Grime veteran Scorcher, a previous member of both Cold Blooded and The Movement (infamous for their 'Fuck Radio' sets and clashes with rivals Boy Better Know) picks up his old flow and some nostalgic bars to go over JME's classic '96 Bars Of Revenge' instrumental. The beat is hard and Scorcher rides its distinctive kicks easily, giving a sound reminiscent of the Rinse sets which made his name.
Released today on Fentplates, Gantz delivers four heavy-hitting, ambient steppas loaded with bass and lush textures. Title track 'No Love' couples strong percussion with a deep, trance inducing bass line whilst 'Waves' is a tune of real momentum and serious sub pressure. '10' and 'Praying Mantis' again do not disappoint, the latter being a brilliant dubbed out, eyes down beat perfect for the end of the night. A highly recommended release.
To promote his appearance this coming Saturday at Brixton Academy, Benga gives away this stripped-back stomper. Using vocal samples and a extra dashes of percussion to break up the structure of the beat and give it a little extra swing, this one comes on like a skippier incarnation of Skream's 'Darkin It'.
One of the most talented and exciting up-and-comers in dubstep at the moment, Sleeper, has given away this weighty bit of half-step as a thankyou to his ever-growing number of supporters. With lips being kept tight about any future releases, and with production partner District stating that there is no rush to get their beats out there, this free download is a welcome gift for fans who have been hearing Sleeper's productions on constant rotation from the likes of Youngsta and Distance recently.
There's a lot of talent in Manchester that tends to get overlooked, but it's a testament to the city's apparently inherent passion for music that this acts less as a barrier than as a hurdle that needs to be crossed at its highest point. Biome is a producer representative of this approach in that there is nothing rushed about his work and he only seems happy if what people are hearing from him is something that he can call fully-formed. After first breaking into dubstep with the sort of big kicks and dark mid-range found on tunes like 'Sonic' he has honed his sound to something genuinely original and he's now reaping the rewards of his patience and getting regular plays from some of the biggest names on the circuit. By considering the importance of the mid-range of a tune alongside the bassline and still keeping in mind the idea of space, Biome builds that ever-elusive sense of darkness into his beats whilst maintaining the energy within them that is necessary to get people moving on a dancefloor. We caught up with him for an interview and he's also contributed the latest mix in our exclusive series...
Hedmuk: To introduce yourself, what's your name, where do you come from and how would you describe your sound? Biome: I'm Biome, I'm from Lancashire originally but now living in Manchester. I'd describe my sound as deep, dark and sub-heavy but mostly just dark.
H: How did you get into making beats? Are you from a musical background or was it something you picked up yourself? B: It's something I've been interested in since being about 10 years old. I was brought up listening to and understanding classical music but fell in love with hip hop from the moment I first heard Onyx and Wu-Tang. I started messing with Ejay and music for the PS1 when I was 11 and my passion for creating got stronger. I purchased Ableton when I was 14 along with Reason and started out making drum and bass with Indigo. I was messing around with production for a while and then the dubstep scene started to emerge and it was at a time where both me and Indigo were looking for something new and exciting, as drum and bass around that time seemed to have lost its edge. Since then I've stuck to making dubstep and drum and bass, but I'm definitely pushing the dubstep a lot more at the moment.
H: Where do you draw your influences from, and are they mainly musical or do you take ideas from other things aswell? B: My influence can come from anywhere: the best influence for me comes from films as I like to create a scene with my music. I like film soundtracks and the way they are constructed. I take my drum influence from hip hop mainly as I always loved the half step swing and have never been too much into 2-step or garage because I always preferred jungle when it comes to fast skippy beats.
H: Some of your earlier releases, such as that alongside Dom Hz on Subdepth, had a greater dancefloor focus; are you still making this range of sounds, or do you tend to focus in on building tunes of a certain style? B: I still mostly make dancefloor music, I've just matured a lot within my style. I've finally begun to really mould my sound. I'm still making a lot of mid range bass within my tunes but with a much more tasteful nature than the screeching sounds of today's jump-up scene. I like to use synthesis intelligently and create a groove around the beat with the bass as opposed to just using the beat as the main rhythm. I'm very much into the deeper side of music and take a lot of influence from Indigo and Synkro and the music they play me, but I take that and interpret the sound in my own, usually darker, way. I've got a Mindset release forthcoming which I think will show another side to my production, a lighter and slightly more emotional style of production.
