Revival: Whistla interview for dubstep.ro - 2008

This is the second interview in a series of articles published on dubstep.ro somewhere between 2007-2008. A couple of weeks ago we revived a rather long discussion between Tomasan and Hotflush's A&R at the time - c0p.

This time it's Whistla's turn. Before we (at that time - dubstep.ro and Yazee) got him to play over for the first time in October 2008, we had a quick chat with him about Sub FM, Dubstep, the potential revival of 2-Step and UK Garage (which actually happened!) and...just about records leaning on a desk.



A fun and quite relevant read for those who missed out on some things 4-5 years back, way before L2S Recordings was born and well before the term Future Garage was coined.

Interviewing affairs handled by myself - Antonio Nartea.

1. Ez mate and loads of thanks for spending your time on this interview. How’s stuff in the UK?

Yeh not bad bro. I’ve been obsessed with the Olympics the last couple of weeks, haha! Been busy with lot of bookings this summer getting out of London for gigs and stuff so everything’s been going nice.

2. First of all, tell us something about yourself and especially, besides DJ-ing and producing, who’s Whistla as a listener, what are your main influences and maybe your favourite artists?

Well I’m from the “hardcore continuum” as people seem to call it. I first started getting properly into music in the late 80s / early 90s. I used to be a regular hardcore raver for many years before actually building or DJing tunes (my fav producers from that time were Satin Storm, the way their tracks would barely hold together is amazing). Then along came Garage…lol.

I’m a big big fan of Todd Edwards, I listen to his stuff all the time still and would probably say he is the single biggest influence on me. I am also a massive fan of KMA Productions and recently did a mix of all their released tracks. Something people may not know is I was / am a massive fan of Pavement, the way they carried melodies across instruments, so that no one instrument carries the melody alone, and also their whole approach was really inspiring to me musically.

More recent people I am a big fan of include: Dem 2, Sunship, Steve Gurley, Horsepower, The Avalanches, El-B, Mala, Mr. Pud, Burial, M2J, Sully, Martyn, LHF, The Wideboys…there’s honestly so many people I like! People I’m feeling most at any given time are usually in my top friends on my myspace page: www.myspace.com/djwhistla. I could go on listing names forever! Haha.

Stuff I have laying on the side next to me right now: my record box that has what I played this week on the radio (tracklist on my blog), a CD of Ratty and MC Robbie Dee Live at Dance Planet in ‘92, Pavement - Brighten The Corners, some new Blackmass Plastics tunes, some LHF tunes and some M2J tunes, Todd Edwards - Odyssey, Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works Vol. 1, a Sabrepulse CD, a stack of old mixtapes, a Submerse CD, and a few old Acen and 4 Hero tunes leaning on the desk.

3. Let’s focus a bit on your DJ career. When did the story begin and since when SubFM? What’s the tale of “Warehouse Meditation” after all?

Well I started DJing in about 96/97 and building around the same time. I started playing on Addiction 95.2FM and from that started to get bookings in most of the big raves of the time (Raindance, Dreamscape etc.). After playing the hardcore Breakbeat scene for a few years I decided it was time to go exploring the world and boxed up my tunes and went off travelling over Asia. When I came back I moved up to Sheffield and got involved in a station up there (Rush Radio) and decided that FM and all the OFCOM stuff was getting out of hand and seeing that the net was becoming so prevalent everywhere I thought why not start an online station, no OFCOM to worry about, and be able to make sure the right music was on it. So that I could tune in at anytime and would stay tuned in, rather than keep scanning. And so SubFM was born (May 2004). It was perfect timing really as Dubstep at the time was just getting underway properly and there was no online outlet for it that was reliable and regular. From that the station has grown to what it is now. My path since SubFM is more well known I assume, I moved back to London and have been here 3 years now. Back in my hometown.

Well “Warehouse Meditation” is kind of a an idea of how I go to a night, or how I would want a night to be. People in a “warehouse-type” place, be it a warehouse, cellar, bunker etc. and the “meditation” of just being in a dark room with bass and nothing else, no lasers, no dancers in neon. Like the original raves but with the modern appreciation of sound and quality systems. I guess the whole idea, for me, stems from Garage nights in warehouses were the budgets were tight, and lasers etc. weren’t worth the expenditure, so they would get a system in a place, and let the music fill it out.

4. Your sets are more like a bridge between Dubstep and it’s ancestors. You’re blending in all types of UK Bassline stuff from old Garage tunes, 2-Step to the newest sounds of Dubstep. How did you come up with this style?

I didn’t think “I know I will do this…”. I just sort of got to this point by just building tunes that I like and I’ve kind of evolved to making the stuff I make now. I am one of those people that has to build, it’s my creative outlet and meditation in one. When I’m building I enter into my own space where all i’m thinking about is the music and nothing else. The end result is the tunes, but I don’t set out to make a certain type of tune or anything, it just happens. I get influences from what’s around me and what I hear of course, but I never set out to make something sound a certain way, I just go where the tune starts to take me as I’m building it.

5. Are the “old school sounds” like Garage or 2-Step still catchy for the people out there, in the clubs or on the radio? No one seems to talk that much about these genres nowadays.

I would say that Garage and 2-Step are only as “old school” as House and Techno is. Fair enuff the genre name has been around a while, but the excitement to be found in the sounds and melodies is neverending. It depends where you are I think as well, in my area Garage classics are still played in all the club nights. I think that out of London (in my experience) Garage and 2-Step never really had anywhere near the impact that it had in London. London and Garage, I think, will forever be tied together.

6. As a producer also, you’re actually a bit “old school”, influenced a lot by Garage, Speed Garage and so on. Also you’re running a couple of labels hooked up on this sound too. Tell us more about it.

