Review: LX One - Reflect / Distorted Politics [WHEELYDEALY043]

By no means the most prolific of producers, LX One maintains an unbridled consistency with his quality over quantity approach. This, of course, is also an approach that we at Hedmuk have long subscribed to, and as such are always pleasantly surprised by announcements of forthcoming releases from the multi-talented Londoner.

With solid DJ support from the usual raft of scene leaders, including Distance, Youngsta, J:Kenzo, Icicle and label boss N-Type, 'Reflect' is a bonafide A-side: delivering an enormous groove with the effortless sense of style that has been a defining characteristic of LX One's production since his earliest releases. As with his previous dancefloor mainstays, this is an example of how to do a lot with very little. 'Distorted Politics', meanwhile, represents something of a departure for the producer MC as he swaps the heavily swung rhythm of canonical beats such as 'You' for a straightened, kick-driven pulse of a beat. It's new ground for LX One's solo material, but is trodden as carefully and precisely as should be expected from this producer, whose eye for detail - and making every detail count - continues to prove itself a rare asset.

LX One - Reflect / Distorted Politics is now available to purchase exclusively from the Wheel & Deal Surus store on 12" and digital formats, until general release from other outlets on May the 12th.

W.

Featuring: Uprise Audio

The last time we spoke to Seven, just over a year ago, he was gearing up for the release of his debut long player and touring extensively, he spoke reflectively on his many years spent in the industry and the impressive back catalogue he had to show for it; so it fits well that the same themes be present in this, our second interview with the London-based producer/DJ. Not exactly the same though, as this time around his specific focus is something different; whilst continuing to work within the music industry, making plans for tours, and putting out a string of quality releases are all still part of the day-to-day, this time however it's based around the new label founded by Seven just a few months ago: Uprise Audio. Having quickly established a wide and passionate fan base - as evidenced in the results of this year's Dubstepforum Awards - the label has been taking strong strides, branching out comfortably into running label clubnights up and down the country whilst simultaneously sending each of its first three releases climbing the various singles charts. What's perhaps most clear, however, is the enormous amount of passion with which the label is run: it seems that this is the driving force behind Uprise, embodied in Seven himself, and has come to define the impressive levels of quality control and attention to detail which can be noted in all of the label's various exploits. It's this same passion that comes across in the interview below, and that can be heard throughout the mix which accompanies it; so all there is to do now is enjoy it, and share in it...

Hedmuk: Since you've already introduced yourself to us once before, can you tell us a bit about your record label and the sort of sound that you feel it represents?

Seven: My label is called Uprise Audio. We are based in the UK and we have a team of exclusive artists from the UK and all corners of the world. The label is run day to day by myself and my partner Verity J, with valuable input from our press manager Joe and art director Cimm. It's a vinyl and digital record label representing the future sounds of deep, dark and dangerous dubstep. The sound of the label is a serious one: there is nothing cheesy about it. It's all about forward-thinking music, intelligent grooves and serious bass weight and I have chosen tracks to release which I feel have theme and relevance to one another.

H: What was the inspiration behind the label? Was it a case of wanting somewhere to put out your own music and retain full creative control, or more to do with the amount of good music you were being sent and talent that you were discovering? Even the label's name, 'Uprise', would suggest a mission of bringing plenty of new names and material to the forefront.

S: You pretty much answer this question in your question: firstly it was a case of having some fantastic talent sending me music and seeing huge potential in them, like diamonds which needed cutting into fine stones. Originally the plan was to hand the tracks to Black Box or Wheel & Deal in hope of getting them signed and looked after, but there wasn't an opportunity for that at the time and i didn't wanna let the guys down so I decided to start a label and put the tunes out myself. I realised how much creative control I could have over it all too: I could really shape the sound of the label by putting the effort into the artists I signed; and I have a serious team of individuals now, each with their unique sounds but all relevant to the sound of the label. I guess the name does suggest a mission, I never really thought about that when I named the label but it's kind of fitting to the rapid progression of the artists and the label though. 'Onwards and upwards' seems to be our motto at Uprise.




H: With the label already on its third release, and having brought forward two relatively unheard of names, are there plans to extend the label's roster further or are you comfortable moving on with just the four or five already signed for now?

S: I've been building quite a team of artists. I have signed new people which have not even had a release yet, who absolutely blow me away with every track they send me. I can confirm my team of artists as the following: Dubtek, Chewie, Asylum, Nanobyte, Wayfarer, Spec, Taiko and Quantum Soul. All these guys will be featuring tracks on the label this year. They are all set to make some serious waves too, I have been overwhelmed by incredible music and they make it difficult for me to choose which tracks to put out because the level of quality is so high.


H: We spoke previously about how you go about balancing your time between producing and DJing all over the world, how considerably have you had to redress this balance now to include label work?

S: I've taken a lot of time out from deejaying since returning from Outlook. This period from then until now is actually the longest I have been in the UK for years, I realised I had been constantly touring all over without really regrouping. When the label was conceived I knew that I needed to focus on it for a while and live in a normal time zone, so I have been putting every other spare moment into the label, the artists and the management of my own key area, which is A&R. Once things started to become formulated and in a system I knew I would have some time back and that I needed to get back in the studio too and make some tracks so I could lead by example. I did all of the above and it's done me the world of good, I reinforced my sound and production techniques, built up a good sample library and all that combined with this new vision I have has improved my tracks a lot. I have started taking bookings again now so I guess the true test is yet to come but, being a libra, balancing life is my forté.


H: Do you feel that your experience as a DJ, and constructing sets which can traverse a series of different moods, has helped when it comes to thinking of the overall impression of the label and the diversity of sounds and approaches it can represent?

S: Yeah, no doubt: I wouldn't put out music I didn't feel confident playing in my sets. The tunes my artists were handing me initially were relevant to my own productions and I felt my sets were more rounded as a result of that. I had already started building the Uprise Audio sound in the sets that I was playing, and even more so now: 70% of my sets now are UA tracks. I feel so blessed to be playing such wonderful exclusive music and being able to share that with you all and confidently tell you that it will be released, because it's me who is releasing it and makes those decisions.




H: How important is it to you, particularly considering your own extensive back catalogue, that the label be considered a well-respected label, whose direction the fans can trust? Is releasing on vinyl as well as digital a part of this too, would you say?

S: It means everything to me for the label to be well respected. I strive to make sure we do everything how it should be done: no corners cut and above all tight quality control, both in the music and the physical product itself. We master our music with Beau at Ten Eight Seven Mastering, we press at Optimal in Germany and we distribute efficiently through SRD. Like I said: no corners cut, quality control is everything. It costs us more, but we believe it's worth it.
I think there is more to running a record label than just putting out music too, at Uprise we have created a brand, a collective and an interaction with our fan-base through club night events, radio shows and merchandise. We manage our artists and also manage any bookings they need attended to. I think these things are the very least a record label can be doing.

