Review: A/T/O/S - A/T/O/S [MEDiLP009]

We're welcoming another new scribe to these pages today, as well as (probably quite belatedly) a scoring system to accompany all the reviews you'll find on the site in future. As is to be expected, our standards are high and any release scoring within spitting distance of a five-out-of-five is one you'll kick yourself for missing out on.

Words: Alex Terry

A/T/O/S’ (A Taste of Struggle) first appearance came early on in 2013 by way of a self-titled single on the ever-adored Deep Medi Musik imprint. A low-slung, melancholic release pinching together aspects of trip- hop, R&B and dubstep, remixes from Skream and Commodo, and a video directed by Simon Mannaerts ear-marked the project of Amos & Truenoys as one to wait patiently and excitedly for. One year on, after confused anticipation, a couple of live performances and little to no information about the outfit surfacing online, A/T/O/S have announced their debut full length release.

Noticeably split between two different tempos - circling around the 140 and 100bpm marks - the album, on the one hand, seemingly pays homage to much of the Deep Medi back catalogue while markedly prying into regions previously unexplored by the dubstep label. Regardless of whether this was an intentional split, A/T/O/S present a debut album that oozes an undeniable 90's Bristolian demeanour while continually carving their own brand of dusky, leftfield R&B inflected with broken hip-hop: drunk drum patterns stumble spaciously over Moogs and Rhodes, lead by charmingly hesitant vocals.

Stand out tracks include 'Projects' bearing glistening synths that sound suspiciously sampled from 'Anti War Dub' - perhaps another appreciative nod towards influence - and 'Cosmos': a sunken, downtempo number that bears the qualities of the kind of industrial pop characterised recently by artists such as Grimes, and that benefits indefinitely from feeling submerged in cold bath water, washing off the saccharin edge and being stripped back into unnervingly few elements.

It is clear why the label seem to have been keen to lock the duo away while an album fell into place; quite simply, 'A/T/O/S' is one of the best debuts from any UK underground bass music act in a good number of years. Quite a statement, though one that becomes self-evident and difficult to dispute. Rich in emotion, confidently diverse production which retains strong continuity from track to track and an even stronger sense of A/T/O/S’ ownership over a sonic aesthetic and a bleak, sultry song writing ability.

A/T/O/S are undoubtedly special in that they have produced a stunning and unique debut album, and while they may not have spent the run up to its release gaining any noticeable momentum [Ed. - read: "shallow hype"], they have maintained an enthusiastic audience of label followers who are, let's face it, not outwardly interested in what they have to offer. To their credit, they have strung along the adjectives “dark” and “weighty” to encapsulate everything organic and timeless about the typical dancefloor-orientated MEDi release, while retaining them in what is absolutely a real listeners' album.

As for Deep Medi, who have a tendency to throw the occasional curveball - acts like Old Apparatus and Mark Pritchard being among the most notable - this is really the first vocal-lead act on the roster and it is difficult to imagine them not proving hugely successful in ways that bands such as Submotion Orchestra have proven of late. With that in mind, the prospect of further similar homegrown projects from the label would certainly be something to get excited about for 2014 and beyond.

A/T/O/S - A/T/O/S [MEDiLP009] will be released on the 3rd of March 2014 on 3x10" vinyl and in digital formats, and is available to pre-order from the Deep Medi Surus store now.

Review: Gantz - Spry Sinister / Rising [MEDI078]

Despite a general mantra of valuing quality over quantity, the latter can sometimes fall out of sync with the number of words-worthy releases pouring out of the scene. This, then, is the first of an ongoing series of guest contributions from Silas Howison-Waughray, and what better way to cut your teeth here on Hedmuk than on a landmark release in the burgeoning career of one of our favourite artists? - W.

