Friday, 24 September 2010
Filth Friday #3
Supplying you with your Friday Filth supplement, this week with MENSAH. This one along the more melodic tip, with inspiration taken from the Purple-Wow sound that made Joker famous.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Zinc.
In the run up to the next UTR event @ The Coronet draws ever nearer (just two sleeps now), we get ready to pay tribute to some of the UKs most prized posessions with write ups on some of the artists featuring @ our Speakerbox showcase on Friday. First up is the multi-talented DJ and Producer... Zinc, known to friends as Ben.
Having been at the top of the game now for 15 years, it's hard to comprehend and make sense of the splendid career that he has had so far. Having released EPs and 12"s under a variety of labels, aliases and covering a mixture of styles and sounds, its very hard to pin this East London bass pioneer down to one particular scene.
Back in 1994, Zinc helped form the collaborative trio The Ganja Kru along with DJ Hype and Pascal. After releasing a 12" on DJ Hype's now defunct Ganja Records, they set to some hard studio work and in 1995 , released the Super Sharp Shooter EP, which went on to be the biggest Jungle/Drum n Bass release of the year and it solidified DJ Zinc as a force to be reckoned with. To this day, many are still under the illusion that that the track Super Sharp Shooter, was a DJ Zinc production, such was the status of the man at the time.
A year later he also helped along with Hype and Pascal form the Drum and Bass label True Playaz, a label which has been synonymous with everything Drum and Bass since, and one which later this year will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary year of their residency @ Fabric.
During the next few years Zinc went on to release Drum and Bass 12"s on the likes of Global Thang and Frontline Records as well as his native Playaz. Anthems such as Reach Out and It's Like That, helped sustain his reputation beyond UK borders to mainland Europe and the far east of Japan in particular.
As the end of the 20th Century drew nearer Zinc retreated to the studio and began to experiment with other styles and tempos of music, including helping to form the building blocks for a new experimental sound which comes originally from the Breakbeat template, but with a slightly more 2-Step feel (a term that would not end up being referred to until the early 2000s as UK Garage.
The result of that period of time saw a huge shift for the UK music scene, with London taking prominence over Madchester (Manchester) as the capital of underground music. Along with artists such as MJ Cole, 187 Lockdown, Todd Edwards, Double 99, Zed Bias broke away from the traditional sounds of the time, creating their own (dubbier) House music sound.
In 1999, Zinc released his Beats By Design EP, a release which included a track titled, 138 Trek. A track which would go on to represent the sound we now know today as UK Garage.
138 Trek was re-released in 2000 on experimental new label Phaze:One, an exponent of True Playaz. To date, there have been no releases on Phaze:One, which you could comment meant the label had served it's 'purpose', but that conversation is for another day.
Moving on through 2001 and 2002 and Zinc took to producing under a variety of other names, most notabley his Jammin alias, under which he released the classics Go DJ , Kinda Funky and the track above Hello.
Classic tunes that will go on to be treasured for many years for the sheer originality and tightness of production style.
One aspect of Zinc's production that has always impressed me, is the Bass. It's not over thought in anyway and it's not constructed to stab you in the face. It's soul purpose is to create a dynamic rhythm within the sound-scape. A skill that few producers today have been able to master well.
Zinc setup his own label, Bingo Beats in 2001 to release his own material under the Jammin alias, and for a number of years has promoted up and coming Drum and Bass producers, including the likes of Chase & Status, Shy FX, Menta, Jenna G, Lomax, Sigma and DKay. Skream has also released remixes under the Bingo Beats imprint in the past.
Zinc continued to dominate the Drum and Bass market throughout the mid 2000s, with Bingo Beats at the forefront of the scene throughout this period.
After a short hiatus from the UK scene, Zinc returned to DJing at the start of 2009 and began promoting a new sound, which he coined as Crack House. The history of this sound is perhaps one of the shortest, most whimsical ever, but it serves as a statement about the fragile nature of the way genres and scenes are labelled.
Zinc was touring Japan along with Dynamite MC at the start of 2009, confused about how to advertise his new sound, unwilling to simplify his status to the just house music. Whilst sitting down for lunch with Dynamite MC, he brought up the conversation and Dynamite pointed to a store, which was called Crack House, and the rest as they say is history.
You will know the tune above as Blunt Edge, but it also formed the basis for Wile Out, Zinc's 2010 Top 40 hit with Ms Dynamite which cemented the come back of both artists from the depths of UK Garage and into the modern day underground of British music, which has been dominated by the likes of UK Funky an Dubstep in recent years.
Zinc once again showed, that you can make a great tune, without over thinking the bass. He instead opted for a more minimalistic vibe, with Ms Dynamite taking care of the rest.
A fifteen year career, brought full circle. It is 2010 and Zinc has once again produced a fantastic tune, which could be said to be the very definition of a rinse out.
To begin out close to this feature, we have a showcase here that represents Zinc's classic old skool sound from his recorded set for the closing nights of The End nightclub back in January last year, the last Drum and Bass night ever to take place at the iconic venue. A set full of old vibes and time honoured classics. The tracklisting was never published, and therefore slightly unfinished.
A Guy Called Gerald // Anything
Nebula 2 // Athema
Omni Trio // Feel Good
DJ Crystl // Let It ROll
Jim Polo & Neil Vass // Underground feeling remix
???
Fallen Angels // Hello Lover (DJ Hype remix)
Foul Play // Open Your Mind Remix
Pascal & Sponge // I Got You (Easy Bwoy)
DJ Crystl // Warpdrive
Edge of Darkness // Come Together
???
???
System X // Feel It
Pascal & Sponge // Raw Basics
Foul Play // Being With You
Johnny Jungle // Flammable
???
T Power // Mutant Jazz (Trace Remix)
D Bridge // True Romance VIP
MTS // Hard Disk
Tactix // It's the Way
Zinc // Freenote (Ms Dynamite Vocal Mix)
Andy C & Shimon // Quest
Reprazent // Watching Windows (DJ Die Gnarly mix)
Zinc // Pitcher VIP?