H: Having been hailed as criminally underrated for so long, how does it feel to be breaking onto the scene via Youngsta's revered Rinse slot? B: I'm pleased with how things are going at the moment. Youngsta's helped me a lot with feedback and promoting my tracks on Rinse: he's the one DJ who's always played the sound that I was massively into. I've always been into the techy side of music, coming from a D&B background and being heavily influenced by producers like Calyx, Teebee, Silent Witness, Spor and nowadays especially Noisia. I wanted to recreate this sound within dubstep but on a deeper, dubbier level and Youngsta was pretty much the only main DJ on the scene playing that style so it was good to link with him; we're definitely on the same wavelength when it comes to music so we get on well.
H: Manchester is a city brimming with talent, yet it seems to be continually overlooked: what would you put this down to? With similar situations in both Leeds and Birmingham, do you think that the student-dominated/oriented nightlife of these cities is a major factor? B: I'd say that as dubstep has been evolving it's taken time for producers from other cities to get involved due to it starting out as a London scene. As time has passed I think it has become a lot more open to producers all over the country and world. If the music's good and it's pushed with the right people it usually gets out there. I would say that within the Manchester club scene it hardly seems worth booking anybody but the really big names as it is student dominated and the crowds go for the names they know. It's more likely that Manchester artists get better gigs outside of Manchester. There is certainly a lot of talent within Manchester and other parts of the country but there is a feeling that you still need a helping hand from people primarily on the London scene to get you noticed.
Music should be universal and not really seen as a 'Manchester sound' or a 'London sound' etcetera. All music has to originate from somewhere and there will be a reason why a certain style has come from a certain background and the influences it's taken from that. I think within Manchester there's a much bigger call for the deeper soulful side of music because that seems like the main influence around us, and something I certainly draw a great influence from myself.
H: Talk us through how you went about putting together the mix you've done for us. B: I went along the lines of a more listenable mix for this: strictly 140 dubstep but crossing a lot of sub genres within it. I wanted to show the true extent of my sound and also represent the artists whose work I'm massively into. I've tried to make it a journey of sound so it's not just bangers throughout or deep and musical throughout but a mixture of it all taking different directions to the groove of the mix without losing energy or interest.
H: Finally, are there any forthcomings or anything in the pipeline that you'd like to put the word out about? B: I'm in talks with a few different labels at the moment; nothings 100% yet but there should be some big releases heading out soon and one to look out for is the next Mindset release.
Deep, dark, atmospheric mix from Organics featuring beats from Matt U, J: Kenzo and LX One among others. Further information on Organics is proving difficult to find but be sure to keep track of their Soundcloud, because if this mix is anything to go by any future output seems promising.
With a slew of impressive releases on Osiris Music, Wheel and Deal and Black Box as well as a forthcoming four track EP and mix CD set to drop soon DJ Madd continues to prove why he is one of the most sought after producers in bass music. Yet as if his recent output hasn't delighted us enough Madd has today released two versions of his Lightsaber beat on a free download. Both beats are characteristic of Madd's production of late and will please anyone who enjoyed 'Battle' or 'Pitch Black'. Enjoi:
With 'Imprint Unit 1' 3rdeyeldn have done what is so difficult with a compilation, and that is to put together a selection of tunes which not only work as strong, standalone tunes but also fit together into a listenable whole. Featuring tracks from some of the best up-and-coming bass music artists such as Skanky, Arae and Eysa, this collection could quickly become a summer soundtrack.
Listen to the previews and download the full collection below.
With the imminent arrival of Youngsta's Rinse CD showcasing the continuing strength and appeal of deeper, dark dubstep it seems apt that our latest feature comes from a young producer pushing a more murky, sub-heavy 'dungeon' sound. Dr. Hugo's crisp and precise production fits comfortably alongside more established artists such as Thelem, Killa & Instinct and Sleeper, with heavy emphasis on the percussive and atmospheric elements of production, yet retains an originality that removes any notion of mere imitation. Widely acknowledged as one to watch out for in 2011, we caught up with Dr. Hugo for chat about his influences, beats and future plans. In addition, Hugo has laid down a 100% dubplate mix for our mix series, showcasing not just his own beats but an array of tunes from up and coming producers.
HEDMUK: For those who don't know, what's your name, where are you from and how would you describe your sound?
Dr. Hugo: My name’s Hugh, I’m from Reading but currently at uni in Bristol. Right now, I’d describe my sound as deep, dark and sub heavy.
H: What drew you to the deeper side of bass music?
D: There’s a lot of feeling and energy in the deeper stuff, which I feel like I connect with. You’re usually only exposed to this through the right sound system. In the right circumstances it feels like your experiencing the music, as opposed to just listening to it. I guess this is a mixed blessing. On the one hand it gives the music a special quality, you have to go out of your way to actually experience it and can’t do so in your bedroom, but on the other hand it means a lot people don’t understand the sound.
