Dutch producer and Commercial Suicide golden boy "Nymfo" started djing when he was just 14. He went on to start promoting in his home city of Eindhoven.  

Now Amsterdam based, Nymfo has had releases on Commercial Suicide and Metalheadz and collaborated with the likes of S.P.Y and Klute.

We caught up with him to talk about his brand new Double Dutch EP on Commercial Suicide and some other interesting stuff.

01. Nymfo its nice to have you with us. What first got you into drum and bass?

Nymfo : When I was 15 years old I bought a Jungle compilation album and the first tune was from Randall & Andy C and called ‘Sound Control’ Few weeks later I saw Randall was going to play in Eindhoven and I went to that party. He played a 2 hours set and after that I knew I discovered something amazing. It was such an amazing experience and started to do some research to this obscure genre and I’m still doing that.

02. You had a history of promoting and Djing from a young age.  How did you start producing?

I wanted to produce for years already, but because I’m a very lazy person it took me a while. After I met Icicle (who was living in Eindhoven around the same time as me), it started pretty quick. He had a lot of studio experience already and showed me some tips and tricks. We started with a lot of collabs, but after a while I started to do more solo stuff as well.

03. How would you describe your sound?

As a producer I produce a sound which is a bit deeper and has got a lot of funk. When I dj I can and will play everything (depends on the crowd off course). I like to drop some new deep stuff, but also some classics and some dance floor tunes.

04. What was the first and last piece of music which you bought?

The first piece of music (which I remember) was Pump Up The Jam by Technotronic on 7 inch. The last piece is the SBTRKT album which I really like.

05. You've just dropped the Double Dutch E.P on Commercial Suicide.  What else is on the way from you in 2011?

I’ve got a single for Dispatch music, which is coming out in a few weeks. I also release a tune on Metalheadz for a various artists EP. And when I’m back from my tour in New Zealand I’m going to start on my album for Commercial Suicide. Besides that I will release a few singles, but nothing confirmed yet. The main thing will be the album.

06. What tunes are not out of your box at the moment?

The Enei EP on Critical, some new stuff for Symmetry, a few Nymfo rollers, Dose dubs, SPY dubs, Octane & DLR collabs, Cern beats, BSE & Noisia dancefloor killers, Optiv & BTK bangers.

07. Interesting DnB related story or fact?

Nymfo is not a girl.

DOUBLE DUTCH EP IS AVAILABLE NOW IN ALL GOOD RECORD STORES

www.facebook.com/nymfodnb
www.twitter.com/nymfodnb

Aerosoul's Junglist Movement tee's were first seen in the cult film classic 'Human Traffic'. Since then Aerosoul has become a streetwear phenomenon. In 1998, Aerosoul founder Leke Adesoye, who trained at London College of Fashion, wanted to create a brand that would combine music and fashion, his two greatest passions, in equal measures. He has certainly been successful. Aerosoul has many celebrity fans from music legends such as MistaJam and Groove Armada to actors and stars of Hollyoaks.

For 2011 Leke has relaunched the Junglist Movement tees, bringing on board two of his favourite artists to rework his original design. Voluume One of the A.S./J.M. Remixed Collab Series has been designed by UK artist Mitchy who's designs have already been used for brands such as Addict, Supreme Being and WeSC. Vlolume Two comes courtesy of Japanese artist Tadaomi Shibuya who's geometric artistry you might have seen recently on billboards for Becks, Givenchy and North Face.
 
This series really does combine the worlds of music, fashion and art. Check out all the designs on the Aerosoul website but you will have to hurry, these tees are strictly limited edition with each design only being produced in 5 colours. So choose your favourite design, pick your colour and get on board with the Junglist Movement.

www.aerosoul.co.uk

See the new designs below ...

Over the last two years the respected partnership that is Ulterior Motive has helped spearhead the revitalisation of Teebee's acclaimed Subtitles imprint keeping it at the forefront of the scene in terms of innovation and production quality.

At the same time the pair have quietly gone about redefining tech funk for a new generation of drum and bass fans with critically praised tracks appearing on labels including Metalheadz, Critical and Reinforced.

Their recent release Tesla / Seven Segments has only served to reinforce their pedigree as certified dance floor smashers with their now trademark blend of punchy drums arrangements, guttural baselines and eerie atmospherics demonstrated to full effect and all those early comparisons to Veterans Ed Rush & Optical and Bad Company have now been blown out of the water as the duo stamp their own identity on the dnb movement.

Example magazine caught up with the undisputed kings of squelch to chat about their sound and their plans for the rest of 2011

    Example :  What has been the most important factor in your success so far?

    UM:   Quality control: we always try to make sure our output is as a good as at can be, constantly being brutally honest with each other. We quite often scrap projects after a few days if the vibe hasn't got what we want. A good work ethic is essential in the studio, we have no issues with each other if one of us isn't feeling the way the project is going
.

Example:   What track do you think most accurately nails what UM is about?

    UM:  Every track we produce has it's own individual style, from Yogurt Brainwave to Tesla but we always want our tracks to be funky, and Funk is what Ulterior Motive is all about.

Example:   You've become known for your punchy production sound, what are your fave bits of studio gear?

UM:  A Mac Pro running Logic 9 with a UAD-2 card and a Virus Ti is the core. We've recently dusted down the Emu e5000 Ultra and are using that a lot these days!

Example:    Have there been any major changes in the way you work in the studio?

UM:   Our studio techniques are always changing and advancing but the format of how we work together as duo is still the same as it ever was, except we drink more coffee! We're both confident in the others abilities to push the project in-hand forward.

Example:  Do you consider yourselves to be more DJs or Producers?

UM:    We both started out as DJs in our teens as most people do but we've been producing for such a long time (14 years) I think it's fair to say we're both!

Example:  What are you feeling outside of drum & bass right now?

UM:   Tipper, Scuba, Fleetwood Mac and Duran Duran 

Example:  What have you got on the cards for the rest of 2011?

