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 - 2011 WRAP-UP

Not much chit-chat needed. Wrapping up 2011 on 10th of December this year. A night out where we intend to play whatever it is we played most out there for the past 12 months or so. And also where we would like to see most of you fellas following our activity online.



Same old venue: BASE Cafe (Str. Sepcari 22, centrul istoric). We're starting at 22 sharp and since it's a one-off, there will be no admission fee.

Spinning:

✦ BLACKTEE ✦ (Hsuan Records, No Stranger To Danger)

BASICS Podcast 009 - Blacktee - http://bit.ly/qc36gX

✦ TAZU & ANDREI ✦

BASICS Podcast 004 - Tazu - http://bit.ly/h4vjv2
Andrei's beats & edits - http://bit.ly/rP6QF7

✦ REASH ✦ (Room Music, DubKraft)

BASICS Podcast 008 - Reash - http://bit.ly/lpiOvO

✦ TONÉ ✦ (BASICS)

BASICS Podcast 007 - Toné - http://bit.ly/jqyVHD

-

RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/events/168522263244842/

✦ http://basicsclubnight.blogspot.com/ ✦

Poster: Oana Cambrea - http://cutteroz.carbonmade.com/

Tell a friend!

Preview: WRND012 - Gongon & Bad Autopsy - EP1

Any sound produced by the means of an electrical signal may reasonably be called electronic and we've always heard criticism leveled at electronic music that goes something like: "But is it "real music" or something inauthentic and artificial? You're just pressing some buttons man, that's not music!".

I disagree with this criticism on a fundamentally philosophic level - Music is not just a series of sounds, it is a series of feelings. And it might be kind of difficult to express your feelings, making or listening to electronic music. But it seems that one of the hottest up and coming London-based producers - Gongon - can handle that little problem.



Rapidly building a name for himself as a unique figure in an overcrowded pool of producer talent, Gongon comes to Well Rounded Records with a forthcoming brilliant EP set to be released in early / mid-December.

Well Rounded Records is, as you already know, a label based in Brighton, UK, which is run by DJ, producer and passionate music head Donga, a specialist in pushing new vibes of UK House / UK Garage. Talking about fresh vibes, Gongon's forthcoming EP will be a nice surprise for everyone.

Connoisseurs of the uplifting, piano-House vibe - this one’s for you. „Come Around" slowly builds around stabs of percussion, kicks & snares and choppy synths that sound anything but static. These are anchored by a particularly sticky bassline that reminds us of the sound that Well Rounded has become known for. What really makes this track though is Gongon’s unbelievable skill at chopping up vocals, ensuring this tune will not leave your ears for a long, long time. In other words, this is amazing!

Gongon & Bad Autopsy go tropical on „Cactus Banger” approaching Kwaito riddims and Soca-ish percussive artwork from a whole different perspective. Spaced out, broken drum patterns, half-rolling „four to the floor” basslines and a catchy theme make for a straight-forward club attraction very much in tone with any „breaking news” experiment going down in the UK Funky sphere at the moment. Something that would get a couple of rewinds anytime.

My personal favourite still remains „I Could Be There" which is the most catchy thing I’ve heard since Mosca's „Done Me Wrong". Even though it has a sample from Ciara’s „Like A Boy”, somehow Gongon made a fantastic vocal line which glides smoothly over light percussion and deep bass stabs. This is a warm and bouncy track that has a real potential to get dancefloors moving.

WRND012: GONGON (featuring Bad Autopsy) 12" EP by Well Rounded Records

It is notable how successful he is in combining the warm tones of House beats with the woozy synths and choppy samples of today’s Bass scene. This is that Future-Garage music both for the head and the heart; for the floor and the headphones. I guess it's a stellar debut and also it’s an essential release for any DJs looking for something fresh.

Follow Gongon’s production work here: SoundCloud and grab one of his latest tracks, for free, via Boiler Room.

More from Well Rounded via Facebook or their SoundCloud account.

