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+ SHOGUN AUDIO DETROIT SWINDLE PHIL AMERICA DOC SCOTT YOUNGSTA
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EDITOR: Jon Cook jon@trapmagazine.co.uk
COVER: Eats Everything by Theo Cottle theocottle.com
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Andy Hayes andy@trapmagazine.co.uk
PICTURES: Theo Cottle, Ollie Grove, Thomas Lindie, Sarah Ginn, Marc Sethi, Theo Cottle.
FASHION: Maria Pizzeriaa & Matt Jakes 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, Oli Grant, Monki, Deanne Ball, Maria Pizzeria, Matt Jakes, Gwyn Thomas de Chroustchoff, David Clark, Nick Watkins, Justin Iriajen, Lauren Clark. THANK YOU: Jamie @ Hypercolour, Chris @ Family, Johnny @ Echo Empire, Erin @ Listen Up, Adam @ Backdrop, Rob & Tom @ The Blast, Oli & Saul @ Fabric, Louis, Rich & Syd @ 50/50, Everyone @ Studio 22, Chris @ Same Old, Darryl Parkinson and everyone else we forgot.
C 2014 / 15 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 affect 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
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MONKI
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RISE UP #27 MELLA DEE
T H E 42
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DETROIT SWINDLE
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WHAT WE WORE
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T R A P M I X TA P E # 1 2 : YO U N G S TA
D R O P 76
EATS EVERYTHING
DOC SCOTT
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80 BOSS
ART: GRAHAM MOULDING
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SELECTIONS
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SHOGUN AUDIO
REVIEWS
60 FASHION
90 BASSPOINTS
SHOOT: CITY FOXX
Theo Cottle
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ART: PHIL AMERICA
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NYE 2014 GUIDE
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FIFTY FIFTY
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IN PICTURES: RED BULL C U LT U R E C L A S H
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FASHION
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RISE UP #28 N Y TA
N E W S
Bloc RetuRns
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hree years since their last weekender, Bloc returns to Butlins in Minehead on 13-15 March 2015.
After nearly falling out of existence following the infamous Bloc at London’s Olympic Park back in 2012, 2015 will see Bloc rock up in Minehead refreshed and reborn, with an awesome line-up that includes Jeff Mills, Doc Scott, Ben Klock b2b Modeselektor, Jackmaster, Carl Craig, Hudson Mohawke and the full Hessle Audio camp. Early bird tickets are available now for just £140 from the Bloc website.
blocweekend.com
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S k at e a t SomerSet HouSe
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his winter, London’s Somerset House again hosts a series of late-night skating parties on the temporary ice-rink set up in its courtyard, featuring a host of dance music’s most credible brands and DJs. This year’s Skate At Somerset House season kicked off with a Rinse party on 13 November and runs until 8 January, with upcoming ‘club-nights’ including Greco Roman, Girls Music, Ninja Tune, Lovebox, Island Records, MOS and NTS. In association with Fortnum & Mason, you can grab specially concocted cocktails in Fortnum’s Lodge and some off-theice time in the Skate Lodge, so don’t be put off if you’re not too confident sliding around on the white stuff. Tickets are available from the Somerset House website and cost £17. s o m e r s e t h o u s e. o r g. u k / s k a t e
m a r b l e F ac to ry
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ristol’s enormous Motion complex has recently unveiled a second venue, within its sprawling site behind the city’s Temple Meads station.
The Marble Factory will be focussed on live events, with Joey Bada$$ and Venetian Snares having already played during November, and a packed schedule of gigs lined up for 2015, including the likes of Gentleman’s Dub Club, The Orb and Fuse ODG.
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W i N a N E XC l U S i V E TRAP X MINIRIG P o r ta B l E S P E a K E r X
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hen it comes to portable speakers for your phone, iPad or laptop, the Minirig is the undisputed champion.
With a simple cylindrical design and a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 50 hours, these things pack some serious low-end punch and reach incredible levels of volume with ease. We really can’t recommend them enough, which is why we’re particularly excited to be able to offer you the chance to win one of three exclusive Trap-branded Minirigs, usually worth £95 each. For your chance to win, head over to our Facebook or Instagram and share the image you find on there, making sure you tag @trapmagazine. Three winners will be chosen at random and announced on Friday 19 December. To check and purchase the full Minirig range, head over to their website. m i n i r i g s. c o. u k @trapmagazine
K o o l F m 2 3 RD B i rt h day
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riday 19 December sees legendary pirate Kool Fm celebrate its 23rd birthday, with a massive party at Warehouse LDN.
The Warehouse LDN site was, in fact, also home to the legendary Roller Express and Bassbox venues, where raves such as Jungle Fever and Telepathy were held back in the early 90s, so provides a fitting location for this year’s celebration. Expect sets from jungle legends such as Brockie & Det, Funky Flirt, Kane, Bryan Gee, Ragga Twins, Shabba and many more.
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10 Years of Shogun Audio The Album 01/12/14 www.shogunaudio.co.uk
REGGAE ROAST & LOVE KULTURE PROJECT PRESENT
EW YPARTY EARMASHDOWN NWAREHOUSE S EVE
9PM - 6AM @ THE CRE8 LIFESTYLE CENTRE, HACKNEY WICK, 80 EASTWAY, LONDON, E9 5JH
TROJAN SOUND • MUNGOS HI FI CHANNEL ONE SOUND REGGAE ROAST CHOPSTICK DUBPLATE (JACKY MURDA & ARIES) THE NEXTMEN • ADAM PRESCOTT VIBRATION LAB • DUB HUNTER SHEPDOG • KINGS HI FI LEO SAMSON • MO FINGAZ DJ EARLY • BABZ
HOSTED BY KENNY KNOTTS BROTHER CULTURE & RAMON JUDAH
TICKETS £10 / £15 / £20 / £25 / MOTD WWW.REGGAEROAST.CO.UK
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N E W S
N y e C r o at i a
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ost of you reading this will have no doubt spent a week attending one of Croatia’s many amazing summer festivals over the last few years, enjoying not just incredible music but the warm hospitality and amazing beauty of the central European country’s Adriatic coast. This New Year’s, the guys behind NYE Croatia are giving you the opportunity to experience another side of what’s become one of our generation’s most loved holiday destinations, by organising a massive NYE party in the capital city of Zagreb. For £349, you can get yourself a complete package of flights, transfers, two nights accommodation and entry to two nights of partying on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Aimed squarely at not just the U K but the local and European dance music scene too, the line-ups are packed with local talent, plus the likes of Toolroom’s Mark Knight and a bunch of hot U K talents including TCTS, Doorly, Applebottom, The Golden Boy and Just Kiddin. Get yourself over to the NYE Croatia website for more details and to grab your tickets for what looks set be an unforgettable way to bring in 2015! nye-croatia.com 013
F A S H I O N
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Wo r d s : M a r i a P i z z e r i a a & M a t t J a c k s
YR Store X A Bat h i n g A p e
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ustomisable print specialists YR Store are linking with cult Japanese brand A Bathing Ape to give you the chance to create your own unique personalised tee.
The YR X Bape installation can be found on the menswear floor of the London Selfridges store until 24 December, enabling you to pick from a bunch of exclusive Bape designs, classic camos and varsity text and walk away with your creation the very same day. Visitors to the Birmingham and Manchester Selfridges will also be able to design their own tees in-store for next-day shipping. This being Bape, the tees are ultra high-grade in quality, with the adults tees priced at ÂŁ100 and the kids at ÂŁ70. y r s t o. r e e u . b a p e. c o m
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F A S H I O N
Feldt
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nspired by the authenticity found in nature, people and places, Feldt is a new cross-seasonal clothing brand from London designer Audrey Littman.
In its latest collections, Feldt combines casual silhouettes and familiar workwear staples for a feel that’s both contemporary and classic, with an all-important element of luxury. f e l d t . c o. u k @feldtclothing
P i p pa Ly n n
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ith relaxed styling, cleverly cut silhouettes and luxe details, Pippa Lynn brings the vibrant street culture of East London to the fore. The collections take a forwardthinking approach to both outfit combinations and fabric choices, with digital prints and geometric panels adding innovative detail to textured jerseys, powermesh and neoprenes. Perfect for the girl who wants to look street and smart at the same time. pippalynn.com @pippa__lynn
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F A S H I O N
Sau c o n y Originals X Penfield 6 0 / 4 0 Pa c k
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S Footwear brand Saucony has combined forces with outerwear expert Penfield for the ’60/40 Pack’.
After sifting through Penfield’s vast archives of fabrics and patterns, the two Boston-based brands selected Teflon-coated 60/40 Cotton Nylon, and set about applying it to one of Saucony’s most recognisable trainers, the Jazz O. Built for the winter and using outerwear colour pallets suited to the season, Saucony and Penfield have smashed it with this pack. Available from selected independent retailers and online now.
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F A S H I O N
At g Wi n t e r 2014
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TG drop their Winter collection very soon. Keep checking their website and you might just catch it‌
atglondon.com
G I F T
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F A S H I O N
G U I D E
6 hot gifts for Christmas
Jason Markk Premium Shoe Cleaning Kit £16 cooshti.com
I k k u X Ca r h a r t t F / W 14 Collection From £60 carhartt-wip.com
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Sennheiser Cx200 Street II Headphones £29.99 sennheiser.com
Th e N o r t h Fa c e Etip Gloves £24.99 thenorthface.co.uk
Commes Des G a r c o n s Wa l l e t £95 goodhoodstore.com
R av e A r t B o o k £16.99 prionbooks.co.uk
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Fifty Fifty / Polar Skate Co representative Ollie Locker - wallride no llie o ut P h o t o : Jaso n Lewer
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he dream is finally over and winter is back with us after a banging summer that seemed to never want to end. To make up for the bad weather, we at fifty fifty have have some treats in store for you for the winter issue‌ All of us at fifty fifty would like to say thanks for all the support in 2014 - we hope you all have a good christmas and New Year. Make sure you keep checking us out online for the latest from our world. 5 0 5 0 s t o r e. c o m @fiftyfiftystore
F I F T Y
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F I F T Y
Fucking Aw e s o m e
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irst up is Jason Dill and Antony Van Engelen’s relatively new brand, Fucking Awesome, which, since their departure from Alien Workshop, the duo have transformed from a small, part-time clothing company into a fully fledged hardware outfit. We’re stoked to be one of only 20 European stores they’ve chosen to work with. We’re fully backing this brand and love the interesting selection of graphics, where the shock factor is at full level. The guys have already made some power moves enlisting riders to the FA roster. First to join was Kevin Terpening, one of the hottest ams on Alien, quickly followed by wonder kid Dylan Rieder and, most recently, absolute style legend Gino Ianucci from Chocolate. Pro models for the whole team are available now, alongside a banging new apparel line for Holiday 2014, with allnew accessories added to the range. Don’t sleep on this as it never sticks around long. f u c k i n g a w e s o m e s t o r e. c o m
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F I F T Y
Polar Skate Co
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ext up is store favourite Polar Skate Co, whose Holiday line is incredible. Featuring padded coach jackets, a bunch of new headwear, short and long-sleeve tees, sweats and chinos, plus plenty of new boards, there’s no stopping Polar right now. The brand has been turning heads worldwide with its attention to detail and different approach to putting out web edits, something owner Pontus Alv has always excelled at. It’s been a great year for Polar, collaborating with Converse and Carhartt and doing plenty of tours - including visiting us here in Bristol. It was sick to see how the team skated our spots - go check the article in Kingpin if you’ve not seen it yet! p o l a r s k a t e c o. c o m
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SHOPDUTTY.COM
M O N K I
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2014 has come and gone quicker than ever. It’s been bloody fun and we’re all set to wrap it up with a big blow out on the 31 December, just like we do every year. With the New Year in mind, this issue, instead of my usual column, I’m going to be looking ahead and sharing who I’m excited about for 2015. Here are four DJs and producers I’m tipping for next year…
Murlo
Elouisa Georgiou
Seeing Murlo and Novelist team up together in Trap’s hometown of Bristol was one of the most exciting grime sets I’ve seen all year; and the fact that they’re both young guns makes it even more exhilarating. Murlo’s production takes inspiration from grime, bashment and funky - and his Midlands heritage stands proud with a cheeky bit of bassline thrown in from time to time. This year saw Murlo release music on the Rinse label and New York’s MixPak; make sure you keep an eye on this guy in 2015.
Cau s e & A f f e c t Cause & Affect is Kane and Chris (Lorenzo), two jolly Birmingham lads that are always up for a party and have been causing havoc up and down the country with their offensive basslines and ear shattering snares. If you’re planning on catching these guys for a casual dance and catch-up with a mate, you’ve got it all wrong. Expect to be throwing gun fingers for 90 minutes and shouting at your friend through a wall of sound and a mist of sweat. With a healthy number of their own releases and remixes under their belt, these guys are more than ready for 2015.
M a k & Pa s t e m a n
Jasper James
Mak & Pasteman have been building up an armoury of their own music. Definitely not afraid of testing out the latest bits they’ve made in their sets, you’re assured of hearing new music when you catch them play. Their track ‘Dither’ (released on Redlight’s Lobster Boy) stirred up a storm in the clubs last year and their latest four-track sampler E P on their own imprint, Materials, is just as weighty. ‘Bald’ is the stand out track for me; a straight-up, acid club tool. You can grab the E P on Beatport from 1 December.
Glaswegian
producer
and
DJ
Jasper
James has already racked up support from heavyweights such as Jackmaster, Skream and Eats Everything. The young scotsman has played all of their nights, regularly features on Rinse FM and has done an Radio 1 Essential Mix. Grabbing serious attention for his talent behind the decks, he made everyone sit up and take notice when he dropped an E P on Optimo Trax earlier this year. I’m sure you’ll see much more of this guy in the year ahead.
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MELLA DEE
I am... Mella Dee, Mr Donny Life. You might already know me for... That tune ‘GT Turbo’ and releases on a host of other labels... I’d describe the music I play as... Sounds of the UK. When I’m not working, you’ll find me... Chilling with the missus, out and about eating some good food, raving, normal things. If I need inspiration, I... Try to write something different, watch a documentary, listen to something a bit different. The one track I wish I’d made is... DJ Vibes – ‘Obsession (Music So Wonderful)’.
