DARQ E FREAKER

ASH KOOSHA / HECK / LA FLEUR

MARCH 2016ISSUE #24 / FREE

SOUTH LONDON’S HYPER-GRIME MAXIMALIST

A D D I C TA U D I O

RIVAL SONS: “WE’RE NOT TRYING TO BE THE SAVIOURS OF ROCK ’N’ ROLL”

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Here we have it, the second and final edition of Audio Addict presided over by my editorial team. It’s a short run I know, but that’s just how we like it at AA. When we finally stand down in a few months time, there’ll be a fresh-faced team of eager Editors ready to raise our banner once again.

In Issue #24, we explore the heart of the musical experience. As obvious a statement as that may seem, I’m not just talking about what we hear or feel, but the unique, almost magical way in which each of us interacts with music, and how it alters our own little worlds in return. In the words of a thousand crappy movie trailers – this time, it’s personal!

Our resplendent cover star, Darq E Freaker, is perhaps the most intriguing figure to ever feature in our pages. His vision of music offers more than meets the eye (or should that be

ear?); on the surface it’s the balls-to-the-wall future of grime, but it’s also a self-portrait to rival that of any great painter – Darq’s palette just happens to come from Dulux’s ‘Acid Flashback’ range.

Then there’s Ash Koosha, the focus of our Foreword feature, whose turbulent life began in a place where music isn’t even allowed to flourish as far as an experience – something we so often take for granted in the UK. Elsewhere we debate the nature of experimentation, bloated online archives, and why the hell nobody is making songs telling the government what it’s like to live in a country that considers money more important than people.

I’m rubbish at goodbyes, so instead I’ll just say a big thank you to my team, our writers and you for picking up this magazine – if you were looking for Angling Addict it’s just to the left.

EDITOR // BEN HINDLEFEATURES EDITOR // MINNIE WRIGHTREVIEWS EDITOR // AARON JOLLIFF

PRINT DESIGNER // FREYA COCHRANENEWS EDITOR + WEB DESIGNER // COREY-LEIGH JOHN

CONTRIBUTORSGeorgia Balson, Lizzie Capewell, Elisha Cloughton, Daniel Cook, DJ Hype, Will Garnett, Martha Gregory, Maddy Hardman, Daisy Hearn,

Jack King, Jordan Low, Sam Maule, Callum McCormack, Mica & Kardanski, Mr Scruff, Stephanie Ospina, Joe Price, Andrew Shelley, Matt Smith, Rupert Taylor, Kaitlyn Ulrich, George Wilde, Sian WilsonImages: Callum Cornwell, Mehdi Lacoste, Jodie-Mae Finch, Torley

Produced by students on the BA (Hons) Popular Music Journalism course at Southampton Solent University. The views expressed in the magazine are the contributors’ own and as such the University and its staff cannot be held responsible.

Website: audioaddictmag.co.uk // Email: audioaddicteditors@gmail.com

/audioaddictmag @audioaddictmag @audioaddictmag

A D D I C TA U D I O

The South Coast’s Definitive Music Magazine

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EDITOR’S LETTER

FRONT SECTION

5 BACK & FORTH6 HARSH REALITIES:

THE DANGERS OF TOURING 7 RECORD STORE DAY 8 WITH A LITTLE HELP

FROM MY FRIENDS9 DJ HYPE’S INNOVATORS

10 SMILEFEST 201611 THE ORIGINS OF THE FESTIVAL

BY MR SCRUFF12 ALCOHOMMENTARY: KANYE WEST

13 LABELLED: TESSIER-ASHPOOL

FOREWORD14 ASH KOOSHA

Featuring what looks like the comfiest blanket-jumper-thingy in the world.

16 LOCAL: KO_PLUNE // THE RISING17 NOTE TO SELF: MICA & KARDANSKI

18 THE STATE OF: WAVE

COVER FEATURE20 DARQ E FREAKER

We’ve exhausted all our synonyms for Darq, so let’s just say he’s good.

Really, really good.24 RIVAL SONS

They’re like the Baratheon boys, but with more waistcoats and less weird shadow murder.

27 I PROPOSE A RIOT28 HECK

Heck by name, Baby Godzilla Heck by nature.30 Q&A: LA FLEUR

31 QUALITY VS. QUANTITY32 REVIEWS

38 GIG GUIDE39 KANYE HANDLE IT?

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CONTENTS

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SIGNATURE SOUND:

FOR:

You walk into a record store and Adele’s lucrative 25 catches your eye. You’ve somehow managed to live the last three months of your life allowing that album to pass you by, and with ‘£9.99’ stamped across the front, that record is coming home with you. Melodic, touching and soulful is what you’re expecting and that is exactly what you’re going to get. A safe purchase, with no ghastly surprises lurking in the shadows. You know what it is you love and that’s what keeps you coming back for more.

James Blake’s latest release ‘Modern Soul’ has his signature sound in abundance. His hauntingly eerie vocals are so recognisable, you could pick them out of a line-up without a second’s hesitation. His sound works, the fan base and the critical acclaim Blake has acquired over his career should put to bed any doubts you may have had on the matter.

When you love an artist, the last thing anyone would want is for them to come out with some pitiful attempt at being ‘experimental’ just for the sake of originality. If their sound is already original, why bother adapting? As creatures of habit, our enduring love of music feeds our sense of nostalgia. Familiarity is what brings us back time and time again. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! (AS)

AGAINST:

You walk into a record store and you spot David Bowie’s Blackstar staring at you from the shelf (or any other Bowie album, for that matter). You haven’t heard this particular release yet, but as an avid lover of all music new and exciting you can be absolutely sure of Bowie producing something original, and that you’ll be surprised time after time. That is the beauty of an artist morphing their sound into an entirely different state; who doesn’t want to be intrigued when they put on a new album? Like a childhood birthday, where the occasion is ruined by your little brother letting it slip what’s hidden beneath the wrapping paper, there is no fun in putting on a collection of 10 songs only to hear exactly what you’ve been expecting. Nothing’s worse than stagnation.

The Beatles provide the greatest examples of why sticking to your ‘signature sound’ should never be an option. Imagine (if you can): no Sgt. Pepper; no Rubber Soul… I know, it’s not worth thinking about. Not only do artists need the challenge of evolving their sound, but we are owed it as consumers to see our favourite musicians progress.

What is the point in listening to new music when in reality it’s about as cutting edge as a satsuma? Like the relentless ticking of a bedroom clock, the predictability of artists sticking to ‘what works’ could drive anyone with a functioning pair of ears to madness. As an artist, of course you need something that makes you recognisable – that makes you distinctive. But don’t make it the entire composition of every track you ever spit into a microphone. (RT)

Andrew Shelley and Rupert Taylor debate whether artists should stay with the tried-and-tested formula or throw caution to the wind and evolve.

TRUE-TO-SELF OR STUCK

ON REPEAT?

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B A C K & F O R T H

HARSH REALITIES In light of the Viola Beach tragedy, Lizzie Capewell investigates

the true cost of touring.

Last month, Warrington indie four-piece Viola Beach and their manager Craig Tarry tragically died when their car fell 25 metres through a gap in the barrier of a bridge into a canal in Sweden. The band had just played their first ever show outside the UK.

With the stereotypical image of touring being sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll, the incident with Viola Beach brings into sharp focus the harsh realities artists face on tour.

Living life on the road is an exciting prospect for any artist; meeting new people, performing to a room of potential new fans, getting to explore all the sights a tour destination has to offer, and, of course, there is the partying. It’s one of the most promising methods of getting your music heard, gaining popularity and earning a few pennies for the bank. However, in spite of the advantages, touring holds numerous risks – theft, damage, personal injury and more – which all budding musicians have to consider.

For a small-time band near the beginning of their career, such as Viola Beach, the risks are all the more prominent. These are the artists without the expensive tour bus, hundreds-strong entourage and the comfort of fancy hotels. Although the group were signed with Communion, many small bands on tour are also label-less, meaning that any financial help is scarce.

Mark Holden, manager of Derry four-piece The Clameens, has toured at a similar level to that of Viola Beach. Speaking to Audio Addict, Holden says, “The travelling itself can be very dangerous. I know a lot of bands don’t have the luxury of having professional drivers so it’s left to a member of crew.”

Of course, safety is priority. This means that when travelling, it’s crucial for all musicians to have a secure form of transport with a reliable driver. Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls tour manager Tre Stead explains, “We all have physical and mental limits. You will find out very quickly what yours are, and it is your own responsibility to make sure you work within those limits to ensure your own and other people’s safety.”

She continues: “If you’re tired, don’t do that extra hour drive, get a hotel. It may mean getting up an hour earlier and a little extra cost, but it may also mean the difference between waking up in a hospital bed or even waking up at all.”

Dick Meredith, Bastille’s tour manager observes: “Bastille have had the luxury of success and reasonable income from an early point, but even with them, our first U.S. trip had us do an overnight splitter drive into a 9am soundcheck and then provide us with a bus driver later in the run who was also an extreme liability.” The driver in question, Dave Lowder, was involved in a crash in Tennessee in November 2015; Lowder was driving Oklahoma rock band Hinder when a truck jack-knifed in front of their tour bus. Although there were no fatalities, Lowder was seriously injured and Hinder bassist Mike Rodden and a member of the band’s crew suffered broken ribs.

Touring is an intrinsic part of the music game. Unfortunately, Craig Tarry and Viola Beach were some of the very few who paid the ultimate price. Holden states, “It’s really sad and sends home a lot of the reality and dangers involved with bands touring. I’d like to send our condolences to [Viola Beach and Craig Tarry’s] family and friends”.

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W H AT ’ S G O I N G O N

RECORD STORE DAY 2016As vinyl addicts gear up for the biggest day of their year, we find out how

the South Coast plans to celebrate.

P IE & VINYL, SOUTHSEASteven Courtnell (Owner)

“We will have the road closed between 8am-7pm with a stage hosting bands. Over two days this year we’ve got Band Of Skulls, Blaenavon, The Boy I Used To Be (who are on our record label) and more. There will also be 30-40 stalls of local food, curios, antiques and vintage [items].”

Favourite ever RSD special release: “Flaming Lips’ Zaireeka 4LP Edition (2013). Four LPs play at once to get the finished sound.”

Now in its eighth year, Record Store Day (April 16) brings the music industry and fans together in a global celebration of independent record stores. Places that used to be hubs for the creative community, where subcultures thrived, are once again recognised for their vital role in the music business. Audio Addict catches up with the owners of three of the best South Coast record stores to find out their plans for the day, recommendations for RSD special releases, and to chat about the importance and impact RSD has on

small, independent stores.

