Featuring: Shredexx

Feature No.23 comes from an increasingly popular producer whose tight production and menacing basslines have seen continued airplay on Rinse and sustained support from some of the biggest DJ's in the scene. Shredexx combines a multitude of influences taken from his time living in cities around the world - notably Berlin and London - to build beats of real originality and quality wrought with sinister synths and powerful drums. With his recent E.P recieving positive reviews and support from the likes of Distance we caught up with Shredexx to ask a few questions and get his contribution to our expanding mix series.

HEDMUK: As an introduction, what's your name, where do you come from and how would you describe your sound?

Shredexx: I'm Shredexx, I'm a 22 year old producer originally from Hamburg, Germany but have lived in London, Australia and Germany intermittently over the last few years. My sound is probably best described as dark electronic music. I like to draw influences from techno, dubstep, drum n' bass and electronica and i spread those influences over various projects I do - with Shredexx my footing is firmly in dubstep.

H: What is it about darker, deeper music that appeals to you? How did you get in to creating this kind of music?

I think as your music taste develops; you're constantly looking for things which excite you, and the deeper, darker side of this sound really hit a note with me while i was studying in London. It was something that probably could never have captivated me as much as it did if i wasn't there. I remember the first club night i went to when I got to London was FWD and I knew straight away that I'd walked in to something special. I went to school in Sydney, Australia, and the club scene there was so under developed and it largely still is. But London's was thriving when I got there and it was such a pleasure to get in to when I did. Its such a familiar tale amongst dubstep producers; but thats one of the things I like about it. There's these sorts of cornerstones that have become a language to so many… you know, FWD, DMZ etc.

Silence by shredexx

H: How do you go about building your beats? Do you have a set pattern of production?

S: Its always changing to be honest; so you go through periods of having certain methods, then after a few days, weeks or months you tend to switch it up a little bit. That way you constantly learn new things and keep your production moving forward and fresh. I can say that the way i used to make beats a few years back is completely different to the way I do it now.Generally speaking, you get a little idea in your head, whether its something you thought of, heard or just think would sound good and you start there. It could be a baseline, a sound or a drum beat; and what usually makes the cut is for further work is when its good. If thats the case, you keep going and build layer after layer until you've got something strong that you can visualise working in a club or a mix or something. I guess thats the thing about club music - it has to work on the dancefloor and a lot of the time; thats my goal.

H: How much of an influence is living in Berlin/Germany on your music? Do you pick up sounds and influences from the local scene?

S: Well Berlin is a special place. The main language there is techno, and thats something that really rubs off. I remember when i was 12 or 13 I thought techno was some kind of joke… repetitive beats, next to nothing happening, nothing memorable. But over time i realised I couldn't have been more wrong. Its a music that thrives on grooves and instantaneous feeling rather than what you might expect from 'dance' music (I hate that term). It can be big without being loud, and can be really rhythmic without too much going on. But location is an interesting thing, because it definitely dictates a large part of your thought processes as far as what you build goes. London was seminal for me as it started and helped me cultivate my interest in dubstep. When I moved back to Australia it allowed me to take a step back and focus on what I liked about the London sound and really develop a little bit more independently. Especially because there were big shifts over the last few years that i wasn't necessarily as excited about as what I first heard. Berlin will be another chapter that im really looking forward to reading in to more and more as time goes on.

H: You've been getting alot of love from Distance. How does it feel to be supported by one of the biggest names in Dubstep?

S: It's really really flattering. Distance was one of the guys whose tracks I heard and really felt wowed by, and I still do. His Rinse show has really become something special over the years. He's championed some really important people, in this sound and in many others. I think he was even the first person to play one of the tracks off James Blakes' first release. It's so important to get support, not just from the big names, but from everyone, because the life of making beats is pretty solitary these days. You don't need to go out spreading your music on records or cd's anymore so a lot of the personal connections have dissipated. You make the beats alone in your bedroom, so if you're not sending your music out to people, no one will ever hear it except maybe your close friends and neighbours.Having Distance play my tracks is a big confirmation, and on top of that things like that really fuel a desire to keep going and keep on building; because thats what its ultimately about: Building beats, enjoying that and then showering down a club with them.