I like the fact that to really experience the music, I can’t just stream it off youtube through a pair of laptop speakers. This might give an interpretation of the sound but I know for a fact that through a decent sound system it would be a totally different story
H: Do you draw your influences from other Dubstep producers or do you more often take in influences from other areas? How important is it, in your opinion, to draw influences from areas outside of the type of music you're making yourself?
D: Surprisingly I don’t listen to a huge amount of what would probably be called dubstep. I listen to all sorts of music from hip-hop, soul, funk, jazz, grime to r&b. I think my most played album of the last month is ‘Baduizm’ by Erykah Badu. I reckon I’m more influenced by genres outside of dubstep, because I listen to more of it.
I think it’s vital in order to be an original producer to draw influences and listen to music outside the type that you’re making. To create music drawing influences only from the type of music that you’re making is a bit like inbreeding, reproducing from the same gene pool, and regurgitating existing ideas.
H: How did you get in to making beats? Are you from a musical background, or is it something you picked up yourself?
D: I do come from a musical background, and have had a go at playing some strange instruments that were lying around my house. I learnt guitar for about 4 years but I was too lazy as a youngster to consistently practise. I want to get back into it.
When I got into drum and bass and then dubstep music it was exciting because I had absolutely no idea how it had been made, but I knew it could be done from your bedroom. After going to dances and feeling the energy that is created by this music, I needed to have a go. Eventually I got my hands on a copy of Reason and began to learn how to use it.
H: The Dubstep scene, in particular the dark, moodier side of things to which your tunes fit, has a renewed energy at the moment: what’s been catching your attention recently?
D: There does seem to be a renewed energy for the darker stuff at the moment, I think a lot of heads are getting tired of the mid range stuff and getting into it. I recommend watching out for producers Gantz, Thelem, Hugh D, Compa, Collision, Obelix, RDG…..the list goes on. These guys have got some madness in the pipeline! Orientis Records and Sub Lab are definitely labels to keep a close eye on, anyone that’s heard any of their forthcoming releases should know this! Check out YouTube channel AJPUK to keep track of the darker bits.
H: Tell us a bit about the mix you’ve put together.
D: I've put together a mix of darker stuff at around 140 bpm. Keep an eye on these producers in the future.
H: Finally, have you got anything forthcoming or in the pipe-line that you’d like to share with us?
D: Nothing is set in stone right now, but watch this space. I’m not in a rush to get anything out at the moment, I’d rather make sure my music is sounding exactly how I want it to first. I’m also working on a project with my mate Hugh D, using the alias Twogo. We’re making some weird funkier stuff at around 130 - 135 bpm – check it out
The ever-generous Butterz have given away Royal T's updated version of his first remix of P Money's 'Hot Ones', which also features vocals from OG'z members Blacks and Little Dee. Keeping the 4x4 kicks and snares of the first remix (which can also be downloaded for free here), the growling synth line is extended to a full driving bassline which carries the vocal with ease.
This free release is to promote Butterz' first vocal release entitled 'Boo You', which features P Money, Blacks and Slickman vocalling Royal T's remix of TRC's 'Oo Aa Ee' and can be pre-ordered here.
MindStep Music and the man behind it, Rinse FM's DJ Crises, are playing an important part in the ever-developing world of underground UK bass music. Having represented the deeper, more soulful dubstep sound for almost a year at the bi-monthly MindStep events, the launch of a new label serves to continue this positive movement into a new arena. With a focus on progression and the promotion of new talent alongside the more established pioneers of the sound, MindStep takes on a collective image which is pushing fresh music not only through events and radio, but now also through its format as a label. We spoke to Crises to get his take on the mission of MindStep and what it represents, as well as to find out what plans there are for the future; and he in turn contributed a new exclusive mix to add to our series, which features forthcoming material alongside a choice selection of released tunes which form the 'Sunshine in his Bag'.
Hedmuk: As an introduction, what's your name, where are you from and what is MindStep all about?
Crises / Mindstep: Easy Hedmuk crew, happy today to you (laughs). I go by the name of Crises and was born in the early eighties, raised in London, UK and grew up listening to Oldskool Garage and Reggae Dub.
As a DJ, Radio Presenter, Promoter, Producer and Label Owner I’m now proud to be involved in the underground Dubstep scene. I've been hosting my own show, “Sunshine ina Bag”, on Rinse FM 106.8 http://www.rinse.fm/crises for almost four years and have found great pleasure in interacting with like-minded listeners.
