Following the success and great reception for its XI and Headhunter debut release, Orca Recordings is back to deliver its highly anticipated second instalment; this time from Bristol-based producer, Hyetal.
Whilst many of his peers cite influences from early garage and jungle, Hyetal’s musical backgrounds stem from a different collection of genres. After playing bass for several bands in his youth, Hyetal’s love of hiphop producers like J Dilla and DJ Premier, led him to purchase an MPC 2000 so he could try his hand at emulating their beats in the same way. This unusual path has led Hyetal to create a completely unique sound, which when paired with elements of UK bass music, giving a welcomed dose of originality to the scene.
In an unbelievable year, Hyetal has seen releases on seminal labels such as PunchDrunk Records, Soul Motive and Planet Mu. Now, we’re proud to announce that the tracks to be released on Orca Recordings are ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Like Silver’. ‘Phoenix’ is arguably Hyetal’s boldest attempt at production so far, drawing heavy influence from 80’s classics from Prince and even Phil Collins. Hyetal’s trademark synth work is apparent from the start, with several different tones and leads switching up the vibe throughout the track. On the drop, the combination of the classic snare soaked in reverb and the irresistible chord progression, ‘Phoenix’ is set to drop as a large summer anthem for 2010.
On the flip, ‘Like Silver’ carries a much more relaxed vibe. With a multitude of layersof intricate synth work combined with a blend of organic, rolling percussion, ‘Like Silver’ is aperfect tune for the headphones or the DJs who like to take it a little bit deeper.
Strong DJ support has come from across the board, and includes: Mary Anne Hobbs,Untold, Jackmaster, Ben UFO, Appleblim, Ramadanman, Peverelist amongst many more...
LIKHAN’ is the author of three sold out twelves on 7even Recordings, including the first release on the label ‘Terre / Uwill’ and recent classics such as ‘Qumran’ and ‘Redlight’. Al last he's back on wax in 2010 with ‘Boxin’ and ‘Boston’, offering us two of his best Dub House / Dubbage cuts for all the onethirty crew.
Pioneer of bass music in France for almost 10 years now, his productions have always ignored borders and have been recognized for their melodic quality and musicality. Notably supported by Mala Digital Mystikz on his Dubstep productions, this true underground artist is constantly innovating in the studio.
Blending House and Garage flavours to massive basslines and Dub skanks, delays and echoes, ‘Boxin’ and ‘Boston’ are unique tracks, and as usual with LIKHAN’, impossible to label.
The London players have already adopted them for their turntables: T.Williams and Don Morris from Deep Teknologi, DJ IC and Slackk are currently rinsing ‘Boxin’ and ‘Boston’ at their shows and on Rinse FM. LIKHAN is definitely back!
Immerse Records spread their wings and hook up with Tokyo based Cloak & Dagger for this stunning debut release. Bristol based Immerse Records are truly on fire at the moment dropping release after release of quality music that draws on the best of dubstep, garage, techno, electronic music and beyond to create a unique and eclectic output that defies simple genre classifications. The recent incredible single from Late is now followed up with a release from a brand new artist, Cloak & Dagger.
Cloak & Dagger is the work of one Evan Gach, a resident of Japan's capital city, Tokyo, Beyond this little is known about this new production talent but one thing is clear, he has an ear for great music as this inaugural release clearly demonstrates.
The title of the A side cut 'Crimewaves' may invoke visions of a dystopian urban landscape but in reality the music contained within its frequency bound walls is set to transport you to a jazz drenched utopia. Warm Rhodes piano lines and retro keys lay the groundwork for some funk fueled breaks and energetic percussion giving this record a depth of character that is hugely appealing. This is a perfect fusion of new & old, melodic & electronic, light and dark & light again; wonderful stuff and totally timeless. The flipside 'In the Cut' is a broodier affair, setting the scene with subtle understated drums which are bedrock for some intense sub bass action. Tech inspired pads and delayed stabs intertwine with the spacious percussion creating an ethereal and floating vibe that is constantly unpinned by the floorshaking bottom end! Dark and beautiful. Immerse is a celebration of great music and this is another piece in ever impressive story…
FABULOUS DIAMONDS Fabulous Diamonds II Chapter Music CD (CH 077)
"Melbourne, Australia's Fabulous Diamonds specialize not so much in songs but in pools of unease. " Pitchfork
Melbourne duo Fabulous Diamonds are an odd pair. They make overtly hypnotic music, full of lulling, sensual repetition, but there’s also an edge of irritation, an undercurrent of friction that cuts through the drone and propels the songs forward.