UM:  More releases on Subtitles - we've written tracks with Hybris and Code 3 that are penciled for release later in the year, plus some more solo material due out mid-summer.

Hybrid Minds are an exciting new production outfit to hit the industry in recent years, bringing with them their distinct style of liquid Drum and Bass. Consisting of producers Sensa and Haste, also representing the heavier side of Drum and Bass with Fatman D’s Biological Beats, and with radio play on BBC Radio 1xtra and from DJ Hype on his legendary KISS FM show, things are looking promising for Hybrid Minds. We caught up with Sensa and Haste to find out a little bit more.

Example: For those people who don’t know about you, how would you describe the sound of Hybrid Minds?

Haste: We don't feel that we have one specific sound. We are experimenting in all areas at the moment and would like to cover a wide range of Drum and Bass.

Sensa: We tend to make music from what inspires us most which can change from day to day. If we had to describe our sound at the moment though, I would say soulful, relaxing, modern and possibly electro.

Example: Producers in your own right, how would you describe your creative relationship? What's it like working with each other?

Haste: I think that we gel really well as we have worked with each other in other projects for a few years now and can be honest with each other which we both think is a vital part of making tracks together.

Sensa: We tend to start ideas and send them to each other. If the other person is feeling the track then we will send it back and forth adding bits and sculpting the track into the final product. We tend to use each other’s strong points to gain the best results and it seems to be working so far.

Example: Having previously produced jump up Drum and Bass, how did the move into liquid come about?

Sensa: Both of us have been jump up DJs for a fair amount of time, I had been actively involved in jump up production for many years now and needed a change, both of us have always had a love for the more musical side of things.

Haste: I have never made a jump up tune before. Production wise, I have only been interested in making the more musical side of Drum and Bass. We still support jump up but find that it serves more of a purpose on the dance floor as opposed to something that can just be appreciated for being nice music.

Do you think you'll move into other aspects of the DnB genre?

Sensa: We are hoping that we will do this as we don’t like the thought of being pigeon holed into one sub genre, that would get very tedious.

Haste: When we make a tune, we don’t think about the genre we are making, just aim to make Drum and Bass as a whole that we are happy with and most importantly enjoy creating, which at the moment usually comes out as liquid.

 

Example: What are you hoping to achieve as Hybrid Minds? What are your intentions?

Haste: I think one of our intentions is to progress as producers and keep making music that we are proud to put out there.

Sensa: Our aim at the minute is to please ourselves and others, if bigger events follow then that would be great but for now we are happy to just keep ourselves happy. We have been overwhelmed of the support and interest we’ve had so far, some of the artists and labels that have inspired us to go down this route anyway such as Netsky and Fokuz Recordings showing an interest in us is very surreal.

Example: Where can people hear your tracks? Are you DJing as a duo yet or just producing at the moment?

Sensa: We are starting to do sets as duo as we find it a lot more fun and buzz off it a lot as a double act, it’s all very fresh and exciting compared to what we are normally used to.

Haste: We can really feel the vibes from a set. It is also nice the way we get the chance to stand back from the decks whilst Sensa plays his tracks, getting time to sit back appreciate the crowd and get more involved with them.

Sensa: You can hear our music on soundcloud at http://soundcloud.com/hybridminds

Example: Are you still very much active as solo artists? What are you doing at the moment individually?

Haste: My main object is very much focused on Hybrid Minds.

Sensa: If one of us makes a track and the other does not have the time to work on it, it will be going under our Hybrid Minds name as that is what we intend to push forward and evolve.

Example:What's your set up like? What do you use?

Haste: We are both running near enough the same setup which consists of an iMac, Logic pro, KRK studio monitors and mainly albino 3 as our synth.

Sensa: We’ve also been known to record our own samples, from using house keys to carling cans and tins of soup or beans. You’d be surprised how much difference it makes using soup instead of beans…

Example:How do you aim to keep your productions fresh and original?

Haste: To keep things fresh you always need to be finding new sounds, new samples, new inspirations and improving your talent.

Sensa: We are currently working with a range of vocalists as well which will hopefully bring a different feel to our tracks, such as Grimm who has added a nice touch to some of our tunes. We plan to make a wide range of DnB to keep it all fresh and original.

Example:Any plans for this year?

Haste: The plan this year is to keep doing what we do, evolve as artists and get the brand out there.

Sensa: We have only just popped onto this scene and don't plan on going anywhere.

Example: Anything else you'd like to mention?

Haste: As well as our productions we are working on a side project to run alongside motion sensor records called e-motion. This is our label to cater for the more deep and soulful side of drum & bass.

Sensa: We will be kicking off with a 20 track album which you can check out here
It features a range of new producers that we think are making really good music and look at it as a strong way to kick things off. You will be able to grab this from the 13th of June.

Haste: To check out our tunes and upcoming events make sure you give us a follow on our Facebook page
 



http://twitter.com/hybridmindsdnb

http://soundcloud.com/hybridminds

com/e-motiondnb
It features a range of new producers that we think are making really good music and look at it as a strong way to kick things off. You will be able to grab this from the 13th of June.

Haste: To check out our tunes and upcoming events make sure you give us a follow on our Facebook page
 



Eurocultured has been running now for 5 years and in that time has gained ever-increasing importance within the urban festival scene, drawing people from all over to experience the best examples of European (and Mancunian) music and art. Indeed, at £15 for a 2-day ticket, anyone would be hard pressed to find a better value-for-money music experience.

Down the Oxford Road side-street (New Wakefield St. Ed) which features Font Bar, Space & Sound Control, these bars all host various stages. Eurocultured places the main stage in the railway arch tunnel opposite the Ritz, which produces a decent size site, mostly rainproof, with plenty to eat, drink and see.

