CAMPFIRE SONGS

So at last the new Boards Of Canada album has arrived. When I say 'arrived', as far as the general public are concerned it hits the streets on 17th October. But I've already got it. And no, I didn't get a promo from Warp (I tried, but they didn't have any spare copies for lowly bloggers like me!). No, the album came to me as a 192kbps zipped file via Yousendit - a surprise gift from one of my fellow bloggers (and I've no idea where he got!). Then I notice a thread started up at Dissensus already. Wow, information moves around fast these days. Is it already on Soulseek? I haven't been there at all this year cos I'm completely bored with the whole file-sharing thing, but it's a bit depressing if that's the case. My initial reaction is that it's classic BoC in terms of the melodies, textures etc, although - perhaps due to my prodigious intake of grimey riddims these days - the beats do sound incredibly slow and dull now, with the odd exception like "Dayvan Cowboy", which goes off on one with the sizzling cymbals. Like Daft Punk, BoC seem to be re-exploring the guitar once more, although in a much gentler, traditional fashion. And what's happened to all the 'found' dialogue samples? What will all the obsessive fans do now they can't play the tracks in reverse to find the hidden messages 'n' shit?

True, they haven't moved on that much, but it's sort of comforting to know what you're getting with BoC. My main problem is that it's all quite enjoyable as relaxing listening experience, but there's nothing here yet that sends a cold shudder of fleeting recognition for a buried memory down my spine like the older stuff. Maybe it'll come in time. I wasn't massively impressed with "Geogaddi" at first, but christ, did it ever grow on me! For the record though, I still think they peaked with the "Beautiful Place In The Country" EP.

definitely more listening required yet ...

Anyone wishing to get a taster of what's in store should check the exclusive track available at Bleep:

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Update: Oh wow, check this Pitchfork interview with Boards Of Canada. Revelations. Explanations. The new album will make a bit more sense if you read it. Don't miss!

"The Campfire Headphase" has been steadily working it's way into my subconscious. There's still a couple of tracks, like "Peacock Tail", that just float through one ear and out the other cos they're just so pleasant and nondescript, but when it's good it's awesome. The final triad of slow-burning melancholic dreamscapes, particularly "Tears From The Compound Eye", get the hairs up on the back of my neck like "Selected Ambient Works II"-era Aphex. Yeah, it's that good. BoC still rule their own particular little niche-genre, whatever that is. Just don't call it IDM, okay?

KEEPIN' IT RUFFNECK

Another damn fine evening at the second Ruffnek Diskotek last night, where we were treated to another set from local 16-year-old wunderkind DJ Joker and his crew. Full-on bad bwoy grimey bizzness, Bristol style! I'm not gonna say too much else about him for now, cos hopefully he's gonna be putting together a special mix for me soon. The Joker don't talk much, but he doesn't need to, cos his partner MC Shadz does all the talking for him! Seems like the crew are up for the idea and will record a mix, complete with MCs, exclusively for Gutterbreakz at some point in the near future. Stay tuned...

Next up, Monkey Steak rocked the house with their Grim laptop set, dropping some seriously lean, punchy wobble-bass riddims, with digi-skank and bollywood soundtrack overtones that've got me drooling for their forthcoming Werk Discs EP. They applied just the right amount of splatterbeat trickery as punctuation, ensuring the grooves stayed innovative yet still solid enough to keep the crowd moving. Atki2 was the consummate head-nodder, barely looking up from his Traktor software, whilst Hanuman was a bit of a showman - bouncing around behind the mixer in true beardy-weirdy-mentalist-raver style. But that was just the first half of their set. Things got truly sublime when guest MC Miss Rennee Silver (as featured in Atki2's mix last week) took the mic. Over a shit storm of Monkey beats and microphonic feedback, she proceeded to teach the kidz a lesson in the fine art of freestyle MCing, barely pausing for breath as she unleashed a bewildering speed-rap assault that had my jaw on the floor and my heart bursting out of my chest. Yes, I've fallen in love with MC Renee. A member of the audience challenged her to make a rhyme about chess, which she actually pulled-off. Then she asked the rest of the crowd to fire twenty random words at her, which she wrote down on her note pad and then proceeded to use as the basis of her next rhyme, which again she improvised without so much as a single stutter. I swear I was getting a bit tearful about the whole thing. I'd forgotten how exciting this type of MCing can be, and I think I've written before how I've always had a fondness for the lady rappers. She had the kind of gutsy delivery I used to admire in Roxanne Shante, my favourite female mc from the '80s, but with a London accent of course. Later on, after their set, I spotted Atki2 deep in conversation with DJ Pinch in the corridor outside. I wonder what Bristol's premier Grim and Dubstep exponents were talking about?

The evening was rounded off with a wicked bashment/dancehall set from Ruffnek-high priest Tim 'Dub Boy' Rayner back to back with Henry (Turbo Dominator, Heatwave) and Top Secret (aka Krys Forensics) providing some 'have-a-go' MCing - a true jack of all trades, eh Krys? Interesting to note that Tim kicked off his set with Monkey Steak's "Ruff Ting King" (that's the track on the 'bar code' side of Grim Dubs Vol.1). Having heard it in Monkey's set just beforehand, it really was struck home to me how much more powerful Tim's 12 inch copy sounded, compared to the 'live' laptop version. It just goes to show you - at least in terms of soundsytem requirements - that even the highest quality digital media cannot compete with properly mastered vinyl. Fact.

It seems there are several places in Bristol where you can get dubplates cut now. There's one somewhere on Stokes Croft where you can get a two-sided, ever-lasting plastic dubplate cut for 25 quid (although if you asked Loefah about that, he'd tell you plastic dubs are shit, and only proper metal acetates can truly give you the full sound quality!) But I'm quite tempted to give it a try. Not so much for my own stuff, but for some of the unreleased material from other artists I'm sitting on. The fact is, I've managed to blag a dj slot for the next Ruffneck Diskotek on 6th October (back at Timbuk2, where they've secured a monthly residency) and I'd quite like to play out a few tunes from some of the unsigned artists I've been featuring on GutterFM. They don't seem to bother with CD turntables at these events, so I'd have to cut some dubs if I wanted to play 'em. Problem is, a lot of these tunes I've only got in MP3 format and it would seem a bit daft trying to cut a decent dub from a basic 192kbps file. I shall have to have a think about this...

Speaking of dubs, Pinch, Loefah etc, I was amazed to receive a cd-r in the post last week containing the next two releases from DJ Pinch's Tectonic imprint. You might recall I wrote about TEC001 a few months ago - the excellent collaboration between Pinch and P.Dutty. The second release, a three-track EP from Australian dubstep pioneers Moving Ninja is out now, and it's great - check the generous selection of MP3s at their website for proof. Pinch must be commended for his commitment to putting out tunes from relatively unknown artist like this, although by contrast TEC003 is gonna be one of the biggest releases from two of the biggest names in the scene. It's a collaboration between Loefah and Skream. The a-side will be "28 Grams", as featured on Youngsta's "Dubstep Allstars Vol.2" mix, and it's one of the heaviest half-step anthems on the planet right now. But wait till you hear the flip! "Fearless" is absolutely essential - a stripped-back landscape of dread bass pressure, ominous atmospherics and metallic, reverb-drenched percussion that's got me completely spooked-out. Dubstep at it's darkest and deadliest. Not sure when the exact release date is yet, but fear not - I'm on the case. TEC004 will be a four-track EP from Random Trio, who I first wrote about back in January with their "Lost City" EP. Another excellent selection of tracks, but I'll write about that a bit nearer release date.