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I can’t get through my day without... About 10 cups of a good Yorkshire brew, bit of milk, one sugar, strong as owt. The best party I’ve ever played at was... Probably one of the Liquid Steel Session raves, the crowd’s always up for it. You may be surprised to know that ... I’m a trained electrician.. Three words that describe my mix are... Dark. UK. Techno. My life won’t be complete until... I’ve done a mixdown of a track and I’m actually happy with the way it sounds. @melladee_
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N Y TA
I am... New York Transit Authority. You might already know me for... Making music under the name Mensah. I’d describe the music I play as... Music I like. When I’m not working, you’ll find me... Reading Word Up magazine or hanging pictures on my wall. If I need inspiration, I... Get away from the studio and go live some real life. The one track I wish I’d made is... ‘773 Love’ by Jeremih, produced by Mike Will Made It. I can’t get through my day without... Telling rubbish jokes that no one finds funny. The best party I’ve ever played at was... On the side of a mountain in Venezuela. It was nuts! You may be surprised to know that ... I’ve DJd 107miles outside the Arctic Circle, in a place called Oulu in Finland. Three words that describe my mix are... I. Don’t. Know. My life won’t be complete until... It’s over. But. I’m living life right now man and this what I’mma do ‘til it’s over, ‘til it’s over, it’s far from over…
@ N Y TA o f f i c i a l Download the mixes at t r a p m a g . c o m 029
R E D B U L L C U L T U R E C L A S H 2 0 1 4
O
n Thursday 30 October 2014, music history was written in London. The fourth Red Bull Culture Clash was the greatest celebration of the culture we love that we could possibly imagine. With Boy Better Know, Stone Love, A$AP Mobb and the ultimate winners Rebel Sound emphatically representing sound-system and dubplate culture in front of an ecstatic crowd of 10,000 inside Earls Court, and hundreds of thousands watching online, the levels that night were very, very high. A$AP Mobb f lopped it hard, Stone Love couldn’t keep up and the Rodigan, Shy FX and Chase & Status supergroup Rebel Sound smashed last year’s winners Boy Better Know out the arena with dubplate after dubplate featuring everyone from Max Romeo and Beenieman, to Emily Sande and Rihanna, all slewing their opponents in vicious style... You can check a bunch of images from the night here, and we’d like to thank Red Bull for making the whole thing happen.
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D E T R O I T S W I N D L E Wo r d s : L a u r e n C l a r k e
“We’ re very aw are o f t h e fa c t t h a t we ’r e just tw o w hi te g u y s fr o m H o lla n d .
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Tr a p # 2 1 DETROIT SWINDLE
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ars Dales and Maarten Smeets are moving their way through the house renaissance as the duo better known as Detroit Swindle. With a string of releases on premium labels, and DJ sets that are as much fun to watch as listen to, it’s no wonder these guys are in solid dancefloor demand each and every weekend. Hailing from Amsterdam, Detroit Swindle released their debut album ‘Boxed Out’ earlier this year, and have spent the months since playing their own take on the house music sound at many of Europe’s best clubs. The chemistry and comedy between these two is hard to ignore, with the duo notorious for delighting in throwing in some classic disco or Motown halfway through a set . It’s those influences that make the guys so special - not to mention their taste in inconspicuous shirts…. With a packed line-up of European tour dates Detroit Swindle took some time out of their hectic schedule to answer 10 questions for Trap… _ Hi Guys. How did the name ‘Detroit Swindle’ come about? Lars: We wanted to use the main inf luence in our music in our name - and that was the whole Motown era. That’s something we both grew up with and listened to a lot of. So, from Motown, we got to Detroit. But that’s a bit of a tainted name in dance music, so we wanted to make sure not to look too serious about it or ‘claim’ the whole Detroit thing. We like to make fun of ourselves and we’re very aware of the fact that we’re just two white guys from Holland, so we wanted to add something cheeky to it. “Swindle” can mean cheating your way into something; it’s not a word that’s used very often these days and that’s what we liked about it. And how did you two first meet? Maarten: About 10 years ago, we were both programming for the same club - Lars for the more hip-hop-orientated stuff, and myself for the electronic nights. About seven years later, we met again doing some promo and DJing. It was actually quite funny how we got into the studio together; Lars was programming for a club that I played at every now and then, and
he had to “fire” me because I played music that was too underground. Haha. We chatted a bit further about music after that, and found out we really liked the same stuff. That’s when we decided to hang out and get into the studio together. Or at least, that’s as close as we can remember. There were some beers involved in this, so all we know for sure is that suddenly; we had our first record out… If you weren’t DJs, what would you be doing? L: If we were working together, we’d probably run a funky restaurant or something like that. M: Yeah, or I’d be hopping from one tropical place to another to surf and get all beachbummy. Where in the world do you most like to play? M: We had a great show in Johannesburg for ‘The Warm Up’ earlier this year. It was on a rooftop with over 1,000 people and everyone was a house fanatic. People were singing along with the basslines of our tunes… That was crazy. But there are so many good places to go, it’s hard to name just one spot. L: Yeah, we don’t really mind going to New York a few times a year, either… What do you spend your money on? L: I just bought a second-hand bike and had it remodelled into a cafe racer, so that took a bit of saving up for. Good food is something we’re both happy to spend money on, too. M: And diapers. Those things are crazy expensive and my second kid is not even born yet. If time travel was possible, where would you go? M: Ooh, so many places! I’d go back to the 1970s and experience the whole disco thing, I’d travel to surf spots that were yet to be discovered and I’d probably take my wife to the ‘Roaring Twenties’ in Paris and hop from one chic champagne party to the next. L: I don’t really believe in past lives, but for some reason I’m incredibly drawn to the late 1960s (mostly musically). If I could, I’d go back to the summer of love and hear Jimi Hendrix play live at Woodstock.
What do you do to chill out? L: I take any opportunity I have to take my motorbike and drive around, wherever. A game of FIFA once in a while is good fun as well. M: Since we’ve got quite a busy schedule with a lot of travel for shows and studio days during the week, the small amount of time off I do get, I like to spend with my family, hang out with friends in Amsterdam, have a nice walk in the forest, stuff like that. Who are your best friends in the industry? M: There’s so many people already that we’ve met that have made a big impression on us, or that we’ve just generally hit it off with. Guys like Kerri, Jimpster, Sneak, but also the whole Wolf crew and of course our buddies on our label Heist like Max Graef, Andy Hart, Frits Wentink. You look like you’re having so much fun behind the decks; do you ever get a bit weary of it all? L: Every now and then, I wake up in a hotel room and I really need a few minutes to figure out where I am, and where I’m going next. That’s really weird, and probably comes with the lifestyle. DJing is something I’ll never get sick of, it’s way too much fun. And whenever you get tired during a set, it’s an easy step to remember that this is my job and I’m the luckiest guy in the world. That’s usually the boost you need to get you through a long night. Now the year is drawing to a close – what have been your highlights? M: We released our debut album in spring; that was something really special. To create something that extensive and then getting have people around you say that you’ve created something that has touched them - that was really cool. We’ve also toured through Asia, Australia and New Zealand for the first time and been back to the US a few times, which was amazing. And we’re about to release a one-year anniversary compilation of our label Heist, which is something special as well. Man, the list could go on and on. Highlights everywhere. Catch Detroit Swindle at Apex In:Motion in Bristol on 13 December. @detroitswindle
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W H A T
W E
W O R E
New book chronicles over 60 years of British street style.
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hat We Wore is a new book by artist, writer and photographer Nina Manandhar compiling some of the best images from the ongoing website of the same name, which seeks to document the changing fads and fashions of British style since the 1950s - via crowdsourced photos from the people that took them.
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Providing a compelling record of the everchanging nature of the UK’s notoriously vibrant and endless evolving youth cultures, the book showcases the unique looks that have helped define everyone from mods to grime kids. The photos come from both the general public and celebrated figures such as Donn Letts, Jazzie B, Tracey Emin and DJ Harvey, and are complemented with written accounts and anecdotes from the
people that saw these trends arrive and rocked them with pride. Here are some of our favourites from the book; taken during the 1990s, they show just how cyclical fashion trends are. From the bucket hats to the bomber jackets and beanies, they could almost have been taken last week… ‘What We Wore’ is out now via Prestel. w h a t - w e - w o r e. c o m
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T R A P M I X T A P E #12
Y O U N G S TA
“I ’ ve al w ays truste d m y g u t in s t in c t a n d pl ayed m usi c I’v e b e lie v e d in . ” Wo r d s : O l i G r a n t
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Tr a p # 2 1 T R A P M I X TA P E # 1 2 Y O U N G S TA
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ertified underground legend DJ Youngsta has been at the forefront of dark, bass-driven club music since the nascent days of dubstep and FWD>> at the turn of the millennium. To this day, Youngsta is involved intensively in the sound he’s dedicated much of his life to; somehow juggling time between Rinse FM sets, working as A&R for Tempa Records, his Contact club night and a worldwide DJ schedule. Well known for his absolutely impeccable skills and selections behind the decks, we at Trap were particularly hyped to share an exclusive mix from Youngsta this issue, so took the opportunity to catch up with him for a proper chat while we could… _ We’re really enjoying the mix of tempos in your sets at the moment - you’re representing dubstep, drum & bass and the dark, bass-driven 130bpm sound. What’s catalysed this? I’ve always been interested in a lot of different music, but the landscape of music and the scenes I’m involved in have changed dramatically over time. Ten years ago raves were different and music scenes were more aligned with certain sounds, spaces and tempos, which meant that there was more of a determination to build a singular space within a certain area or genre. When I’m playing at clubs these days the crowds are more accepting of DJs playing different styles of music, so I’ve taken the opportunity to expand my sound palette and show people that I’ve got other interests, which can work alongside the normal sets of sounds that I’ve always worked hard to push. It’s also great to see artists such as Wen, Parris and Batu releasing on Tempa alongside the more dubstep focused artists. How would you describe the label’s direction nowadays? I feel like the label’s sound is still the same as it was before, but now we’re taking the focus away from one tempo and expanding the range of the label. The Wen and Parris release was a suitable introduction to showcasing this, as I felt as though it had the same aesthetic as some of the very early releases on the label in regards to experimentation with different sound
palettes. The beats are still dark and bass heavy, but with different people taking outside inf luences and arranging them in a way which works for them. Is dubstep better off now the hyper-aggressive sound that blew up worldwide has largely quietened down? I couldn’t really give you a direct answer on that; everything has a positive and a negative. People may have felt that sound had a negative impact on the scene, but it doesn’t mean that if you start off in a certain place, you’ll always continue to be there. Some people may have started off listening to some of those acts, but then may have dug deeper until they reached a point that they may have discovered artists such as myself or Digital Mystikz. We all make music for one reason or another and it’s not my place to really decide whether the scene is better off with or without a sound. While these spikes happened, many of us still carried on pushing what was true to us, so without these acts we may have never had the opportunity to play to some of the crowds we have done over the years. Dubstep in America seems particularly healthy at the moment , how have your experiences been over there? The experiences I’ve had in America have always been amazing. The shows are always full and the crowds are always going for it. Sometimes, I find that the crowds stateside are more in tune to the music. Even when DJing, they can hear the first four bars of a tune and instantly recognise it. Parties like Reconstrvct, as one example: people who are just trying to push good music in great environments with amazing crowds. I’m actually about to go back out there again this December and I will be taking the Contact brand with me. This will be an opportunity for me to bring the vibe and aesthetic we push with the brand Stateside, and introduce people to the music. Keep an eye out for more info! Speaking of Contact , the night is going from strength to strength. How have you found running the event? Contact has been an amazing experience. To have the opportunity to run my own club night has enabled more people to hear my sound in a different environment; one that’s comfortable to me and the artists around me, so that we can showcase
the music we love. The crowds are always great and very responsive to the music. An essential part of the experience is the sound-system, so we always make sure that we choose clubs that have a heavy rig which is able to produce strong low end frequencies. The next contact we have is at fabric on Boxing Day in Room 3 with myself, Pinch, Proxima, Alex Coulton, Wen, Batu, and Parris; a very diverse lineup, which, for me, is amazing. You’ve been DJing since such a young age. Has your approach changed since the early days? I don’t feel like my approach to music has changed at all, really. Even from the early days, I’ve always trusted my gut instinct and played music I’ve believed in. I always enjoyed the darker side of music, which is why I was so direct with my approach to the music and artists I played. Over the years a lot more artists have started to make music that I feel more comfortable playing, which is why my sets and sounds have expanded. You dig out your dubplates and play classic sets from time to time. Do you prefer revisiting legendary material when you play out , or to keep your focus looking forward? I like to keep those sets for the special occasions. As much as I was a pioneer for that sound and that space, it was part of a specific time in my life. I need to keep on playing fresh music in order to keep myself motivated as there is only a certain amount of times you can hear a tune before you get bored of it; sometimes you need a break before you can appreciate them as much as the first time you heard them. Also, I come from a musical landscape that values the dubplate culture. Although we may not cut actual acetate dubplates anymore, the idea and culture is still heavily ingrained into me. Therefore, fresh music is always the best way to keep on top of my game and keep pushing the genre forward.
Production wise, are you working with anyone in particular at the moment? I’m always trying to get in the studio as much as possible to work with people and get some really strong music out there. It’s better that I don’t say too much about the people I’ve been working with at the moment, because I don’t want to jinx it; but they are all very strong artists who I respect loads. Rather than speak about the music and collaborations, I’d prefer people to hear it, so as long as you keep up to date with all my Rinse shows and keep your ears open, you’ll definitely hear them f loating about! And finally, you’ve mentioned before that you’d love to make an album one day. Any news on that front? At the moment, I can’t really say anything about that. My focus at the moment is to just get music completed. If an album happens then it will happen naturally. I’m trying to create and compile a lot more of my own music, and hopefully an album can happen in the near future. Music has to feel natural for me so I don’t want to force anything; I’d rather take my time and let the music f low when it’s ready.
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I COME FROM A MUSICAL LANDSCAPE THAT VALUES THE DUBPLATE CULTURE.
Catch Youngsta on Rinse 9-11 every Monday night, and at Contact in fabric’s Room 3 on 26 December.
Download Youngsta’s exclusive mix over at trapmag.com. 041
Ea ts E very t h i n g
S T I L L H U N G R Y
Wo r d s : J o n C o o k Photos: Theo Cottle
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FIRST AND FOREMOST I’M A J U N G L I S T ; I ’ M M A S S I V E LY I N T O HARDCORE. THAT WAS MY FIRST LOVE.
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ats Everything isn’t your typical superstar DJ. He’s a 34-year-old ex-recruitment consultant from Bristol who, as his stage-name makes clear, loves to eat and refuses to take himself and the oftenabsurd world of international dance music too seriously. However, he’s also one of the biggest house DJs in the world, who’s about to close a year that’s seen him hold a 12week residency at London’s XOYO and headline his home-city festival Love Saves The Day with the midnight slot at Manchester’s Warehouse Project - and an eight-hour set at his Edible party at Electric Brixton the next day. It’s exactly this curious dichotomy that makes Eats Everything such a refreshing and invigorating force in dance music. Whether through his sets, his own productions, or his unforgettable interviews with the music press, the born and bred Bristolian’s sense of unbridled joy and obvious awe at being able to fly the world and play records for a job shines through. And it’s hard to not be swept along with that; whether you’re a shuffler, an Ibiza veteran or a jaded music journo, Eats Everything is a breath of fresh air. As anyone who saw the ‘Origins’ film on Resident Advisor earlier in the year will know, all this is the result of years spent working his ass off to be where he is now. His is a story of hard work, belief and a shred of luck combining to finally deliver him to dance music’s top table after years of effort – and he’s clearly loving every single moment of it .