RAREKIN D, BRIGHTONEwan Hood (Owner)

“For RSD this year we will just be selling the limited releases that come out on the day. Previous RSD’s have been great for us, there is a fairly mad feeding frenzy for the first couple of hours, we have people queueing up before we open and the morning is spent serving people who have queued up with lists of specific RSD releases they are after. RSD has massively raised the profile of both records and record shops, and it’s good for us financially. It creates a lot of excitement and brings a lot of new customers to the shop.”

Favourite RSD special release: “Gregory Porter’s ‘1960 What?’, which has subsequently been re-issued several times but first came out on vinyl for RSD (2012). It’s just a brilliant song.”

HUN DRED RECORDS, ROMSEYMark Wills (Owner)

“I’ve only been open 16 months, but from the get go I considered RSD to be an absolutely essential part of building my business, to the extent that I budgeted on start-up to spend a significant amount of capital on ensuring the shop was full of RSD releases come the day.

Once the dry boring business bit is out the way, it is about creating a fun experience for the customer and praying for good weather! Last year, from lunchtime onwards, I had bands play in-store to create more of an event: three bands played on the day, The Dreaming Spires, Co-Pilgrim & Ben Folke Thomas, and all were well appreciated.”

Favourite ever RSD special release(s): “A 10-inch EP called Pucks Blues released by The Waterboys (2015), containing demos of their recent return-to-form album Modern Blues, and an utterly magnificent multi-vinyl box set by The Red House Painters [Red House Painters (2015)].”

THE VAULT Castle Street, Christchurchwww.thevaultchristchurch.co.uk

RESIDENT MUSIC Kensington Gardens, Brightonwww.resident-music.com

ROSE RED RECORDSRoyal Arcade, Boscombe, Bournemouthwww.roseredrecords.com

UNION MUSIC STORE Lansdown Place, Leweswww.unionmusicstore.com

THE VINYL FRONTIERGrove Road, Eastbournewww.recordsuk.co.uk

CULT HERONorth Street, Brightonwww.cult-hero.co.uk

PEBBLE RECORDSGildredge Road, Eastbournewww.pebblerecords.co.uk

OTHER SOUTH COAST STORES CELEBRATING RSD 2016:

Castle Road, Southseawww.pieandvinyl.co.uk

Trafalgar Street, Brightonwww.rarekindrecords.co.uk

The Hundred, Romseywww.hundredrecords.com

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W H AT ’ S G O I N G O N W H AT ’ S G O I N G O N

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDSTrouble picking your playlist? Audio Addict’s Editors soundtrack

your spring with the best releases of 2016 so far.

Lontalius - I’ll Forget 17To Soundtrack: booking a holiday When to Use: once you’ve given up hope on English weather

The miserable weather at the moment has me scrolling through Expedia on a daily basis. My go-to background music for finding my sunny escape is New Zealand artist Lontalius. He’s been drip-feeding new material from forthcoming album I’ll Forget 17 onto his SoundCloud the past few months and each offering is equal parts

soothing and whimsical. In particular, ‘Glow’ possesses a sense of wonderment akin to that felt travelling the world. Hopefully in a few months, I’ll be making like Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation – roaming the back alleys of Japan with I’ll Forget 17 as my soundtrack. (Freya Cochrane)

LEVELZ – LVL 11Serving Suggestion: with a pint of GuinnessWhen to Use: at your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations

In lieu of a new Dropkick Murphys album, I suggest shaking up the formula this St. Paddy’s Day with the debut mixtape from Manchester outfit, Levelz. It may be a blend of hip hop, grime and drum & bass, but LVL 11 covers all your get-drunk-and-be-loud needs. Catchy lyrics to sing-a-long to? Check. Energetic beats to stumble about to? Check. Oh, and there’s a song where you get to shout “Dickhead” at the top of your lungs – yeah I thought that might sway you. Best of all though, you can pick up LVL 11 for free, so that’s all the more pennies you’ll have for booze. (Ben Hindle)

Panic! At The Disco - Death of a BachelorDesired Effect: to get your butt to the gymWhen to Use: when January’s motivation is fading

It’s been over two months since the socially constructed bulls**t of the ‘new year, new me’ vibe kicked my (already gym-bound) ass into gear. Whereas in January you could taste the workout impetus in the air, by March, this has well and truly dissipated. It’s not a common opinion, but I’d say theatrical baroque pop-rock is the perfect

motivator. Panic! At The Disco’s Death Of A Bachelor harks back to that early 2016 drive, coming complete with massive power track for lifting (‘Emporer’s New Clothes’) and the brass-heavy, frantic shuffle of ‘Crazy=Genius’

that’s perfect for kick-starting tiresome cardio sessions. (Minnie Wright)

Wavves - ‘Dreams of Grandeur’Best For: getting excited for festival seasonWhen to Use: every time a new line-up announcement gets released

Starting to dream of that lush summer grass? Moist mud? Stale urine? Fresh defecation? Have you spontaneously started to shout “ALAN! … STEVE!” in your sleep? Yes you say!? Well then, this means festival season is just around the corner and to get you in the mood I hereby introduce to you Wavves’ latest release, ‘Dreams of Grandeur’. This fuzzy lo-fi masterpiece provides a Californian beach-style sound that will leave you remembering just how good summertime festivals feel. So get those bucket hats and wellies ready, and let this surf-angst song guide you through your festival pilgrimage. (Corey-Leigh John)

Foxes – ‘Wicked Love’Pair With: warm blankets and cups of teaWhen to Use: any rainy spring day

As is common with spring (and the UK weather altogether to be honest), those rainy days frequently appear and leave us longing for an (unlikely) forthcoming sunshine-packed summer. With the rain completely unavoidable and keeping us locked indoors, what better way to spend these days than listening to tracks pondering upon love with piano riffs to match the pattern of those falling water droplets? Luckily, Foxes is the perfect companion. From her second album, All I Need, ‘Wicked Love’ places her bright vocals upon delicate, rapid piano before introducing tranquil harp sounds near its close. Perfect for rainy day moping. (Aaron Jolliff)

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S TA F F P I C K S

Legendary selecta DJ Hype

reveals his top five drum & bass

innovators

INN

O-I

NN

O-I

NN

OV

AT

ION

This March, drum & bass institution Innovation launches its brand new ‘In the Snow’ addition, bringing the biggest beats and bass to the Pas De La Casa ski resort in Andorra. For three days, festival goers will have access to 210km of Pyrennes mountains, whilst their nights are filled with Innovation stalwarts and the scene’s top talents such as Grooverider, Dillinja, The Prototypes and SASASAS.

Before hitting the slopes, we asked the head of the mighty Playaz record label and 25-year veteran of the scene DJ Hype to talk us through five of the genre’s key innovators.

Shut Up And DanceThese guys are the original pioneers that influenced so many of us into creating our own music industry that was totally separate to the mainstream. They showed all of us who had no money or fancy studios or big record deals that you can practically do the whole thing from your bedroom with very basic equipment, selling white labels out the back of a car, getting airplay on pirate radio because mainstream radio didn’t really support it – then it grew to where they could not ignore it any more.

GoldieHe really got artists to put more thought and science into the music rather than it just be for the dancefloor. He encouraged artists to experiment a lot more with styles and techniques when writing tracks, which he demonstrated perfectly at the time with the track ‘Terminator’. His legendary Metalheadz label and nights at Blue Note really inspired a lot of forward-thinking producers at the time.

LTJ BukemBukem really put the musical element into the early hardcore/jungle music scene when most producers were more into stripped down breaks and bass-style music. He made it important to showcase the musical side, creating – with DJ Fabio – the legendary club Speed as well as his Good Looking label to showcase all that he was about and create a scene from within a scene.

Brockie and Kool FM RadioI put this in as, although not so prolific in music productions and record labels, the importance of Brockie and Kool FM can’t be stressed enough. You have to remember there was no Internet, no mainstream radio play... the only way to get the music to the streets was through pirate radio. Kool FM was the pioneering jungle radio station and Brockie was their biggest DJ, as well as introducing jungle music nights using the name Jungle Fever for the events, which still run today.

Andy CHe is bigger now than he has ever been and his Ram Records imprint has shaped and influenced most producers at some point over the years, from his seminal ‘Valley of the Shadows’ track, to his label nights, which have built to a global level, and the fact that he has some of the most technically talented producers signed to any label of any music genre. I have watched him grow from a long-haired kid of 16, being resident DJ at the legendary Telepathy raves back in the early ’90s, to selling out Brixton Academy. Musically he is not my favourite, but professionally I respect all he has done for jungle/drum and bass and the passion he still has today.

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I N D U S T R Y P I C K S

Southampton’s SMILEfest returns this month for its seventh year, with a whole host of live shows, club nights and conferences taking place across the city. Organised by staff and students of Southampton Solent University, the festival sees big names from the breadth of the music industry descend on Soton for the month-long event.

Last year’s SMILEfest conference had appearances from an array of musical authorities: acclaimed musician and music journalist John Robb in conversation with punk icon Viv Albertine (The Slits); BBC Radio 1 DJ Danny Howard; The Libertines drummer Gary Powell and more. Meanwhile, 2015’s tantilizing line-up of shows included the SOSO Records Launch at Avondale’s, Lost Cause Promotions’ All-Dayer at Joiners and VDub’s Jam Sessions in Guildhall Square.

“SMILEfest draws out true undiscovered talent from the university and the local area,” explains event organiser Rob Sayers. Promoter Lydia Hughes agrees, adding that the festival “evokes a sense of community by promoting local business and entertainment to the residents and students of Southampton”.

2016’s SMILEfest is set to continue this tradition with Kerrang! Editor James McMahon, Bury Tomorrow bassist Davyd Winter-Bates and photographer Pennie Smith appearing at the conference, and a wide selection of fantastic shows taking place across the city. Check out a few of Audio Addict’s recommendations below.

What: The Hinoki Collective Presents: Chester PWhere: The StrandWhen: March 18Why: Following the unprecedented success of their first show back in January, Southampton hip hop heads The Hinoki Collective return with a beloved veteran of the UK scene – Chester P. With a selection of talent from across the South, including Tenchoo and Ash the Author, this is set to be one of SMILEfest’s premiere events. Tickets are limited to 100.

What: Nomura, Violet Mud, Los Kyoto and Church of ProcessWhere: The AlexandraWhen: March 21Why: Student haunt, The Alex, gets a hefty dose of rock as four of Southampton’s most promising up-and-coming bands crank their amps up to 11. From the stoner sonics of Violet Mud to the pop-punk styling of Los Kyoto, foundation-shaking riffs will be the order of the day. Plus as a self-styled ‘Beer Emporium’, there’ll be pints a-plenty to wash it all down.

What: Sound of the City PresentsWhere: Vodka RevolutionWhen: March 28Why: Not one to get bogged down in genres? Sound of the City have a veritable bag of sonic allsorts on show. Rolling indie, alt-rock and psychedelia into one are Brighton’s Dove House, who are joined by the gentle rock of local five-piece BIALAS, acoustic vocalists Charlotte Forman and Sarah Pardoe, and the RnB stylings of SVGA.