Denisa Lazar

BASICS Podcast 001 - Polochord

Asa cum am dat deja de inteles in repetate randuri, incepem odata cu lansarea portalului BASICS si o serie de podcasturi semnate de DJ relevanti pentru directia noastra in materie de sound.

BASICS Podcast 001 aduce in prim plan un DJ / producer fresh pe scena de muzica electronica bucuresteana. Un newcomer care ne-a impresionat in numeroase ocazii, atat prin promo mix-urile lansate pana acum, cat si prin prezenta la butoane la al treilea BASICS, in vara 2010.



Cu un sound propriu deja bine inradacinat in zona ritmurilor sparte synth-influenced, Polochord livreaza o selectie de referinta pentru BASICS, ce priveste atat in trecut - prin anthem-uri Oldschool Garage ca Anytime-ul semnat Nu-Birth sau Y-Tribe's Underground Mix-ul absolut IMENS la Colour Girl - Joyrider - cat si in viitor, bifand cativa din artistii nostrii preferati: Julio Bashmore, Cosmin TRG, Velour si senzatiile Jacques Greene, Lone sau Gold Panda.

Pe langa podcast, Polochord a acceptat sa ne raspunda si la cateva intrebari. Interviul il puteti citi mai jos. Mixul se afla si el la un scroll distanta, disponibil la stream sau download.

Tracklist:

01. Gold Panda - Vanilla Minus [Ghostly International]
02. Lone - Ultramarine [Magic Wire Recordings]
03. Oriol - Memories (Jake Slazenger Remix) [Planet Mu]
04. Julio Bashmore - Ask Yourself [PMR Records]
05. Jacques Greene - (Baby I Don't Know) What You Want [Night Slugs]
06. Cosmin TRG - Love 2 Hide - available at www.xlr8r.com
07. Nu-Birth - Anytime [Nu Jak Recordings]
08. Bad Autopsy - Rotpot [Ramp Recordings]
09. Martyn - Left Hander [3024]
10. Jackal Youth - Broken [Reduction Records]
11. Dorian Concept - My Face Needs Food [Ninja Tune]
12. Velour - Kick It Till It Breaks [Night Slugs]
13. Colour Girl - Joyrider (Y-Tribe's Underground Mix) [4 Liberty Records Ltd.]
14. Eliphino - You'll Know [Somethinksounds.]
15. The Streets - Has It Come To This? [679 Recordings]
16. FaltyDL - Large Flash [50 Weapons]
17. Mount Kimbie - Maybes (James Blake Remix) [Hotflush Recordings]

DOWNLOAD (via Sendspace - disponibil 30 de zile)

Knowing Polochord:

BASICS: Ok, in primul rand pentru publicul larg, cine este Polochord? Ce face? De cand? De ce? Cum suna? Cum arata lumea in care se invarte Polochord?

Polochord: Polochord este un tip din Bucuresti. Ocazional pune muzica pentru altii. Pe langa asta, face muzica, in curand ascultabila. A inceput, mai serios, de vreun an si ceva. Suna a tot felul de chestii intre 90-140 bpm. Ii plac vinilurile, graphic designul si sintetizatoarele analog.



B: Am incercat sa schitez in intro evolutia sound-ului tau insa am impresia ca se duce mai departe decat imi imaginez eu. Asadar, Sfanta Treime: Ce artisti te-au introdus initial in muzica electronica, cine te-a facut sa vrei sa mixezi si cine te-a adus la sound-ul actual? Un mini arbore al influentelor tale?

P: Am ajuns la muzica electronica via Hip-Hop. Am trecut cumva natural dinspre J Dilla, Madlib, RJD2 inspre Dabrye, Prefuse 73, Flying Lotus si tot ce a venit dupa el. Dubstep-ul nu ma incanta prea tare la vreme aia, si am sarit complet era wobble, dar dupa ce am ascultat Burial, am fost atras iremediabil. Perioada in care m-am hotarat propriu-zis sa ma apuc de mixat coincide cu momentul in care am ascultat setul lui TRG de la Sonar din 2008. La sound-ul actual m-au adus Floating Points, Zomby, Deadboy, FaltyDL si in general tot ce vine dinspre Black Acre, Hyperdub, Planet Mu, Hotflush si altele. Cat despre Sfanta Treime, pe langa Burial, as adauga Bonobo si Boards of Canada.

