Featuring: Dark0

The focus on space and a stripped-down approach to beat building in the production of dubstep is something which has, in recent times, caused the relevant sections of many independent record stores to become saturated with the latest releases from anyone who has seen the now infamous 'UKF Dubstep Tutorial' video. However, rather than resulting in mass disillusionment this means that it is even more rewarding when you successfully unearth a new producer with genuine promise, drive and originality. And so we come to Dark0; HEDMUK caught up with him to find out more about his approach to the music he makes, what influences him and what he can see on the horizon.

HEDMUK: To start with, what's your name, how old are you and where do you hail from?

Dark0: My name's Dark0, I'm 19 and I'm from Neasden in North London: born and raised.

H: When did you start producing music?

D: Always used to fuck about with Fruity Loops from when I was about 17 but never really got the hang of it. I was on it solid one day last year and made a beat that was pretty solid (well, I thought it was at the time) and I sent it out to my mate Ross (aka. DJ Roskoe) here in Birmingham and got it played on radio. Producing kicked off properly for me at the beginning of this year.

H: Would you say you're from a musical background, and had you previously been making other types of music?

D: I wouldn't say so, no. I used to fuck about with a guitar when I was younger but never got great at it like all my mates! Still though, I find I can be more creative using software. I'm currently trying to pull funds together and play more shows around Birmingham (where I'm located at the moment), so I can splash out on maybe getting Logic and a sweet keyboard. I like to think I'm a musical person naturally though (laughs). At first I tried to make something funky, I was proper into my funky at the time but since then I've developed my own sort of style and drifted into that darker side.

H: What or who was it that introduced you to dubstep, particularly the darker, deeper and more melodic style you appear to favour in your own productions?

D: I remember listening to Benga's Essential Mix at the beginning of '08, I ain't a veteran or whatever like people want to claim to be and shit. I remember hearing Benga's 'Assumptions' remix on that and thinking "yeah, this is live". It was my brother who put it on a little memory stick for me to take upto my army college (which I boarded at); I rinsed that mix like a 100 times. After that I started doing my research and got hold of Vaccine's mix from 2007: that was the vibe I wanted to do but with more of a physical edge. Beautiful stuff. Just needed a tiny bit more of a punch to make it border to what I wanted to do.

H: You seem to bear your influences strongly, which artists in particular have affected your approach to your music?

D: Like before Vaccine's mixes which had a lot of Scuba and Gravious tunes. Other than that, everytime I go and see Youngsta live I just absorb that vibe. He's different. That whole darkness thing is the one. I try to incorporate elements of ambience with that darkness. I'm working on some new deep stuff at the moment and am looking to get a digital EP released over the summer. Try and push the name further; get people to enjoy my music.

H: Is there anything else, where you live for instance, which has particularly influenced your sound?

D: Yeah for real, I used to check FWD>> religiously. Not any more though: its all fucked up. That place was like magic to me and my bredrins, just used to go there and stare at the DJ and watch them mix in awe. Used to go out of that place in a trance with all sorts of ideas. FWD>> was the one.

H: Which producers are currently interesting you or even inspiring you?

D: Have to go through my record bag for this one! I'd have to say Headhunter or Ramadanman at the moment. They are pushing some different sounds that I'm loving. Every set I play I rinse 'Humber' by Ramadanman. It's that minimal, euphoric tip that just blesses me in more than one sense of the word (laughs).


H: It's a question asked too often, but what is your view on the future of dubstep?

D: It can go many ways at the moment, I think. For me some people are deading it completely. I ain't gonna name drop, but most of it coming out on vinyl release and getting signed seems to be just a bunch of noise with a 140bpm beat behind it. The Autonomic boys are pushing that 'drumstep' (as I like to call it), 170bpm sound. I like that, it's sexy, but it ain't my thing. I'd like to see it re-route itself to where it was just pure; those old subby vibes that Loefah and Mala push: that's just banging.

H: Have you got anything coming up yourself (live dates, releases etc.) in the near future that you'd like to do some healthy plugging for?

D: Yeah I play about in Birmingham sometimes weekly in Rainbow. Nice little place. Good crowd that appreciates diverse types of dubstep. As for releases, I'm still in the process of mastering and finishing my EP, which I'll push in the summer. Getting a couple dubplates pressed too to get the full effect of my production. We'll see whatever gets offered my way too, I'm keen to play out. I enjoy it so much seeing people vibing in front of you to songs you've made/chosen to play: sick feeling. I've got a Facebook page and a Soundcloud too. Just looking to polish off my first year at Birmingham so I can concentrate on the music more.