(WORDS: Aaron Jolliff)

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F E S T I VA L P R E V I E W

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S C R U F F ’ S S C R I B B L E S

T H E L I F E O F P A B L O

‘Ultralight Beam’No one opens an album quite like Kanye West, and goddamn if ‘Ultralight Beam’ isn’t one of the best songs he’s ever put his name to. If Kanye was ever going to make me cry from his music, it’d be here. If I ever meet Chance The Rapper he’s going to get the biggest f*****g hug for his appearance on this track. I don’t really know what an ‘Ultralight Beam’ is, but I’m all for it.

‘Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1’ & ‘ Pt. 2’There’s no bigger juxtaposition in Kanye’s whole discography than the one on display here. The opening of this track is absolutely gorgeous, and then Kanye comes in and raps about bleached bumholes. I mean, Jay Z’s verse on ‘Monster’ is pretty f*****g bad, but at least he doesn’t rap about where poop comes from.

‘Famous’I have mixed feelings about Swizz Beatz, because his production on this track is incredible, but also it could probably do without him yelling every five seconds. The composition kinda makes it easy to ignore the whole Taylor Swift line, which still isn’t as alarming as: “Black girl sipping white wine / Put my fist in her like a civil rights sign.” That Sister Nancy sample near the end could last for the rest of the album and I’d totally be okay with that.

‘Lowlights’ & ‘Highlights’The first part of this set of tracks, ‘Lowlights’, is a meandering piece of garbage, but ‘Highlights’ is pretty good. GoPro still haven’t given a statement about Kanye wishing his d**k had GoPro, but I can’t say I expect a response anytime soon.

‘I Love Kanye’Same.

‘Waves’When Kanye claimed TLOP was delayed because Chance The Rapper was busy saving ‘Waves’, I was excited about the prospect of two Chance appearances on the album. What we got instead was an appearance by professional unlikeable person Chris Brown. Anyone who continues to support someone as deplorable as Chris Brown is almost as bad as he is, meaning I’m starting to have second thoughts about that hug I promised Chance.

‘FML’I can’t help but give props to The Weeknd for appearing on a song without singing about his love of lady bits. So often I’m used to hearing The Weeknd use his pretty voice for ugly words, but here he compliments Kanye’s forlorn verses perfectly.

‘Wolves’Kanye pretty much made the most expensive punk album of all time with TLOP, and it’s a beautiful mess which benefits from the fact it sounds unfinished. When you leave your fridge open, somebody takes a f*****g sandwich, and if ‘Wolves’ was a sandwich it’d be one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. Yeah it doesn’t have all the fillings it was supposed to, but it’s fine the way it is, jeez.

’30 Hours’Pretty sure Kanye was really drunk when he recorded the second half of this track.

‘Fade’Honestly, ‘Fade’ is a really f*****g weird way to end the album. If The Life of Pablo says anything about Kanye, it’s that he’s a genius that doesn’t really know what to do with himself.

K A N Y E W E S T

Joe Price sits down with a crate of Desperados and Kanye West’s latest

full-length; alcohol goes in, honesty comes out.

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T I P S Y R E V I E W S

LABELLED:T E S S I E R - A S H P O O L

Tessier-Ashpool Recordings is the label of the future, today. First established in 2014 by producer Liar, the imprint is one of the most forward-thinking in electronic music; not just because of its boundary-breaking output – which blurs the lines between techno, industrial, grime and just about any other dance genre you can think of – but the entire ethos behind it.

Named after the Tessier-Ashpool clan from William Gibson’s classic sci-fi trilogy The Sprawl, the label is half-jokingly billed as the “non-fictional R&D arm” of the fictional family’s corporation. “The Sprawl trilogy is basically like a bible to me,” explains Liar, giving us a 30-second run-down of the protagonists in true fanboy fashion. The concept goes deeper than the label’s “Machine Music” doctrine however. “It allows us to be very versatile, because we’re not a grime label, we’re not a club label, we’re not a house label, we’re not a techno label, we’re not any of these things,” says the head honcho. “I don’t wanna just go down one genre continuum and be confined to that. That’s how you get these wild shifts in quality, because you get stuck in a genre movement and you get stuck with a handful of artists and that’s it. If they turn out something good that’s good, and if they turn out something crap you still have to be all hyped about it. I hate that whole s**t, so I just want real good music that coalesces with the rest of our catalogue through this allegiance to golden age sci-fi.”

A product of our post-geographic world, Tessier-Ashpool is owned by a Romanian, registered in New York City, has a publisher in the UK and is promoted by way of Canada. “From the get-go I did not want the association of ‘Oh here’s this Romanian label’,” says Liar, explaining how (partially-warranted) prejudices against the “ass-backwards” offspring of post-communist regimes led him to create what he calls a “truly international label.” This globe-trotting is reflected in the TA roster too. In the short space of time since its inception, the label has released material from a huge array of artists – from up-and-coming UK

acts such as 2ndSun, Otik and Cassini, to Greek producer Transposon and Parisian, Le Dom. “We’ve reached this really fortunate place where we can turn down good music because we’re maybe not the best vehicle for it, and we’re not hurting because of that,” says Liar, who puts the label’s rapid expansion down to his aggressive A&R tactics. “Some people try to make themselves elusive, that’s not a problem for me. I get creepy,” he chuckles, “I’ll find out a person’s real name, I’ll find them on Facebook, I don’t give a s**t. I’ve signed a number of releases I really love that way, by being relentless.”

With a various artists EP and one from Irish duo Torso on the way in March, the label’s first officially Gibson-related release from Deke Soto in April, another new signing in Australia’s Chlorine, more from Liar, Mutual Friend and Dual Shaman, a host of high concept music videos and even talk of a potential in-universe talk show in the pipeline, it’s clear Tessier-Ashpool won’t be pulling any punches in 2016. In fact, all it needs now is a space station…

Ben Hindle explores the science-fiction heritage and no-nonsense tactics behind off-kilter producer Liar’s future music imprint.

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L A B E L P R O F I L E

A S H KO O S H AIn Foreword, we explore the most excitingnew talent the industry has to offer. Having fled persecution in Iran, Ninja Tune’s freshest electronic mastermindbrings his highly personal productions to the streets of London.

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Multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and film director Ash Koosha lives a decidedly extraordinary life. His complex and sonically experimental material draws on his Persian and Western classical music training, unique approach to sampling and a wealth of personal life experience. New album I AKA I, out early April 1 via UK super-label Ninja Tune, builds upon the “nano-compositions” of 2015 LP Guud, to compress the many facets of his remarkable self into 15 short tracks.

Originally from Iran, Koosha sought asylum in the UK after invoking the wrath of Tehran’s authorities in 2007 for wanting mixed gender audiences to be allowed into his live performance, which is strictly forbidden. Koosha’s rock band at the time, Font, was sentenced to three weeks in jail. Then in 2009, when protests erupted over the country’s elections, Koosha once again upset the people in power with a film about Iran’s underground music scene. Made in collaboration with friend Negar Shaghahi and Kurdish Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi, No One Knows About Persian Cats won the Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize at Cannes later that year.

Since 2010, Koosha has been developing his sound, described by the artist himself as “the behaviour of fractional patterns that exist within a stretched or rescaled sound wave but without pitch alterations”. It’s a complicated description, but then Koosha’s music is difficult to define - something he himself admits. “I’m trying to think of ways to describe my

music, but it’s still a hard thing to do. There are several elements I use in my music, which are

sound collage, sound object and something I like to call metal composition. I would

mainly say what I produce and compose is electronic music that

is alive”.

One thing that becomes instantly clear, however, is Koosha’s passion for his music. As the title suggests, Koosha believes I AKA I to be his most personal and emotionally reflective work to date. “In terms of sound, loudness is a key element. It has to surround you, so you can feel the contrast in the movements, which is where you can feel the rhythm and aggression in these new tracks.”

Koosha guides us to understand him as an artist: “I do what I do at a specific moment, when I feel there is an emotion I have to record, it’s an impulse. I don’t think of the track [in terms of an] album or when it will be released, but instead as a moment where I need to figure out and resolve something in my life. Most of the time I listen to the track a day or two later, just to feed my curiosity and see what I came up with.” Spontaneity is key; for example the title of track ‘Mudafossil’ is an insult Koosha and his brother came up with when talking about people who are slowing down the process of human evolution. “The song itself is a specific way for me to introduce a new method into my music by incorporating chunks of Middle Eastern music and electronic music. I was

being really careful with that aspect when making beats and it worked by redesigning the instruments from Iran. I feel like this track is there when it comes to showing a contrast with how I feel, it’s an aggressive track, sometimes it just comes out and I feel at peace with that once I’m able to put that into music.”

Discussing the story behind ‘Mudafossil’ brings to light Koosha’s favourite track on I AKA I, ‘Biutiful’. “It’s the most personal song on the album. It was the first time I fully experienced a synthesised sound that is like a vocal sound, so alive that makes me feel as if I am the one singing but I’m not.”

Along with his ongoing mission to break all possible norms of music production, Koosha aims to push the boundaries of the live experience too. For this reason, he is currently working on releasing what could possibly be the world’s first virtual-reality music album. During the summer, I AKA I will be shown using the Oculus Rift headset. “The only way

to really understand what I do, my music and how it is embraced, is by experiencing it

at a live event.”

“ ”W H E N I F E E L T H E R E I S A N E M OT I O N I H AV E TO R E C O R D , I T ’ S A N I M P U L S E

WORDS: Stephanie Ospina

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F O R E W O R D

KO_PLUNE

THE RISING

Genre-fusion has become a more common ideology in the music industry with the recent influx of artists pushing to break the confines of categorisation. Joining the rise is Southampton quartet Ko_Plune, who mix a foundation of jazz theory and strong female vocals to create a sound that only extensively vague terms such as ‘alternative’ and ‘experimental’ can describe. “Asking our genre is always the hardest question,” says vocalist Courtney Gray. “We don’t want to be defined by genre.”

True to their word, their recent debut EP, Auditory Atlas, sees different musical styles on each of the five tracks. EP single, ‘Panda’, brings forth spacey guitar riffs alongside Gray’s flowing

vocals to create an overall tranquil yet upbeat vibe, while ‘Hydra’ has a throwback ’20s feel. Guitarist Carl Edwards explains, “I write [the songs] as a compositional challenge, so that’s why they’re all different. I figure out what can I do to push the band to the next level.”