In the middle of a US tour that’s taken in everywhere from LA and Denver, to New York and Miami, we catch Eats on Skype just before he jets back home for a packed Christmas and New Year period that includes the aforementioned New Year’s gigs and the release of a double-disc mix album in January for the much-vaunted Hypercolour imprint . Read on for one of the most honest and unpretentious interviews we could ever hope to get from a house music DJ sat in a New York hotel room talking about himself and his job before flying down to Miami and back again… _ Hello mate. First things first; there’s an amazing story behind how you came to be where you are now. You were still working as a recruitment consultant in your early 30s and your wife gave you a year to make it… “Yeah, that’s right, I was doing recruitment and a lot of different boring jobs… It wasn’t that my wife said, ‘One more year - that’s it!’… It was more like, ‘Look, you’ve been doing this a long time, we know you’re good at it, but you’re not getting anywhere, so let’s just give it another year - put your time into it, don’t work, go on the dole and see if you can do it. And then, after a year, if not, it will be time to make it a hobby.’
a couple of months after. That’s the record that gave me the steppingstone to become what I am. It got rejected by so many labels. I won’t name them, but a lot said ‘Nah, it’s not for now’ or ‘It’s too much.’ But then I gave it to J.Phlip the following March and that was it. Bang.” It was a tight call then! “It was a fucking tight call! I had two months left of that year! But, you know what, I’ve never said this before, but I wouldn’t have given it up! Not a fucking chance. There’s no way I would have stopped doing music. I would have gone back and worked a shitty job, sure, but there’s no way I’d stop trying to do what I was doing. I still would have tried my hardest - I’d been trying since I was 12 years old.” You can’t just drop a passion… “No, I couldn’t. But a lot of my mates have; a lot who’d been DJing since I was a kid, the guys who were better than me, they all just gave up. Some of them are probably now thinking ‘Fuck!’. You’ve just got to keep on trucking, as they say. Eventually, if you’re good enough and you’ve got enough drive and enough passion, you will get there. It’s as simple as that - if you work hard enough at something you’ll get there eventually.” We hear that a lot when interviewing guys like you. But you’ve got have the tenacity to get through the period where you feel like no one gives a shit… “Yeah, exactly, you’ve gotta keep battering down doors and talking to guys who now kiss your ass, but at the time didn’t give you the time of day. Again I won’t name names, but there’s so many of them… People who maybe I get on with now, but back then, ignored me or toyed with me, got me to do certain things to tracks and then still didn’t want them… I think it’s a little different now; there are so many people breaking through. I’m only talking four years ago, but it was a lot tougher then.”
“It’s not how I’ve maybe made it seem like before - it wasn’t a Rocky moment. It was more ‘Go on mate, give it another go, see if you can do it and if not, then you’re gonna have to fuck it off I’m afraid.’” So what happened in that year? “Luckily, I made ‘Entrance Song’. I’d had that conversation with my wife in April 2010; I made ‘Entrance Song’ in June, just
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It does seem like dance music is more of a meritocracy than it used to be… “Oh, definitely. Now, if you work hard you can get noticed. Before, it was the elite crew of people keeping it for themselves. But the tables have definitely turned. At the end of the day, labels want to be seen to be putting out the best records, they want to be the ones catching the next person who’s gonna smash it. I do it all the time - I’m always looking for the next big thing, you want the best people to be part of your gang.” Staying with ‘Entrance Song’ for a minute. That was a powerful record along with other bass-centric tracks like Bashmore’s ‘Battle For Middle You’, it brought a lot of people to house music that had maybe never considered it for them before. Where did that record come from? What were your influences making something as groundbreaking at that track? “First and foremost, I’m a junglist; I’m massively into hardcore. That was my first love, when I was around 11 or 12 years old. That’s always been there in me. The reason I made that track was because I wanted to make something that had massive fucking bass, but still had groove. I’m forever happy that I made it; I wouldn’t be talking to you now if I didn’t, but I don’t know where it came from, really. I guess it was just in there waiting and one day, it all just came together and came out.” Bristol is a city known for its enduring love affair with all things bass. Growing up and living there must have played a part in the way that record sounded? “Oh yeah, definitely. It’s an inspirational place, Bristol. You have such a heritage right back to Smith & Mighty and then later Flynn & Flora, Full Cycle, Portishead, all the way through to Redlight. There are so many people that have come from Bristol and smashed it; that gives you hope and inspires you. “And for me, when my tune came out, it was off the back of Julio Bashmore really… Bashmore was the first one in years to come from Bristol to really leave a mark on house music and to make it really big. There had been Jamie Anderson and Deep Groove - they were big, but they weren’t at the heights that Bashmore and, luckily, myself have managed to hit. “Bashmore opened the door and then he
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MY WIFE IS A NURSE, SHE SAVES PEOPLE’S LIVES AND WE’RE HERE GETTING FUNNY CAUSE SOME G I R L ’ S O N LY B E E N I N T O H O U S E MUSIC FOR TWO WEEKS AND SHE USED TO LIKE WESTLIFE.
just held it open for us and we ran through - me, Waifs & Strays, all the Futureboogie lot and now even My Nu Leng. He held it open and we all went charging through, with me running as fast as I could to be at the front! It’s all partly down to him really, if he hadn’t made that record, we wouldn’t have got a look in. He put the eyes on Bristol, and people thought ‘Fucking hell, this kiddy’s from Bristol, there must be other people like him.’ Now, Bristol isn’t just a bass music city, like perhaps it was seen as before - it’s an everything music city. We remember you causing quite the twitter storm for saying something similar to The Sun, of all people, a while back… “Yeah, I got misquoted by The Sun and ended up getting loads of grief on twitter. I said that Bristol has always been known as a bass-music city, but now, for the first time, house is at the forefront, but essentially Bristol is a music city. They turned that into me saying Bristol was now a house-music city. “There’s no way I would have said that - that’s bullshit, and would be a huge disrespect to most of my mates in Bristol who are DJs and producers that don’t make house music. For me to diss 70 % of my mates in my own city, that wouldn’t make any sense. It was a misquote; that’s what newspapers do, isn’t it? It just happened that I was on the end of it…” That’s a taste of serious fame, when
you’ve got The Sun misquoting you! “Haha, I guess it means you’re not doing too badly! But really, you shouldn’t pay any attention to it ‘cause it’s a load of fucking shit! It’s not like it’s written in blood on a scroll and then burnt, it’s The Sun; one massive lie!” You’ve already told us you were a jungle and hardcore kid first and foremost – when did house music grab you? “From 1994 onwards, all I was into was house and techno. Once jungle had become D&B in ‘95 and hardcore became happy hardcore, I was over it then. I was never into the harder, darker D&B stuff, that period ‘95 to ‘96 was when jungle died for me. I like jungle, ragga jungle, DJ SS and Swannee – that’s what I like! From then on, I’ve been a house music person. But I don’t have that snobby elitist thing, because for me, at the end of the day, it’s a fucking rave. It’s just dance music, it doesn’t mean you’re any better than anyone else cause you listen to a certain type of it.” That’s what’s so refreshing about you – you don’t give off that elitist vibe that puts so many people off the house and techno scene. You’re definitely not that typical Ibiza or Berlin guy - is snobbery and elitism something you’ve experienced coming into the scene over the last few years? “There are a few people I’ve not got on with, but I’ve never had snobbery directed at me. I’ve noticed in certain cities or
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AT THE END OF THE DAY, DANCE MUSIC IS ABOUT GETTING FUCKED UP, PARTYING AND HAVING FUN.
islands, there are places where there’s a ridiculous dress sense and stuck-up attitude. I just avoid those places, and if you end up somewhere where that is a thing, you and the people you’re with just have to rise above it and take the piss out of them all! Have a laugh. At the end of the day, dance music is about getting fucked up, partying and having fun. It’s a rave. There needs to be more acid house spirit and less elitism… “It’s the elitism that really annoys me, though. I don’t care if you got into any form of dance music a day ago, or 30 years ago. No one should look down on anyone else because, for instance, they’ve only just discovered house and they listen to MK or Disclosure. Who gives a fuck? I was into Venga Boys ‘Up & Down’ back in 1998! At the time, when I was going Lakota, that tune got played and I was into that. The first house tune I ever bought was Felix ‘Don’t You Want Me’, which is considered a massive gay anthem, but who cares? It’s an amazing record! “Everyone has to get into something at one point, so why give people shit for it? People saying shit like ‘Oh, shuff lers, they’re not here for the music’. They are there for the music - they’re fucking dancing! They’re having a great time and they’re not causing trouble. Who cares if they’ve been into it for a year or 10 years? That’s bullshit, and it’s that sort of snobbery that seems really prominent. Actual dancef loor snobbery; people sneering at others for not knowing their Levon Vincents from their Theo Parrishes or whatever. Oh, fuck off. Just have a laugh! “Who cares if some girl goes to a Westlife reunion concert two weeks after she went to DC-10? As long as she enjoyed herself at DC-10, walked round with a smile on her face and didn’t cause any trouble, what does it matter if she’s into Westlife or One Direction? It’s ridiculous. People are fucking idiots! It’s music! My wife is a nurse, she saves people’s lives, stops them bleeding to death out their ass, and we’re
here getting funny cause some girl’s only been into house music for two weeks and she used to like Westlife or One Direction! It’s a fucking joke mate, a joke!” We couldn’t agree more. I guess we should talk a bit about your new mix album for Hypercolour… “Yeah, I guess we should! I got asked to do it three years ago and I’ve been going over and over it, then finally late last year, I thought ‘Right, let’s do it.’ There are two discs. The first one is upfront dance music; if you came to watch me, for instance, on New Year’s Day when I’m playing eight hours, or at my residency at XOYO this year - any of the gigs where I play all night long - CD1 is all that condensed into 74 minutes. You get a snapshot of me playing for several hours in one CD. “We did it live; that first CD is mixed by me on decks in my studio at home and it must have taken me 18 or 19 takes to get right. I did it a different way to normal; I hooked three decks up to Ableton Push instead of using Pioneer mixer effects. It’s all studio effects; I can do a lot with club mixers and effects, but the possibilities in the studio are infinite. There’s one mix that’s slightly out the whole time, but I like that. “I’m really proud of it. I went in on being really picky about the selection, so there are no massive tunes; I picked records that I don’t think will be over played by everyone else. I tried to pick as many rare records as possible. And every record is slightly edited too, so they won’t sound the same as the versions you hear elsewhere - I’ve changed breakdowns, added acappellas, layered drums… Hopefully that will help keep bringing people back to the mix to hear the edits.” A bit like the old jungle days with dubplate specials? “Yeah like the Mickey Finn version of ‘King Of The Beats’, or the SS version of ‘Super Sharp Shooter’, those guys had their own edits and that made you want to listen to their tapes over and over to
hear that version. And then CD2 is a classic mix, but they’re my classics. The average of the year of release for the music on there is around 1995 or 1996; they’re tracks that have defined my musical upbringing in house music, without going for the obvious big ones. The whole thing has been a mega labour of love.” And you’re happy with the results after all those attempts? “Yeah, I’m really, really happy with it. The classics one, I love. A lot of kids won’t have heard of a lot of the music on there. I’m hoping it will give younger people an introduction to some great records.” Finally, with the mix out the way, is an Eats Everything artist album next up? “I’ve been talking about doing an album for the last two and a half years. I’ve not got anywhere! Although, recently, everything I make that I think is good, I’ve started labeling as potential album material. I’m definitely planning it, but I’m just going to make records and see if they work as an album. I’m not going to come with a concept or anything, although that’s probably the way to do it, but, if I’m honest, I’m not that fussed about making an album. “I am a DJ over a producer; I only make music to DJ. I do enjoy making music, don’t get me wrong, but DJing is the best thing in the world. I love DJing more than… apart from my wife and my child… I best say that… I love it more than anything in the world. It’s the best. “DJing, watching people get down to music you love; there’s no better feeling. I actually think DJing is officially the best job in the world - that and being a rock star. If you wanna get fucked up - like some DJs we could name - you’re revered; people love you for being off your face! If you’re a footballer, you can’t be seen getting off your face! And by 30 years old, you’re done and you’ve got loads of money, but there’s this massive void in your life. So then you go into football management and that ain’t fun! Not as fun as playing football… “As a DJ, you earn a fortune, you get to see everywhere in the world, play all these amazing clubs. I challenge anyone to show me a better job than being a DJ. And I know I’m very, very, very lucky to do it…” ‘Fries With That’ is out 26 January on Hypercolour. @ Tw E a t s E v e r y t h i n g
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G R A H A M M O U L D I N G
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raham Moulding is a London-based artist and designer whose unique style and city-centric subject matters caught our eye. Here we present some of his recent work, including one very special image created just for us. Check more of his work at g r a h a m m o u l d i n g . c o. u k
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THE ALBUM 16 . 11 . 14 www.shogunaudio.co.uk
M A R K S T H E S P O T
1 0 Yea rs o f S h og u n A u d i o
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014 has already seen a bunch of underground music’s most important institutions celebrate major milestones. In September, RinseFM hit 20 years in the game, just before fabric marked turned 15 one month later. And now, as we enter December, one of dance music’s most respected labels is celebrating a decade in existence - the drum & bass powerhouse that is Shogun Audio. Established by DJ Friction back in 2004, Shogun Audio smashed its way to the front of the D&B scene in an instant , and within a few years had developed into one of the genre’s most consistently interesting and forwardthinking imprints. Since then, the label has never faltered on its relentless mission to push itself and its artists ever forward. From the darkly soulful liquid and minimalist funk Shogun championed with landmark releases such as Alix Perez’s ‘Down The Line’ and Icicle’s ‘Spartan’, to the Friction, Skream, Riko, PMoney and Scruffizer halftime madness of ‘Kingpin’ and most recently Rockwell’s head-flipping 174bpm-house masterpiece ‘I Need U’, you only need to glance at the label’s discography to see a restless urge to never sit still, never rest on its laurels and always keep things moving forward. Ten years is a long time in a world as fast moving and fad-conscious as underground UK music, and it’s Shogun’s commitment to progression that’s enabled them to stay relevant and exciting after all this time. To celebrate the anniversary, Friction (Ed) and his partner K-Tee (Keir), with whom he’s run the label for the last five years, have been busy planning not just the recent 10 Years Of Shogun Audio shows across the UK and Europe, but also, most excitingly, a very special ’10 Years’ triple- CD and box-set release. We at Trap thought we should help mark the occasion, too, so caught the train down to Brighton on one of the last day’s of late October sunshine to meet with Friction and K-Tee and get an insight into what these last ten years have meant to them, hear more about how they plan to celebrate, and, of course, their plans for the future…
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WE’RE A FORWARD-THINKING LABEL AND SO ARE OUR ARTISTS.
