We caught up with one of the fastes rising talents in Leeds at the moment. Recently weve spoken to Wachs Lyrical and Beerz and now its Pasteman's turn.  Pasteman is a long time DJ whos recently started producing and put some real hard work into trying to find a sound and style to his work. His music is showing real forward thinking and this coupled with his mixing and selection in the Dance makes for a pretty turbo package that you can expect to be hearing a lot more from soon.

So Pasteman for those that don't know you. Who are you and what do you do?

I'm a DJ / Producer residing in Leeds running a brand called Cut & Paste and working closely with various nights in and around Leeds as a resident and artist. I thrive on pushing the boundaries and try to do something different not being limited by convention, just letting my creativity do the talking. I think the scene has been surrounded by a few too many sceptics whereas for me i come out to rave, socialise and above all have a good time, i see common ground with everyone in the dance and more importantly everyone who likes music and i would like to think that when i perform i allow them to see that too and unify crowds into positive hype and good vibes.

You've been spinning tunes for years when did you start producing?

I am originally from Peterborough and worked with MC's back in about 2006 on a kinda grime / hip hop tip but got much more into being a record collector, i built up a very rare collection of soul and devoted a lot of effort into that, i guess i saw similarities between collecting rare vintage records and the dubplate culture which is so prominent nowadays in the dubstep/drum and bass scene. I have been spending a lot of time developing a sound which i still feel is pretty fresh and experimental for me, i don't like to feel limited when i sit down at my mac to make something 140 or 170, i could sit down at my computer thinking i will check my emails and stick on some 80s groove compilation or some old 45s and hear something in that that makes me want to create a groove. Music is very mood orientated for me and i would like to think that when people hear my music no matter what the tempo it takes them somewhere or helps them reminisce on a memory or a feeling.

How would you describe your sound and who would you say has influenced it not just from DnB and Dubstep but also other genres?

I think my sound is broad, eclectic and dynamic and i like to keep a little element of suspense in my productions. I work very closely with Dorrie, a vocalist who often sings on my tracks and have some other new productions in the pipeline collaborating with vocalists and producers. I guess i really like to make songs rather than tracks, coming from a DJ perspective i see tracks as tools, building blocks that you work into a set and when you fit 2 or 3 building blocks together your creating new music or something different. I prefer to see the music i make as a song, something that every time you hear it another part comes to the forefront, whether it be another subtle pad or a filter or some hi hats or a lyric you might not have understood the first time. This stems from me growing up listening to detroit soul and later motown, never tiring of the arrangements and musicality which hooked me in from the first time. What has really gripped me as an influence are producers like D-Bridge, Instra:mental, ASC, Blu Mar Ten, Kastle, Kito and Mensah, when i listen to their music and their arrangements im taken straight to a time when i may have heard something, or shared that song with someone or just been on a train listening to a set by them and being taken away, their music inspires me as a producer whereas the general attitudes of people i have made friends with has inspired me as an artist, people like Soularize, Chimpo, Indigo, Synkro, Fox and many more just gave me the confidence to keep on keeping on. In terms of sound i find the most influence in the 80s vintage synth sounds and the subtlety of natural live sounds manipulated, i love the way i can with a little live sample then develop it into something completely different that maybe the first time you hear a track you might overlook but in the next instance you might think, that one sound that sits on the back of the mix giving that texture that the lead pad is sitting on really carries the tune.

You part own a brand called cut and paste. Which name came first pasteman or cut and paste? (I changed this question a bit)

Cut & Paste came first, few years back it all started off in my first year of uni, once it got a bit more established i wanted a new pseudonym and i like a good play on words so Pasteman seemed to just fit.  

You run a night in leeds with manchester boy Phat pat. Hows that going and what have you got planned for that in the future?

We have started a new collaboration with Metropolis on a new night called Musicology which starts on Friday 24th September at the Faversham in Leeds and we will also be working alongside The Bash Out and Bangerang there too. Of course our weekly residency will continue and Bigger Than Barry every tuesday at Mint Club, seeing some of the biggest artists in the world coming to Leeds. Also to spice it up we have got a hip hop and influence sounds residency at a new night called moschino hoes and keep your eyes peeled for the Phat Pat & Pasteman Cancer Research fund raiser where we are trying to get sponsored for running the charity 10k run!

You've just got back from playing outlook in croatia. How was that?

SURREAL! We played the first set of the festival on the beach, looking into the adriatic sea, i opened up with Paid the Cost To Be The Boss by James Brown and me and Phat Pat continued to played some influences and then some classic reggae, the support and general love at the festival was amazing, everyone exuded good vibes and because it was so intimate you literally felt among friends. Later that night we played The Bigger Than Barry boat party alongside Oneman and Rattus Rattus and Klose One, the sunset is one i will never forget and Me and Dorrie performed a live version of How Long which went down so well with her haunting vocals taking us into the dark out into the sea.

With Benga in the top 10, Rusko producing for Britney Spears and Chase and Status fast becoming the next pendulum where do you think dubstep is heading?
Do you think the underground vibes were used to are stil going to be around now dustup has enjoyed mainstream success.?

