trap magazine 003

#003 MARCH | APRIL 2011 WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

MENSAH ACETATE ICICLE DADDISON P MONEY TRAPSTAR

WINTICKETS

TO

EVERY BASS COVEREDMUSIC | FASHION | ART

FREE

IT’S A TRAP... #003 MARCH / APRIL 2011

REGULARS.

HYPE EVERYTHINGWE’RE EXCITED ABOUT RIGHT NOW

TRAP FASHION THE FINEST GARMS AND ACCESSORIES

BOSS SELECTIONS DJ’S TOP TENS PLUS IN-DEPTH CHARTS

STREET ART DADDISON

FASHION SHIRTS AND SHOES

MUSIC REVIEWS

BASSPOINTS THE HOTTEST EVENTS ON PLANET BASS

BASSPOINTS THE MAIN EVENT

FEATURES.

TRAP’S TOP 5 PICK OF THIS SEASONS KICKS

MENSAH

2011: THE YEAR OF THE JORDAN

ACETATE

BREAKAGE

PMONEY

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#003 FACEBOOK: Search ‘Trap Magazine’TWITTER:@trapmagazineEMAIL: [email protected]

FRONT COVER: Breakage by Laura Lewis. Assisted by Andy Stow. Grooming by Elizabeth Perry.WORDS: Jon Cook, Oli Marlow, Kasha Malyckyj, Sam Bates, Belinda Rowse, Sam Collenette, Jeryl Wilton,Amy StiA, bassmusicblog.com, Mike Burgess, Sophie Thomas, Sean Kelly, Leyla Eroglu, Adam Scotland, Sam Brandt.PICTURES: Laura Lewis, LisaWormsley, Zachery Saitoti, Sim Higginson, ASHES57, Ben Price, Jean-Luc Brouard,Charles Emerson, Verena Stefanie.

EDITOR: Jon CookCREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGN: Andy HayesFASHION EDITOR: Kasha MalyckyjSALES & ADVERTISING: Iain BlackburnMARKETING & DISTRIBUTION: Justin IriajenSOCIAL NETWORKING: Amy StiAWEB:

THANKS: Leo@ Darling, Adam@ Backdrop, Charlie @ Spin Agency, Jim@Canoe Inc, Shareen@ Exposure,John@ Your Army, Ben@ Run, Carly @ Don’t Panic, Steve@ Cooshti, Baz @FOO, Jamie & Tom@ donuts;Rob, Tom & Ollie @ The Blast; Johnny & Jack@Outlook; Danna@ Takkako, Sean@ Fabric,Lee & Courtney @Muzik Hertz, James@ Detonate.

TRAP MAGAZINE, Unit 14, The Coach House, Upper York Street, Bristol BS2 8QN.

WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

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EVERYTHING WE'RE EXCITED

ABOUT RIGHT NOW...

hype

WE THE PEOPLEWe The People is a brand new

festival for Bristol, taking place on 4and 5 June. Chase & Status and TheStreets are already con@rmed to playand the festival will take place in threearenas around the city’s Harbourside.For more info:WWW.WETHEPEOPLEFESTIVAL.CO.UK

URBAN NERDSUrban Nerds will be four in May, and

to celebrate they’re planning quite aparty. On 28 May the Nerds will betaking over the legendary Scala for amassive rave full of all the bass-heavygoodness we love. Get your early birdticket now:WWW.URBANNERDS.COM

PHOTEKPhotek is back, with a stack of new

music and a load of UK tour dates linedup. A god to anyonewho experiencedthe 1990s junglemovement at its peak,recently the LA-based super producerhas turned his hand to dubstep, and istouring theUK as you read this.WWW.PHOTEK.FM

SUPREMERumours abound that New York

streetwear institution Supreme will beopening a store in London’s Soholater this year. If the whispers arecorrect, it would be the achingly-hipbrand’s @rst store outside of the USAand Japan.WWW.SUPREMENEWYORK.COM

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hype

Nottingham promoters Detonate hold the @fth instalment of their massive yearly indoor festivals on Sunday 1May. A huge eight-arena event covering all genres of electronic music, the festival takes place at venues acrossthe city including Rock City, Stealth, Rescue Rooms and The Forum. This year, Detonate have teamed up with thebest brands in the scene, with Rinse vs FWD, Hospitality, Critical Music and Digital Soundboy all hosting arenas.The line-up includes Zinc, DJ EZ, Andy C, Photek, dBridge, Redlight and many more. We at Trap will be there inforce, co-hosting the Soundboy Arena – make sure you say hello.