I arrive on Sunday to a break-dancing contest just finishing on the main stage and a small number of artists going to town on the walls opposite the bars. A lamppost has been superbly decorated by Kerry Howarth garnering smiles and photos from the many passers-by. Check out various trees around Chorlton (South Mcr) for more of her excellent environmental sculpture.

After grabbing one of Fonts £2 cocktails (see what I mean; bargain festival!) I set about wandering around the various stages to see what was on offer and the variety is outstanding. I think the diverse programme and the crowds’ obvious enthusiasm for anything new & exciting combine to make Eurocultured what it is. I saw thrashing indie band 'The Cold One Hundred' and poppy electronica from 'Django Django' on the main stage before heading up to Space terrace for dub, reggae &  jungle cuts from the Hot-Milk DJs, always good for a dance!

I return later to the main stage to watch 'Slagsmalklubben' a Swedish group who play music that wouldn't be out of place in a SNES game, intricate energetic bleepy melodies. One member gets on a mic to apologise for their absentees. Only 4 of the sextet have showed up today, one member having, allegedly, feigned illness to 'stay at home smoke hash', but I doubt anyone there noticed any difference, the crowd bouncing around regardless. Following on from the Swedish act, and headlining the main stage, are 'Balkan Beat Box'. To describe their gypsy punk rock dance blend is nigh on impossible so I won’t try further, save to say they smashed it and you really should check them out. 

I had to call it a day after these guys but from what I heard the entertainment went on well into the night with Hit-&-Run, Micron and Hoya:Hoya taking over the indoor venues and storming DJ sets coming both from Icicle and Marcus Intalex

After sufficient recovery, Bank Holiday Monday I rolled back for the festivals’ closing. By this time it was a lot less crowded, it seemed most couldn’t face a second day of festivities, but it was their loss as it was a great time to see all the finished artwork, and the music certainly didn't stop! We saw a cracking performance from Skittles (despite the venue sound-system's best attempts to screw the gig). Can't wait to hear his new 'Poor With £100 Trainers' LP.

We were then treated to an epic (and really mean epic!) Classic House set from the one & only Mark XTC. He kept hands in the hair for about 2 hours solid! To top it off the main stage and to close the festival we got an exclusive debut performance from Zed Bias, Fallacy & Rodney P. These three have been around for years, all making banging tunes by themselves and performing as duos with one another but never all three at once! Now all three are ‘Sleeping Giants’ and, along with Fox, they rocked Eurocultured from front to back as a UKG/Dubstep/Hip Hop combination with new tunes alongside a few of their collabs. This brilliant combination of British talent should be putting out some fantastic material soon. So watch this space for more.

For the hardcore-few still craving more, there was one final After-party, Hit-&-Run moving to Subspace for the evening and bringing some extra sound reinforcement with them. For the lucky few hundred who stuck around were treated to a rare live appearance in Manchester. Jehst has been at the forefront of UK Hip-Hop for a long time now and, with a new LP in the offing, he brought a serious show to Subspace.

Warm up for the show was from Manchester MC 'Karmic Evolution'. There's some serious talent coming out of Manchester at the moment and this guy is definitely one to watch, producing & rapping on his own tunes with serious lyricism to boot, elder brother Tonn Piper better watch his back!

In between acts we got an impromptu break-dance session from some of the b-boys at the festival with some sick hip-hop beats to boot. When Jehst takes to the stage the whole crowd is pumped for the show. Along with his guy, Michael Parkinsun (not that one, another one), Jehst shows he is not messing about, tearing through UKHH classics and new material with the crowd hanging on his every line.

It is a great end to the festival and, although my feet are weary Jehst kept them moving right till the end!

Kalkbrenner is a German techno legend from Leipzig who shot to prominence in 2008 when he produced the soundtrack for the film ‘Berlin Calling’ which he also starred in.  The film follows a DJ who develops a drug problem and gets dropped from his label just as he is about to get big.

He is placed in psychiatric care but continues to produce his album alongside his treatment and all of the tracks from the album are featured throughout the film. Berlin Calling swept through Germany and much of techno loving Europe, giving Kalkbrenner iconic status. Since then he had a sell out European tour, the Berlin gig of which was at an old WW2 Luftwaffe air hanger in front of 12,000 people. The fact he was the headline act that night on a bill including techno lords Richie Hawtin, Loco Dice, Sven Väth and Booka Shade illustrates just how big he is in Germany.

So imagine our disappointment when, during the Christmas blizzard, his show at Fabric nightclub in London was cancelled. A feeling of deflation could be felt all round London, but hey ho, you can’t change the weather. 4 months later the show was rescheduled and the crowd descended once more on Farringdon, eager with expectation and glad the wait was finally over. Kalkbrenner is nowhere near as big in the UK as the rest of the continent; he plays a very European style of minimal, ambient techno and it was no surprise that English fans were in the minority.

We spoke to French, Belgian and German people outside who had come a long way to be there and could not believe their luck that Kalkbrenner was even playing a UK gig. It was a very different vibe to what example readers would expect from a night at Fabric, a club which routinely puts on huge drum & bass/ Dubstep line ups for major labels such as DJ Hype’s Playaz and Caspa’s Dub Police.

Only Room One was open (less than half the club) but in all honesty that is still a quality venue.  The surprising thing was how much of a ‘concerty’ feel the event had, rather than the ravey edge synonymous with most big nights at Fabric. Maybe that was a reflection of the European crowd, or the fact it was a Thursday night or because I was sober but it was a totally different Fabric experience.

Kalkbrenner was on last, playing an hour and a half live set which meant a bit of a wait to see the man we had all turned up to see. Dominik Eulberg warmed up and was excellent, playing a harder variety of techno that got the whole crowd going and helped the excitement build. He was playing from the conventional DJ booth, but across the room on a raised platform which is usually part of the dance floor we could all see a table had been set up from where Kalkbrenner would later perform his live show. His silver macbook pro a tempting image of what was still to come, sitting there taunting the crowd of his imminent arrival.