Trying to answer this question for me takes quite a long pause... Generally with other things in life that have experienced massive mainstream success i would have been the person who would say i'm not going to wear that anymore or i hate going there now because it's not what it used to be etc... I think these last few years have really allowed me to grow up and see the bigger picture, i love music, all music, no matter whether it is britney spears or another pop flash in the pan, somewhere in the song no matter how deep down it is i reckon i could find something which i liked about it or atleast respected in its production. Right now a lot of people in the scene feel cheated that people are so called sell outs, i feel that if anyone deserves some financial mainstream success it is your skream and your bengas for all the hard work and energy they have put into shaping the scene, some of the best producers in the world work behind the scenes making sounds, melodies and styles that feature heavily in the pop music that we are surrounded by. But saying that if the charts are now featuring dubstep then that will not really impact in my opinion on the underground side of the scene, i don't think dubstep has been underground for a long time, even with nights like exodus there are people who are very new to dubstep who visit them but that doesn't mean they don't have  right to be there, this is just music at the end of the day and the exclusivity of it shouldn't dictate how good it is, how good it is should do that. I think that the exciting side of the scene for me is where more experimental drum and bass producers are getting sets with dubstep producers as well as dubstep artists working with labels like swamp 81 and autonomic, there is a sound that is bridging a gap that many people may not have realised was there and for me it could really lead anywhere, the grooves are out there and different but still carry swagger and deep atmospherics as well as the important sub low, the future of underground music as we know it is blossoming.


DnB is going from strength to strength at the moment aside from the dustup explosion who are you backing at the moment?

I'm really excited for everything that is coming from Exit, Non Plus, Swamp 81, Autonomic as well as the Med School More Blood EP' as well as the more experimental sounds from Noisia's new label Invisible. I'm looking forward to hearing more Synkro, Indigo and Distance on the 170, also anything by Blu Mar Ten, ASC, Vaccine, Riya, Soularize, Sabre, Royalston, Helios, Dub Phizix, Commix and Camo and Krooked really. I like the idea of producers who have a working formula experimenting with the space and bass that can be found in minimal or half step 170 bpm stuff. Another artist who has really stood out for me in the past few weeks in L.O.L. i genuinely cannot wait to hear more music from them.

Have you got any pasteman releases coming soon and where can we catch you playing out ?

The hard work is really paying off and there are some exciting things in the pipeline, keep your eyes and ears peeled for forthcoming material and colloborations.
 My next few sets are at The Bash Out at Wire Leeds on the 20th, Musicology at Faversham on Friday 24th and Bigger than Barry on the 28th.

would you rather have no eyes or no ears?

Eyes. Although i like the idea of photoshopping sounds. Saying that i wouldn't mid having Mala's - Eyez.

Safe Pasteman

PASTEMAN EXAMPLE MIX ...

Cielo – Paradizo 2


The fact this recent compilation is attached to one of the most popular house clubs in the New York City scene, Cielo, this album brings with it a significant amount of excitement and expectation.  Instead after sitting through the first half of Paradizo 2 I found myself softly willing it to come to an end.  The ‘hand-picked bona-fide gems and inspirational grooves’ would best serve their purpose as easy listening filler music that nobody ever pays much attention to.  This, to me, is not what clubbing should be about or represented by.

On the other hand Paradizo 2 would find itself comfortably at home playing some of the Ibiza clubs, which isn’t surprising as the co-owner and resident DJ of Cielo, Nicolas Matar, was the former resident of the world renowned Pacha.  Just hearing this accolade to Cielo by luring Matar back from the white sands of Ibiza will probably force some people into repeating how fantastic this album is, when really it needs to be judged alone and as an individual compilation.  I can see myself quite happily grooving along to some of the tracks on Paradizo on a sunny afternoon in Ibiza, but put me anywhere else and I struggle to find a place for it.  It’s pleasant enough to endure if you have other things to distract you, but pay attention to it and it leaves you feeling incredibly bored.  The album includes tracks from some great names such as I:Cube and Layo & Bushwacka! who unsurprisingly produce the best tracks on the album allowing it some redeeming quality.  You wouldn’t feel out of place listening to these tracks on a summer’s day, cocktail in hand, but I still wouldn’t choose these to relax to, and having said that to dance to either what with the staggering variation of house music on offer, therefore the album ultimately lacks purpose and direction.  

Cielo has had some of the worlds best DJs grace its decks, which is why I find it peculiar to not want to get up and dance when listening to this compilation.  If I plan to go to a club I first and foremost want music that will evoke feelings of ecstasy and euphoria, tunes I can focus on and sink into, not sit down and talk over.  If I walked into a club and heard this album playing I would be disappointed, and probably wouldn’t stay for that long.  Cielo describes itself as ‘a haven for mature individuals seeking intelligent nightlife’, a description I have little time for.  When I go out clubbing I’m generally looking for one thing – a bloody good time.  We all have different ideas of a good time of course, but Paradizo 2 does not fit into that category, or any other for that matter.  Perhaps you are mature and intelligent enough to enjoy this album?

Originally hailing from Reading, Delta Labs popped up in Brighton at the start of the year. His productions have been attracting massive forum hype since 2007, but he has taken it up a notch over the last year or so and several labels have begun to take notice. His repertoire is huge, he can mix anything from 2-step to jungle and his production is similar. Whether he produces deep dark dubstep or bouncy 2-step, his sound continues to evolve with the times whilst still maintaining a dark filthy style.

Example: So when did it all start for you, when did you first hear dubstep and think this is the music I want to make?

Delta Labs: My early influences where people like Loefah and Skream. I used to hit up jungle raves in reading when I was about 16, as I got older the raves evolved and I remember hearing Loefah's Mud V.I.P. one night and it changed everything. It was literally just a kick snare and a sub but something just clicked in my head.

Example:Several labels have started picking up your tunes, what’s the secret to your new sound and why has it become so popular?