H: With your recent E.P getting positive reviews, we wondered what your musical goal was. A release on Chestplate has got to be right up there?

S: I think something like that is still a long way off. But it would obviously be a dream come true for me, as Distance really is an influence and a tastemaker for me. But yeah, a release on Chestplate is definitely something I aspire to, their output has been so consistent over the years and it would be an absolute honour.As far as musical goals go, I rarely make a beat where I sit back and am completely happy with it. I have this conversation with a lot of people who produce these days. I think even a few years ago, when a lot of dubstep DJ's were still using vinyl and you had to get a plate cut to get your beat in their bags it was different, because no one is willing to shell out cash to get a half-done beat cut to dub. But now its flipped; CD's have really opened things up for producers, for better or worse.. because you kind of get lazy knowing someone can just burn this on to a CD and hit play. That's another one of my musical goals I guess, just to carry on making beats and making sure they continue to improve.

Action by shredexx

H: Tell us a bit about the mix you've put together for us.

S: I always find doing mixes quite difficult. Is it a matter of trying to show people your own new stuff? or should you be going in trying to just put together an hour of quality beats? I think its a mixture of the two, but certainly leaning towards the latter. So I guess the mix is a bit of a statement from me as to where I'm at and what I'm doing, and at the same time just some beats that im into at the moment. Theres a lot of stuff from producers im in contact with and feeling at the moment so i hope its the same for you!

H; Finally, are there any forthcomings or projects in the pipeline that you want to put the word out about?

S: At this stage Im really enjoying making beats. More than ever i guess, so I just want to keep on doing that! Theres a lot in the pipeline, but nothing set in stone just yet. At the moment whats most important to me is that I keep on developing in what I like doing. Making beats and more beats. But don't worry, I hopefully wont be quiet for long.

Download: Shredexx - Exclusive Hedmuk Mix

Shredexx - Exclusive HEDMUK Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

1. Kangding Ray - Anthem/Monster - Raster Noton
2. Icicle - 1, 2, Go - Shogun Audio
3. Biome - Flesh - Dub
4. Shredexx - Hardest - Subdepth
5. Subreachers - Tidals - Dub
6. Shredexx - Actions - Dub
7. UNKLE - Follow Me Down (Mr. Lager Remix) - Surrender All/Essential
8. Core - 3rd Chamber - Dub
9. Icicle - Galactic Step - Shogun Audio
10. Shredexx - Morbid - Dub
11. Killawatt & Thelem - Swarf - Dub (New Moon)
12. Benny Page - Take You Back - Subway
13. Shredexx - Tenfold - Dub
14. Pinch & Loefah - Broken - Tectonic
15. Antics - Rundown (TMSV remix) - Dub
16. Shredexx - Transporta - Dub
17. Thelem - Distilled - Dub
18. Rhythm & Sound - We Be Troddin - Rhythm & Sound
19. Subreachers - Dark Souls - Dub
20. Kryptic Minds - Myth - Black Box
21. Mala - Eyez - DMZ
22. Luke Envoy - M.U.G.E.N (Jakes Remix) - Wonderland
23. Distance - Beyond - Chestplate
24. Commix - Be True (Burial Remix) - Metalheadz
25. Kangding Ray - Odd Sympathy - Raster Noton
26. Rhythm & Sound - King In My Empire - Rhythm & Sound
27. Bardeya - Well Before Use - Dub

Free Download: Matt U - Mindloss

An upbeat Matt-U tune entitled 'Mindloss' has been made available for free download by Subway Music Recordings. The tune features a forward moving bass line and will please anyone familiar with Matt U's production output.

Download: Matt-U - Mindloss

Matt-U - Mindloss - Subway - subwaymusic.nl FREE DOWNLOAD by Subway Music

Truth - Forthcoming Releases Mix Part 2.