Second album Fabulous Diamonds II by Fabulous Diamonds begins with drummer/vocalist Nisa Venerosa yelling at keyboardist Jarrod Zlatic as he counts in the first track, but they still start together in perfect unison. It’s this combination of tension and intuitive understanding that makes Fabulous Diamonds so special.
They have been playing and arguing together for more than five years now, and their musical bond has grown deeper and more expansive since their 2008 self-titled debut. That album made it into revered UK mag The Wire’s top albums of the year, and got glowing reviews from the likes of Pitchfork and The Fader.
But this new record is still a remarkable development. Of its five untitled tracks, two extend well past the ten minute mark, sustaining a kind of grumpy intensity that never lags. The album was recorded with budding producer Mikey Young of Eddy Current Suppression Ring, and was mastered by Qua’s Cornel Wilczek. Like their first album, it will be released on vinyl by venerable US label Siltbreeze, home to releases by the likes of Pink Reason, Times New Viking and Psychedelic Horseshit.
Fabulous Diamonds toured the US in 2008 with the latter two bands, playing 26 dates in one month. In 2009 they were invited to perform at Belgium’s Kraak Festival alongside Wavves, Kurt Vile and others. They also played in the UK, Holland, France, Switzerland Portugal and Sweden on their 2009 European tour. In Australia the band have played with Deerhunter, the Horrors, Akron Family, Beach House and many more.
MACHINEFABRIEK Duotoon Machinefabriek CD EP (MF 012)
"A new self released fan disc. A 19 minute track made purely with computer generated sine waves, layered and edited to form a strangely immersive drone piece. So, no dusty vinyl crackles, textural field recordings or grainy guitars here... just pure tones."
5" CD with a transparent outer ring housed in picture sleeve slipcase and another ultra limited edition - more engrossing sonic adventures from the man Zuydervelt.
TULLY Live at Sydney Town Hall, 1969-70 Chapter Music CD (CH 076)
Chapter Music presents two rare live recordings from quintessential Sydney prog group Tully, including their 1970 performance of Australia’s first ever rock opera. These recordings capture the band in their first incarnation, before they joined forces with members of revered folk-psych band Extradition to explore more contemplative territory.
Formed in late 1968, Tully the First were wild, expansive and unpredictable, their live shows now the stuff of legend. Terry Wilson (vocals), Richard Lockwood (reeds), Michael Carlos (organ), John Blake (bass) and Robert Taylor (drums) employed extended improvisation, spacious dynamics and an intuitive intensity, so impressing Australian jazz icon John Sangster that he called them “the best band in the world at the time.”
In mid 69, Tully became the house band for love-rock musical Hair, recording the original cast album later that year. They also starred in a six part live-in-studio series Fusions. which premiered on ABC TV in August 1969. Sights & Sounds Of 69, from a May show of the same name, is the only live Tully recording to have survived the intervening four decades, and documents a typically far-ranging, mind-expanding performance. Ken Firth (later of the Ferrets) replaced John Blake on bass in December 1969.Perhaps Australia’s greatest living composer, Peter Sculthorpe wrote Love 200 specifically with Tully and vocalist Jeannie Lewis in mind. The work, commemorating Captain Cook’s expedition to map the Transit of Venus in 1769, was dismissed by the stuffy classcial establishment at the time, but Sculthorpe now calls it simply “one of my best works.” Heard here for the first time since the early 70s, Love 200 is an astounding piece, both elegant and jarring, serene and chaotic.
After Tully’s 1970 self-titled debut, Wilson and Taylor left the band, which then assimilated Extradition’s Shayna Stewart and Colin Campbell before releasing two more albums, Sea Of Joy (1971) and Loving Is Hard (1972), both markedly different from their fiery and often thunderous early form. Sadly, all three of Tully’s studio albums are still to be officially reissued. Until then, Live at Sydney Town Hall, 1969-70 is a fascinating insight into the early work of one of Australia’s most heralded, but least heard bands.
DANNY & THE PARKINS SISTERS Danny & the Parkins Sisters Chapter Music CD (CH 068)
“Danny & the Parkins Sisters were a truly singular blend of irritating, grating, interesting and meaningful.” - Bruno DeSmartass, Flipper
Chapter Music is proud to resurrect from undeserved obscurity the scratchy beatnik art-punk stylings of early 80s San Francisco trio Danny & the Parkins Sisters. Surrounded by the classic SF punk sounds of the Dead Kennedys, Pink Section, Flipper and the like, Danny & the Parkins Sisters opted instead to head in a very different direction.