Zinc // Mashup (Ready or Not vs Super Sharp Shooter)
Goldie // Inner City Life
Before I leave you contemplating the career of this talented individual, I will leave you with one of my favourite tune of the year, Bounce Up, which was released as part of Zinc's Crack House Vol. 2 EP, earlier this summer. It is an utter banger, enjoy.
There is definitely one prime conclusion to make from Zinc's career so far, a summary that highlights Zinc as a founding father for what we call UK Music today.
Back in 2008 Zinc was selected that year along with The Beatles and The Sex Pistols to be curated for his achievements and contributions to British music by being included in a permanent exhibition in London's O2 Arena which outlines a chronology (diary of events) that has led to the evolution of contemporary music.
Not bad for someone who originally began fiddling with sequencers, and synthesis hardware in his youth in his bedroom.
In other words, UTR would not be the same without this man.
Respect
Having been at the top of the game now for 15 years, it's hard to comprehend and make sense of the splendid career that he has had so far. Having released EPs and 12"s under a variety of labels, aliases and covering a mixture of styles and sounds, its very hard to pin this East London bass pioneer down to one particular scene.
Back in 1994, Zinc helped form the collaborative trio The Ganja Kru along with DJ Hype and Pascal. After releasing a 12" on DJ Hype's now defunct Ganja Records, they set to some hard studio work and in 1995 , released the Super Sharp Shooter EP, which went on to be the biggest Jungle/Drum n Bass release of the year and it solidified DJ Zinc as a force to be reckoned with. To this day, many are still under the illusion that that the track Super Sharp Shooter, was a DJ Zinc production, such was the status of the man at the time.
A year later he also helped along with Hype and Pascal form the Drum and Bass label True Playaz, a label which has been synonymous with everything Drum and Bass since, and one which later this year will be celebrating the 10th Anniversary year of their residency @ Fabric.
During the next few years Zinc went on to release Drum and Bass 12"s on the likes of Global Thang and Frontline Records as well as his native Playaz. Anthems such as Reach Out and It's Like That, helped sustain his reputation beyond UK borders to mainland Europe and the far east of Japan in particular.
As the end of the 20th Century drew nearer Zinc retreated to the studio and began to experiment with other styles and tempos of music, including helping to form the building blocks for a new experimental sound which comes originally from the Breakbeat template, but with a slightly more 2-Step feel (a term that would not end up being referred to until the early 2000s as UK Garage.
The result of that period of time saw a huge shift for the UK music scene, with London taking prominence over Madchester (Manchester) as the capital of underground music. Along with artists such as MJ Cole, 187 Lockdown, Todd Edwards, Double 99, Zed Bias broke away from the traditional sounds of the time, creating their own (dubbier) House music sound.
In 1999, Zinc released his Beats By Design EP, a release which included a track titled, 138 Trek. A track which would go on to represent the sound we now know today as UK Garage.
138 Trek was re-released in 2000 on experimental new label Phaze:One, an exponent of True Playaz. To date, there have been no releases on Phaze:One, which you could comment meant the label had served it's 'purpose', but that conversation is for another day.
Moving on through 2001 and 2002 and Zinc took to producing under a variety of other names, most notabley his Jammin alias, under which he released the classics Go DJ , Kinda Funky and the track above Hello.
Classic tunes that will go on to be treasured for many years for the sheer originality and tightness of production style.
One aspect of Zinc's production that has always impressed me, is the Bass. It's not over thought in anyway and it's not constructed to stab you in the face. It's soul purpose is to create a dynamic rhythm within the sound-scape. A skill that few producers today have been able to master well.
Zinc setup his own label, Bingo Beats in 2001 to release his own material under the Jammin alias, and for a number of years has promoted up and coming Drum and Bass producers, including the likes of Chase & Status, Shy FX, Menta, Jenna G, Lomax, Sigma and DKay. Skream has also released remixes under the Bingo Beats imprint in the past.
Zinc continued to dominate the Drum and Bass market throughout the mid 2000s, with Bingo Beats at the forefront of the scene throughout this period.
After a short hiatus from the UK scene, Zinc returned to DJing at the start of 2009 and began promoting a new sound, which he coined as Crack House. The history of this sound is perhaps one of the shortest, most whimsical ever, but it serves as a statement about the fragile nature of the way genres and scenes are labelled.
Zinc was touring Japan along with Dynamite MC at the start of 2009, confused about how to advertise his new sound, unwilling to simplify his status to the just house music. Whilst sitting down for lunch with Dynamite MC, he brought up the conversation and Dynamite pointed to a store, which was called Crack House, and the rest as they say is history.
You will know the tune above as Blunt Edge, but it also formed the basis for Wile Out, Zinc's 2010 Top 40 hit with Ms Dynamite which cemented the come back of both artists from the depths of UK Garage and into the modern day underground of British music, which has been dominated by the likes of UK Funky an Dubstep in recent years.
Zinc once again showed, that you can make a great tune, without over thinking the bass. He instead opted for a more minimalistic vibe, with Ms Dynamite taking care of the rest.
A fifteen year career, brought full circle. It is 2010 and Zinc has once again produced a fantastic tune, which could be said to be the very definition of a rinse out.
To begin out close to this feature, we have a showcase here that represents Zinc's classic old skool sound from his recorded set for the closing nights of The End nightclub back in January last year, the last Drum and Bass night ever to take place at the iconic venue. A set full of old vibes and time honoured classics. The tracklisting was never published, and therefore slightly unfinished.
A Guy Called Gerald // Anything
Nebula 2 // Athema
Omni Trio // Feel Good
DJ Crystl // Let It ROll
Jim Polo & Neil Vass // Underground feeling remix
???
Fallen Angels // Hello Lover (DJ Hype remix)
Foul Play // Open Your Mind Remix
Pascal & Sponge // I Got You (Easy Bwoy)
DJ Crystl // Warpdrive
Edge of Darkness // Come Together
???
???