Delta Labs:  I started trying to make a blend of dark drum and bass and garage and it all evolved from that. I didn’t really know there were different types of garage when I first started producing. As I’ve become more comfortable with my productions I started making music that I want to hear. That seems to be the secret to my success at the moment.

Example:  In terms of genre, what’s been your biggest influence?

Delta Labs: I've been brought up on jungle, old school garage and Psychadelics. Hahaha. That’s seems to be my main influence.

Example: How would your describe your sound?

Delta Labs: it sort of a weird mix of everything. Its not really dark garage and its not really future. I tend to sit in the studio set the beat to 140 and write whatever comes into my head.

Example:  What’s next for you?

Delta Labs: I've just had my 3rd stand alone release, this time it’s on disporah‘s 2012 recordings. I want to keep grinding though. I’ve got the whole summer ahead of me to keep DJing and keep writing. I was originally a producer but since my productions stepped up I’ve gone from considering myself a bedroom DJ to playing clubs up and down the country. I’m enjoying it at the moment though, and getting paid for what I love.

Example:  Who do you reckon is leading the scene at the moment? There seems to be new DJs popping up all the time, who do you feel you have to live up to, and who are you competing with?

Delta Labs: I could say several people. I’ve seen so many DJs this year it’s been ridiculous. … It’s so true, there’s literally a new producer popping up everyday… and there good as well. At the moment I’m really feeling Untold, and a guy called Grooki who sent me a few tunes to play on my sub.fm show, he has some sick shit. One guy who stands out for me though is Pangaea. He’s been smashing it for years all over the country and I saw him a couple of weeks ago and he was ill, its by far and away the best hour I’ve spent in a club this year, it literally changed my life… and I was sober. I don’t really keep up with the whole dubstep scene… not at all really. I just listen to the tunes I want to listen to, and I just write tunes and don’t really give a fuck.  
To find out more about Delta Labs:

Delta Labs soundcloud
Delta Labs Myspace

We're also giving away a free Delta Labs EP exclusively on Example.  Download it below...

What a wash-out summer! What a bummer! Ha ha! With lots of rainy days so far this August I’ve been delving in ‘The Archive’ a lot, bringing some of my old photographs out into the cold light of day! This one was taken 12 years ago (-this eager young lad probably has quite a different haircut now-) but this image perfectly sums up summer for me!

It was taken August 1998 (a hot summer!) in Salford and part of an exhibition the following year. I had just spent 4 years following graffiti artists into all sorts of illegality & abandoned public spaces; Contributed to two B&W photography exhibitions which both featured notorious Hulme housing estate as a grim backdrop, catalyst & subject matter; I wanted my next project to be something different entirely.

At the time, though, I was fresh out of ideas. I hadn't yet got into live-music events: And I hadn’t yet had any newspaper or magazine work. But I had had enough of dark underpasses, burnt-out cars & derelict characters! Occasional ice-cream vendor (& out-of-work-actor) Steve Hillman suggested I tag along on his round in Salford. He often came by in the summer evenings to share a smoke, charm the neighbourhood kids, make a few extra pennies and take my young son for a spin. He said that every face that came to his window had a story to tell.

With this in mind, Pentax ME-Super + a clutch of B&W film, we set out together one August  afternoon on his usual round of housing & industrial estates, stopping & starting throughout  Salford. Steve would laugh & tell his customers they might see themselves in the Evening News!
Every time we stopped I would try to take a good photograph! It was harder than you’d think, working in that confined, made-for-one space. It was difficult finding new camera angles & avoiding repetition. It was incredibly great fun though! No-one ever comes to an ice cream van in a bad mood! They only bring their happy faces. Everyone was enjoying the weather, school holidays, or were looking forward to their treat. By the end of our day I felt I had enough images for an article or exhibition

In 1999 I became Artist in Residence (NWAB funded) at Bolton Institute. During my time there I put together an edit of my favourite images & printed them all up on proper fibre-based photographic paper. The resulting exhibition, a 'Bakers’ dozen' of (13) photographs Ice Cream You Scream had its' opening night at Nowhere Bar (Knotts Mill) 1st June 1999. Walls provided hundreds of free Magnum ice creams to give away! Niiiiice!!

Click Here For The Full I Scream Ice Cream Exhibition.

Hailing from New Zealand, Truth have been producing for a couple of years and after a couple of decent 12”'s they have brought out this album of weighty delight.  This one is mainly for the darker heads out there but the overall sound  does take in plenty of influences.  The main emphasis here is on big drums, filthy bass and a soundscape of eerie and cinematic samples.  It's not just what the albums about by any means but very much the strong points are when they're on this tip.  
If I break the album down into it's separate parts this should become clearer.

 'Burglar' kicks off proceedings full of menace and brooding bass stabs.  Wailing sirens sweep through the mix to add the the impending sense of dread and it carries on pretty much in that vein the whole way through with some good variation and breakdowns into epic stepping territory.  'Dead silence'  opens with a haunting little vocal and horror show piano until a reese-like  stab drops and the percussion filled break takes over.  It's pure half-stepping mode with this track, ideal mixing fodder although plenty of variation means it keeps you listening with interest and the dancefloor rockin'.   

From that we go into 'Don't explain', the title highlighting the beautiful sample used that rolls over the piano lilt.  There's still plenty of powerful drums and bass but this one's a little bit more laid back, probably about as chilled as it's gonna get with these guys because towards the middle more blaring hollow synth sweeps ups the energy without ruining the mood initially set up.  'Juno' is the most recent single released by Truth and sits just about right at this point in the album.