The vinyl releases are a big thing for to me too. I think it's what sets labels apart from each other nowadays and also what makes people have faith in what you put out. It costs a lot of money to press vinyl, and especially for such small quantities like we do now - compared to, say, 15 years ago. So people know if you're going to be putting that much time and investment into a release then you're going to make sure it's worthy of the time, money and effort and the fans will then have faith in what you do.


H: Despite only being a few months young, you've already put on a selection of label-based clubnights: is this live aspect of the label something you consider to be particularly significant?

S: We started off with the intention of running just two launch parties to establish the brand and label and put it in public focus. One being in Verity's local area Nottingham and one in London,  my usual playground. We considered it as advertising and all part of the start-up budget, but we had such an amazing reaction to them and people kept asking when the next one will be, so we decided to carry on with the momentum. It's proved to be really worth it, it solidifies our following and gives people a night out to remember us by. I think it also shows yet more depth to the label and what we have going on too, so we decided it's a positive thing for us to continue doing and as long as people demand them then we will keep doing them. We have had so many promoters asking us if they can use our brand and book our DJs to throw UA-themed parties so we will announce all those dates in the near future as it's now almost become a UK- and Europe-wide label tour. All of my artists are actually good DJs too, which I think contributes massively to the atmosphere and vibe on the nights we put on: no line-up fillers, just good DJs. We try and keep the costs of entry to a minimum too, as it's not about trying to earn money putting on the night. Our first two events were actually free entry and the one following that was only a pound.




H: Take us through how you approached the mix you've put together for us.

S: I've done so many mixes lately, but I saved some killers for this one. All of my artists feature on this mix, so it's an introduction to us, who we are and what we do as a collective. I have also included tracks by friends in the scene who are also making some incredible music which is blowing me away right now. It starts of really energetic, and caters for a full spectrum of listeners: my definitive journey through the deep, dark and dangerous sounds of dubstep.



H: Finally, what can people expect from Uprise in the near future: any forthcoming releases or label nights on the horizon that you'd like to put the word out on?

S: The latest release is by myself and is 'Walter White' backed with 'Medievil'. It went straight to number 1 in the vinyl chart and has since conquered all the digital charts too, hitting the number 1 spot everywhere. There's also a digital bonus track with the release called 'Tension Builds', included for free if you buy the vinyl or the whole release as a digital bundle. I decided to do that as a thank you to everyone who buys the vinyl and never gets a bonus track, but naturally I honour the same deal for people who buy the digital bundle too.

The following release UA004 will be a 2 x 12" double-pack consisting of 5 tracks: 'Go To War' by myself, 'Shaman' by Wayfarer, 'Underworld' by Quantum Soul, 'Primitive' by Chewie and Dubtek and 'Lost Souls' by Klax and Disonata. It's highly anticipated and has been battered by Youngsta exclusively for the past few months now, creating some very special moments at events like System and getting numerous wheel-ups on Rinse FM too. It will be available late April/early May.

We also have another UA event on April 27th at The Volks in Brighton. The line-up is Youngsta, myself, Quantum Soul, Nanobyte, Klax, Occult, Sibla, Duku, Toast MC and Joe Raygun. It's going to be a good night, and we are bringing in a 30KW sound system!

I'd also like to give a massive shout to Youngsta, Verity J, Cimm, Joe Raygun, Dubtek, Chewie, Asylum, Nanobyte, Wayfarer, Spec, Quantum Soul, Taiko, Toast, Truth, Klax, Disonata, Genetix, Nicole Submission and all the fam, Calico, Ken and Ryan, SRD, Beau Thomas, and last but not least my mum and everyone else I forgot to list here. To book UA artists or events just contact Verity at contact@upriseaudio.com



Download: Uprise Audio - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix: Mixed by Seven



Tracklist:

Seven - Tension Builds [Uprise Audio]
Wayfarer & Taiko  - Sanka [Uprise Audio Dub]
Spec - Mad [Uprise Audio Dub]
Chewie & Dubtek - Primitive [Uprise Audio Dub]
Chewie - Inferno [Uprise Audio Dub]
Asylum - Salvage [Uprise Audio]
Truth - I Belong [Forthcoming Tempa]
Seven - Morning Light (feat. Alys Be) (Chewie Remix) [Dub]
Juss B  - Ritual [Dub]
Dubtek - Kuiper Belt [Uprise Audio Dub]
Perverse - Hamba (Spec Remix) [Dub]
S!CK - Fatboy - Nomad (Artikal Remix)
Myrkur - Dancing In The Dark (Artikal Remix) [Dubsludge Recordings]
Seven - Medievil [Uprise Audio]
Truth - Devil's Hands [Forthcoming Tempa]
Spec - Aggression [Uprise Audio Dub]
Taiko - Bubishi [Uprise Audio Dub]
Dubtek - Extension [Uprise Audio]
Nanobyte - Hidden Code [Uprise Audio Dub]
Youngsta - Destruction [Tempa]
Seven - Go To War [Uprise Audio Dub]
Dubtek - Plus Ultra [Uprise Audio]
Wayfarer - Lapse [Uprise Audio Dub]
Genetix - Sequence VIP [Biscuit Factory Dub]
Seven - Walter White VIP [Uprise Audio Dub]

Uprise Audio - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix: Mixed by Seven by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

W.

Featuring: Kaiju

Since being featured by our friends over at PYC Sessions, Kaiju have been on a roll; buoyed along by a rapt fanbase as well as the big-hitting likes of Kryptic Minds and Youngsta, the first thing that most won't notice is the almost imperceptibly high benchmark they set for themselves. With a simple formula of 'less is more' - excepting, of course, when it comes to the sub-bass - the duo's productions serve to further the myth that simple music is simple music; with so few components to each tune, each one that is present has to absolutely earn its place. And earn their place, in a Kaiju beat at least, they do: the result is chasms of space for that characteristic, tape-warm sub-bass to groove in and through. With a very exciting 2013 ahead of them, January seemed the ideal time to link up with the pair, and have them contribute a stunner of a mix to our exclusive series...

Hedmuk: To introduce yourselves to those who might not know, what are your names, where do you both come from and how would you describe your sound?

Paul: He's Jamie...

Jamie: ...and he's Paul: together we're Kaiju. I'm from Sticksville somewhere near Bath/Bristol and Paul's in Cardiff. We make bassy stuff around 140bpm that tends to be on the deeper, dirtier end of the scale. Sometimes it's got garage-y undertones, sometimes theres reggae vibes, but all the time there's lots and lots of bass.

P: None of this Skrillex shit.

J: Right.

H: When did you both start producing? Had you been working on solo projects before Kaiju, and do you still have other projects on the go at the moment?

J: I'd been making D&B for about 5 years or so, had been through the ups and downs of the industry and started running a label. Paul, after much thought, decided that he wanted to send beats to us and it kinda blossomed from there really. I'm still involved in the running of the label but at the moment i'm really enjoying the 140 area so for now I'm concentrating on that musically.

P: I've been producing about 3 years or so now, still as involved with the D&B scene as much as possible, but also finding myself drawn to the 140 space more and more at the moment.