System X // Feel It
Pascal & Sponge // Raw Basics
Foul Play // Being With You
Johnny Jungle // Flammable
???
T Power // Mutant Jazz (Trace Remix)
D Bridge // True Romance VIP
MTS // Hard Disk
Tactix // It's the Way
Zinc // Freenote (Ms Dynamite Vocal Mix)
Andy C & Shimon // Quest
Reprazent // Watching Windows (DJ Die Gnarly mix)
Zinc // Pitcher VIP?
Zinc // Mashup (Ready or Not vs Super Sharp Shooter)
Goldie // Inner City Life
Before I leave you contemplating the career of this talented individual, I will leave you with one of my favourite tune of the year, Bounce Up, which was released as part of Zinc's Crack House Vol. 2 EP, earlier this summer. It is an utter banger, enjoy.
There is definitely one prime conclusion to make from Zinc's career so far, a summary that highlights Zinc as a founding father for what we call UK Music today.
Back in 2008 Zinc was selected that year along with The Beatles and The Sex Pistols to be curated for his achievements and contributions to British music by being included in a permanent exhibition in London's O2 Arena which outlines a chronology (diary of events) that has led to the evolution of contemporary music.
Not bad for someone who originally began fiddling with sequencers, and synthesis hardware in his youth in his bedroom.
In other words, UTR would not be the same without this man.
Respect
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Tune Tuesday
This week's featured free tune comes from the Dubstep end of the spectrum, from a pioneer of the scene and one of the most respected artists in the genre, Skream. 2010 has been a monumental year for Oliver Jones, who not only released his second LP earlier this summer, but also went Top 10 along with Artwork and Benga, as Magnetic Man.
The hype surrounding the project has been simply overwhelming, even to me. I run a weekly dubstep/dnb night back in Dartford, which takes place upstairs in room 2 of my local club. It was my regular that I worshipped during the first two summers after I turned 18, the place where it was acceptable to play Mr. Brightside at 1:59am and walk home with a girl you had met 5 minutes previous to that moment.
I never thought I would see the day where I would hear a tune like I Need Air, being played in the main (commercial) room of a venue that until very recently would not be seen dead inside of.
Understanding what producers like Skream have done for British music and the clubbing scene as a whole in the past five years is sometimes hard to take in. Sure there will always be hate for such a rise to prominence for Dubstep, but so long as Skream carries on producing fine examples of the sound such as What Did He Say, then I will carry on trawling websites and hunting record shops for such sounds.
The hype surrounding the project has been simply overwhelming, even to me. I run a weekly dubstep/dnb night back in Dartford, which takes place upstairs in room 2 of my local club. It was my regular that I worshipped during the first two summers after I turned 18, the place where it was acceptable to play Mr. Brightside at 1:59am and walk home with a girl you had met 5 minutes previous to that moment.
I never thought I would see the day where I would hear a tune like I Need Air, being played in the main (commercial) room of a venue that until very recently would not be seen dead inside of.
Understanding what producers like Skream have done for British music and the clubbing scene as a whole in the past five years is sometimes hard to take in. Sure there will always be hate for such a rise to prominence for Dubstep, but so long as Skream carries on producing fine examples of the sound such as What Did He Say, then I will carry on trawling websites and hunting record shops for such sounds.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Gyal... You give me tightest hold me eva seen inna mi liiiife, ohhhhhhhhhh!
Remember, you heard it here first.
Toddla T + 90s Piano Rave + some skanking = this.
Toddla T + 90s Piano Rave + some skanking = this.
Mix Monday
Only a few days to go now until UTR takes over The Coronet Theatre showcasing our Mixtajam Speakerbox special
First up this week we have an awesome set from Dubstep producer Kulture who is widely known to be one of Skream's favourite producers. I've had the pleasure of playing with Kulture as he joined me on the mic at Surrey university last year along with the rest of his Presha crew. Many don't know he's a pretty good MC, as well as an equally talented DJ and producer. This is the 62nd edition of the Get Darker TV podcast, and a very welcome addition to a blossoming series... Get locked!
Kulture // Physics
Skream // Wibbler
Kulture // Rave City
Magnetic Man // MAD
Kulture // Flexo
Doom // Destroy
Skream // What He Say
Kulture // Squeeky Dirt
Kulture // Keep Movin'
Magnetic Man // I Need Air
Simian Mobile Disco // Cruel Intentions feat. Beth Ditto (Joker Remix)
Kulture // Taken Over
Skream // How Real feat. Freckles
Kulture // Something Missing
Kulture //Rainbow Balaclava
Omni Trio // Mainline (Kulture Remix)
DK // Latitude (Kulture Remix)
Kulture // Underlying Truth
Pinch // Get Up feat. Yolanda
Synkro // Resevoir
Mala // Livin’ Different
Kulture // Afterglow
Kulture // Dark Inside
High Contrast // If We Ever
High Contrast // Twighlights Last Gleaming
London Elektricity // The Great Drum & Bass Swindle
High Contrast // Brief Encouter
Klute // Saviour
Logistics // Transporter
London Elektricity // My Dreams
Instra:Mental // Watching You
Skream //Reflections (Feat. Dbridge And Instra:Mental)
Kulture // Triumph
Also here's a FREE download of a new Kulture tune, in which he pays homage to his residency night @ Surrey Uni... Presha.
Next up this week we have Foamo and his addition to the Data Transmission podcast series. Showcasing some up and coming House/Electro/Techno/UK Funky styles, this is definitely one for your collection.
If your into experimental vibes and like keeping one step ahead of the game, then get on this one.