OH NO, IT'S TRANSMISSION #5

Why do I bother with it, eh? There's so many mixes to listen to out there now - just check Dubway's blog for starters. Why bother putting together these amateurish 64kbps sets? Vanity? I guess it's just because I enjoy doing it and, whether it's listened to by 5 people or 500, the end results give me enough pleasure to make it worthwhile. True, it started out as a fantasy idea - if I had my own radio show, what would it sound like? - but there's also the potential to bring together all those interesting yet obscure, unsigned artists who, for whatever reason, feel motivated to send me their work. Incredibly, GFM is actually putting artists in touch with each other in the most unlikely places, as those lonely producers in faraway places discover that there are like-minded individuals in their own backyard. Admittedly, I didn't feature all the people I wanted to this time, on account of having lots of new twelve inchers to get through too. But their time will come very soon. This month I'm particularly pleased to feature a couple of exclusives from Geroyche and Mathhead. Geroyche is a German producer who has, until now, been building a reputation in the local breakcore scene, but his forthcoming "Voxxx Series A.1" EP sees him in a transitional phase, featuring a more grimey influence on a couple of tunes. "Death" in particular is a wonderfully evocative piece of music, with a hard step riddim drenched in melancholic ethereal sweeps and processed tremolo drones that remind me of Fennesz. Quite outstanding, though I'm not sure how widely available the 500 copies will be. Mathhead is from NYC (I think) and his track "Skyjacker" will be released on new Peace Off-offshoot Ruff Records soon. It's a wicked adrenalin rush slice of hard Grim with a fair bit of breakcore dynamics too. Very impressive. The show opens with another weird offering from the mysterious Various Production (make sure to check the site cos they've got some free exclusive MP3s up now). This is the second 7" single they've sent me and, like the first, comes with no press info but does feature an electronic piece on the A-side and a folky-acoustic number on the flip, along with another beautifully rendered, semi-erotic sleeve design. "Faller" is a lovely little ballad with yet more exquisite vocals from the still-uncredited lady singer, yet the song is propelled by ominous wobble-bass pressure and looped waves of digital detritus revealing that this is a group who know how to combine traditional songcraft with forward-thinking production skillz. What a fascinating proposition! Buy it here. I'm also very honoured to get another exclusive tune from Appleblim, who's "Cheat I" takes the stress levels to new extremes of shuddering low-end tension. Abso-fucking-lutely horrible. Big-up, mate!

I should also add that, although my set-up here is still embarrassingly basic, I've recently bought a new dj mixer. New to me, that is. It's a second hand Gemini that I spotted at the local Music Exchange for £90. It's got eq-kill switches and other things I didn't have before. Hopefully it'll help to improve my mixing although this recording is the first test-run with it. But I'm still using the same belt-drive 'beginners' turntables that I bought nearly fifteen years ago!! I did add Stanton cartridges at some point in the mid-'90s, but there's no denying that these decks are bloody dodgy. Still, a good workman never blames his tools, as they say. This month's show features the usual 'train wreck' beat matching, relieved by occasional, fleeting moments of inspiration. Why do I insist on doing all my learning in public? Dunno, but I apply the same basic philosophy that I used when I started this blog. I may not be a writer, producer or dj by profession, but I'm gonna fucking do them all anyway for the hell of it. If a few voyeuristic people want to observe this whole sorry mid-life crisis unfolding, be my guest.

At least the tunes are great. Gutter Muzik for Gutter People. Check this shit out....

GUTTERBREAKZ FM - SEPT. 2005

Various Production - Faller (Various Production)
Geroyche - Death (Ventilator Tontrager)
Appleblim - Cheat I (forthcoming on Skull Disco)
Kode 9 - Kingston Dub (Hyperdub)
D1 - Steam Roller (Soulja)
Skuba - Sleepa (Scuba/Hot Flush)
Search & Destroy - Cave Dweller (Halo Beats)
Moving Ninja - Lost Tribe (Tectonic)
Roi Masters - Bedoin (dub)
Mark One - ????(Southside)
DJ Oddz - Strung Out VIP (Black Majik)
Macabre Unit - Lift Off (Terrorhythm)
Forensics - Hiding Place (dub)
Mathhead - Skyjacker (forthcoming on Ruff/Peace Off)

AN INTERVIEW WITH ATKI2

THE RECAP:

"Grim. Dublame. Wackstep. Different people call it different things, depending on their age, haircut or shoe size. If you listen to the music we love the chances are you probably call it something different from us. Shite. Awful. Unlistenable. It's been the same through the 80s and 90s. We've called it so many different things that the journalists can't even be arsed to listen to it now, let alone pigeon-hole it. This is a good thing - it's music. Mongoloid, multi-mingmong music made by middle-class myrmidons with misshapen genitalia. Music that's great for hoovering to, perhaps while injecting PCP into your pancreas with a cake-icing pipe. It's instrumental dance music that's clearing the dancefloors across Croydon, Wolverhampton and King's Lynn. It's the perfect forum for anemic doombrains with bad haircuts to create music that few people like, then earnestly brag about their revolutionary genius. That's why we here at Werk Records are calling it Grim, to try and dress up another set of releases as a new musical movement, outside the specialist world of ourselves and our sad little circle of friends. And hopefully help us sell a few more records. Some people will say we're just zeitgeist chasing, trend-hopping, jumping on an imaginary genre and greedily trying to fill our boots with the rest of them. To those people, let us say this: we're going to ride that bandwagon all the way into town, whooping and cheering, with our trousers round our ankles and cans of Special Brew clutched to our breasts. Chances are you're already listening to Grim, trapped there in your tin-pot rave-den in suburbia. And by God, if you're still reading this drivel, you might just be the kind of person creams their pants every time someone invents a new genre. Now is the time to change those pants, and the soundtrack is Grim."

The above press release, issued by Werk Discs to accompany their "Grim Dubs" series earlier this year was, on the face of it, an insolent/amusing statement of intent that also contained some serious nuggets of truth. Some people were offended. Others grinned knowingly. Yet with Grime's Eastend originators currently engaged in a compromised 'war on pop' and the latest crop of dubstep innovators still mainly banded into tight, protective units, clustered around certain influencial DJs, observing dubplate culture's strict codes of conduct, the Grimists are free to dance mischieviously in the margins, cherry-picking the best ideas and bending them to their own Warped vision, cross-breeding with other styles to create weird mutant hybrids. It's a parasitic, white, middle class phenomenum of a kind that's been occuring cyclicly for many years. It's lineage can be traced to the appropriation of dub, funk and disco by experimetal acts like A Certain Ratio, 23 Skidoo and Cabaret Voltaire in the early '80s, through to Graham Massey's 808 State injecting new possibilities into acid house in the latter half of that decade and on to Rephlex affiliates hijacking jungle's hardcore essence in the mid '90s. In the wake of Grime's blindingly original explosion of energy, Grim had to happen. Whether it has the longevity to develop into an established sub-genre remains to be seen, but with Grim now starting to appear on forward thinking club flyers alongside it's more firmly rooted cousins Grime, Ragga-jungle, Bashment etc, the immediate future looks decidedly Grim. But as yet Grim has no focal point - no FWD club or Rinse FM to call it's own. It needs exposure and I'm hoping that this will be the first in an occasional series of posts exploring it's development.