Yeh, Ox Rider is my vinyl releasing label, we have had 4 releases so far “Heaven / Rollerball” being the latest. I’d been wanting to start a new label for a while and managed to get a deal with ST Holdings to distribute my stuff. I have the ethos of “would I buy this?” and running my own label allows me the freedom to put out what I like without having to tame down my music. A lot of label owners are worried about putting out stuff that doesn’t easily fit into “the mould” whatever that may be for the genre you’re talking about. Running my own labels allows me to just go with my instincts and not have to answer to anyone but myself.

Warehouse Meditation is kind of my little digital project, we have only had one release on that so far (”Sacred As Standard / Weed College”). I have another release lined up for it and will be putting other artists out on that one to give exposure to tracks and artists that people otherwise won’t get the chance to own. In the future there will be a Warehouse Meditation EP on Ox Rider featuring some of the most popular tracks, but that’s once we have put more out on it!

7. Considering the fact that you’re actually a main man at SubFM, and you’re also producing and running two labels almost exactly on this profile, have you ever thought about yourself as one of the DJs that kept / keep the 2-Step sound alive?

Difficult question. I wouldn’t have said I was saving it, at least not on my own! I just play the tunes that I get, and find, that I like. I think there was definitely a point where the popularity of Dubstep and a particular trend in Dubstep had a flash point and you would hear a lot of people building with similar beats and sounds, and that did make me re-evaluate what I want to be making and playing. But as for setting out to “keep 2-Step alive” I don’t think it went anywhere, people just stopped paying attention.

8. Switching to the Dubstep scene, stuff’s been a bit divided lately into techy sounds, dancefloor bits and so on. There are producers out there blending Dubstep with lots and lots of other genres from Minimal Techno to Dancehall. Do you have a favourite sound, from all the styles out in the scene?

I don’t really have a preferred sound as such, I like the fact that the scene has so much freedom for experimentation. It’s a testament to the listeners that they are willing to listen to such different stuff in one night. I will like a diff type of tune for a diff reason at a diff time and I love how Dubstep can cater for all these moments.

9. “Warehouse Meditation” also sounds to me like a great name for an event series. And I’m not talking about 200 people sitting in yoga positions in a warehouse. Haha. I mean, huge Garage, 2-Step, Dubstep raves. Have you ever tried building a promoting brand under this name? It could be the long-awaited revival of Garage.

I would love to put a night on and have been chatting to people about it, so watch this space is all I can say for now.

10. Science fiction: If UK Garage and all the related genres never existed in the first place. Would you have chose not to DJ at all or to start with other genres?

Haha. well do you include Hardcore in that? Cos I played Hardcore many many moons ago (and I’m sure someone who has thought about the “hardcore continuum” more than me would have something to say on it! Haha). I don’t know, I would have been doing something in music that’s for sure!

11. „Heaven” was, is and will be, personally, one of my favourite tunes. A scoop on future releases? Future projects? Will there be any new artists signed at your labels?

Well I have a few tunes signed up at the moment: “Larry” - Clandestine Cultivations, “Riot Squad” - Bankai Recordings, “Rain Hits The Sun” - Ringo Records and “River of Tears / N35″ - Warehouse Meditation Music.

I’ve got a lot of new material I’m working on at the moment and would like to do an album, I’ve still got to find a label that would be interested. Ox Rider will stay as just Whistla productions but yeh Warehouse Meditation will be taking on new artists in the future. Keep checking the sites.

12. A shout out for the Romanian massive?

Yeh I would like to say a massive big up to everyone in Romania, thanks for your support!!! I will hopefully be over to play for you soon!

13. Thanks for your time again bruv, and wishing you the best of luck in whatever’s next to come.

No worries bro, safe. Take it easy.
Swivel!

-

More about Whistla on www.whistla.com. Sub FM is still running, just entered its 8th year online and can be found here: www.sub.fm.

BASICS Podcast 014 - WRK

I think it's fair to assume there's never been a specific dance music subgenre that suffered more mutations than UK Garage over the course of the years. Starting off with the progressiveness of US Garage and carrying on through the percussive brilliance of classic UK imports, the posh R&B mixture introduced to the mass audiences by Luck & Neat and Artful Dodger, through Dark Garage, Horsepower, Gurley, Bias and the foundation of Dubstep, through 2-Step and 4/4, through Whistla, Sub FM, L2S and the whole coining process for the term Future Garage, even through Control-S and Hed Kandi, through Blackdown and Keysound, up to date along with Jacques Greene's, Mosca's or DJ Q's revamps and the huge amount of inspiration provided for various Bass Music producers out there - it has been through it all.



So, figured our fourteenth issue should reflect some of the past, current and future forms a chopped, bubbled riddim can take, and to do so we turned to one of the trusted true-school Garage / 2-Step / early-day Dubstep / Broken / Bass Music heads around: WRK.

WRK has been involved literally for ages, pushing all sorts of shuffled and bass-heavy sounds in his home town - Targu Mures, among all sorts of other places. If you were around in 2008 he played a brilliant warm-up set - which we can still remember almost entirely - for Whistla's first visit in Bucharest. If you missed it back then, we shared a couple of line-ups since and it's safe to say he's yet to disappoint!



His contribution for BASICS is a staggering 135+ bpm collection of eighteen carefully selected, properly (!!!) mixed Future Garage, Dubstep and Bass Music tracks. Whether you're looking forward to hear the classics - Kode9, Zed Bias or Goth Trad - at work, whether you're more likely to respond to new blood such as Vessel, Mock The Zuma or Throwing Snow, whether you're in for the hype associated with Distal or Damu - it's all there and the mixtape will deliver!

In our own words, we're talking about shuffled chopstick madness with sizeable amounts of bass on the side here. Punchy enough to make you wiggle your chair, smooth enough for some after-work decompression at home and definitely something we'd take along for a laidback nite drive on snowy roads. Believe us, you're in for such a treat this time!