Canblaster & Berou // Terence Hill (French Fries remix)
Justin Martin // Steal Drum (Riva Starr remix)
Redlight // What You Talking About ft. Ms Dynamite (Roska remix)
Nas & Damian Marley // As We Enter (Foamo remix)
Schlachthofbronx // Vem Que Tem (DJ Beware & Motorpitch remix)
Manare // Blitzkrieg riddim
Randomer // Be Electric
Count & Sinden // After Dark feat. Mystery Jets (Oliver Twizt remix)
Foamo // Here Comes
Mowgli // Paris to London
L Vis 1990 // Reprise
Boy 8 Bit // Yard Birds
Savage Skulls & Douster // Rendezvous (J-wow remix)
Autokratz // Stay the Same (Noob remix)
Sky Farrera // One (Style of Eye remix)
Foamo // Generate Some Heat
Bart B More & Harvard Bass // Listen to This
Bassanova // Terradactyl (Greenmoney remix)
Purpl Pop // The Way (Foamo remix)
Screendeath // Packback
Also grab a FREE download of Foamo's new remix of Nas & Damian Marley, top!
First up this week we have an awesome set from Dubstep producer Kulture who is widely known to be one of Skream's favourite producers. I've had the pleasure of playing with Kulture as he joined me on the mic at Surrey university last year along with the rest of his Presha crew. Many don't know he's a pretty good MC, as well as an equally talented DJ and producer. This is the 62nd edition of the Get Darker TV podcast, and a very welcome addition to a blossoming series... Get locked!
Kulture // Physics
Skream // Wibbler
Kulture // Rave City
Magnetic Man // MAD
Kulture // Flexo
Doom // Destroy
Skream // What He Say
Kulture // Squeeky Dirt
Kulture // Keep Movin'
Magnetic Man // I Need Air
Simian Mobile Disco // Cruel Intentions feat. Beth Ditto (Joker Remix)
Kulture // Taken Over
Skream // How Real feat. Freckles
Kulture // Something Missing
Kulture //Rainbow Balaclava
Omni Trio // Mainline (Kulture Remix)
DK // Latitude (Kulture Remix)
Kulture // Underlying Truth
Pinch // Get Up feat. Yolanda
Synkro // Resevoir
Mala // Livin’ Different
Kulture // Afterglow
Kulture // Dark Inside
High Contrast // If We Ever
High Contrast // Twighlights Last Gleaming
London Elektricity // The Great Drum & Bass Swindle
High Contrast // Brief Encouter
Klute // Saviour
Logistics // Transporter
London Elektricity // My Dreams
Instra:Mental // Watching You
Skream //Reflections (Feat. Dbridge And Instra:Mental)
Kulture // Triumph
Also here's a FREE download of a new Kulture tune, in which he pays homage to his residency night @ Surrey Uni... Presha.
Next up this week we have Foamo and his addition to the Data Transmission podcast series. Showcasing some up and coming House/Electro/Techno/UK Funky styles, this is definitely one for your collection.
If your into experimental vibes and like keeping one step ahead of the game, then get on this one.
Canblaster & Berou // Terence Hill (French Fries remix)
Justin Martin // Steal Drum (Riva Starr remix)
Redlight // What You Talking About ft. Ms Dynamite (Roska remix)
Nas & Damian Marley // As We Enter (Foamo remix)
Schlachthofbronx // Vem Que Tem (DJ Beware & Motorpitch remix)
Manare // Blitzkrieg riddim
Randomer // Be Electric
Count & Sinden // After Dark feat. Mystery Jets (Oliver Twizt remix)
Foamo // Here Comes
Mowgli // Paris to London
L Vis 1990 // Reprise
Boy 8 Bit // Yard Birds
Savage Skulls & Douster // Rendezvous (J-wow remix)
Autokratz // Stay the Same (Noob remix)
Sky Farrera // One (Style of Eye remix)
Foamo // Generate Some Heat
Bart B More & Harvard Bass // Listen to This
Bassanova // Terradactyl (Greenmoney remix)
Purpl Pop // The Way (Foamo remix)
Screendeath // Packback
Also grab a FREE download of Foamo's new remix of Nas & Damian Marley, top!
Welcome To Bombay City...
Just a little video here, a new tune that we found as a result of some Twitter hype about new London based Grime/Bass/Dubstep producer Kashmir Kid.
This is the third release of Gut Instinct Records, a new project from Goldielocks, and it's out next Monday (27th) on iTunes. We'll keep you in the loop. Please let us know what your thoughts are.
This is the third release of Gut Instinct Records, a new project from Goldielocks, and it's out next Monday (27th) on iTunes. We'll keep you in the loop. Please let us know what your thoughts are.
Friday, 17 September 2010
Friday Filth #2
Who's up for some new Bar 9 action?
Immense new remix of Foals' Spanish Sahara. Grab a FREE 320 DOWNLOAD below and have a top weekend!
Immense new remix of Foals' Spanish Sahara. Grab a FREE 320 DOWNLOAD below and have a top weekend!
Now to settle my throne... The Princess of Belair.
Now, unlikely as it seems, Will Smith isn’t quite the same ‘brother’ he was when he whistled for that cab. Yes, the cab whose journey shook the whole world. Music, TV, and Film where never destined to be the same again. However, reaching the ripe old age (for Hip Hop…) of forty two later this month, it beginning to look like Will Smith may be too old for Rap (go on, prove me wrong Will…).
In recent months all the talk has been about Will’s son, Jaden Smith, and his remarkable performance in (the new version of) The Karate Kid, but it looks like his new found fame is about to be eclipsed with the explosion of his younger sister Willow, onto the music scene.
Now, when you hear that Jay-Z has signed her to his Roc Nation label, you probably won’t know what to expect from the apparently quite and polite nine year old. However, I can almost guarantee you will like it. It feels like a smash hit from moment the beat drops, and I can’t help but draw comparisons to Rhianna’s Umbrella. She sings with an uncanny maturity of a woman three times her age, and her swagger immediately reminds me of Beyonce.
It’s a winning combination, as I’m sure you will agree. Yet, it’s the sort of song thats going to be butchered to pieces on the X Factor and BGT countless times within the next two years. However, for the moment I'm just happy to welcome the Smith's back to the music scene!
In recent months all the talk has been about Will’s son, Jaden Smith, and his remarkable performance in (the new version of) The Karate Kid, but it looks like his new found fame is about to be eclipsed with the explosion of his younger sister Willow, onto the music scene.