We have two pairs of tickets to the festival to give away, just email [email protected] withDetonate in the subject line. Winners must be over 18 and will be picked at random.

WWW.DETONATE1.COM

INDOOR FESTIVAL 2011

BOOM TOWNWe at Trap thought Boom Town

was one of those crusty, trustafarianbashes with loads of punk ska andethical goods on sale. Then we sawthe line-up. If you like reggae, makesure you reach this year’sBoom Town.WWW.BOOMTOWNFAIR.COM

R.I.P BIGGIEIt’s 14 years since the death of

Biggie Smalls. To commemorate hispassing Uno One print has unveiled adoodled-print tee in his honour.The Drst ten ordered receive a freelimited-edition print.Get yours at:WWW.UNOONEPRINT.COM

HIDEOUT FESTIVALCroatia has its fair share of UK-run

festivals these days. If you can’t waitfor Outlook in September, then checkout the inaugural Hideout in July. WithJamie XX, Toddla T, Shy FX andRedlight all conDrmed, it looks likesomething special.WWW.HIDEOUTFESTIVAL.COM

GUTTERFUNKD&B legend DJ Die is launching

a new sister label to Clear Skyz.Gutterfunk promises to be a hometo all the music Die’s feeling thatisn’t D&B, and tracks are lined upfromMensah, Laminate Radioand more.WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GUTTERFUNK

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THE NESTDalston nightclub The Nest has

been open since October last year,and has rapidly cut itself a niche inLondon’s ever-Euent nightlifescene. With a mandate to push onlythe most exciting and freshestpromotions and artists, the 350capacity venue is already home tosome of the hottest events inLondon town. Chase & Status’quarterly MTA parties deliverblockbuster secret line-ups everyfew months, while dBridge’s ExitRecords nights continually sharpenthe cutting edge, and Stop. Drop.Roll brings all sorts of bass-centricgoodness to Dalston each andevery month. Check Trap’s listingssection for further details.

WWW.ILOVETHENEST.COM

WILEY100% PUBLISHINGThe Godfather of grime is back to

remind everyone there’s more tohim than twitter, Buzzcocks and zipDle giveaways. July will see Wileyreturn to Big Dada with ‘100%Publishing’, featuring 12 tracksexclusively vocalled and producedby the East London grime original,the LP is already being hyped as hismost cohesive album to date. TheDrst single ‘Numbers In Action’ isout 16 May and features remixesfrom Toddla T and Sticky, whileWiley kicks oC his nationwide‘Elusive’ tour in April.

TWITTER:@WILEYARTIST

THE ELUSIVE TOUR5 April CLASSIC GRAND, Glasgow6 April NEWCASTLE ACADEMY 2, Newcastle7 April THE PLUG, SheFeld8 April CLUB ACADEMY, Manchester9 AprilMILLENNIUMMUSIC HALL, CardiC11 April 02 ACADEMY 2, Birmingham12 April CONCORDE 2, Brighton13 AprilWATERFRONT, Norwich14 April ISLINGTON ACADEMY, London

hype

ASHES57There are few people who take

better photos of the scene we lovethan ASHES57. Her show ‘TheMessage’ has already hit London andManchester, but March sees its arrivalat Donuts in Bristol. Featuringphotography, illustrations andmore, gocheck it now.WWW.ASHES57.COM

TODDLATToddla T has been hard at work on his

second albumover recentmonths,recording in London, She@eld and, ofcourse, Jamaica. The albumwill becalled ‘WatchMeDance’ and is out inAugust this year.Watch out for the >rstsingle, dropping inMay.WWW.TODDLAT.COM