Hi guys. How did Shogun Audio first start all those years ago? FRICTION: “In around 2004, I’d just started to get noticed properly as a DJ. I grew up watching Hype, Randall, Gachet and all the old-skool DJs, and I‘d always wanted to be a DJ myself. I worked hard to try to do that, did the mixtapes, DJing in Skegness for £20; I did it all. Eventually, I pushed through to a point where I won a couple of ‘Best Newcomer’ awards and the DJing started to really take off. “It was then a case of me thinking, ‘If I’m gonna big DJ, I need a record label.’ So came up with the idea of Shogun Audio with SP. He was a big part of the design and look of the original branding - he created the logo, not many people know he’s a designer as well an amazing MC - he still does stuff for Metalheadz, dBridge. He did the first six Shogun releases. We came up with a concept of having this Shogun warriors thing; we’re an army. And the logo was just a symbol - it doesn’t mean anything; it’s a symbol of a person, a warrior in a Japanese style. “That’s how it started. I was writing a few tunes, writing with Keir and working with an act called Shock One from Australia. But there was no real plan. I was just putting out D&B that I thought was good. I had a very good agent at the time, Obi from Echo Location, and Jho Oakley who is now manager of Pendulum, Chase & Status - they really pushed me. They were brilliant to have behind me - they got a night at The End for Shogun and things happened quickly. “And then about five years down the line, things were going well, for the label and the night, and that’s when Keir came in. I’d worked with him on tunes for a while and we’d known each other a very long time from Brighton. He used to be part of the Underfire crew and we made tunes together as part of The Militia. Keir’s life situation was changing and he said to me one day, ‘Look, I’d like to come into the business and run the label with you.’ “Keir has a big business and marketing
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background, things that definitely weren’t my strong points, to say the least. So Keir got involved, around five years in and that’s when we started actually treating it more like a business… I was already working with the likes of Alix Perez, SpectraSoul, Icicle, but Keir got involved and then we started to lock down these artist down to longer deals.” You’ve said you started Shogun because you felt it was the next step as a DJ - but was there, and is there still, a musical agenda, or a certain sound you wanted to push? F: “There never was. I’ve always been someone that appreciates different styles of music. When I started the label, I probably did have a more underground look on things, but it was just a case of putting out music we liked - if you look at ‘Let Loose’ or the ‘R-Type’ remix, then look at the stuff Alix or SpectraSoul did for us, it’s clear I just wanted to put out good music. “There’s a sound to Shogun now. There was a sound before; that gully rolling sound with a bit of funk; liquid, but slightly more aggressive, from the likes of SpectraSoul, Icicle and Alix. During the last few years there’s been a bit of a change and shift; we’ve tried to redevelop that style. We went down a few different avenues to find that new sound, but I think now, it’s there; look at the hardness of Fourward, on to Joe Ford, then Rockwell and Icicle, going across to SpectraSoul and all the way over to Technimatic, who are still pushing that liquid thing for us. “We’ve now got a sound that I think is progressive dancef loor music - it works on the dancef loor but it might not be what you expect to hear anywhere else. Listen to Joe Ford’s new track ‘Off Centre’ - it kills it on the dancef loor, but not in the standard way you expect. It’s not paint by numbers - and I think that’s essential in what we’re trying to do as a sound and as a label. I think there have been points where D&B has been a bit diluted; maybe too many gully rollers; I love those, that sound is great, but I felt we needed to
F o u rwa r d What does Shogun Audio mean to you? Shogun has been one of the most important D&B labels of the last 10 years, without any doubt. The label is always trying to push the boundaries and always looking into the future. It feels great to have Shogun as a home for our music. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? The 10 Years of Shogun party in London a couple of weeks ago was definitely a highlight for us. It was great to meet everyone from the label. What’s your favourite Shogun release? It probably would be Noisia - ‘Brainstitch’, but it’s hard to choose!
SpectraSoul What does Shogun Audio mean to you? Quality, diverse and truthful Drum & Bass music. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? The last Shogun at the End Club was a memorable occasion. We won’t ever forget that. What’s your favourite Shogun release? That’s a tough question, but Jack: Break ‘Let it Happen’, Dave: Alix Perez - ‘Down The Line’.
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T e c h n i m aT i c What does Shogun Audio mean to you? Firstly, it means home. We feel really happy being part of the Shogun family, and they’ve given us complete creative freedom since joining the ranks. It also means quality. Shogun has released such a wide variety of drum & bass over the last 10 years, from the sweetest liquid to the heaviest techy stuff, but it’s all been of a certain standard, and they’re not afraid to release music that pushes boundaries and goes against the grain. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? A few memories stick out. Our first meeting with Friction & K-Tee, when they asked us if we wanted to do an album with them was pretty special. It was completely unexpected, and we tried to play it cool, but we were blatantly shouting and dancing in the streets afterwards. Mastering our debut album was a great day; it was the culmination of a lot of work, both from us, and from the guys at the label. We celebrated hard that night! And finally, the event at The Sidings in London was incredible; we played for four hours and the intensity and energy from the crowd was incredibly inspiring for us, both as DJs and producers. What’s your favourite Shogun release? It’s a cliché, but picking one is almost impossible. I think if we were pushed to narrow it down to a single track, it would probably be SpectraSoul - ‘Light In The Dark’.
Joe Ford What does Shogun Audio mean to you? Shogun audio made my hobby into my career. Signing to this label changed everything for me really. The fact that I get to do what I love for a living was made a possibility by the guys at Shogun! What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? The Shogun nights aways go off; it seems the fans of the label are just there to enjoy themselves, so playing to those crowds is a pleasure. With that in mind, the 10 Years show in London was madness. The very best kind of madness. What’s your favourite Shogun release? I’m a massive Spor fan so, ‘Aztec’ / ‘Do Not Shake’ killed it for me. Calyx & Teebee just remixed it; I love that it’s still getting love.
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IT’S ABOUT BELIEVING IN THE MUSIC; HAVING THE BOLLOCKS TO TRY ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS AND JUST DOING IT. move things on. I’m really happy where things are now, because there’s a real sound to it.” K-Tee: “Yeah, we’ve always wanted that diversity. Like Ed said, we’ve always wanted to put out music that we’re feeling. And it’s about pushing boundaries. That’s who we are among the big D&B labels; we’re the guys who are gonna do things a bit differently and hopefully take things forward by doing that. There’s a loose agenda to the music - amazing production, forward thinking approach - that’s where we want to be, it’s not just about any one style.” In light of this willingness to constantly move forward and take risks, have you never been concerned of alienating fan bases you’ve built up? There was a time where, like you said, Shogun was known for ‘gully rollers’ and seen alongside say Critical or Exit , pushing a deeper, more minimal and experimental sound… F: “I know that point that you’re referring to; but that was exactly what I didn’t want, to be known for just one thing.” K: “Yeah, we always wanted to be more than just that.” F: “That was a good sound, for that time. But there were more and more labels on that tip; there was more of that sound about. The artists on Shogun; SpectraSoul, Alix, Icicle, us - we didn’t want to just keep doing the same thing, none of us are like that as people or artists.” K: “Yeah and I think the point is, you’re led by your artists, right? No matter how much there might be a ‘label sound’ to those on the outside, actually, you’re led by your artists. We give our artists a lot of creative input; we want them to have the freedom to express themselves. We’re a forward-thinking label and so are our artists. Alix wasn’t going to do the same thing for his second album as he did his
first and we wouldn’t have wanted him to. As other people come in and do that sound, if we want to remain that forwardthinking label, we can’t stay there when everyone else is doing it too.” The change in musical direction wasn’t anything to do with selling more units to enable the business to operate on a higher level? K: “That part of Shogun’s history was never planned - look before that, we had some big dancef loor tunes; ‘Back To Your Roots’, ‘Aztec’. It was only a small period where we became known as this deep underground label. That was never intended - like I said, you follow your artists. So now, what we’re doing, it’s what we’ve always done; it’s just the artists we’re working with are making different music. “The beauty is, we’re able to put out music like Icicle’s or SpectraSoul’s and then put out something like ‘Led Astray’ by Ed. We can push underground sounds, but when there’s a big track we can push that too. It’s about believing in the music; having the bollocks to try all these different things, and just doing it; making the best job of every release because you’re fully behind the music.” F: “We’ve done all those things, but now, I think the sound has come together. Like I said, from Fourward to Technimatic, it all links together and shows a complete spectrum of the entire scene, all tied together by the fact it’s cutting-edge music produced with real quality. There’s a unifying spirit behind it. Musically, now I feel like it all makes sense to me.” So, in 10 years in the game, you’re the happiest you’ve been with the label? K: “Yeah, I think so - 10 years in, it’s a big milestone. The last two or three years we’ve established ourselves as one of the top labels - a few years ago we would have been one of many on a certain level, but right now, we’re up there with Hospital and Ram.” E: “That’s quite a bold statement!” K: “Yeh, well, I’m gonna say it! I think we’re up there. We’ve really put our foot on the gas over the last few years. It feels like we’ve come from a label that did oneoff singles on vinyl, to having a roster of artists producing albums.” The ’10 Years’ package is certainly a lot more than just a one-off single… K: “It really is. This year, we’ve done 10 ’10 Years’ shows, there’s been a tour that’s gone all around the country and
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Europe - Vienna, Amsterdam, Brighton, Birmingham, London, Nottingham. That was part of the celebrations, but the big thing is the ‘10 Years Of Shogun’ triple-CD and box-set. “We wanted to come with a past, present, future approach. It gives us a chance to take a look back at where we’ve come from, but also very much to look forward to where we’re going. So, you’ve got a bunch of new tracks from the existing roster - there’s Icicle, Rockwell, Joe Ford, Fourward, SpectraSoul all coming with brand new music. And then there’s a bunch of remixes of some of the classics - there’s a Calibre remix of ‘Foresaken’ by Alix Perez & SpectraSoul, the Calyx & Teebee remix of ‘Aztec’, an Etherwood remix of ‘Light In The Dark’ again by SpectraSoul; there’s a load of really great new music and remixes. “Also, there’s a mix by Ed, which takes you through the catalogue, some new music and some classics, all mixed by him. And then there’s a third CD, where we’ve selected 15 of our favourite tracks from the last 10 years. So, there’s the past, the mix, and the future. All of that will be on the triple-CD and digital, but then we’re also putting it all together in a really nice collectable box. “It’s a 10-inch box set, with six pieces of 10-inch vinyl, those three CDs, plus a 15-minute documentary on the story of the label, with interviews with Ed and I, all of the artists. It’s a nice insight into how the label got to where it is and where we think it’s going. There’s a poster in there too; it’s all limited, hand numbered, there’s a letter in their from Ed and I. We wanted to make it all very collectable and special; a real celebration. If you’re a fan of the label, it’s hopefully something you’ll want in your collection.” Shogun in a box? “Yeh, that’s it. Shogun in a box! We’re really pleased with how it’s come together and we’re really excited about it - we think it’s gonna be a timeless milestone product that really represents us. We’ve covered a lot! But before we go, Ed, you’ve been making your mark as a producer over the last couple of years. Can you tell us a bit more about the ‘Friction Vs’ project you’re working on
at the moment, and what you have in store personally for the year ahead? F: “Yeah, in the last three or four years, I’ve really tried to build up my engineering experience, and come into my own a bit more as a producer. I was always been known as a DJ; I’d make a few tunes, but I was always someone you’d see doing collaborations, because I didn’t have the experience or knowhow in the studio.
of months ago, which was one track with Total Science and one with Fourward. I’m working on one at the moment with Dimension, doing one with Icicle, Technimatic, a few other people. The plan is to eventually release an eight-track mini album. I’m comfortable now, and that project has given me the chance to get back more underground and write some raw D&B.”
“I guess there wasn’t as much time to focus on the production. I’d make beats and compare them to what the guys on the label were doing and I knew I wasn’t there yet, whereas now, I feel really comfortable with what I’m doing. In the last year I’ve done something like 10 remixes – I’ve remixed Childish Gambino, MK, Wretch32… It’s really good fun, I love getting in the studio and not worrying like I used to.
The roots of the scene and the underground are still really important to you, then? “They are, they really are… I’m not gonna lie, there may have been times when I sort of lost sight of that a little bit, being put in certain gigs and places. But at the moment, I’m just about drum & bass, the sound and what we do. The crossover commercial element is great, but it’s important we remember the core key elements of this music and why it’s still here after all these years. D&B is still doing its thing, while others have come and gone… And I still love it.”
“But doing remixes; it’s made me feel like I want to write some raw underground gullyness. No big vocals, no top lines - I’ve had singles like that over the last few years, ‘Led Astray’, ‘Long Gone Memory’, which had radio play, but I really want to just focus on the underground. “So I’m doing this ‘Friction Vs’ collab project, the first one came out a couple
10 Years Of Shogun Audio: The Album’ is out in December. shogunaudio.co.uk
IcIcle What does Shogun Audio mean to you? It’s the label I’ve put out both my albums through and have been signed to for six years. It’s been a great outlet for my music, but also, very importantly, it’s a group of people that it’s always been loads of fun to hang out with. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? There are too many good memories and most of them are a bit vague and distorted by alcohol! That said, the early parties we did back at ‘The End’ spring to mind. The incredible vibes there and all of us partying together; that was a good time! What’s your favourite Shogun release? Rockwell - ‘Full Circle’.
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SP:Mc What does Shogun Audio mean to you? A record label that has help me cement my reputation as an MC, and also given me some great memories over the past 10 years. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? Probably hosting Friction and Goldie’s B2B set at Shogun vs Metalheadz at The End, back in 2008. Amazing night! What’s your favourite Shogun release? Can’t decide between Noisia - ‘Brainstitch’ and Alix Perez & SpectraSoul - ‘Forsaken’
Rockwell
super-produced neurofunk! I think the core
What does Shogun Audio mean to you? Creative freedom to do whatever I want within the realms of my inf luences, and an outlet for that run by passionate people. I’m not pressured into writing tunes for the f loor; I’m allowed completely free reign.
us probably the creatively strongest camp
It’s great to have the heads of the label releasing music that they’re into, rather than viewing it from a purely “smash a rave” angle. People might say we’re releasing commercial drum & bass, but if you look at what we put out, you’d have to say those people are wrong. My last release was basically house at 172bpm, hardly a commercial dead-cert within the underground 2014 climate of
artists plus the newer additions help make in drum & bass right now, so it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. What’s your favourite memory from your time on Shogun? Probably the first warehouse party we did at Great Suffolk Street. The vibe was incredible and it was amazing to put on such a big party in London. Nights like that are the times you have to take a step back and just look at everything we’ve achieved as a collective. The scale of the whole thing took all of us by surprise. What’s your favourite Shogun release? Subwave - ‘Think’.