The excitement was at fever pitch; we knew that we were about to witness a show only really found at major festivals now, but here was Kalkbrenner playing a London club to a crowd of maybe a thousand. Every single person in the club was on the dancefloor for his entrance and he dove straight into his set with the brilliant ‘Altes Kamuffel’ which has the most brilliant kick midway through which we all went crazy for. He followed that up with ‘Square 1’ and ‘Moob’ before dropping my personal favourite ‘Aaron’ (seriously you have got to check this track out).

It was a treat to actually hear him play a set that wasn’t basically just the tracks of the Berlin Calling album which had made him so famous.  You could really feel the crowd surge when he played infamous tracks like Gebrunn Gebrunn but it was good that it was a different set to what many had come to expect. There were one or two of his new tunes that didn’t work for me - maybe I need to hear them again -  and a small period where the set went slightly flat.

However he saved it with his new production ‘Plätscher’ which is an instant classic and a tune I have had on repeat ever since. One of the best things about Kalkbrenner is the range of his productions; some can be really wavey chilled out tunes which are perfect end of the night tunes like ‘Azure’ which he ended on, but he also has those club bangers in the middle which get you going. I don’t know many other minimal tech producers who can send the crowd on such a journey with sets filled purely with their own productions.

All in all it was a great night so thanks to example for getting us in to a sold out event. It wasn’t as good as when I saw him in Berlin, but that was probably to be expected. He didn’t even play the song of 2008 for me, the iconic ‘Sky and Sand’ which his brother Fritz Kalkbrenner does the vocals for.

I’m not going to complain at all though because seeing someone this big on a normal Thursday night was an unbelievable treat and hats off to Fabric for the booking and an incredible lights show. I’m looking forward to seeing Kalkbrenner again at MELT! Festival this summer and checking out his forthcoming album to see if can match the heights of Berlin Calling, although I’m not sure that’s possible.

I love the German vibe when it comes to electronic music, it’s got the right heart and attitude, and if you want to check some of it out then I couldn’t recommend more copping a listen of Berlin Calling or checking out the film and seeing where they take you.

We caught up with dubstep badman Emalkay  to talk about his album coming out on Dub Police in April.  But due to problems with writers we havent managed to publish the words until now. However here is the Emalkay interview now in all of it's glory...

Example:  First of all, what's your name? Where are you from and what do you do?

Emalkay: My name is Martin Knowles, I'm from Birmingham and I like bass.

Example: How long have you been making music for and why the name Emalkay?

Emalkay: I was messing around for years, all started in the bedroom when I was about 13 I think. I chose the name Emalkay because, at the time, about 10 years ago, I was stuck for a name so I just loooked at my initials: MLK, and spelt them out phonetically, pretty lame right? Ha.

Example: How did you get into music production?Any musical background or what were your influences?

Emalkay : Well, it all started when a friend had borrowed an old Atari and a keyboard from his school, and we would just mess about on it sometimes, I just found myself hooked instantly. It was a lot to take in though and found it hard to grasp so I started making music with this program that came out for the PlayStation and went from there. I have no musical background in that I had no training prior to making music, nothing stands out in the family either, it's a bit weird. I had always had a taste for the electronic sound though, always had a keyboard in my bedroom and would sit there for hours figuring this stuff out.

Example: I remember coming back from Outlook and "When I look at You" been the  tune of the festival. What has changed since that release?

Emalkay: Well I now have this album out for a start, which is the biggest thing. Honestly, it's all been a bit crazy since then, the shows have got wilder and wilder, it's relentless, and you know what, that tune gets just as bigger reaction now as it did back then when I first started playing it, madness!

Example: The new LP entitled Eclipse is out this Friday, what else is in the pipeline for you this year?

Emalkay: More music, really going to push the boat out this year creatively as well as with the shows. I may do some remixes too if the right work comes along but we'll see, I'm really fussy about doing those.

Example:  A lot of Dubstep producers moved their sound to a brighter sound and more House. Is this something you could see yourself doing in the future?

Emalkay: That's just one avenue some producers are going down, there are so many strains of this sound emerging these days I don't even know what dubstep is anymore, but this is a good thing, you won't find me going down a single path, I'll embrace anything. Maybe I'll drop a couple of housey numbers in the future who knows, but it's just as likely that I'll do, say, something on a hip hop or drum

Example: Finally, what is the tune you can not stop playing at the moment and is Bin Laden dead??

Emalkay: Can't stop playing Universal by Subscape, it's an amazing tune, the
melody gets me every time. It should be out this year I think.

And yes, of course he's dead!

OK, so surely you know that Heavy Feet are back with some fresh new goodies, their 12x12 album is looking to drop very soon and in the spirit of that, they have decided to be extra, extra nice to the Example Magazine family. BOOM, so they have got a new single and keeping it real in this financial climate, it’s 100% free!

Yes that’s right my friends, I bear gifts. Firstly, check the free track that they have shared:


Secondly, here’s a mix they have done WITH the track listing:
 

HeavyFeet Stamp! Beats Mix

HeavyFeet feat. Jon Rice - Raise A Glass (Q45 Remix)

02. HeavyFeet feat. Jon Rice - Saving Me (Black Noise Remix)

03. HeavyFeet feat. Serocee - Parking Meter (Sam Young Remix)

04. HeavyFeet feat. Bubbz - Young & Dumb (Nick Thayer Remix)

05. HeavyFeet feat. Kovas - We Came To Party (Deekline & Product.01 Remix)

06. HeavyFeet feat. Serocee - Parking Meter (Club Mix)

07. HeavyFeet feat. Rod Hotly & Kid Bliss - Last 2 People (Two Fresh Remix)

08. HeavyFeet feat. Jenna G - War (Kastle Remix)

And finally, if you want to do a cheeky mix for yourself, here are the club mixes:

So we wanted to make sure we had all the fresh news about the new release so we had a quick chin wag with James from Heavy Feet to see how everything was going down.