Bratty Arizona transplant Danny Vinik and chic, alluring sisters Debra and Beverly Parkins strummed on detuned guitars, banged on whatever was close at hand, and declaimed hilarious, incisive lyrics that dissected the scenes and tribes around them in visceral, ungentrified early 80s San Francisco. Their high-performance shows played out in legendary venues such as the Sound Of Music and Club Generic.
In 1982, the band released a 8 song mini album on the Modern Masters label, run by Richard Kelly of the cabaret collective Club Foot Orchestra. It included the all-time shoulda-beena classic, War Is On Your Doorstep, a pounding tribal punk chant that sums up all the paranoia and posturing of the post-punk era.
By 1983 the band were over, with Danny heading to South America and the Parkins sisters to New York, but their brief SF moment shone with a peculiar, musically naive but still knowing charm. Fans of angular post-punk luminaries like the Bush Tetras, the Raincoats or Y Pants will love this CD, which comes filled with bonus demo, live and rehearsal recordings.
FABRICE LIG Genesis Of A Deep Sound Fine Art Recordings CD/LP (FA 019CD/LP) Fabrice Lig - Genesis Of A Deep Sound by nitzanfineart Excellent techno album by Fabrice Lig, known for his great releases on Fcom and several other labels and upcoming releases on R&S. 180 gr heavy weight – exclusive spoken track by Fabrice and 2 unique locked grooves on each side. Photography on both the vinyl and the CD comes from published photographer Andrew Moore and his book Detroit Disassembled. This is the limited vinyl version of his full length cd on Fine Art, and with this album he is straight back in the spotlights! Traditional Detroit influenced techno plus some downbeat funk. Comes with a bonus free download code of an additional track from the album.
Jakes steps up with Gemmy, back to back in this lively first twelve inch pressing, first in a series of five incoming in the Dubkasm Remixed series. Both sides have been receiving maximum rinseage, the Jakes mix providing a notable transition moment in Headhunter's recent juke to dubstep DJ excursions.
Ten years since JS-03, but little over eight weeks have passed since the last sighting of James Zeiter on the excellent Styrax Leaves imprint. His 'Reworks' twelve for them offered a reduced anticipation of this twelve, a flavoured vapour trail of this fine double header. Killer techno.
Since its formation in 2004, Bristol based Multiverse has been one of the key creative studios for developing the city's flourishing culture of forward thinking electronic music. Based around their recording studio in the heart of the city, the collective has consistently nurtured and supported electronic artists, both nationally and internationally, in the process creating a series of seminal releases that have helped shape today's current musical landscape. Through their network of labels which includes Tectonic, Kapsize, Earwax, Caravan and Build the work of the studio has focussed on exploring the uncharted spaces between genres, bridging together today's cutting edge sonic possibilities with electronic music's rich and diverse musical history. This intention has been accomplished with a strictly artist led approach and a commitment to supporting the work of new and innovative musicians and composers. The fruits of this creative labour are reflected here in this celebratory compilation.
This double CD release offers a selection of highlights from the studio's recent history. Leading the charge are both Lion and Pop Pop by Vex'd, records that formed the first bridge between classic British industrial music and Dubstep, a fusion now championed by the likes of Surgeon, Distance and Milanese. This appears alongside Joker and Ginz's Purple City the track that spearheaded the emergence of the Purple Wow phenomenon. Also present is Pinch's Qawwali one of the key tracks that broke Dubstep to a global audience via Mary Anne Hobb's Dubstep Warz compilation. As expected Pinch's influence within Multiverse extends across the compilation through his collaboration with P-Dutty on War Dub featured in the movie Children of Men, and Get Up with Massive Attack vocalist Yolanda Quartey and Bristol legend Rob Smith. Equally the more avant-garde work of the studio is represented through Moving Ninja, an artist who pioneered the blurring of boundaries between dubstep and sound design and Emptyset whose eponymous debut album fused the streamlined European minimalism of Mika Vainio and Raster Noton with Bristol's unique bass heavy production style. This ground breaking selection of tracks sit alongside contributions by Techno-Dubstep pioneer 2562, half-step progenitor Loefah, Skream and Caravan label boss October. In the process Dark Matter creates a landmark archive of the work of one of the worlds most innovative creative networks of electronic producers.
