Wookie, Sticky, Scott Garcia, Scott Da Boss Windross + More

Vi s i t t r a p m ag. c o m f o r a l l t h e latest events and listings 097

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