Y-3 STOREDesigner Yohji Yamamoto and

Adidas have just opened a ?agshipstore in London for their collaborativelabel Y-3. Stocking both Men's andWomen's styles, you'll >nd theirlatest collection at 54Conduit Street.WWW.ADIDAS.COM/US/Y3

TORQUEIn May London’s Corsica

Studios will host the >rst Torqueevent in the capital. Featuring akiller line-up of D&B’s most crediblenames in room one, the secondroom delivers the likes of Bodikka,Ben UFO, Jam City and Hyetal.WWW.CORSICASTUDIOS.COM

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WEAPON OFCHOICEAfter nearly two years in their

current location, Bristol’s WeaponOf Choice gallery is relocatingacross town. The gallery is run byfamed gra@ti artist Cheba and closefriend Sam Brandt, and sinceopening back in 2009 has becomea focal point for the city’s ever-burgeoning street art scene with itsregular solo and group artist shows.The new gallery will open on 15 Apriland is located at the bottom of ParkStreet, just below the 5050 store.

WWW.WEAPONOFCHOICE-GALLERY.CO.UK

hype

If there’s two things in theworld that Trap loves, it’strainers and music. You

can imagine our reaction,then, when we got newsof these amazing Air

Force 1 speakers fromsneaker customiser

extraordinaire Alex Nash.Commissioned to helppromote Havana Club’s

‘Inspired Ingenuity’project, a competition

that challenges artists totake the everyday and

transform it intosomething special, this

pair of shoes areunfortunately not for sale.

If you fancy gettinginvolved in the contest,check the facebookgroup for details.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/HAVANACLUBUK

INSPIRED INGENUITY

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Trap has teamed up with our friendsat Outlook festival to give you and amate the chance to win tickets to thegreatest bass-music event onplanet Earth.

This year’s Outlook will once again takeplace in the incredible surroundings ofthe ruined Fort Punta Christo near Pula,Croatia, during the 3rst weekend ofSeptember, and promises to be bigger,better and bassier than ever before.With an unbelievable line-up that takesin every angle of bass-heavy music,from its Jamaican roots to itsmodern-day British manifestations,this year’s festival promises tobe unmissable.

Although still not fully announced, theline-up has to be seen to be believed,with Barrington Levy, Pharoahe Monch,MJ Cole, dBridge, Skream, Rodigan andDMZ just a handful of the legendaryicons con3rmed to play. Add to thatboat parties, day-long beach raves andendless sunshine, and you have fourdays of guaranteed bass-fuelled bliss.

To be in with a chance of winning a pairof tickets for Outlook 2011, all you needdo is become a fan of both the Trap andOutlook facebook pages, and [email protected] your name, date of birth andaddress. Winners will be chosen atrandom, but you must be over 18, ableto travel and a fan of both Trap andOutlook to qualify. Good luck.

WIN TICKETS TOOUTLOOKFESTIVAL 2011

Must-have streetwear brand Supreme hasjust dropped its much-anticipatedSpring/Summer collection for 2011.

The drop is the perfect mix of bright colours,wearable summer prints and lightweightfabrics, meaning there’s a look for anyhigh-end streetwear fan. The bright yellowvarsity jacket is top of our wish list, while otherstand out pieces include a denim button-upjacket and orange college crewneck.

For all you Supreme purists and obsessives,check out the amazing assortment of capson o1er. The classic Supreme 5-panel coversevery base this season, from colour blockbrights and classic plaids, to garish Hawaiianand animal prints.

With rumours of a Supreme store set to openin London this year, get online and cop yourpieces before you start seeing that trademarkred logo everywhere…

WWW.SUPREMENEWYORK.COM

SUPREME

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WORDS:KASHA MALYCKYJ& AMY STIFF

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Pushing the nautical look forwardinto Spring/Summer is Japanese-American brand Maiden Noir with its‘Longing For Darkness’ collection.Paying particular attention to vintagecuts and with a nod to militarystylings, the brand presents an arrayof tees, shirts, classic trousers,jackets and headwear. Trap favouritesinclude the 60/40 Field Parka and thecamo cap. Available from Canadianclothing store Haven.