Tracklist:

01. King Midas Sound - Meltdown (Kode9 & The Spaceape Rework) [Hyperdub]
02. Luska - Autobiography (Original Mix) [Dub Fetish Records]
03. Pale - Why'd You Even Say (Original Mix) [Fat! Records]
04. Cauto - 35 [Disboot]
05. Fontaine - No Cure [Gradient Audio]
06. Vessel - Ton [Left Blank]
07. Goth Trad - Sublimation [Deep Medi]
08. Distal - Space Graffiti [Tube10 Recordings]
09. Damu - Ridin' The Hype (feat. Trim) [Keysound Recordings]
10. Acre - Ghatt [Embassy Recordings]
11. Mock The Zuma - Black Puddle [Fullfridge Music]
12. Enigma Dubz - Between Me And You [Four40 Records]
13. Zed Bias feat. FaltyDL - Lucid Dreams [Tru Thoughts]
14. LPZ - Problems (Ave Blaste & Tom Central Remix) [Keep Up!]
15. Aeon - Different Quotes [Area Recordings]
16. Throwing Snow - Pyre [Local Action]
17. Funk Ethics & Lucid Directions - Together (Original Mix) [Boka Records]
18. Aphex Twin - Tha (Stavrogin Remix) [Free Download]

DOWNLOAD (via Sendspace - available for 30 days)

Make sure you rinse it thoroughly and tell someone about it.

Also, two more classic mixes signed off by WRK - Believe Me Winston and a guest mix for Tamaka's Spaecial Beats - are available here.

BASICS Podcast 003 - Tomasan

House flavours with a spice of Jack. Totul atent selectionat, asa cum ii sade bine lui Tomasan. L-am invitat sa ne spuna o poveste four to the floor cu ocazia editiei a 3-a de podcast. O poveste cu mult suspans si cu un final epic!

BASICS Podcast 003 ia forma unei incursiuni House under-130 bpm cu vechi si noi, mai funky sau mai jackin', pentru capetele oldschool sau pentru noul val, pentru living room sau pentru club in egala masura. Nu avem de gand sa spunem prea multe de data asta. Let the rollin' beats talk.



Mai jos gasiti mixul la stream via Mixcloud, download via Sendspace si evident un Q&A cu Tomasan.

Tracklist:

01. San Soda - Doorsnee [We Play House]
02. Delano Smith - Direct Drive [Mixmode]
03. Story - Feel About [Story]
04. Motor City Drum Ensemble - Raw Cuts #3 [MCDE]
05. West Norwood Casette Library - Blonde On Blonde [Teal Recordings]
06. Kaspar - So Right (Gerd's Old School Remix) [Clone Club Series]
07. Ripperton - 1976 (Sebo K Remix) [Perspectiv]
08. FaltyDL - Discant [Planet Mu]
09. Julio Bashmore - Battle For Middle You [PMR]
10. Cosmin TRG - Liebe Suende [Rush Hour]
11. Cajmere feat. Dajae - Brighter Days (Underground Goodies Mix) [Cajual US]
12. Doc Daneeka - Electric Sandwich Rhythm [PTN]
13. Sailor Mood - Headless Scream [Apparel Music]
14. St. Germain - Rose Rouge [Blue Note Records]

DOWNLOAD (via Sendspace - disponibil 30 de zile)

Knowing Tomasan:

BASICS: Salutari. What’s cooking today? La propriu, la figurat dar in special in materie de muzica.

Tomasan: Salutare! Mai devreme Penne Integrale cu Hering filet si sos de branza dulce, busuioc, piper mozaic, sare si ciuperci proaspete cu castraveti murati langa, iar in materie de muzica, v-am pregatit un mix. Techy, housey!



B: Stim sigur ca discutia asta are un soundtrack de ambele parti. La noi curge FACT Mix 220 – Rolando. We’re on a Techno spree. La tine?

T: De cateva zile sunt blocat pe Koelnbeben.de's Finest care nu ma mai lasa sa ascult Rinse FM seara.

B: Inchide laptop-ul si da play la un CD sau disc din apropierea ta. Fara sa te ridici de pe scaun. Cu ce ne incanti?

T: Fara sa ma ridic de pe scaun, as da play la un disc cu Egberto Gismonti.

B: Ok, lucruri mai factuale. Mai are sens sa te prezentam? Toata lumea stie in esenta cine e Tomasan. Spune-ne tu ceva ce nu stim despre tine.

T: Ati vrea voi.
Din ce stiti deja despre mine, pun muzica. Dar asta parca stiti deja.

B: Tomasan mixeaza de vreo 5-6 ani buni si a trecut prin multe genuri muzicale in timpul asta. Fiecare party-goer te cunoaste dintr-o perioada sau alta. Unii isi aduc aminte seturile alaturi de Loefah & MC Sgt. Pokes sau Benga, altii petrecerile din Other Side, altii sunt ceva mai melancolici si prefera sa isi aduca aminte de tine din perioada Tech-Funk sau Casa Tralala. Ca sa inlaturam orice dubiu, pentru ascultatorul de azi, ce zona muzicala e reprezentativa pentru tine in perioada actuala? Ce e cel mai probabil sa se auda cand esti tu la butoane?

T: Intr-adevar am avut o perioada de tranzitie sau mai degraba jocuri de fuziune cu un gen sau altul. Initial, puneam aproape numai Breakbeat si faceam insert-uri de Broken Beat si 2-Step, acum am renuntat aproape complet la Breakbeat si prefer sa mixez House, Broken Beat, Garage si poate putin Techno.
Perioada in care am mixat Dubstep a fost misto, imi cumparam multe discuri, ieseau release-uri memorabile si regret ca nu se mai face atat de mult Dubstep cum imi placea odata, in schimb in ultima vreme au scos capul cateva release-uri fantastice din care ma gandeam intr-o zi ca poate fac un mix; pe de alta parte gasesc mult din ce-mi place in esenta la Dubstep in release-uri Techno.

