Joker – Digidesign
Heavy bass pumping beat, absolutely enourmous on the subs, with one of the most powerful ‘choruses’ of any dubstep beat to date. Joker’s become more of a mainstream electronic artist in recent months, being presented on the front cover of XLR8R (Accelerator) magazine for its December 2009 issue, whilst his tunes continue to be played throughout bars and clubs around the UK and worldwide.
L-Wiz – Girl From Codeine City
That sample! One of the most recognizable dubstep tunes since the genre began, made famous most notably by Caspa & Rusko’s Fabriclive 37 mixtape. One of the most atmospheric tunes that iv’e ever heard. The drum pattern’s so dark and grimey then multi-layered samples added on top, with an 80’s sounding saxophonist solo placed throughout. Rather than the constantly breaking drum patterns of more recent dubstep and break-hop styles, you get a more melodic beat with ‘Girl From Codeine City’. Volume up.
Bestival 2010 – The Review
The Arcadia Stage
Woah. Simply ridiculous. At least 50 feet to the top of this giant metallic three-legged spider, with a rotating circular shaped dj booth towards its top, the Arcadia Stage is visually something a little special. But this freakish giant spider doesn’t only blow your mind with its booming sound-system, pumping tunes hot off the fingers of the worlds hottest dj’s, producers, and bands, it also breathes fire. Giant fire-balls flow from its top and two sides providing your eyes with something to feast on, whilst your ears will be ravished by drum shattering bass beats. But why stop there? catch the Arcadia Stage at the right time of the night, and you can expect to see an enormous lightning show with the three-legged beast producing frightening storms from its inner core. Fire, Lightning, and Sounds to match the visual spectacular, one not to miss.
Four Tet
Undoubtedly one of the world biggest and best producers and dj’s, initially known for his trip hop beats, now specialising in minimalistic breakbeat and electro tunes. Awesome to see him live, but a part of me thinks this kind of music isn’t always the best in a live performance with a massive crowd. The music’s so down tempo and chilled, and has so many levels to it, that among a huge audience it can be hard to really interpret what the dj, in this case Four Tet really wants to get accross to the crowd. But nonetheless a top set from a heroic dj and producer, and a man who I’m proud to have seen live.
Bruce Bane
How bloody cool is this guy. I’d never heard of him before Bestival 2010, and got a brilliant recommendation off a mate, telling me to go and check out his performance. It was the first thing i saw on the Friday morning, and any amount of partying up untill Sunday night couldn’t have forced the memories of Bane from me. A two-man show, but really a one-man performance with a guitarist occasionally adding to the mood and atmosphere, but believe me, Bane (Joe Bone) does all the work. More than just a one-man show, Joe transports you into a movie world, creating countless different characters, voices, sounds and faces all aiding to the story behind the man Bruce Bane – a hired-hand from the world of the old-school. Incredibly light-hearted where the audience can’t help but smile, interspersed with touches of absolute genius. He received rave reviews at The EdinburghFestival and I can’t see Joe Bone falling away any time soon, definitely a name for the future, and if you’ve never heard of him, one hundred percent check out his three-tiered act, they are about an hour-long a piece and each tells a different story from the world of Bruce Bane. Check out his facebook page here ; http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Bane/104197804790
The Flaming Lips
To tell the truth i wasn’t the biggest Flaming Lips fans, but i hadn’t heard alot of their stuff. But i had heard they always put on an amazing psychedelic show, and they definately did that. The lead singer Wayne Coyne enters the show on a Zorbing ball, and rolls around on top of the crowd before getting down to track one, whilst the rest of the band enter the stage through the legs of a naked woman imaged on the screen of the main stage. The show was spectacular, right up there with the rest of the best visual sights at Bestival 2010 (of which there were many), and the music, despite not being my current cup of tea, enticed me enough to want to seek out more of their work. Here’s one tune i do remember them playing, and got the crowd fully involved.
Gil Scott Heron
More than just a musician, this guy is an absolute legend. It was an honour to finally see him live, as i had tickets to see him at The Royal Albert Hall a few months back, but the gig was cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano spewing ash and stopping planes from flying…bloody nature. But Gil was everything i had hoped for, his presence on stage is something special. As an ageing man, who could easily be mistaken for a tramp on a US Subway his voice disproves this endlessly. The tone he sings with captures so much pain from his past with a croaky, somewhat crackling edge to it. It’s the clear the man is a musical genius, without whom, music styles we know and love so much in the modern-day would be entirely different. Not to mention the political history of the icon. A hero, and a definite highlight of Bestival 2010.