At the centre of this community is Bristol's thriving music scene in which Multiverse forms a key social hub, and the studio has operated with a family ethos that has placed creativity and artistic co-operation at the heart of their activity. Their collective approach places dialogue and collaboration as a vital and indispensable element within the musical process, an ethos that is entrenched within the city's creative history, and their focus as ever remains in working with a diverse range of artists to craft a unique an inimitable sound that speaks to a global audience. As a result Dark Matter emerges both as a celebration of all that has been achieved and forms a decisive manifesto for an unwritten future. An elemental space where electronic music collides with new digital processes and avant-garde composition, a place where sound becomes the raw sculptural mass of the sonic languages of tomorrow.
GROUP NIOB A. Vector AA. Amber Phlox 12" (PHLOX 002)
Our pioneers on the intriguing Austrian dubs frontier, return with this their second outing on wax - Group Niob, the collaborative work of both label heads Gerhard Potuznik and Martin Sovinz. 'Vector' continues further with exploratory mining into the oneforty bpm dubbed into technoid seam - its low end is devious and drills itself clean inside the synapses, mirages of dub cascading either side.
'Amber' works the deep small hours in the club most effectively - shunting and writhing within a dub organism which appears to throw its immaculate shapes to the four corners - heavy and grooving, ideal for smoke-machined basements and strobed warehouse interactions. Fans of everything from Scuba, Mike Dehnert, Wax series and Seldom Felt to technological Iration movements should check without delay
After the great success gained with his last productions and the numerous DJ sets around Europe, the DJ and producer Gerardo Frisina presents his new album titled 'Join The Dance'
GERARDO FRISINA feat. NORMA WINSTONE A. Will You Walk A Little Faster? (Faster Club Version) B. Joy Shout (Club Dub) Schema 12" (SCEP 453)
The single 'Will You Walk A Little Faster' featuring Norma Winstone has been previewed on Gilles Peterson Worldwide (BBC Radio 1)
From the title of this album and the up-tempo productions proposed, one might immediately assume that this is a release aimed at the dance floor. This however, is not strictly an invitation to dance, rather a proposal to come together and celebrate the instinctive movement that is inspired by listening, and responding to music. Simply put, this is a jazz album, but still containing the strong Afro-Cuban influences that are distinctive to all of Gerardo productions, here largely expressed in Joy Shout and Titoro. With this album, he has also experimented with new sounds and influences, such as the Asian-inspired track Mille e una Notte. Gerardo has also made two songs in 3/4 time, Waltz for Emily, and Another Waltz.'Join The Dance' is a good work of modern Latin music, arranged by Gerardo Frisina in collaboration with Luca Mannutza. Twelve pieces, nine of which are unreleased and three are covers. Two of the three re-interpretations are the only songs featuring in the album: Will You Walk a Little Faster is a new version of the beautiful 1971 Neil Ardley track, featured in the album 'A Symphony of Amaranths' and here interpreted again by the original singer, the British Jazz legend Norma Winstone. 'I’m Gonna Go Fishin’ ' instead is sung by Francesca Sortino, well-known Italian singer whom collaborated with several national and international jazz artists (Enrico Pieranunzi, Paolo Fresu, Stefano Di Battista, Eddie Henderson, Pierre Michelot, Eliot Zigmund). It is also a cover of a jazz tune taken from the 1959 film "Anatomy of a Murder" and written by Duke Ellington and Peggy Lee. The third and last cover of the album is 'Titoro', written by Billy Taylor and originally recorded in trio in 1957. Gerardo here offers a rework with a delectable Afro-Cuban taste.Thanks to the big international promotion of the single 'Will you Walk a Little Faster?', previewed by Gilles Peterson on Worldwide programme (BBC Radio 1), 'Join the Dance' will bring back on the European club scene one of the most valued Latin jazz producers.