Though Ko_Plune only formed in late 2015, they have already managed to attract multiple headline spots throughout the UK South Coast. Following their EP release show this past February, they have gigs lined up for the next few months including a few festival slots. They may have just released their first recordings but their popularity is already on the rise. (Kaitlyn Ulrich)

“I just thought we would play a few pubs, chuck in a few covers and have a few beers” – hardly a phrase you’d expect to hear from one of Southampton’s most promising talents, but Tommy Overington, frontman of ’60s-inspired rock ’n’ roll band The Rising, is that rare and refreshing breed of modest musician. Since forming in late 2009, the (now) seven-piece have far surpassed being your average regulars at the local open mic night.

When Overington bumped into old work friend Ryan Griffiths at the local supermarket, the pair discovered a mutual passion for playing music. “A few weeks later, he came round my house for a few beers and we had all these catchy songs!” It was an instant connection, and within a few months they’d accumulated a full band line-up, written some songs and garnered the attention of the local scene.

They’ve since released their eponymous debut LP. It’s a catchy, jangly ’60s revival album, lyrically motivated by “magic, mystic, love, fantasy and surrealism.” For the follow up the band are experimenting, creating “sounds that sound like they should be played in a spaceship orbiting the moon,” with new track ‘Carpet Ride’ being described as “an eight-minute psychedelic rock monster.”

The past year has seen The Rising get “a little taste of the big time,” playing at some of the top UK festivals, as well as having their first 7-inch vinyl pressed. “It’s made us hungry for more,” says Overington, and right now they are going from strength to strength. “The day I get on a stage and my heart ain’t in it - I’ll go to the pub.” (Georgia Balson)

THE SOUTH COAST’S BEST NEW TALENT

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L O C A L F O R E W O R D

What do you get when you combine the singer-songwriter and the production whizz behind two of the most exciting urban crossover bands to come out of Manchester in recent years? The former, Mica Millar of Red Sky Noise, draws influence from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lauryn Hill and Joni Mitchell; the latter, Sean ‘Kardanski’ Mbaya of Kid British, looks to Timberland and Quincy Jones for inspiration. It’s unsurprising that together Mica & Kardanski have evolved a sound that makes its home between hip hop, pop and dance; between soulful and street.

Note To Self offers artists a chance to present themselves in their own words. With debut single ‘Trouble’ out now, along with a sultry remix from fellow Mancunian Sparkz, Mica & Kardanski give us a fly-on-the-wall view of their creative process.

M: “Shall I play you this new song idea then?”

K: “Yeah, great. Is this that one you were telling me about?”

M: “Yeah.”

...I sit down at the piano and play. It’s a new song called ‘Your Secret’ about an ex-boyfriend. After six months of seeing each other, I found

out he was still in a relationship with the mother of his kids. I started writing the song about a month before the relationship, basing it on a fictional character.

As it turned out, it ended up not being fictional at all and I was able to finish writing it with a whole new perspective. I wonder whether my subconscious was telling me something, whether I saw a glimpse of the future in some spiritual way, or whether I pre-empted this outcome – maybe I was subconsciously drawn to a situation because of my existing emotional state? Whatever the case may be, one of the many great things about songwriting is you can use negative experiences in a positive way. At least I got a song out of it.

K: “I love it, hon. I can hear that pure soul, RnB vibe definitely. I’m thinking minimal instrumentation along with a simple drum groove. Reminds me of some of the slower RnB nostalgic songs from the ’90s along with the future RnB I’m digging at the moment. If any tune’s got soul, I’m down! It’ll be a nice contrast to the story you’ve written in your lyrics as well. You know what... more of it, more to come Mica.”

M: “Haha! Yeah definitely, that’s exactly the right vibe for it. I think it should build gradually as well, so it’s really minimal up until the second verse, then the drums kick in and it builds from there.”

K: “Another session on this and it’s done. On to the next one...”

NOTE TO SELF:MICA & KARDANSKI

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A R T I S T P E R S P E C T I V EL O C A L F O R E W O R D

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T H E STAT E O F : W I L L G A R N E T T I N V E S T I G A T E S W A V E , T H E O N L I N E M U S I C A L

S U B - C U LT U R E R E A D Y T O T A K E T H E R E A L W O R L D B Y S T O R M

W A V E

It all started when three lads from Sweden who called themselves Sad Boys burst onto the Internet wearing big gold chains, bucket hats and drinking Arizona Ice Tea. Consisting of rapper Yung Lean and producers Yung Gud and Yung Sherman, the group created a unique sound combining electro-infused, slowed-down hip hop beats with Lean’s slack style of rapping, the emphasis of the tracks being on the sad and the emotional.

Wave – sometimes coined as chillwave or bass – is a loose term for a genre that was born and developed on the Internet, a weird and beautiful phenomenon that most people still can’t get their heads around and probably never will. It was a melting pot of everything you wouldn’t put together, but somehow in a strange online world it worked. It was the birth of an Internet subculture where weirdness is the norm.

It wasn’t long before other success stories followed, adopting a similar style. An artist called Spooky Black (now Corbin) embraced the sound with open arms, the sorrow in his haunting vocals a perfect match for the slowed-down style of beats. Like Sad Boys, he gained a cult following, racking up hundreds of thousands of plays and hits on SoundCloud and YouTube.

These paved the way for what we would consider wave music today. Many of the producers involved in the early EPs with Spooky Black are the ones pushing the sound forward now. Gone are the fans that were just curious of this bizarre Internet trend, or just felt like they needed to attach themselves to the latest Tumblr craze.

As the dust settles, wave music has come out strong, with a core following ready bring it out of the shadows of SoundCloud. It’s poised in a promising position within the industry: as two new labels have emerged in TeamSESH and Wavemob, the unity and volume of producers creating the sound has never been greater. It’s not attracting the numbers that Sad Boys and Spooky Black did, but the size of the fanbase is still extremely healthy, the numbers are in the tens of thousands and the importance of creating a scene seems much more prevalent.

Next up in wave’s development is creating a IRL hub where the music can be appreciated live. Influential DJ Plastician is already filtering it into his Survey club night in Brixton. “I think a club night, or somewhere to experience the music loudly on a really good sound system – mixed well by DJs – is very important to the growth of any sound,” he says. “People need to have experiences of the music, creating moments and memories of where and when they heard songs, and what happened in the room around them when they heard that track.”

2016 is going to be a crucial year in the progression of wave from the virtual reality of the Internet underground to a living, breathing subculture with the force to influence major trends in electronic music.

Image Credit: Torley flickr.com/photos/torley

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HNRKOne of the most influential producers in the wave sound. He was heavily involved in Spooky Black’s mesmerising Leaving EP and a lot of Internet superstar Lil B’s early releases. Since then, HNRK has taken the sound of those productions into his own releases, slowly building a steady fanbase of his own. A prominent member of TeamSESH, he consistently releases tracks with fellow members, but the lure of producing for more profitable margins must be there. Already being booked for live shows in his native Germany, HNRK is driving the relocation of wave into a real world setting.

BonesTop dog at TeamSESH, Bones has an incredible work rate, already releasing over 40 mixtapes in his career, six of those coming just last year. He is most notable for his fluctuating style of vocals, varying from emo-style screaming and high-pitched singing, to deep-voiced rapping. It’s been reported that Bones has already attracted major label interest and it’s no surprise he’s been racking up views in excess of 2.5 million on the video for ‘Sixteen’ and 3 million on ‘Dirt’. The hook on ‘Dirt’ also featured on A$AP Rocky’s ‘Canal St.’ from 2015 album, At. Long. Last. A$AP.

Eric DingusOne of the most interesting aspects of wave music is that all of the producers involved are self-taught and still very young. At 20-years-old, Eric Dingus is one of the more experienced. He has already teamed up with the likes of Gangsta Boo, Jimmy Johnson and the aforementioned Bones, as well as Drake. Shooting to fame when his remix of Drake’s ‘Worst Behaviour’ featured on the OVO blog, he then produced one of the standout tracks, ‘Now & Forever’, for Drake’s album If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. Since then Dingus has set up his own label, Dream Sequence Records, and consistently produces top quality material. It would definitely seem that he is on the cusp of mainstream success.

Angel DiaryIf you’re looking for something a little bit different on the wave spectrum then Angel Diary, formerly known as Little Cloud, is a great place to start. Based between London and Stockholm, her atmospheric voice is somewhat chilling at times, and creates an unbelievably haunting mood within her tracks. It’s the sort of music that sends chills down your spine and is a truly unique sound. With properly mastered releases, her impact has the potential to be huge.

Drew the ArchitectAnother producer who was heavily involved in Spooky Black’s early releases, Drew the Architect focuses on the more subtle and minimalistic end of wave. Also a member of TeamSESH, his collaborations with Cat Soup and Drip-133 are some of the best releases coming out of wave at the moment. His style is less bass-heavy than most wave tracks. Compared to early Yung Gud or the material CVRL is putting out, it is ambient with a thoughtful tone. It would seem that a TeamSESH album is currently in the works, and when that finally drops, expect to become more familiar with Drew the Architect.

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S C E N E I N S I G H T

19

TECHNICOLOURPeckham producer Darq E Freaker reveals his chromatic conciousness. WORDS: Ben Hindle

2020

Urban electronica, technicoloured grime, chronic grime – these are just a handful of the phrases used to describe the startling, phosphorescent sound conjured up by Darq E Freaker. The most recent addition to his personal thesaurus – “maximalist hyper-grime” – is coined by the South London producer to describe his forthcoming ADHD EP, out April 1 via Big Dada (home of UK hip hop stalwart Roots Manuva and Mercury Prize winners Young Fathers). We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. Not only does this flamboyant terminology reflect the vibrant, kinetic nature of Darq’s music, but it also directly references the colourful world inside his head.

Originally a vocalist in grime outfit Nu Band Flexxx, Darq first hit it big in 2009 after one of his beats was picked up by emcee Tempa T. The result was ‘Next Hype’ – an instant anthem that put his name on all the right radars (if not in the public consciousness). Work with idiosyncratic Stateside rapper Danny Brown – ‘Blueberry (Pills & Cocaine)’ – followed, plus EPs for labels Oil Gang

and Numbers, and a special Record Store Day 2014 vinyl of his Kill Bill-sampling ‘Ironside’ for Brighton imprint Tru Thoughts. With each release, Darq’s style has grown evermore erratic; a nightmare for genre traditionalists, it hasn’t so much stepped away from grime, but dragged the London sound backwards across a canvas shared by trap tropes and brash electronica.

Darq’s evolution mirrors that of grime. Over the past year or so, the genre has leapt to the forefront of global urban culture, all gunfingers blazing. Grime is finally gathering a serious following in the U.S. thanks to the diligent grime-trap crossover efforts of UK veterans such as Skepta and the popularity of

energetically-comparable American artists like Young Thug. Darq has seen success in the States himself, in particular with the Danny Brown collaboration and his new Big Dada release. He believes the link between grime and trap is primarily down to a shared tempo range, but also sees the increasingly common fusion as an inevitable result of a hyper-connected culture. “The Internet always makes everything merge together, and more producers are trying to incorporate that transatlantic vibe into their style,” he says. “But I’ve been doing it for a long time – that’s probably why my music [speaks] to Americans.”