H: You were picked up relatively quickly by Kryptic Minds to release on their Osiris imprint: how did this come about, and was it more than a coincidence that you signed to a label run by producers with a similar musical background to yourselves in drum & bass? 

J: When I was working as designer for Chemical Records, Si and Leon came in to talk about the look of their album and I gave them a CD of our tunes I'd been checking on the car stereo during the tedious drive in [to work]. I didn't really expect to hear back, but they were really into 'Close Break' and 'Belcanto' and we then started to talk about being exclusive.



H: How did it feel to get such an opportunity? Were you consciously choosing these specific labels and artists to send your music to?

P: Amazing, to be honest. With J working at Chemical and us both having a bit of experience in the art of dub-sending we definitely had an idea of who to send to, and still to this day only really give new new tunes to Yunx.


H: DJ Thinking did mention, in our recent interview with him, an in-house designer at Chemical that he'd worked with on the Black Box, Black Acre and Box Clever stuff, but we hadn't put two-and-two together to realise it was you. How did you get involved with doing the design stuff at Chemical? Do you think that your music as Kaiju is at all informed by that aesthetic side to your creativity? Perhaps even just on the simple level of learning graphic design programme interfaces as helping to learn production DAWs, or vice versa?

J: I've wanted to be a designer since I was about 6, I think; it all stemmed from going car racing with my parents and seeing the liveries and stuff. I started copying what I saw (mostly cigarette logo's (laughs)) and then progressed onto making new liveries and logos. I find my creative process with design crazily similar to that of when I make music, and in both areas I feel my style is always 'less is more': I've never believed in over-egging something. Although I attended College and Uni for design, all of my computer knowledge is self-taught so opening Windows and fiddling with things is second nature to me, and definitely helped me when it came to getting down and dirty with Logic in the beginning.


H: You seem to enjoy working with vocalists: is there somewhere from which this particular influence comes from? Or is it more a case of viewing the vocal as just another instrument or 'part' within the tune?

J: I'm a sucker for a vocal. Being brought up on 80's power ballads and soul singers probably has something to do with it, but personally I think a vocal can really help make a tune human, especially nowadays with all this cold computer music about.

P: Some tunes feel as if they need a vocal and some tunes just don't. I've always been heavily into dub, reggae etc. so appreciate how a vocal can bring a tune to life.





H: Tell us a little about how you went about putting together the mix you've done for us.

J&P: Basically it's about 60 minutes of us. Being relatively new to the scene this is the best way to show people what goes on in our brains, so there's a couple oldies in there but most of it's new and pretty exclusive really. We've got collabs with Truth, Killawatt, Perverse and Nanobyte and a couple remixes, all with lots of nice warm sub. And we're working more and more with MC Toast  at the moment, so thought it'd be rude to leave him out!

H: How did the link up with Toast come about?

J&P: We're pretty lucky in that we hit him up and got on like a house on fire. We've had some vocals off him for a couple tunes, and are available as a package to book for gigs so it was only right to have him on the mix. He's genuinely one of the nicest people you'll ever meet, so we feel quite honoured to work with him.

H: Finally, are there any forthcoming releases or anything else in the pipeline that you'd like to put the word out on?

J&P: We've recently spoken about our next two releases with Osiris, although we can't really say much. There might be a sneaky clip of a certain tune we've done with one of our heroes floating around, and that might be backed with something awesome but that would be telling….

Cheers Hedmuk, been an honour to be featured on your blog!



Download: Kaiju - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix (feat. Toast)



Tracklist:

Kaiju & Killawatt - Cave Of Wonders (Dub)
Kaiju & Perverse - Named After Heroes (Dub)
Kaiju - Snaggle Puss (Dub)
Kaiju - Close Break VIP (Dub)
Kaiju - Fall Guy (Dub)
Kaiju - Clang (Dub)
Kaiju - Seven (Dub)
Kaiju - Silverfish (Osiris Music)
Perverse - Cross Examination (feat. Beezy) (Kaiju Edit) (Dub)
Noisia - Dipolodocus (Kaiju Edit) (Dub)
Kaiju - Wrong Turn (Dub)
Kaiju - Atomic (Dub)
Kaiju - Think Twice (Dub)
Gantz - Catalyst (Kaiju Edit) (Dub)
Kaiju - Joke Shop (Dub)
Kaiju & Nanobyte - Faded (Dub)
Kaiju & Truth - Untitled (Dub)
Fat Freddy's Drop - Cay's Crays (Kaiju Edit) (Dub)
Kaiju - Roodbwoi (Dub)
Kaiju - Sniper Situation (Dub)
Kaiju - 3 + 2 (Dub)

Kaiju - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

W.

Featuring: Widowmaker

A producer that's been on our radar for some time now, Widowmaker has shown unending improvement over the last couple of years; not only in terms of creativity and drive but also in the constant development of his own production techniques and abilities: Widowmaker tunes hit hard. This is coupled with an almost frenetic approach to crossing genre boundaries and tempo ranges, meaning that whilst he's working to nail one style down there's always something else, and something different, bubbling away in the background; it's a strange sort of focus, simultaneously directed towards a whole array of sounds and styles but without any of the compromise that a Jack of All Trades must make. With a release on N-Type's Wheel & Deal already under his belt, and another big 12" out now as the first release on Kaium Records, 2013 looks set to be a good year for the young producer as he takes big-name DJ support - from the likes of Youngsta and the aforementioned N-Type - in his stride whilst continuing to push himself creatively and technically.


Hedmuk: To introduce yourself, what's your name, where do you come from and how would you describe your sound?

Widowmaker: I'm Sean AKA Widowmaker, I come from a town called Farnborough in Hampshire, UK with pretty much no undergound music scene.

It's hard to say really [how I'd desribe my sound]; typically 'dark' and 'moody' but with elements of sci-fi/techy sounds (if that makes any sense).

H: Would you describe yourself as being from a musical background, or is it something that you picked up on yourself? What was it that first got you into producing?

W: Yeah most definitelty, I've always been an avid music fan. Got into writing from playing guitar from around age 11-12, got in a few shitty bands with mates and just realized that I can't be bothered to rely on other people to do music. So eventually I heard dubstep from a mate around 2007-8 and thought, 'I could have a go at that'. Pretty much goes on from there.



H: You've got close ties with N-Type and his Wheel & Deal imprint: how did you first get involved with the label, and how did it feel to be picked up by someone with such legendary status in the world of dubstep?

W: Yeah it was big, I have to shout to Benton for the hook-up as he played that Skream bootleg I did ages ago to [N-Type] on Skype or something, and then Mark [N-Type] popped up on AIM one day asking for it. Then after that it was a case of just writing better tunes and sending them, 'til he rang me up one day asking to sign 'Tunneling Wurm'. I remember I'd just woken up or something when I got the call and my head was a wreck; it was funny at the time.

H: You've recently been receiving regular plays from Youngsta on his Rinse show, was this something you always had ambitions for or has it been more of a pleasant surprise? Do you feel that this sort of recognition adds further pressure to deliver the goods, as it were, when you sit down to write more music?