A doom laden intro sweeps up into the drop which delivers some kind of dark electrical bass and synth combo which then in turn mutates into some epic swirling bass mash-up.  You can tell why this is single material as it's full of horrible energy that by the end of tune may make you want to go out and find the nearest rave.  I'm also liking the grime influence with the  tracks, these fellas obviously take the best from that scene without aping it in an unconvincing manner as some producers from outside the UK sometimes do.

 
Title track 'Puppets' cracks through next, brooding samples, half-step rhythm allowing a huge sub workout that may very likely melt your face off in a club.  Nothing at this point in the album, although feeling like familiar territory, is formulaic.  As soon as you think you know where you're at with it some surprises are bound to follow. That's what I would say takes this album a little above the normal 'dark' style albums out there.  These guys obviously have plenty they want to try and squeeze in and do their damn best to achieve it. 

I rate that they've convincingly nailed their own sound   and although it can be a little more satisfactorily pinned to the 'dark dubstep' genre wall than some albums of late it's not a borrowed sound by any means.
'Master of the Stars' is a perfect example of this because just as you think you know where they're going you get a little jolt with some little melodic influences or on the other hand maybe a filthy bass or synth stab that completely throws you.  It's basically a lot of fun!

'Undercurrent' is the collab with Ben verse and can also be found on the recent single.  Again, rather moody, this track relies on some solid drum patterns and a bizarre rolling sub that seems to spin through the track like some out of control comet.  A healthy dose of darked out strings and  a spaced out vocal helps, I guess with the idea of being pulled down under the water of some insane sea.  It's good for mixing and will again get heads movin on the dancefloor provided they like the idea of drowing in bass.  
'Terror Planet VIP' drops in next with a cup of tea and a towel with a epic soundscape of ethnic style flute and sitar touches before ripping into the pure meat of the main rhythm. Careful though, it can slice you right open with the synth and bass sweeps like a pair of finely honed shears.   Another thing, and it's probably just because of the large amount of water sounds in the previous track but this beat does feel like soilid concrete in comparison! It's a good contrast anyway.

 'Legion' is my favourite track so far, a gorgeous vocal intro  slams itself full force into a cruel rave alarm mashing reesey goodness with a bowel tearing sub.  I'm just loving the contrasts again within the track.  A huge vocal build up has to deliver a nonce bashing bassline in this day and age with this type of music and Truth don't let you down in that respect.  It's also a bonus that there's just the right amount of this track and it doesn't get too repetitive.  Instead 'Invaded' sweeps in with some glitched out samples and  more weighty bass bins fodder.  Quite simple synth-lines are apparent again in a nod to their grime influences.  

After that 'Lab Rat' immerses you in another epic soundscape, here I think the Mala influences can be heard, indicating that a forthcoming release for Deep Medi is understandable and the deeper side of Truth coming out here I rate.  The raw synths and more DnB influenced basslines are held back for this one to let the drums ride forth over a set of sounds I can only really describe as middle-eastern. It's a headphone track for when you're travelling some unknownd territory or perhaps just on the commute to work where the grimy landscape outside that bus window can be momentarily displaced. Enjoy it while it lasts!

'More dangerous' then snaps you out of that meditative tune and slaps you with more simplistic bass drops that, although fun, feel a little uncomfortable directly sitting next to the pevious track.  I'm also not quite feeling the annoying melody on this one which again has an eastern tinge but feels somewhat false after the beauty on show in 'Lab Rat'.  There's also some random dogs barking, which I assume set off the alarms that are also present in this track. Again.  
It's the only low-point in the album for me so far as the amusingly titled 'Wicked Vibe Broccoli' injects some bouncy vibes with great percussive flourishes, 8-bit blips and a relentless wobble that's just the right side of cheese.
These guys blatantly have a lot of material they've gathered together and as the album draws to an end 'Indigo Mood' drifts in with a huge emphasis on dub.  Echoing samples drift about, a guitar lick here, another really nice indian vocal there.  You get the feeling this is leading us up to the end somehow, it doesn't impose itself too much, it's just a nice little stepper that takes you up to the end tune and very pleasant.
'The Fatman' then brings back some of that impending dread felt earlier on in the album, grimy rave stabs and a warm sub are present, with the dub feel also present but surprisingly this, as an end track for the album, doesn't do quite as much as I'd expected it might.

Overall then, 'Puppets' is an album brimming with quality tunes.  There's a good range of styles in there as well.  It rarely feels repetitive as we all know dance music albums can.  On many of the tracks the change-ups of rhythm or little bursts of inspiration really help them stand out from the standard half-stepper outfits out there.  My only quibble would be that the last few tracks feel as though they could either have been left out or perhaps been put towards the middle?  I think maybe because of the expectations raised by most of the album I expected it to culminate in something that topped those tracks but instead it chooses to gradually glide back towards chilling sounding but  standard dubstep fare.  

Either way, for the immense 2 thirds of 'Puppets' it's definelty worth checking.  When Truth are on form they kill it, stone dead with electrical bass and massive cinematic sound layers.  As they've said in interviews they wanted something people could listen to in the club but also just as easily anywhere else.  The variety that's on show here for the most-part has therefore been achieved and if you're into more than just filth there's plenty of reason to get this album.  