This crossover is most obvious on recent mixtape #DontFreakOut, where the recognisable vocals of UK rappers such as Scrufizzer, Maxta and the most caustic spitter of them all, D Double E, are paired up with beats that bear the hallmarks of multiple bass-driven genres. On ADHD, however, Darq pushes his instrumental work further into uncharted territory than ever before. Admitting to growing slightly tired of clashing release schedules and chasing up vocal parts,

Darq’s decision to go fully philharmonic on the new release was primarily based on a desire to open the floodgates to his bulging reservoir of creativity. “I think there’s enough presence on the tunes, that it’s as good as having a vocal,” he explains. “I’ve gone proper maximalist on these.” Darq likens ADHD to ’90s rave music too, citing appearances from the likes of The Prodigy and 2 Unlimited on Top of the Pops as early influences on his taste, adding: “If that music was still big now, I reckon this is what it would have [transformed] into.”

The bombastic sound of ADHD is purposefully echoed by its title, growing increasingly frantic throughout, from the Murlo-esque juxtaposition of highs

I LIKE TO GO TO PARTIES, I LIKE TO JUMP AROUND. SO I MAKE TUNES TO JUMP AROUND TO.

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C O V E R F E AT U R E

W H E N I H E A R M U S I C , I S E E C O L O U R S .

and lows on opener ‘Hallucinate’ to the hyperactive, breakbeat chaos of ‘Venom’. However, Darq has a personal connection to the name too. “I was always the guy doing something silly,” he begins. “If I was in class I was taking the p**s out of the teacher or causing trouble, or if I was having dinner when I was younger, I’d run up to [my mum’s] plate and take food and run away, even though I was really gonna get in trouble. I’d be excited by doing things like that.” As you’ve probably guessed, Darq has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), and whilst the condition can occasionally prove problematic to the producer – causing him to overload his CPU with ideas or get too excited to actually focus on finishing certain tracks – he has harnessed the energy it gives him and turned it into a sonic weapon. “I am a hyperactive person. I like to go to parties, I like to jump around. So when I’m making a tune, I’m making a jump around tune to jump around to.”

A psychedelic swirl of dazzling colours, the EP’s artwork is also designed to convey the mercurial mentality of ADHD. “Your mind’s all over the place until you sit down,” explains Darq. “I smoke weed to calm down a bit, but I’m always walking up and down and s**t, so that’s why the artwork’s all over the place.” Describing his music as “technicolour” is an undeniably suitable term, to grapple with both the vivid nature of his production and the accompanying artwork. Elaborating on this, Darq drops a potential bombshell: “When I hear music, I see colours.”

Suddenly it all clicks: the (literally) colourful references; the focus on contrasting bright sounds with their obsidian counterparts. It would appear that Darq is a synaesthete, exposing a whole new dynamic in his work. Roughly translating as “union of the senses”, synaesthesia is a rare neurological phenomenon in which the stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway activates another. Cases vary

greatly, with those affected reporting experiences such as tasting words, feeling smells, and – as is most widely referred to in the music industry – hearing colours. As it turns out, Darq is unaware of the official condition, and given that Audio Addict possesses neither a neurology degree nor the ability to see through Darq’s eyes, we’re in no position to diagnose. But we are keen to learn more. “When I hear grime music I’m seeing blacks and greys,” reveals Darq, attributing the connection to the inner-city, industrial foundations of the genre. “Wiley makes tunes that are really colourful, but most of it is dark.”

And what of his own music? What technicolour dreamland appears when he hears ADHD? “It’s so funny,” he replies, contemplatively, “it would be the colours that are on the artwork. But if I had to go into tunes... ‘Mosquito Bite’ I see as reds, orange and white – mostly

red. [With] ‘2-CI’ I see neon yellows and greens. ‘Venom’ is purple and red, ‘Flabbergasted’ is red and black, and ‘Hallucinate’ is purples and pinks.” As lively a palette as any artist wishing to convey an energetic personality could hope for, then.

Darq understands that this type of explicitly colourful music isn’t to everyone’s taste, however he does feel there needs to be a greater awareness of it. If the kaleidoscopic, maximalist hyper-grime of ADHD doesn’t turn heads, we’re not sure what will. Even if the light shines only on Darq that wouldn’t be such a bad thing – at least not from his perspective. “I always wanna know if the world sees me as just one person doing a thing or [as part of] a genre, a movement. I wanna see how planet earth defines me – because you can define yourself, obviously, but the world has [its own] perception of you. I’d like to know what people see me as,” he adds, hopefully. “I guess if I get out there more, I can find out.”

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REVIVALSONS San Francisco

four-piece hail the return of the blues

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”“

Rival Sons are a rarity in the music industry these days: a slow-burner that are only now – nearly two years after the release of their fifth album Great Western Valkyrie and seven years since debut LP Before The Fire – getting the recognition they deserve for their psychedelic blues-rock sound. “It’s nice to be recognised at any time and better now than never that’s for sure,” chuckles guitarist Scott Holiday.

Formed of powerhouse soul-singer Jay Buchanan, bassist Dave Beste, drummer Michael Miley and the aforementioned Holiday, the band completed a European tour supporting UK rock veterans Deep Purple in the autumn of 2015 and in January they embarked on an ongoing world tour alongside another set of British legends: Black Sabbath. “It feels fantastic [to be playing with these bands]!” laughs Holiday in disbelief. “To play back-to-back [with Deep Purple and Black Sabbath], I think it’s even more of a far-out thing for us. What makes it even more special is that these guys are friends with each other, so you’ll see [Black Sabbath guitarist] Tony Iommi come in and go ‘Oh, Don Airey [Deep Purple keyboardist] said ‘Hi’’. It’s pretty amazing.”

But the calibre of the company they’re keeping doesn’t overwhelm the San Francisco rockers. “I think they’re both great opportunities, but I find neither of them intimidating at all. We like to headline shows, but support shows are equally fantastic in the way that there are much larger audiences in these arenas. We love picking up a bunch of new fans and really getting a feel for venues that we’d like to call our own someday.”

Speaking of fans, Holiday is full of adoration for theirs. “The fans that we’ve made are very close to us and are clearly not leaving us. It’s just been more and more rad.” At the beginning of their career, however, the band were afraid of the reception they would receive at some of their gigs. From supporting Judas Priest on their first major tour, to playing at European heavy metal festival Hellfest, Rival Sons were going far beyond the confines of rock ’n’ roll. “I was sure they were gonna throw s**t at us, but they didn’t,” laughs Holiday. Despite their reservations the band was met with positive crowds and packed-out venues.

Holiday is proud of the music they produce, and quite rightly so. Rival Sons are intent on making music that will endure. Refusing to compromise or follow anyone else’s rules to gain success, the band rely on sheer passion to drive their career, a trait which is evident when talking to the guitarist.

I WAS SURE CROWDS WERE GONNA THROW S**T AT US, BUT THEY DIDN’T.

WORDS: Martha Gregory

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I N T E R V I E W

“We’re just trying to make rock ’n’ roll records. We’re trying to make Rival Sons records. We’re trying to make records that are good.”

After a brief stint signed to EMI Records back in 2008 (before Buchanan joined), Rival Sons joined independent label Earache Records, whose roster has included heavy metal acts Napalm Death and Bring Me The Horizon. “We kind of came through the back door,” admits Holiday. “We looked over and went ‘Earache’s [our] favourite label, let’s see what s**t they’re peddling,’ and they looked over [our music] and a lot of them liked it.”

With guitar-led music seeing less chart success these days, Rival Sons’ sound breathes a new lease of life into the popular rock scene; it’s bluesy rock ’n’ roll sprinkled with psychedelia – almost Led Zeppelin-esque. “It’s difficult to name bands from this day and age [that influence

us],” says Holiday. “A lot of this s**t we don’t really care about. It’s short-sighted on tone, short-sighted on writing, and definitely short-sighted on production.” He sees Rival Sons as reflecting a halcyon period of rock; “It’s not for the nostalgia or the retro factor of it, it’s because the equipment sounds the best, the writing was better and the tonality was just better.”

So are Rival Sons reviving rock ’n’ roll? “It’s certainly not my goal in life to be the saviour of rock ’n’ roll. That’s something the journos put on us. We are merely writing songs and trying to be ourselves, be honest and go play out live for people that want to see it.”

For Holiday, that’s what it’s all about: the fans and the music. And although they may not like us saying so, Rival Sons are helming the return of rock ’n’ roll.

“ ”MODERN ROCK IS SHORT-SIGHTED ON TONE, SHORT-SIGHTED ON WRITING, AND DEFINITELY SHORT-SIGHTED ON PRODUCTION.

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As politicians grow increasingly detached from the people they represent, Maddy Hardman

issues a call to arms.

I PROPOSE AWhere have all the good men gone? The Bob Dylans, Billy Braggs, Tobi Vails and John Lennons? This political climate doesn’t seem to cry out for such song-masters, male or female, but it should. Today we find a whole generation ostracised from politics, and this is only beneficial for those at the top, pulling the strings, or indeed having their strings pulled by the corporations, arms dealers and heaven knows who else. There’s a distinct lack of cool in the writing of protest music, and that needs to change.

The student generation is exactly where we need the music to come from; throughout history students have been the most rebellious, the most outspoken. Now with the Tory government scrapping maintenance grants for the poorest, and the Higher Education Green Paper (sacrificing the further education system to the gods of privatisation) passed the day that 10,000 students marched outside Westminster, it’s time for the musicians among us to step up, pick up their guitars and channel their anger into something beautiful and powerful. Each issue is begging for a tune to be written, every questionable bill passed under our noses is the first line of a song, but writing about the re-instatement of fox hunting doesn’t really get the girls screaming.

It begs the question, where are the old names that were so prominent during the Thatcher era? Robert Wyatt, The Specials, even you, Morrissey; what’s stopping you from protesting this government, dubbed the most Thatcher-like since her reign? Her period in office sparked punks and poets to pick up their pens and unite, and Cameron’s Britain should be doing the same. The truth is, protest music just isn’t in vogue anymore. It’s like someone picking up an acoustic at a party and playing ‘Wonderwall’. No-one’s interested. But why? The punks and protesters of the Thatcher days seem to have lost their balls a little, but why has the cool element of sticking it to the man disappeared? Is it because this generation is so blasé about what’s going on at the top? Or because the politics in this nation feeds apathy and disinterest? Surely that’s a song in itself.