Words: Silas Howison-Waughray

With previous releases on Box Clever, Innamind and more, Gantz is a name already well-established in the scene and has been supported by a myriad of influential DJs. The Turkish producer's debut release for Mala's increasingly-pioneering imprint - the first 12" of the year for the label - is a unique combination of what fans have come to expect from both Medi and from Gantz himself. The A-side, ‘Spry Sinister’, opens with a scattered vocal sample mirrored tightly in a triplet percussion arrangement and pitched rim shots before the track moves effortlessly into a head-nodding, mood-swinging sub-bass pattern. Undoubtedly the off-kilter feel of the track will have bedroom DJs scratching their heads and Serato fans reinstalling their software, however producing something slightly off-centre is normal for Gantz, who tends to shy away from any conventional approach to production.

The flip side, ‘Rising’ with El Mahdy Jr, is reminiscent of Digital Mystikz’ 2004 release for Big Apple, ‘Pathwayz’, taking influence from past greats and then moving off in a completely different direction. Once again the drum pattern is original and slightly unusual, with a heavily syncopated rhythm dressed with exotic vocals and eerie instrumental sections. This side of the release really draws attention to Gantz’ ability to produce something out of the ordinary but within roughly the same parameters that we know and love.

This, simply put, is yet another fine example of Gantz’ unrivalled abilities and Deep Medi’s forward-thinking take on 140bpm music.





Gantz - 'Spry Sinister' / 'Rising' will be released on January the 13th 2014, and is available to pre-order from the Deep Medi Surus store now.

Silas has written for Gottwood, Urban Nerds, Mavrik, and MisDigest, is one half (guess which) of Silas & Snare Surgeon, and a resident DJ for the Leeds-based Brotherhood Soundsystem.

Shop: Hedmuk X The Tribes - Tee #005 - Pre-orders

The latest limited run of t-shirts comes in collaboration with Nottingham-based designer and illustrator Mac, the man and pen behind The Tribes art and clothing brand. Following on from t-shirt designs for Deep Medi, Tumble Audio and M.U.D, Mac has produced this stunning print for us.

As with the sweatshirts, this t-shirt design will be available to pre-order for one week, ending on the 12th of August; printing of the received t-shirt orders will begin after that time. All pre-order customers will be kept up-to-date with the status of their order - for example, when the shirts are being printed, packaged, posted etcetera - via email.

As usual, prices for UK customers include postage and packing whilst those ordering from elsewhere around the world can expect to pay a small additional cost for delivery.

Pre-order from here: http://hedmuk.bigcartel.com/product/hedmuk-x-the-tribes-tee-005

W.

Review: Commodo - Space Cash [MEDI071]

If there's one thing that can be called certain in the UK's underground today, it's that when Commodo turns his hand over no one really knows what they're about to see but they know they're going to be impressed. Commodo writes songs: simple build-drop-breakdown-drop-fade structures are nowhere to be seen, and the constant rhythmic and melodic switches that drive each track forward are the basis of that intrigue that keeps the listener drawing for his releases.

'Long-awaited' probably doesn't do this release justice; lead track, '$pace Cash', opens in field recordings and scattered drums - an eery top line drifting into eternity - before being sucked into the moodiest bassline this side of 2012. It's difficult to describe this riff without using the word 'swagger'. The flipside sees the West Yorkshireman take the tempo down a few notches, whilst still maintaining his definitive sample-based approach to heavily-syncopated swing. 'Straight Reptilian' bounces, plays with the idea of a 4x4 beat and then decides that it can be much more interesting than that; 'Wish', meanwhile, is the sort of three and a half minutes that Zomby, or his fans at least, probably wishes he could still make, and manages to employ an 808 without it sounding like something that's been done before.

It's refreshing to see Deep Medi supporting these more boundary-pushing endeavours, and the recent punt taken on Swindle's debut LP might suggest a willingness to convert more of their single artists into full-length producers - there aren't many producers who can truly pull of an album, but we'd happily put money on Commodo being one of them.