Example: So, congrats on finishing your '12x12' project, I’m sure the tour is going to be amazing. What inspired you to do such a project?

HeavyFeet: Thank you. We dreamt up the idea for the 12x12 project around September 2009 after having been through a period where we felt particularly uninspired with the music we we're making / trying to make. It felt very much like we had allowed ourselves to get stuck in a routine of making the same track time and time again, which is not a huge amount of fun!

As artists, we had always loved the idea of being able to produce an album, rather than simply releasing a constant stream of EPs, singles or remixes, but taking an extended period of time out to produce said album was always a daunting prospect. Hence we came up with the idea of releasing an album of sorts through the 12x12 project. The process of breaking down the traditional artist album format into twelve singles released over twelve months, delivering a free monthly track coupled with a couple of quality, choice club mixes, has been very liberating for us as artists and allowed us to showcase a new selection of HeavyFeet sounds and influences to our followers. At the same time it has allowed us to release music regularly, so we kind of managed to get the best of both worlds.

Example: Cool, so where are you starting off on your tour?

Heavy Feet: I, unfortunately, am stuck in the rather grey looking Manchester at the moment whilst Mike is off touring the other side of the world! He's got 7 dates lined up across Australia and New Zealand and kicked things off at the weekend with gigs in Canberra, Wollongong and Sydney.

Example: Oh no! Well I’m sure the Mancunians will keep you very busy! So when is the first tune about to drop? Or is that a secret?

Heavy Feet: The entire 12x12 project is available to buy right now. all the original versions of the 12 singles remain free to download for a limited time on the Heavyfeet Soundcloud Page. As for further releases on Stamp! Beats we've got lots of exciting new material to unveil in 2011 and I'm mixing down lots of great new music whilst Mike is away, but exactly when that's due for release and how it's going to sound remains a secret for the time being!

Example: Brilliant, so how did the new Stamp! Beats label come about?

Heavy Feet: We had reached the point musically where we wanted to experiment more with different styles so it seemed like the logical progression to release this music on our own label so that we were in complete control both creatively and financially. It also meant we could cut out working with labels that have sub-standard communication procedures, which is a HeavyFeet pet hate!

In controlling our own release schedule, finances, image, PR, and the many other bits and pieces/release additions that go with releasing music, such as guest remixes, we felt very much that the results and success of the label lay in our own hands, a concept that sits very well with us; knowing that our music is quite simply what we make of it and any blame for lack of success cannot be apportioned to another party.

We launched Stamp! Beats with our first release of the 12x12 project, which was a track featuring Virus Syndicate entitled 'I Spy...  and in having the label release this strangely broken-up album format that is the 12x12 project we felt that it would have enough of a unique edge to succeed in the market place.

Example: OK, so have you done any other tracks or remixes that would be on the label?

Heavy Feet: Well the original version of each single release was a HeavyFeet production, and on every release we took the original track and remixed it ourselves into both something more club-friendly and something more expected from us. This meant that on each release we had a version that we could spin in our sets and that there'd be a version there that our existing fan base would appreciate. So all in all throughout the project we have released 24 HeavyFeet productions.

So as not to dilute the 12x12 project or confuse people following the releases, we tried to keep any purely club-focused music we made whilst the project was ongoing to a minimum. We also have a second EP due for release with Plant in the not too distant future.

As for further tracks or remixes of ours for release on Stamp! Beats, as I mentioned before we are in the process of finishing up lots of new and exciting material but quite what it is and when it's due to drop remain closely guarded secrets at present! 

Example: Good to know we have something to look forward to then! So finally, do you have any appearances in the UK any time soon? Either as a team or on your own?

Heavy Feet: We have a couple of dates for the summer lined up where we'll be performing together at Secret Garden Party & Wakestock, gigs in Sheffield and London are on the horizon, and there's a few others in the pipeline. The main focus for us though once Mike returns from Australia will be finishing even more music and finalising the release programme for Stamp! Beats for the remainder of the year. Once that's all sorted then we'll look at filling up the tour diary!

Example: Sick! Well thanks so much for taking the time out to speak to us! Looking forward to future releases!


So to celebrate the new release, we actually have a competition for you. We didn’t make up the question! So it’s legit OK?

If you answer correctly, you will get a CD posted to yourself with all the 12x12 releases (originals AND club mixes for ya ass) or a password protected download with the same tracks just chillin’. Whichever one you prefer, we cater to all.

SO, the question:

Before Mike and James formed HeavyFeet, which legendary Manchester Club night based at The Phoenix were the pair involved with?

E-mail answers to info@examplemagazine.com  SUBJECT HEAVYFEET

Competition closes 30th June

Family Tree Records is an exciting new digital label from Nikki Acute and Tom FamilyTree aiming to bring fresh new music to the electronic music masses. Together with its sister label Synchronicity , they offer a variety of genres and styles to suit all types.

With their first release out this month, we caught up with label co owner Nikki Acute to find out a little more.

What were your motivations behind starting the label?

Through our experience in music, both Tom and I know of so many talented producers about that are currently 'undiscovered', ‘diamonds in the rough’ you might say, so we decided to create an outlet for their talent.

We’ve set up sister labels, Family Tree and Synchronicity – both catering for different styles to suit all. Family Tree releases will be perfect for the dance floor whereas Synchronicity is about the deeper, more sentimental style of listening. This gives us the freedom to release material of both types, we both enjoy our music so much and understand that we wouldn’t necessarily listen to the same music at home chilling as we would on a night out.

How would you describe the processes involved in creating your own imprint and what advice would you offer to someone thinking of following in your footsteps?

The process has taken a lot longer than both of us initially thought it would, there are so many things you need to consider that take time whether it’s setting up with our distributor, Finetunes or sending and receiving contracts. All the ‘setting up’ processes are now in place though so future releases will be a lot smoother. Each step closer to our initial release has been more exciting than the last and we can’t see that feeling dulling whatsoever.