WWW.HAVENSHOP.CA

MAIDENNOIRLONGINGFORDARKNESS

003

LONGCLOTHINGXBOY LONDON

We’re loving this latest collab byLong Clothing and cult 80s labelBOY London.

Combining Long’s beautifully cutshapes and edgy style with BOY’sstatement logo graphics, theseunisex t-shirts are perfect!

Prices start at £40 fromWWW.LONGCLOTHING.COM

004

STYLIST’SOWN

002

Stylist’s Own presents a collection“inspired by a time of pure opulenceand obsessed by an 80s/90s designerlifestyle”. Each garment is made fromcarefully chosen archival scarves andfabrics, which are then re-worked byhand. Ranging from graphicprinted-logo leggings to luxuriousvarsity jackets and custom Chanelcharm jewellery, Stylist’s Own is for thegirl who knows how to work classicMoschino with her favourite Nikes.

For custom requests [email protected]

WWW.SEVENSTOREBRISTOL.COM

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The biggest DJs in the game let us inon the tracks they’re playingright now…

‘ROCKWELLSHOGUN AUDIO

IN DETAIL

ICICLE ‘Under The Ice’ LP Shogun AudioI’ve been playing a lot of music from Icicle’s forthcoming LP since it was sent to me and it’sbeen going down really well. I couldn’t single out one choice cut, so I’m going to put theproject as a whole in here!

ROCKWELL ‘BTKRSH’ Shogun AudioVery glitchy and rolling, yet something a little di:erent fromme, which (hopefully!) extends myversatility as a producer. It’s a track that I’m really happy with; both the way it came out and theway it’s been received. Forthcoming on Shogun.

SUBWAVE ‘Deadhead’ DubMassive rolling techno vibes from Subwave. This literally stops people in theirtracks (in a good way, of course). I think I’ve played it in every set since I got it,and I love watching people’s reactions.

NOISIA & PHACE ‘Micro-Organism’ DubFor me, this is the perfect intro tune at the moment; it resets thevibe in anticipation for what I’m about play. Studio tech godsNoisia and Phace show that minimal drum & bass can still beboth dramatic and funky.

KEVIN RUDOLPH FT LILWAYNE, BIRDMAN &JAY SEAN ‘I Made It’ (Rockwell Dub Mix)I thought this may be consigned to thevaults, but I received a test press theother day so it should be coming onlimited pressing soon. This is myfavourite of the two mixes, withWest-Coast synths washing overyou like rays of sunshine.

PHACE & ROCKWELL ‘No!’ DubFlorian and I really went to town onthis one and created a monster!Brought to life in his studio inGermany, it’s the perfect marriage ofPhace’s funk and myquirky percussion.

UNTOLD ‘Bones’ (Rockwell Remix)A remix I did for Untold at 135bpm. I’m very happywith the outcome and this might be the ;rst of mymany experiments with slower tempos that sees thelight of day.

PHACE ‘Basic Memory’ DubThis ticks every box that I look for in a tune – fresh ideas,futuristic, original and works both on the dance<oor and onthe iPod. Stunning.

HAZARD ‘Food Fight’ PlayazThe man imitated by many raises the bar yet again, and has thewhole scene playing his latest bass heavy stepper. Immense!

ROCKWELL ‘4U’ DubI’m excited about this one. I only ;nished it last week and there won’t beany audio of it on the internet for a while, as I’m keeping it very close to mychest at the moment. It’s a big half-step synth and vocal driven tune with lotsof edits and emotion, but with very di:erent arrangement and phrasing.