Over two years ago I started MindStep as an event in order to create a night that focuses solely on the deeper, more thoughtful spectrums of our electronic sound. The main objective is to push fresh and up-and-coming artists as well as the more established DJs, who I respect and look up to.
The development of the label, MindStep Music, came about organically as we realized there was a growing international interest in our activities. As most of the residents are producers and dominate the 'Sunshine in my Bag', the label’s music policy reflects that of the night as well as my weekly show on Rinse FM. The label enables the MindStep sounds, and its artists, to be more accessible to the keen listener.
H: MindStep seems to have a collective/community aspect to it aswell as being a label, is this something that you consider important in the running of a label?
C / M: Well, I would say MindStep Music represents a movement of individual, creative m.i.n.d.s that come from similar perspectives and share the same bass-values. This is why there is a natural, un-meditated, collective feel about the label. The community aspect has forever existed within the underground, which in my opinion has always shown a feisty attitude towards the mainstream. To me this seems to be one of many driving forces behind the creation of new and exciting sounds/genres.
As MindStep mainly focuses on fresh talent, I feel the raw passion and drive from artists and the mutual appreciation for deep sounds, has un-consciously drawn everyone together. As well as the community aspect, I strongly believe that it is important to acknowledge the individual contributions, which spur on and inspire MindStep activities.
H: The tracks you selected for the label's first release, 'The Compilation', struck a careful balance between tunes made to be played in a dance and tunes made for listening at home; is this a conscious part of choosing which beats you want to release?
Like all things in life, I feel it’s important to always seek a balance. I don’t think the choice of tunes on ‘The Compilation’ was necessarily a direct, conscious decision, but we did want to take the listener on a journey of some sort. In turn reflecting our and many others' listening experiences and pleasures. Valuing the opinions of people whom I work with closely, as well as the listeners of my “Sunshine ina Bag” show, I am able to get honest feedback on tunes/dubs which both influences and confirm our label’s decisions.
All the tracks on ‘The Compilation’ are ideal for live DJ sets and are also perfect for the easy, casual-listener as I have recorded a bonus mixed version for the Walkman, erm, I mean the iPod...(laughs).
H: Are there plans for physical releases to follow the digital compilation? How important do you think it is that labels continue to release on vinyl?
C / M: Having grown up collecting and spending every bit of ‘pocket money’ on vinyl throughout the Oldskool UK Garage era, I fully overstand and appreciate the deep, emotional and collectable dimensions we have with a vinyl release, as well as the technical benefits. So there are definitely plans for vinyl releases from MindStep Music in the future.
Once a label releases a vinyl, I think it is crucial for that label to continue doing so, just as it is important for DJs to receive physical promo to represent that vinyl when playing out. There may be many reasons why record labels stop producing vinyl. So as a start up label, I think it’s essential to consider the financial costs: their benefits and implications on the growing potential of not only the label but also the health of the underground scene. With regards to sales, I think it’s unfair to expect consumers to always purchase physical releases if the DJ is constantly playing from CD when in direct interface with them.
In relation to MindStep Music, we aim to obtain a balance between the possible formats we produce: we maintain a practical and creative approach to dynamically cater for the needs and demands of our important listeners and artists alike.
H: The label launch party boasted an impressive line-up of both new and established talent, do you plan to continue running events in the future?
C / M: Without out a doubt MindStep nights have had, and will continue to create, line-ups that help bridge a gap between the new and more established pioneering artists.
When considering booking a headliner, so to speak, as I mentioned earlier I am keen to book the more established DJs who I respect and look up to. With the likes of Cyrus, Tunnidge, J:Kenzo and Quest, as well as hosts LX One, Rod Azlan and Crazy D making guest appearances and showing their support, I am confident that the night will continue to attract the like-minded, and provide the deep and positive vibes.
We have been running as a bi-monthly event for the good part of a year now. We are currently considering a new venue in order to get the right sound system that compliments the lower level frequencies we push. Look out for more information on our summer events on our website at www.mindstepmusic.com.
H: You also have a show on Rinse FM and, alongside Youngsta and Distance for instance, are one of the few people on the station still pushing the deeper, more minimal end of the 140BPM spectrum: what's your take on the rise of 'jump-up' styles and the more recent resurgent of what's been referred to as the 'dungeon sound'?
C / M: Music is art and art is perspective. I am fully aware that my opinions on music are opinions and are not facts. I believe it is vital for all sounds to exist in order to appreciate a difference in their styles. However, I 100% prefer the deep bass-driven, more minimal end of not only the 140BPM, but other spectrums as well.