Now, when you hear that Jay-Z has signed her to his Roc Nation label, you probably won’t know what to expect from the apparently quite and polite nine year old. However, I can almost guarantee you will like it. It feels like a smash hit from moment the beat drops, and I can’t help but draw comparisons to Rhianna’s Umbrella. She sings with an uncanny maturity of a woman three times her age, and her swagger immediately reminds me of Beyonce.
It’s a winning combination, as I’m sure you will agree. Yet, it’s the sort of song thats going to be butchered to pieces on the X Factor and BGT countless times within the next two years. However, for the moment I'm just happy to welcome the Smith's back to the music scene!
Grime Weekly
Our resident grime writer... Callum from MrTremix is back with another weekly guide to everything Grime.
So, pretty much everyone is back at school now and I'm still contemplating on re-enrolling for college for this year. I need to buck up my ideas and be SERIOUS, So My first grime track of the week is Serious by JME. What a classic!
My second track of the week is by Mz Bratt, whose got a lot of people talking about her club number Selecta, produced by man of the moment Redlight, which I've been hearing everywhere and everytime I've been out recently.
With the video directed by Tim and Barry and the whole video which is really new ravey/80's. It's a all round winner !
My next song is from one of shortest members in Boy Better Know. The one and only Shorty! (See what I did there)
With the video shot in bruce castle just down the road from me, it kind of makes the video feel more appealing? A big shout out goes to Shorty and well done to boxfresh for the product placement of his immense Jacket in the video as well, so much hype over twitter and youtube about it. Oh and also for heavily supporting the grime scene haha.
I herd this song on Logan Sama's show recently. I think Rick Ross produced this record, then Jammer put his "jahmanji" touch to it, and the rest they say, is history. A nice change from the Jammer we've come to know, with a slightly more Hip Hop feel to it.
My last track of the week comes from Jendor, which has sent the internet crazy.
As blacks said "it's not a clash", Jendor was just expressing his feeling's to Dot Rotten and thats how Dot Rotten forgot about NE when he looked after him, at a time when he had no money and no where to go.
So, pretty much everyone is back at school now and I'm still contemplating on re-enrolling for college for this year. I need to buck up my ideas and be SERIOUS, So My first grime track of the week is Serious by JME. What a classic!
My second track of the week is by Mz Bratt, whose got a lot of people talking about her club number Selecta, produced by man of the moment Redlight, which I've been hearing everywhere and everytime I've been out recently.
With the video directed by Tim and Barry and the whole video which is really new ravey/80's. It's a all round winner !
My next song is from one of shortest members in Boy Better Know. The one and only Shorty! (See what I did there)
With the video shot in bruce castle just down the road from me, it kind of makes the video feel more appealing? A big shout out goes to Shorty and well done to boxfresh for the product placement of his immense Jacket in the video as well, so much hype over twitter and youtube about it. Oh and also for heavily supporting the grime scene haha.
I herd this song on Logan Sama's show recently. I think Rick Ross produced this record, then Jammer put his "jahmanji" touch to it, and the rest they say, is history. A nice change from the Jammer we've come to know, with a slightly more Hip Hop feel to it.
My last track of the week comes from Jendor, which has sent the internet crazy.
As blacks said "it's not a clash", Jendor was just expressing his feeling's to Dot Rotten and thats how Dot Rotten forgot about NE when he looked after him, at a time when he had no money and no where to go.
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Devlin - Runaway
New video from Devlin for Runaway featuring the vocal talents of Yasmin... Forthcoming on his debut album Bud, Sweat and Beers, out 1st November.
Pre-order here.
Pre-order here.
This goes out to all my playaz in the back...
So you're pretty familiar with Big Boi, yes? You're pretty familiar with the fact that the Outkast man came out of no where earlier this year with the biggest Hip-Hop release of the year and one of the most forward thinking LPs of the year.
Also, I'm guessing you're probably quite familiar with a production and DJ duo by the name of Jack Beats by now, who have performed at two previous UTR events last year, yes?
Well this is what happens when you combine the talents of these two projects. A Hip-House beat that's as contagious as and as smooth as ... The breakdown midway through is worthy of some serious praise, a production technique we've seen before in their remix of TC's Deep back in 2008.
Jack Beats have been pounding festivals and clubs the world over with this remix all Summer and it's finally been leaked for prime listening pleasure.
Yet, let's dig a little deeper under the surface though, where did the inspiration for attempting this remix come from?
Jack Beats is comprised of two world class producers/DJs (Beni G and DJ Plus One) who for many years were part of the intense Battle DJ scene (which is primarily comprised of complicated Hip-Hop routines) that makes up the DMC, Vestax, ITF and Technics world Turntablist championships.
Beni was part of The Mixologists and Plus One still is to this day a member of the Scratch Perverts, and between them they have won countless Solo and Team championship DJ awards. They met around 11 years ago through the turntablist scene, and it seemed like a natural progression to get into the studio together.
This is the latest offering of their unique forward thinking House sound. Enjoy.
Also, I'm guessing you're probably quite familiar with a production and DJ duo by the name of Jack Beats by now, who have performed at two previous UTR events last year, yes?
Well this is what happens when you combine the talents of these two projects. A Hip-House beat that's as contagious as and as smooth as ... The breakdown midway through is worthy of some serious praise, a production technique we've seen before in their remix of TC's Deep back in 2008.
Jack Beats have been pounding festivals and clubs the world over with this remix all Summer and it's finally been leaked for prime listening pleasure.
Yet, let's dig a little deeper under the surface though, where did the inspiration for attempting this remix come from?
Jack Beats is comprised of two world class producers/DJs (Beni G and DJ Plus One) who for many years were part of the intense Battle DJ scene (which is primarily comprised of complicated Hip-Hop routines) that makes up the DMC, Vestax, ITF and Technics world Turntablist championships.
Plus One winning the DMC World Championship in 2000.