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LENZMAN.METALHEADZ

1.MARCUS INTALEX FT S.P.Y. ‘Celestial Navigation’ Soul:R2. ICICLE ‘I Feel U’ Shogun Audio3. LENZMAN ‘Lazers’Metalheadz4. FD FT. COLLETTEWARREN ‘Want You’ Dub5. DUB PHIZIX ‘Shake Down’ Dub6. BROTHER & SQUASH ‘Warp Dub’ Dub7. LYNX FT SIMONWIGGINS ‘Spectre’ Detail8. SUBTERRA ‘Guttermouth’ Nu Directions9. ADELE ‘Rolling In The Deep’ (D&B Bootleg) Dub10. HEAVY 1 ‘Xiphactinus’ (Lenzman Rmx) Demand

TODDLA T. GIRLS MUSIC / NINJA TUNE

1. DES DEMURE ‘Variable’2. ROLLER EXPRESS FTWARD 21 ‘Wanted’3. TODDLA T ‘Take It Back’ (Dillon Francis Rmx)4. REDLIGHT ‘Progress’5. DJ Q ‘On A Mission’6. AFROJACK & STEVE AOKI ‘No Beef’7. SCHLACHTHOFBRONX ‘Chambacu’8.MARK PRITCHARD ‘Out In The Street’9. SIGMA FT TOP CAT ‘Special Dedication’10. CHRIS BROWN ‘Look At Me Now’

DUB BOY. STEAK HOUSE / IDLE HANDS

1. CHRISSYMURDERBOT ‘Braain’ Planet Mu2. KENYATTA ‘Clarks’ Non Fiction3. LEFTSIDE & SHAGGY ‘Jump Around’ (Dub Boy Rmx) Dub4. GORGON SOUND ‘Circles’ Steak House5.CHRISSYMURDERBOT&MCZULU ‘Vibe Is So Right’ (Atki2 Rmx)6. KAYNEWEST &MR LEXX ‘Monster’ (The Heatwave Rmx) Dub7. GORGON SOUND ‘Backchat’ Steak House8.SMILEYCULTURE ‘Police OGcer’ (Jinx In Dub &Gella Jungle Rmx)9. RIDDIM TUFFA FT DIEGOJAH ‘Dancehall Sweet’ Dub10.MUNGOS HI FI & YELLOWMAN ‘RamjamMaster’ Dub

ROSKA. RINSE FM

1. TODDSKA ‘Cowboy’ Girls Music2.MARCODEL HORNO ‘HO!’ Bullet Train Records3. KATY B FT MS DYNAMITE ‘Lights On’ Rinse4. REDLIGHT ‘Source 16’ Dub5.MA1 ‘Static’ Roska Kicks & Snares6. FUZZY LOGIK ‘Playground’ Dub7. JAM CITY ‘Magic Drops’ Night Slugs8. KRYWOLF ‘3001’ Party Like Us9. ALOE BLACC ‘Need A Dollar’ (Zinc Rmx) Stones Throw10.MELÉ ‘Trappin’ Grizzly

KASRA. CRITICAL

1. DJ DISTANCE ‘Fallin’ (Enei Rmx) Island2. S.P.Y. & KASRA ‘Surface’ Critical3. ENEI, EASTCOLORS & NOEL ‘Cracker’ (Jubei Rmx) Critical4. S.P.Y. ‘Late Night’ Dub5. PHACE ‘FreedomOf Filth’ Critical6. DUB PHIZIX ‘Break It’ Critical7. FOREIGN CONCEPT & ANILE ‘True Enemies’ Dub8. FRESH ‘Gatekeeper’ Ram9. ENEI ‘Stonehead’ Critical10. NOISIA & PHACE ‘Program’ Vision

16 BIT.MTA

1. 16BIT ‘Frzr9000’MTA2. 16BIT ‘Skullcrack’MTA3. S-X ‘Woooo Riddim’ (DJ Q Remix) Butterz4. EMALKAY ‘Fabrication’ Dub Police5. NERO ‘Crush On You’MTA6. GIL SCOTT-HERON ‘NY Is Killing Me’ (Jamie XX Rmx) XL7. EXPONAUT ‘E621’ Dub8. SKREAM ‘Rigging’ Dub9. T.E.E.D ‘Blood Pressure’ (ft Riko) Greco-Roman10. SCHLACHTHOFBRONX ‘Chambacu’Mad Decent