Appropriatley enough, my first guest is 23 year old Bristol-based producer Sam Atkins aka Atki2 who, as one half of Monkey Steak was responsible for Volume 1 in Werk's series. I got to meet Sam last month when he performed a solo laptop set at the Ruffneck Discotek (see picture above), and he kindly agreed to do an interview and also record an exclusive mix for Gutterbreakz. This is his story (so far)....


THE INTERVIEW:

Gutta: You started your recording career in a group called Anarchic Hardrive. Could you tell me a bit about that project?

Atki2: We formed Anarchic Hardrive in 1999, comprising of myself, producer Razor Passive and lyricist D'Herbalis'. We worked together until 2004. Our efforts culminated in the "Feeding Our Paranoia" CD album released on Peace Off . During that time we gigged round Bristol, including twice at Toxic Dancehall, with artists such as D'Kat, Parasite, The Bug, Venetian Snares, etc... played at the first Kamikaze Warfare party in Rennes, and released tracks on a few compilations including "Ballroom Blitz" on Bristol's Death$ucker Records.

G: You're now best known as one half of Monkey Steak. When did that collaboration begin?

A2: Jon (Hanuman) and I started making tunes together in 2001 - we were both studying in South London at Goldsmiths College. Initially we experimented in quite a few styles - jungle, hiphop, garage etc - writing music in our spare time. At that stage I was into breakcore and electronica, while Jon was listening to jazz and indie - we had a pretty eclectic influence of sounds! But we both quickly got into the early grime sound through listening to lots of local pirate radio…

G: Your first release was Vol.1 in Werk Discs' "Grim Dubs" 12 inch series. Who came up with the Grim Dubs concept?

A2: The guys at Werk Discs. They came up with the whole anonymous mysterious twelves format.

G: Are you happy with that situation?

A2: Yeah. The whole Grim 1 thing was fun - it got people speculating about who was behind it and what it was all about.

G: Did you already know the other artists in the series, or was it just the guys at Werk creating a concept to hang over a bunch of disparate demos? What I'm trying to get at is whether you feel that you're all part of something together, or have you been absorbed into someone else's concept?

A2: Well we didn't all know each other beforehand like some collective of artists. Werk pulled in work from all of us and created the Grim Dubs series. But it’s certainly not a case of them pulling the strings in that we (Jon and I, or myself) are in that lovely position of having complete control over the music we’re making. At the moment the partnership is working very well in terms of both our interests and the label’s.

G: I'm just wondering if Grim is a genuine movement, in terms of building/developing into something on the scale of, say, breakcore. Has there been a bit of a 'buzz' on the series?

A2: That's the impression I've got from the Werk guys and certainly that's the impression I get from people I've met at our Monkey Steak gigs. But it's hard to get a real sense I suppose. It's interesting that you mention breakcore. A kind of mashup / hybrid of breakcore and grime was my initial idea for the Atki2 project.

G: Would you say that the whole drill'n'bass/breakcore thing seems a bit stale now? That every possibility has been explored?

A2: A lot of the output is fairly samey. There's still a few artists I really rate though. Electromeca for instance. His grooves are very fresh and properly filthy! But you're right, a lot of this Amen mash-up is boring. I wish some of the producers would try incorporating some different sounds and styles. I think exploring riffs, rhythms and basslines from Grime is the way to go - pushing all that into new extreme patterns!

G: Just like what you're doing!

A2: I'm glad that's coming across!

G: I'm calling this sound Grim for now, although it doesn't quite fit for me...

A2: It would be too early to coin a term for an experimental, digital kind of grime. From Werk's point of view, Grim isn't the start of a new movement but a way of testing out new artists. But I like this tag and I quite like adopting it for what I do. I like this idea of Grim being a bit separate from dubstep / grime.

G: It has to be, I think. Otherwise it would be like calling Squarepusher 'jungle', if you understand my meaning.

A2: Indeed. I do. I've been listening to Squarepusher for a long time and always really appreciated that "composed" quality to his work.

G: A lot of these underground artists have never used anything apart from software/sequencers, which is brilliant, 'cos they think outside the boundaries and create new styles, but I still think it's fascinating to see what more musically trained artists will do with that blueprint. With Squarepusher, it was his virtousty on real instruments that gave him the ability to work with jungle in new ways. It's different viewpoints pulling the sound in different directions, which is all good!

A2: I play proper instruments too. Classical piano, mate. I'd definitely say my early music training has a sizeable influence on my approach to making this grim stuff - simply because I started playing very young and the disciplines are engrained. I think there's a lot of space to incorporate some of the techniques into writing Sublow - I mean, why not? During my teenage years in Bristol, I was exposed to an unusual mix of classical and d’n’b. For me, it was all good. I think musical hybrids are the way forward.

G: Have you felt any negative vibes from the 'underground'? I know a couple people were a bit annoyed about that Grim Dubs press release...

A2: I guess that's the risk with a blurb like that. Some people think that we're taking the piss or somehow we look down on grime/dubstep. As far as I'm concerned, that couldn't be further from the truth. I love this music and have a lot of admiration for the guys pushing it.

G: Speaking of which, any particular artists or tracks that inspired you?

A2: Well Vex'd are certainly up there...Slaughter Mob...that new Kode 9 & Space Ape tune is killer. I’m very impressed with Skream’s recent mix for Blackdown’s blog too, some really innovative work in that, mixing up lovely jazzy licks with those heavy growling basslines! Also been getting into some of the Rag 'n' Bone/Dirty Needles stuff - there’s a great rawness to their tunes.

G: I think Vex'd are gonna be so influential on the way things are going, especially now they're on a high profile label. Alongside your work in Monkey Steak, you've also got a solo track on the latest Shadetek release, "The Dudes" EP. How did that come about? From a demo?

A2: That's right. I sent them a cd and they liked it.

G: Are there plans for any further releases with them?

A2: There's an Atki2 EP coming out - pretty soon I think - called "Sweaty Palms", featuring a collaboration with South London MC Renée Silver and a remix by Drop The Lime which is proper grime/breakcore mashup! Quite similar to the b1 track on his Mirex 12". I forget the name of it. There’s also some more Atki grimness planned for release on Werk, but that’s all pretty hush-hush at the moment…

G: Any further releases planned for Monkey Steak?

A2: Yep. We have a forthcoming release with Death$ucker and are just completing a 6 track EP for Werk Discs. The former is actually on more of an old-skool jungle tip, while the latter has a fair amount of grim on. I’m really excited about the Werk EP in fact, we’re taking our grim sound and mixing it up with different styles. One track uses Ska for instance, and another has more jazzy brass riffs. We’ve also collaborated with a couple of vocalists on some of the tracks, including Indi Kaur who guests on one of the tracks in my mix. Indi is a fantastic singer I met through Renée. Her vocal training is in the classical Indian approach. It’s been a pleasure to work together - and to mix up the tonalities!