Beni was part of The Mixologists and Plus One still is to this day a member of the Scratch Perverts, and between them they have won countless Solo and Team championship DJ awards. They met around 11 years ago through the turntablist scene, and it seemed like a natural progression to get into the studio together.
This is the latest offering of their unique forward thinking House sound. Enjoy.
Friday, 10 September 2010
Back once again... with the ill behaviour
Danny Byrd really is one of the true veterans of Drum and Bass, with his first release dating back twelve years ago, the Byrdman has been through it all. He was one of the first signings for Hospital Records, as he set upon pioneering his own soulful, liquid funk sound, which has helped to inspire popular artists, The Brookes Brothers and L.A.O.S.
He first earnt his wings with an uplifting remix of Wishing Well by London Electricity, which opened up new doors and carved the way for him to begin experimenting and producing his own material. It was also the first track which included his trademark vocal cut ups.
A few years down the line after touring all over the world and releasing tracks with various artists and labels including Tribe Recordings, Piccasso and Spreadhead Records, Danny released the Supersized artist album, featuring some of the tracks that cemented his place as a heavyweight in the scene. Tunes such as Gold Rush, Shockout and of course Red Mist.
After a little break from the scene, Danny Byrd seems to be in full flight in 2010 with two new releases on Hospital Records that have got everyone talking. Sweet Harmony has featured on literally every single dance music compilation CD worth its weight in gold this year and it’s no secret that he is one of the most energetic and uplifting acts at Hospitality, his set at Brixton in a fortnight should be more than interesting.
With his latest track Ill Behaviour getting regular Radio 1 playtime across the board after premiering on Annie Mac's show a month ago, it’s safe to assume his new upcoming album Rave Digger will be an essential purchase for all Drum and Bass fans.
Finally... I seriously recommend you check out the previews of his collaboration with Netsky entitled Tonight. Future classic.
He first earnt his wings with an uplifting remix of Wishing Well by London Electricity, which opened up new doors and carved the way for him to begin experimenting and producing his own material. It was also the first track which included his trademark vocal cut ups.
A few years down the line after touring all over the world and releasing tracks with various artists and labels including Tribe Recordings, Piccasso and Spreadhead Records, Danny released the Supersized artist album, featuring some of the tracks that cemented his place as a heavyweight in the scene. Tunes such as Gold Rush, Shockout and of course Red Mist.
After a little break from the scene, Danny Byrd seems to be in full flight in 2010 with two new releases on Hospital Records that have got everyone talking. Sweet Harmony has featured on literally every single dance music compilation CD worth its weight in gold this year and it’s no secret that he is one of the most energetic and uplifting acts at Hospitality, his set at Brixton in a fortnight should be more than interesting.
With his latest track Ill Behaviour getting regular Radio 1 playtime across the board after premiering on Annie Mac's show a month ago, it’s safe to assume his new upcoming album Rave Digger will be an essential purchase for all Drum and Bass fans.
Finally... I seriously recommend you check out the previews of his collaboration with Netsky entitled Tonight. Future classic.
Thursday, 2 September 2010
Time Flies...
UTR writer Aiden Grant coming at you with your weekly dose of DnB action and the latest release from the iconic Drum and Bass Arena.
This week my hands were completely tied. There was only one release to talk about in the world of Drum and Bass. The Anthology. Drum & Bass Arena’s collection of styles and sub genre’s in Jungle throughout the years. The album provides memories of the old rave days, the late 90s when the style was emerging, as well as showcasing what Drum and Bass has achieved in the mainstream in the noughties.
The album is showcased in reverse order, with the most recent tunes on CD1. Starting appropriately with Rock It by Sub Focus, the album reads like a who’s who in Drum and Bass at the moment. With massive mainstream hits from the likes of Chase and Status and DJ Fresh, proving that Drum and Bass is stronger now than it ever has been. But This CD also reveals the possible future stars of the scene, with progressive tracks by Lenzman, Netsky and the massive Camo and Krooked.
The second CD has a slightly liquid feel about it. It’s fair to say that 2001 – 2006 was a time period many first started to appreciate Drum n Bass, so this CD is full of first memories from the genre.
This was a period also gave rise to some of the artists running our scene now. Tracks from the likes of High Contrast, Shy FX, Andy C and of course Pendulum, showing what made our top artists what they are today.
The third CD shows where exactly, the scene we know today, started. The whole disc is awash with old Jungle vibes and Amen-Breaks. Tracks by Origin Unknown, Adam F, and DJ Die (the only artist to be on all 3 CDs) and DJ Zinc as part of The Ganju Kru showing just what has changed since Drum and Bass stormed its way into the public playlist.
You would be mad to miss out on this one... grab it now from HMV Digital.
This week my hands were completely tied. There was only one release to talk about in the world of Drum and Bass. The Anthology. Drum & Bass Arena’s collection of styles and sub genre’s in Jungle throughout the years. The album provides memories of the old rave days, the late 90s when the style was emerging, as well as showcasing what Drum and Bass has achieved in the mainstream in the noughties.
The album is showcased in reverse order, with the most recent tunes on CD1. Starting appropriately with Rock It by Sub Focus, the album reads like a who’s who in Drum and Bass at the moment. With massive mainstream hits from the likes of Chase and Status and DJ Fresh, proving that Drum and Bass is stronger now than it ever has been. But This CD also reveals the possible future stars of the scene, with progressive tracks by Lenzman, Netsky and the massive Camo and Krooked.
The second CD has a slightly liquid feel about it. It’s fair to say that 2001 – 2006 was a time period many first started to appreciate Drum n Bass, so this CD is full of first memories from the genre.
This was a period also gave rise to some of the artists running our scene now. Tracks from the likes of High Contrast, Shy FX, Andy C and of course Pendulum, showing what made our top artists what they are today.
The third CD shows where exactly, the scene we know today, started. The whole disc is awash with old Jungle vibes and Amen-Breaks. Tracks by Origin Unknown, Adam F, and DJ Die (the only artist to be on all 3 CDs) and DJ Zinc as part of The Ganju Kru showing just what has changed since Drum and Bass stormed its way into the public playlist.