America seems to be latching on to the idea that protest music is a good way to speak to the people about issues they don’t feel they’re involved in. Kendrick Lamar is certainly leading the way; To Pimp A Butterfly was the protest record that the black population of America have been crying out for. Another front runner is Killer Mike and his rap partner El-P; their project Run The Jewels is one of the most outspoken in modern rap music. They both do a cracking job of making protest music cool as f***, creating massive beats and explosive lyrics to get important messages across.

Black musicians have always been a thousand times more in touch with their jilted side. The creation of hip hop was built on the idea of protest and, through the years, has remained a huge voice for social justice and dissent against the government. Even though we see a lack of protest in the mainstream, the underground has always had something to say. It’s time the feeling of dissatisfaction echoed through pop. Beyonce has finally realised that her influence, massive as it is, can be used to push some more important messages. Her Super Bowl halftime show shoved social justice into the faces of every fat, white racist man watching, and it’s about time.

Britain is in dire need of a movement; protest music needs to shed its old white man image and come up with something cooler. At the moment, there is an overwhelming feeling of the Tories winning, and if the next four years are going to be anything like the previous, we’re going to have to write a lot more songs.

RIOT

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O P I N I O N

R A I S I N G H E C KAhead of their long-awaited debut album, Nottingham’s notorious chaos-mongers Heck – previously known as Baby Godzilla – expose their struggle for identity in the aftermath of their forced name-change.

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The music press can often kill with kindness (or sometimes with a level of ham-handedness that would give David Cameron a semi). When Baby God- sorry, when Heck started gaining attention for having the best live show in the UK, their recorded material seemed to get swept under the rug. Their songs, however, come flying out of the speakers just as fast as singer and guitarist Matt Reynolds comes flying off stage. In his eyes the recorded material is in no way inferior – “I think people are so blindsided by how intense our live show is, that by default you’re gonna think the songs come second, but they don’t at all.”

With their debut album Instructions out now, the band are set to prove that, whilst they lose their collective dung in a live setting, they also know how to deliver a beast of a record. “We’ve had that quite a lot, ‘Where are the songs?’,” Reynolds explains. “Yeah, we can be a great live band, but there’s so much importance in there being a great album there, or a collection of great albums.”

Since day one the band have been pushing what they can do when they play, whether it be live or in the studio, not foreseeing the underground buzz that would soon follow them. “We never could’ve predicted it because we started out playing in our front room,” Reynolds elaborates. “Tom [Marsh, drums] would be on pots and pans and bongo drums, I had a little amp in the corner, and Paul [Shelley, bass] would be playing an acoustic bass. We were like, ‘Yeah, these songs are great. I can’t wait to play them somewhere.’ We played our first gig and the drum kit ended up thrown into the middle of the room. I was right at the back half-naked. It was just like, ‘What just happened?’ I don’t know if there was frustration because we hadn’t played on proper instruments yet, but from that point on it was just one-upping each other.” That’s very much Heck’s ethos: to never stay still, to always better themselves.

This mentality took both the gigs and The Band Formerly Known as Baby

Godzilla’s reputation out of this world. They were building quite the name for themselves; that is until Toho Company Ltd. (owners of the Godzilla franchise) took that name from them. “There was a time when we knew it was happening and we couldn’t even begin to think of a new band name. It looked like we weren’t gonna be a band anymore, just for something as stupid as not having a name. We were behind closed doors for two months, just pitching band name after band name, hating each other’s guts because we just couldn’t do it and we were all so frustrated. The more frustrated we got, the s*****r the band names became… One day at work I can remember pitching ‘Heck’ to everyone and everyone going ‘Oh, we don’t hate that’. I absolutely love it.”

While the old name fitted the band well, describing their antics of destroying small venues across the country, Reynolds explains why Heck fits just as snugly: “It’s that exasperation of nothing you can do

about what’s going on around you... If you’re around your parents or grandparents and you wanna swear you go ‘Aw heck’. We wanted to say Baby Godzilla but we weren’t allowed to, we weren’t even allowed to refer to Baby Godzilla, we’d been censored ourselves so we’ll censor the new name as well. Every other name I was pitching was ‘f*****g’ this and ‘f*****g’ that. One of the names pitched was ‘F*** You’.”

So the new name is set, the first album is out, but the attitude is still the same. When asked what’s next for them, Reynolds only wants to do one better again. “The one up is we take these songs, we ram them down people’s throats with the same kind of ferocity that we’ve become known for, and don’t settle there. We make album number two even better and progress on the ideas we’ve already begun and just hammer it home.” Whether it be in a toilet venue near you or on record, one thing is certain, wherever Heck go, chaos will ensue.

“ ”AT OUR FIRST GIG THE DRUM KIT ENDED UP THROWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND I WAS RIGHT AT THE BACK HALF-NAKED

WORDS: Jack King

29

I N T E R V I E W

LA FLEUR

In the five years since she started her own label, Power Plant Records, La Fleur has ensured her transformation from DJ-to-watch to established artist by touring extensively, releasing a string of exciting EPs and maintaining a coveted residency at Berlin’s Watergate nightclub. Ahead of her Watergate show at Junk Southampton, we catch up with the super Swede to get the low-down on her recent success and where she plans to go next.

You’ve been touring Mexico and Brazil already this year, including playing at Coincidance Festival. How did it go?Yeah, the South American tour was a good one. It went very well! Playing Coincidance was a great way to start the new year. It’s a very cool festival put on by very nice people. The Brazil gigs were wonderful too! I love Brazil and it was special to be back playing there.

How does the electronic music scene in these places compare to cities more synonymous with dance music, like Berlin?First off, Brazilians and Germans are a bit different in how they express themselves and get into the groove. Berlin has a fantastic scene, maybe one of the best in the world, but Brazilians know how to throw a good party. They’re so friendly and warm so it’s hard to not have a good time while playing there. Plus the warm weather always helps!

You’re back playing in Berlin this month, how has the electronic music scene changed in the eight years you’ve been living there? Time flies... It’s changed a lot but the core elements for a good scene have always remained the same: the people love the music, the promoters are passionate about throwing the parties and the spaces are great for partying in. You can count on Berlin for another eight years at least I think!

You’ve had a long-standing residency at Watergate in Berlin. Do you see this going on indefinitely?Yes, they’re going to have to carry me out! Seriously I cannot see it ending and I hope it will go on for as long as we are both happy with each other. It’s a family thing. It’s a love thing.

So tell us about the Watergate show at Junk…I know Watergate and Junk are great friends, so I’m looking forward to it. I’ve loved playing there in the past because it’s got a really intimate vibe with an amazing sound system. It should be good fun.

Finally, what do you have planned for the rest of 2016?I’m pretty sure I won’t have a day’s rest! I’ve definitely got some goods in store. I’m releasing a remix for Andhim, a track on a new Watergate V.A. compilation, and another track for Kerri Chandler’s Madhouse label. I also have a new EP coming in spring and some more exciting releases for the second half of the year. Then I’m playing Snowbombing festival in Mayrhofen and Movement in Detroit. 2016 feels like a great year already!

George Wilde chats techno, touring and the Berlin music scene with Watergate’s

long-standing resident DJ.

30

Q & A

In the age of infinite streaming, it’s easier than ever for artists to share their tracks with the world. Some artists take full advantage of the wealth of opportunity in front of them and saturate their SoundCloud streams with hot beats and slick bars. However, there are other artists that effectively go into hiding, only resurfacing to release an album before returning to the abyss once more. The question is, which type of artist leaves a more defined mark? Whose music will be remembered, and whose will fade after their 15-minutes?

January saw the release of Rihanna’s seventh album, Anti, after an agonising three year wait. In the grand scheme of things, a few years is nothing and yeah, she released ‘Bitch Better Have My Money’ last year, but since RiRi has previously been known to release multiple albums in the same year, people couldn’t help but prick up their ears at the prospect of her full-length re-emergence. The album has had a brilliant response, ranking as her best yet amongst many critics and adored by fans globally. Whether this can be attributed to the length of time she worked on it or merely to the anticipation after her absence, it’s clear that time away from the charts did her the world of good.

On the flipside, her friend and collaborator Drake has been ever-present of late, whether it’s beefing with other rappers or proving that no-one – no matter how cool they are – can pull off dad-dancing.

The past year or so he’s released plenty of material, but what of it is memorable? Does anyone even remember What a Time to Be Alive, his mixtape with Future? No-one’s thinking of ‘Hotline Bling’ as a great song, but instead it’s more memorable for its video. Whilst Drake is a great artist, the shelf-life of his music is relatively short, lasting just long enough for him to choose which track to drop next. It feels as though the excitement is lost a little because of this, instead there’s just this anticipation for what he’s going to do next.

Yes, they’re both in the charts, and yes they both have huge followings, but down the line which is going to be held in higher esteem? Drake’s stayed very safe in his music choices, knowing his fans will love whatever he churns out, however flippantly it’s put together. Rihanna, on the other hand, has taken risks with her style, with the potential of frightening off listeners expecting Loud part two. She’s had the time to revise and perfect her music, clearly using the time to reach her absolute potential.

Whilst artists like Drake sustain their fans with a drip-feed of new material, it’s no comparison to the response and hype for an album that has been years in the making. With so much music saturating the Internet, it takes something special to even have a hope of standing out. Give an artist a few days, they’ll bring you a good track; give them a year and they’ll bring you something groundbreaking.

QUALITY VS. QUANTITYDoes music benefit from a little T.L.C. or is it a case of the more the merrier?

Freya Cochrane has the answer.

31

O P I N I O N

When Moderat first burst onto the scene in 2003 with EP, Auf Kosten der Gesundheit, they appeared to have jumped the gun somewhat. Conceived as an exercise in broadening their horizons, German electronic powerhouses Modeselektor (Gernot Bronsert, Sebastian Szary) and Apparat (Sascha Ring) joined arms, perhaps with their feet firmly planted in their solo pursuits. It wasn’t until 2009 that they released their self-titled, critical darling debut. Seven years on, they’re returning with their third full-length, III.

Serving as a self-confessed “playground” for the trio, Moderat’s true colours lie in exploring sounds they might otherwise resist in their respective projects. The lunge towards improvised free-falling makes the third album just as striking as the first, the difference being that they have matured into a fully formed unit, injecting the laboured EDM genre with actual ingenuity and authentic artistry.

Given the state of EDM, in which the majority is one long, bittersweet, ‘see you at the show’ product placement, it seems almost wrong to assign Moderat to such a demise. Instead, ‘Intelligent Dance Music’ (EDM’s showy older brother) better signifies what the group are about. The term is quite laughable, seeming to imply that some dance music comes prepped with a higher aptitude for Sudoku puzzles. However, when it comes to Moderat, it is more apt, given their brand of sonic experimentation; the ‘I’ might be better substituted as ‘Idiosyncratic’.