The xx
Hot on the press straight after winning the Mercury Music Award for 2010 The xx were a must see at Bestival 2010. Saying that, i pretty much missed all of it. They’ve encapsulated audiences since releasing their album ‘XX’ at the end of 2009 and have grown and grown in stature with each single released. Impossible to quantify into any one specific genre their crossover album entices respect from music lovers from all backgrounds. Their massive singles ‘Crystallised’, and ‘Islands’ are huge tunes…so check em out.
Submotion Orchestra
The brainchild of drummer Tommy Evans and without doubt the highlight of my festival, i’ve been a fan of these guys for some time now, and can’t wait to hear their album when they finish making it. I was lucky enough to be right at the front of the crowd for the gig and was stunned by the beauty of the music and voice of lead vocalist Ruby Wood. It was the perfect hangover cure set, chilled out live dubstep style beats, with jazzy, soulful overtones. If your yet to hear of these guys, please check em out, their a little bit special, (the best band i’ve heard for many years)so for that reason, here’s everything i can find of theirs at the moment.
Gentleman’s Dub Club
Tommy Evans, the drummer from Submotion Orchestra leads the way once more in the Ranking Records Leeds based Reggae/Ska crew. A proper jump up, and get rowdy band creating tunes that start off with melodic reggae vibes, that switch towards massive Ska beats towards the end of most songs. Such a good vibe, and a really tight band, another Ranking Records class act, definitely a record label to look out for in the future. http://www.rankingrecords.com/Home.html – Ranking Records home page.
The Prodigy
Sunday night main stage headliners, and pure energy releasing greatness, this Prodigy set will be something I’ll never forget. Just the aggressiveness and emotion behind the tracks makes you move, you can’t help but throw your head around manically with a constant smile on your face. It was (apparently) the last live performance from the guys for a while, and so as expected we got a huge array of the bands classic singles. What a way to end a festival!
pictures courtesy of David Goldsmith & Isabella Dupree Nelson
Joy Orbison
Twenty-two-year-old Pete O’Grady from Croydon, who goes by the name Joy Orbison, is one of the hottest dance producers around. Yet he still works as a “dogsbody” in a mail room, saying he prefers music to be a relief from work, rather than work itself. O’Grady has been DJing since the age of 12 and his sound is a lovingly-crafted late-night evolution of house and UK garage, with soft bass, hypnotic home-made percussion and distant chopped-up vocals.
http://www.myspace.com/joyorbison
At the age of 12 he took up DJing and eventually moved into production, beginning with Fruity Loops-crafted 8-bar grime loops before shifting into headier territory that combined his love of house, disco, and dubstep with the atmospheric fuzz of bands like My Bloody Valentine, Josef K, and The Beach Boys. His debut single “Hyph Mngo” has become the forward-thinking dubstep/2-step tune of 2009, and was followed by “BRKL CLLN” on O’Grady’s own Doldrums label, which he runs in tandem with partner Impey.
Ruckspin & Quark – Sunshine
‘Ruckspin’ (aka Dom Howard) grew up with music from an early age. Age 6 he began playing piano and violin. Aged 15 he began using sample-based computer music programs, and started DJing Drum and Bass at gigs and parties around south london. After moving to Leeds, Dom had residencies at various clubs and events around leeds (including the Valve sound-system, co-presented 2 weekly radio shows on local radio, and promoted a weekly night with a group of resident musicians including beat-boxer ‘Shlomo’ and producer/DJ ‘Quantum Soul’. Ruckspin is now receiving Dubstep bookings at club nights and festivals across the UK and Europe, while continuing his residency at the increasingly popular monthly club-night ‘Central Beatz’. He is also working on a studio album due for release later this year, as well as producing and performing with live dubstep/downtempo group ‘Submotion Orchestra’.
The illusive Quark aka Ed Gooden has developed a cult reputation as one of the most innovative and forward thinking producers in electronic music. With early interest in reggae and folk music, Ed took up guitar and piano at the age of 15. Playing with various bands, he had gigs at Finsbury Park festival, and with Islington group ‘The Magic Box’ at Notting Hill Carnival 2001. Ed also has co-writing credits on the ‘Howser’ album on Cut Records. Since starting to produce music in 2004, Ed has had Drum&Bass releases on Revolution Records as part of London group ‘DotheMath’, and now predominantly makes Dubstep for Ranking Records as well as writing downtempo and ambient music for TV and Film.
