Marka!

Dub Phizix and Skeptical feat Strategy - Marka/Rags (Exit Records)

After what has seemed like an eternity, the wait is finally over! Exit Records have proudly released the roller of 2011 Marka!

It’s been a crazy year for the scene since Skeptical and Dub Phizix began collaborating. They have caused a storm within the Drum and Bass world with their forward thinking productions, aided by Exit label boss dBridge who has never been shy about showcasing the future of Drum and Bass. It is arguable that Marka has set the foundations for many more artists wishing to delve into the ever darkening world of DnB. The roaring bassline and offbeat drum sound have become a permanent fixture in the clubs over the past few months with DJ’s such as Friction heavily supporting the track In his sets and even giving it a reload on his Shogun Audio Podcast. Strategy’s menacing vocals give this tune a unique edge to the new wave of MC lead tracks as of late.  If that wasn’t enough the double A side to this monster hit aptly named ‘Rags” with its rugged feel is set to be another cult hit by the duo. It once again challenges all foundations of the genre and it seems there is no stopping the creative genius that these two embody. To be honest if this is what the future of Drum and Bass sounds like, bring it on!

Wax returns...

Southampton’s number one student night has been through a lot in it’s short existence but it’s feet are firmly on the ground again this October in it’s new home, Junk!

Bigger venue, bigger sound system and bigger artists mean that Wax will continue to provide the city with the very best in bass music on a weekly basis, alongside the original Wax residents. So accept no imitations on a Wednesday night and keep your eyes peeled for the monster line up’s coming your way soon!

WAX IS BACK!!!

OUTLOOK HYPE!

Well this week all my friends and i can think about is OUTLOOK Festival! With less than a week to go, it is set to be one of, if not the BEST experience of my life. Having solely been on English soil for 11 years, it is going to be strange, yet amazing to finally get out of the country for a week with my favourite people and my favourite music!

In addition, the Southampton presence in Pula is going to be vast so it will be quite strange casually bumping into people you rave with back home in another country. Apart from that i don't really know what to expect, all i know is that i cannot wait to be lying on a beach in the sun with a beer in one hand, listening to chilled out tunes... Perfection!.

Whilst Drum and Bass is obviously my favourite genre, Outlook for me is about dabbling in all the other genres. I am especially looking forward to the Hit and Run boat party with the likes of Synkro and Indigo. This past year Synkro has made some beautiful music and seeing him play live will certainly be a higlight!

The Shogun Audio stage will also be a highlight of the week. Although i am little bit gutted that we didn't manage to secure any Shogun boat party tickets, at least we will be able to see the whole crew smash the decks on their own stage! I will be here all day if i continue to list ALL the artists i am looking forward to seeing as the Festival boasts such a massive and diverse line up. Spinline, Guido, Gentlemens Dub Club, Skeptical, Survival, Phaelah, Submotion Orchestra, Jehst, Foreign Beggars and David Rodigan are high up on my list!

See you on the beach! :)

Ram 100 @ Fabric.

Having only attended one other Ram night at Fabric in the past, i was deeply excited and hyped about Ram 100. Following the events across London prior to the event, entry was only permitted with a printed ticket, however this did not affect the sheer number of die hard ravers who were ready to unite through their love of music.

I was welcomed by the unmistakable sound of Break as he was closing his set, at this point the crowd in room one had been warmed up nicely and ready for the onslaught of bass that was coming their way from Calyx and Teebee. It was a rare opportunity to see the duo in room one at an event like this and it shows how Ram are second to non at representing all styles of Drum and Bass. Teebee opened with their monster hit 'Scavenger' which automatically demanded a reload. Their set was energetic from start to finish, a personal highlight was when Teebee's recent remix of Emalkays "The World" was dropped. The hard hitting bass thumped through room one and the Fabric sound system worked perfectly with the rumbling sub bass. Lena Cullens harmonious vocals teamed with Teebee's rough and heavy production worked well together and was a justified contrast to the original.

At 2am Marcus Intalex took control of Room one and provided the crowd with a blend of melodic soulfulness. Intalex impressed the crowd with tracks from his recently released LP "21" as well as some of his old classics. The best moment of his set for me was when he dropped "Celestial Navigation", although it has been around for a while it still has the same "hands in the air" effect and it gave a feeling of togetherness inside the large venue. It is and always will be one of them tracks that sends you into a trance and that is why Intalex is still at the top of his game after all these years. Also as an added bonus his set overran whilst Andy C arrived.

Andy C finally emerged onto the decks a little later than scheduled but this did not bother the crowd as they were more than ready to indulge in what the Ram boss had to offer. Andy C's powerful set featured many tracks past and present and he even switched it up and played some house and electro bangers. His set was like a journey through Rams history and there was not a dull moment throughout the 90 minutes. Meanwhile, Room 3 hosted by Virus was buzzing with a more heavy selection from the likes of Ed Rush, Optical and Fierce.