W: Yeah definitely, it was a case of just writing something really different and then thinking, 'I don't really know who would play this, it's weird'. So I sent the tune to Dan [Youngsta] and he liked it, which was obviously a good thing to hear. After that I've just been way more comfortable about writing odd things, you know? There ain't really any pressure, to be honest, because I just make what I like. A hell of a lot of projects are unfinished, however: I'll get 'em all done some day!



H: With a Wheel & Deal release at a relatively early stage in your production career, did that set a precedent for you as to how you want to put out your music in the future - such as with your recent release on new label Kaium? Do you feel it's important to still be releasing on vinyl, or do you see that as just a bonus?

W: Yes, 100% vinyl: it's the most important thing for me in terms of releasing. It shows people have taken the time to put the effort in to get your music out there on such a great medium, which is never easy. Anyone can whack a tune on the internet and make someone pay for an mp3 file, but to actually take the care in putting it out on a record proves they are serious about the music. Also, people tend to take you more seriously if you have a handful of vinyl releases, which is a plus.

H: Whilst most of your output has been straight-up 140 stuff, you've also been giving teasers of beats at different tempos; do you find yourself experimenting a lot with different styles and speeds? Are we likely to see more of this in the future?

W: I love it, it's the best thing about production; you can write whatever you feel like without any restrictions, and just enjoy making music. I've been making a lot of techno and house at the moment (which I don't know nearly as much about compared to dubstep) usually around 120-134BPM. It's a nice change to write in a slower BPM because there is more space for the sounds in the tune, and you can kinda fit more in it.

No doubt you will see more from me in the future from that aspect, but only a few bits will be under the 'Widowmaker' alias.



H: Take us through how you went about putting together the mix you've done for us.

W: Yeah basically just wanted to do something different again and just do a mix of tunes that I really enjoy; kind of wanted to get the point across in terms of the atmosphere of the music instead of the speed being the main factor. It starts out at about 130 then ramps up past 140 about half way though. I always mix 'classics' in on my radio show, and usually in other mixes, so I decided  to just put in stuff that's mostly new and showcase some of my own bits which people might not have heard.

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

W: Yeah, my latest vinyl is out now on Kaium Records which is 2 tunes 'Abscess' & 'Cerebral', and 'Bionic 2099' which is a digital bonus. Expect more tunes on Wheel and Deal in 2013 too. There's a collab is to come out as well, around February I think, on vinyl as well. But I can't give away too much yet. Couple other things in the pipeline as well but can't say much at the moment!

Thanks for taking the time to do this as well, mate: big up.


Download: Widowmaker - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix


Tracklist:


Myk Derill - Cold [Piston Recordings]
Fontaine - Genetics [Dub]
Kamikaze Space Programme - Cassini [Decarhythm]
Karenn - Studio 3 [Bleep]
Survex - Srx-01 [Shapeless]
Paul Mac - Rolled Out And Back [Osiris Music]
Spinline - Monday Luv [Dispatch]
Widowmaker - Hidden Agenda [Dub]
Icicle - BNC [Shogun Audio]
Thelem - Tarnished [Osiris Music]
Youngsta - Poseidon [Tempa]
Widowmaker - Spore [Dub]
Widowmaker & TMSV - Persei [Dub]
Widowmaker - The Void [Dub]
Benton - Wormholes (Soap Dodgers Remix) [Dub]
Widowmaker - Serpent [Dub]
Youngsta - Destruction [Tempa]
John B - Love Again (feat. Jillian Ann) (LX One Remix) [Beta Recordings]

Widowmaker - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Preacha.

Featuring: Soap Dodgers

With a third release on N-Type's Wheel & Deal now on the shelves and a 12" forthcoming on longstanding staple label Tempa, Soap Dodgers seem to have barely put a foot wrong in their stratospheric rise. Noted for their ultra-clean production, which belies the duo's origins in grime,  an energetic presence behind the decks and a tirelessly innovative approach which underpins both of these endeavours, the pair's own high standards have gained them the attention of the biggest DJs in not only dubstep but also, more recently, UK funky's 130 spectrum. Yet Soap Dodgers' career is, they assure us, still in its fledgling stages; and with such promising beginnings, we can only predict more and greater progression to come. To coincide with the release of the 'Unleashed EP', and their Tempa announcement, we had them on the phone for perhaps our most in-depth interview yet and to ask them to contribute the latest mix to our exclusive series.

Hedmuk: As an introduction, what are your names, where are you both from originally, and now, and how would you describe the music you make as Soap Dodgers?


Jamie: It’s Jamie and Max, and we’ve always lived in Hanwell in West London, so we’re still here now. And how would I describe the music that we make? Erm, I don’t know really. [to Max] How would you describe the music that we make? [to Hedmuk] Max just reckons it’s whatever we fancy making (laughs).

H: So you don’t feel that you’re constrained particularly by genre/style at all?

J: No, not really: there’s no strict theme, or plan, or guidelines.

H: And when you sit down to make a tune do you tend to be in the studio together, or do you work on ideas independently and then come together and finish them?

J: Well sometimes we’ll sit down together and start something together from scratch; but it’s Max who’s got the studio stuff over at his house, so a lot of the time what will tend to happen is he’ll throw a load of ideas into a project and then maybe in that one project there’ll be, like, three things that we can go from and make full tunes from. And then when I come round, me and him will sit together and take those ideas in the project apart bit by bit and then ‘rebuild’ them into something.

H: Yeah, so it’s a case of both of you coming with ideas that aren’t yet fully formed into what you would call ‘a tune’, so the final result is only achieved by your working together on it?

J: Yeah, the ideas never really are, like, ready; so he’ll put his ideas down and, instead of just telling them to me, he’ll obviously just put them into the program and then say, you know, ‘this is what I think of this this and this’. Then I can come to it and put my ideas in, and we’ll sit there together and just bounce off each other. It always, at the end of the day, comes down to sitting together and finishing the tune off.

H: So when you sit down to make a tune it’s more a case of working with the idea that you have at hand, rather than sitting down and thinking ‘here, let’s make something for the headphones, or something for the dancefloor or whatever’

J: It’s more to do with how we’re feeling, so I might be like ‘I like this part that you’ve got here, so let’s work on that and make it more like this’; and it just depends on how we feel really. We bounce a lot off each other, so I think the tunes would be completely different if we worked alone.



H: And other than working together as Soap Dodgers, do either of you do anything individually? As you say, it would sound very different if you worked individually, so do you do other things that you feel don’t fit for how you work as a duo?