B: Faptul ca ai bifat cam tot intr-un range destul de mare de bpm ne sugereaza faptul ca ai un criteriu propriu – damn efficient, we might add - de selectie a muzicii pe care o dai mai departe. Ce inseamna un track bun pentru tine? Ce cauta Tomasan cand face digging?

T: Un track bun e un track bun. Asta nu inseamna ca imi si place. La cele care imi plac, e destul de simplu: Imi plac. Asta nu inseamna ca vor place si oamenilor.
E complicat sa fii subiectiv cand vorbesti oamenilor cu muzica pe care o invarti, cum e la fel de greu sa ramai obiectiv cand trebuie sa pui piese care iti plac in primul rand tie.
Cand caut muzica, caut atmosfera. De dancefloor, de cafenea, de sufragerie, de citit sau de obicei de starea in care sunt.
Cateodata sap dupa piese Wonky, Hip-Hop, Dub sau Drum&Bass sau cumpar CD-uri si viniluri second hand de orice fel.
In orice caz, un track bun pentru mine ca DJ inseamna sa reusesti sa ii faci pe ceilalti sa-l placa. Sa zicem asa.

B: We got intel. Esti un fan inrait al plasticului si stim ca ai facut chiar si drumuri in Budapesta pentru record shop digging. Spune-ne cate ceva despre colectia ta de discuri. De ce inca plastic intr-o lume digitala, cu CD playere, USB, Serato, Torq, Ableton Live si asa mai departe?

T: Colectia mea de discuri e mult spus dar da, m-am dus si pana la Budapesta sa-mi cumpar si de oriunde am fost in Europa, m-am intors cu discuri acasa, that's for sure; ma mai duc si prin piete second hand in provincie si gasesc multe surprize.
Discurile mele de muzica electronica sunt din diverse genuri: 2-Step, multe Tempa si Hessle Audio si in general goodies Dubstep, primele white-uri de la Roska Kicks & Snares, UK Funky vechi si in general discuri atent selectionate. Mai am o colectie de cateva sute de discuri Jazz si muzica anilor 80, precum si muzica clasica si discuri de gramofon.
Cat despre scule, imi voi cumpara in curand Serato, tocmai ca sa am acel vinyl touch mereu, dar si pentru ca punand numai de pe Serato, mai poti cara si discuri dupa tine la party. De CD-uri sincer m-am saturat si as vrea sa renunt la ele complet, iar punand direct din soft sau de pe USB, nu ma vad.

B: Pe langa faptul ca ai mixat alaturi de un numar mare de headlineri din tot soiul de zone ale muzicii electronice si pentru crowd-uri diferite, ai cochetat si cu promoting-ul in cateva cazuri. Sa presupunem ca ai buget la discretie pentru un eveniment relevant pentru intreaga scena de muzica electronica din Romania. Ce line-up faci si de ce?

T: Buget de discretie inseamna pentru mine intre 500 si 2000 de Euro, bani cu care ai putea chiar sa faci un clubnight destul de OK. Nu ai putea sa aduci un headliner mare, dar ai putea cu siguranta sa atragi atentia unora dintre iubitorii unui gen.
Abia astept sa-l vedem pe Ben Ufo (n.r. Lubb Dubb 01 cu Ikonika, Ben Ufo, Aeromaschine & Toné pe 25.02 la Palatul Universul, Bucuresti), ma gandesc ca la fel de usor am putea sa ii vedem si pe Pangaea, Ramadanman, Untold, pe cineva din crew-ul Rinse FM sau Swamp81, MJ Cole, Zed Bias sau Elgato si lista e lunga... Shout to promoters, of course.

B: Ca sa incheiem intr-o nota ceva mai realista, spune-ne ceva si despre mixul de fata. Ce, cum, de ce, pentru cine?

T: Fiind pentru BASICS, am inclus cateva din piesele pe care le-am pus la editia la care am fost invitat, cateva piese mai vechi pe care unii poate le-au auzit la BASE Cafe sau in Other Side. Sunt si release-uri noi, dar si doua surprize vechi. Multe din piesele din mix fac parte ori dintr-o subcategorie House, ori sunt Broken Beat, ori un Garage mai lent. In mare: House... pentru ca nu stim cum sa le spunem altfel.
E facut pentru cei care pot asculta un House funky si acasa la o gateala sau la un joc de carti.

B: Iti zicem un mare „multumesc” pentru ca ai acceptat invitatiile noastre si o zi cat mai faina!

T: Big-up!

Mai multe audio goodies de la Tomasan pe Soundcloud. DJ set il puteti auzi pe 17.02 la Tralala Club in capitala si pe 05.03 la Sala A.S.A. in Targu Mures.

Hello, 2011!

And Hello BASICS on the net.

Ne aflam in categoria de muzica noua, muzica experimentala, fusion, broken beats si mult shuffle. Piese preferate, top-uri de la DJ, istorioare, muzica buna.

Urmatorul top BASICS poate va fi altfel, poate un top 10, poate un top de vanzari, top labels, poate o recenzie sau un clip fresh de pe Soundcloud, va propun sa ramaneti curiosi...Parca se zicea ca traiesti mai mult?

De ce fac eu primul top? Mi-a zis Toné ca ii place muzica pe care o pun si mie imi place a lui. M-a prins de la inceput (si eu pe el), iar preferintele noastre se potrivesc cu conceptul muzical de party BASICS.

So...Acesta nu e neaparat un top, cat o referinta despre gusturile si preferintele mele, in ton cu BASICS si in general muzica buna de ascultat oricand, pentru orice iubitor de muzica electronica.