LHFEP1 : Enter In Silence A1. DOUBLE HELIX - Deep Life A2. LOW DENSITY MATTER - Blue Steel B1. AMEN RA + DOUBLE HELIX - Steelz B2. AMEN RA FEAT. DOUBLE HELIX - Broken Glass Keysound 12"EP (LDN 018)
"...strange forces coalescing, mutterings of hoards of dubplates being assembled, psychotropic riddims ready to be unleashed on an unsuspecting public. Together LHF have got this sound like Sun Ra's hijacked Rinse FM and is using it to communicate with the heavens. Buried inside one corner of the LHF collective is a junglist fighting his way out: these guys have got drumz. Then there's another part of them that is lost in LA, their wonky beats falling off of the grid. Other members of the collective remind me of Horsepower's ability to transport you to lands far, far away: to Bollywood films or damp Brazilian riverbanks. I'm just lost in their sound right now..." Blackdown
A. JAKES - Times End AA. DARQWAN - Jahwan Tectonic 12" (TEC 039)
Two big names share one plate for Tectonic as dark garage / 2-Step legend Oris Jay, appearing here as Darqwan, goes face to face with Bristol don and HENCH head-honcho Jakes. Both tracks roll out cold and hard with a no-compromise attitude and all the quality levels you've come to expect from the usual Tectonic output.
A bomb twelve inch originating via a chance meeting of musical minds, at the auspicious Red Bull music academy, when it was hosted in Barcelona autumn 2008. Picture the scene: HUSEYIN EVIRGEN, opera composer and production partner in Cassegrain with ALEX TSIRIDIS, greek overlord for bacchanalian warehouse revels and notably BENGA ADEJUMO - dubstep pioneer with future perspectives, contributing a rare vocal appearance...The result - some scratty basement sleaze, on point production unfurling its colours gradually through an epic single side, future rollage - absolute deadly wares.Techno don PERC (Perc Trax/ CLR/ Ovum) switches the beats into a subs heavy stepper style, delivering a strategic bass refix of Cotton for the AA1, which tries the vital elements of the top side through new focal points and adds more overt dubwise swells. 'Olbia' continues the carnage some more for a Berghain primed dark destroyer, Cyrus indebted riffs over a smart big room low end undercarriage. Killer package.
JOAAN A. Splendor In The Grass B. 115 State 7EVEN 12" (7EVEN 015)
Gracious to the last, 7even offer a well-deserved opening to Joann, a talented newcomer from Nantes, ironically label head Greg Gouty's home town. A more than worthy addition to the 7even family, currently flying high off the back of the F album 'Energy distortion'. 'Splendor in the grass' manages to build sheer beatdown vibes for gathering summer evenings, over a cannily deployed half-speed drum and bass simply tailor made for dBridge fans. Gently add a skweezed synth at 1:30 and some emotive strings before some covert riffage turns this into a full-on main room joint, future vibes wild out! '115 State' picks it up on a revived electro tip, slightly cagier with dubbed-out delayed figures across a smart detroit transphixion - big shit!
7EVEN Represses - FEnergy Distortion Parts 1-3 back in stock!
F Energy Distortion Part 1: A. Energy Distortion B. Energy Distortion (Untold RMX) 7EVEN 12" (7EVEN 012)
F Energy Distortion Part 2: A. Chillin' B1. On The Corner B2. Spacewalker C. Perspectives D. Funk Injection (Vinyl Edition Exclusive Track) 7EVEN 2x12" (7EVEN 013)
F Energy Distortion Part 3: A. 0907 B1. Poka B2. Forever C. See The Light D. Confined System (Vinyl Exclusive track) 7EVEN 2x12" (7EVEN 014)
ELEVEN TIGERS Clouds Are Mountains Soul Motive CD (SMR 008CD)
Eleven Tigers steps up with a beautiful and entirely lush record for the first album to be released by the deeply impressive Soul Motive label. The Lithuanian ex-patriot is going to be blowing some minds this year, with this album and its forthcoming show- piece single 'Stableface'. His sound has a sense of being wonderfully organic, while retaining a dark electronic aesthetic.Not only an album, but presented as a continuous live set, Eleven Tigers is a master of the live show, no one set is ever the same,with beats and melodies constantly evolving from a sheer joy in experimentation. The album truely reflects this as it takes you on a journey of epic proportions, careering from one musical world into another. Moving from ambient ethereal pads, dark electronic drum sequences while folky vocals, delayed pyschedelic guitar licks and detroit chords all melt in and out of the mix. All the while giving you a natural feel and human element in Eleven Tigers electronic world.Clouds are Mountains may predominantly occupy the especially fertile140bpm terrain, but make no mistake, it is by no means your typical dubstep record: influences are drawn from most areas of bass music, be it garage, techno or whatver you call it - to form a highly impressive piece of work that fully immerses you from start to finish.