H: Anything else you'd like to add?

D: Yeah just look out for me! I'll be about trust.

TEMPACD015

This month has seen the long-awaited release of the seventh installment in Tempa's highly influencial 'Dubstep Allstars' mix series, and the slightly tepid reception enjoyed by the Appleblim mix preceding it immediately sets a tune-selection challenge for the latest hands at the mixing desk. Chef (CD1) and Ramadanman (CD2) are those tasked with building the sort of tracklist that dubstep fans have used as a reference point for the best tunesmiths around since the series' beginnings in 2003, and their task is not an easy one. It might be argued that Appleblim's mix for Volume 6 was a fitting reflection of the way in which the genre was being pushed forward, but that it fell to largely deaf ears as the 2007 release of 'Fabriclive.37' convinced newcomers to the sound that it was all about, and always would be about, wobbling basslines and Guy Ritchie movie samples. That said, it would perhaps also be fair to say that the extremity of the shift from N-Type's more classic dubstep stylings on Volume 5 to the blissed-out, ambient sounds of Volume 6 was too much; even that the progressive school of electro-dubs being represented by Appleblim's mix had not yet proven itself as truly warranting its own dedicated release. Regardless, Appleblim's mix (not unlike Kode9's Volume 3 mix) certainly pushed the boundaries of what people thought of this awakening genre's potential and set an interesting prospect for fans awaiting Volume 7: would the series become a dedicated outlet for progressive, ambient dubstep? Would 7 bring another prediction of where dubstep was going next? Or would a safe card be played, wheeling out a mix populated by familiar faces? In fact, what has resulted is more ambitious than each of these things as the two CDs present something of a combination of all of these things. Of course there are familiar names (Skream manages to retain his status as the only producer to have featured on every mix in the series), but they do not serve to drown out the sounds of the younger names coming in behind them. Although not dedicated to the ambient sound, Volume 7 certainly serves to give a picture of how that particular scene has expanded: this is evident from Ramadanman's ability to include almost ten more tracks on his mix than Appleblim and, furthermore, to avoid holding each track in the mix for too long. This installment is also, arguably, making a prediction as to where dubstep can move to from here. While Volume 6 nailed a single set of colours very firmly to the proverbial mast, this edition picks and chooses from the stronger aspects of the genre and represents each one: ambient, junglist, dirty, deep. To call where the genre will actually go is nigh-on impossible as its outward acceleration appears to be continually increasing, yet, on the basis of Tempa's previous record alone, it could be done worse than to place trust in the ideas presented by this latest release.



Chef's mix for the first CD is very much in tune with his accomplished style of live mixing, cutting and splicing tunes with a practised ease. Although this perhaps might not be suited to the deeper, down-tempo tunes which open the mix, his technique certainly contributes to a noticeable build-up of energy as the set progresses. Tune selection is extremely varied in terms of the different styles of dubstep being played, yet it remains almost immaculate with barely a single dud track to be found. As has become commonplace with the Allstars series, exclusive tracks are littered throughout; notable tracks include the hard-hitting, hip-hop influenced 'Think Ur Greazy' from El-B; Benga's electro-tinged 'Man On A Mission' ; and the aquatic trip of Silkie's '51 Times Stronger'. Obviously there is included a selection of the current crop of scene-dominating rave tunes ('The Future'; 'Seeeerious' etcetera), but, thanks to Chef's mixing style, they remain fresh.

The second CD stands in firm contrast with that preceding it: an ambient intro leading into the echoic-bongo-led 'Beacon' (Untold & D. Franklin) is an early indication of where this mix will lead. However, these ambient tones need not be foreboding to the listener dissapointed by Appleblim's mix as Ramadanman appears keen to show that the ambient-progressive sound need not be purely 'headphone music'. His mixing style is one from which extends a careful building of energy as each track brought in adds a new textural layer; so sounds are constantly being built upon each other, giving the effect of a gradual, but noticeable, quickening of the pace. This CD is certainly one which must be heard as a complete mix, however noteworthy tracks here include a classic rolling-bass piece from RSD by the name of 'Over It'; the scattered beats of Compound One's 'Space Odyssey'; and the panpipe-sampling sounds of Footsie's 'Pissed'.

So, perhaps not the genre re-defining opus that some expected, but 'Dubstep Allstars: Volume 7' is certainly a worthy addition to the series.

.Fukhed.

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