Roots

Mi-am facut vreme de vreo 2 ani veacul in Breakbeat. Tech-Funk, in special. Pentru ca era mai sec, mai deep, mai experimental si cu percutii mai taioase. In timp ce Nu-Skool Breaks-ul isi mentinea cursa si aparea un Electro Breaks wobble-uit si pe alocuri 4/4-izat, Tech-Funk-ul cu care ne-au obisnuit label-uri ca Lot49, 10Kilo, Botchit Breaks, Functional, Streetwise, Boom Box sau Finger Lickin (care in 2010 a oprit productia de viniluri) parca nu a mai prins.

Cu release-uri de la artisti ca Meat Katie, Dylan Rhymes, Move Ya! & Steve Lavers, Plump DJs, Simply Jeff, Soul Of Man, Force Mass Motion, Lee Coombs sau mai obscurii Uberzone si Habersham (numai cateva exemple), Tech-Funk-ul s-a cam sters de pe harta sau mai apare din cand in cand ca un experiment sau o amintire. In plus, multi dintre producatori nu mai fac muzica, unii fac muzica diferita, altii produc sub alte alias-uri sau stau infundati in munca de studio.

Pentru un DJ care iubea Tech-Funk-ul, abundenta era atat de mare incat iti mareai saptamanal colectia de viniluri, mai ales ca cele mai multe track-uri ieseau initial pe 12'' si abia mai tarziu in format mp3.

Cateodata mai intru pe Chemical-Records, iau toate release-urile de “Breakz” in ordine inversa a datei lansarii si le ascult.

Pierzand treptat ritmul, am inceput sa-mi caut ritmurile sparte in Dubstep - facand slalom downhill Alberto-Tombian printre wobble-bass-uri - preferand partea mai tehnoida, combinand producatorii inca preferati de Breakbeat (Plump DJs, Stanton Warriors, Drumattic Twins, Peo De Pitte) cu piese de la producatori de Breakstep (Bassbin Twins, Gella, Baobinga, I.D.) sau Dubstep (Benga, Milanese, TRG, Ramadanman, Martyn, 2562, Scuba, Peverelist, Pinch). Aproximativ in acelasi timp Dubstep-ul lua amploare si banda rulanta de release-uri prindea viteza.

De referinta sunt albume ca Burial – Untrue (Burial despre care se spunea – pana sa-si posteze o poza de profil pe Myspace – ca este un alias de productie al lui Fatboy Slim sau Armand Van Helden), Kode9 & The Spaceape – Memories Of The Future, ambele publicate pe legendarul label Hyperdub; El-B – The Roots Of El-B sau primul release 12'' de pe Tempa – Horsepower Productions – Let's Dance / When You Hold Me, ori release-uri de pe label-uri ca Hessle Audio sau Apple Pips, productii Ramadanman, TRG cu Hessle Audio 001 – Broken Heart / Put You Down si remixurile esentiale ale lui Ramadanman la Put You Down si Martyn's DCM Remix la Broken Heart (considerata poate cea mai influenta piesa de Dubstep produsa vreodata) pe Hessle Audio 002 si in general cam tot ce scot label-urile astea pe piata.

Soul Jazz, Naked Lunch, Berkane Sol, Punch Drunk, Hemlock, Planet Mu, 2nd Drop, This Is Music, Unique Uncut sau 7even completeau paleta de experimente tehnoide in timp ce in paralel, label-urile de Dubstep intunecat ca Immerse, Hotflush, Dub Police, Deep Medi, DMZ, Chestplate etc. promovau sound-ul deep, dark and wobbly.

Bridge

Cand vine vorba de Fusion, Bridge si Experimental dance music, prima piesa care imi vine in minte este Sven Vath – Fusion. Jazz, muzica clasica, Funk, Swing, presarate cu un bleep acid-uit in partea a doua si avand repetivitatea caracteristica muzicii electronice, in general. Daca va imaginati un beat de orice fel, fie 4/4, Breakbeat, 2-Step sau Dubstep peste ce auziti, you'll get the title. Daca ar fi avut o parte sincopata in masuri de trei patrimi peste care sa se potriveasca un beat de Drum&Bass, ca sa dansezi si vals si samba in acelasi timp prin casa, ar fi fost poate perfecta.

Primii producatori care imi vin in minte pentru ce a insemnat pentru mine Fusion-ul preferintelor mele in materie de muzica electronica sunt 2562, Martyn si Ramadanman; continuand incursiunea temporala, voi mentiona din ce in ce mai multi producatori, insa cei trei sus numiti reprezinta pentru mine cel mai tare conceptul.

Dupa primul sau album Aerial de pe label-ul Tectonic (in totalitate Dubstep, accelerat, foarte divers in percutie cu mult dub influence si efecte reverberate si ecou, aglomerat pe alocuri si cu toate astea simplist), 2562 si-a creat mai tarziu propriul label A Made Up Sound, creand in acelasi timp un alias de producator si lansand un CD-release experimental, intitulat Shortcuts. In acelasi timp semna productii si remixuri Techno la alte label-uri ca Delsin, Clone Basement Series si mai nou Monkeytown.



Pe Twitter, Cosmin TRG a definit directia noua a lui Dave Huismans asa: “Gangsta Techno”. Word.

Martyn inseamna 3024 si invers. The 3024 World.

La inceput, producator de Drum&Bass pentru label-urile Play:Musik sau Revolve:R-ul lui Marcus Intalex, Martyn a intors paleta si a inceput sa produca Dubstep...Techno?
Cu piese mai vechi ca Velvet, Twenty Four, All I Have Is Memories sau Vancouver, dadea o noua directie sound-ului, iar odata cu lansarea albumului Great Lengths de pe propriul label 3024, edifica Techno-ul in ritmuri 140 bpm, amprenteaza influenta dubby in Is This Insanity in colaborare cu The Spaceape (cu un remix semnat Ben Klock) sau se asezeaza alaturi de dBridge sa compuna These Words, intr-un moment in care si dBridge incepuse sa produca Dubstep. Un pionier.