PLANAS A. Look Into My Eyes AA. Roots Music Immerse 12" (IME 018)
Incoming release from Bristol's Immerse label sees Rankin Records label boss Planas deliver two stunning new tracks of jazzy and dark edged dubstep. Immerse continue their foray into the realms of all things quality with the enlistment of Toby Davies AKA Planas for this new 2 track single. Davies is the man behind the much respected UK dubstep label Ranking Records, an imprint that has been releasing consistently outstanding records for the last 3 years, most of which have featured him either as a solo artist or in collaboration.First of the two cuts here comes in the shape of 'Look into my Eyes', a jazzy, summery slice of broken beat brilliance. Melodic Rhodes parts and ethereal female vocals float over an undercarriage of rich rollin' bass and cut up drums with the whole thing held together by pads and subtle toplines that are reminiscent of classic Good Looking recordings. This is superb sun drenched music - light, musical and highly engaging.The flipside track is entitled 'Roots Music' and is a darker, brooding affair with razor tight percussion and earth shaking bass. Once again the record is given a melodic vibe with dubbed out piano stabs, effected blues harp riffs and tight arpegiated synth lines used to lift this recording into the realms of the sublime, pure class.After an incredible 2009, Immerse are definitely a label to watch this year, with an open music policy incorporating the best in UK electronica, dubstep and techno and with the addition of Planas to the roster it seems things just keep getting better.
UNKNOWN ARTIST A. Blackout B1. S.O.S. B2. Boogie Kitchen Blackout 12" (BLACKOUT 001) BLACKOUT001 12" by bakedgoods
'Broken beats, bass killers - stealthy limited edition three tracker by an un-named producer, big with the likes of Mala, Peverelist, 2562, Martyn, Untold, Brackles, Oneman, Ben Ufo'
JACKAL YOUTH A. Let Me Be B1. Bruk B2. Broken Reduction 12" (RDCTN 005)
Reduction ramps it up another notch with some crisp pressure - minimal militant music from newcomer Jackal Youth. 'Let Me Be' opens with a simple collage of broken house drums and brassy stabs, vocal micro-samples hinting at the yearning vox to come, Add in a Popcorn-esque riff, tick-tocked percussion and punchy sub hits and you have a cheeky catchy little anthem.'Bruk' on the flip continues ina similar vein - cut up Funky riddims and sliced female vocals wind together into a bumping garage cut that builds all the way - adding layers of synths and percussion as the pressure mounts. 'Broken' rounds off the EP with a more complex piece, the conga-soaked house riddim overrun by offbeat detuned chords and a topline which sees the main motif develop and gather pace, adding new colours witha bittersweet flavour.
NAT BIRCHALL Guiding Spirit Gondwana CD (GONCD 004)
"One of the best musicians in the UK, no question about that" - Gilles Peterson
Saxophonist Nat Birchall has always been something of an enigma, a sublimely soulful saxophonist hidden from view in the Northern hills. His debut album Sixth Sense (1998) first announced him to the jazz world as an urgent tenor saxophonist with a feel for pulsing modal hard-bop. But it was his cult hit and now highly sought after soulful slice of spiritual jazz Akhenaten (released on trumpeter Matthew Halsall's label, Gondwana Records, in 2009) that suggested that the spirit of Coltrane was alive and well in Northern England. Acclaimed by the critics (MOJO for one hailing its 'spacial sunship beauty' and 'lyrical heat haze hypnotism') Akhenaten together with Halsall's own releases 'Sending My Love' and 'Colour Yes' helped create the unique sound that the Independent On Sunday described as 'rain soaked spiritual jazz from Manchester".
Growing up in a Northern Village, Birchall was hardly exposed to jazz but through some friends fell in love with roots reggae and dub in the early '70s and it was the legendary Jamaican jazz-influenced saxophonists, Cedric Brooks, Tommy McCook, that inspired him take up the saxophone and through them that he discovered the music of John Coltrane. Lessons with an enigmatic local player, Harold Salisbury, followed as well as playing with various bands including Akay Temiz's Zaman. Birchall led a hip-hop influenced jazz band Corner Crew in the early '90s and started to make a name for himself on the local scene but felt unsatisfied with the music and despite some encouragement from the legendary record producer Tony Hall (Dizzy Reece, Tubby Hayes etc) Birchall resisted the call of the London scene and continued to search for the music he felt inside. Meeting trumpeter Matthew Halsall and a group of like minded players (including pianist Adam Fairhall, bassist Gavin Barras and drummer Gaz Hughes) gathered around Matt & Phreds in Manchester proved an inspiration 'Suddenly I felt something special in the music. My music is very simple, harmonically and melodically, so you have to play with as much conviction and soul as possible because there's nothing to hide behind, just the truth of how you feel the music." And it is this soulful elegance that illuminates both Akhenaten and Birchall's more expansive follow-up Guiding Spirit.