Commodo - Space Cash [MEDI071] will be released on July 29th and is available to pre-order now.

W.

Competition: Win vinyl from Sully and Dub Mechz and 2x guestlist to the Methods launch night @ 512 Kingsland Road, Dalston

Not content with quietly turning the dubstep scene's collective head and scoring himself the second, hugely-anticipated release on V.I.V.E.K's System label, longtime friend of the blog, Karma, has decided to launch his own clubnight. Quiet though he is, we hit him up for a few words on the thinking behind the night and what people can expect from Methods in the future.

Hedmuk: Tell us a bit about the night: where did the idea come from, and what sort of sound and vibe are you going to be representing?

Karma: One of the ideas behind Methods is to showcase a variety of music that we're feeling; dubstep is our focus, though dub, garage, and grime are also high on our agenda. We want to avoid the night being just about the line-ups: sure it's important to have good established DJs and up-and-coming talent on the bill, but our resident DJs are solid and we're hoping that people will pay them as much attention as they do the headliners. We think there's a lack of homegrown nights in London right now with a communal feel, where people come because the vibe is right and not just because there's 5 big names on the bill playing in a club everyone's heard of. We want to keep it relatively underground.

H: How important do you think it is for the development of the scene to have outlets like this for up-and-comers to be able to showcase their music in a live setting?

K: I think it's very important. It can be very difficult for new artists to get their music heard, unless they have support from another DJ; often the only alternative is to use the internet, but things always get misinterpreted, or mislabeled, which can sometimes make people misjudge things in a way the creator never intended, which is very unfair. That's why it's a great opportunity to be able to play your music out live: the music comes straight from the artist to the listener, there's no bullshit between the two, and that allows the listener to make up their own mind. It's more honest.

H: Can you see the Methods nights becoming a regular fixture, or are the dates likely to be more sporadic?

K: Yeah, we'd like to make it a regular night - how regularly we're not sure, monthly or bi-monthly would be great but we're willing to see how this one goes first.

H: And can you give any hints as to who might be appearing at future events?

K: We have a few ideas, but we don't want to reveal anything just yet...

To support the launch of Methods - which features Keysound's inimitable Sully topping the bill along with Deep Medi favourites Dub Mechz and Karma himself, supported by the Methods residents - we're offering two places on the guestlist along with vinyl copies of 'Broken LFO' / 'Change of Direction' by Dub Mechz and Sully's 'Reminder' / 'Jackman's Rec' and 'Toffee Apple' from Frijsfo Beats. To be in with a chance simply head over to the Hedmuk Facebook Page and Like and share this photo.

The competition will close on the 5th of July, the day before the event, and a winner will be selected at random by an independent third party before being announced via Facebook and Twitter.

For full details on the event, including how to claim free entry, head over to the event page here.

W.

Competition: Win free guestlist to Project 13 Secret Sessions Pt. 1, a Project 13 T-shirt, and Leadbelly & Acre limited white label vinyl

Despite now having established themselves a staple on the Manchester club circuit, the guys at Project 13 have never been about finding a laurel to rest on and continue to dedicate themselves to trying new things - and, not unlike ourselves here at Hedmuk, always to retain the music as the centrepiece. Their latest venture comes with a little more mystery then usual, though, as they announce the first of a run of parties held in a warehouse space in Manchester, featuring as-yet-unannounced headliners representing Deep Medi, Hypercolour and Hyperdub respectively; and with all this in mind we thought it best to hit them up for a little more information on what to expect from their upcoming Secret Sessions parties, as well as to get some prize together for a big giveaway:

Hedmuk: What was the thinking behind moving P13 out of a more regular club environment, as it were, and into the more neutral warehouse setting?

Jacob P13: It’s a project we’ve been contemplating for a while now, the resources have been there and we felt now was the perfect time to execute. Our nights at Joshua Brooks have all been smashes but, as great as the venue is, our music policy and following doesn’t tend to gel as well as there as we’d like.