G: You've also been playing live quite a bit, haven't you?

A2: Past gigs include Alt*Ctrl in Brixton, the annual Werk Das Boot! knees-up (see photo above), Toxic Dancehall and Sheffield's c90, with artists such as Radioactive Man, Christian Vogel, Vex'd and Werk associates Actress and Po-Ski.

G: And I'll be witnessing you in action in Bristol again this weekend, won't I?

A2: Yep. Monkey Steak play at Heatwave vs. Ruffnek Diskotek with MC Renée Silver at The Croft, this Saturday (10th September) with DJ Joker, Turbo Dominator and Dub Boy.

G: See you there, mate....

THE MIX:

At my request, Sam has generously given his time to record this exclusive 20 minute mix selection, showcasing some of the tunes he's got nestling on his hardrive awaiting release. At once familiar and yet decidedly strange, this is the sound of Grime shredded through the sonic mangler of Grim. It's a complex, jittery music yet still retains a hard steptime undertow and a spacious, bassline-driven flow that allows it work as dance music for the mind and body. The Grim sound is now online - things may never be the same again....

ATKI2 SESSION - SEPTEMBER 2005

Tracklist:
Atki2: Duty Free
Atki2: Tantrum
Atki2: Old Sow Caught In The Fence
Atki2: Stoop Beat
Atki2 & Renee Silver - Shocking Out Proud! (Guilty Pleasures Mix, feat. Indi Kaur)
Atki2 - The Crabs
Atki2 - Duty Paid (VWE Mix)
Atki2 with D'Kat - Untitled

ALLSTAR CAST

D1's "I Believe" is a featured track on Tempa's superb "Dubstep All Stars Vol.2" mix CD, released this week. DJ Youngsta, a veteran of Rinse FM and the FWD club has come up with a blinding selection of pure, almost all unreleased dubstep plates from the heaviest players in the scene - Digital Mystikz, Loefah, D1 and of course Skream (but where's Kode 9?!). Keeping things mainly on a smokey half-step vibe, with dread basslines to the max, it's great to hear all these tracks in clear high quality digital sound after having to make do with all those grainy Rinse broadcasts previously. An essential purchase, especially for all those non-vinyl people who've been trying to hear this stuff legitimately. I was also pleased to see two of my blogger colleagues are involved as well. Martin 'Blackdown' Clark provides the sleeve notes, and Georgina 'Infinate' Cook was responsible for the lovely photos. For further insights, check Georgina's enlightening interview with Youngsta at her blog Drumz Of The South. I'm pleased to see that this CD is also available at Warpmart, although I picked it up (along with a fresh stack of twelves) at my local dubstep emporium Rooted Records this weekend. Sorted!

WARPED FUTURE

There are some, like myself, who have been suspecting for some time that Warp has lost it's way a bit in recent times, trying to diversify a little too much and maybe forgetting the core values that made it so special in the first place. True, Jackson is an encouraging new prospect, but how many of us still uphold total trust in everything that Warp releases? Does Warp still have a soul? One of the best releases this year isn't on Warp, but it should be. As it is, D1's debut solo release is out on the renowned post-garage label Soulja. It's magnificent and, whether intentional or not, recalls much of Warp's classic lineage - bringing in the sub-bass pressure of bleep & bass and the sweeping, evocative string melodies of Detroit techno that was such a big influence on Warp's Artificial Intelligence period in the early '90s, yet propelled by the urgent, economical riddims of dubstep. Tracks like "I Believe" and "Belong" have a depth of emotional intensity that doesn't need gimmicks or clever production tricks. It's music that's built to last. At least (thanks largely to Marcus' efforts) EPs like this are now available at Warpmart, an acknowledgement of sorts. Maybe they're just biding their time, waiting to see if this sound really starts to spread through the electronica community. But with other high-profile labels like Planet Mu and Rephlex already supporting dubstep, it seems to me that Warp are lagging behind a bit.

GIFT FROM WARP #2: SOME KINKY FRENCH WEIRDO

Warp's latest signing is a young Frenchman going by the name Jackson & His Computer Band. Something of a prodigy, he's been making tracks since the age of fifteen and getting them released since the late '90s. But it's his most recent output for French imprint Sound Of Barclay that brought him to Warp's attention. His debut release for them is the "Rock On" three track EP, which features compressed, distressed disco beats, juddering post-"Windowlicker" edits and the sort of dense, mangled soundworld that reveals his obsessive production techniques. Apparently his tracks are built-up through constant layering and re-recording, either at home or in 'dingy Paris studios' and the resulting "antique futurist" vibe is certainly impressive - mutant French disco colliding with the complex recording processes of established Warp artists like Boards Of Canada and Chris Clark. The sleeve design is pretty striking too, featuring a blurry painting of some depraved sex-dungeon with a man tied-up in rubber bondage gear, a hint of stocking-clad female thigh, machine guns and...a corn on the cob?! Kinky bugger! This EP is a taster for his album entitled "Smash" which is released on 19th September. I haven't heard that yet, but Warp's press release describes it as "magnificent and messy, daring and original....the record electronic music has been crying out for for far too long...four years in the making...heralded by those who've heard it as one of the finest debuts in years." Crikey, better watch out for that then!!

GIFT FROM WARP #1: CLASH OF THE TITANS?

This may not rank as the best work by either artist, but it's a split 12" from Aphex Twin and LFO, two of my biggest heroes ever!!! I would've bought it anyway, regardless of quality, cos it's a 'fan thing', innit. So I was well pleased to receive a gratis copy from Warp's web promotions office this week, especially when you consider that this release, limited to 2,000 copies and only available exclusively through Warpmart, will probably sell out without any help from me. In fact, just checking the page, it looks like they're almost gone already! Which is why I'm rushing this review out tonight for any Gutterheadz out there who hadn't heard about it and want to bag a copy for the collection.

If you'd played me these tracks blindfold, I could've been easily convinced that all four tracks were by the same artist. Interesting that Richard James and Mark Bell, both originally unique innovators, each with their own distinct sound, have arrived at the same point - producing relentless, efficient, acidic tracks that are as impersonal as they are briefly invigorating. If I had to name a winner, I think Mr. Bell just clinches it - his riffs, and textural nature thereof, have more bite and originality, especially on "Flu-shot [kringln]" which also boasts a frantic electro rhythm which follows on from the direction unvieled on the excellent "Sheath" album a couple of years ago. Of the two AFX offerings, I think "Naks 11 [mono]" is the best, although either track could've been culled from the Analord series, so no real surprises on offer, I'm afraid. But it's a nice little thing to have and it comes in a transparent purple plastic sleeve that looks cool. I always like it when Warp get back on a purple design tip. Okay, enough of my nonsense, get over to Warpmart and grab the last few copies. At the very least it'll be a wise financial investment!

CHILL PILL

The latest CD from The Agriculture label has arrived. "Monkey Straddle" is the debut album from a Brooklyn-based artist called nnng (pronounced "inch") and it's been my top chill-out CD during the holidays. Waaay mellower than the sort of thing I usually listen to, but very agreeable on a warm summer's evening with a few cans of Red Stripe and a bit of herb (or in my case 20 Lambert & Butler - I've been off the silly stuff for ages, apart from when Pinch offered me a hit on his spliff recently. It would've been rude to refuse. Good gear too - I only had a couple of puffs but I was sailing!!) . nnng's vibe is warm, watery soft-focus dubby electronica, drenched in atmosphere but with some pretty groovy downtempo beats keeping the head-nodding facture at a high. This is my idea of a good easy-listening record, apart from those spooky intro bits where it gets a bit dark 'n' droney. Immaculately produced, tastefully arranged, 'roof music' at it's finest. Check the free MP3s at the site, where you can also order the CD.