B: DJ – Ce hardware / software folosesti si cum gandesti un set de club sau un promo mix?

P: De ceva vreme am devenit foarte confortabil cu Torq / Ableton controlate de un Akai MPD32. In cazul unui set de club, cred ca tine foarte mult de vibe. Nu stiu cat gandesc setul propriu-zis. Cat despre mixul de camera, pana acum mi-a placut, ca pentru fiecare mix, sa urmaresc un anumit sound. In functie de acesta, fac o selectie mai rough, dupa care imbin si elimin pana suna cum trebuie.

B: Mixurile tale de pana acum (n.r. Lupul de Steppa, Water On Mars) au primit un feedback masiv, foarte bun, atat de la public cat si de la alti produceri / DJ. Cosmin TRG, Tomasan, Hijack, VRT sunt doar cativa din cei pe care i-am citit sau auzit spunand lucruri pozitive despre tine. Intrebarea vine de la sine. De ce atat de low-profile pana la urma, intr-o epoca in care majoritatea DJ-ilor noi cauta cu disperare expunere si in care sound-urile fresh sunt la mare cautare?

P: Nu cred ca m-am gandit prea mult la chestia asta. Feedback-ul, mai ales cel pozitiv, nu poate decat sa ma incante. Dar cred ca momentan sunt confortabil asa, mai low-profile. Incerc sa cresc natural.

B: Stiu deja ca ti-ai format un sound personal, un stil de mixat curat si o selectie, dupa parerea mea, absolut incredibil de corecta si de actualitate! Respect. Totusi pe scenele din Romania cel putin, lucrurile nu stau mereu asa in cazul DJ-ilor noi. Dupa parerea ta, cateva guideline-uri general valabile care ar trebui sa fie urmate de orice DJ newcomer?

P: Mersi tare de aprecieri. Daca as fi in masura sa dau guideline-uri, cred ca singurul meu sfat pentru un newcomer ar fi sa asculte muzica pe care nu o asculta si nu o pune in mod normal. Get out of your comfort zone type of thing. Mi se pare ca ajuta teribil de tare.

B: Daca ar fi sa alegi, alaturi de ce DJ si unde ti-ai dori sa mixezi? Dar reversul medaliei? Unde nu ai mixa si cu cine nu ai imparti scena nici pentru un fee record?

P: Sunt foarte multi, dar cred ca in momentul asta mi-ar placea foarte tare sa mixez alaturi de Sepalcure, Jackmaster sau Shortstuff. La Boiler Room. De refuzat, probabil ca sunt multe.

B: Se filmeaza Back To The Future 4 si printr-o serie de intamplari ajungi sa fi responsabil cu coloana sonora. Cateva track-uri care cu siguranta nu ar lipsi?

P: Hudson Mohawke – Fuse
Dizz1 & Om’Mas Keith – We Go Riddin’
Tobacco – Berries That Burn
Mux Mool – Get Better John
Kanye West – All Of The Lights
Fantastic Mr. Fox - Over

B: Multumesc ca ai acceptat invitatiile, atat pentru podcast cat si pentru interviu. In incheiere spune-ne cateva cuvinte despre mixul pe care l-ai realizat pentru BASICS.

P: Mixul contine o parte din ce imi suna foarte bine in perioada asta. Old tunes, new tunes, not so now tunes. Analog synth-flavoured Future-Garage, Post-Dubstep or whatever they call them these days. Mersi tare de invitatie.

B: Cheers!

Mai multe mixuri semnate Polochord pe Soundcloud.