Ideally, we’d like a big dark room, a quality sound system and quality artists - which is what we have at the Secret Sessions.

H: Have you got more of this type of event planned for the future, and will you still be running the more regular nights at Joshua Brooks too?

Matt P13: We plan on doing a short string of events like this in the future, although whether that’ll be at the same venue or not, we don’t yet know. I suppose it comes down entirely to how well the first one goes down, and if it captures the interest of our following as well as we hope it will. Running an event like this has so many more risks that your standard club event. If we do continue these warehouse-type parties they’ll be more spaced out than our club nights, and will crop up just as randomly as our club-based events. We will also be continuing at Joshua Brooks, although our next event won’t be until mid-May, for our 2nd birthday.

H: In terms of the music you're representing, do you feel like your new setting in the warehouse gives you more freedom when putting together a lineup as the venue does less to distract from the music on show?

J: Yeah fully, we can do our own thing in terms of orchestrating the fundamentals of the event - from the music policy, the sound, the staffing, the door policy and everything else in between - to make it a Project 13 party at its realist and finest.

It’s events like these that intrigued me the most about this scene, going to free parties over the country where you had no idea what to expect besides good music, good sound and good vibes. We couldn’t be happier with what we have in store for the event.

H: Is keeping the capacity low, at 150, something you've thought a lot about too?

M: Semi. It’s in our best interests as well as the audience’s that we keep the numbers down for safety purposes. However, having 150 people in a large industrial space keeps the intimacy there and gives people their own space to do as they please. When we put on nights in clubs, we put a lot of effort into filling the gaff. It can be going off on a next level, however if you’ve not got space to breathe let alone move to the music, it can seriously damage the vibe on a whole. I personally feel that having space to dance, mingle with like-minded people, or just lurk on your own in a dark corner is what people will take back from the night, and makes a good night just that.

H: What else have you got lined up for Project 13 over the coming year?

J: Event-wise we have the Secret Sessions party and the 2nd birthday at Joshua Brooks in May.  Our main focus at the moment is planning the next series of live streams which will be dropping in Spring. We’re also orchestrating the first release for the label that we are hoping to have out by the start of next year on vinyl.

[P13 residents] Leadbelly and Acre have just released a white label which has gone down great; Leadbelly and T-Man have a video dropping shortly which is looking big; Acre has a massive release out soon, so watch out for that; and there will be a few of our artist at Outlook this year too.

And to be in with a chance of winning one free guestlist entry to the first Secret Sessions party, a Project 13 T-shirt in the colour of your choice, and a copy of the aforementioned, strictly-limited white label from Leadbelly and Acre, simply send your answer to the following question to hedmuk@gmail.com with 'Project 13 Secret' in the subject line:


Which of the Project 13 residents playing on the night last year put out a vinyl release on Innamind Recordings?


The competition will close on the 27th of March, at which point a winner will be chosen at random by an independent third party and notified by email - as well as being announced via the Hedmuk Facebook and Twitter pages.


W.

Competition: Win tickets to see Sleeper, District, Lurka and Commodo @ Scruffy Hoodlum

After the success of their 3rd birthday dance in December, Scruffy Hoodlum are back at the Royal Hotel in Southend with another big lineup which takes a look into the near future with some of the freshest recruits to three of the most well-respected labels within dubstep, Chestplate, Deep Medi Musik and Black Box, gracing the decks.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to this Friday's event, which features four of the most exciting new producers around at the moment in the form of Sleeper, District, Lurka and Commodo, simply send your answer to the following question to hedmuk@gmail.com with the subject 'Scruffy Competition'.

Which South London dubstep originator runs Chestplate Records, the label to which both Sleeper & District signed last year?

The competition will close at midnight on February the 2nd and the winner will be chosen at random by an independent third party.

Find out more about the event, including directions to the venue, by clicking here.

.Preacha.