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C I T Y F O X X Model: Rachel Foxx Photography: Ollie Grove Styled by: Camilla Ashworth As s i s t e d b y: F i n o l a Wo o l g a r Hair and Make Up: Lola Payne
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ot on the heels of the release of her debut self-titled EP, we managed to grab 21 year old soul singer and East London resident Rachel Foxx for an exclusive shoot in her manor. Pick up the EP now for free over at her soundcloud.
soundcloud.com/rachelfoxx @msrachelfoxx
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R a c h e l We a r s : Bomber Jacket: ZDDZ £350 zddzlondon.com T Shirt: SNCL £120 snclbrand.com L e a t h e r Tr o u s e r s : PA I G E £ 2 8 6 trilogystores.co.uk Tr a i n e r s : A D I D A S £ 6 2 adidas.co.uk
R a c h e l We a r s : J a c k e t : P I P PA L Y N N £ 6 8 f as haddi ct l d n . c o m T S h i r t : B AT H I N G A P E £ 8 0 s e l f r i dge s. c o m Tr o u s e r s : A s b e f o r e Tr a i n e r s : A s b e f o r e
R a c h e l We a r s : Jacket: MONARCH £480 m o n a r c h - m ilwa u kee.com
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R a c h e l We a r s : Leather Shirt: BRACKEN £560 primitivelo ndo n.co .uk Silk Bomber Jacket ( wo r n u n d e r n e at h ) : M I N K I C H E N G £ 9 8 0 minkicheng.co m T Shirt: EMPIRE empireco llectio n.co .uk
Tr a i n e r s : NIKE AIR FORCE 1 MID £51 nike.com
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R a c h e l We a r s : Bomber Jacket: JA M E S L O N G ÂŁ1,148 j a m e s l o n g . u k.com Tr o u s e r s : A s b e f o r e Tr a i n e r s : A s b e f o r e
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R a c h e l We a r s : Pa t e n t B o m b e r J a c k e t : BIMBA Y LOLA £960 b i mbay l o l a . c o m T S h i r t : As before
R a c h e l We a r s : Jumper: NASIR MAZAR £380 s e l f r i dg e s . c o m
R a c h e l We a r s : To p : M o dels own Tr o u s e r s : CHRISTOPHER SHANNON £189 c h r i s t o p h ersh a n n on .co.u k
Tr a i n e r s : NIKE AIR FORCE 1 £47 nike.com
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L I V I N G T H E A N T I D R E A M
Wo r d s : D a v e C l a r k
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THERE’S AN HONESTY IN THE EYES OF AMERICANS THAT DOESN’T EXIST IN MANY OTHER PLACES
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rtist Phil America has worked and lived around the world, from documenting the transnational hardcore of the graffiti subculture, to living in the largest slums of Bangkok and, most recently, the tent city ‘anti-dream’ of his homeland. Through his documentary and performance based work, Phil America communicates and explores notions of freedom and identity, from momentary illegal expression, to interrogating wider cultural definitions of class or race. However, in all of Phil’s work, we’re presented with hidden realities and lifestyles that risk being negotiated and absorbed by mainstream culture, or pushed further into the periphery – out of sight and mind. Following his recent exhibition at The Clockwork Factory in London, we tracked Phil America down to bring you a selection of images of his work and an insight into the thinking behind it… _ Who is Phil America? It’s always a difficult and restricting question when asked to put labels on yourself. But, to make things simple, I’m an artist from California, a vegan, an activist, a teacher, a brother and, to some, a criminal. How would you describe what you do? My focus is on communication through art visual art, performance, photography, video and installation. Most of my work focuses on the intersection between social issues, freedom and understanding of the world around us. In the end I hope only to push people to question everything… I also help run a tea business called Misty Peak Teas selling the oldest tea in the world; I help run a school for Burmese refugees and migrants living in Thailand called DEAR Burma; and I do some writing as well.
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What’s been the highlight and lowlight of your career so far? It depends who you ask. If you asked my Mom, she’d probably say the highlight would be speaking at TED, if you asked a girl she’d probably say being on the cover of magazines, a curator would say having shows in museums and a graffiti writer, they would say publishing books… It’s up to perception, I guess. For a ‘lowlight’, I’m never ashamed of anything I do or have done. It’s all just bricks in the castle. You’ve travelled and worked all around the world - where has inspired you most , both professionally and personally? Switzerland. When I look back on my entire life, it’s the people there who left an impression on me that will never go away. It’s people like the artist Luciano Calderon who taught me what it means to be a brother and people like Aurele Sack who taught me what it means to be a perfectionist. It’s my family there. It’s the mountains and the lakes, the trains and the fact that everything is free. One of your most recent projects was called Failure Of The American Dream and shows a side of American life most outside the country don’t know exists. What is the reality of America to you? America is a country with everything. There are the richest people in the world and there’s third-world America. There are highs and lows. But the reality is, there’s an honesty in the eyes of Americans that doesn’t exist in many other places. Outsiders look for the fattest, dumbest person coming out of Wal-Mart to say something stupid so they can put this country down, but in reality they adore the US. They wear the clothes, listen to the music, watch the movies and follow the trends we set and then search for a reason to be jealous. Not to say I agree
with everything America does, but I love my country. It’s my reality. And another of your works is titled Slum Vacation - can you explain the premise behind this and share with us the memory that lingers most with you from your time there? Slum Vacation is a project I did with Public Delivery, an organisation I generally work with on most of my projects, where I had a home built and lived for one month in South-East Asia’s largest slum, later showing the home in a leading art museum in Bangkok. The thing that left the most lasting mark was just the simple happiness of the people. They lived very much in the moment and wrote their own happiness every day. No matter the times I had issues with the mafia, couldn’t sleep because it smelled so bad, was faced with violence, or anything else I dealt with while there, none of it will outweigh the times I laughed with the men on the train tracks or the time I spent at the Mercy Center, a school for slum children. And finally, what’s next for Phil America? Well, at the moment, my main focus is on a project that will show at Thailand’s largest contemporary art museum, BACC. I’m working with the United Nations, ILO and World Vision amongst others on a big solo show that will include a video installation empowering and giving a voice to the migrants who are the backbone of the entire nation. It will include numerous sculptural pieces as well. I’m also doing a series of words made of balloons and showing them as installations at various museums. The series is called Words That Bind. And I have a couple more books coming soon, one this year called Above the Law, and some other stuff in the works as well. Always forward in the fast lane.
philamerica.com
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IT’S ALL JUST BRICKS IN THE CASTLE.
D o c Sc o t t
E T T F
A R Z O H E U T U R E
Wo r d s : A n d y H a y e s
‘Let’s talk about the future’. A potentially nervous statement when it comes to discussing the work of a man who’s created and offered so much to the past. This is a subject that projects an air of excitement awash with new discoveries, unchartered territories and looking forward with optimism. In the case of drum & bass pioneer Scott McIllroy, known to you and I as Doc Scott, it’s all too easy, gripped by nostalgia, to look back and celebrate the past. Creating a rich repertoire that became the foundations upon which an entire scene was built has it’s pressures of expectation from fans and your peers alike. What’s not to celebrate? Doc Scott is a DJ and producer who’s created some of the genre’s landmark moments for many of its most revered labels. Although never prolific, his productions were simple, fuss-free, epic, rollers. Think ‘Shadow Boxing’, Liquid Fingers’ and, of course, his Reinforced debut ‘Here Comes The Drumz’.
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I F Y O U P R O D U C E M U S I C F O R T O D AY , Y O U ’ L L B E C O M E Y E S T E R D AY V E R Y Q U I C K LY .
Doc Scott’s label 31 Records was started in 1994 as an outlet for his own compositions under the Nasty Habits guise, as well as the work of artists he admired, breaking music from Dom & Roland, Optical, Marcus Intalex & ST Files and of course Pendulum. And he was instrumental in the inception of Goldies’ Metalheadz label and a resident at the seminal Blue Note Sunday Sessions. Doc Scott himself, however, hasn’t released music of his own for over seven years and during a period of soul searching and wrangling with the ethics of the genre, 31 Records was shelved in the spring of 2007.
“We eventually met in a record shop in North London, went for something to eat, went to Rage, took a load of Es and talked about music until the sun came up. I felt like I’d known him forever. We were on the same wavelength man. I’m a bit of an awkward guy, I’m not comfortable with a lot of people, but we just hit it off. ‘Terminator’ had just come out on Reinforced; I was a massive fan of the label and Goldie was working there doing the artwork. He said I should come and meet Mark and Dego from 4Hero, who were running the label. So, I went down there and hung out with those guys; musically, at that time they were miles ahead of everyone.
With 31 now brought back in a new incarnation as ThirtyOne Recordings, and it’s owner freshly invigorated, we caught up with Doc Scott, the man Goldie cites as his ‘general’, in his home town of Coventry on the eve of the label’s debut compilation release, ‘Future Beats’, to get to the bottom of what exactly that moniker means to him, what’s in store for the label and how he sees his position in the drum & bass scene. After all, how easy is it to talk about the future when you’ve been instrumental in creating the past? _
“I drove to Dollis Hill with Goldie and Dego in my Ford Sierra and played them a track I was working on at the time called ‘Here Comes The Drumz’. Dego told me to stop the car and got out. ‘You can’t make fucking music like that!’ Goldie was going nuts in the back and thats how I got a release on Reinforced. It was a dream come true for me. Until then, my greatest achievement was blagging my way onto their promo mailing list!”
“The geezer’s a fucking general, 001 baby, unreleased metal, the blueprint,” barked Goldie when asked about Scott’s early involvement in Metalheadz during an interview for Trap earlier this year.
About this time during the most prolific stage of his production career, and following a dabble in running a label with his f ledgling NHS imprint, Scott kicked it up a gear in 1994 and created 31 Records to release a batch of music he’d made and attempt to reap the financial rewards of doing so. 31, Scott’s date of birth, gave him a taste of the satisfaction involved in releasing music.
“Grooverider introduced me to Goldie,” Scott explains when this quote is put to him. “But I’d actually met him many years before at a graffiti exhibition he was putting on with the TATS crew in Birmingham. I got him to sign a book he was promoting at the event for me. Then a few years later, after I’d properly met him, I showed him the book; it blew his mind! Before that, he’d just come back from Miami in 1991 and was going to Rage, a then seminal rave night at Heaven, in London, and other parties at the time. He’d heard my music from Grooverider; and, more often than not, the tunes Groove played me when he used to come up to Coventry to DJ, were by Goldie. I was like, who the fuck is Goldie?!
“31 Records is and always has been about sharing music with people, I’m a DJ first and foremost who’s made a couple of tunes. The ethos of the label aside from releasing my own productions was basically to uncover producers and music that no one has ever heard. From releases one to ten, the label blooded artists like Optical, Dom & Roland, Digital, artists, some of which, went on to do great things and many of them still have very successful careers. 31 Records never really had a sound, it was more of a philosophy than a sound. I’ve always tried to keep things simple. I like things to be unpretentious, straightforward and unfussy, but I also like people who take risks, who are moving it forwards
while still not going beyond the dance. The label, basically, ref lected my DJ sets and experiences. I grew up listening to a lot of techno, and I see drum & bass as an extension of that, certainly the drum & bass I’m into.” And it’s that ethos that took 31 Records to the turn of the Millennium. Never prolific, it had a strict quality over quantity policy, offering a home for many ground-breaking productions from artists who were just starting out as well as remaining a home for his own compositions, as and when they came about. “Marcus Intalex & ST Files ‘How You Make Me Feel’ is possibly the labels most important release,” Scott says. “At the time the track came out in 1999, everything in D&B was militant as fuck. Clubs were 95% male, the darkness in the music was becoming all-consuming. I just thought that was so perfect for then as no one was going near vocals at the time. He killed it. The timing couldn’t have been better. We weren’t sure how it would be received, but it gave people confidence to play a different sound. It was kind of the same with Shadow Boxing, that was just my reaction to what I felt was an overproduced noisy period, I just stripped things back a bit. “The Optical release was special. This guy walked in off the street into Music House where Grooverider and I were getting our dubplates cut with a bunch of DATs. He gave five to me and five to Groove. We were both like what the fuck! Who is this guy? He took something for Prototype and I took something for 31. I love that release because of the story. It was one of Optical’s first releases before he started working with Ed Rush. As we all know they went on to create one of the biggest chapters in the genre’s history.” With a quality repertoire of music steadily building, 31 continued to unearth some of the scenes most exciting new talent alongside some of the biggest tracks of the time. As with many record labels postMillennium, the output of the label steadily grew. However, there was a sense of unease growing. Over these years, Scott felt himself falling out of love with the music. The scene was becoming saturated with ‘copycat’ producers, with the digital era creating accessibility for anyone to start a label out of nothing. This culminated with Scott feeling impelled to shelve the label around 2007 and music due for release was reluctantly handed back to the artists.
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Tr a p # 2 1 DOC SCOTT
“Drum & bass had become too predictable, and massively overproduced. As bad as it sounds, it just wasn’t as good as it used to be. I never wanted to do this job and not enjoy it. I had a few late night twitter meltdowns, questioning everything; I wasn’t enjoying myself, it all felt like I was stuck in a a job I didn’t want to do. It felt like I was going through the motions a little both with the DJing and running the label. I wasn’t being fulfilled musically or artistically, to the point where I was considering going back to my roots and making inroads into the techno scene. I didn’t feel inspired by drum & bass again until around 2008 when I heard dBridge and Instra:mental’s ‘Autonomic’ Podcasts. From that, I rediscovered my mojo. “I think what’s happened with drum & bass in the last five years has revitalised me, and more importantly the scene. My batteries are fully charged now, and it’s invigorating to be around these new guys who are taking this thing forward. The emergence of OM Unit has changed things, people’s perceptions. He wasn’t involved in the scene. What he’s doing has excited people within D&B. Every genre needs people like him, people from different genres writing D&B, otherwise things get stagnant. OM Unit and the ‘Autonomic’ podcasts opened up my mind to a whole new way of thinking. I wasn’t even sure how to DJ that music, it was a total breath of fresh air. The time felt right to bring the label back and I’ve been genuinely taken aback by how many people have said how glad they are its up and running again.” With a new approach and a change in distribution, but still sticking to the same ethos the label’s always adhered to, the new ThirtyOne has already released a steady string of 12”s and EPs from the talented new crop of producers Scott has put his faith in. During the early 2000s, when many other labels were in A&R overdrive, releasing 12” after 12” and a compilation every few months, with such a rich repertoire and access to some of the scenes most important beat-makers, 31 released a series of EP’s entitled ‘Kings Of The Rollers’. However, over all that time, an album, compilation or otherwise, never surfaced. “I’d toyed with the idea of releasing a compilation for a while, but i never felt in a position where i could do it without it being half baked. I have someone running the label now. There’s a whole side of releasing the music I don’t like and now it’s taken care of, so I can concentrate on the enjoyable part of my job. For the album ‘Future Beats’, I approached a bunch of people and they
all did something. The album was capped at 20 tracks and somehow we ended up with 24 - people got wind I was putting an album together and everyone wanted to do something! I’ve personally interacted with all of the contributing artists for the last 12 months and all the tracks will be on vinyl. How can you tell someone they’re not on the vinyl?! “It’s a digital release alongside a limited release box set with special bespoke artwork all put together by Jon Black who did a lot of the Metalheadz sleeves back in the early days of the label, and who also designed the original 31 Records logo. The techno guys lead the way with the limited-edition releases, it’s about the label plugging into that way of thinking. As well as the music and how it’s presented, it’s really important that the label is in the right places. ThirtyOne isn’t just about drum & bass and the album certainly isn’t either. There are a few 130 things on there, 160, its all just beats.” Vromm is one of a batch of new artists that Scott is excited about for the future. “He’s open minded enough and liked the ethos of the label. I listen to anything and everything. It’s my job and I enjoy it, but Vromms music took me a few listens, as it was so different. He’s got a few releases lined up for the label, he’s exciting. Teebee messaged me saying ‘Who the fuck is Vromm? This guy’s so good, I think i’m gonna sell my studio, call it a day!’ We’re scratching the surface with this guy. Who knows what he can make. He’s not been tainted by anything, he’s got a totally fresh perspective.” “To date I’ve never signed anybody, 31 was more about releasing singles. This new incarnation of the label is about artist albums and EPs, we want everyone to feel comfortable on the label, to be able to express themselves musically. I’m always testing the water, I’m always prepared for no one wanting to hear this. Are people interested? Do they care? I’ve never been embarrassed by D&B, or by what I’ve put out. I know there are still perceptions of the music that aren’t that positive. I’m well aware of that. I believe in this music and I don’t like it if its looked down upon. I’ve now discovered there’s a place for ThirtyOne, we have our corner and this album is the first step. It’s not solely a compilation of new, up-and-coming musicians, it’s a mix of everyone; people who’ve been on the label before, alongside the new blood. It needed that blend. “As a DJ and a label owner, I want the album to be a success, of course, but I also want it to be respected further than D&B. I’ve
played at techno events and kept people on the dancefloor with this music. If you’re out there pushing boundaries, trying things that haven’t been done, it’s rewarding.” With all the talk of discovering exciting new producers and Scott’s reinvigorated love for drum & bass, it’s difficult not to throw light onto the future of Doc Scott the producer. Throughout his entire career there’s never been even a sniff of a long-player, despite the scene crying out to hear more of his productions. “Im trying to get into the studio. It’s difficult. I never saw myself as a producer, I was never prolific. I was lucky things came out at the right time. If I can’t make something that’s better than what I’ve done, I’m not gonna put it out. I’m gonna try to get into the studio with a few people over the winter. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to; it’s a question of whether I can make something I’m happy with to be out there. I’ve heard a few people put some tunes out that they probably shouldn’t have. I certainly don’t want to be that guy.” So is ‘Future Beats’ merely a name or more of a genre-twist? As well as being the title of the label’s first compilation, Doc Scott has used this title as a device to house his new outlook on electronic music and the artists he feels falls into it through his radio show and series of mixes, where he continues his ethos of sharing new music. “I’m not into genre titles. After all, I see drum & bass as an extension of techno. It’s about discovering the boundaries of this music, it’s got to be more than just the stuff you hear at the weekend. It’s got to encompass everything, there are no rules. It’s all about being open minded. With a lot of the halftime drum & bass, making tunes at 85bpm gives you so much more room to manouver. There are lots more options. ‘Future Beats’ is a reflection of me, musically. It’s not definitive, if you produce music for today, you’ll become yesterday very quickly. A lot of these old tunes were written for the future and still stand up now, the Photeks and Krusts of the world. To date, no one has ever filled those positions, made that kind of forward-thinking music. People talk a lot about 98, 99, how good the music was, how fresh the ideas were. There was a lot of factors involved, super-talented guys, no social media, real relationships were formed at Music House, at the Blue Note. You’d hear tunes and be like ‘Fuck, I need to write something.’ Everyone was pushing everyone along and that’s what I’m trying to recreate with both ‘Future Beats’ and ThirtyOne.