The main piece of advice we’d say is, although a basic knowledge of the way things work such as sampling, contracts etc. is necessary, it’s not compulsory to know everything right at the beginning as you’ll learn new things every day whilst setting up and running a label, just keep your eyes and ears open, learn from those around you who are more experienced, yet keep a fresh perspective and always release music that you truly believe in.

What would you say is the ethos/mission statement of Family Tree Records and Synchronicity? What sets you apart from other digital labels?

We’ve purposely stated that both Family Tree Records and Synchronicity are not solely one genre labels, we like to say we are open to Dubstep/Electronica/Experimental styles of music as it’s becoming more and more rare that a listener pigeon holes their musical taste into one genre, the main quality that connects our releases is quality.

We’re different as we’re open for taking a risk, we’re not looking specifically for the track that’s going to hit the mainstream because it fits with what’s about at that time, it’s more about putting out talented producers’ tracks and doing our best to get it out there to teach people that there are amazing, different styles out there that they haven’t necessarily heard before.

Tell us a little about your current releases and artists...

Our first release on Family Tree is titled ‘Lift Dub’ and is from Side-Projekt, a fresh producer from Leeds. The recognisable glitchy synths he’s used in the track make it stand out tremendously. We were lucky enough to have Fused Forces on remix duties, which is released on the flip – they’ve kept the original idea of the track alive yet beefed up the bottom ends making it a more sub heavy version. Both versions have had amazing support from Rod Azlan on Choice FM to Chefal on Rinse and the thumbs up from the likes of Mary Anne Hobbs.

We’re proud to say that our 002 release is from producers named ‘The Squadron’ and Ed Cheeno. The Squadron have a long history of releases in the Drum and Bass world under different aliases with labels such as Renegade Hardware and Metalheadz, they’ve recently began making tunes like ‘Stay True’ which is their debut Dubstep release with us. Accompanying Stay true is ‘Gold Card Soul’ from Ed Cheeno who is a strong newcomer also from Leeds. Both tracks have a Summery feel to them, you’ll see what we mean as soon as we upload to our Soundcloud.  

Our debut release on Synchronicity is an EP from a very talented producer named ‘Blacksmif’ – his tracks were so beautiful that we couldn’t decide on just two, it makes sense to put four of them out together as they’re all equally strong tunes. All are such organic and intricate soundscapes that encourage deep levels of listening, you’ll understand more when we release further information very soon.

What are your plans for the future?

Our plans are to continue as we’ve started, seeking fresh talent and teaming it with current artists who’d like to put out something a little different to their normal sounds whilst staying true to the quality and originality of our previous releases. Also, in the not too distant future we’ll also be organising club nights so our listeners can witness our artists’ style firsthand.

Anything else we should know?

Lift Dub is out Friday 27^th May on all good digital stores!

And as we’ve mentioned, we’re always going to be looking for fresh material so producers can send their tracks to us via our Soundcloud dropbox (http://soundcloud.com/familytreerecords/dropbox) 

Catch us online: 

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Twitter 

Joanna Ranson

On Sunday the 6^th of February Manchester’s Chinatown erupted in activity and colour to celebrate the Lunar New Year. The streets thronged with people from all walks of life: a positive display of Manchester’s multicultural and vibrant population.

I first encountered a long, undulating, multicoloured dragon which moved through the streets bestowing good fortune on bystanders for the year to come. Operated by twenty people of considerable upper body strength it danced to the sound of drums and cymbals. Toddlers pressed up against the fences to look at it in wonder- except for one small boy who took one look at it and burst into terrified tears.

Food stalls lined the streets emitting delicious scents while a buzzing trade was done in paper lanterns, parasols and dragons (one of which I am the proud owner). I was presented with a free bottle of soy sauce and wished good luck for the year to come more times than I could count.

 A particular highlight for me was a surreal experience I had whilst buying incense; a man dressed as a dragon ran up to the till to much shouting and commotion and demanded the attention of the cashier. She then produced a cabbage which she “fed” to him, although the “consumption” of said cabbage involved tearing it into bits and spitting them all over the floor. He then departed at a run, presumably to bother more business people with his vegetable demands.

In addition to the more traditional offerings the festival also included some truly western additions: hot dog and candyfloss vendors, flashy spinning rides designed to induce vomiting and a carousel. Restaurants were shepherding hoards of people through their doors and I have to admit I fell prey to the lure of the all you can eat buffet: the safe haven of a student who wishes she could buy freshly cooked authentic faire but has not the financial means!

My day ended with a trip to the top floor of Manchester Art Gallery to see the final dance performance of the afternoon: a beautiful performance by 8 or so 5 year old oriental girls about dolls. Some executed their moves with precision and had a glint of fame in their eye, while others abandoned the choreography at quite an early stage and wandered listlessly about with the other dancers. The overall impression was one of intense cuteness and I heard one western woman comment on the way out in true colonial fashion; “I want one”.

So despite the grey skies and the biting wind Manchester came alive for the day to welcome in the Year of the Rabbit. 

FutureEverything, to quote themselves: “An award-winning, world-class organisation using mass participation in creativity and social innovation to bring the future into the present.” Their annual festival has, over the past 11 years, become a big name on Manchester's festival calendar as an all encompassing collection of the very-latest Art, Music and Technology.

Centred primarily around conferences covering digital technology and media innovation along with their application in a modern society, the Festival also promotes a number of art & music events throughout Manchester. In the past they have brought performances from musical visionaries such as Digital Mystiks, Kode9, L-Vis 1990 and Roska.