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)

Free Download: Truth - Perfect Combination

After a huge year for the trio from New Zealand, which included tours across the UK, Europe and the United States, and releases on the likes of Skream's Disfigured Dubz, Mala's Deep Medi Musik and their homeland label Aquatic Lab, Truth have given out 'Perfect Combination': a tune which aptly describes their approach to both production and DJing as it balances a mid-range melody with an all important bass-weight.


Download: Truth - Perfect Combination


.Fukhed.

Tunnidge - Cool'eh Mag Podcast 011

The latest podcast for Cool'eh Mag sees Tunnidge take a slightly different approach to laying down a studio mix, as he instead uses it to explore his influences from the late '80s/early '90s rave and jungle scenes. The significance of such music to some of the biggest names in Bass Music, from Mala to Kode9, is no secret and Tunnidge shows in this mix that he is no exception. With a tracklist full of classics that speak for themselves, this mix comes highly recommended.

Download: Tunnidge - Cool'eh Mag Podcast 011

Tracklist:

Altern8 - Passion Devotion
808 State - Pacific 202
A Guy Called Gerald - Voodoo Ray
Rhythm Is Rhythm - Nude Photo
Liquid - Sweet Harmony
Manix - Feel Real Good
Bizzare Inc - Playing With Knives
Jonny L - Hurt You So
Urban Shakedown - Some Justice
Criminal Minds - Baptised By Dub
Krome & Time - This Sound Is For The Underground
Omni Trio - Renegade Snares
Bodysnatchers - Just For You London
Conquering Lion - Code Red

Goth Trad - BTC Tokyo Mix

Everyone's favourite international Dubstep representative and Japanese Deep Medi signing, Goth Trad, has made his live mix from BTC in Tokyo available for download and it boasts a tracklist that would destroy any dancefloor. With the controlled aggression and intense attention to detail that defines both his productions and DJing both on show here, this one is a must.

Download: Goth Trad - BTC Tokyo Mix (June 2010)

His January mix from BTC is also available on his Soundcloud page.

.Fukhed.

Featuring: Ken Evil

From having given the likes of Skream, Loefah, N-Type, Pinch and Kromestar their debut Manchester bookings to hosting the first Deep Medi showcase night, Ken-Evil's contribution to the scene has been huge. HEDMUK caught up with the man for an exclusive interview and mix featuring the tunes he's playing out at the moment:

Hedmuk: Would you say you were from a particularly musical background, or was it something you found yourself drawn to naturally?

Ken Evil: I'm not really from a musical family as such, although some of my earliest memories are of playing my Dad's records in the early hours of the morning when everybody was still asleep. There was always music in the house growing up and I have been an avid record collector from the age of 7.

H: What were your early influences in deciding to DJ and then produce?

K: My earliest exposure to mixing came from listening to early Electro and Hip Hop mixes from the likes of Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Master Flash from labels such as Tommy Boy and Def Jam. I didn't give it a go myself until relatively late on when I started playing Drum & Bass, being into the darker side from the likes of Dillinja, Lemon D, Spor, Evol Intent to name but a few.

H: Given your background in Drum & Bass, how did you come to find Dubstep so early in the scene's inception, and what motivated you to become part of it?

K: I guess you could say I followed the evolution of Dubstep from it's roots in UK Garage and later Grime when it was known as either Sub-Low, 8 Bar (as it changed every 8 bars) or simply 'Instrumental Grime'. One of the things that excited me most about it was that practically all the early producers were from my home town of Croydon - Plasticman (later Plastician), Skream, Loefah, Benga, Digital Mystikz, Hatcha, Artwork, everyone basically; and believe me, there's not much else that I can say I'm proud about coming out of Croydon for.

H: What was the motivation behind setting up Bass Camp?