Nu in ultimul rand Ramadanman. Percutia face tot si tocmai cand nu te astepti. E un deliciu sa asculti pentru ca trebuie sa fii atent - aproape nimic nu este linear.



Infiintand impreuna cu Ben Ufo label-ul Hessle Audio, promovand artisti ca TRG, Pangaea, Martyn, Joe, James Blake sau Untold si producand pentru Tempa, Soul Jazz sau 2nd Drop, Ramadanman a inceput si el sa experimenteze. Techno, House. Dupa release-urile la Apple Pips (Humber si Justify) cu remixuri de la Sven Rumber si Will Saul & Mike Monday, a venit mai intai the remix-bomb a lui Untold la Revenue si un disc la label-ul lui Untold (Hemlock) iar de la colaborarea cu Midland si recentul Ramadanman EP, producatorul londonez cu sound inconfundabil promitea prin munca lui ca va ramane la fel de divers si in 2011.

Printre alti producatori ca Untold, Shed, Geiom, Brackles & Shortstuff, Baobinga, Mickey Pearce, DVA, Cosmin TRG, Moderat, Modeselektor, Siriusmo, Bok Bok, L-Vis 1990 sau Mosca si altii, acestia au fost printre primii care sa deschida era fuziunii intre Dubstep si 4/4, creand si aparand pe noi label-uri pentru a promova artistii si muzica across the board si aducand noi genuri neoficiale in vocabularul revistelor online ca FACT, XLR8R, Resident Advisor sau Knowledge Mag: Post-Dubstep, Bass Music, Freestyle 4/4, you name it.

2-Step, Garage, Broken Beat

Jazzy, funky, ritmuri sincopate / sparte. Influente ale genurilor sus numite au inceput sa rasara din diverse studio-uri precum cel al lui Kenny Dope sau cel al lui Fatboy Slim. Altii spun ca influentele merg mult mai departe la formatii precum Kool & The Gang care au lansat experimente in care se combinau Funk, Soul, Jazz sau Rhythm & Blues. Pioneer sound.

In UK Garage, cel mai profund m-au lovit MJ Cole si Zed Bias aka Maddslinky aka Phuturistix, care au inceput cu cate un pas in care sa calce mai tarziu multi artisti, consolidand genul.

Label-uri ca Prolific, XL, Sick Trumpet, Compost, Brownsound sau Sidestepper, 2nd Drop, DPR sau fresh-ul L2S dau ritm release-urilor, consolideaza artisti consacrati si lanseaza talente noi, mentinand 2-Step-ul, Garage-ul si Broken Beat-ul in fruntea listei de genuri consacrate sau creand subgenuri noi precum Future Garage.

Tempa

The Label. Al meu preferat, nu pentru ca mi-ar placea tot, ci pentru ca are de toate pentru toti si in plus o selectie de artisti si un film muzical pe care putine label-uri le au. Dubstep, 2-Step, Garage, fattest Wobbles, Techno!



Inca de la primele release-uri ale Dubstep don-ilor Benny Ill, Dinesh, Lev Jr. si Nasis aka Horsepower Productions din 2000 (conducerea gruparii fiind preluata de Benny Ill si Jay King de aproximativ jumatate de deceniu), albumul lui Benga – Diary Of An Afro Warrior, Skreamizm Vol. 1 si continuarile, promovarea unor artisti ca Headhunter, TRG (Cosmin TRG), D1, Modeselektor, Dub-U, 2562, re-release-ul sub o forma mai speciala (un dublu 12'' si un CD-release) al The Roots Of El-B sau antem-ul Night produs de Benga si Coki, Tempa parca le avea pe toate.

Ritmul accelerat de release-uri a fost incetinit de nimeni altul decat Cosmin TRG cu EP-ul Now You Know, EP despre care s-a spus ca este primul release House (daca se pot caracteriza piesele in vreun fel) pe label-ul Tempa, cu 6 track-uri cu muzica noua.

Asa cum a inceput in 2000, Horsepower Productions incheie anul 2010 pentru Tempa cu release-ul Quest For The Sonic Bounty. Daca va era dor de Dubstep from the Roots, cu fat Wobble, fastest beats and tightest claps, Water o sa va curga in playere mult timp de acum incolo.

Monkeytown

Modeselektor. Apparat. Pfadfinderei. Moderat. 50 Weapons. Monkeytown.

Acestea sunt cuvintele cheie pentru ce avea sa devina noul sound mondial de muzica cu mult bas, muzica experimentala, House, Techno, Bass Music, Dubstep, Glitch.

All-in-one si all-inclusive.

Colaborarile dintre artisti, diversitatea muzicala si alaturarea unor nume din scena mondiala care altfel poate nu s-ar fi intalnit, este de-a dreptul cu-gura-cascat-lasatoare.

Cuvintele sunt de prisos, sa lasam muzica sa vorbeasca: Monkeytown Records pe web.

Top BASICS: Producers, Tracks, Labels.

Mosca



Odata cu aparitia VA – Elevator Music Vol. 1 pe label-ul Fabric si piesa Gold Bricks, I See You, sound-ul a luat-o spre alt nivel. Cu release-ul Square One / Nike pe Night Slugs si remixuri de la L-Vis 1990, Roska, Bok Bok, Greena si Julio Bashmore, nu era de mirare ca Mosca avea sa continue la fel de select. Remixul la Heartbeat a lui T. Williams e, pentru mine, cea mai complexa lui lucrare de pana acum. Top.

T. Williams feat. Terri Walker - Heartbeat (Mosca Remix) [Local Action]

T. Williams feat. Terri Walker - Heartbeat (Mosca Remix) by Mosca

James Fox

In special dupa release-ul Put It Back cu remix de la Ramadanman, James Fox este un producer demn de urmarit. De curand a aparut un experiment de-al lui pe Soundcloud cu un vocal care mi-a amintit de copilarie, Hip-Hop, R&B si Basketball si care de prima oara de cand am mixat-o, a starnit zambete, headbangere si bootyshakere pe dancefloor. E vorba sample-ul vocal din Something For The People - My Love Is The Shhh! Check it out.