DJ Vapours label, 36 Hertz Recordings, takes on the 1992 classic by Babylon Timewarp, Durban Poison, in it's latest release. With Vapour on the remix duties on the A and Bladerunner reworking it on the AA you know that your going to be in for some heavy bassline bizzness. Here's a breakdown of the two remixes:

A: Babylon Timewarp – Durban Poison (DJ Vapour Remix)

Quite a lot of changes from the original in this remix, although all are very welcome for the dancefloor of 2010. Starting off with a nice dubby intro with the original vocals sets the pace nicely.  Flanging on the drums seems to have some similarity to the original, however the drums have a much more militant feel to them, much like a lot of other Vapour tunes. Just before the drop the bassline is introduced, a very fat sounding 'Vapour' style bassline with enough sub to get your balls rattling in a club. When it drops the whole tune takes on a very steppy feel to it, again, sounding quite militant. On the whole a very nice remix, if quite different to the original. If you like many of Vapours other tunes such as Paper Cuts then this one is definitely worth a listen.

AA: Babylon Timewarp – Durban Poison (Bladerunner Remix)

This one sounds a lot more similar to the original, but has brought it bang up to date. The intro has the same stabs, vocals and drum fills as the original, but a much fatter sounding break keep it rolling and sounding fresh. In keeping with a lot of other 36 Hertz releases, it has that 'upfront jungle' sound that is smashing it at raves at the moment. At the drop a massive jungle style bassline takes over the tune. The bass is, again, very similar to the original, but cuts through the mix a lot more, sounding a lot more up to date. A very nice atmospheric breakdown, the same one as the original uses, keeps things interesting. Essentially this tune is a rework on the original, sounding more 2010 than 1992, bringing Durban Poison bang up to date whilst keeping all the parts that made this tune a classic. A nice remix that younger ravers can enjoy and older ravers can reminisce upon.

36HTZ008 is due for release in early October
www.36hertz.com

This month I thought I would track down the sample in one of my favourite tunes. The jungley, rootsy classic that is "Redlight" by ST.Cal. St files and Calibre in case you dont know. on Soul:R (SOULR014). "Redlight" released in 2004 begins with an atmospheric intro. A jungley 2 step snare sets you up for the tune before the Brass sample comes in as well as some dubby keys. Around 1:30 the tune breaks down to play you the reggae hook before hitting you hard with a low end stab as the tune drops.   The hook in redlight is one of the most catchy reggae samples out there. So where does it come from?

The Vocal sample in Redlight originated in the song "Marcus Garvey" sung by Johnny Clarke and his band at the time the Aggravators and produced by Bunny Lee. "Marcus Garvey" came out on Johnny Clarke's 1976 album entitled "Rockers Time Now" on Virgin Records. Marcus Garvey. A hero of Jamaica, who founded the "Universal Negro Improvement Association And African Communities League". Garvey worked to inspire a mass movement focused around Africa called Garveyism. The Rastafarian Movement name Garvey as a prophet.

The Mighty Diamonds a harmony trio formed in 1969. "They Never Love Poor Marcus " covered Marcus Garvey and released it on their best known album "Right Time" on the label Well Charge in 1979. The MIghty Diamonds also penned the classic reggae tune "pass the koutchie" which was later covered by "Musical Youth" as "Pass The Dutchie".

When your forever searching high and low for a track that catches your short attention span in the world of music, You come across a few tracks by a name that you’ve never stumbled across. You begin to show attention to this one alias/Band and start wondering more about who this person is?

     Ambient, Soulful, Emotional is how I’d sum up the first time I heard Phil Tangent’s "Billie’s smile". After grabbing a copy of it when it came out on the famous Soul:R I had to find out as much as I could about Phil and what else he had to offer. We caught up with the Bedfordshire Buzzard too find out a little about him.

EXAMPLE: So thanks for taking the time too do some Questions for us. Firstly could you tell us a little about yourself?

PHIL: My name is Phil Winn a.k.a. Phil Tangent.  I’m from a little town in Bedfordshire called Leighton Buzzard named after the species of bird but to this day I have never seen one. I’ve been Djing and making music for twelve years collectively and have an unconditional love for it.

EXAMPLE: What style would you label your sound?

PHIL: This is a difficult question for me as I like to explore different musical avenues – one day I might make a bright summery tune then another day a dark roller. Whatever I create, I try to incorporate an element of soul in there whether it’s a feeling of euphoria or sadness. For instance, when I was making “Lunar” I wanted the listener to imagine they were on a space mission to the moon. When Marcus heard it, he described it as a ‘journey tune’ which is exactly what I’d hoped for.

EXAMPLE: What are your main influences?

PHIL : My parents are big Motown and Soul enthusiasts – I’ve been digging out their old records since I was young so I’ve been inspired by artists such as Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, Isaac Hayes etc. In about ’96, I came across LTJ Bukem  - the Logical Progression tapes hardly left my walkman. I used to play house music before I took the leap to Drum & Bass however and was really into the Detroit/Chicago sound that these guys Onionz and Joeski were making at the time not forgetting some of the soulful vocal stuff that Blaze were producing. I wanted to find the same kind of soul in Drum & Bass and discovered Calibre through his track on Creative Source – “Deeper Everytime”. In terms of production, I try to encapsulate the same feeling in my music that these producers have given me but I seek out and listen to lots of old jazz, latin, reggae and hip hop records – J Dilla was a true genius.       

EXAMPLE: Can you tell us how you became part of the soul:R crew?

PHIL: It all started with Bailey, he has a show on ustream every Tuesday where he invites new producers to send in their music. I sent Billie’s Smile to him – he played it and really liked it. At that moment, my laptop decided to crash – I hadn’t realised he’d sent it to Marcus Intalex by this point. A couple of months passed and Marcus contacted me saying that he was going to sign Billie’s Smile and needed a B-side. I’d been working on something called “Lunar” so I sent it to him and he wanted that as well. Soul:R was and still is one of my favourite Drum & Bass labels and to be among artists such as M.I.S.T, Calibre and Lenzman is a huge privilege for me.