RESO. CIVIL MUSIC

1. NOISIA ‘Friendly Intentions’2. DUB FROMATLANTIS ‘Silly Little Things’ (Cymatic Remix)3. EMALKAY ‘Crusader’4. DUB FOUNDATIONS ‘Mr Blonde’5. LWIZ ‘Straightjacket’6.ORIOL ‘Coconut Coast’7. LITTLE DRAGON ‘Twice’8.MISANTHROP ‘Stagger’9. SYNKRO 'Open Arms'10. ELEMENTAL 'Archival'

SUPERISK. PUNCH DRUNK

1. KAHN 'Like We Used To' Punch Drunk2. JOKER 'The Vision' Dub3.MENSAH 'The Gambia' Deep Medi4. REDLIGHT ‘Source 16’ Dub5. TRC ‘Oo Aa Ee’ VIP Butterz6. DARK SKY ‘4 The Love’ Remix Top Billin’7. SUPERISK ‘Life Is Live’ Dub8. REDSKIN ‘Roll With The Punches’ Derkle Disco9.M.I.K ‘Do It’ (Kahn Remix) Dub10. SUPERISK ‘LA Gear’ Dub

‘KODE9 HYPERDUBIN DETAIL

BURIAL ‘Stolen Dog’ DubForget the big label hype boys; this is the boss in top form. Pure,delicate, transcendental bliss.

DOK ‘West Coast’ VIP Dub‘West Coast’ is a cold grime track coloured in with squiggly G-funksynths. This VIP takes the laid-back plod of DOK’s original intoangular delirium.

ZED BIAS ‘Basic Needs’ Swamp 81Tightly coiled house from the UK-garage legend, full of bit-crashedecstatic wailing and lusty android chatter.

FHLOSTON PARADIGM ‘Chasing Rainbows’ Saturn Never SleepsThis track delivers some seriously 70s synthy soundtrack vibes thatJohn Carpenter would be proud of.

HYPEWILLIAMS ‘Your Girl Smells ChungWhen SheWears Dior’Audio opium that will have you hovering several feet oC the groundwith its Duttering pitch and distant, haunted funk.

SPOOKY ‘Spartan’ (Terror Danjah Rmx)The furious original from Spooky gets the Terror Danjah turbo-chargetreatment. Terror in top gear.

LWIZ ‘442 OZ’ KapsizePurple grime/dubstep that Joker would be proud of, especiallyconsidering it’s on his label.

OSSIE ‘Moves’ HyperdubA fresh producer from East London who, here, sounds like he’s justbeen on an intense trip to LA.

DJ SPINN ‘LOL’ Planet MuThis is warm R&B-inspired juke, taken from an amazing EP.

2562 ‘Cheater’Sinuous, loose limbed broken garage from the Dutch producer’sgreat new album, Fever.

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INDOOR FESTIVAL

BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY 1ST MAY 8.30-6AMROCK CITY, THE FORUM, STEALTH & RESCUE ROOMS, NOTTINGHAM

GET TICKETS NOW!CHECK THE VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR'S FESTIVAL

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ADIDASM ATTITUDE

001

An interesting twist on a classic high top, these Adidas M Attitudesfeature cut-out trefoil panels with bright orange accents. They come aspart of a pack exclusively for the girls and also include a gold colour-way.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED, TRAP’S GONE SNEAKER CRAZY THIS ISSUE.WITH THAT IN MIND, WE THOUGHTWE’D BETTER SHOWYOUOURTOP 5 FAVOURITE KICKS FOR THIS COMING SEASON….WORDS: ADAM SCOTLAND & SAM BRANDT

KEEPRAMOS

002

We're all over the Navajo print trend here at Trap, so when we heardKeep had released a pack based around it, we couldn't wait to checkthem out. Our favourite is the Ramos, which is 8nished in a sustainablehemp canvas.

003

The Hawthorne Mid is Puma’s take on the desert boot silhouette andfeatures a premium suede upper and subtle tonal Form Stripe with thatclean Match sole.

NIKE AIR MAX 1ACG

004

Nike continues with the line-up of Air Max 1 ‘ACG’ for spring/summer2011. The shoe makes use of ACG branding on the back tab with a 3Mre9ective logo arranged in the iconic ACG triangle.