J: Well, the way I met Max was through music, because me and him used to make grime. [to Max] When did we make grime? What year was that? Year 9? [to H] So yeah, in 2005, we were making grime individually and then started making grime together and then that’s how the whole Soap Dodgers thing’s come together now. Although we both stopped making music for ages actually, and we’ve only being doing Soap Dodgers for about, well, coming up to two years now. So individually I think we’re both capable, and if we wanted to we could easily do our own projects; but right now there’s not really anything I’m looking to do, [to Max] are you? [to H] No, neither of us are looking to do stuff individually, but I think we’re both capable of doing it so, maybe in the future…

H: You say you took a break from making music and it is only in the last couple of years that you’ve been building a name for yourselves and gaining success as Soap Dodgers; so were you surprised by how quickly everything took off, or was it more a case of, because you’d been making music before and it wasn’t something so new to you, you weren’t so surprised at being able to establish yourselves quite quickly, as it were?

J: I don’t know, when we were making grime it was always for fun and we’ve only ever wanted to make music just for a laugh, to keep ourselves entertained; and then when we stopped making music we just stopped altogether - I don’t know why, I think it was because we left school and, I don’t know, the whole music thing just sort of didn’t really appeal to us anymore.

H: Yeah, grime went a bit downhill…

J: (Laughs) Yeah, there was a lot of stuff coming through and we just weren’t really feeling it. I think we both got jobs as well, so we just stopped making music. It was a couple of years after that when I heard dubstep music for the first time - I think it was Benga, ‘Crunked Up’ - and I was like, ‘fuck, this stuff’s proper sick’. So I showed it to Max, and then I just started buying vinyls for no reason, I still don’t know why I started doing it, but for some reason I started buying records; Max had turntables at his house so we just started playing them and then thought, we should try and get a DJ set somewhere. And when we started getting a couple sets, the next thing was that we thought we should start making our own music. We made ‘Machines’, and where it all started really, we just made our first tune and then went from there.



H: So Soap Dodgers was originally a DJing project before you started making tunes?

J: We never really intended on, you know, making a load of music; we sort of just wanted to DJ out because it was cool, and you got free alcohol and shit (laughs). We just thought, ‘this is sick, we’ll get a couple drinks and it’s something to do on the weekend’. And then we thought, you know what, we might as well make some tunes. We both knew how to use Fruity Loops, but actually when we started making dubstep we never used Fruity Loops, we would just take the knowledge that we had of how to make tunes and then we sat down and just learnt Logic, and then, yeah man…

H: And then, very quickly, you were linking up with people like N-Type at Wheel & Deal and getting support from the big name DJs, and it all started to come a lot quicker; how did it all come about, you know, moving from ‘I want to DJ so I can get into a club for free and get free drinks’ to actually making tunes for some of the biggest DJs within dubstep?

J: It sort of just feels like…it happened, I don’t know, it was a bit weird to be honest; we started making tunes and then, I can’t remember, I think it was our first agent introduced us to certain people, like N-Type for instance.

H: Do you feel that being in London, although dubstep now isn’t as London-centric as it was previously, helped in that it was easier to actually meet these bigger players, as it were?

J: Yeah I guess so, but I wouldn’t really put it down to just that. Obviously it helped with me and Max driving around trying to get our tunes to people, but we still got off our arses and, you know, made CDs and went around and I think that sort of stuff pays off - and living in London obviously helps, because you’ve got that more direct link with people even when you’re, you know, ‘no one’. I think, it’s hard to say because obviously people have got their own situations; there was times like it was, ‘I’m either going to eat my dinner, or I’ve got to go and buy CDs to make sure I can get this tune to someone’. So everyone’s got their shit, everyone’s got their own problems and stuff, but I think that anyone can go and meet these people and show them their music first-hand rather than just sending links over the internet. I think that definitely helped us, anyway.

H: Yeah, I think you’re probably right there; in terms of being personable, networking, to call it that, is still the same thing as it was before you could do it online. But actually handing someone a CD: they’re much more likely to listen to it than if you’ve just sent them a link to Soundcloud.

J: Yeah, definitely.



H: You’ve developed a close working relationship with Wheel & Deal as a result, with your third release, the ‘Unleashed EP’, which came out on the 30th of July. What was the thought process behind that EP? Did you feel that you could push the boundaries a bit more with this release, since you’re now more established and having had two successful releases on the imprint already?

J: Yeah I think it helps, and because we’ve had our first two releases already people know from the difference in those releases that we do like to make different stuff, and I think the ‘Unleashed EP’ shows that as well. I just think that obviously the more we do with Wheel & Deal, the more weird and different it’s going to get because right now it’s sort of just a showreel of what we can make and what we like to make; and I think that as we work with the label, we’re going to start making a lot more different stuff because I think N-Type trusts us to make what we enjoy making too. I think he knows that when we’re just left to our own business, the music’s going to come out a lot better.

H: Would you say as well that the forthcoming release on Tempa, which is a huge achievement for you guys, is almost the flipside to that, in that you’re showcasing a more specific aspect of your sound?

J: Yeah it’s a lot more picky, so obviously says a lot and it’s nice to have been asked to do a Tempa release: that’s a good look for us.



H: How did that one come about, the link-up with Tempa? 

J: That was Youngsta. We basically wanted to get a tune to Youngsta – we had 'Water Landing' and we wanted to show it Youngsta – and asked some people online, for his AIM and stuff, and the they were like, ‘don’t bother sending Youngsta anything because he’s not going to play it’. Which was like (laughs), ‘alright, but I’m still going to ask him anyway’. But that’s basically the reaction we got when we were saying to other people that we want to send stuff to Youngsta: ‘don’t bother’ sort of thing ‘he won’t play it’, you know, ‘we’ve been sending him tunes for years and he don’t play no one’s stuff’.

So, we sent him ‘Water Landing’ and straight away he said not to give it to anyone else because he wanted it exclusive . Then we made - [to Max] Max, what did we make after Water Landing? - [to Hedmuk] then we made ‘Unbalanced’ and he started supporting that, and he’s got his whole exclusive thing so we let him have the tunes exclusive for a long time and we built up the relationship like that: by letting him have full control over the tunes and not giving them to any other DJs, and from building that trust with Youngsta and allowing him to have the tunes exclusive, he put us forward to Tempa. We sent a load of tunes to Tempa and they picked, well…they picked none of them (laughs): they didn’t want any of them because they were all too similar. And then there was a long situation with that so we released those tunes on Wheel & Deal instead. And then – when we thought, Tempa don’t want our tunes – they came back and they picked up ‘Ill Minded’. So we were like, ‘fuck, alright then, they want Ill Minded’; then they asked us to write the B side, and we wrote ‘Contact’ in about a week and that was it, that’s just how it happened. It was all through Youngsta really.

H: And all of this was happening only a year or so after starting out as Soap Dodgers…

J: Yeah, I mean, all that happened a little bit too fast for us to sort of even understand what the fuck was going on. Basically, the same thing happened with Wheel & Deal: we wanted to release a single with Wheel & Deal and we ended up getting brought in to sign a contract to write an album for them; after the first tunes we even sent to them.

H: So is that still on the way then, an album on Wheel & Deal?

J: Yeah, we are doing an album but we haven’t started yet (laughs). We haven’t started yet, we’re just trying to get ourselves sorted and just focus on the singles and making sure they really represent what’s going to be coming.