Following on from their first mini mix Truth have put together a second mix showcasing more of their beats due for release on labels such as Black Box, Boka and Wheel & deal within the next 6 months or so. Enjoi:

Truth - Forthcoming Releases Mini-Mix (Pt 2)- (FREE DOWNLOAD) by Truth

Jack Sparrow - ESP Agency Mix

Jack Sparrow delivers a short mix giving us a taste of some forthcoming material alongside dubs from the likes of Vivek, Commodo and Subreachers. Sparrows latest project sees him collaborate with fellow leodensian Ruckspin under the alias Author and an LP is due on Tectonic late this year.

Esp mix august by J.Sparrow (dubstep)

Featuring: Benton

With a varying style of production ranging from a more aggressive, club orientated approach to a stripped back half-step sound Benton has slowly built an impressive repertoire of quality beats sure to please a wide spectrum of bass heads. Support for his deeper bits continues to come from no less than DJ Youngsta alongside N-Type, Hatcha and other big names whilst labels have been busy signing up a number of his tunes for future release. With a Debut LP in the works Benton has found the time to record a mix (3 deck business) for our feature series and answer a few of our questions.

Hedmuk: As an introduction, what's your name, where do you come from and how would you describe your sound?

Benton: I'm Benton, I live in South just out of London. I suppose I would describe it as a deep bass driven half-step electronic sound.

H: How long have you been making beats? How did you get into it?

B: I've been making beats since about 2007 but back then I was only fucking about. I think I've been making music seriously since I made the original have it your way and heard it played out by Unitz. I got into making music through my mate Sam (Arc-88). He had a mac so when I was about 16 I used to sit there when he'd go out and fuck around making some sounds but I had no idea what I was doing. Then he introduced me to unitz one day and he pretty much taught me about putting sounds together!

H: You first caught our, and others', attention with a more aggressive, dancefloor-projected style but have recently been coming with more deep, half-step vibes: do you usually have a few different projects on the go or do you move more transitionally through making different styles?

B: Yeah I mean I've always written different kind of styles it depends on what mood I'm in. I used to sit around and just make crazy bass sounds all day then realised that the drums where the harder thing to get right, when I'd sit down and write a drum pattern it would always end up being a deep rolling kinda vibe. I still make tear out stuff, I try not to stick to one style because I'll just end up boring myself!

Benton - Wormholes by BENTONDREAD

H: Does this diversity with the tunes you make encompass a wide array of influences? Are your influences mainly musical, or do you take inspiration from other things aswell?

B: There is so much music being sent around and so many people producing these days it's hard to not be influenced by what you hear. Everyone's got something in their music thats inspirational. The tune doesn't even have to be good but I can guarantee that there is an element of the tune that's inspirational. Other than music i get inspired by general life-the further away from my computer I get the more I want to make a tune.

H: You've collaborated with Unitz and your refix of Goli & Ashburner's 'Field Of Vibrations' has gained a lot of attention: do you enjoy working alongside other artists in this way, and is it something you plan on continuing with?

B: Yeah I enjoy collaborations sometimes but I prefer doing remixes for people! I like working with vocals so if there's a sample like in the F.O.V remix I'll give it ago

Benton - Take me away by BENTONDREAD

H: With an album already in the making after relatively few, although well-received, releases, do you feel that there is a lot of pressure on you to deliver?

B: Hell yes! But you know I got thrown in at the deep end and there was a time a few months ago I was a bit like 'ahh' I gotta write this thing! but now I'm just chillin making some beats and gonna try piece them together soon and see what happens!

H: Take us through how you went about putting together your mix for us.

B: Hold up let me put it on...

Well there's been so much good dark music out recently. I hear so much shit everyday like the scenes shit, it's dying, etc but if you dig a little deeper you'll find that it's still going strong and in my opinion as long as people keep doing what they are doing and ignore whatever hypes going on around them they will realise that it's all good. So this mix is pretty much deepness from start to finish which is rare for me to do but I enjoyed it.

H: Finally, are there any forthcomings or anything in the pipeline that you want to put the word out on?