CRAZY RIDDIMZ

This was my top Party CD of the summer. It's a mix CD called "Crazy Rhythms", compiled and mixed by Mike Simonetti and Dan Selzer. I know Dan is a regular reader here, as he sometimes drops by with a comment. Despite being clothed in a tasty designer plastic wallet, I think this is, at best, a 'semi-official' release (it ain't got a bar-code!) so not sure how widely available it is. Looks like you can order it here and I notice it's also in stock at the Rough Trade shop, if anyone feels suitably inspired by my ramblings to seek a copy. Maybe when they've sold out Dan might let me host it for awhile, cos it's seriously cool. That is assuming you like a big dose of obscure Italo-Disco with a dash of punk-funk and retro techno. This project is basically about showing-off all their rare 12 inch treasures and I for one am glad they did. After opening with the majestic string-synths 'n' tubular bells of Giorgio Moroder's "Night Drive", it's a solid rollercoaster ride through the nether regions of vintage electro-disco, including some wicked tunes from Klein & M.B.O, Vortex, Belle Epoque and a bunch of others I ain't even heard of. Top marks for also including the brilliant "Galaxy" by War (as covered by the Cabs' Stephen Mallinder in his short-lived Lovestreet project with Dave Ball and Rob Gordon in 1988). Biggest moment for me though is the unexpected appearence of "Obsessed" by Musicology (aka B12) mid-way through the mix, and suddenly I'm back home. I just love that early-90s Detroit-inspired vibe. It's in my blood. Despite the occasionally wild changes of style, this mix hangs together beautifully, to the point where it makes perfect sense when they drop the Ben Liebrand mix of Ram Jam's "Black Betty". I always was a sucker for that track anyway (I've still got the original 7 inch somewhere). Top mix, lads. Cheers. Do me another!!

EXCUSES, RUFFNECKS & FORENSICS

Okay, okay, so I failed to reach the Hijack 'dubstep fiesta' thing last night. Pretty annoyed about it really, cos since I discovered that there was a local scene for this sound I've been making an effort to attend all major events but this time it just wasn't happening due to my 'other commitment'. A word of advice for all you youngsters out there: if you wanna have a successful marriage you need to know when you're crossing a certain line, and fucking off to a club and leaving your wife at home on your anniversary is one big line I wasn't prepared to cross. And she certainly wouldn't have wanted to come along to the event with me cos she absolutely hates dubstep (along with virtually all other forms of electronic/underground music - still, they say opposites attract, right?). So I did the descent thing. Really enjoyed the evening actually, although I'm not prepared to go into all the details of how Mrs. Gutta and I spend our time together. True, there may have been the odd moment of insanity in the past where I might've been tempted to proclaim that listening to Vex'd was better than sex, but I went to sleep with a big smile on my face last night, if you know what I mean.

Besides, I'm a 36 year old family man with loads of responsibilities and commitments, fer christ's sake. It amazes me that I find any time and energy to follow the latest developments in electronica, let alone write about them! Still, while I'm on the subject of Vex'd, check this tasty little interview with Jamie over at Grimemusic.com, which pretty much renders my own attempt redundant before I've even begun, as the interviewer covers all the stuff I would've asked anyway. Interesting to note Jamie's comments about "sound in general, the sounds of our environment, of the city" which sort of backs-up my own observations about the "subliminal auras that lurk behind the beats" when reviewing "Degenerate" back in July. Lot's of other insightfull comments there too, although Jamie was rather cautious when endorsing "male, white, 30+" bloggers. Hrrmmm...I think I speak in plain english, don't you? And I'm certainly not highly educated or a professional music journalist, so maybe he wasn't including me in his comments, even though the interviewer name-checked Gutterbreakz directly in the question.

It was also unfortunate that I missed the chance to see local talents Pinch, Blazey and ThinKing in action too, although I have been spoilt recently having seen Pinch on the deckles twice this month already, at Ruffneck Discotek and then back-to-back with Loefah at Subloaded Vs. Heatwave. What was particularly striking about the Ruffneck evening was that Pinch was on the same bill as Atki2 who, as one half of Monkey Steak was responsible for volume 1 of Werk's Grim Dubs series. As such they're almost ideologically opposite - Pinch with his dubplates and firm roots in jungle/d'n'b representing the 'true' militant underground dubstep vibe and Atki2 doing a laptop set that displayed his more cerebral drill'n'bass/breakcore background applied to the new 'bassline science' of Grim. Weirdly, a couple of people I knew there were coming up to me during his set and asking "is this that Grim stuff, then?", to which I replied "er, yeah, I s'pose so". I mean, I don't really know what to call it - I'm making this shit up as I go along. Personally, I don't feel much Grimness in Atki2's sound - Pinch's stuff is much darker - it's more playful in the same way that the best IDM-orientated jungle is. Maybe I'll start calling it Basscore or something. Although I reckon there's still a lot of common ground between them, Dubstep is essentially about expanding sound, whilst Grim Dub, like breakcore before it, is about compressing sound, filling in the gaps with new complex patterns, saturating the beats with information - taking things to extremes. This basic push-pull has been going on for years, since the days when Squarepusher and friends first started messing with jungle's DNA. I personally had been feeling that the whole breakcore/amentalist thing had run out of steam and had been hoping/predicting that Grime and Dubstep would inject new life into the more so-called 'intelligent' side of the electronic spectrum and on the evidence of artists like Atki2, Barry Lynn, Drop The Lime and Mathead, it's really happening. I know that many people like to stay firmly on one side of the fence (and I know certain people within the dubstep community were annoyed by the press release that Werk issued - I just thought it was bloody funny), but I'm interested in both approaches. From a purely selfish point of view, I'm fascinated to see what new twists and turns the Grim contingent will inject into the (itself still developing) Grimey bassline sound. Hopefully I'll be doing some special posts on several of these new artists in the coming weeks. In the meantime....





The second Ruffneck event promises another extreme clash of ideoligies, as Atki2 teams-up with his Monkey Steak partner Hanuman to do battle with the Joker, a local black sixteen year old unsigned Grime DJ/producer who was an absolute revelation when he played back-to-back with Blazey recently. Although they dropped plenty of heavyweight tunes from artists like Plasticman, Slew Dem and Roll Deep, Joker's own beats (spun off dubplates or laptop) were some of the freshest, craziest sounds I've heard this year. I'd love to get him to do a mix for the blog and after the show I tried explaining to him who I was and what I do, but he didn't seem very receptive. Maybe it'll happen at some point, but until then I urge anyone in the vicinity to reach this event on the 10th September and experience the Joker vibe for yourselves. It's gonna be a heavy night.