The final set of the night from Loadstar injected some much needed energy into the crowd after Andy C's set. There were no signs of lethargy in Room one and Xample and Lomax kept everyone on their feet til the very last tune. The whole night seemed to fly by in an instant and all the artists involved bought something different and exciting to the table. Ram100 was probably one of the most enjoyable nights i have ever attended and cannot wait to see what Ram has in store for the next event at Fabric.

David Rodigan – Wax – 11/05/2011

The most anticipated night in Wax’s history was upon us, with weeks of relentless hype, the atmosphere had reached critical levels inside Audio. Rocksteddy warmed up the intimate venue with his usual burst of dub hits and eclectic melodies, which got the crowd moving before the main act. The first glimpse of Rodigan approaching the decks sent a surge of bodies onto the dance floor and everyone knew the time was fast approaching to witness the legend in action. As MC Visionobi alerted the crowd of the last tune from Rocksteddy there was an appreciative roar of emotion and the mic was handed over to the man himself who needed no introduction. As soon as Rodigan grabbed the mic, the whole club went into a kind of hysteria that you would expect at a Take That concert. Wednesday night history was in the making!

It was a fitting tribute to have Rodigan perform on the 30th anniversary of Bob Marley’s death and many who attended extended this tribute by sporting Jamaican flags, hats and face paint. Rodigan obviously dropped many Bob Marley hits and spoke powerfully and warmly about the reggae legend throughout his set. It is extremely difficult to pin point the best parts of his set as there was something for everyone and everybody has there own personal favourite tracks of the night, Rodigan has never been shy about delving into all genres and all styles, old and new which sets him apart from any other DJ I have seen in the past and any other DJ I am likely to see in the future. His sheer passion for music was shared amongst everyone and it was great to see so many different people young, old, dub heads, Drum and bass heads, reggae heads all join together in unison to appreciate his uniqueness.

After his set I was fortunate enough to interview Rodigan and during the interview he spoke joyfully about the crowd and how he was happy to see “a sea of smiling faces” despite being around for many years and having played in so many different countries and venues he still gets the same buzz and excitement performing now even to a small crowd in an intimate venue in Southampton. He spoke humbly yet confidently about his achievements over the years and it seems like there is no stopping him in the future. A True gentlemen and legend, he made a massive impact on everyone who was in attendance. A truly remarkable night for the city that will never be forgotten.

Full video and exclusive interview by LJA productions coming soon…

Back in the game...

It has been TOO long since i have written anything in my blog and i feel totally ashamed and neglectful. There has been some amazing nights that i could of wrote about but the time has passed now and i must get my head down and continue writing about events coming up in the near future.

Tonight i am attending Plastic People in london which will play host to Icicles debut live set. There has been much discussion and hype about his latest plans to play a full live set. So being one of the first to witness it will be a great privilege.

Recently there has been a lot going on closer to home, last Wednesday Cyantific smashed the decks at Audio's Wax. Friday was probably one of the most memorable days in So'tons history as Newcombe Road closed for the Royal Wedding and pretty much the whole Solent population gathered to celebrate the Wedding in true Student style. Raygun and Release residents tore up the residential road and provided some epic entertainment that would make the Royal Wedding organisers jealous! Although there was some apprehension looming around the party it all went rather smoothly (apart from a couple of scraps) It was a truly remarkable and successful day and fun was had by all. The party continued at Soul Cellar where Released celebrated there 1st Birthday with another jam packed line up from Critical. Despite being totally wasted from the days events. I do know that all the DJ's played an amazing set and was a perfect end to a perfect day!

Metalheadz at Audio, Southampton...

For the past couple of months Audio have played host to a number of Drum and Bass label nights and now it was the turn of Goldies Metalheadz brand to touch down in the city.  Rockwell, Die and Break were headlining and also featured Southamptons Gerra and Stone. On mic duties were MC’s AD and Visionobi.

After a fierce warm up from Gerra and Visionobi, Rockwell emerged on the decks. From off the offset he smashed tune after tune. His unique style showed us what 2011 Drum and Bass sounds like. He stunned the crowd when he dropped "Aria" from his most recent EP of the same name. To describe this tune as tekkie would be a complete understatement and Rockwell is not a force to be understated. Beautifully intricate and simple sounding, Aria was definitely one of the best tracks of the night from certainly the best DJ of the night. 

DJ Die was next on the decks and veered towards a heavier sound. He mixed it up ranging from jump up to all out deep vibes as he opened with Phace and Misanthrop’s  eclectic banger “desert orgy”. Also Die played some old school club bangers such as “Timewarp” still sounding fresh after all this time it got the crowd going after Rockwell’s minimal assault.