B: Skeptics & Therma-Stella forthcoming on Black Box, 2020 & Zardoz Forthcoming wheel & deal and Hermans Hideout & Sleepless (possibly some other tunes) again on wheel & deal!

Download: Benton - Exclusive HEDMUK Mix

Benton - Exclusive HEDMUK Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

1. J:Kenzo - Voyager (Dub)
2. Fat Freddy's Drop - Cays Cray (DMZ remix) ( TEASE)
3. Biome - Quest (Dub)
4. Goli & Ashburner - Fields of Vibration (Benton Remix) (Dub)
5. Digital Mystikz - Blue Notes (DMZ)
6. Benton Ft. The Kemistry - The Core (Dub)
7. Kryptic Minds - Cold Blooded (Osiris Music)
8. Benton - Wormholes (Dub)
9. Thelem - Drones (Forthcoming Orientis)
10. J:Kenzo - Protected (Tempa)
11. Benton - 20/20 (Forthcoming Wheel & Deal)
12. Skream - Memories of 3rd Base (Digital Soundboy) (TEASE)
13. Benga - Middle Man (Big Apple)
14. DJ Madd - Good Old days VIP (Black Box)
15. Benton - Sleepless (Forthcoming Wheel & Deal)
16. LX ONE - Give It Up (Wheel & Deal)
17. Matt-U - Empty Inisde (Forthcoming Osiris Music)
18. Benton Ft. Shanie - Life (Dub)
19. Icicle - Minimal Dub (Shogun Audio)
20. Kryptic Minds - The Fifth (Black Box)
21. J:Kenzo - The Roteks (Tempa)
22. Icicle Ft. Proxima - Breathing Again ( Shogun Audio)
23. LX ONE- You ( Wheel & Deal)
24. Benton - Take Me Away (Free)
25. Mala - Mountain Dread March (DMZ)
26. Kryptic Minds Ft. Youngsta - Arcane (Black Box)
27. Ramadanman - Glut (Hemlock Recordings) (TEASE)

Subreachers - Deep Sessions Summer Mix

Belgian production duo and Hedmuk favorites Subreachers have put together a deep, dub packed summer mix showcasing heavy-weight beats from the likes of Cyrus, Thelem, Biome, Lurka, Core, and J: Kenzo alongside their own production. With recent support coming from no less than Youngsta, Subreachers are well worth keeping an eye on.

For more information on Subreachers check our full feature with them.

Deep Sessions SummerMix 2011 by Subreachers

Truth - Forthcoming Releases Mix

Truth have put together a mix showcasing their various forthcoming releases due on a number of different labels including Wheel & Deal, Get Darker and Black Box. Clearly we can expect a slew of Truth releases in the near future with part II of the mix expected shortly.

Truth - Forthcoming Releases MiniMix (Pt 1) - July 2011 by Truth

Free Download: Wiley - Chill Out Zone LP

Following last weeks release of both his 100% publishing LP and the 'Creating a Buzz Mixtape' with DJ Whoo Kid Wiley has today released another full album for free. Chill Out Zone features 14 tracks and is proof of the mans tireless work ethic.

Download: Wiley - Chill Out Zone LP

Tracklist:

1. Music Is Calling Me Ft. Meleka
2. If I Could Ft. Ed Sheeran
3. Seduction Ft. Alexa Goddard
4. Walk Away Ft. Sinead Harnett
5. But I Did..
6. Don’t Throw It Away
7. Romeo Ft. Cherri V
8. She Might Holla
9. Out The Box
10. Random Thoughts
11. New Discovery
12. Piano Cry
13. Pengting Ft. Opium
14. Born Into A Lie

Featuring: Tunnidge

Tunnidge needs little introduction: one of the few producers to have two releases on the seminal Deep Medi imprint, the first to be signed to Chestplate Records following Distance's expansion of the label and co-owner of Origin Audio alongside Cyrus. With regular appearances on Get Darker as well a full and busy bookings schedule - which will take him to the states this Autumn - Tunnidge is somewhat of a looming figure on the Dubstep scene. Able to build both powerful, tear-out tunes popular in the club environment as well as darker, more contemplative production, his beats often tread the surprisingly fine line between Jump-up and deep relaying a real sense of momentum to any listener. Tunnidge has contributed the 21st mix in our ever-expanding feature series as well as finding the time to answer a few of our questions. Enjoi:

Hedmuk: To introduce yourself to those who may not yet be familiar, what's your name, where do you hail from and how would you describe your sound?