The first act I get to see is hip-hop collective, Das Racist, performing for the first time in the UK, at the Roadhouse. The group came to prominence with a YouTube viral 'Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell' and have since upped their game, and production, with much better songs over a couple of mix-tape releases. They hit a packed Roadhouse with a storming show. The only thing heavier than the bass is the three MC's onstage drinking, and their collective flow is smoother than a lot of hip hop performances I have seen. The highlight for me was 'Who's That Brown?' which went off! Check it out here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP322FWfJWQ)

On Saturday afternoon, I ventured to the recently refurbished Victoria Baths for some arts and crafts. ‘Handmade’ was a day of contemporary craft, digital hacking, interactivities and DIY culture where people were given opportunities to view, and interact with art and installations to create music, jewellery and generally smiles all round. There were also interesting displays of practical combinations of design and technology. Such as Jo Hodge's 'Pigeon Post' project which allowed  children and parents to communicate with online social media- using methods which require little or no technological abilities, a truly noble use of technological innovation.

(http://talkingpigeon.wordpress.com/)

We got back on a music tip with the festival's climax on Saturday night. All-female band 'Warpaint' are hotly tipped for 2011 and surely the largest name on the bill. One of the organisers told me they had struggled to find a venue in time for this gig, so it’s a good job they managed to talk 'The Ritz' into hosting as anywhere smaller would be full to bursting!

Warpaint’s music is a very ethereal and atmospheric blend of reverb guitars and harmonic vocals and the LA quartet certainly live up to the hype. Their sonic sound-scape fills The Ritz (no mean feat) and popular singles 'Undertow' and 'Elephants' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOFxb0F2F2A) even get the stoic crowd head-nodding and toe-tapping for a time.

As good as Warpaint are, they were lacking an energy which is essential to a Saturday night out. Here at Example, we have an affinity to all things 'Bass', and luckily enough our friends at DrumClinic & Selective Hearing are curators for the last event of the festival and have rammed 500 odd people into Jabez Clegg (-is that about-500? or 500 unusual punters? Ed.) to witness some groundbreaking electronica; Kyle Hall, Martyn & Daedelus. All played out in front of a superb visual show (the best I have seen in Jabez Clegg) to a very adoring crowd. While all this was going on the 2^nd room had a line-up which would qualify for a good night just on its own! Great work from all involved!

FutureEverything is finished now for another year, although a few of the exhibitions are running for a little longer, and what a spectacle it has been. A truly great festival at the forefront of innovation and novel presentation, and will be welcome back in Manchester for as long as you'd like! (Gary Brown)

Saturday 14 May 2011: Eleventh year for FutureEverything (formerly FutureSonic) festival. I shot Janek Schaeffer at the very first event! DJ Plus One, and one of the very-first live performances ever from Fingathing.

This year I'm at Jabez Clegg and in for a real treat! I've been to a few lacklustre nights at this venue before but tonight there is extra effort made in every department. For a start the P.A. sounds lovely & crisp then you can't help but be immediately impressed by the computer-generated projections behind the DJ, on three huge silk sheets running the length of the room. Add to this the strength of the evenings’ bookings, as well as some obviously hard graft promoting & flyering, and the net result is a very busy venue packed to the rafters!

In the back-room Selective Hearing hold sway with residents Shadowfax + Versa playing an impeccable back-to-back, followed by new tekkie-boys Acre then Bamobooman on his laptop, ably abetted by MC Chunky, before surprise guests (courtesy of Now Wave + Hit-&-Run) from Chicago DJs Spinn & Rashaad (Planet-Mu) rock the gaff with another mental back-to-back

Back in the main room KYLE HALL(Wild Oats, Hyperdub) finishes his majestic techno-house inflected set and hands over to the reason why I came; MARTYN (Tectonic, Warp, his own imprint 3024). I managed to miss Martyn when he played both Soul:ution and AudioSalad, years ago when he had but few releases to his name so, having fallen for his LP 'Great Lengths', I wasn't about to pass up this opportunity.

I really enjoyed his DJ set, surprised when he meandered off into revealing his influences, old House & party funk getting an airing. I'm suddenly hearing a lot of twenty year old tunes dropping into contemporary sets! I have to say though, much as I enjoyed Martyn, I'm afraid Daedelus completely stole the show!

I'm not even going to begin with any sort of bio or discography here as DAEDELUS (Ninja Tune) has released an impressive 12 LPs on a half dozen labels, clocking up one a year average since the new millennium arrived. I've seen & photographed him before so am looking forward to his live performance

Stepping up in Paisley shirt-&-tie combo and his customary Edwardian frock coat, he looks & acts the Victorian gentleman. Suddenly I'm reminded of old film-adaptations of H.G.Wells' novel 'The Time Machine'. Until he begins with his future-music, manic & beautiful, and we are immediately back in the 21st century!

Alfred Darlington has a rather shy, reserved presence but once enthralled by his own technology, lost in layers & textures of sound, DAEDELUS comes alive and stage-performs naturally, gesticulating dramatically, an emoting emphasis which endears him to his audience. Hot, sweaty, and grinning like a mad inventor, the crowd love him! So do I.

A truly great night. It goes to show what can be achieved when people with good taste put their heads together. Big Ups to David DrumClinic Kelly, Selective Hearing + FutureEverything! (Al Baker).

A good hip-hop gig used to be a rare occurrence in Manchester, but over the past 12 months or so we have seen visits from some of the best underground MCs ever to grace the mic. In shows of various size and venue, there have been shows by Jedi Mind Tricks, MF Doom, Souls of Mischief and Del the Funky Homosapien amongst others. This welcome explosion of great live hip-hop is no better exemplified than a recent gig with the jaw-dropping line-up of Rakim, De la Soul, Mos Def & Talib Kweli (aka Blackstar).

I must admit that when I first saw this announced I called up many of my friends to scream down the phone about it. However the rather steep ticket price (£33) seemed to put even hardened fans off. As it turned out the gig was downsized from the Apollo to the Academy, and even then was only just over half-full. I believe it was also the poor advance ticket sales which meant the show came to Manchester without De la Soul, even though they had all performed in London the night before. Now although this was a huge disappointment, indeed some fans I spoke to had only come for De La Soul, they were the only act on the bill I had seen already, and also the act which frequents the UK most, so I'm not going to lament it too much that we were left with 'only' Rakim & Blackstar alongside local support from Murkage Cartel.