You would be mad to miss out on this one... grab it now from HMV Digital.
Introducing... Tony Yayo
UTR writer Edward Hann with a heads up today on G-Unit man... Tony Yayo and his new direction aimed at revitalising his career.
Tony Yayo, the most anonymous member of 50 Cent’s ailing G-Unit crew, once infamous for his bad boy image, is in danger of falling into the gigantic pit of forgotten ‘noughties’ rappers.
However, in what appears to be a last ditch attempt to rescue his career, he has gone where no other mainstream (ish) rapper has ever gone before… Eurodance (or some sort of weird Hip Hop/Techno concoction).
His latest single, Pass the Patron, feels like an elephant has been let loose on the synths, the clumsy dance inspired beat is unmistakeable, and unlike anything else out there at the moment (so at least you can draw novelty in the fact it sounds so unusual). The choice of the synth used is particularly odd, it sounds like it belongs in 1980s Chicago, and Yayo’s flow isn't much better either; it feels tired, laboured, and doesn’t fit particularly well with the beat at all.
On the plus side the hook, unrecognisably ‘sung’ by 50 Cent, is actually quite catchy, and you'll find yourself praying for its return during the monotonous, dreary excuses for verses. Don't let it fool you though, cos' the hook definitely isn't up to par with some of the G-Units' older work.
It feels like the folks over at G-Unit Records have tried just a little too hard to make this song feel like it belongs in the club, and have destroyed what could have potentially been a great song. The thing is though; I just want to hear it again, again, and again. There is something strangely addictive about it, as though it's a hark-back to the good old days of G-Unit Records.
50 Cent has recently hinted he may be scrapping the dance influenced album, Black Magic he has been working on recently. I assume it would have been in the same style as Pass the Patron… I can’t make my mind up whether to be glad or not at this news, what are your thoughts?
Pass The Patron is OUT NOW and available from iTunes.
Tony Yayo, the most anonymous member of 50 Cent’s ailing G-Unit crew, once infamous for his bad boy image, is in danger of falling into the gigantic pit of forgotten ‘noughties’ rappers.
However, in what appears to be a last ditch attempt to rescue his career, he has gone where no other mainstream (ish) rapper has ever gone before… Eurodance (or some sort of weird Hip Hop/Techno concoction).
His latest single, Pass the Patron, feels like an elephant has been let loose on the synths, the clumsy dance inspired beat is unmistakeable, and unlike anything else out there at the moment (so at least you can draw novelty in the fact it sounds so unusual). The choice of the synth used is particularly odd, it sounds like it belongs in 1980s Chicago, and Yayo’s flow isn't much better either; it feels tired, laboured, and doesn’t fit particularly well with the beat at all.
On the plus side the hook, unrecognisably ‘sung’ by 50 Cent, is actually quite catchy, and you'll find yourself praying for its return during the monotonous, dreary excuses for verses. Don't let it fool you though, cos' the hook definitely isn't up to par with some of the G-Units' older work.
It feels like the folks over at G-Unit Records have tried just a little too hard to make this song feel like it belongs in the club, and have destroyed what could have potentially been a great song. The thing is though; I just want to hear it again, again, and again. There is something strangely addictive about it, as though it's a hark-back to the good old days of G-Unit Records.
50 Cent has recently hinted he may be scrapping the dance influenced album, Black Magic he has been working on recently. I assume it would have been in the same style as Pass the Patron… I can’t make my mind up whether to be glad or not at this news, what are your thoughts?
Pass The Patron is OUT NOW and available from iTunes.
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Freebie #1
You may remember us heavily supporting the release of Warrior One's Bad Like Jimmy Cliff EP... way back in March on our fan page. If you didn't, then you definitely missed out.
Warrior One was kind enough to give away the VIP mix for FREE.
Also if you're feeling Bad Like Jimmy Cliff, then why not head over to iTunes and buy a couple of the tunes from the EP.
Warrior One was kind enough to give away the VIP mix for FREE.
Also if you're feeling Bad Like Jimmy Cliff, then why not head over to iTunes and buy a couple of the tunes from the EP.
Under The Radar... Tune of the Summer 2010
We asked and you spoke...
Your Tune of the Summer 2010 is Katy On A Mission, which also went Top 5 this week... putting Dubstep on the map!
We'd like to take this opportunity to say a big congratulations to Katy B, to the Rinse FM crew and especially to Benga for his second Top 10 in a month. Smashing it.
A very Happy Birthday to Benga for today also.
Your Tune of the Summer 2010 is Katy On A Mission, which also went Top 5 this week... putting Dubstep on the map!
We'd like to take this opportunity to say a big congratulations to Katy B, to the Rinse FM crew and especially to Benga for his second Top 10 in a month. Smashing it.
A very Happy Birthday to Benga for today also.
Introducing... Mr. Mitch
Hello I'm Musk Man Benji, a Grime/Dubstep DJ and Producer from the North of England with a passion for a more underground sound. Whether it's the grit of Tempa T, the elegance of Deadboy or the downright duttyness of Mr. Mitch... I'm there.
I'll be keeping you up to date with the freshest sounds from everything UKG. Dubstep, Grime, UK Funky and Garage. I've put together a little mix to give you an idea of the sounds I'll be exploring and the artists that I'll be featuring.
Wookie - Scrappy
Colours - Hold On
Oxide & Neutrino - Foot 2 Da Floor
Brackles - Blo
Delinquent - Cossack Dance
TRO - Sinkhole
Total Fusion Remix - DownLow
Jamie Grind - If You Want
Ollie Macfarlane - Montpelier
Deadboy - If U Want Me
S.K.T - Another Love
R1 Ryders - Rubberband (Funkitek Mix)
XXXY - Fela!!
Douster - Alleljah (Jay Weed Remix)
Bonobo - Eyesdown
Manare - Blitzkrieg Riddim
Dark Sky - Night Light
SRC - Goomba
Mr.Mitch - Skittles
Guttstar - Not Money or Show (Kastle Remix)
H12 - Timzed (Mr. Mitch Remix)
Let's get under way with my first artist feature for UTR... Mr Mitch.