Tunnidge: I Produce and DJ under the name Tunnidge, I grew up on the outskirts of South East London I suppose you could describe my sound as dark and raw dubstep. I try and walk the line between depth and dance floor.

H: Are you from a musical background, or was it something that you picked up yourself? How did you get into making beats?

T: No I'm not form a musical background, music production is something that is very instinctive for me. I always listened to dance music so found the process of production and structuring very intuitive. I suppose years of listening and going to raves helped me gain a sense of what in my opinion works on a dance floor. I got in to making beats mainly from having friends that were making music. I was always awash with ideas and so it was just a process of learning what I could from tutorials and asking questions. People such as Rob Sparx, Slack, Cyrus and Distance have always been massively helpful, but I think as most producers will tell you, you end up developing processes that work for you. It’s always interesting finding out how other producers work and what their processes are, it’s good to be in a constant state of discovery.

H: Your tunes seem to hit the middle ground between the sort of deep rollers made by Cyrus and the tightly aggressive style of Distance; do you tend to make beats with a club/dance situation in mind?

T: Everything I build is built for a Sound System, so yes I suppose it is all pretty much aimed at a dance floor. However in a dance situation I am not always looking to just have that bass face moment, it’s good to make something deeper and perhaps take the music to another place this also helps heighten the intensity when it’s time to bang out. I seem to have subconsciously developed a production technique where I make one tune for the dance floor and one tune for me. This is something I try and reflect in my releases.

TUNNIDGE Dark Skies by Tunnidge

H: With producers like Pinch and Cyrus recently branching out and making beats nearer the 130BPM mark, have you been experimenting with other styles and speeds at all?

T: Yes I actually have a whole heap of stuff around the 130bpm mark. I think its great to try your hand at different genres, you learn so much and also in can revitalise your approach to your chosen field. Every time I go to Loefah’s he plays me loads of forthcoming Swamp81 bits, and his passion for it is quite infectious so I usually end up going back to the studio and knocking out some beats on this vibe. At the same time I think Dubstep as a genre has so much still to offer, the media attention and money have kind of stifled the creativity that was about a few years ago, but like all art forms the pendulum will swing back, and I’m excited to see where it takes us.

H: Despite the internet playing such a big part in the expansion of dubstep as a sound and genre, a lot is still made of its actual geographical origins in Croydon; as someone from the area in which Dubstep was 'born', how important a role do you think location played in the creation of the sound?

T: Where I am from is maybe 20 minutes from Croydon so im not sure how well I am equipped to answer this, also when the sound was really developing I was living in a totally different part of the country. So it’s not like I was about when Myztiks, Loefah, Hatcha, Cyrus, Artwork, Benny Ill, Benga and Skream were really starting to push things in Big Apple . My point of contact was Mala who would play me all the beats send me CD’s etc. So I heard it develop from a distance rather than in the physical environment of Croydon.

From a speculative point of view I can comment on how Croydon is viewed and what the people I knew in the scene were like in the early years? Croydon was always a bit of a cultural void, it was often viewed as a bit naff and you never had to look too far for a fight, same as it is now really! It always makes me laugh when I hear people making a “Dubstep pilgrimage” to Croydon! Bizarre. Then again maybe that’s it, perhaps that lack of anything of cultural substance combined with a few dynamic personalities was the catalyst of the musics development and ethos. I knew Mala, Coki, Loefah, and Poax and they always had a very interesting dynamic within their friendship. It’s weird when you know a group of people as mates that have been such huge factors in the development a whole new genre. So without going to deep I think we have to refer to the old adage “nature abhors a vacuum.”