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M Y B AT T E R I E S A R E F U L LY CHARGED. IT’S INVIGORATING TO BE AROUND THESE NEW GUYS WHO ARE TAKING RISKS AND MOVING THIS THING FORWARD.
On the subject of the Blue Note, Metaheadz has also recently turned 20 and to celebrate they curated a special series of nights, the History Sessions, with the aim of inviting some of the old Blue Note residents to dust off their dubplates and air the sets that many feel were some of the best in the music’s history. “There was one in March that stuck out; it’s only when these milestones come up that it really makes you think about where you’ve been, it’s all a bit weird. I had my first pair of turntables when I was 14. I saw Grandmaster Flash in 1989 and thought, he looks pretty cool. I used to spend my weekends in Summit Records in Birmingham, buying hip-hop. That’s where I first heard Detroit techno, Cybotron, Derrick May, all by chance. Nowadays, the kids just have to jump on iTunes or YouTube to discover a whole genre and its history. It’s mad to think I was DJing before there was a drum & bass scene. Dillinja was playing something at History Sessions, I turned to SP:MC and said ‘This tunes like 21 years old!’ “The beauty about what I do is that I’m around people of all different ages. There’s kids in the raves now that are so young, I’d cut my first dub before they were born. Seventy percent of that crowd were too young to go to the Blue Note, but they knew all the tunes. It’s good that the music still stands up, the tunes still work on the floor, it’s amazing and I’m proud to have been a part of that era. I genuinely feel like I’ve contributed to something. ‘Future Beats’ is released 15 December on ThirtyOne Recordings. @docscott31
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M a da m X
Big People Music _
B O S S S E L E C T I O N S TOP SELECTIONS FROM FOUR BOSS SELECTORS
1. LEVELZ ‘Level 7’ 2. PALEMAN ‘Beezledub’ 3. SCRATCHA DVA & MICKEY PEARCE ‘S poonbender’ 4. DUB PHIZIX & STRATEGY ‘buffalo Charge’ 5. CHIMPO ‘Out And Bad’ 6. SKITTLES, DRS & CHIMPO ‘Bumba’ 7. SLEEPY & G.S.ONE ‘Oasis’ 8. BIOME ‘Harmonix’ 9. CHUNKY & ZED BIAS ‘Flamm’ 10. FKA TWIGS ‘Kicks’
Darius Sy ros s ia n
Mungo’s Hi-Fi
Da r k 0
1. DARIUS SYROSSIAN ‘Watch Out Brothers’
1. STALAWA FT. PONCHITA PELIGROS ‘Different Style’
1. K9 ‘Krudstar’
2. KENNETH SCOTT ‘Yuki’
2. TRADESMAN FT. SPENG BOND ‘Fight Fi Come In’
Sankeys _
3. HARRY ROMERO ‘Revolution’
Scotch Bonnet Records _
2. IGLEW ‘Controllers’ 3. SHARPVEINS ‘Glowworms’
3. COMMODO FT. JME ‘Shift’
4. MSSINGNO ‘Baiders’ 5. LIL DURK ‘Jealous’
6. EL CHINO ‘Dabbers Dub’
4. SQUAREWAVE & DOCTOR ‘Police Officer’ (Vital Techniques & Mikey B Remix)
7. RICH WAKLEY ‘Rough Cut’ (Darius Syrossian Remix)
5. KANKA FT. YT ‘Disconnect Yourself’
7. SAGA ‘Flight Risk’
8. PEREL ‘Charles Manson’
6. OBF FT. CHARLIE P ‘Dub Controller’
8. KO THE GOD FT. CHRIS CARTER ‘Up Next’
7. MUNGO’S HI-FI FT. SUGAR MINOTT & DADDY FREDDY ‘Raggamuffin’
9. MURLO ‘Into Mist’
4. DARIUS SYROSSIAN ‘Time’ 5. JOESKI ‘This Is Acid’
9. SIDNEY CHARLES ‘Housin Tha Rave’ 10. BURKHARDT ‘Give It Back’
8. MUNGO’S HI FI FT. CHARLIE P ‘You See Me Star’ 9. JOHNNY OSBOURNE ‘Trickster’ 10. CHUCK TURNER ‘Ah No Me She Love’
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Gobstopper Records _
6. ESO ‘Ronin’
10. SUICIDEYEAR ‘When You Sleep’
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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 , F i r e m a n S a m , 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 .
WILEY ‘‘SNAKES & LADDERS’ (B ig D ada)
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ighteen months on from his last studio album ‘The Ascent’, out of nowhere grime’s godfather returns with a tenth, and supposedly final, studio album. If the ‘The Ascent’’ - which did contain some brilliant moments - was Wiley’s attempt to balance his crossover aspirations with his core grime sensibilities, ‘Snakes & Ladders’ is him going full throttle, free from major label commercial concerns. Wiley is often at his best during stream-of-consciousness assaults, riding rough shot over riddims and there’s plenty of that here, in particular the Skepta produced lead hit single ‘On A Level’. But there’s more than just that to this album, which packs some well thought-out recurring themes and motives. Wiley meditates on his age, his career, the new breed of grime talent, the industry and the perils of a hedonistic rap star lifestyle, and these deeper thoughts are balanced out with bold reminders of why we all love grime’s top don going in. Production wise, this is grime throughout at a consistently high standard, with star turns from Teddy and Skepta, not to mention some brilliant MC cameos from the likes of superstar in the making Stormzy, Chip and Footsie. It’s not all good though - several of the hooks seem throwaway, and the surprising Dipset collaboration ‘Lonely’ seems like it was phoned-in from everyone involved, including Camron. That said, this is definitely one of the best Wiley albums of recent years and comes close to touching the authentic energy and vibes of the ‘Step Freestyles’ or his older work. We really hope this isn’t, as he claims, Wiley’s final album; as JME say’s on ‘From the Outside’ - “Wiley is a national treasure”. FS 081
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DEFT ‘BLUE JASMINE’
GHOST WRITERZ ‘BACK IT UP’
(Proj ec t M oonci rc le)
(Tr u T h o u gh t s )
With release after release of accomplished,high-tempo production wizardry, it’s a mystery why Deft doesn’t get more widespread acclaim. This EP raises the bar again, with a couple of beatless works - ‘Vapid Pt. 1’ and the title track showcasing the depth of Deft’s sound design, as he builds both gleaming highs of choral ambience and hellish lows of discordance. His breakneck, intricately percussive 160bpm beats and bass are as tight as ever, with ‘Promise Me’ particularly steamrolling. OG
Roots Manuva collaborator Jim Screechy and Sleepy Time Ghost (of soundsystem collective Unit 137) come correct here with their first outing on Tru Thoughts. The EP presents three vocal cuts of the ‘Back It Up’ riddim, from Screechy, Serocee & RTKal: all excellent examples of bashy UK hip-hop, with equal nods to dubstep and grime. Remix duties are held down by Aries & GOLD with their ace jungle interpretation and Ed West who teases out the original’s grimy side even further. TDB
DIGITAL, SPIRIT & RESPONSE ‘GARRISON LAW’ / DIFFERENT STYLE’ (V Rec ords) If you raved to D&B back in the early 2000s you’ll no doubt be familiar with the stomping beats and reverberating dub samples that characterised Digital and Spirit’s sound. The duo join forces with newcomer Response, as they debut on V. There are welcome nods to classics such as Digital’s low-down, rolling ‘Waterhouse Dub’ and the pair’s jerky classic ‘Remote Control’ on this heavyweight release. JCR
GAGE FT KEVIN JZ PRODIGY ‘BAD BITCH’ (Crazylegs) Stalwart MC of the ballroom scene, voguer Kevin Jz Prodigy blesses grime innovator Gage’s monstrous instrumental with his sexy, speakingin-tongues style. Since KJP often works with Fade to Mind’s MikeQ, this is a perfect, but unique, pairing. Paparazzi-snapshot beats give the vocal flow space, and Gage confronts the snarling vocals and lyrical nonsense with equally sharp, chaotic and intrusive beats. Perfectly in keeping with NY ballroom style, the two rhythmic masters battle, match and draw upon each other’s energy. EM
EATS EVERYTHING ‘FRIES WITH THAT?’ ( H y p ercolo u r )
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ristolian house music don Eats Everything delivers his first ever ‘proper’ mix CD for the mighty Hypercolour. ‘Fries With That’ is a two-disc excursion through the music Eats loves, from brand-new music to early 90s classics, painstakingly compiled and mixed with all the verve you’d expect from him. Disc one, titled ‘Main Course’, brings over an hour of upfront new music, from the likes of Arun Verone, Mr G and Radioslave, while the second disc ‘Dessert’ is a long hard look at the past, weighing heavy with music almost exclusively from the 90s, without just being another collection of the obvious ‘classics’. You know we love this guy we wouldn’t have him on our cover otherwise - as such, we can’t do anything but love this record and we’re pretty sure you will too. TC
HACKMAN ‘CARRY ON’ (2 0 2 0 Vi s i o n ) With fairly high-profile releases on Greco Roman, Well Rounded and Futureboogie Recordings already under his belt, Ben Hackman returns to 2020Vision. ‘Carry On’ delivers a dose of the elements for which Hackman is now notorious, melding haunting layers of synths around soulful vocals, brought bubblingly along by simple house rhythms. After the introspective dub mix, we’re treated to the jerkily percussive ‘The Blue’, accompanied by a Rampa remix. GW
HODGE & FACTA ‘SPHERES OF COSTA RICA’ / ‘VISIONS’ (Te mpa ) Two of Bristol’s new wave meet on a contrasting pair for a label seemingly on its third wind. Despite the title - seemingly lifted from a bad 70s sci-fi novella - ‘Spheres of Costa Rica’ is a properly original riddim, full of deeply-restrained tribal funk; like a 2014 update of Skream & Benga’s ‘The Judgement’. ‘Visions’ is more like Tempa’s usual fare, but fresher than anything they’ve put out recently; a grimace of devilish bass and intense rhythmic tension. Sterling. ??