K: Basically I'd found this new music and I wanted an outlet to play it. I'd previously been involved in running nights in Manchester and Madrid but was getting tired of D&B and this new sound excited me in same way that D&B did back in it's inception from Jungle and Hardcore Rave before that. It was something new and heavy and had lost the at-times cheesy elements of Garage and the self-aggrandizing ramblings of Grime. I remember tunes from Mark One (MRK1), Plasticman, Slaughter Mob, Kode 9, Pinch and Skream's first white label on Big Apple featuring in that first Bass Camp set.

H: Outside of FWD, which had been running since 2001, what was the Dubstep scene's infrastructure like in those early days and before the likes of Bass Camp here in Manchester and Exodus in Leeds, how limited was the North’s Dubstep scene?

K: Back in 2004 Manchester had producers such as Mark One, Omen and Zed Bias and the now defunct record shop Pelican Neck. Conor who worked there was the first to bring the likes of Vex'd up to Manchester and he always made sure the latest white labels fresh off the press were under the counter for my 2-3 weekly visits to the shop. Pelican Neck was run and owned by the Boomkat crew which was one of the first on-line or otherwise outlets for the emerging scene anywhere in the world. It was in the shop where myself and the likes of Se7en (now Indigo), K1, Mark One, Conor (U-Basstard), D'Script and Biome would meet up and discuss music and swap dubs; that was where it all began for me.

H: Bass Camp has been very influential, it was the first time many producers in the area were exposed to Dubstep. What does this influence mean to you, and how have you been able to witness it first hand?

K: It always gives me a great feeling of satisfaction when someone comes up to me and tells me that it was coming to Bass Camp or seeing me play that got them into Dubstep; I was recently told that Synkro found his inspiration from coming to one of Bass Camp's early events. Things like that mean a lot to me and is what makes it all worth while.

H: What would you consider to be your personal highlights of running Bass Camp over the years?

K: When Skream came up to play we had people travel over from Liverpool, Leeds, Leicester and from as far away as Norfolk, Cambridge and London; by 11pm Jabez Clegg was rammed! Rusko recorded an exclusive 'Auld Lang Sine' version of 'Cockney Thug' for our New Years Eve '07 event: that was pretty special. Hosting the UK's first Deep Medi event was a real privilege, the vibe was amazing that night and Mala absolutely loved it. Cyrus, Heny G and Walsh at the Chapel was rocking until 7am and when MC Subz told the crowd to get down low the whole place was skanking down to its knees. N-Type b2b Walsh with Easy Rider on mic as secret special guests; Kidnappa's first Manchester show, the list goes on.

H: What’s been inspiring you musically recently, and what releases are you looking forward to this year?

K: UK Funky has been creeping into my sets more and more over the past year, I'm also feeling the new wave of cross-over Funky/Dubstep artists such as Joy Orbison, Shortstuff, L-Vis 1990, Brackles, Redlight, Untold, Cooly G etc. Anything on Night Slugs is worth copping and I eagerly await that labels future output. Truth from New Zealand, who've played Bass Camp twice now, have a Disfigured Dubz EP and long awaited Aquatic lab LP ready to drop and they're going to be massive. Kutz, part of the new wave out of Croydon, has some serious productions in the pipeline and Cyrus has an LP due any time soon.

H: We had noticed more UK Funky in your recent sets, what was it that encouraged you to make the move?

K: Put simply, it's good shit. Like early UK Garage it's image has been tainted slightly by the more commercial/cheesy elements, but look deep into the scene and there's some seriously heavy stuff in there.

H: So then, you’ve DJ'd at major British clubs and across Europe, produced your own tracks and run your own successful night since 2004: what do you see as your primary role in the scene: a DJ, Producer or Promoter?

K: My production has been pretty limited to this point, and Bass Camp has been my main vehicle for pushing the sound but DJing has taken me the furthest in my musical path; Creamfields, the Warehouse Project, Ape at the Apollo and Outlook in Croatia being the major highlights.