   
EXAMPLE: How long have you been at the production game? Plus any tips for budding producers?

PHIL: I’ve been fascinated with music production since I bought a copy of Rave Ejay for PC years ago. I also asked my parents for Music 2000 on the Playstation one Christmas and entered a song-writing competition at my school with a track I’d made on the game. Unfortunately, I was disqualified because the performances had to be live. I moved onto Fruity Loops – aka FL Studio and have been using it ever since. I decided to give up my job to pursue music and fortunately enough it paid off. My tips for any budding producers out there would be not to worry about the studio set-up - mine is very basic – but as long as you can create music you’re half-way there. Make sure you finish your tunes, even if you don’t like them as this will help you in terms of structuring and (something about patience). Also, visit production forums like  www.breakbeat.co.uk – the people there are friendly and always willing to help on any issues you experience.    

EXAMPLE: Where do you see Drum and bass going in the near future?

PHIL: I think Drum & Bass is in a really healthy state right now with lots of new producers generating new and original ideas. Eveson, Flaco, Technicolour & Komatic to name a few are all coming out with some great stuff. Generally minimal DnB isnt the kind of material that id tend to play or make but  it’s certainly made an impact on the scene and has encouraged producers to push the boundaries and experiment more which is a great thing for the genre as a whole. It’s difficult to say where Drum & Bass will be in the near future as it’s constantly moving and evolving – the early bad company days - were as I see it the golden era of dnb - it was a very exciting time as the sounds being produced were a real break away from other electronic genres. In today’s scene, i see DnB with great diversity and a real amalgamation of all electronic genres.

EXAMPLE: Are there any collabs in the pipelines soon?

PHIL : I’m currently working on a track with a guy called Karpay that we’re just putting the finishing touches to.

EXAMPLE: What else is set for Phil tangent?(Releases,Dates)

PHIL: I have a few projects on the go and a few remixes I’m working on. Watch this space.

EXAMPLE: If you had to choose between an armless man and a legless man street fighting who would win?

PHIL: The legless man would win because the other guy’s ‘armless ;)

EXAMPLE: Last but not least many many thanks for taking the time out too do this. Also anything you feel mentioning please do.

PHIL: No problem – I’d just like to mention that I have a radio show every Saturday afternoon at 4pm (GMT) on   "http://www.dnbradio.com"  and special mentions to; Bailey, Marcus Intalex, ST Files, Karpay, Itchyfingazzz, Romayne, my parents, my brother, Bassline Collective, R0b0t Redford, Muwookie, Tim Reaper, everyone who’s supported and purchased the twelve and last but not least, Joanna Head who’s supported me throughout.

Extent Recordings was founded in 2009 by L.Y.D.M.C and later joined by Darkhalf.  Their mission being as with a lot of labels to expose unsigned and fresh Drum and Bass to the masses.  A year on and with an arsenal of releases under their belt from a variety of talented and underrated producers.  So far Extent have been limited to Digital releases only but are in the process of making the jump to vinyl in the very near future. Extents label roster is made up of a close knit family of producers who work together to produce a distinct sound for the label.

So far their back catalogue has seen releases from the likes of DBR-UK, Darkhalf, Seb Bruen, Psychord, KZSS and many more. Some of whom have already gone onto bigger things. Integration has forthcoming releases on the Darkestral imprint and Soul Defiance has gone on to be signed to Metalheadz. Blu Mar Ten also featured Y2D "Moments" in their Fabric Live mix.  

The Extent family has also set up a radio station to play on which is currently hosted on their myspace whilst their new website is being constructed.  You can lock onto it every night between 1800 GMT and 0100 GMT on… http://www.myspace.com/extentradio

MORE OF EXTENT...

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/extentrecordings
http://www.myspace.com/extentviprecordings
http://www.myspace.com/extentradio

Soundcloud:
http://www.soundcloud.com/extentrecordings
http://soundcloud.com/extentviprecordings

Podomatic:
http://www.extentrecordings.podomatic.com/
http://www.extentviprecs.podomatic.com/

Juno Store:
http://www.junodownload.com/labels/Extent+Recordings/
http://www.junodownload.com/labels/Extent+Vip+Recordings/

With glitch royalty passing through, who else to draft in for the support slot than our very own Jonny Dub (Hoya:Hoya). With a set full of electronic anthems from the likes of Squarepusher, Lorn and Hudson Mohawke, even the cool kids propping up the bar were drawn to the dance floor. Three Sailor Jerry and Gingers later and Ooah, edIT and Boreta aka The Glitch Mob took to the stage.

Playing tunes from their new album Drink the Sea, cleverly blended with classics and live remixes, The Mob more than held the attention of the modest but energetic SoundControl crowd. The Glitch Mob's sound has evolved into an anthemic merge of electronic synths, glitchy sound effects and heavily processed basslines.

Less emphasis is given to the 'melting fax machine' vs 'underwater microwave' sounds that edIT fans became accustomed to back in 2004. Resulting in a cleaner, bolder and more commercially viable electronic hip hop sound.

edIT took control of the proceedings throughout the set, occasionally coming out from behind his centralised control hub (an array of laptops, fx units, MIDI drums and a touch screen Ableton controller) to have a quick play on his bass or guitar in an attempt to counter balance the digitalilty of the set. Occasionally the three clean-cut characters switched it up and went into DRUM MODE! The impressive lighting and visuals created an epic mood as they battered their electronic drum pads in unison like a young 'Blue Man Group' before that fateful decorating accident (when presumably they were just called 'Man Group')

The individual musical achievements of edIT, Ooah and Boreta are unquestionable. They have pioneered the West Coast glitch hop scene, which is only now starting to get the recognition it deserves in this country. Whilst they have not found the perfect solution to the 'digital performance' problem that faces many of today’s electronic music producers, they have created an exciting and innovative way of delivering their music to an audience without just growing a floppy fringe, touching one of three buttons every four to five seconds and looking like a cunt.