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PROSUMER ‘FABRIC 79’ (Fa b ri c)
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ong-time resident at Berghain, house and techno’s most iconic club, Achim Brandenburg occupies a lofty position within DJ culture. He’s the house DJ par excellence, held in higher regard than almost anyone else. For his longoverdue fabric CD, he employs an uptempo, swift-cutting style here, and sticks to pure house music until the final few minutes. The opening tracks jolt you into angular early Chicagostyle grooves, and though things transition into more sleekly futuristic feelings from time to time, this is the essential aesthetic he puts on show for his most high-profile recorded mix yet. There’s an airing of big favourites from his club sets, such as ‘Dance’ (a leaping, disco-vibe 1990 tune by the unsung NYC hero Pal Joey in his Earth People
guise), and the inevitable inclusion of a beat by friend and collaborator Murat Tepeli. Those who enjoy real house music being played with the spirit it deserves will find this to be as brilliant as it gets. The only fault you could find is that, really, the only way to experience this man’s craft properly is to go to a club and dance to his selections for a very long time. GTDC
JUNES ‘COLOURS’
BONOBO ‘FLASHLIGHT’
(Ga ldoor s)
( Ninj a Tune )
This label bolsters its impressive catalogue of miry, minimalist deep house, following records by Elgato, Leif and Audio Werner with a rich assortment from the label head himself. ‘Root Pattern’ deftly melds genres through contrasting the spry garage shuffle with its humid, oceanic base. ‘Transfer’ achieves tension through disparity, pitting playful rhythms against anxious melodic patterns. The hefty staggered kicks and Juno-sweeps of ‘Iced’ round up an EP that testifies to the effectiveness of simplicity. CN
Having extensively toured last year’s LP ‘The North Borders’, Bonobo returns to close 2014 with the house-based sound he’s adopted of late. The title track sees Bonobo at his trademark best, fusing catchy guitars, multi-layered synths, and earthy drums. On the flip, we’re taken to an edgier, more brooding place with the bumping, swooning ‘Pelican’, before the record closes with the melodic, downtempo ‘Return To Air’ GW
OM UNIT ‘INVERSION’ (M e t a l h e a d z ) Jim Coles channels his jungle-dominated youth into a contemporary-sounding release flecked with the hallmarks of classic drum & bass: terrifying reece synths, clattering breaks and brooding basslines – not to mention a smattering of samples direct from Goldie’s sound library. It’s how he reinvents the sound in his own way that’s remarkable, though, with inventive, updated rhythms and finely crafted atmospheres and textures. ‘Inversion’ is devastatingly futuristic and fresh, whilst simultaneously a homage to the genre’s roots; Om Unit is in imperious form. OG
R E V I E W S
NU:TONE ‘‘FUTURE HISTORY’ (Ho s pital Rec ords)
T
he Hospital stalwart returns with his fourth solo LP, cementing an association that spans 14 years with the ever-popular label. ‘Future History’ documents the journey, with noticeable references to past inf luences like old skool hardcore, right through to early-00s liquid, all skilfully incorporated to form tracks full of energy, excitement and soul, but without becoming the tired rehash of old ideas that so many fall into when producing this sort of sound. Guest appearances are sparse; an indicator of the mature nature of this album, which manages to remain
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rich and diverse without relying on a hoard of token collaborators. Long-term production partner and real-life brother Logistics features, as do silky vocalist Lea Lea and the ever exuberant Dynamite MC, while legendary hip-hop icon Kool Keith lends his unmistakeable spoken word uttering’s to the standout stepper ‘Metaphor 6000’. As with any successful producer, there must have been a temptation for Nu:tone to simply churn out a collection of bangers based on the formula of his many past hits. Instead he’s put together something really bright and engaging, displaying not only his maturity and progression as an artist, but also an enduring relevance in an genre that’s always moving forward. JI
DIFFER-ENT ‘DIFFER-ENT’
VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘PAKMAN’
(Do n’t Be Af raid)
( Mixp ak / Ma n )
Detroit techno dignitary DJ Bone unveils a fresh pseudonym while enjoying new recognition, thanks to support from some key players of the underground. ‘Different(Hrall)’ probes the future with mutated Giorgio Moroder arps, while the more direct ‘Different(Ity)’ races forward into the unknown, knifesharpening hi-hats upping the pace throughout. This is a purposeful statement of intent from a label that has quietly become one of the most vital forces in modern house and techno. S P
Two leading labels from the world of global bass and sound-system music combine for a truly exciting EP. New York’s Mixpak and Berlin’s Man Recordings team up artists including Murlo, Douster, Schlachthofbronx, Poirier, Jubilee and Dre Skull for a series of collaborative tracks that range from techno-fuelled power soca to garage-infused bashment. A special mention must go to Poirier and Douster’s ‘We Champion’, a stunning UK funky-cum-ragga banger, creatively pushing far beyond standard genre boundaries. TDP
PROXIMA ‘ALPHA’ ( Te mp a )
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he latest album on dubstep’s oldest home-label, Tempa, comes straight from the dungeon of this murkyminded Dutchman. This is obviously a release that bears the grubby pawmarks of Youngsta, a quiet figurehead of the dubstep scene since its origin, whose penchant for lurking headnodders and spacious rhythms has endured waves of shoddy EDM populism. Like Proxima, many successful dubstep producers have emigrated from the faster-paced realms of D&B, so its refreshing to see that he embraces this crossover, and aims “to combine the sounds of drum & bass with the space of dubstep”. This is something he does well, pairing ripping techstep bass, and glowering mid-range, with the kind of tripping half-step rhythm that uses low frequencies as much as drums to create a pattern. Lead single ‘Trapped’ is a belter - shamelessly employing a Coki bassline to powerful effect. GTDC
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ANDY STOTT ‘FAITH IN STRANGERS’ (Mo de rn Love )
V
eteran producer Andy Stott’s latest LP on his own label presents a familiar atmosphere to his last, the stellar ‘Luxury Problems’; weathered, decaying, post-techno bass mutations and cold, grainy, sub-laden soundscapes. Vocal collaborator Alison Skidmore appears again, lending her hushed, ghostly tones as melodic leads, which hit their most emotive on the chilling ‘Violence’, a dystopian, grinding pop centrepiece. These elements, however, combined with rhythms drawn from hardcore and hip-hop, transform Stott’s sound to new, exciting dimensions. As dark and emotive as some of the tracks are – ‘Missing’ is a powerfully sombre piece – some, such as ‘No Surrender’ and ‘Damage’, fizz with real dancef loor volatility. This development in sound, with tangible analogue depth throughout, delivers a compellingly progressive and satisfying listen. OG
COMMODO FT JME ‘SHIFT’ (Dee p M edi)
Sheez! For his second Malacommissioned Deep Medi plate, Commodo comes with some serious weight here, rivalling Kahn in terms of proper dubstep spirit and pure speaker “oomph”. JME is totally onpoint, too, so this concentrated burst of Digital Mystikz hooks, thunderous sub-thumping and shock-out rhythm harks back to the best dubstep-grime crossovers, particularly Loefah’s classic flip of the Bug and Flowdan’s ‘Jah War’. Relentless, infinitely listenable; we give this five wheel-ups out of five. GTDC
VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘X - 10 YEARS OF SHOGUN AUDIO’
VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘CERTIFIED CONNECTIONS’
( Shog un Aud i o )
( Ke y s o u n d )
S
W
ince its inception a decade ago, Shogun Audio has consistently released some of D&B’s finest moments, while providing a steady home for some of the genre’s greatest production talents. To celebrate reaching the age of 10, label bosses Friction and KTee have put together a superb, wide-ranging collection of fresh material from all the Shogun artists you’d expect, alongside special remixes from scene heavyweights like Calyx & Teebee and Calibre. The latter’s smoothlymoulded remix of Alix Perez’s ‘Forsaken’ is the perfect counterpoint to the dancef loor tearout supplied by recent signings Fourward and Joe Ford. Spectrasoul change up their usual style with ‘Ben’, a darkly refined, stepping track, while Alix Perez and Foreign Beggars’ ‘Dark Days’ gets a full-on, teched-out overhaul by Fourward. Available as both a triple CD and a limitededition box-set, this is clearly a work of passion by the guys at Shogun and offers the perfect celebration of one of D&B’s most important collectives. BORO
hat’s all the commotion about?” Dusk and Blackdown’s fiftieth release, that’s what! Taking its name from a post on Blackdown’s must-read blog, which recently celebrated its tenth birthday, ‘Certified Connections’ attempts to build on last year’s full-crew release, ‘This is How We Roll’, which proved that there was plenty of unexplored territory in the ‘ardcore continuum (look it up). Anticipated tracks like Wen’s sub-heavy ‘It’s A Lot’ see the light of day, along with some equally weighty freshness from Murlo, Aphix, DLVRY and Caski. Along with a pair of late-night, throwback 2-step rollers from Etch and Sully, you should prepare for some psychedelic trips courtesy of Facta and e.m.m.a, before Epoch helps you drift gently back to reality with ‘Aerospace’. From the depths of the inner city to the outer reaches of space, Keysound remain steadfast. KO
BRACKLES FT FOX ‘SKANK’ (S w i n g T i n g) For Manchester club crew Swing Ting’s debut release on their new label, Rinse FM’s Brackles teams up with MC Fox on ‘Skank’ in a brilliant piece of funky-meets-dancehall, with plenty of UK grit. Famous Eno steps in on the remix for a murky reworking of the original, complemented by bars from Trigganom. This is a superb debut release that leaves you eager to hear what the label will do next. TDB
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MISTER SATURDAY NIGHT ‘WEEKENDS AND BEGINNINGS’
VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘BONDAX & FRIENDS’ THE MIX ALBUM
(Mist e r Saturday N ig ht )
ot on the heels of their latest single ‘ All I see’, Lancastrian twosome Bondax step into long-player territory with this compilation album for Relentless. Packed with the upbeat, soulful sound the duo have won swathes of fans for championing both in their DJ sets and their own productions, ‘Bondax & Friends’ features 25 tracks hand-picked and blended together by the Bondax boys. ‘All I See’ is here, alongside their other 2014 single ‘Giving It All’ and their reworkings of Duke Dumont’s ‘I Got U’ and Camo & Krooked’s ‘Lovin You’, plus original material from the likes of Bodhi, Bo Saris and Karma Kid. It’s nothing exceptional and all pretty standard stuff, but for if you’re a fan of Bondax and the whole YouTube house thing, then this will be right up your street. DB
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amon Harkin and Justin Carter’s Mister Saturday Night project began with intimate Brooklyn parties, and has evolved to become not just one of NYC’s most celebrated underground events, but a fully-f ledged label garnering consistently high critical acclaim. Now, the pair release their own musical offering; a mix recorded live at the end of last summer. With tracks from the likes of Caribou, Bass Clef and Mr G, ‘Weekends And Beginnings’ is an exploration across genres, travelling lightly through brooding percussive techno rhythms, uplifting gospel house and even the unexpected f lavours of French folk. Drawing from the old, the new, the well-known and the yet-tobe-unearthed, the experience moves seamlessly to create a sound equally suited to daytime headphone listening as it would have been for the crowded dancef loor that witnessed its creation.
BWANA ‘FLUTE DREAMS’ (Au s) This year has been prolific for Will Saul’s house label, and it shows no sign of letting up with this EP from Toronto-born producer, Bwana. Title track ‘Flute Dreams’ sets the tone for the record, developing melodies and harmonic textures over a groundshaking kick drum. Simian Mobile Disco deliver an acid-infused remix, before ‘Aomame’ and ‘Fizzle’ complete what’s a darkly beautiful journey. GW
( R elent les s )
H
YAMANEKO ‘‘PIXEL WAVE EMBRACE’ (L o c a l A c t i o n )
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rom DJ Q’s debut album to a full platter of grime by Slackk, Shriekin, Inkke and Finn, Local Action have rolled through 2014. Enter Yamaneko, an artist who might just be familiar from the track-lists of your favourite new grime people. Pixel Wave Embrace is the first grime album I’ve heard that approaches the genre’s tropes by using sounds that are alien to its traditions. Eski clicks are ditched for video-game FX, as in the subdued ‘Seabrooke Rise’ or the fantasy-quest journalopening samples and lunar melodies of ‘Greeen Hillz’. Then there’s ‘Accela Rush’: a dirty, acidic jam that rams it all through the L.I.E.S. filter. This is an incredibly f luid affair that unfurls in often unexpected, but consistently gratifying ways. Let me just hit play one more time... TA
ACRE ‘ICONS’ (Te c t o n i c ) This enigmatic young producer is pushing boundaries in bass-heavy music right now; having just released on Pinch’s Cold Recordings, he moves to Tectonic for his most adventurous EP yet. These tracks cover a bewildering fusion of grainy techno, grime and pure sound design, with rhythms ranging from the sprawling breakbeats of ‘Ping’ to the madly hypnotic tribal drum-patter of ‘Icon’. Four rough dancefloor weapons with a difference, this EP is as rewarding as it is challenging. OG
R E V I E W S
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NINA KRAVIZ ‘DJ KICKS’ (!K7)
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ina Kraviz got some f lack recently for letting herself be filmed for an interview in the bath. In a world where scarcely an eyelid batted when a certain Croydon DJ and pioneer of some of the world’s most exciting electronic music shifted to making the worst kind of K’dup uni-student pout-house that’s taken over Ibiza, the criticisms levelled at Kraviz seem unfair. She’s a strong DJ, and the tracklisting on this CD puts many reputedly eclectic selectors to shame with its diversity, trainspotter knowledge and underground quality, featuring early acid guys like Armando and Baby Ford, and proper Detroit techno, from DJ Bone and Population One (AKA Terrence Dixon).
Nevertheless, it’s not an instantly endearing mix. Eschewing the boxbanging style Kraviz has often gone for, the first 20 minutes follow the same dazed groove of some of her sunken techno releases, before it starts to awaken, drifting into the creepy clatter of abrasive hardware freaks like Breaker 1 2, and Aphex Twin under his lesstrumpeted pseudonyms, Bradley Strider and Polygon Window. The thick suffocation of the sounds here mean that when the rhythm breaks suddenly into a syncopated groove, you feel it all the more powerfully; this mix deserves to bring Kraviz the right kind of attention. GTDC
LYNX ‘WHERE ARE YOU?’ EP
AIR MAX ‘97 ‘FRUIT CRUSH’
GERRY READ ‘3-2-1’
(Ho s pi tal Rec ords)
( Lim inal S o u n d s )
(Au s )
Brand new Hospital signing Lynx makes his debut with a funk-fuelled release readymade for the dancefloor. The lead track is a jazzy number, with a simple but catchy ascending bassline and reverb-drenched vocal hook that evokes memories of Full Cycle at its finest. ‘Hurting’ is another you’re sure to hear in clubs during the coming weekends. An epically tense intro drops into grizzly roller, complemented adeptly by vocalist Malibu and MC Master X. JI
Returning to the London-based label with more of his “oblique club trax”, Air Max ‘97 shows he has both style and substance. A driving force of the so-called Austral wave, the Melbourne producer is steadily cultivating a kindred culture to the genre-flipping, grime-influenced expressionism that Fade To Mind and Night Slugs do so well, via his bi-monthly crew party ESC. These tracks are built for pure HD hedonism; any party that plays them is one worth checking out. KO
Returning to Aus with his high standard of brash, punchy house, Gerry Read is as satisfyingly callous as ever on the title track here. ‘Cosmoid’ is more linear - effective, no doubt, at peak time, but nothing more. Nathan Fake throttles the lead track into something reminiscent of a collaboration between Aardvarck and Aphex Twin; the customary forlorn chords bind with percussion that sounds like a suspicious widow rattling around an empty mansion. SP
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MACHINEDRUM ‘VAPOR CITY ARCHIVES’ (N i n j a Tu n e )
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ravis Stewart has whipped his beats up from a tentative footwork-jungle hybrid into something incredibly accomplished. Opener ‘Boxoff ’ swells beautifully, a tightly-controlled whirlwind of stepping drum machine beats, groaning Reese bass and - the final ingredient of the Machinedrum recipe - a heart-grabbingly wistful blur of synth and ghostly voice. These trancey elements are something Vapor City Archives embraces more than previous Machinedrum albums - devoting two beatless tracks to weeping, shimmering noise, with echoes of Burial. This pleasing formula is pretty much a constant throughout the album, with some slight diversions, such as ‘B Patient’, which tips more towards a halfstep D&B pattern, and the outright jungle beats of ‘More Than Friends’. Though its carefully-crafted form verges sometimes on the soporific, it’s hard to knock this seriously; there’s always a skew which is particularly Stewart’s, preventing the album from ever settling into one genre or the other. As a next step for D&B it’s an instantly devourable collection of a tracks, from a producer who obviously has no difficulty maintaining his quality level - the only question mark here is over where he goes next, with a style that he’s so utterly perfected. GTDC
PEDESTRIAN & JASPERDRUM ‘ORIGINS’ / ‘KALAKUTA’ (ALIX PEREZ RMX) (2n d D rop) Like many of the original quality dubstep labels from the late Noughties era, 2nd Drop has gradually transitioned into a source of all sorts of exciting, bass-driven movements and tangents. ‘Origins’ is a fine example; with Afrobeat inspiration and sinister samples, it’s an enjoyable, unpredictable journey. Alix Perez’s interpretation of Kalkuta maintains the spacious element but is strikingly amped up, to wicked effect. JCR
VARIOUS ARTISTS ‘WEIGHTLESS’
TEENGIRL FANTASY ‘THERMAL’
( D ifferent C i r c l e s )
(Br e a k Wo r l d )
The mixtape and podcast series enters its next phase as a record label, with an outing from Mumdance and Logos giving us a six-track glimpse into one of grime’s many potential futures, the atomspheric strain previously seen on Logos’s 2013 Cold Mission. Spawned by Wiley’s devil mixes, these percussion-free tracks are close to psychedelia. Strict Face’s ‘Python Crossing’ slithers along, and on ‘Sweetboy Tears’, Dark0’s riffs soar like early Ruff Sqwad. Surreal moments in the club. KO
The US electronic pop duo maintain their active release schedule with this new four-tracker, exploring all sides of their dynamic approach to production. Alongside two percussion-heavy tracks that prove their versatility, the EP features two guest vocalists in the shape of Hoody and Lafawndah, the former on the sensualised bubbler ‘U Touch Me’. It’s Lafawndah’s Kelela-tinged vocal on ‘Lung’ that steals the show, though, in an unfurling of aquatic electronics. TA
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MR MITCH ‘PARALLEL MEMORIES’ (Planet M u)
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r Mitch, co-founder of London club-night Boxed, presents his debut album, ‘Parallel Memories’; a dozen mercurial tracks that lull and shove the listener, creating a deep, sometimes melancholic, excursion. ‘Don’t Leave’, the title track from his recent EP, is carried by the simple, dramatic hit of a drum throughout, holding up the catchy, pleading chant. ‘It Takes Hold of You’ haunts you, an exploration of dubstep’s paranoid potential; as layers are stacked in the track, each ominous noise builds to close up your space. The entire album is somewhat Gothic, from the hypnotic tick-tock of intro ‘Afternoon After’ and dogs howling over spunky boom-claps in ‘Bullion’, to ‘Sweet Boy Code’ – an interpretation of Dark0’s ‘Sweet Boy Pose’ – where the familiar vocal is transformed into a nothing but a shivering leaf in a cold, windy park at dusk. True to Planet Mu’s form, there’s an astounding confidence underpinning all of this; ‘Wandering Glaciers’ feels eternal, like a videogame intro on loop. Mr Mitch doesn’t fear silent space, either: ‘Feel (Don’t Ask)’ is full of it. Overall, Parallel Memories feels like a statement of Mr Mitch’s firm grasp on what he aims to do. It’s a promising and powerful debut, and it’s been one worth waiting for. E M
R E V I E W S
THROWING SNOW ‘AVARICE’ (H o u n d s t o o t h ) Throwing Snow fills his third release for the fabric-affiliated label with some LP material, including a couple of VIP mixes. The gothic war march of ‘Avarice’ morphs into an acid-tinged punch-up, whilst Will Saul and Komon combine to take ‘Hypnotise’ into proggy, misty lands. ‘As You Fall (VIP)’, featuring vocalist Py, sounds like a surreally wistful ode to commercial electro house, offering an intriguing rethink of this unusual producer’s material. SP
TRADESMAN ‘SPRINGBOX RIDDIM’ (S c o t c h Bo n n e t ) After the blistering ‘In A Competition’, the duo return on Mungo’s Hi Fi’s label. The riddim is an exemplary piece of throwback 90s dancehall that Parly B rides with aplomb on ‘Rudeboy Skank’, and UK veteran Speng Bond makes it catchy with ‘Fight Fi Come In’. The real treat is Tradesman’s dub, where he drenches it with reverb, delay and wonderfully rumbling bass; this is a cut above much of the digi-dancehall revival. TDB
B A S S P O I N T S
T R O P I CA L FAbRIC, LOndOn Friday 19 December
A
fter selling out Bristol’s Motion in no time, JME’s Tropical rolls up at fabric on Friday 19 December for what looks set to be one of the parties of the year at the Farringdon club.