H: Aside from your music, the artwork that you do for the Deep Medi releases has become iconic within the dubstep scene: where did the idea for these designs come from?

T: The idea for portraits of the producers was Mala’s, the style of the Medi heads is just my drawing style, that it really. It’s great that people mention them as “iconic” I feel very honoured to have been part of the deep Medi history and identity.

H: The label you run with Cyrus, Origin Audio, went quiet after the announcement of a forthcoming Commodo 12": does the upcoming charity release of your remix of Truth's 'Puppets' mean you intend to keep the label going?

T: Yes Origin Audio will be continuing to release, but we are in no rush to churn out release after release. We are happy to wait and release music that we believe in, the market is so saturated at the moment we think it’s important to put out the best music we can rather than a vast schedule of forgettable music. Origin Audio 003 will be getting mastered very soon, so hold tight for that.

TUNNIDGE 7Breaths by Tunnidge

H: Finally, are there any forthcomings or projects in the pipeline that you want to put the word out about?

T: Yes I have a forthcoming release on the Getdarker label , two tunes “Decay” and “Control” will make up GetDarker002. Also you can hear some of my tunes on the forthcoming “Dubstep Allstars 8” mixed by Distance. More releases on Chestplate and Deep Medi as well as some releases on less expected but equally big labels, so I’m very happy. There is also one very big project in the pipeworks which I am very excited about, can’t say anything at the moment, but I feel like it will change a lot of things in the dubstep world. Stand by. Also I will be hitting the states for the first time in September so im really looking forward to playing out there!

Download: Tunnidge - Exclusive HEDMUK Mix

Tunnidge - Exclusive HEDMUK Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Tunnidge - Decay ( Forthcoming GetDarker)

Distance - Mind Control (Dub)

District & Sleeper - Haymaker ( Forthcoming Chestplate)

Tunnidge - Control (Forthcoming Getdarker)

J Kenzo - Ruffhouse (Dub)

Tunnidge - Ghost Dance (Origin Audio)

Distance - Knowing (Dub)

Truth - Puppets (Tunnidge Remix) (Origin Audio)

Cyrus- Hot Pan (Dub)

Tunnidge - Aftershock (Dub)

Tunnidge 7Breaths (Distance Remix) (Dub)

KONGKAST # 145 - Sleeper & District

Chestplate Records newest signings Sleeper & District have put together a dub packed mix for Kongkretebass showcasing the strength of their own production alongside weighty bits from Distance and Biome. Pure Weight!

Listen to the mix here or download via this link.

Tracklist:

1. J:Kenzo – Protected (Tempa)

>>>>Biome – Quest (Dub)

2. Sleeper – Scanners (Dub)

3. District – 3.5G (Forthcoming Chestplate)

4. DJ Madd – Good Old Days VIP (Dub)

5. Biome – Minus (Dub)

6. Sleeper – GTFO (Dub)

7. Sleeper and District – LV426 (Dub)

8. District – Haymaker (Forthcoming Chestplate)

9. Sleeper – Zombies (Dub)

10. Biome – Tension (Dub)

11. Sleeper and District – Terraformed (Dub)

12. Distance – New Outlook (Dub)

13. Distance – Mind Control (Dub)

14. Sleeper and District – Colony (Dub)

Free Download: Truth - Straight Jacket

Generosity must certainly be in the air at the moment as after Shredexx dropping a free beat, Benga's giveaway (and with another one promised) and MindStep Music giving out a free tune from Dubtro yesterday, Truth have put up this thumping growler for free download through Defy Recordings.

A somewhat typical Truth production, with heavy kicks and an ample dose of interchanging mid-range frequencies and echoing samples, this is destined to break up rooms of half-step moodiness this summer with a sense of controlled aggression similar to that harnessed by the likes of Tunnidge or Distance.

Download: Truth - Straight Jacket

.Preacha.