An up and coming producer from South-East London. He's riding the wave of amazing new grime producers creating beats centred more on melody and a sense of fun. His songs are clear evidence that grime is moving away from being nothing more than greasy basslines and dark synths.
It’s refreshing and exciting to hear 90s video games influencing electronic music across the board because we all love the simplicity and catchiness of those sounds, right?
A perfect example of these sounds can be heard on Mr. Mitch's Tamagotchi Love.
Tamagotchi Love by Mr.Mitch
Speaking to him, you get the idea that he feels grime will gain the recognition it deserves. I for one believe him because there are so many forward thinking producers around at the minute all just waiting for their time.
I caught up with Mr. Mitch to talk about working with Skepta, live grime shows and a little secret…
Could you tell us a little about your past and what inspired you to start making beats?
You have a lot of remixes and instrumentals. Do you plan to have many vocals and if so who are you looking to work with?
Mr. Mitch will be releasing his upcoming Fright Night EP on September 19th via all good download stores... you can Pre-Order it from Juno Download and grab a preview of the release below.
Finally, as a special treat we're able to present you with an exclusive FREE download, just for UTR readers of a new Mr. Mitch remix of Timzed's H12, a sultry, trancy and dreamy make over of one of my favourite tunes of the past few months.
I'll be keeping you up to date with the freshest sounds from everything UKG. Dubstep, Grime, UK Funky and Garage. I've put together a little mix to give you an idea of the sounds I'll be exploring and the artists that I'll be featuring.
Musk Man Bengi - UTRmagazine Introduction Mix
Under The Radar Magazine-Introducing MuskMan Benji..... by Musk Man Benji
Under The Radar Magazine-Introducing MuskMan Benji..... by Musk Man Benji
Wookie - Scrappy
Colours - Hold On
Oxide & Neutrino - Foot 2 Da Floor
Brackles - Blo
Delinquent - Cossack Dance
TRO - Sinkhole
Total Fusion Remix - DownLow
Jamie Grind - If You Want
Ollie Macfarlane - Montpelier
Deadboy - If U Want Me
S.K.T - Another Love
R1 Ryders - Rubberband (Funkitek Mix)
XXXY - Fela!!
Douster - Alleljah (Jay Weed Remix)
Bonobo - Eyesdown
Manare - Blitzkrieg Riddim
Dark Sky - Night Light
SRC - Goomba
Mr.Mitch - Skittles
Guttstar - Not Money or Show (Kastle Remix)
H12 - Timzed (Mr. Mitch Remix)
Let's get under way with my first artist feature for UTR... Mr Mitch.
An up and coming producer from South-East London. He's riding the wave of amazing new grime producers creating beats centred more on melody and a sense of fun. His songs are clear evidence that grime is moving away from being nothing more than greasy basslines and dark synths.
It’s refreshing and exciting to hear 90s video games influencing electronic music across the board because we all love the simplicity and catchiness of those sounds, right?
A perfect example of these sounds can be heard on Mr. Mitch's Tamagotchi Love.
Tamagotchi Love by Mr.Mitch
Speaking to him, you get the idea that he feels grime will gain the recognition it deserves. I for one believe him because there are so many forward thinking producers around at the minute all just waiting for their time.
I caught up with Mr. Mitch to talk about working with Skepta, live grime shows and a little secret…
Could you tell us a little about your past and what inspired you to start making beats?
Hip Hop eJay! I got a copy of this when I was about 12 and loved messing about with it, but it just made me want to explore further into the world of music making. So I got a copy of Fruity Loops and just progressed from there.What are your plans for promoting your forthcoming Fright Night EP?
DJs are very important to me. They're the main port of call for most people when trying to hear the newest music, so getting the DJs to play them is a big first step. I'm getting a lot of support from DJs outside of the grime scene which is a big help.All producers have their own method of making a song. What's yours?
I'm a melody guy so when I'm building my tunes, 90% of the time I start by layering loads of melodies together to try to give it a particular groove. The rest just follows from there. I've got a pretty small setup: I'm running Logic 9 off of my iMac, my monitors are KRK Rokit 6s and I've got a Roland Juno D that I'm just using as a midi controller.Your songs have upbeat, ‘fun’ melodies in a grime template, does it just come naturally?
I've tried to make greasy sounding beats before but when I do, I'm not really being true to myself. I've never had a hard life or been an aggressive guy, so my music reflects my personality. Plus when I'm in a rave I would personally rather hear music that makes me happy and want to dance instead of making me feel like fighting everyone around me.
You have a lot of remixes and instrumentals. Do you plan to have many vocals and if so who are you looking to work with?
I'm currently working with Skepta on a couple of tracks. I'm also working with a rapper called Abiade and I've got some tracks out at the moment with Norwegian rap group Vaagsbgyd Handy. I'm definitely open to working with more in the future, as long as I like what they’re doing.What are your plans for DJing?
I really want to develop a good live show, integrating a lot of the music that I'm influenced by as well. I really want to develop a new live dimension to Grime.What producers should we all be aware of and what music do you enjoy playing out?
Producers doing a lot right now are SRC, Royal-T, J Beatz, Deeco and Swindle. Each of them have their own specific styles and are pushing grime in a big way.What’s your ultimate goal as a Musician/DJ?
My main ambition is just to have international recognition and success as a grime producer. I want grime to be a respected genre, so having many different strands of it will help move it onwards and upwards!And finally… can you tell us a secret?
My girlfriend is giving birth to my son in December! I'm going to turn him into a musical genius.
Mr. Mitch will be releasing his upcoming Fright Night EP on September 19th via all good download stores... you can Pre-Order it from Juno Download and grab a preview of the release below.
Finally, as a special treat we're able to present you with an exclusive FREE download, just for UTR readers of a new Mr. Mitch remix of Timzed's H12, a sultry, trancy and dreamy make over of one of my favourite tunes of the past few months.
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