James Fox - New Jack Swing [Unreleased]

James Fox - New Jack Swing by James Fox

Sebo K

Numarandu-se printre primii (daca nu primul) DJ care sa aduca sound-ul UK in Berlin si ulterior si pe cel US (in special din zona Detroit si Chicago), despre Sebo K nu trebuie sa spunem multe, la fel cum nu ii poti pune o amprenta muzicala, influentele fiind atat de numeroase incat va las pe voi sa definiti, preferatele mele fiind doua re-take-uri de-ale lui, la doua piese de la doi producatori la fel de importanti. Electronic music for jazz lovers.

Ripperton – 1976 (Sebo K Remix) [Perspectiv]

Ripperton - 1976 (Sebo K Remix) by Ripperton

Martyn – Elden St. (Sebo K Watergate Edit) [Watergate]

Martyn - Elden St. (Sebo K Watergate Edit) by Watergate Records

3024

Dupa cum am mentionat si in introducere, albumul Great Lengths este edificator cand vine vorba de influente muzicale si fuziune intre genuri.



Cu propriul sau label 3024, Martyn a dat amploare experimentelor futuristice, dovada fiind ultimul release din Noiembrie 2010.

Martyn - Left Hander / Shook Up [3024]

Martyn - Left Hander by 3024

Martyn - Shook Up by 3024

Cosmin TRG

Inca de la release-ul aniversar Digital Distorsionz 1st Birthday Extravaganza care se downloadeaza gratis de pe pagina lor de internet, Cosmin Nicolae – cu moniker-ul de atunci, Deffanition – aducea un sound aparte Dubstep-ului. Urmau release-uri ca Your Friends Like Techno si EP-ul Missed Calls, ambele la Subway, release-uri ce aveau sa-l aduca in atentia scenei mondiale de Dubstep. Release-ul la Tempa (Decisions, Harajuku with Dub-U si Back In The Days), primul Hessle Audio 001 (Broken Heart / Put You Down cu remixurile de pe Hessle Audio 002 semnate Ramadanman si Martyn), precum si bangerele Oi Killa! si Everything We Stand For de pe label-ul exclusivist infiintat de Tayo (Cool & Deadly), ori dancefloor smasher-ul Baobinga feat. DJ Nasty – State Of Ghetto Jackin' (TRG's Brooklyn2Bucharest Remix), aveau sa-l pozitioneze in fruntea producatorilor de Dubstep, la nivel mondial.

TRG nu numai ca facea scandal pe ringurile de dans new-york-eze sau londoneze, ci era inclus pe compilatii ca Tempa Allstars sau FabricLive-ul mixat de Freq Nasty sau avea sa semneze primul remix de pe album sampler-ul Greymatter – Believe In Something.

De aici incolo, Cosmin a ales sa se alature unei elite putin diferite a sound-ului experimental sau mai degraba avea sa calce in aceeasi pasi cu artisti ca sus numitii Martyn, Ramadanman sau 2562 / A Made Up Sound, abordand nu neaparat aceeasi directie, cat aceeasi indrazneala de a crea mai departe.



Si-a schimbat moniker-ul in Cosmin TRG si a inceput sa compuna piese 4/4, Bass Music, House, Techno. Primele piese noi au fost auzite in seturile DJ-ilor Rinse FM sau emisiunile Dusk & Blackdown, printre piese unreleased ca See Want Get Now, track-uri precum Now You Know, Tribal Flex sau Since Last Night se faceau cunoscute pe BBC Radio 1, in seturile lui Benji B sau Mary Anne Hobbs. Deasemenea, XLR8R punea la free download piesa Love 2 Hide, din care iti puteai face cat de cat o idee in ce directie o ia sound-ul sau, iar la scurt timp dupa, a venit release-ul atat de asteptat: Now You Know. Un double 12'' – 4 track-uri noi noute ca sound – Purple Lights (considerata de critici bijuteria EP-ului), banger-ul Twilight Riddim rasmixata de DJs de Bass Music, piesa Funky Discotek (inclusa cu mult inainte de release de MJ Cole in FACT Mix-ul sau) sau – Since Last Night, in heavy rotation pe BBC Radio 1 si 2 piese mai degraba Techno 140 bpm decat Dubstep – Siberian Poker si Strobe Lick.

Tribal Flex avea sa fie pusa la download in exclusivitate pe Beatport, iar Now You Know, piesa care a dat titlul EP-ului, a fost share-uita gratis de Cosmin pe site-ul oficial Tempa. Daca le-ati pierdut la momentul respectiv e bine de stiut ca piesele sunt inca disponibile in shop-ul Tempa.

Cosmin isi continua incursiunea in Techno cu un release experimental pe label-ul Hemlock al lui Untold (Tower Block si Béton Brut). Cine stie piesa unreleased Just Me din perioada lui de Dubstep, avea sa recunoasca elemente, squeeks & bleeps folosite ulterior pentru piesa Tower Block.

In acelasi timp ne transmitea ca nu a uitat sa dea cu basi grasi si beat-urile taioase, dovada fiind colaborarea cu Baobinga la I Get Ruff, pe label-ul Build.

Prezente la Techno Parade in Paris, la Unsound in New York si Polonia (unde avea sa prezinte primul live set in premiera back2back FaltyDL) sau la Sonar (pe langa numeroasele prestatii in cluburi in orase ca Tel Aviv sau Copenhaga, printe multe altele), nu erau decat o urmare fireasca a muncii sale de studio.