Break was the last of the headliners and teased the headz with his still unreleased tune “Hot love” Although it’s been around for a while now it is still kept under wraps. However seeing as it has featured highly in Breaks sets recently maybe it is a hint of things to come? Talking of exclusivity, Break ended with what can only be described as a V.I.P of his smash hit, Slow down. The three headliners complimented each other very well and everyone loved the different styles coming together representing the Metalheadz sound greatly. Gerra and Stone played the last hour ending the night with a bang despite being cut off half way through.

Although the crowd turn out was not as large as it should have been. It was still one of best nights musically that Southampton has seen and proved why Metalheadz is up there as one of the most forward thinking labels in Drum and Bass.

Phaeleh at Unit...

After a heavy weekend of hard hitting Drum and Bass in Southampton and Bristol it was a nice change of scenery to witness one of the best up and coming dub producers, Phaeleh. Hailing from Bristol he has made waves in the underground scene for a few years now and despite only just beginning to hear his tunes i was very excited to see what the fuss was all about. 


Walking into the intimate venue that is Unit, it was an ideal setting for some chilled 140 vibes and there was the right amount of people there to create a relaxed atmosphere. His set was brilliant from the word go and he played a few tunes from his 2010 album "Fallen light" including "Lament" the mixture of soft vocals and deep bass provided a onslaught of emotion and peaceful serenity. He followed with "Afterglo" which featured the talented vocals of Soundmouse, a personal favourite. The lyrics take hold of you and heighten the senses in a way i haven't experienced from an artist since Burial. A bit cliche i know, seeing as Phaeleh is often compared to the anonymous producer but they both have the same soul and effortless simplicity which is impossible not to love. 


During his set he turned it up a gear and played some heavier dub. DJ Madds remix of Digitals "Deadline" automatically got the crowd going and showcased his talent as a diverse and exciting DJ. He also veered towards a more commercial route towards to end of his set which pleased a lot of the crowd, Including some dance floor hits such as Breakages remix of Sidney Samsons "Riverside". Although the party had only just got started it was unfortunately the end of his set. However he nailed it from start to finish. Phaeleh has certainly changed my view of the genre and reminded me that if you peel back the wobble exterior of Dubstep you will find the beauty underneath.





Video from LJA Productions including my interview with Phaeleh will be available to watch soon...

Digital Soundboy at Junk...

Last Friday Digital Soundboy debuted at Junk. Shy Fx, Breakage and BTraits were on the bill alongside Raygun residents Gerra and Rocksteddy and it was set to be a night of many styles and tempo's fusing together. 


I arrived at Junk about half way through BTraits set. I had not heard much about her til now so i didn't know what to expect. Her set though was very energetic and although i didn't hear her play any 170 sounds (maybe she did before i arrived) she certainly got the crowd going. Her choppy mixes and hard hitting electro beats thumped through the club and it was good to see a young female DJ smashing the decks. Definitely one to watch out for in the future.


Next on was the Digital Soundboy boss. Shy Fx is a legend in his own right and slating him would be in total bad taste. However some people felt that he had veered away from his trademark jungle sounds to more of a house style, which doesn't really fit his reputation as one of the leading pioneers in the Jungle scene. I understand Jungle is not appreciated as much nowadays but it is up to DJ's like Shy to re-introduce the style that created all the other Drum and Bass sounds you hear today. Saying that he did belt out his classics such as "original nuttah" and "Shake your body" which got the crowd going, a pretty standard set from the Jungle legend.


Man of the moment Breakage was the last of the headliners and what everyone had been waiting for. He is known for his more deeper styles and after a night of party anthems it was about time for some underground vibes. The first half the set was impressive and he played a lot of old treats such as M.I.S.T.S hit "Clockwork" and Alex Reeces "Pulp Fiction". Accompanied by Shogun Audios SP:MC, it was a match made in heaven. The second half of his set returned to the theme of the night, House. Breakage is known for his variation in style but hearing house again got a bit tedious for me. Despite this he is still one of my favourite producers, i think my personal music tastes got in the way of appreciating the range of styles that Digital Soundboy showcased. 


Gerra and Rocksteddy ended the night with a lively Jungle set, smashing out the classics and keeping the dance floor moving. As of late their sets have consistently been great and tonight was no exception, definitely the best set of the night.


Digital Soundboy are obviously a label promoting diversity, which is a good thing as music is always evolving. However the lack of Drum and Bass was a little disappointing and i expected a lot more from some of the DJ's. All in all though it was a good night and a great success for Raygun Youth and Bang Bang.

Recent antics...