AIR JORDAN VIIORION BLUE

005

New colour up from Jordan and the second of multiple 7srumoured for this year. White, red and the pop of the Orion Bluemake for an instant classic. Check page 23 for our fullJordan feature.

PUMAHAWTHORNE MID

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FUTUREFUNK’

mensah.WORDS: JON COOKPHOTOS: ASHES57

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“EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, BUTNOT EVERYBODY BELIEVES IN THEMSELVES. I’VE ALWAYSCARRIED MYSELF IN A MANNER AS IF I WAS ALREADYDOING WHAT I WANTED, BUT I’M NOT DELUDED; I KNOWWHERE I AM. I KNOW I’M NOT DIPLO, OR WHERE JOKEROR SKREAM IS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I’M DOING WELL,AND I’VE GOT TO REMEMBER THAT. WHEN I ACHIEVESOMETHING, I’VE GOT TO SIT BACK, HAVE A CUP OF TEAAND APPRECIATE IT.”

And that’s exactly what dubstep producer Mensah is doingwhen Trap arrives at his Bristol home in early March - and rightlyso. With a bunch of releases lined up for the coming year, gigsacross the country every week and having just returned fromhis :rst tour of New Zealand, things are indeed going well forthe HENCH family member. In fact, as we settle in his studio,Mensah’s only been back from the other side of the world for aday and is still clearly making sense of an experience that willlive with him forever...

“I got to Christchurch on the Monday. It was like paradise,beautiful weather, butter;ies I’d never seen before. I was withTC and staying with Andre from Truth; a friend of mine wastravelling over there, so we all met up. We had a wicked night;then the next day we went o9 into town. We got some breakfastin a cafe, got some cigarettes and went into a shop to buysome t-shirts. Then the earth started moving.

“At :rst it was just shaking, but suddenly the ;oor startedmoving up and down, left to right. Everything started smashingin the shop. So we went to go outside, then a ladder fell in frontof the door. It was :lm shit. Dust everywhere, buildings fallingdown. We quickly realised it was serious. The cafe we’d justbeen in was totalled; gone. The tobacconist; gone. Everywherewe’d just been was gone. I didn’t know what to do, just as wewere thinking ‘should we help’, the aftershock hit andeverything started falling down. Seeing people come out therubble, crying children. It got me.

“We were supposed to be playing the following night at the uni,it was meant to be the biggest gig of the tour. But after that, wedidn’t want to do it. It was weird for us, because we were visiting;we knew we’d be leaving. That was the :rst time I’d goneanywhere that far away in my life.”

It’s a graphic tale, and although travelling to an earthquake zoneisn’t anyone’s idea of fun, being booked to play a string of gigson the other side of the world certainly is. The very fact thatMensah was in New Zealand says a lot for both his blossomingpro:le as a producer and DJ and the global impact dubstepcontinues to have.

“I watch my facebook a lot, and I’ve been noticing my fans inNew Zealand growing,” he says. “I’d been hearing so muchabout it, I couldn’t wait to go. But I think by the time I go back atthe end of this year, my pro:le will have grown a lot more.”

Looking at the facts, few could doubt such a con:dentprediction. Although 2010 saw Mensah’s star shine brightthanks to his remix of rave anthem ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy, hissolo EP for HENCH, a collaboration 12” with Noah D and hisremix of Superisk’s ‘Find Your Way’ for the mighty Punch Drunk,

I THINK A LOT OFPEOPLE WERESURPISED TO SEEME PLAY DMZ.

“

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it’s 2011 that’s set to be the Bristolian’s year. With hismuch-vaunted Sukh Knight and Squarewave collaboration,‘Quad Bikes’, just about to drop, a remix for chart-topperExample and a track for Foreign Beggars both in the works, aswell as slower paced pieces for Die’s Gutterfunk and Redlight’sLobster Boy labels, things are clearly about to step up a gear.But it’s the news of his Frst 12” for one of dubstep’s mostrevered imprints, Mala’s Deep Medi, that will really pushMensah’s stock skyward.