Words Stephen merkoff

Photos by Von.

There are few artists creating a buzz like James Davidson and Greg Hepworth within the drum & bass world right now. In short, Ulterior Motive as they are better known is big news. They represent the very forefront of a talented new breed, and since first gaining recognition have been quick  to cement their reputation with a slew of tracks which combine intelligent dynamics with out and out dancefloor funk. Their music has received praise from across the scene and their dubs have taken up residence in the record bags of A-listers Marky, Fabio, Hype, Friction and many more. Not surprisingly then, labels are now falling over themselves to get in on the action, with Metalheadz, Critical and Teebee's Subtitles all picking up tracks from the duo.

Greg and James first met back in 2001 after being introduced by a mutual acquaintance and quickly became friends through a shared love of music and in particular, the dark minimal funk popularised by Ed Rush & Optical's Virus imprint. The pair made their first track in 2003 kick-starting a busy period of writing and production before circumstances put things on hold indefinitely. A fews later they met up and returned to the studio, more experienced and armed to the teeth with fresh ideas which blended their passion for late 90s tech rollers with up to date production values. This was the beginning of Ulterior Motive. Musically, the pair blend the sound of classic Virus & Moving Shadow with current influences creating a stark eerie soundscape permeated with sharp beats and guttural synth stabs and flourishes creating a sound akin to other scene favourites Jubei, FD, Script and Teknik.

As their confidence grew they tentatively began sending out demos and in a very short time were approached by Teebee who signed 'Infrasonic' / 'Holding Onto Never' giving the Bournemouth producers their debut release and offering an insight of what was to come. More releases followed including the immense '2098' and the certified dance floor anthem 'Featherweight' quickly making Ulterior Motive's music a sought after weapon of choice for those in the know and the highlight of many a set for the previously uninitiated. So great is the interest in the pair that have already collaborated with numerous dnb luminaries including Zero T and Sabre with several more ready to drop. The guys have even hinted at an album in the pipeline which will almost certainly appear on Subtitles but they have stressed that it's still a long way off. with so much going on right now who could blame them?

Not content with making a name as a production out the the duo are making a name for themselves on the DJ circuit. Having played some the most respected dnb events in the world including RAM, Renegade Hardware and Sun & Bass, Ulterior Motive will finally bring their brooding dance floor assault to Manchester this October. If their already meteoric rise is anything to go by then the city is in for something special… You have been warned!

Words cant really describe how Big the Big chill actually was.  Last month I went to a festival every weekend. Starting with Nozstock in Herefordshire. An intimate family festival on a farm with around 3000 attendees.
 
Next I traveled all the way up north to Scotland and the Wickerman festival. Slightly larger and slightly wetter than the first. A week after the neat rum drinking carnage of Wickerman I headed down to Cumbria to Kendal Calling and set up my tent once again for a weekend spent with Father Ted, Wally from Where's Wally and a proper nice group of lads from Morecambe who introduced me to the "Harvey Wallbanger" drink and Jagermeister breakfast.

Big Chill was my final outing of the Summer and it seemed fitting that after running around the country for four weeks I should be back in Herefordshire just a few miles down from where it all started at Nozstock.  

Sorry to everyone at the other festivals but Big Chill was by far my fucking favourite.  I wish I was still there now. Ive got that longing feeling you get after you've been to a really amazing rave.  Where you find yourself listening to tunes you heard and trying to conjure up every last drop of memory from when you were there.

Stop paying attention for a few minutes and your eyes glaze over and you sink right back into it. Ive had it before in Manchester with nights like Ape at the Apollo and at some of the free parties like the one in Buxton in May. (If your not from manny you wont understand how good our free parties are).

I got to Big chill late on Friday night and after wrestling with our tent in the dark only to find that at its last outing at Leeds it had been graffiti with the words Team Bareback in bright pink letters we headed into the site.  My second deer park in ten days.

From the start I could tell Big Chill was probably gonna trump my other festival visits. It was by far the largest site so far and had a great vibe. Plus it was dark so everything seemed more exciting.  

First thing I was confronted with on walking in was a huge array of stacked flashing cubes surrounded by silent ravers set against a backdrop of fairground rides which really didn't appeal to my Appleton heavy stomach.

A program was 8 quid and they didn't give any to press so I don't know what anything was called. We were in purple camping so we came in at one end of a rectangle and the festival was just straight ahead of us like one big corridor of excitement.

Halfway down it we came across the Main Stage just in time to see Massive Attack play "Teardrop" (the tune everyone wanted to see in case you don't know about Massive Attack).

The rest of Friday was pretty much passed in the Drum and Bass tent which was standardly destroyed by the Hospital crew.
    
On Saturday lunch time when we crawled out of the volcanic climate of the Team Bareback tent and no time was wasted.  So far we had only explored the first quarter of the Big Chill site. It was time to go further down Chill st.

We sampled some Reggae at Mr Scruff's tent selected by none other than Manc veteran Mikey Don before weaving through the various set ups designed to make festivals surreal.

My only criticism of the whole site is the hill which it is necessary to climb to get to all those mad tents offering Massages, Saunas and interesting dinners. Including the hilariously named "Bhatti Wraps".   