Free Download: Shredexx - Decept

As seems to be something of trend at the moment, Shredexx has celebrated reaching 100 followers on his Facebook page by giving away a free tune. After recently breaking into a lot of new listeners' ears with his tightly-crafted 'Silence EP' on Subdepth and through consistent airplay from the likes of Distance on Rinse the future is looking bright for the young German producer. This beat, however, is quite the opposite of bright as sliding, industrial synths establish a dank groove around light percussion and a whispered sample.

Download: Shredexx - Decept

.Preacha.

Free Download: Benga - Midnight

Far from carrying the same brooding mood of the classic Loefah dubplate of the same name, this latest freebie from Benga takes on a much harder edge with a simple kick-snare drum pattern topped with a grinding, metallic synth and is certainly aimed more at the dancefloor than at meditation.

Download: Benga - Midnight

.Preacha.

Featuring: Gantz

Our 20th feature comes from frontiers not normally associated with the deeper, darker bass sound - Turkey - and is an example of the ever-growing popularity, skill and variation within the dubstep scene. Gantz is one of a few Turkish producers pushing the darker bass sound: focusing on creating a strong beat he skillfully and originally builds forward moving tunes, heavy in percussive elements, which relay a real sense of energy to the listener. With a recent EP on Fent Plates Records we caught up with Gantz to get a sense of his influences and to hear his future plans. In addition Gantz has put together a deep mix showcasing his own sounds as well as similar producers. Enjoi:

Hedmuk: As an introduction, what’s your name, where are you from and how would you describe your sound?

Gantz: I'm Emir, from Istanbul, I like to explore bass and rhythm-oriented electronic music.

H: How did you get in to making beats? Are you from a musical background or is it something you picked up yourself?

G: It slowly started to take over as I got bored of my instruments. I'd been playing my instruments since I was about 13 or something...

H: How did you get in to the darker, deep bass sound?

G: I remember my ex-girlfriend playing me a Loefah tune, and a while later my mate (who produces as Unaware) introduced me to the sound properly.

Goon by Gantz

H: Where do you draw your influences from, and are they mainly musical or do you take ideas from other things as well?

G: Musically, I guess more of the half-steppers got me excited; but you don't even know where you get your influences from do you (laughs).

H: Your beats are full of atmosphere with subtle background sounds and layered textures: is the feeling and atmosphere behind a tune particularly important to you?

G: I can't say it is really, I pay more attention to the beat: I try to make it groove and try to create an overall expression. I've never thought that much about the atmosphere, maybe I do but I am unaware of that.

Praying Mantis (FENTPLATED011) by Gantz

H: What’s the bass music scene like in Turkey? How popular is the darker, sub-heavy sound?

G: We have the 'bass scene', but the darker sound is really not that popular.

H: Are there many producers making beats on a similar tip as yourself? And are there any nights pushing this kind of sound?

G: Yeah, Unaware is the guy to watch out for, Depthcharge is pushing his own thing we also have Flatliners. Those are just the guys I'm familiar with, but I'm sure there is a lot more. There are nights that are pushing dubstep, but you don't get much variety here. It's all happening in Pixie Underground: that's the place.

H: Tell us a bit about the mix you’ve put together for us.

G: I suppose I just tried to express what I'm about recently...

H: Finally, you got any forthcomings or future plans you’d like to share with us?

G: Yeah, I have a forthcoming release on Sub Lab, nothing else for now. It's not that easy to get in touch with people when you live in Istanbul: you don't get the chance to actually meet people. Hopefully I will continue building tunes.

Download: Gantz - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix

Gantz - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Shackleton - Undeadman (Honest Jon's Records)

Gantz - Slender Man (Forthcoming Sub Lab)
Collision - Identity (Forthcoming Sub Lab)
Killa&Instinct - Subconscious (Dub)
Boot - Shudder (Forthcoming Paradise Lost)
Kreepah - Expansions (MindStep Music UK)
Collision - Concentrate (Dub)
Dr. Hugo - Dungeon Sound (Dub)
Gantz - Overact (Forthcoming Sub Lab)
Gantz - No Love (Fentplates)