It's been a while since i last wrote anything on my blog but seeing as i overslept and missed Uni (again!) I have decided to be productive. 


The past couple of weeks have been fairly momentous musically. Shogun Audio touched down in Southampton for the first time in the form of Friction, D Bridge and The Prototypes a couple of weeks ago. This was a wonderful treat for the So'ton Drum and Bass scene. I'm not going to lie i was pretty messy that night which means i cannot really comment much on specific song moments but it was a Shogun night, says it all really... 


Last Friday i travelled to Reading alongside And.i.shoot and LJA productions for Metalheadz at Sub89. The boys did a bit of filming for Jungle Drummer and DJ Vapour whilst i had a brock out with my good friend Laurel. Drummer and Vapour literally tore the place apart. Before that night i had only seen Drummer on Youtube so actually witnessing him live was something special indeed. I cannot fathom how hard it must be to drum at that tempo for an hour! He was even drumming one handed in some parts. I was also excited about seeing Metalheadz boss Goldie for the first time too! It was pretty cool being backstage so i could see his djing (and epic amount of gold jewelry) at a closer angle. 


A personal highlight for me that night had to be Commix. Guy Brewers minimal beauts were the perfect way to round off the night and i even had a little chat with him after his set. I'm Looking forward to interviewing Commix at the next release event alongside SpectraSoul in Southampton on the 18th February.


Talking of interviews I'm going to round off nicely with the video from the last Release night back in January. Critical Sound Southampton was a brilliant night and Release finally got the recognition it deserves with a packed venue. Although Release is strictly for the "heads" it was nice to see more people appreciating the deeper styles of Drum and Bass. S.P.Y was an absolute pleasure to interview and a generally nice bloke too! Check out the video by LJA productions... 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNH2lKCsJCI

Critical Sound hits Southampton!!!

Tonight is the night Southampton Drum and Bass fans have been waiting for. 


Release is back and better than ever with a Critical line up . Label boss Kasra and producer of the moment S.P.Y are on the bill alongside the up and coming duo Judda and Krakota. The line up also features Southamptons finest Gerra and Stone. On hosting duties are Visionobi MC and R-Dange. Critical music has been growing from strength the strength over the past year and 2011 is set to be even bigger for the label. 


It is hard to describe the "Critical sound" musically, it is a blend of melodic, tekkie and tribal sounds. The variation is what makes it different from any other label out there. Keep your ears peeled and listen out for the future sound of Drum and Bass over the next few months! Better yet, get down to the Soul Cellar and check it out for yourself!

Highlights of 2010...

2010 was for me probably one of the best years of my life... Despite a few mishaps it was the most enjoyable and most random year. I met loads of great people and attended some absolutely AMAZING nights in Southampton and London. The Drum and Bass scene in Southampton exploded with thanks to Wax, Raygun Youth and Release. Also i was lucky enough to be given the chance to interview some of the biggest names in the scene, such as Lomax, dBridge, Instra:mental, Icicle, Break, SP:MC.

Some events that really stuck out for me were all three Hospitality's at Junk, Southampton. It was nice to have a massive club night right on our doorstep and all three nights were brilliant both musically and socially.  Also both Shogun nights at Cable were personal highlights of 2010, Frictions sets will always stand out in my mind as being the best sets not only of the year but of all time.

It wasn't just Friction that wowed me this year. Andy C smashed the decks standardly and my love for jump up was restored by Ram Records duo of the moment Loadstar. I was so pleasantly surprised when they played at Audio back in October, they were so energetic and played tune after tune!

Production wise Shogun Audio's Rockwell and Alix Perez proved themselves to be up there as the best producers of all time. Perez's dark haunting bass lines and Rockwells tekkie blips make my spine shiver every time. Other favourites include Netsky, Loadstar, Camo and Krooked.

This leads on nicely to my top 5's of 2010

Tunes...

1. Break - Slow Down

2. S.P.Y - By your side

3.  Rockwell - Dj Friendly unit shifter

4. Icicle - Minimal Funk

5. Netsky - Mellow

This was unbelievably hard to decide as there were so many good tunes this year

Events...

1. Shogun Audio at Cable - August 2010

2. Hospitality at Junk - May 2010 (Raygun Youth)

3. Ram at Fabric - December 2010

4. Hospitality at Junk - January 2010 (Raygun Youth)

5. Icicle at Soul Cellar - November 2010 (Release)

Albums...

1. Break - Resistance LP

2. Andy C - Nightlife 5

3. MOS - Mixed presents Dj Friction

4. Noisia - Split the atom

5. Netsky - Netsky

DJ's

1. Friction

2. Andy C

3. Loadstar

4. Rockwell

5. Gerra

MC's

1. IC3

2. SP:MC

3. Visionobi MC

4. I.D

5. GQ