Forensics a name I've been dropping quite a bit recently. He's an DJ/producer called Krys Taylor, originally from Bristol but now based in London. I've featured one of his mixes before, along with a couple of his own tunes on Gutterbreakz FM. I finally got to meet him in person this month as he's the co-organiser of Ruffneck Discotek, also spinning all the 'hits' prior to Pinch's exclusive set. I'm hosting his latest mix, which you might've seen posted already at some of the message boards, but here's the link again for all you busy Gutterheadz:

Forensics Dubstep Mix #9(new link)

Singing in the rain (intro)
Vex'd - Crusher Dub (Planet Mu)
Supa Stylist - The Culture Anthem (Supastar Recordings)
Geeneus - Congo (Tempa)
Skream - Ain't it Cold (Destructive)
Toasty Boy - Guesswork (Storming Productions)
DJ Distance - Breathing Space (Lix/Sting)
Digital Mystikz - B (DMZ)
Slaughter Mob - Stopper (Destructive)
Eric H - The Lights (Hot Flush)
DJ Distance - The Ritual (Lix/Sting)
Kode 9 - Ping (Rephlex)
Burial - South London Boroughs (Hyperdub)
Kode 9 - Sub-Kontinent (Rephlex)
Kode 9 & Daddy Gee - Babylon (Dub mix) (Tempa)
Toasty Boy - Dibble (Destructive)
Gutterbreakz - Shiverz (demo)

And if you're wondering how one of my tunes got tacked on the end, it's not some condition I imposed on him or anything! What happened was, I knew Krys was gonna be playing that night, so took along this new riddim on cd-r cos I was hoping he might play it that night so I could guage how one of my Fruity Loops productions sounded over a proper PA system. But they hadn't brought any CD turntables (it was vinyl, dubplates and laptops only) so that was the end of that idea. But Krys asked if he could keep the cd-r anyway. Looks like he enjoyed the tune enough to include it in his mix - cheers, mate!

By the way, today is the second birthday of the Gutterbreakz blog. Just so you know...

APPLEBLIM REVIEWS SUBLOADED Vs. HEATWAVE

Top night!

Subloaded on a scaled down vibe, a little summer mini-blazedown! I had a tuff time on the decks what with them being so low down I had to kneel down to save my back!....so apologies for a sketchy set.....

Surprise guest Loefah came with the required bag of dutty dubplates, and got on with the job in hand....rocking Bristol with some serious DMZ and Loefah plates.......BIG set from him and Pinch B2B....bass weight business!

Pinch takes it for tune of the night tho I think, with a new Distance dubplate.....really half step biz....sounding like a deeper more spiritual Mark One or something.......Pinch's own tunes sounding fantastic too......then again Loefah came with his version of 'i' by Skream which is a personal fave....bad....

Then it was Bristol Grime stalwart and birthday boy Blazey B2B with a Joker......the atmos was electric, a packed room now rocking to the spanking fresh new grimey sounds.....highlights included 'Cha' remix, Jammer's 'Murkle Man', Doctor and Riko's 'Come On' and Alias 'Warriors' remix........that's not to mention 16 year old Joker's own stuff too....a real upcoming talent every other tune they dropped was a dub of his it seemed....wicked stuff.........some serious Plasticman/Davinche style grimeyness.....then a top moment as Blazey was presented with his 'Neckle' birthday cake, made by the hand of my girlfriend (serious shouts to her for doin' it all, icing included! Brap!)....a chorus of Happy Birthday and lots of smiles and jokes! Top stuff!

Last of all was Peverist for his last hour '95-'96 jungle tear out .....had the place absolutely jumping by this point......dropped some serious knowledge....old obscure Dillinja stuff, HMP 'runnins' , Potential Bad Boy - those 10" Ibiza ones, and a remix by Shut Up & Dance which I have never heard b4! and being a SUAD obsessive that doesn't happen often! BIG tune!........everyone was shocking out till lights went up, and some more singalong Happy Birthday business! classic!

The whole night was a testament that grime and dubstep nights needn't be moody affairs with no girls and no dancing....the place was packed and a really happy positive vibe, people clamouring for the grime, and plenty of booty shaking from both gyal and man dem!

All in all a really fun night out, Big Ups to Pinch and Blazey, Loefah, Infinite, Gutterbreakz, Joker, Blazey's girlfriend, Henry Dubstudio, Wedge, Le Ruffiant, Mau-Mau, and the chap whose brand new Mackie PA got a thorough battering!

(Originally posted at the Dubplate Forum)

Also mentioned by Martin 'Blackdown' Clark in his latest Pitchfork column.

THE MANY WORLDS OF DMX KREW

Ed DMX returns with the latest two installments of the "Collapse Of The Wave Function" series. There's a whole conceptual thing to do with Quantum Dynamics, but I'm gonna avoid all that cos I'm intellectually challenged. Released simultaneously, Vols.4 & 5 both feature nine tracks crammed onto one piece of vinyl. That's what LPs used to be like when I was a lad. Is this some cunning plot by Rephlex to bring back the once-common 'standard' album format? Or are they just a bunch of cheapskates for not spreading Ed's luscious future-retro sounds over four sides? Let the public decide...

Anyway, Vol.4 is called "Many Worlds" and is very much a record of two halves. Remember the first time you heard Kraftwerk's "Man Machine" album? Music that was, on the face of it, clinical, robotic and minimal, yet strangely charged with a warm emotional glow and an almost classic sense of melodic beauty? That's the sort of feeling I get from side 1 - a utopian fantasy of the future, transmitted back from the 1970's. Whether intended or not, I find it...nostalgic. And I'm a total sucker for nostalgia. And yes, I know I've berated Ed's label boss Mr. R.D. James several times this year for seemingly wallowing in analogue-antique ancient history, but I just cannot help but be quietly moved by the burnished elegance of tracks like "Meridian 1212". I totally get a sense of artistic integrity here, plus it sounds like Ed's put a lot of work into the arrangements. Listen to those drum sounds...none of the standard Roland beats here - it sounds like he's diligently sculpted every percussive tone from scratch using synths. Nothing new in that per se, but in this age of massive, instantly accessable libraries of digital sound, how many people actually do bother to create their own drum sounds these days?

Another thing to consider is that there's always been a bit of a retro element in Ed's muse. Whether it's classic electro or mid-'80s tech-pop revivalism, the idea of 'looking back to go forward' seems to be intrinsic to his creativity. But if it's a truly modern spin on analogue-fetishism you're after, then flip the record over and prepare to be amazed! "Mars Memory" features the same kind of bashment pressure as the 7 inch "Vol.2" that came out last year, whilst both "The Monsignor" and "The Pleasure Zone" seem to imbue the new Grime riddims with added lashings of analogue depth and warmth. At least that's how I perceived it on first hearing (and so did some of my visitors when they listened to that clip last week) but this is only how the brain perceives it. I'll let you in on a little secret: these ones were created in the virtual realm, using Reason software. This perhaps backs-up some of my colleagues assertions that Analord wasn't truly analogue, and reveals how easy it is to be fooled by the incredible bit-crunching capabilities of software today. Generally speaking I couldn't give a damn what gear is used - it's the end results that count, and Ed's inspired re-imagining of Grime as phat, squelchy analogue loveliness is no less valid despite it's 'fakeness'.

