Resolute is a new night launching this New Year's Eve in Maidstone, Kent and drawing together dubstep and roots music through the High Rollers soundsystem. Boasting an extensive, finely curated lineup that includes RDG coming over from Denmark, the first appearance of J:Kenzo's latest project alongside Mosaix under the Artikal moniker, Dub Police mic man Rod Azlan featuring alongside the likes of Pressa, Legend4ry and, the man behind the night, Crisp.
To support the night's launch, Pressa and Crisp are giving away their deep roller 'Atom', a tune that steps tightly with swung kick drums and a reverb heavy snare driving a warm, grooving bassline, exclusively through Hedmuk.
With the recent reinvigoration of the half-step leaning deep dubstep sound, it seems that 'Angles' and the Orientis imprint which brings it forward will serve as an important defining point in the progression of the genre. At eleven tracks, the statement is of quality over quantity and this quality is ensured by label-head Thelem's intense attention to detail: there is no filler here. The whole collection is defined by an acute sense of control and restraint, and it is the addition of this element which is so vital to the overall success of the release as both a project and a statement from the artists and label involved.
Beginning with Thelem's own 'Illusions', the album takes a rolling start over tight kicks and a hypnotic panning synth before moving into the haunting territory of Killa & Instinct's 'Halftime' with its bulging bassline. Subreachers' 'Left Hand Path' adds a subtle skip to the beat with a scatter of high-hats over a growling bassline, which is extended by BunZer0's techy offering in the form of 'Recovering' and 'Krymia', the first of two tunes from Crisp, which trails a floating synth over neatly tumbling percussion.
It is at this point that Antics' 'Unconscious' drops in with a stripped-back beat and pulsing sub and settles the pace once more. This careful ordering of the tracks serves as another reminder of the attention given to the details as 'Apocrypha', a collaboration between Instinct & Thelem, gently draws the listener from their halftime sway. Collision uses tribal drums and an eery sample on 'Another Planet' to build in progression over a warping bassline and lead into Crisp's heavy roller, 'Surge'.
The penultimate track on the compilation, Pressa's 'Orbs', lets a tightly controlled bass melody flow under rounded synth stabs before Legend4ry's 'That Kid's Got Spirit' rounds of the collection with a twisting bassline, reverb-laced synths and something of a telling sentiment in its title.
To add to this, we've linked up with the Orientis family to exclusively offer something a little extra. First up is a free bonus track for the compilation from Pressa: 'Concussed' is a stuttering roller with plenty of swing in its drums and licks of his characteristically delicate, minimal synths. Also included is an exclusive mix of the tracks featured on the compilation which has been put together by Killa & Instinct and showcases the tunes featured, by a simple re-ordering and a series of subtle blends, in a different light.
It might have been the rise of the screeching, mid-range-led sound that has in recent years been taking over the image of dubstep that made the deeper, half-step end of the spectrum seem like the less soulful, even danceable option or it might easily have been 'Horror Show'; what is more clear though is the recent reclamation of this sound as the opposite of boring or motionless by a number of up-and-coming producers. The likes of Killa & Instinct, Lurka, TMSV, Myrkur and District are breathing new life into the sound, and Pressa is another name that can be added to that list. With a similarly progressive take on the sub-bass, halftime basics of dubstep and an audible jungle influence in not only his breaks but also his undulating basslines, Pressa is taking the sound forward with him. We caught up with the man himself to ask him a few questions, and he has laid down the latest installment in our exclusive mix series which features plenty of dubs and forthcomings aswell as an added segment of old school jungle tunes. Enjoi:
Hedmuk: For those who don't know, what's your name, where are you from and how would you describe your sound?
Pressa: I'm Pressa and I'm from the London borough of Bexley. I build dubstep and sub heavy beats for the mind, body and soul.
H: Would you describe yourself as from a musical background, or is something that you have picked up yourself?
P: It's something I've picked up. I was listening to underground music from a young age as my older siblings were into hardcore, jungle and house & garage music. No one in my family plays any instruments but we do love music, the neighbours used to complain alot (big up Colin!)
H: There is a clear jungle influence in a lot of your tunes, where does this influence come from and have you always made tunes in this way?
P: Yeah jungle is a big influence, I'm really into breaks and of course sub bass which are the main ingredients of jungle. It's been in the background a lot growing up so it would be hard to make music without the influence being there. I wouldn't say that all of my tunes are jungle influenced but a lot of them are yes.
H: What or who else do you take influence from when it comes to making beats?
P: I listen to a lot of drum and bass, dub, deep house, soul and old hip hop (music with soul or feeling). Music and sound in films influence me, I like the way it can add suspense or evoke a feeling.
H: You've included an extra segment of old jungle beats in your mix for us, is this something that you would often do for live sets?
P: I have played jungle before in dubstep sets and it goes down well, I plan on doing this more in the future.
H: Can you take us through how you went about putting together a tracklist for the mix?
P: The mix features tunes from friends and artists that I am feeling within the dubstep scene that are on a similar tip to what I am doing, as well as some jungle riddims from way back.
H: You play regularly on Rood FM; how did this come about and what sort of vibe do you try and achieve with your show?
P: I was on my way back from the pub and I bumped in to a girl I hadn't seen in a few years and she was with Fish who runs Rood FM, this was in 2008, 2 years later he hits me up and asks if I'm interested in a slot. I play a lot of my own material on the show as well as stuff with a similar vibe to me from upcoming and established producers. I also play some dnb and jungle. My show is every other Sunday from 8-10pm GMT but I am considering doing it every week.
H: Seeing as it's January, what do you want to have achieved by this time next year?
P: To have produced more music, get more bookings. I like to go with the flow really and just see what happens.
H: Finally, is there anything forthcoming or in the pipeline that you want to put the word out about?
P: I've got a 3 track 12" out on Orientis which should be out around April, also I am part of the forthcoming Mindstep compilation which is a collaboration with Crisp, as well as a 4 track original/remix EP with Bojcot Selectah which will be out on Top Drawer Digital in the summer.
Phaeleh - Lockdown (feat. Jut Lew) (Forthcoming Open Earz)
Be-1ne - Illusion (Area) Pressa - Blue Mood (Forthcoming Orientis) Jack Sparrow - Way Out West (Cloqworq) Dcult - End Of Days (Dub) TMSV - Cold (Box Clever) Subreachers - Tsukuyomi (Dub) Spherix - Rule Of Threes (3.5) Killa & Instinct - Halftime (Dub) Coleco - Morbid Curiosity (Orientis) Randall & Andy C - Sound Control (Ram) Deep Blue - The Helicopter Tune (Moving Shadow) Fire Fox & 4-Tree - Warning (Powder Mix) (Philly Blunt) Die - Something special (V)