With regards to the rise of ‘jump-up’ styles, I personally think it is inevitable for such trends to exist, especially when considering the fact that it is essentially ‘dance music’. People naturally want to go out and party, let their hair down and so forth...and when trends reach the attention of mainstream bosses, it’s time for the devout underground artists to retreat and develop new sounds, and/or retain the original styles they prefer. I hear a lot of people complaining about this ‘jump up’ style but I think that instead of focusing on what we don’t like, we should channel our attention and energies on what we do like; get me? It would be extremely selfish to think only the styles you prefer should exist.
So to touch upon the recent resurgence of what’s now referred to as the 'dungeon sound': I love it! 'Nuff said.
H: Can it be difficult balancing commitments as a DJ, promoter, producer and label owner? Which do you view yourself most strongly as?
C / M: Maintaining my musical commitment is the easy part but yes, dividing my time between each specific aspect can be difficult. Due to the time required in maintaining my DJ sets, the MindStep events, my production and the MindStep Music label, there are many sleepless nights in order to complete the tasks at hand. Having said this, there is a lot of input from the MindStep crew, who help lighten the load. For example, I work closely with Syte & Boilerman Dean when selecting and finalizing tracks for release.
Considering I have been mixing for over 10 years now, with my first pair of decks being belt-driven SoundLab 1600’s, it's fair to say I feel a lot more at ease when on the ones and twos.
I would say I am in the formative stages of my production and feel confident with my progression as a producer. My passion for making music is as strong as the passion and excitement I had for mixing throughout my teens. I am not ignorant to the fact that I have a lot to learn in building tunes, hence my openness and willingness to receive objective criticism. Having the ability to incorporate Serato into most of my radio shows I am able to instantly put my production to the test, allowing opportunities to get direct feedback. This also permits me to effectively prepare my club sets with dubs and promos I receive.
Promotion underpins all aspects of what I do, not just the MindStep events, but also the DJing, radio shows and label work. It plays a vital role in raising awareness of MindStep artists, our affiliations and other respectable artists.
H: Tell us a bit about the mix you've put together for us.
C / M: I will not reveal too much about the mix, as you will soon hear what it's all about. Hopefully it’s a clear reflection of the MindStep sound, as well as the sounds I am drawn towards, represented on my weekly show "Sunshine ina Bag".
The mix is about 40 minutes long and consists of 14 tracks; it also includes three tracks forthcoming on MindStep Music, plus a track from Thelem & Delta Labs entitled ‘Constrained’ that appears on ‘The Compilation’.
H: Finally, is there anything forthcoming or in the pipeline that you want to put the word out about?
C / M: We at MindStep Music are proud to present our debut release [MSC001] ‘The Compilation’, and are looking forward to dropping our next release [MSS001] in June 2011: a digital single-track from Mr. Boogie, straight out of Germany. This single will be followed by our first EP release [MS001] from an interesting, up-and-coming Japanese producer know as Dubtro.
After that, there are more EP releases from homegrown talent such as Killawatt, Bandicoot and My Nu Leng. Plus we will be giving away a MindStep 320 promo, courtesy of Killawatt. If you are reading this and would like to send dubs or demos for future MindStep Music consideration, please send respectable links to: mydemo@mindstepmusic.com
Thanks for taking the time to read this feature and I hope you enjoy the mix.
To support the launch of his new website ibeatthetune.com aswell as the hotly-anticipated forthcoming release of 'Blacks & P', OGz member P Money has released this free mixtape featuring eight new tunes.
The message is clear with this release as P looks to establish himself as an artist willing and able to crossover to other styles of bass music, in particular dubstep. The result is a mixed bag, as the aggressive jump-up of Flux Pavilion doesn't really warrant a vocal whereas Emalkay's 'Crusader' and, to a certain extent, 'Prodigy Freestyle' test P to adapt his flow and ends with a worthy update to the instrumental; and perhaps unsurprisingly, the standout tracks are those on which a grime instrumental is vocalled. 'Blackberry' is interesting as it is probably the closest he's come so far to making a commercial tune, despite opposing the grime scene's favourite mobile phone...
1. Blackberry 2. Prodigy Freestyle (feat. Blacks) 3. Mike Lowery 4. Who Are You Watching (feat. Wariko & Jay Eye) 5. Crusader Freestyle 6. I Can't Stop 7. Originator 8. P Money's Bass Cannon
Grime veteran Scorcher, a previous member of both Cold Blooded and The Movement (infamous for their 'Fuck Radio' sets and clashes with rivals Boy Better Know) picks up his old flow and some nostalgic bars to go over JME's classic '96 Bars Of Revenge' instrumental. The beat is hard and Scorcher rides its distinctive kicks easily, giving a sound reminiscent of the Rinse sets which made his name.