Si nu avea sa se opreasca aici. Cosmin goes soulful, deep, experimental. Release-urile de la celebrul label Rush Hour (declarat label-ului anului 2010 de catre Resident Advisor) – See Other People si Groove Control, precum si remix 12"-ul FaltyDL – St. Marks (Cosmin TRG Remix) / Cosmin TRG – See Other People (FaltyDL Remix), i-au deschis orizontul lui Cosmin catre o arie larga de beat-uri experimentale din gama House, Techno, Experimental dance music.

Va invit sa ascultati release-urile lui, in special cele recente de pe label-ul Rush Hour, remixul la Nosestep-ul lui Aardvarck de pe acelasi label, variantele Original si Extended la Space Station Love Affair de pe noul Monkeytown, precum si mixurile lui live postate de promoteri pe Soundcloud, podcast-urile de la Rinse FM sau Fabric Live Promo Mix.

Cosmin TRG - Sores Of Attraction / Liebe Suende [Rush Hour]

Cosmin TRG - Liebe Suende by CosminTRG

Cosmin TRG - Sores Of Attraction by CosminTRG

Cosmin TRG – Space Station Love Affair [Monkeytown]

Cosmin TRG - Space Station Love Affair by Modeselektor

FaltyDL

L-am lasat la urma pentru ca FaltyDL aka Drew Lustman, este producer-ul meu preferat la ora actuala. O sa sune cheesy, dar ascultam si nu-mi venea sa cred ca parca fiecare sunet era anticipat in mintea mea inainte sa iasa din boxe. Am I Lucky...

"The reason why I produce anything at all called Garage, technically, is because of where the kick drum and snare is. Stuff like that." Am inceput sa caut si sa citesc. De unde vine? Cum s-a apucat de muzica? Ce a facut inainte? Am descoperit ca face Sushi acasa, ca s-a apucat de muzica la varsta de 5 ani, ca a fost saxofonist si basist, a cantat la pian, ca initial facea Jungle, ca a trimis un pachet de 50 de piese la label-ul preferat (Planet Mu) si n-a primit feedback niciun cuvant si ca trebuie sa fii insistent si enervant ca sa reusesti.



Cu track-ul Human Meadow a dat startul unei avalanse de piese si remixuri, piesa mentionata fiind anthem-ul de pe albumul Love Is A Liability release-uit, tocmai pe legendarul label new-york-ez Planet Mu, la care alta data semnau artisti consacrati ca Luke Vibert, Venetian Snares, Vex'd, Virus Syndicate, Benga, Pinch, Marry Anne Hobbs sau Boxcutter.

Au urmat numeroase release-uri, printre care un 12" cu trei piese – Phreqaflex, Because You si My Friends Will Always Say, cu vocaluri magnifice si un beat puternic care aminteste de 2-Step-ul lui El-B, Xylofoanele lui Martyn sau synth-urile si percutiile imprevizibile ale lui Dave Huisman (2562 aka A Made Up Sound).

"UK has Dubstep and Jungle. New York has Hip-Hop and Jazz. They both share them […] Garage comes from New York. House comes from Chicago; before UK. But UK made it better."

Urmatoarele release-uri au urmat la Rush Hour, 50 Weapons sau Monkeytown, le gasiti mai jos.

Falty DL – St. Marks [Rush Hour]

Anthony 'Shake' Shakir - Assimilated (FaltyDL Remix) [Rush Hour]

FaltyDL - Large Flash [50 Weapons]

Falty DL - Large Flash by Modeselektor

Falty DL – I'm Gonna Show You Somethin' [Monkeytown]

FaltyDL - I'm Gonna Show You Somethin' by Modeselektor

In incheiere, va amintesc ca am mentionat mai devreme cuvantul Bridge, atat de folosit in ultima vreme, tocmai datorita fuziunilor si experimentelor muzicale din ultima perioada.
Si cum nimic nu poate defini personal muzica mai bine decat propriile timpane, va recomand o piesa surprinzatoare.

De la Pinch (owner-ul Tectonic) recunoscut ca fiind printre primii promotori ai sound-ului Dubstep, cu release-uri la Tempa, Punch Drunk, Planet Mu sau Ninja Tune si figurand pe coloana sonora Children Of Men, alaturi de Kode9, Random Trio, Pressure si Digital Mystikz, va sugerez o piesa cu un sound cat se poate de interesant.



Pinch reuneste in titlu doua elemente care aparent se resping: Croydon (orasul de provenienta al Dubstep-ului) si House. Croydon House. Release-ul figureaza pe label-ul Swamp81 infiintat de Don Loefah, care inca din 2004 experimenta la randul sau influente care se pot infiltra in Dubstep, lansand un disc cu 4 piese Dubstep pentru label-ul Big Apple, cu influente pe care le puteti identifica singuri din titluri: Jungle Infiltrator, Jazz Lick, Indian Dub (si Life Dub).

Piesa lui Pinch, cu un intro parca din tenebre si o atmosfera cat se poate de DMZ-iana, seamana cu productiile lui Peverelist, Scuba sau mai batranul Aphex Twin, are beat 4/4, percutii cat se poate de sparte in background, compresii si reverb-uri care creeaza un spatiu cat un Warehouse si aduc sunetul de departe, plus eternul clap care aterizeaza insistent, la fel ca in majoritatea productiilor Dubstep.

Pinch - Croydon House [Swamp81]

Este de fiecare data o ocazie imbucuratoare sa scriu despre muzica, I love it so much. Celor care nu asculta muzica sau declara ca nu le place muzica, le recomand un psihiatru.

Textul de mai sus nu e decat o faramita din cat as fi vrut sa va povestesc, promit ca revin cu alte recomandari, poate urmatorul text va fi unul dedicat in exclusivitate Tech-Funk-ului, ori noilor artisti si label-uri care la inceput faceau ce se numea UK Funky si continua sa produca muzica greu de definit, pentru ca suna de fiecare data altfel si nou, sau poate va spun ce ascultam pana la Electronica.

I hope this will be a beautiful Bridge to the New Year!

Autor: Toma Soare aka Tomasan