After the delightful yin & yang of Vol.4, I was feeling slightly let down when Vol. 5, "The Transactional Interpretation", opened with "William The Conquerer" which, although featuring a welcome return to the mic for a spot of 'singing', is basically a throwaway backing track where the "historical/educational" lyrics are the most interesting thing about it! No need to panic though, as Ed quickly switches up a gear for more supreme retro flavas on "Brain Location Service", this time adding some Drexcyia-like electro pulses into the mix (I often compare things to Drexciya - the high-watermark of 'black' electronic funk against which all others must be measured!). Ed mines a similar vein on "Echelon", which would've fit perfectly on Drexciya's "The Quest". Then there's a processed drum-workout called "Clock Works" which focusses on the creative sound-mashings possibilities of the Eventide Harmoniser vintage effects unit. Elsewhere, Ed seemingly transforms into label-mate Bochum Welt for the soft-focus uplifting melodicism of "Heisenburg". Weirdest of all is "Feynman Radio", which sounds like Ed having trouble keeping his analogue synth in tune! I say that cos it reminds me of the sort of thing I used to do with a Mrk. 1 ARP Odyssey, which I had terrible trouble keeping in tune with my other synths. I'd play a melody on it and it would produce a thin, flat, pathetic, sad, lonely tune very similar to the one on display here. It's probably Ed experimenting with weird tonal scales (been getting daft ideas from Aphex again?!) but I find it quite agreeable.

Overall, I reckon I've been well spoilt by most of these 18 pieces of music. I feel like a bloated glutton who's been gorging on a free meal-ticket. Incidently, I wasn't sent these for review by Rephlex themselves (they're still studiously refusing to acknowledge my existence, and I'm too cool/timid to e-mail them begging for hand-outs) but by Ed DMX himself. So massive thanks to Ed, it's really appreciated and I'm well chuffed that he values my opinions enough to go to the expense of sending these to me. Hope my amateurish ramblings convince a few heads out there to part with their cash. Speaking of which...

Buy Vol.4 at Warpmart (or Boomkat if you wanna hear some more clips)

Likewise Vol.5 - Warpmart or Boomkat.

For those poor souls without a turntable, frustrated at Rephlex's refusal to provide MP3 downloads, bare in mind that a CD version, containing most of the "...Wave Function" series plus a bonus 'best of' disc (highlights from the rest of Ed's Rephlex output) will be available in about a month's time.

Visit Ed at www.dmxkrew.com.

HARDWARE GONE HAYWIRE

Thanks to one of my 'famous friends' for sending a link to this site. Jesus Christ...I'm both repelled and attracted by these DIY synth anoraks. I know there's a part of me that would love to join in the fun, designing schematics, soldering circuit boards together, making wooden cabinets to contain my ever-increasing array of discreet analogue modules. Thankfully I have almost no working knowledge of electronics (changing a plug is about the limit of my capabilities), nor do I have the time or money to indulge in this particular pastime. Reading through the prose and examining the pictures, it strikes me as an almost vulgar display of object worship. I was particular taken by this guy's in-depth photo study documenting the receiving and unpacking his new modular synth. The sad thing is, I can totally relate to his enthusiasm and his need to share his joy with the world. My recent Plasticman post is basically the vinyl fetishist equivalent (wish I'd taken some pics of me opening the package now!)

Anyway, all those funny homemade things reminded me of a weird little homemade modular synth I 'babysitted' for a couple of months back in 1997...

It was called 'The Void' and was designed and built by some West Country analogue freak (can't remember who he was exactly). Apparently this was one of his smaller models, using off-the-shelf parts from Maplin electronics. I won't go into the exact details of my temporary ownership of this beast, but it was nothing illegal, I swear. It had all the usual modules, including two VCOs, two VCFs (very Moog-like), noise generator, ring modulator, modulation oscillator (aka an LFO) and, best of all, a true analogue eight-step sequencer that was loads of fun to fiddle with. It was also the only time I've ever had the opportunity to get stuck into programming a synth with Patch Cords. Here's a pic of me fucking with it, using a Roland SH-09 as a keyboard controller and sporting some ill-advised side burns...

I know I taped a load of improvised music with it, but these recordings seem to have disappeared. Damn. We made some lush music together, but it's lost forever (sob!). It was non-midi of course, but interfaced nicely with Roland's control-voltage and sync 24 systems. Speaking of which...

Here's a shot of the Gutta around 1995/96 with some of his beloved collection of Roland gear. At the top is a Roland TB-303, with a TR-909 below. I don't own any of this stuff anymore. Sold it off years ago when I realised just how much money I'd spent tracking down all those classic boxes for what was basically a hobby. My first son was born in October 1996 and I had to take a long hard look at my life, my priorities and my finances. The machines had to go. Of course I didn't give up on the music making part of the hobby - as I recall I just made do with newer copycat machines like Novation's (admittedly impressive) Drumstation. But we had some wonderful times together. At the time of writing this post, there's an MP3 at the Riddim Composer from that period, which is basically a TR-808 workout with some outboard effects and a riff coming from a Korg Mono/Poly. While I'm reminiscing on this period, here's a few more tunes...

MP3: Stop Fucking With My Mind

This is pure non-midi improvisation, featuring synced 808 and 909, with a Juno 60 polysynth triggering from the rimshot output.

MP3: Concussion

Fucking well messed-up analogue acid nonsense. Sorry about the tape-hiss on this one.

MP3: Compu-dub

Drum meditation...this one's all about Roland's lesser known CR-8000 'compu-rhythm' drum machine, dubbed-out to the max with outboard FX.

Right, sorry about all this self-indulgence (I seem to do a post like this every few months) but before I go, here's another shot of me with my beloved Roland kit, along with my beloved cat Tiggy (R.I.P). To the left you'll see the TR-808, TR-707 (on top of a crappy digital D-110 sound module) and the Juno 60. Check the poster of Kim Basinger on the studio wall. Told you I was shallow...

Normal service will be resumed shortly...

THE DEGENERATION GAME

So after much anticipation the Vex'd album has finally arrived in the shops, clothed in a grainy cover image taken from Murnau's "Faust" and entitled "Degenerate" (a fitting description of the play's anti-hero? What's the big obsession with Faust? Or is it all about Jamie being "a bit of sucker for gothic armageddon type shit"? Hmmm...must find out more about this....). Whatever, the apocalyptic undertones are well matched with the music contained within. Even though I believe that he and Rollie served their apprenticeship in the calmer waters of the Breaks scene, I sense a different lineage in the sound that they've arrived at now. Even though they're presently accepted as part of the Grime/Dubstep axis, I think it's too limiting to bracket them there, but it's the only scene that's FWD-thinking enough to contain them. True, the warbley sub-bass riffs and steppy riddims fit nicely into the DJ sets of people like Quiet Storm, N-Type, Distance and Search & Destroy, but there's a level of deviant, almost gleeful maliciousness about their sound that sets their tracks apart. There's none of the maternal-bass-warmth of pure Dubstep (plus their bass frequencies squeeze your scalp, not your throat) and the production levels are too high to be true Grime. I guess the nearest comparisons would be Plasticman's "Death By Stereo" or "Industrial Graft" - those relentless hit-you-over-the-head distorto-beats and filthy, overdriven riffs pummelling your senses into submission. I could make cool comparisons to first-wave Industrial noisemongers like Throbbing Gristle and SPK, the rigorous clatter of Cabaret Voltaire's mid-80s output or less fashionable references to the late '80s Industrial Techno-Rock of Ministry, Die Krupps or Front Line Assembly, or even the caustic electro-noise Of Pan Sonic. Maybe hints of Aphex Twin's more extreme workouts circa "Digeridoo"/"Xylem Tube" EPs too. There's minute facets of all these in Vex'd, though they probably don't know it - or care. I'm really curious to know what ideas and influences drove them to this level of abrasive obnoxiousness. Actually, I'm supposed to be putting some questions together for an e-mail interview but haven't quite worked out where to start. Really I'd like to do the 'traditional' interview thing sat round a table with a couple of beers and the tape recorder running and see what spills out in conversation. I did have a little chat with Jamie at Subloaded II but it was too loud to hear each other properly! Anyway, back to the album...