J M E is joined on the night in the main room by his brother Skepta, grime selector supreme Logan Sama, Birmingham beatsmith Preditah and two of Trap’s favourite producers - Deadboy and Mssingno. Meanwhile, Room Two will be blessed with the legendary DJ E Z, alongside London trendsetters Klose One, Moxie and Mella Dee, while Rompa’s Reggae Shack bring Mungo’s HiFi, Digital Niyabinghi and Uncle Duggs to Room Three! This is one serious line-up, timed perfectly to kick start the festive mash-out in style. We will see you there. fabriclondon.com
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TUMBLE AUDIO B R I S TO L T h E k L A , B R I S TO L Friday 12 December
T
umble Audio is a name you should know - the Nottingham-born record label and promotion outfit have been doing it right for a while now, hosting killer parties in Notts, Leeds and Bristol and putting out releases of real quality on their own imprint. The gang roll up at Bristol’s Thekla on Friday 12 November with two massive names in tow - the truly legendary DJ Zinc and America’s AC Slater, plus support upstairs from the rapidly rising Durkle Disco family. facebook.com/tumbleaudio
LISTINGS FRIDAY 5 DECEMBER FABRICLIVE @ FABRIC, LONDON Hessle Audio, Shackleton(live), Bok Bok, Blawan + more.
MUTE PRESENTS @ CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON Lil Silva, Kahn & Neek, Mickey Pearce.
THE HYDRA: HYPERDUB X TEKLIFE @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON
WAREHOUSE PRESENTS @ AUDIO, BRIGHTON
JUST JAM @ THE BARBICAN HALL, LONDON
Chris Lorenzo, New York Transit Authority + more.
Omar Souleyman, Big Narstie, JME, Preditah, Mumdance, Novelist + more
FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER OFFICE XMAS PARTY @ THE OLD QUEENS HEAD, LONDON
FRIDAY 19 DECEMBER MTA RECORDS: MTA 5 @ OVAL SPACE, LONDON
Skream, Artwork, Die.
ENTICE XMAS BALL @ PLAN B, LONDON DJ Luck & MC Neat, DJ Pioneer & MC DT, Fonti & Mighty Moe + more.
Shy FX, Kove, Dimensions, Dream McLean + Very Special Guests.
RESONATE PRESENTS @ NEXT DOOR, BIRMINGHAM Paleman, LFI & Mali + more.
GROUNDED @ THE PLUG, SHEFFIELD
THE NEST XMAS PARTY @ THE NEST, LONDON
Cause & Affect, Woz, Denham Audio.
Mele B2B Martelo B2B NYTA.
PSYCHED 1ST BIRTHDAY @ BLUE MOUNTAIN, BRISTOL
THE HYDRA: OSTGUT TON @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON
Coki, Nomine, Facta.
Marcel Detmann, Ryan Elliot, Anthony Parasoul + more.
SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER THE KOOL KIDS KLUB @ SHADES, ESSEX
Kode9, Dj Spinn, Dj Earl, Scratcha Dva, Ikonika + More
SATURDAY 6 DECEMBER THE HYDRA:NINJA TUNE @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON Bonobo, The Bug & Flowdan, Actress, Machinedrum + more.
DUSKY PRESENTS…. @ WAREHOUSE PROJECT, MANCHESTER Dusky, Joy O, Midland, Paleman, Klose One + more.
SATURDAY 13 DECEMBER INNERVISIONS @ THE WAREHOUSE PROJECT, MANCHESTER Dixon, Ame, Henrik Schwarz, Recondite, Horsemeat Disco + more.
Redlight, NYTA, My Nu Leng, Mele.
FRIDAY 26 DECEMBER FABRICLIVE: RINSE FM BOXING DAY @ FABRIC, LONDON Chris Lorenzo, Paleman, Newham Generals, Stormzy, Pinch, Youngsta + more.
TROUBLEVISION @ CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON
30 JANUARY HESSLE AUDIO @ WIRE CLUB, LEEDS
Bicep, Midland, Rayko + more.
Ben UFO, Pearson Sound, Pangaea.
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The best parties happening around the UK this New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day…
I N : M OT I O N M OT I O N , B r I s TO l TIckeTs: £25 - 35
A
fter another hugely successful season, In:Motion rounds things off with two massive parties on NYE and NYD guaranteed to help you Bristolians end 2014 with a flourish.
NYE will see The Blast bring the bass weight to the main room with a solid D&B line-up that includes Calyx & Teebee and the legendary Dillinja, while Kahn & Neek’s Bandulu gang bring the grime to The Cave and Black Butter fuck things up in the second warehouse. House promotion Shapes takes over for NYD, with an extraordinarily strong lineup of 4/4 heroes booked to play, including Magda, Dixon, George Fitzgerald, Route 94, Catz & Dogz and a whole load more. Line Up Includes: Zed Bias, Dixon, Magda, Kahn & Neek, Calyx & Teebee, Klose One, Dillinja, Route 94. bristolinmotion.com
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RAINBOW VENUES RAINBOW VENUES, BIRmINGhAm TIckETS: £20 - 25
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irmingham’s Rainbow Venues have had another incredible year, and are a throwing a suitably sick NYE party across all the spaces attached to their massive complex to celebrate.
With local girl Hannah Wants topping the bill, plus support from Tom Shorterz, German Brigante and whole load more yet to be announced, this is the only way to celebrate the New Year if you’re up in Brum. Lineup Includes: Hannah Wants, Tom Shorterz, German Brigante, Tuccillo t h e r a i n b o w v e n u e s. c o. u k
NYE / NYD LISTINGS BLACK BUTTER NYE SPECIAL @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON Zed Bias, Kidnap Kid, My Nu Leng, Woz + more TBA.
REGGAE ROAST & LOVE KULTURE PROJECT PRESENT
NEW YEARS EVE
EASTERN ELECTRICS @ STUDIO 338, LONDON
WAREHOUSE PARTY MASHDOWN
9PM - 6AM @ THE CRE8 LIFESTYLE CENTRE, HACKNEY WICK, 80 EASTWAY, LONDON, E9 5JH
Agoria, Cassy, Route 94, Geddes + more.
R E G G A E R OAS T
RR_NYE14_A5.indd 1
04/11/2014 16:48
mcRE8 STUDIO, LONDON T I c k E T S : £ 1 0 - 2 5 + m OT D
R
eggae Roast link with Love Kulture for one of the year’s biggest reggae parties at the Cre8 Warehouse in Hackney Wick on NYE.
With three rooms bringing the biggest in reggae, dub and jungle on some seriously weighty sound-systems this looks like one of London’s best parties this NYE. Line Up Includes: Trojan Sound, Mungos Hifi, Channel One Sound, The Nextmen, Adam Prescott. r e g g a e r o a s t . c o. u k
BUGGED OUT @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON Erol Alkan, Daniel Avery, George Fitzgerald, Andrew Weatherall, Ghost Culture + more.
XOYO NYE @ XOYO, LONDON Shadow Child, Karma Kid, Mak & Pasteman.
DETONATE NYE @ TBA, SHEFFIELD DJ EZ + more TBA.
UKF NYE @ BRIXTON ACADEMY, LONDON Subfocus, Sigma, Calyx & Teebee, Cause & Affect, Billon, Shift K3y + more.
GLOBAL GATHERING NYE @ THE INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM
Rodigan, Friction, Jaguar Skills, Wilkinson, TC + more.
NYE AT THE NEST @ THE NEST, LONDON Oneman, Tasker, Yasmin, Jon Rust + more.
PARADISE GARAGE @ THE WHITE BEAR, BRISTOL Laminate Radio, The Kelly Twins + special guests.
TROF & WHP PRESENT NYE @ ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER Annie Mac, Hannah Wants, Redlight, Jesse Rose, T.WIlliams, Monki B@B Mele + more.
WE BELONG NYE @ WAREHOUSE LDN, LONDON Infinity Ink, Miguel Campbel + special guests.
DOLLOP NYE @ TROXY, LONDON MK + more TBA.
ELECTRIC MINDS NYD @ STUDIO SPACES E1, LONDON Dixon, Levon Vincent, John Talabot, Move D + more
EDIBLE NYD @ ELECTRIC BRIXTON, LONDON Eats Everything (8 hours)
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NYE / NYD LISTINGS coNT.
WA R E HoUSE P RoJ E c T NYE THE WAREHoUSE PRoJEcT, MANcHESTER TIckETS: £39.50 - 45
T
SHUT THAT SH*T DOWN @ RHYTHM FACTORY, LONDON Fabio & Grooverider (6 hour set), Spyro, Spooky + more.
DOLLOP NYD @ TROXY Boddika, Paul Woolford, Floating Points + more TBA.
his issue’s cover star Eats Everything headlines Manchester’s Warehouse Project NYE party, signalling the end of the WHP series for another year.
SHAPES @ IN:MOTION, BRISTOL Magda, Dixon, Route 94, George Fitzgerald
Joining him on the night are Heidi, Skream, Huxley and No Artifical Colours, playing quality house music all night long. If bass is more your thing, check the other WHP party across Manchester at Albert Hall with Redlight, Hannah Wants and more.
+ more.
Line Up Includes: Eats Everything, Heidi, Skream, Huxley, No Artificial
WIDE EYES @ LAKOTA, BRISTOL
Colours.
TBA
t h e r a i n b o w v e n u e s. c o. u k
ANALOG NYE @ THE CORONET, LONDON Anja Schneider, Catz’N’Doga, Josh Butler + more.
MONO CULT NYD @ CANAL MILLS, LEEDS Four Tet, Daphni, Floating Points, Move D,
S WA M P 8 1
Gerd Janson + more.
TBA, LoNDoN TIckETS: £10 - 20
COVERT EVENTS NYD @ SANKEYS, MANCHESTER
W
Second City, Patrick Topping, Dale Howard
e don’t know the line-up, and we don’t know the venue, but what we do know is that a Swamp 81 New Year’s party is guaranteed to be sick.
Taking place somewhere in East London, and no doubt featuring a bulk of Loefah’s Swamp family as well as the sort of special guests that only they would (and could) invite down to play alongside them, the lack of details only adds to the hype around this party. Line Up: TBA
+ more.
SWAMP 81 @ TBA, LONDON TBA
SUPERCHARGED NYE @ CONCORD 2, BRIGHTON Friction, MJ Cole, Big Narstie, Randall.
ERG X DUBBED OUT @ MOJO, KENT Mala, Coki, Hype, Big Narstie, True Tiger + more
swamp81.com
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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
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LONDON WA R E H O U S E EVENTS NYD T O bAc c O D O c k , L O N D O N TickETS: £29.50 - 70
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icking off at noon, LWE present a New Year’s Day party to remember, returning to their regular home at East London’s Tobacco Dock.
London’s own Maya Jane Coles headlines, with Art Department, Subb-ann and The Martinez Brothers joining her in the enormous Great Gallery space, while Heidi and the Visionquest gang play The Carpark, and Gutti and a yet to be announced special guest take care of the Loft space. Finishing at 22.30, if you’re somehow still going, head over to Renaissance Rooms in Vauxhall, where Ms Coles will be doing a very special b2b2b with Heidi and Kim Ann Foxman. Line Up Includes: Maya Jane Coles, Art Department, Heidi, Visionquest. l o n d o n w a r e h o u s e e v e n t s. c o. u k 095
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W H O ? ? CA R E S C R O f t E R S R i g H t S , B R i S tO l 3 November 2014
Photos: Theo Cottle
LIMITED EDITION ANNIVERSARY TEE _ AVAILABLE NOW FROM TRAPMAG.COM
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& LOADS MORE TBA
WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 O2 ACADEMY SHEFFIELD WWW.DETONATEEVENTS.COM
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