Guiding Spirit opens with Open Up The Gates invoking the idea of huge ancient gates being opened to allow the procession through but with a subtext of acceptance and recognition. Keep the Light Shining is a sunny tune, infused with the optimism of a new day, while Higher Regions has something of a McCoy Tyner vibe and features harpist Rachel Gladwin on kora. Going To The Mountain is inspired by a simple phrase that Birchall heard Pharoah Sanders play and has an eastern feel "I've always been in awe of how some musicians can play the simplest things yet invest them with so much meaning, I try to achieve the same quality when I play, and in working with this phrase I ended up with this melody". The uptempo Becoming is named for something Duke Ellington once said, that he liked to have his music always "in a state of becoming" (which Birchall feels as something like a flower opening as you look at it rather than just seeing the flower already opened) and is enhanced by Fairhall's luminous solo. Finally the rubato Guiding Spirit hints at the hidden forces or unconscious decisions (those gut feelings) that for Birchall drive both life and his own deeply felt music.
XI A. The Ghost AA. The Ghost (Headhunter Remix) Orca 12" (ORCA 001)
Orca Recordings was created to deliver music built for the dance-floor that retains its integrity by pushing its creative and production standards to a new level. Operating out of North London, Orca is set to represent forward-thinking artists who are influenced by, but not restricted to, the many strands of UK bass music. Created by one of the promoters of the seminal ‘Seasonfive’ event in Bristol, Orca has also been formed to document the style and variety of music made at such an exciting and innovative time for electronic music where so many genres are being blended together.
The first release comes from X.I, one of the most exciting producers in bass music today. The track, named ‘The Ghost’ captures the exact sentiment and ethos of Orca. Right from the start XI creates an instant vibe with a short and energetic intro before the simple yet highly effective drum pattern and tough sub work out release this track's potential. Frequent changes in synth lines and detailed edits are brought together by a captivating vocal sample, sure to be remembered by the heads once they’ve left the club. On the flip, Headhunter still searing hot from his Addison's Groove outing on Swamp81, demonstrates exactly why he is one of the most sought after producers, as he puts his unique touch onto his remix of ‘The Ghost’. Headhunter’s trademark razor sharp drums and production expertise help draw attention to the amount of space he has created in this track, creating an unequalled sense of paranoia, making it perfect for both the club and headphone listening. The delayed synth chords, snarling mid range and the volatile movement of the pad combine with the power of the sub to give a meditational, eyes down vibe, now an uncommon commodity in UK bass music.
NAPHTA A. Jungle Republic (Ricky Force Relick) AA. Jungle Republic (Ramamdanman Refix) Ruff Revival 12" (RR 003)
The double-barrelled intensity continues with two very different remixes of Naphta's deep stepper, 'Jungle Republic'. Hotly-tipped Dublin-based producer RickyForce twists the original into an artfully hyperactive remix brimming with vibes, touching down somewhere between vintage Foul Play and Krome & Time.
Meanwhile Hessle Audio don and all round man of the moment Ramadanman destroys the flip side with a radically different interpretation, referencing bleep and bass artists like Unique 3 and Ital Rockers to create an idiosyncratic dubstep version that looks to the past, while forging ahead into the future...
CONFORCE Black Strobe EP: A. Black Stroke (Original Mix) B1. Black Stroke (Kink & Neville Watson Remix) B2. Pretty (Far From Here) Modelisme 12" (MODELISME 024)
After his glorious 'Machine Conspiracy' set for Meanwhile and his splendid prior "CCCP EP" on Modelisme, which was charted & supported by names such as Steve Bug, Djulz, Ewan Pearson, François K, Brendon Moeller, Kirk Degiorgio, Mike Dehnert, Giorgio Gigli... Conforce strikes back on Modelisme with another great release titled "Black Stroke ep". The original is an hymnic detroitish tune, the swinging groove and the right strings, highly sensitive materials. Guests on this ep, the excellent Kink & Neville Watson worked out an old school acid house remix within a typical chicago vein - they know what to do. To round things off "Pretty far from here" is a superb old school house track, subtle deep funky sounds on raw beats with a sensual mood. A must have. Modelisme again, Conforce - well nigh essential.