H: And, with that in mind perhaps, have you been working at all at different tempos from your usual 140 bracket?

J: Well, yeah, I’ve noticed that that’s becoming quite popular now; and actually the reason Max ever had vinyl turntables at his house was that he was heavily brought up on house music: I think there’s always been an element of that in our music. But yeah, we’ve done two 130 tunes; one of them no-one’s heard, but the other one is ‘Lady Lips’ that we made for Roska.



H: And that one’s been getting some decent airplay from him on Rinse, has it not?

J: Oh yeah, no, he’s been battering it every show. It was sort of an experiment tune to see what our sound would sound like at 130.

H: You must feel almost pretty lucky that you branch into 130 and you’ve already got Roska, who again is one of the big names in that field, giving regular airplay your tune.

J: Well I think, in mine and Max’s opinion, we’ve always wanted what’s best for the music because, at the end of the day, we make the music because we like making it and if we enjoy it and want to give it to someone then we want it to be someone who’s running shit in the scene, do you know what I mean? That’s why we give stuff to N-Type, Youngsta and Roska.

H: Do you think that it’s important - particularly with the recent boom in electronic music that has saturated the scene in many ways - that if you want to back something, that you back it properly? And if you’re happy with something, to really push it to people who you think are really going to do something with it? 

J: That’s just it, yeah; and it’s no disrespect to any other DJs if we don’t give it to them first. To us, Roska was the person that we thought of – because he actually supported 'Rachel Went South' and 'Belly', our second release on Wheel & Deal: he asked for a 130 edit of the tracks, so we made them for him. And then we thought, right, let’s make him a track. So, yeah, when we were really happy with it, Roska was the obvious choice of who to send it to really.

H: And do you feel it’s important to make sure that whatever style or tempo it’s at, that it’s recognisably Soap Dodgers’ music?

J: Yeah, and I think even if you hear it for the first time and you have no idea who made it, when you realise who has made it you can sort of sit back and be like, ‘oh yeah’.



H: So would you say that you’re at a point now that your sound and your style has developed and matured into something that you can quite comfortably recognise as your own, as Soap Dodgers, and happily put your name to it?

J: I mean, yeah I suppose in a way, yeah, but at the same time we’re always trying new stuff and don’t really want to keep ourselves to a strict sound. I think as long as once you know the track is made by us, and then you can recognise it afterwards, that’s fine; but we’re always making new stuff so I don’t know how we’d class what our sound is exactly.

H: I suppose it’s difficult when you’re making such a variety…

J: Yeah, it is: when you’re stretching across so many different styles to keep yourself entertained, it’s hard to pin it down. And when there’s so many plugins in the world, you’re always finding new things and finding new stuff that you enjoy; and I think that’s the most important thing: if you like it yourself. So even if it sounds completely different, and it doesn’t sound anything like you, the important thing is that you like it. And right now, we’re only very early into our career and we just want to show what we can do, really. And we’ve got really short attention spans as well (laughs).

H: (Laughs) Yeah, I think I can relate to that one. Can you tell us a bit about the mix that you’ve put together for us?

J: Well the mix is just pretty much everything we’ve spoken about: we’ve tried to get everything in there that we enjoy playing and maybe give people an idea of what we play when we’re out. Although that’s quite hard because, again, it sort of depends on what we want to play when we’re out.

H: So, to finish up, can you give us a quick rundown of your forthcoming releases, and anything or anyone else you want to put the word out on?

J: I don’t really know, like, I don’t really like doing shout-outs because I always forget people (laughs). But yeah, anyone who helps us, they know who they are, so that’s alright; and, yeah, I don’t think there’s anything else really that we can say or want to say right now as those things aren’t really important at the minute, they’re not really materialising at the minute so yeah, in terms of releases the most current thing really that we can talk about is the Tempa one, which should be out in August.

H: Have you got a confirmed date for that yet, or?

J: Nah, (laughs) it’s hard to get a date out of them guys. But it’ll be on 12” and digital and the pre-orders are up already, I think.

H: Yeah, I’ve seen them up on Red Eye.

J: It can’t be too long then, it’s gotta be soon.

H: Although Red Eye can sometimes be a bit hasty with these things (laughs).

J: (Laughs) Yeah. The other one, though, is the ‘Unleashed EP’ on Wheel & Deal which has just come out, and that’s a double vinyl with full artwork sleeve and the digital is coming out too. Also, if you buy the full release from the Wheel & Deal Surus store then you get the bonus track, which is ‘Unbalanced’, too. But other than that: shouts to Justin Bieber and Jagermeister, safe.


Download: Soap Dodgers - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix


Tracklist:


French Fries - Hugz (feat. Bambounou) [ClekClekBoom]
Killawatt - Capa VIP [Dub]
Soap Dodgers - Unleashed [Wheel & Deal]
Icicle - Need A Job [Shogun Audio]
Soap Dodgers - Ill Minded [Forthcoming Tempa]
LX One - On My Own [Forthcoming Wheel & Deal]
Soap Dodgers - No. 6 (Benton Remix) [Dub]
Seven - Invasion [Black Box]
Soap Dodgers - Infinite [Dub]
Dismantle - Witch [Digital Soundboy]
Jammer - Big Man (Lost & Hatcha Remix) [Dub]
The Others - Bad Taste [Forthcoming Dub Police]

Soap Dodgers - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

.Preacha.

Competition: Win guestlist entry to the GetDarker Outlook Send-Off Party @ Cable, London & a fresh Hedmuk Tee #002

So with just over a week to go until we host the second room at GetDarker's Outlook Festival Send-off Party at the renowned Cable, in London, we're offering the chance to win plus-one guestlist entry to the event as well as a brand new Hedmuk t-shirt in the size of your choice and some stickers to boot; two runners-up will also receive plus-one guestlist entry to the night.

The lineup speaks for itself: with Pinch, Youngsta, Author, Chef, Jakes, Swindle and Darkside all taking to the decks in the main room, we'll be holding down room 2, proudly presenting our own carefully-selected ensemble of Ruckspin, My Nu Leng, Thelem, Versa, Crises playing a very special old skool set, Karma and Preacha. For more information on the event, including how to purchase tickets, head over here.

To be in with a chance of winning simply head over to the Hedmuk Facebook Page and share this image, leaving a comment with what size of t-shirt you would like to receive should you be chosen as the winner.

The competition will close on the 1st of August, on which date a winner will be selected at random by an independent third party before being announced on the Hedmuk Facebook Page, Twitter and notified via direct message.


.Preacha.

Competition: Win tickets to see Hatcha, Benga, Youngsta, Distance, Chef, N-Type and more at Croydub @ Black Sheep Bar, Croydon

Croydon is now well known as 'the place where it all started'; whilst the likes of Plastic People and 3rd Base are acknowledged for their pivotal roles in the development of the early dubstep sound, Big Apple Records' place in the history of dubstep is now firmly established and this is largely due to the presence of a certain DJ Hatcha.