III makes no bow to mind-numbing simplicity, which is all the more impressive for a group claiming to have made the music for the main sake of touring it. Having been voted as the number one live act of 2009 by Resident Advisor, it is expected that their live performance may result in some sort of euphoric immersive experience; a fully-fledged inner being, ready to be set free. Through the comfort of headphones though, this album can be just as moving, so much so that you question whether it really is dance music. Unless you’re gurning your way across a warehouse floor in the name of all things rave, III brings touching melodies that bridge a gap between emotional and exhilarant orbits. As Ring’s breathy mesmerising vocals flood in and out, only the chattering drum beat reminds you that the track is actually danceable.

‘Animal Trails’ meanwhile brings the industrial clatter more redolent of dance music’s bruiser tendencies, while lead single ‘Reminder’ is a glossier affair and has a captivating tilt that could give the track a comfortable spot in many a soundtrack; it’s like a Daft Punk number for the more seasoned electronic fan.

Though III retains the breezy melodies of past efforts, it features considerably more vocal work than previous albums and does better at setting a pace that makes every track memorably catchy. While fighting against the current of the EDM-pop rapids, the album is perhaps whisked further downstream where it’s a little easier to fetch the water. It is Moderat at their most accessible. (Jordan Low)

R E V I E W S

MODERATIII[MUTE/MONKEYTOWN RECORDS]

7.0

32

Best known for her rendition of Oasis’ well-known track ‘Half The World Away’, which played over the John Lewis Christmas advert in 2015, 19-year-old Norwegian singer AURORA releases her debut solo album via British institution Decca Records. The artist being relatively unknown makes the album all the more interesting; on first listen, she sounds like another Ellie Goulding, with the same kind of twang to her voice as the ‘Love Me Like You Do’ singer, and it’s obvious that she’s about to see similar success after being hailed by BBC Radio 1 as one to watch.

The album’s second track, ‘Conqueror’, sounds familiar... Ah yes, the song was featured on Fifa 16’s soundtrack. It has quite an upbeat melody to it when compared to the rest of the album, which is relatively slow and has only soft instruments in the background. In every song on the album, AURORA’s voice stands out, especially in ‘Through the Eyes of a Child’. You can feel the emotion that she has poured into each and every song, and for this very reason she deserves a lot of recognition. Her strong yet effortless vocals reel you in, whether you like it or not. (Elisha Cloughton)

British rap-metal band Hacktivist were met with unparalleled praise for their self-titled 2013 EP. Five years after forming, the group are poised to release their first album – a 12-track offering packed with heavy guitars, ambient synths and hastily-spat lyrics addressing modern societal issues. Opening track, ‘Our Time’, comes across as a public announcement, a declaration of defiance backed by sinister-toned synths. ‘Deceive and Defy’ lacks passion compared to follower ‘Taken’ – arguably the strongest, Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds providing gravitas – which has a fervent sense of conviction that seems largely absent elsewhere.

Undulating guitars rise again to become the forefront of later tracks ‘Buszy’ and ‘Rotten’, the latter a morbid account of a disheveled world plagued by illness and corporate greed, whilst ‘The Storm II’ sees the group conclude with the promise that “we will return”. Guest vocalists do well to highlight the best on offer, however, when left alone, the band play it safe and lack any innate musical superiority, the courage of their convictions lost amidst overly chaotic combinations of chugging guitars. (Daisy Hearn)

AURORA ALL MY DEMONS GREETING ME AS A FRIEND [DECCA]

HACKTIVISTOUTSIDE THE BOX [UNFD]

7.0 6.5

33

Swedish artist Elliphant has vaulted between different dance sub-genres and has plateaued at Living Life Golden, a jagged album that is inconsistent in quality. For most, it is a respectable electropop album, but there are definite hiccups. Opening track, ‘Step Down’, is more docile than Elliphant’s regular style, feeling alien. Her grainy, disjointed vocals bluntly suggest: “Why don’t you just step down from your high?” Produced by Joel Little, who was abundantly involved in Lorde’s Pure Heroine, the only comparison between the two is their feisty personas.

The Swede jumps from intonations and tempos throughout, tracks from ‘Not Ready’ to ‘Love Me Long’ (feat. Major Lazer and Gyptian) have a more reggae feel which Elliphant should stick to. Regrettably, interest is lost in the middle where it gets a bit tedious. ‘Spoon Me’ is a far more dance-fuelled track, which is no surprise considering the Skrillex collaboration. A trippy bass and shadowy sonics flow throughout the constant references to “spooning” and “touching the booty.” The album ends on a high though; there is an exotic jungle-like feel with the use of tribal drums as finally Elliphant takes advantage of her raw vocals in ‘Living Life Golden’. (Sian Wilson)

For those familiar with Chris Coco and his usual DJ stylings – creating compilations for the likes of

Ministry of Sound, EMI Classical and Trojan Records, to name a few – his new album, How To Disappear

Completely, slots in gracefully with what he describes as his “beach/sunset sets” that are “laid back and eclectic.” Drawing from personal experiences of touring and travelling around the globe, How To Disappear Completely will softly strike you as a distorted, fragmented dish that is best served whilst fully reclined without a negative thought in sight. Calmingly cool and euphonious,

each carefully thought out note tingles the sweet spot, as images of sunrises and beaches appear.

With a truly individual sound, Coco enlists the help of friends made during his travels,

with assistance on vocals, strings and piano. Opening track ‘Portmerion Tide Flow’ and fifth

track ‘Spiritland’ are the two stand-out ambient gems in this mystical bundle of treasures. How To

Disappear Completely is aptly named, the vibes from this eight-track wonderland put your mind in singular transcendent situations, song after song. Prepare your

mind and senses for a journey. (Andrew Shelley)

ELLIPHANT LIVING LIFE GOLDEN [TEN]

CHRIS COCO HOW TO DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY[DISAPPEAR]

6.5

7.5

34

Three years ago on previous album Corsicana Lemonade, White Denim created hope for those waiting for another album to revitalise guitar music again. The nine-track album Stiff runs rampant through a thick film of vintage melodies and hum, filling the room with that fuzz you could only imagine finding in the ’60s alongside The Beatles and Crow. Stiff sounds like the unleashing of psychedelic rock with garage roots, with the outpour of tempo shifts and the band’s creative spirit creating an almost tiring album, but at the same time one full of adrenaline.

Stiff takes you through the garage rockers’ journey; from starting out at home recording their jam sessions in their garage, to now, using intense looping and unusual jazz and blues song structures. Since the release of their first EP, Let’s Talk About It, in 2007, White Denim are no longer a couple of guys messing around, but instead are touring and appearing at festivals. Stiff is undeniably a vibrant and focused album; there’s no doubt that White Denim are people that you need to be ready to follow and fall in love with. Their integrity and talent cannot be questioned. (Sam Maule)

Warp Films’ The Last Panthers aired in November 2015 and drew mass attention with its theme song ‘Blackstar’ by the late, great David Bowie. The responsibility of rest of the soundtrack was given to Warp’s Clark, a veteran of the label since 2001. The show is a six-part crime thriller and the vibe on the soundtrack is certainly eerie and tense, conjuring up images of cold and harsh landscapes, black suits and dark glasses. Tracks like ‘Chloroform Sauna’ and ‘Strangled to Death in a Public Toilet’ ensure the listener knows this isn’t friendly.

Certain tracks are more striking than others. ‘Actual Jewels’ is a messy and disjointed collection of piano and percussion samples, whereas ‘Omni Vignette’ is a welcome break from the minor key, offering something more structured and less unhappy. ‘Diamonds Aren’t Forever II’ creates a soundscape of abrasive and unpleasant noise, only to be interrupted by a pleasing piano riff. As a whole piece, it’s puzzling, dark and sonically immense. If the show is anything like the soundtrack, then put it at the top of your watch list. (Maddy Hardman)

CLARKTHE LAST PANTHERS[WARP]

WHITE DENIMSTIFF[DOWNTOWN RECORDS]

Walking the thin line between the dark jaws of sadness and the glowing realm of content is an unnerving prospect. On We Disappear, frontman Hutch Harris has an arsenal of perspective and insight crafted around the most fitting, yet sometimes contrasting, sounds. The result: 10 tracks weighing up the mass of fears which invade the brains of society.

To passively expose yourself to The Thermals’ latest album would be foolish, like using parchment revealing the meaning of life to wipe your arse. The opening three tracks undoubtedly incite a heavy thrash from head to toe, but they’re not exempt from the album’s running profundity; the opening

song deals with the anxieties of being forgotten after death and possibly existing forevermore through technology by going ‘Into The Code’, whilst ‘If We Don’t Die Today’ and ‘Years in a Day’ bulldoze their way into far more emotive areas. The former wields a harsh weapon in the form of a failing love affair only salvaged by death, while the latter struggles through a fog of emotions with no sight of clarity.

The album’s diversity, between a chantable punk rock hymn book and a melancholy stream of consciousness, is the perfect combination to convert listener to fan before you’ve noticed. (Rupert Taylor)

THE THERMALSWE DISAPPEAR[SADDLE CREEK]

7.5

6.0

8.5

35

R E V I E W S

ITAL TEK - HOLLOWED [PLANET MU]

Two years seems a long time to spend on an album for someone so prolific as Ital Tek. The Brighton producer’s fifth LP steps away from his club-orientated past, to offer something more thought-provoking, stylistically apathetic and unashamedly personal. Whilst the Hudson Mohawke-esque ‘Cobra’ ensures Hollowed isn’t totally without dancefloor weapons, the majority is built upon unstructured synthwork – considered, softly undulating sound-beds, bearing brittle percussion and the occasional crass attack of noise. Ital Tek has made time tangible, and its beauty knows no bounds. (Ben Hindle)

ELEVANT - THERE IS A TIDE [ELEVANT MUSIC IMPRINT]

Liverpool three-piece Elevant return with their third album, There Is A Tide. The apparently “experimental” Liverpudlians have thrown up 11 tracks that could be deemed the ugly love child of ’90s grunge heroes Soundgarden and Nirvana. Recent single ‘Again’ is a standout track thanks to brilliant drum work by Thomas Shand, who is a saving grace on the album. The outro to final track ‘Dead Skin’ is Royal Blood-esque carnage that comes to an abrupt end while ‘We Eat Our Young’ sounds like a rejected Soundgarden demo.(Callum McCormack)

STONE FOXES - TWELVE SPELLS [BUFF RECORDS]‘The sound of San Francisco’ is the only way to describe The Stone Foxes’ fourth album, a collection that shows that rock ’n’ roll isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. This is an album that keeps giving; there’s not a single dull moment, with hefty riffs and howling choruses throwing up imagery of the open road of Route 66. The LP is a chronological journey through the band’s sonic progression with ‘It Ain’t Nothin’’ oozing the sound of second album Bears & Bulls, while ‘Cold Like a Killer’ and ‘Jericho’ throw you back to third album Small Fires. (Matt Smith)

JOEFARR - SENSE OF PURPOSE [BLOC]