H: You’ve been part of the Dubstep scene since the beginning and it may be an over asked-question, but what are your views on the future of the genre?

K: Dubstep has begun to splinter into various sub-genres as was inevitable and a lot of new people have started getting involved and producing their own take on the scene. This has resulted in a dilution of the quality in many respects and there is a massive new wave of very popular 'Jump-Up', mask-wearing producers that make pretty generic, high pitched tunes which sound to me like the Drum & Bass that was around at the time when Dubstep was evolving. Dubstep to me at the time was the antidote to this kind of D&B but I've always known that this element of instantly gratifying, dare I say it, dumbed down Dubstep would come along. I don't like most of it but it's out there. The simplicity and subtlety of early Dubstep was what made it different and interesting and a lot of the 'Jump-Up' artists seem to have overlooked this, although I love the likes of Jakes and Coki and did used to like Caspa and Rusko.
On the other hand there are people still taking the sound to new and interesting places, Joy Orbison, L-Vis 1990, Untold, Scuba and Shortstuff in particular and these producers give me hope and are keeping the scene vibrant. Everything on Mala's Deep Medi, for example, is of the absolute highest quality but as the scene becomes more popular it's overall quality will unfortunately suffer.

Tracklist:

1. J A Capone / Estate (Mellow Vibes)
2. DJG / The Gate (Lo Dubs)
3. Filtercutter / 1UP (Ramadanman Refix)
4. Cluekid / Sector 9 (Sin City)
5. J:Kenzo / Counteraction (Argon)
6. Calibre / Tenopause (Deep Medi Musik)
7. Ruckspin & Visionz / Give (Transistor)
8. Ruckspin / Jibber (Ranking Records)
9. Ruckspin & Quantum Soul / Venus Project (Transistor)
10. J:Kenzo / Tropic Thunder (Argon)
11. Noob & Brodisnki / Peanuts (Bok Bok and Greena Remix) (Night Slugs white label)
12.Redlight / Stupid (Digital Soundboy)
13. Kalbata / Wallabee (Double Science)
14. Egyptrixx / Everybody Bleeding (Night Slugs white label)

Ken Evil - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

-SCHWIM-

Tunnidge: Disrupt:on Inc Mix

With releases on his and Cyrus's Origin Audio imprint , as well as Mala's Deep Medi Musik label, Tunnidge is one of the heaviest producers about. Showcasing plenty of dubs, this mix is unmissable deep, dark sub-driven business.

Download the mix here and read the full interview on Disrupt:on Inc.

Tracklist:

Killa & Instinct - Observation

Cyrus - Alone

Tunnidge - Higher Forces

Tunnidge & Cyrus - Ding Ding

Tunnidge - Face Melt

Mala - Eyez

Tunnidge - Burning Fire

Distance - No Warning

Tunnidge - Dark Skies

Tunnidge - Bug Spray

Mr. Lager - Tell Me (Distance Remix)

Tunnidge - Fear Dub

Tunnidge & Distance - Blame

Tunnidge - 7 Breaths

Tunnidge - Geddeon

-SHOOK-

The Return (II Space)

From seemingly nowhere, Mala (co-founder and coordinator of London label and clubnight DMZ, and one half of production duo Digital Mystikz, alongside Coki) has caused serious waves by announcing a forthcoming Digital Mystikz LP due for release in the first week of May this year. After a packed-out 5th birthday dance, expectations were for the two producers to retreat once more into their own individual projects, with Mala focusing on his Deep Medi Musik label and Coki continuing his string of limited press releases (see 'Goblin' on Ringo Records), so this announcement comes as something of a surprise.

Regardless, the date is (characteristically vaguely) set and the LP is to be released as a limited press 3x12" set with catalogue number DMZLP001. No news, as yet, on a tracklist (apart from the assumed inclusion of Mala's track 'Return II Space', from which the LP's title is taken), neither is there on other formats although a CD release is expected to follow.

.Fukhed.