Croydub events, held at the Black Sheep Bar in Croydon, have always been about remembering the roots of the sound and each lineup is, and has been, a testament to that. For this new phase in the Croydub story, then, it seems fitting that Hatcha - whose influence on dubstep is largely unmatched - should take the helm in inviting a group of DJs and producers who have all helped shape the sound in their own individual ways, and many of whom were there when it all began.

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to this event, simply send your answer to the following question to hedmuk@gmail.com with the subject 'Croydub Competition':

What was the very first release on the Big Apple Records label?

The competition will close on July 14th, a winner will be chosen at random by an independent third party and then notified by email and announced on the Hedmuk Facebook Page and Twitter.

For more information on the event, including how to find the venue and buy tickets, click here.

.Preacha.

Featuring: DCult

With an emphasis on atmosphere, DCult builds beats which carry a sense of mood. Important here is not only the mood but the building process itself, as each tune is meticulously constructed along a pseudo-narrative plane: each part of the beat is simultaneously informing and informed by that which is arranged around it, and the result is progression. It is perhaps this characteristic of DCult's productions that have made them a firm choice for leading DJs within dubstep, such as N-Type and Youngsta; these are original, hard-working, DJ-friendly tunes in the best possible way. This feature has long been in the pipeline, and has been well worth waiting for, we're sure you will agree...


Hedmuk: To introduce yourself, what's your name, where do you come from and how would you describe your sound?

DCult: I'm Dan Andreetti from Romford in Essex; I'd describe my sound as dark and atmospheric.

H: Do you consider yourself as a coming from a musical background, or was it something your discovered yourself? What was it that made you want to start producing, and had you been involved with other musical projects before focussing on DCult?

D: I wouldn't say I'm from a musical background as neither of my parents play an instrument or have ever been involved in music but it was definitely them that steered me in the direction of it. When I was at primary school I learnt some brass instruments and the piano which was all down to my parents paying for the tuition, and when I started secondary school I learnt guitar which I really got involved with off my own bat as I'd all ways wanted to be able to play. I went on to do a music tech course as I wanted to learn about recording live music and live sound, and it was there that I got into producing.

I'd always been into hip-hop but it wasnt until I started at college that I got involved with MCs who were recording their own tracks, making the beats and then recording the vocals in the studio we had. I started trying out the software at the studio, sampling vinyl for drums and loops and putting beats together; before long I was handing beats to the MCs at college. My main focus up until producing dubstep was hip-hop, and I still make the occasional beat and they will be showing up on a few albums.

H: You have close ties with Demon's M.U.D imprint; how did you get involved with the label, and how did it feel to be a part of both its first digital and vinyl releases? Have you got more M.U.D releases planned for the near future?

D: Yeah man, Demon's a top geeza. He got in touch via Fused Forces, I'd been meeting up with them on and off for about a year, swapping beats and they'd been playing them in their mixes. Demon emailed me saying that he'd heard some of my stuff and that Fused Forces had passed on my contact details.

Since then he's become an important part of my music, he knows exactly what works and exactly how to push things in the right direction.

Having 'Particle' and 'Inner Peace' released with M.U.D felt great, they were the biggest tracks for me at that time, seeing support from Youngsta, Distance, J:Kenzo & V.I.V.E.K, and M.U.D felt like the right label to represent them. I don't have any releases that I can confirm as of yet but there will definitely 100% be more M.U.D releases from me. In the meantime you can get the 'Deadly Hands of Shang Chi EP' which came out on June 11th.

H: Essex isn't a place usually associated with eyes-down, forward-thinking bass music: is there much of a scene for it there? Do you feel like you benefit from your proximity to London as a central hub for this sort of music?

D: No... (laughs) there's nothing. The only good thing to happen to Essex was Scruffy Hoodlum, a monthly night run by Fused Forces & S Dot in Southend. They're booking the right artists at a venue not too dissimilar to FWD: nothing fancy just a dark room with a big chest-pounding system. Other than that I don't think I can name another night in Essex representing dubstep.

I benefit when it comes to going to nights in London, like Fabric or whatever 'cause it's all about a half hour train ride in and you can always get a cheap dodgy cab home. Thing is now though, you don't have to go to London for this music, it's so wide-spread, some of the best producers are from outside of London and some of the best nights are outside of London, take Stink Like Sock in Cambridge .. oooffff.....  that place goes off. I'd rather travel to that instead of travelling into London on a friday night for a club with a load of half naked blokes chewing there faces off (laughs).

H: Take us through how you went about putting together the mix you've done for us.

D: For the mix I've used beats by artists that I feel are pushing the sound and production that best represents my perception of dubstep. With my mixes I like to progress through sounds and rhythms, so I started with the more minimal sounds and gradually build into a more rolling style of beat. I feel that a mix should be a journey of sounds, an experience rather than just mixing whatever beats I've got to hand; I tend to pick what beats I feel roll well together to continue 'the journey'.

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

D: As I've said there's no release I can reveal at the moment, but there will be some on their way and also a few remixes popping up over the next few months, so keep an eye out...

Download: DCult - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix

Tracklist:

Sleeper - Shelter [Dub]

Content - HDR830 [Dub]

Sleeper & District - Cobra [Dub]

Demon - Geth [Dub]

District - Painting The Mind [Dub]

Pheral & Content - Catharsis [Dub]

DCult - Silver [Dub]

Perverse - Resistance [Dub]

Demon - Parasite [Dub]

District - Backward [Dub]

Antics - Temple Of Doom [Dub]

Catacombs - Mantis [Dub]

Demon - Numatic [Dub]

Killawatt - Re-engaged [Dub]

DCult - Realm [Dub]

Sleeper & District - Ninth Gate [Dub]

District - The Shift [Dub]

Biome & Demon - Incubus [Dub]

TZR & Boot - Chiaroscuro [Dub]

Dcult - Setting Sun [Dub]

DCult - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

.Preacha.

Featuring: Seven

One of the most consistent DJ/Producers in dubstep today, Seven emerged from success in the drum & bass scene to quickly establish himself at the 140bpm spectrum with his tight, inimitably heavy productions, ranging from eyes-down rollers to dancefloor bangers, and his largely-unrivalled skills behind the decks which have seen him booked across the continents. Already boasting an impressive back catalogue, releasing on well respected labels including Tempa, Wheel & Deal, Subway and Aquatic Lab, he is set this year to release his debut LP on Black Box records; we caught up with him to talk about this latest project aswell as his long-running career in music production and DJing and got him to lay down 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?

Seven: Hi, I'm Seven, I come from London, UK and I make various forms of dubstep, covering a whole spectrum of styles accumulating to what people refer to as my signature sound.

H: Would you say that you're from a musical background, or is it something that you've picked up yourself?

S: As a kid I was totally in love with music. I had a very musical upbringing, but i never took to playing an instrument: I was more seduced by turntables and mixing. I guess that stemmed from being my dad's son, he had a huge record collection and loved keeping up with hi-fi technology, which it turn intrigued me too. He was into soul, Motown, jazz and everything else from there and in-between; so he was my first huge influence and he completely supported my interests and when I was nine he got some turntables, and so began my journey into mixing.