Opening proceedings in fine style is the V.I.P. mix of "Pop Pop", the reputation-clinching track first released on Subtext last year. When writing about this release in January I made the comment that "with just a little more added melodic/harmonic interest this could easily win-over those yearning for a return to electronica that bypasses the pulverised post-drill'n'bass rhythmic abstraction that has dominated for maybe a little too long" and Vex'd seem to have obliged, bringing in some bleepy little melodic phrases near the start to entice unwary souls, before quickly slamming the door behind them and beating them senseless with the audio equivalent of baseball bats on "Thunder". Similarly, the amazing drumless bass-throb of "Cold" is accompanied by soaring soundtracky strings that recall the elegant sweeping lavishness of B12 and Global Communication. But generally it's ambient/environmental textures rather than melodies that Vex'd have chosen to focus on to build a cohesive album that works as a listening experience as well as a physical one. In particular the all-too-brief interlude piece "Destruction" seems alive with new possibilities for dark ambient exploration. If I had to level a complaint at this record it'd be that there should've been more ambient/abstract mood zones dotted throughout. One of the reasons I'm hoping that more dubstep artists will get an opportunity to develop album projects is because I think they'd be well-suited to expanding on more textural atmospheres and really pick-up where things left off before the electronica elite became infatuated with breakbeat science and virtuostic programming skills. It's time to refocus on something a bit deeper emotionally and bring back some much needed sense of space. Let the music breath again instead of tying it in complicated knots. Although the emphasis is still on rhythmic pressure right now, "Degenerate" hints at whole new vistas of sound - the subliminal auras that lurk behind the beats.

Degenerate to regenerate. The future is here - go buy this album.



Hard copy available at Warpmart.

By the way, Vex'd have just started their own blog! Not much there yet obviously, but I find it fascinating that more and more artists/labels from the underground community are choosing to use blogs as their primary outlet of communication with the world, preferring the direct, easily updated approach of the blogger interface over the often over-complicated navigation of the 'well designed' website. Plus it helps the cause of validating the blog as a genuine and 'serious' form of publishing.

Artists becoming bloggers....hrrmm, how long before that starts to work in the opposite direction?

PLASTIC ON ROAD

Well, it must be at least a couple of months since my last serious Plasticman hero-worship post, and a recent purchase gives me all the excuse I need for another one...

Massive props to Kate in Manchester for selling me her spare copy of Plasticman's hard-to-find "The Lift" EP at original cost price with free delivery! I've been busily tracking down all Plastic's slim back-catalogue over the past few months and this one, released on Road last year, had been proving particularly hard to locate. I 'acquired' MP3 versions ages ago, but was still mad-keen to own an original, especially as the rip of "Printloop" (my fave track on the EP) was marred by some serious needle-jumping. Along with the "Cha" EP, this must be one of the definitive Plasticman releases. All three tracks are top quality, featuring the sort of urgent, innovative beats, undulating square-bass dynamics and total economy that I revere in his best work. The tracks sound sparse yet full - every note, every drum hit, precisely sculpted for maximum impact and efficiency - pure, undiluted machine music at it's best. Sometimes I think I've been waiting for Plasticman all my life. I love the design of those Road twelves too, with all the road-sign aesthetics and the street map on the a-side label. It shows the Thornton Heath area...my London geography isn't too hot, but I know it's somewhere in the Croydon district, and I believe it's the area in which Plasticman resides- I wonder if there's some particular significance to any of the streets shown?

While I'm at it, I might at well show-off some of my other recent acquisitions. Scored the "Gotcha/The Rush" twelve off e-bay a while back, which is proof of my 'completist' collector mentality, as both tracks are also easily available on an A.R.M.Y. re-issue with additional remixes. But I just couldn't resist blowing a fiver on this edition released on the More2dafloor label in 2004. This is Plastic in full-on 4/4 mode, riding that kick-drum pulse like a muthafucka and slaying my soundsystem with some fruity bassline warblers and foreboding string-pads. It's an emotional thing - you either feel it or you don't, and I'm feeling this shit big time.

Next up is "Springroller/Anger", released on Fatale Attraction. This is another e-bay win, which came to my attention after the Plasticman himself linked to it at the Terrorhythm board (he loves watching his own tunes selling on e-bay!), although I should also give thanks to Johnny Prancehall for the subsequent alert too - it's good to know that my friends are looking out for my best interests! More quality beats here, with "Anger" boasting a spiky, unclassifiable melodic texture and some nasty plug-in filtery breakdowns. I just can't get enough...

Bringing things back up-to-date, I must mention this limited test-pressing of "Zulu Remix/Section 7" on the Southside Dubstars label. It's available at Blackmarket , Juno and Warpmart and you should grab one whilst they're hot. I'm particularly excited by "Section 7" with it's nagging one-note bassline and ultra-grimey orchestral stabs. There's a sick l'il dubplate I recorded from Q-Grittie's Rinse FM slot last Friday, featuring some speculative chord sequences that make me suspect he's been learning a few compositional tricks on that music production college course he's been attending. Wicked tune, but I just hope he doesn't let his new-found technical knowledge ultimately steer him towards a slicker, more professional sound. I'm a bit worried that, if he actually knows what he's doing, he'll lose his edge. Just keep those Fruity Loops raw and gutter, Plasticman. I'm depending on you...

Oh, and if anyone's got a spare copy of the original "Venom/Shockwave" EP...?

PLASTIC ON ROAD (DIGITAL VERSION)

The Terrorhythm catalogue is now available to download at Bleep. I find it quite interesting that, at least in this particular area of the underground, despite the gradual acceptance of legal digital downloads, no one seems interested in releasing EPs on CD anymore. The format seems to have been completely bypassed, even though there must be plenty of DJs working with CD turntables these days, plus compact discs must be a lot cheaper to manufacture than vinyl. You might find DJs playing exclusive beats off cd-r (only when they haven't had a chance to cut a proper 10" dub) but other than that...? Even the more high-profile labels like Planet Mu only release albums on CD nowadays. In the world of Dance Muzik, it would appear that the CD is rapidly becoming obsolete, and the format-battles of the future will be between the vinyl purists and the digital downloaders. I also find my own position rather curious. For years I'd settled into an album-orientated CD lifestyle, then last year I became a full-on download evangelist, yet currently I'm a born-again vinyl fetishist, only really using the download route for sharing and collecting mixes. And why place so much importance on formats anyway? Surely it's only the music that counts? Maybe I should just get out more...