Hills and excessive drinking just don't work well together especially in baking sun.  It would take too long to write about all the things happening on and around that hill. My best advice is if you want to know buy a ticket and go.

So with our site exploration done we returned to the tent and planned out our saturday night. As Saturday nights go I think its a while since Ive had such a varied music experience on one night and probably will be a while until I top it.

I still don't understand why I waited to watch Kelis? I don't think I ever will know.  But I did and I cant have that bit of my life back so there's no point mourning it.  Plan B and Tinie Tempah played teeny pop sets as you'd expect.

Fair play to Plan B for making it big by dressing as a Grandad and singing in a high voice it seems to work.
 
Next up we moved onto the flashy cubes for a bit of Toddla T and Serocee. Toddla T has to go down as one of the best DJs around at the moment just for sheer tune selection and versatility.

Somehow he manages to fit jungle, dubstep, dnb, house and hip hop into one unified piece of music and make it work really well. Having had our ears assaulted by Toddlas multi genre onslaught it was time to head down to the Deer Park Stage for a bit of Mad Decent's M.I.A.

As we arrived she was mid way through her chart hit Paper Planes and decided to invite the whole festival on stage with her.  They duly accepted the invitation and her set was cut short as hundreds of people hopped over the barrier to the forbidden stage area.  

Something we should all learn from in society that theres more of us than the people in control. If we choose to we can do what we want.  

So thats all we saw of M.I.A.  A bit after all this we ended up back at the camp site. At which point the controversial Alan shouting began.  Those people who go to festivals looking to have nice kip and watch some nice clog dancing and then object to any noise making being made in festival camp sites after newsnights finished are cunts.  People shouting Alan at 4 AM is and was hilarious.  
    
On Sunday my Big Chilling capabilities were severely diminished and it took a lot of effort to get the medicinal Smirnoff down me but I managed all in the interest of journalism.  

The third and final night of Big Chill kicked off with the huge Firework display which put Wickerman's to shame and definitely took my mind off my treble strength hangover.  

Shortly afterwards Lily Allen fought off pregnancy and took to the Main Stage. I don't know wether the shouts of Alan at this point were for her or just general Alans. She ran through her impressive catalogue of catchy hits and even featured a guest appearance from Professor Green but there was more exciting things to see. Bonobo were on.  

One of the most amazing live acts around and definitely worth making the effort to see Bonobo killed the Clash stage. The atmosphere around the stage was warm and intimate exactly what you want from a festival.  

By the end of Bonobo things were getting cold and we rounded off the weekend with a chill at the enormous inflatable balls up on the hill and a little jaunt into the Lazyland area which we had only just found.

 My final memory of Big Chill before my long walk back to the tent with a £4 bottle of water is of watching an ageing DJ in a shiny silver coat with long sleeves and a fag in his mouth dancing madly to his set of austin powers style jazz with choral vocals laid over the top. (I know this man was Mixmaster Morris)  

So all in all.  There's been some people complaining about security and stuff. I personally saw none of this I had an amazing weekend and Big Chill was the climax of my Festival summer.  See you there next year. 

          One finds it hard not to immediately confuse the co-creator of this album with his namesake, the French duo that has towered over the electronic dance world for years, which is unfortunate because the Justice that is behind the new experimental album ‘839’ certainly possesses a different vision for his music, and deserves praise for it.  839 is the first vinyl LP Justice’s label Modern Urban Jazz has released since 1996, and this is reflected by the distinct change in style. 

Having been making music for twenty years as of next year, Tony Bowes has plied his trade to many genres of music, leading to the creation of his critically acclaimed debut album ‘Viewpoints’ in 1998, in which he effortlessly combined elements of Drum and Bass with Jungle to produce a unique ambience that can be heard in tracks such as Aquisse. Mixmag described it as ‘Pure Musical Vision’ and Select ‘Maybe the best drum and bass album ever’. 

It is interesting then to see Justice trying his hand at something different with 839.  But, like all good musicians, he has evolved with music.  Moving away from the breakbeat sound that has served him so well, Justice has taken inspiration from minimal field - “I was feeling the experimental side of some of the bits I was hearing, and experimenting is what I have always been about really, so I guess this combined with the techno elements involved, is what drew me in, plus as you say putting our own slant on it was something we wanted to do.”

  The album’s other parent, Metro, is no stranger to the music industry either.  Having known Justice for years before the collaboration, Justice described the creation of 839 as progressing in an “organic fashion.”  This natural progression is reflected by the tracks used on the album and overall makes for an enjoyable listening experience.  Having stuck to using between 170-175 beats per minute, the rest does in no way feel planned or forced, but almost improvised. 

The album is experienced as a journey, if you sit and focus just listening to the whole album, it is almost meditational.  It has the rare ability to be enjoyed in a dark mood or a light mood, but either way it allows time for the listener.  This experimental album has received much support from well known artists that one would probably link to such a different sound; Laurent Garnier says “Pure abstract moody atmospheres...a very beautiful album to travel with.

Dark but not heavy, simple and complex at the same time…Something I will listen to over and over.  This is a brilliant album.”  Illusionist describes it as “One BIG tune.”  The album is certainly an acquired taste, it successfully shows the diversity of drum and bass and the futuristic sounds that can be made when combining it with other genres.  839 is more about representing a listening experience and creating an atmosphere rather than a universally accessible album. 

Give it your attention and you will be pleasantly surprised where it takes you.  It should be onwards and upwards from here for Justice & Metro and Modern Urban Jazz.