ANTONZAP Social Background: A. Can't Tell You B. Social Background Ethereal Sound 10" (ES 002)
Deep Explorer, Underground Quality, Uzuri, Quintessentials, Kontra Musik, Millions of Moments, the list of this Russian producer's releases reads like a who's who of some of today's finest, most forwards thinking house imprints. Here he returns to Ethereal Sound in fine style by way of a follow up to his take on 'I Get No Kick From Champagne' - dopest quality house jams united with poise and that certain feeling.
JEREMIAH FT. VUSA MKHAYA Khawuleza: A1. (DJ Aly Meghji Vocal Mix) A2. (DJ Aly Meghji Instrumental Mix) B. (Oracy's Phantom Sound Mix) Balance Alliance Special Edition clear vinyl 12" (BASE001)
DUBKASM Transform I - Remixed Sufferah's Choice CD (DUBK012CD)
1. From the Foundation (feat. Dub Judah) (Pinch remix) 2. City Walls (feat. Ras Addis) (Gemmy remix) 3. More Jah Songs (feat. Tena Stelin) (RSD remix) 4. Moses (feat. Ras B) (Forsaken remix) 5. Strictly Ital (feat. Ras Addis) (Peverelist remix) 6. Respek I-spek / Touch I Heart (feat.Levi Roots & Afrikan Simba) (Appleblim & Gatekeeper remix) 7. Nyah Keith (Guido remix) 8. Transformai (feat. Ras Bernardo & Jeru Banta) (Hyetal remix) 9. Hail Jah (feat. Ras Addis) (Jakes remix) 10. Foundational Dub (feat. Dub Judah) (Headhunter remix) 11. 'Transform I' Trailer (Video)
Bristolian roots reggae outfit Dubkasm have rounded together ten of the city's A-list dubstep producers to contribute to their Transform I - Remixed album. Quite aside from being a compulsively listenable and frequently brilliant reconstruction of Dubkasm’s Transform I album, this upcoming remix project acts as a tidy summary of – and an excellent introduction to – some of the Bristol dubstep community’s best-known practitioners. The rootsy feel of the source material is faithfully adhered to throughout, lending coherence despite the oft-idiosyncratic nature of each version. So Peverelist’s take on ‘Strictly Ital’ is equally indebted to jungle and techno, both Gemmy and Guido’s tracks drown samples of the original instrumentation in synthetic melody and Forsaken turns ‘Moses’ into a characteristically bizarre Latinised stomp. Best of all has to be Gatekeeper & Appleblim’s bewitching turn on ‘Respect I-Spek’, splicing the original into a mini-epic that’s equal parts devotional ritualism and club propulsion.
"...already big with Mary Anne, MistaJam and Skream, Headhunter, Geiom and co on a highly addictive funky flex"
LV feat JOSH IDEHEN 38 EP A1. Lost A2. Early Mob A3. Your Coat B1. Walk It B2. Face of God Keysound 12"EP (LDN 017)
Keysound Recordings are proud to present the "38 EP" from the bass-heavy production trio, LV. All five tracks from the Hyperdub recording artists feature the ramblings and reflections of grime-inspired spoken wordsmith, Josh Idehen. It finds him sitting in the seat of five different passengers on east London's 38 bus as it winds from Clapton, imagining different people's worlds, as they journey via Hackney Central into the dark heart of the city."It's obvious you don't get on with this metropolis, The big smoke's a big joke and you're the butt of it. Not like before when you were sure you'd fall in love with it eventually? Pity cos the city don't like optimists…"
The EP comprises exclusive tracks "Lost," "Early Mob," "Your Coat," and "Walk It" before ending in "Face of Go," where we find LV's sound stripped back to its dark exoskeleton, as far as Kode9's beatless dread-bass "Sine of the Dub." The 38 is both a celebrated and maligned London bus route and was name-checked by Wiley in freestyles ("38 bus/you don't want to see my .38 buss"). The route was one of the last to be served by the classic hop-on-the-back Routemasters. It was then served using the "bendy" busses, which were infamous for their ability to let fair dodgers nip on in the middle. They were finally phased out the weekend before the photos for this 12" were taken in Clapton, east London.
HYETAL
LIKHAN