Bristol electronic producer JoeFarr’s Sense of Purpose is his first full-length album, although he already has a considerable catalogue. Through loaded layers of synths, the LP integrates a selection of dance sounds, seeing elements from genres such as ambient, acid house and rave sculpt vibrant tracks. ‘RPM (Dedication) Beatless’ sees ’90s supersaw synth stabs upon a backdrop of atmospheric synth sweeps, whilst ‘Minehead’ and ‘Crunk’ explore acid house with the classic squelchy bass, displaying only a minority of the methods JoeFarr has in his skillset. (Aaron Jolliff)

SI PHILI - THE 11TH HOUR [PHOENIX RECORDINGS]

Originally of Luton rap collective Phi-Life Cypher, Si Phili drops his solo debut. His battle rap on ‘Big Bars’ and ‘Check It Out’ is vicious, and on the former the savagery is matched by rapper Dotz. However, the rapid lyricism is exhausting when Phili’s rapping about his own bars. There are stories present thoughout: ‘Pain’ suggests struggles with depression, ‘In The Morning’ is a tender ode to his young daughter, and ‘Help Me’ is about his deceased father. Phili’s flows thrill like an Italian supercar, but doing the same lap repeatedly; it’s still a Ferrari, but the bends become predictable. (Daniel Cook)

8.5

4.0 9.0

7.0 6.0

WAREIKA - THE MAGIC NUMBER [VISIONQUEST]

With opener ‘Bolero’ coming in at 14 minutes, Wareika clearly aren’t a group to give a quick fix. The trio find boundless multiformity on The Magic Number; an album that seems to want to take off in any direction. From head-spinning bass wobbles on ‘Finding Essence’ to the solemn jazz piano of ‘The Magic Number’, this LP mounts a challenge on its listener and with the mixing board as their weapon, it feels like it could swallow you whole. Stick with it and The Magic Number is a full-throttle hyper drive into the rippling world of underground electronic.(Jordan Low)

7.5

36

R E V I E W S

It’s difficult to believe Gorillaz is 15-years-old. Not necessarily in terms of sound, but the band from which the album takes its name are, in their own way, timeless. That’s just how it is when you don’t exist. 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel Hobbs – all card-carrying members of Gorillaz, all figments of the combined imaginations of Blur frontman Damon Albarn and illustrator Jamie Hewlett. Back in 2001, when this fictional bunch of musical miscreants knocked on the door of reality, their non-existent nature was a part of the appeal (and it still is). They provided a simple way for Albarn to create something fresh that wasn’t tied down to specific musicians or genres, and neatly sidestep links to his better-known project.

At first glance, the one key element that appears to have failed the test of time is pace. Tracks that were once sing-a-long pop anthems with an extra side of cool, instead evoke Sunday afternoon sit-down sessions. However, this change reveals itself as an example of how Gorillaz is able to mature over time, alongside the listener. A decade and a half on, it isn’t just the album that has aged, but the audience; unearthing new meaning in the text.

As with most albums, Gorillaz tends to be remembered for its catchy hits (who doesn’t know the words to ‘Clint Eastwood’, ‘Rock The House’ or ‘19-2000’?), and they still hold their own for the most part. But what have now become more stand out features, are the enlightened production of Dan the Automator, and the sheer audacity of Albarn to cross mainstream pop-rock with hip hop, trip-hop, dance and electronica without even giving audiences a physical band to cling on to. Although his distinctive lead vocals occasionally lend slightly too much of a dated Blur-tone to proceedings (see: ‘Re-Hash’ and ‘5/4’), elsewhere, tracks which previously sat in the shadow of the singles shine through. The weighty, rolling hip hop of ‘Tomorrow Comes Today’; the evermore hectic sample-base of ‘Sound Check

(Gravity)’; the galactic blues of ‘Double Bass’; the oddly-placed, but deftly-executed Spanish number ‘Latin Simone (¿Qué Pasa Contigo?)’ – each showcases a willingness to push production and stylistic conventions.

Gorillaz’s debut album may have been surpassed by later efforts, as the shifting line-up allowed for yet more experimentation, yet it set a benchmark for freedom within the band format. As if the past were directly attempting to contact the future, the intro to final track ‘M1 A1’ – pinched from John Harrison’s Day of the Dead score – fades in with a haunting, repetitious vocal calling out: “Hello? Is anyone there?” Definitely, and will be for the next 15.

IN RETROSPECT

GORILLAZ:GORILLAZ

[PARLOPHONE/VIRGIN]

In Retrospect revisits essential albums as they reach milestone anniversaries. As Gorillaz’s self-titled debut hits the big one-five, Ben Hindle gets

reacquainted to consider its relevance today.

37

A N N I V E R S A R Y R E V I E W

YEARS & YEARS - MON APRIL 4 @ BIC, BOURNEMOUTHThis London trio are kicking off the summer vibes early, bringing their electronica-tinged pop to the South Coast. Expect them to demonstrate why they’re one of the best breakthrough acts of the past year.

MODERAT - THURS APRIL 7 @ BRIGHTON DOME, BRIGHTONGerman trio Moderat bring their eclectic dance music to the Brighton for the UK leg of their European tour. Check out our review of their upcoming third studio album, III, on page 32.

KATE TEMPEST - FRI APRIL 8 @ DE LA WARR PAVILION, BEXHILL-ON-SEANot just a musician, Kate Tempest’s portfolio also includes work as a poet, novelist and playwright. The Londoner’s 2014 debut album, Everybody Down, earned her a Mercury Prize nomination and cemented her place as one of the UK’s most innovative vocalists.

THE BIG MOON - TUES APRIL 12 @ JOINERS, SOUTHAMPTONLondon alternative quartet The Big Moon come to Southampton’s favourite grubby rock pit on their UK tour. Having released their first singles in 2015, alongside supporting both The Vaccines and The Maccabees, they’ve quickly become ones to watch this year.

SHONEN KNIFE - WEDS APRIL 20 @ JOINERS, SOUTHAMPTONCelebrating their 35th anniversary, Shonen Knife are bringing their colourful, ’60s-inspired punk all the way from Japan. Catch this three-piece dominating Joiners with their raw energy and huge repertoire.

NAO - SATURDAY APRIL 23 @ THE HAUNT, BRIGHTONRecently recognised by the BBC’s Sound Of 2016, RnB-pop artist NAO combines captivating vocals with irreverent electronic compositions. Having appeared on Disclosure’s ‘Superego’, NAO’s personal direction takes on a more soulful, underground feel.

ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN - WEDS APRIL 27 @ ENGINE ROOMS, SOUTHAMPTONBest known for her role in Dutch prog/alt-rock band The Gathering, singer-songwriter Anneke van Giersbergen went solo in 2012 to follow a pop-rock route. She visits Southampton’s warehouse-like Engine Rooms as part of her European tour.

WUSSY - THURS MAY 5 @ HOPE AND RUIN, BRIGHTONDefining themselves as “Midwestern Drone”, Cincinnati five-piece Wussy hit the Brighton leg of their Spring tour. The group recently released their sixth album, Forever Sounds, yet somehow remain a relatively undiscovered talent.

FATHER JOHN MISTY - SAT MAY 21 @ GUILDHALL, SOUTHAMPTONFormerly a member of Fleet Foxes, American singer and multi-instrumentalist Father John Misty combines a captivating folk-rock sound with magnificent facial hair.

BEACH HOUSE - MON JUNE 13 @ DE LA WARR PAVILION, BEXHILL-ON-SEADream-pop duo Beach House released two albums, Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars, just months apart in 2015. Now the appropriately-named pair visit the coastal town of Bexhill-on-Sea to show they’ve got the live chops to match their studio work.

GIG GUIDE:APRIL - JUNE 16

38

P R E V I E W S

???KANYEHANDLE

ITWant to live like common people? How about a pop sensation or even a mega-rockstar? With Common People festival on the horizon, take our quick-fire quiz to find out whether your should be in the crowd or on the stage (or possibly in rehab).

WHAT’S YOUR PREFERRED MID-SHOW SNACK?1

SAUSAGE ROLL

OSTRICH BURGER

A QUICK BITE OF A BAT, OZZY STYLE

ABC

WHERE DO YOU ACQUIRE YOUR CONFECTIONARY?2

VENDING MACHINE

CHOCOLATIER

MARIANNE FAITHFULL

ABC

HOW WOULD YOU REDECORATE YOUR HOME?3IKEA FURNITURE

VINTAGE DÉCOR

SPEND $350,000 ON A RECREATION OF MICHELANGELO’S FRESCOS FOR YOUR LIVING ROOM

ABC

HOW DO YOU TRAVEL TO YOUR SHOWS?4

TRANSIT VAN

BRANDED TOUR BUS

PRIVATE JET

ABC

WHAT PROBLEMS WOULD YOU CAUSE IN A HOTEL?6

STEALING THE SLIPPERS

SMASHING THE TV

$250,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE, LIKE BILLY IDOL CAUSED IN THAILAND IN 1989 (ALLEGEDLY)

ABC

WHAT’S YOUR CHOSEN ONSTAGE OUTFIT?5

PRIMARK T-SHIRT AND JEANS

CALVIN KLEIN

$100,000 GOLD LEGGINGS, JUST LIKE BEYONCE HAD AT THE 2007 BET AWARDS

ABC

WHERE DO YOU TAKE YOUR HOLIDAYS?7

CARAVAN PARK

TOKYO

SUPER YACHT IN THE MED

ABC

WHAT WOULD BE ON YOUR RIDER?8

PASTY

STYLIST

VIP DRESSING ROOM MAINTAINED AT 78 DEGREES (QUEEN BEY, AGAIN!)

ABC

WHAT’S YOUR TAKEAWAY FAVOURITE?9

KEBAB

SUSHI

£2,000 CURRY FLOWN FROM WALES TO NEW YORK - ONLY THE BEST FOR KANYE WEST

ABC

MOSTLY A: COMMONCongratulations you’re a commoner! As Jarvis Cocker sang, you want to do whatever common people do. You keep your feet planted firmly on the ground, letting others take the limelight. Come and join the masses at Common People, we’ll be the ones singing our hearts out to Craig David...

Congratulations you are the popstar of 2016! You don’t follow trends, you make them. Hashtags are your weapon of choice as you battle your way through Twitter beefs, scandals and obsessive fans. Enjoy your newfound fame while it lasts and remember not to go full brat when you hit the stage in Southampton this May.

Congratulations you are a Mega-Rockstar! As infamous as you are famous, you live the life of luxury, flashing your cash just because you can. Drugs, bling, ladies of the night – your Common People rider is going to be a nightmare. Just remember living fast comes at a price, nobody wants to look like Mick Jagger does now...

MOSTLY B: EDGY POP STAR MOSTLY C: MEGA-ROCKSTAR

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