Murkage are a Manchester based electronic music collective, formed from the night of the same name. Dubstep, Grime, UK Funky & UK Garage all inform their brand of punk-rap. They have built up quite a following already and have received big support for their debut single 'Paperweight'. Their live show was like a hurricane, a relentless force of beats, basslines and four MCs truly going for it. The crowd, possibly more used to the laid back side of hip-hop, take a while to warm to these guys but by the time they exit the stage, I'd guess you could say they had made a fair few new fans.

After that truly-modern slice of rap we go back, way back, to a man whom many will have in their Top 5 MCs, and who is an influence on all the hip-hop ever made since (and anyone who says otherwise is a liar- straight up). Rakim, the Microphone Fiend, is in Manchester for the first time in over 15 years. We learn later that he doesn't fly, so he got a boat over from the US for these shows! We're not here for stories though and Rakim doesn't let the fans down with his set. His flow is as slick and laid back as it is on a record, a true professional at work. He brings with him brand new material plus a lively 'left side vs right side' shouting battle, but what we’re all here for is the Eric B produced classics and we certainly get those too, 'I Ain't No Joke', 'You Know I Got Soul' and 'Paid In Full' all gracing the set-list. Altogether pretty hard to top!

If anyone could try and top a show like that, however, few would bet against Blackstar. Mos Def & Talib Kweli are both incredible artists in their own right, producing many classic tracks inflected with intelligence & social awareness, but when they come together a new kind of monster is produced. They bounce off each other effortlessly, as if two halves of the same mind. Classic hits from their debut LP like 'Definition' go down a storm. Newer cuts like 'Supreme Supreme' are just as well received, demonstrating both their lasting appeal and their fans dedication. We get solo songs from both artists, including a personal favourite in Kweli's 'Get By' (you remember, when Kanye West just kept quiet and produced great beats?).  It is plainly obvious that these two are great friends and love performing together. It's only testament to their quality output when you think that they could have played on for hours and still managed to miss out one of your favourite tracks and, it has to be said that, while there's always going to be a 'I wish they'd have played...' in every fans head afterwards, this show leaves few stones unturned and remains a true demonstration of all that's great about hip hop.

When you think of British heritage clothing brands you would be forgiven for thinking of expensive designer brands such as Burberry and Aquascutum. But thanks to Duffer of St George you can now get a slice of British history for a fraction of the price. Established in 1984, Duffer may not have quite as many years of history as its designer counterparts but the brand does have a great story.
 
The brand initially started as a market stall in Camden selling vintage Army and Navy pieces. After some success it moved to a permanent stall on Portobello market. With some money behind it, the brand started reproducing vintage pieces. After breaking Japan, the brand moved into selling American vintage sportswear.
 
This history is still very much visible in the designs today, with striped polo shirts, joggers, high top trainers and preppy cardigans. My personal recommendation is the Bates deck shoes, perfect for a cool Spring look. Simply put, Duffer is casual sportswear at very reasonable prices. Check out the full range at JD sports.

It was April the 20th , 2011 and a sunny wednsday afternoon with no clouds in the sky. 5 local mancunion herbalists* arrived at Plattfields Park ,Fallowfield, armed with BBQs, banners, blank canvases, and of course….. lots of very smelly weed. *(a word used to describe one that indulges in regular use of cannabis without fitting into the lazy stoner category, and at the same time taking pride of their fondness for marijuana)

The aim was to create a gathering to celebrate the use and protest against the criminalisation of cannabis and hemp, like almost every city in the world that meets on the same basis at the same time every year. This was 4/20 Manchester.

The organisers chose a location carefully as to make sure that the public were able to avoid the gathering had it been they disagreed with its motives or purely felt they didn’t want their kids to see, whilst at the same time allowing easy access if they wished.
The area of the park was scattered with statements pinned to trees, such as;
“Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?” by Henry Ford. Many dressed all in green and some even wore face paints. This was a family event too. Many parents brought their children down. Some disapproved. The way I feel is that lots of parents take their children to a beer garden, why not to such an event as this? Education not prohibition kids …(and parents!)

Anyway….. by 2pm there was around 400 people, all ages, races, and walks of life, congregating, dancing, and sharing joints. By 2.30pm the music arrived courtesy of Daylite Robbery, Gash, and the Dub Conductors, and the sky had it’s first cloud of the day, but there was no rain involved here, only a huge mass of smoke coming from hundreds of blazing spliffs, bongs, and chicken cooking on the bbq. A 50 metre blank canvas was drawn on and added by almost everyone in attendance, resulting in some quite amazing pieces of art! So with sunshine, art, good food, plenty of drink, tumpin reggae, and herbal blends all round, some would call it Living the High Life.

The event continued throughout the day and into the evening, even attracting attention (be it positive), from passing families, and elderly folk, bemused as to what could be the cause of such a friendly and creative atmosphere. Could it REALLY be an illegal drug; Cannabis, weed, skunk, chronic, bud, dank? The devils weed? That substance that the government and Tabloids link with organised crime and terrorism (see last weeks article – front page of Daily Mirror “Bin Laden was a right dope”). Yes it was….

Near to everyone in attendance in the cornered off picturesque section in Plattfields Park was smoking when the Old Bill arrived. The Police had two options; option one being to ring back to HQ and get them to send down the whole of Greater Manchester Police to arrest everyone under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, as everyone was taking cannabis, that being the only crime.
Or the second option was to write down in their notepads something along the lines of; “Upon arrival at the scene of the crime, we noticed 400 peaceful polite and creative stoners. To make an arrest would have been a breach of the peace, (and we are of course ‘peace’ officers too), so we left and came back to the station”……
…….No arrests were made. There were however, many reports from attendees of police walky talkys, accompanied by heavy coughing and giggling coming from nearby bushes with smoke bellowing out.