Review: Dark0 - I Ain't A Sweet Boy EP

Regular readers will no doubt already be aware of our appreciation for the North-West London producer, and indeed some of the tracks on this EP will already be familiar, having appeared previously as vocal bootlegs on the Zero mixtape.

Dark0 spends the majority of this latest EP indulging in melody, and the standout in this regard is 'Sweet Boy Pose': anthemic grime at its best, it sounds like Ruff Sqwad let loose on a room full of purple sound synths and is arguably some of Dark0's best work to date. 'PRS Riddim' - the title perhaps giving a cheeky nod to the Rinse FM airplay that the vocal version has received - shoots for anthem status too, with an irresistible hook beating its way past clattering snares. In another life, 'Fully Waved' is the euphoric soundtrack to a Mediterranean festival's video highlights, and 'Plasma Cannon' is the theme tune to a Sega racing game that never existed. Most probably reserved for the near-impossible final boss level. Both 'Karmmm' and 'Scyther', meanwhile, build trippy, spaced-out layers of loops on loops; the result is wide-eyed, hypnotic and, like the rest of the EP, indebted to Dark0's uniquely acute sense of tune and cadence.



Dark0 - I Ain't A Sweet Boy EP is available to purchase from Dark0's Bandcamp page now.


W.

Free Download: War Dubz II - Breen, Dark0, Arctic, Underclass, Epoch, Majora & more

It's been just under two weeks since Threnody launched his response to the war dubs and sends being flown out between grime's A-list producers, in which time there's been the round draw (documented brilliantly by Dark0), a week on the beats, the clash show on Sub.FM - which you can listen to again over here, or download here - and, following all of that, the official vote over here on Hedmuk.

So the votes are in and counted, and the winners are crowned as follows:

Dark0 [vs. Filter Dread]
SC: soundcloud.com/dark0

Kakarot [vs. Marcx]
SC: soundcloud.com/kakarotmakesmusic‎

Majora [vs. Mike Midnight]
SC: soundcloud.com/majoramusic

Name_pending [vs. Legend4ry]
SC: soundcloud.com/name_pending‎

Glot [vs. Strict Face]
SC: soundcloud.com/glot92

Epoch [vs. Underclass]
SC: soundcloud.com/epochalypso

Arctic [vs. Mella Dee]
SC: soundcloud.com/arctic

Rabit [vs. Breen]
SC: soundcloud.com/therabit‎

Zha [vs. Chemist]
SC: soundcloud.com/manlikezha

Crackatoa [vs. Mad EP]
SC: soundcloud.com/crackatoanotts

College Hill [vs. Dellity]
SC: soundcloud.com/collegehill

We also decided to name an overall winner, and picking one proved an easier task than the high standards across all the clashes might have first suggested: Rabit takes it home and leaves the rest of the pack trailing after ending 73 votes ahead of the nearest competitor at the poll's close.

As much as it does end there, it doesn't end entirely as we've a parting gift to everyone who's found themselves listening repeatedly over the clash entries since we posted them. The whole lot, bar Rabit and Chemist's efforts, are up for free download either individually or helpfully zipped up below:

Download: War Dubz II [.zip]





W.

Feature: War Dubz II

It all started with Bless Beats and an awkward attempt at something he used to be pretty good at, and from there the thinly-veiled Lord Of The Mics 5 promo stunt began to spiral with constant back-and-forths between the likes of Jammer, Wiley, JME, Preditah and Rude Kid over Twitter. Following this was a whole bundle of short, thrown-together pseudo-trap (and, admittedly, the odd banger) from not only the few producers who had started the whole thing but also, it seemed at least, anyone who's ever downloaded Fruity Loops and fancied a shot at the fast-dwindling limelight.

Severe quality control issues aside, the whole thing has had a fairly positive effect in terms of not only getting more producers back in front of their monitors again but also reigniting a debate about how grime sounds in 2013. And since we're not of the opinion that grime in 2013 sounds like trap, we were keen to see some younger blood coming through.

Wen came with a beat and arguably cleared the floor with everyone, and then wasn't included in the GrimeForum nominations. So it was that another previous guest of ours, Threnody, took it upon himself to instigate a new set of clashes, enlisting 22 of the best emerging grime producers to go head to head. Names were picked at random on Threnody's Sub.FM last week, with each producer given seven days to write a beat in their opponent's style but at a level that they could never reach.

The clashes are as follows, and will be aired live tonight, from 10-midnight GMT on Sub.FM.

1. Filter Dread vs. Dark0
2. Mella Dee vs. Arctic
3. Breen vs. Rabit
4. Chemist vs. Zha
5. Legend4ry vs. Name Pending
6. Mad EP vs. Crackatoa
7. Glot vs. Strict Face
8. Epoch vs. Underclass
9. Kakarot vs. Marcx
10. Dellity vs. College Hill
11. Majora vs. Mike Midnight

An unofficial vote will be judged from chatroom hype during the show, and an official vote will follow directly after the show right here on Hedmuk.

--- VOTING ---

The vote process is a simple one: all the clashes are available to stream in the players below, and the beat in each clash that has been favourited by the most people wins. To vote, simply click the 'Like' icon in the top right hand corner of the player.

Voting will close on Monday the 23th of September 2013.

1.   Filter Dread vs. Dark0


2.   Mella Dee vs. Arctic


3.   Breen vs. Rabit


4.   Chemist vs. Zha


5.   Legend4ry vs. Name Pending


6.   Mad EP vs. Crackatoa


7.   Glot vs. Strict Face


8.   Epoch vs. Underclass


9.   Kakarot vs. Marcx


10. Dellity vs. College Hill


11. Majora vs. Mike Midnight



To listen back to the War Dubz II show in full, use the player below to stream or download from here.

Threnody - War Dubz II - Sub FM by Threnody on Mixcloud

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Free Download: Dark0 - Zero

One of the very first artists to feature on Hedmuk, a zipped-up email from Dark0 is always bound to impress - whether on the sort of 'HYLI' girly-garage flex that had (if you'd believe it) the Boiler Room crowd two-stepping, the quick switches of 'Violate', or bending bootlegs over backwards and giving a track a whole new feel, as in 'Dnt Phone Me'.

After a quiet few months, there was finally more news on a long-promised mixtape. Collecting material from the last two years, and covering the full range of the Neasden producer's sonic palette, this is both an ideal introduction for the uninitiated and something to whet the appetites of the existing fans in the lead up to more releases later on in the year. And to add that little something extra, we've also snagged an exclusive grime instrumental - with a heavy nod to the dark sublow strain - to bring the total to 16 tracks.


Download: Dark0 - Zero


Tracklist:

1. HYLI (Grime Refix)
2. North West Nights
3. DNT PHONE ME
4. I KNW
5. Shinigami
6. Justice Riddim
7. Trapped Phase
8. Violate
9. WISE
10. MIDI Symphony

Bonus tracks:

11. GymGroup
12. UNTTLD
13. #3Titch
14. Killing Me (feat. Context)
15. Her

Hedmuk Exclusive Bonus:

Download: Dark0 - Bora



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Free Download: Dark0 - Serotonin EP

Since first introducing Dark0 back in May, the young North London-via-Birmingham producer has been making movements and has just had his first release on NE Records, entitled 'If Only'. The tune is a stepping, sub-driven number featuring a drifting female vocal and puts a perfect end to a summer of loved-up garage beats and euphoric vocals:



Buy: Dark0 - If Only

To promote this debut release, Dark0 has released a free six track EP packed with sort of deep rollers layered with intricate drum-work that have become a trademark of his sound. Preview and download the tracks below:





.Fukhed.

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.