My sister also played a huge influence in the kind of music that I became attracted to and was enjoying mixing at home. She would often buy me records she'd heard in clubs and at raves she went to. So I had a good tune scout showing me what was working in the clubs and I was also loving what I was hearing on pirate radio stations that she showed me all about. It was all a good introduction to underground dance music culture from an early age.

The production side of things came later. It was largely due to the influence of my new friends who were producing music and deejaying in clubs: they showed me that there were other avenues to what I was already doing. So, at around the age of 14, almost 15, I made a 3 track EP under the alias DJ Reflex. I hired the studio time and the engineer to push the buttons for me and produce my ideas. The EP got signed, released and sold a modest amount of units, it was a great starting point and a huge achievement for me too. I was totally intrigued by the whole experience and was convinced I could make a future for myself [in music] by dedicating my life to it. So I started to save up money for studio equipment. It took me years to get a full outboard studio set up, there was no software studio process back then, unless you had a huge, expensive Pro Tools setup. It took a lot of trial and error too, because I didn't go to music production school to learn how to do things I just kind of found my own way. Feels like so long ago now; for almost a decade I have been consistently releasing music to the public and all on vinyl too, which I am very proud of. And the journey continues...



H: On top of your productions, you're well known as one of the tightest DJs in dubstep: is this something you consider to be important? Do you think of yourself primarily as a producer or a DJ, or a balance of both?

S: I guess I consider myself a DJ before a producer: it came first and the production followed. But saying that, I couldn't do one and not the other, so I have a good balance of both. There is a time and place for each of them and when you get them to work in unison, things flow and work well.

I think tight mixing and good DJ skills are essential: there are a lot of people out there playing sets that are not DJs, they are just producers playing CDs aided by technology. If you took CDJs out of clubs and everyone had to use vinyl, a lot of them wouldn't be able to keep the music in time or mix properly.

H: What was it that made you decided to switch your focus from making drum & bass to dubstep? Do you still make tunes at 170bpm, or is it something you've largely left behind now?

S: DJ Youngsta is a close friend, he constantly asked me to make a track for him to play out. Knowing I was quite an established producer I guess he could tell I would come up with something pretty good, so kept at me until I made a track for him. It was at this point I realised how D&B had become very formulaic for me: I was know for a certain style and was pigeon-holed into it. It was more of a production line than a pleasure. But I soon found dubstep to be inspiring and fun, I was enjoying the creative freedom it gave me and the ways I could express myself without worrying about sticking to boundaries and rules. I then started making more dubstep than D&B until eventually i was too busy with my dubstep productions to keep up with any D&B happenings. So, I changed my alias and decided on the name Seven: my lucky number.



H: Last year's 'Dubstep Dubplates' compilation presented an interesting combination of your work as both a producer and selector, how did the idea come about and are there plans for more releases of this type?

S: The idea was born from a company called Live Beyond, they asked me to compile a CD of tracks made by both up-and-coming and already-established producers. It represented a spectrum of music I felt would be received well by dubstep fans and new listeners alike. The project also focused on breaking new artists into the scene and helping them to establish their careers. It brought people like Lurka and Crushington into the public eye and also made possible the release of much sought after tracks by Benny Page.

There is talk of a second volume, but that's about as much as I know right now. I'll keep you guys updated though.

H:You've got an album forthcoming on Blackbox this year; how did you go about selecting tunes for the release and what can people expect from the album? Did you see an album project as an opportunity to depart from the sort of beats you would usually make, by incorporating vocals or aiming to build tunes not directly aimed at a big rig and a dancefloor for instance?

S: I made a lot of tunes for the album. I had like this natural selection process going on the whole time I was making them though, I had to literally stop my self making tunes in the end because the album was never going to be finished if I didn't. I just kept producing more and more tunes that I wanted to include on there and faced dilemmas about what I was going to take off to accommodate the new tracks which would replace them. All that said though, I am very happy with the chosen tracklist.

People can expect each tune to be individual, but with my signature stamped all over them. I haven't tried to steer away from what I am known for, instead I just pushed myself even harder to make better music. I have tried to accommodate everyone's tastes though, be it deep and minimal or dancefloor smashers. It's a definitive collection of my music and I feel I put my heart and soul into every track. My single releases vary so much from track to track it was a task to try and incorporate all of what I think people are expecting from it into just 12 or maybe 13 tracks. I have included some vocals tracks on there too. Vocals by Alys B on both tracks compliment the album perfectly.

I tried to make the album accessible to all: something DJs can play and also something people can listen to on their iPods. If you sit back with your headphones on and shut your eyes, each track has the potential to then take you on a musical journey in the mind.

H: Can you tell us a bit about the thought process behind the mix you've put together for us?

S: I have done a few podcasts and webcam studio mixes recently and mainly played a lot of deeper stuff. So, in this mix I wanted to show some more of the jump up dubstep that I like to play too. At points this mix is quite upbeat, as well as deep and dark: I showcase some of the harder edged and techy tracks from my album too and a lot of tracks by other artists who I think are on fire right now. I hope everyone enjoys it.

H: Finally, have you got any forthcoming releases or anything else in the pipeline that you want to put the word out on?

S: Well, I just did a mix CD for a big clothing label (can't reveal the name) that is to be announced soon and given out with all of their online orders: that's been such a huge opportunity for me right now. It showcases nothing but Black Box tunes, both released and brand new unreleased tracks by artists on the label including myself.

In response to forthcoming releases, I have nothing else planned apart from the album right now. It's been the main focus for the last 18 months; I do have some really solid tracks left over that I might sign if I can or maybe even give away for free. Needless to say, you guys will know all about that if I do.


Download: Seven - Hedmuk Exclusive Mix

Seven - HEDMUK Exclusive Mix by Hedmuk on Mixcloud

Tracklist:

Dub Phizix & Skeptical - Marka (feat. Strategy) [Exit]
Digital - Deadline (DJ Madd Rave-Alarm Refix) [Dub]

Benny Page & Zero G - Raggamuffin (feat. Tenor Fly) [High Culture]

Crushington - Chug [Dub]
Seven - Wait VIP [Forthcoming Black Box]
Seven - Stormz Over Marz [Forthcoming Black Box]
Seven - Siren VIP [Tempa]
Kutz - The Volt [Dub]
Skream - Darkin It [Free]
Seven - Bounce To This [Forthcoming Black Box]
>>>Skream - Filth [Tempa]
J:Kenzo - Engage [Dub]
Seven - Twilight Horizons [Forthcoming Black Box]
J:Kenzo - The Roteks VIP [Dub]
DJ Madd & TMSV - Difference (J:Kenzo Remix) [Black Box]
Soap Dodgers - Ill Minded [Dub]
LX One - Losing Control [Dub]
Biome - Raven [Dub]
DJ Madd - The Real And The Shadow [Forthcoming Black Box]
Skream - The Shinein [Deep Medi Musik]


.Preacha.