Magnetic Man (Skream, Benga & Artwork)
Magnetic Man is the 2010 triple-threat combination of DJ’s and heavy electronic and dubstep producers Benga, Skream & Artwork. They perform using three Apple Macbook Pro computers, one playing drum samples and loops, one playing basslines and the third playing lead sounds and samples. Artwork controls the master laptop, using Ableton Live, to which the other two are synchronised via midi. Their sets usually consist of a mix of original tracks produced together, and live remixes of Benga and Skream’s tracks, accompanied by synchronised projected visuals by Novak Collective.
The trio are set for live performances in England during the months of October and November, playing gigs up and down the country, notably at Glasgow’s Sub Club, London’s Heaven. and at Nottingham Trent University. They also have performances in Leeds, Manchester, Bristol and Norwich. April 7th’s issue of NME featured a special on Magnetic Man, where the trio claimed, ”We’re cooler than every other pop act out there”. Speaking as one of the 10 cover stars in a special edition of a revamped NME out this week (April 7) the trio, who are renowned for donning all black clothing and Ray-Bans, claim fans are going to be blown away by their forthcoming debut album. “Look at us! We’re cooler than every other pop act out there,” Benga declared. The band are currently putting the finishing touches to their debut in a Cornish studio.”People are going to think ‘Wow’,” Benga added, before Skream, who was responsible for last year’s seminal ‘In For The Kill’ remix, explained: “They should be excited, we’re putting everything we’ve learned into the last 10 years into this project.”There’s some risky tracks on the album that we’ve done,” Artwork continued. “We could just sit down and write straight-up dubstep tracks, but instead we’re taking risks. We’re not doing what people expect.”
Check out the official website for more info; http://www.magneticman.net/
Emalkay – When I Look At You
Filthy, wobbly, hardcore dubstep from the Midlands based producer Emalkay. Dubstep producer Emalkay is one of the most exciting talents to emerge on the scene in recent times, and is certainly one to watch out for in 2010.
2009 saw the Birmingham based producer rise to prominence with the newly voted best dubstep track of the year ‘When I Look at You’, which was not only supported by the scene’s biggest DJs, it was chosen as single of the week by BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe, 1Xtra’s MistaJam and the Guardian newspaper. Emalkay however, not content with producing one of the biggest underground anthems of the year, was also busy remixing tracks for the likes of Faithless, Miike Snow, Freeland, BBE, and most recently, drum and bass heavyweights Pendulum.
With a fresh release out on Storming Productions, and an album in the pipeline, Emalkay is well on his way to cementing his place as one of dubstep’s finest producers and DJs, playing events all over the world, including this years Glastonbury.
Mt Eden – Mt Eden Album
2010 dubstep and drum n bass, brought from the streets of New Zealand and the craftwork of producing duo Mt Eden. Their biggest single from the album is Sierra Leone and has collected over 5 million hits on Youtube, and has led him to become one of todays biggest names in the production of bassline music. The album entitled Mt Eden album, is a collection of Mt Edens original efforts, and remixes of various songs. These remixes include a re-working of Madonna’s ‘Frozen’ The Prodigy’s ‘Omen’, Pharoahe Monch’s ‘Simon Says’, and the recent Bat For Lashes single and hit ‘Daniel’.
More information on latest works from the dubstep producing pair can be found on thier Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/MtEdenDnB08, or on his facebook group http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=135229868486&v=info&ref=ts.
Emika – Drop The Other
Emika, signed to the kennington based trip-hop label Ninjatune is going to be massive on the underground scene in 2010. Her debut single ‘Drop the Other’ comes out on January 18th, and is set be huge. Emika describes herself as “making pop, but with a hard edge, playing different sounds and intensities against each other. I try to stay on the fence, leaving from for the listener to create a sense of what its about. It’s all about tension for me.” As her Myspace page quotes, her music revives “eerie, near-classical piano which collides into glitched-out edits and skittering drum patterns, while speaker-shattering lows rub against Emika’s own hushed, cryptic vocals, the iconoclastic blend marking her an artist that makes a habit of defying expectation. Just when you think you know what you’re hearing, she flips the script: the cinematic sound architecture evokes the deepest techno, but the tempo moves too slow, the beats too jagged; the sub-bass, meanwhile, could shudder the most underground dubstep club, but it’s paired with haunting, syncopated vocal hooks that suggest Aaliyah’s work with Timbaland taken to its darkest extreme.” Check out her Myspace page here http://www.myspace.com/emikamyspace, if you want to find out some more about the lady and her music. But for now, here’s ‘Drop the Other’, and the Scuba Vulpine remix, enjoy.
A Tribe Called Hip Hop 