“I’ve got a 12” coming on Deep Medi around June time,” hesays, exhaling a plume of tobacco smoke across the room. “Itwas just a tune I made and didn’t expect anything from, it wasfor me. It’s called ‘The Gambia’. I think it’s the rhythm that Malaliked; it’s diEerent. OE the back of that, I played DMZ. I think a lotof people were surprised to see me play there; I had peoplecoming up to me saying ‘I didn’t know why they booked you, butyou dealt with it!’”

Indeed, the news of a Mensah 12” for Deep Medi will be asurprise to some. While the legendary label is renowned forputting out blissful, meditative slices of ocean-deep music,Mensah has, until now, been best known for his synth-laden,peak-time bangers such as ‘Pulse 80s’ and ‘Big Up The Goons’.But then, as we all know, a man like Mala doesn’t watch whatothers are thinking... So how did it feel to get the call from oneof dubstep’s founding fathers?

“That was a great moment for me. It’s those moments thatdeFne your career – like when Jakes took me into HENCH andPeverelist put out my remix of Superisk’s ‘Find Your Way’ onPunch Drunk. Those moments help you along the way. I have alot of respect for Mala. It’s weird, because I’m not a dubstep-from-day-dot guy, I’ve never claimed to be; I was drum & bassfor a long time; it was the people around me like Joker, ChasingShadows and Guido who got me onto dubstep. But, when youget into something, you do your homework; you go back andlisten to the old records and the history of it all. It’s clear to seewhy someone like Mala, what he did at the time he did it, is sospecial and still so highly regarded.”

With support from the dubstep scene’s highest echelonssecured, remixes for major labels Gying in and a reputation as asick DJ conFrmed with every booking, Mensah is Gying high.However, he’s clearly hungry for more. Surrounded by a hugelysuccessful pool of dubstep producers in Bristol, there’s plentyto inspire the young producer on to ever-greater success, andas we close the interview he explains a philosophy that leaveslittle doubt that his is a trajectory set for the very top.

“I’ve always known what I wanted. But it was Liam [Joker] whoreally installed something in me. When we started hanging out,he was blowing up. I’d only just started making dubstep then,but it made me think, ‘This is some cool shit, this is what I want.’He’d say ‘you’ve just gotta think positive, say and believe inwhat you want, visualise it and go get it’. There are people outthere who are way more talented than me, but I’m a hard worker;I do 16 hours a day in the studio. I know I’m not a superproducer, that’s why I’m in here so much; I wanna be thatproducer. You’ve got to believe it and go get it. It’s like, if youwant that beautiful girl, walk up to her and get her! If you’reconFdent, you can make it happen.

MENSAH, SUKH KNIGHT & SQUARWAVE ‘QUAD BIKES’IS OUT NOW ON HENCH.

ONE PARTICULAR VARIETY OF SNEAKERS IS A HOTTOPIC THIS YEAR, AND YOUWON'T HAVE TO TRAWL THEBLOGOSPHERE FOR LONG TO FIGURE OUTWHICH.2011 IS A BIG YEAR FOR THE JORDAN BRAND, WITHMORE THANONE RELEASE PLANNED FOR ALMOSTEVERYMONTHOF THE YEAR AND AWHOLE HOST OFSPECIAL-EDITIONS AND UPDATES ON CLASSICSILHOUETTES LINED UP.

Already, this year has brought the return of the Playo2 AirJordan XIII, which hadn't seen a re-release since its originalissue 13 years ago. That was accompanied the same week bythe Black History Month Jordan III, a sophisticated black andgold make-up, crafted in celebration of African-Americanhistory. The real story, though, was the return of the

white/ cement grey Air Jordan III, the OG colour-way ofarguably the most popular Jordan ever released.Unlike some footwear brands, Jordan repeatedly re-issues thesame models, but for sneaker-heads, that's no bad thing. Theoriginal Jordan releases (back when they still sported ‘Nike Air’on the heel and not the infamous Jumpman logo) havecreated a huge legacy, and even though some models arenow in their third or fourth incarnation, they’re nearly alwaysinstant sell-outs. More often than not, it's the originalcolour-ways that are the most desired… which is why this yearis so special for Jordan fans.

January’s Jordan III retro was a huge release on thesneaker-head calendar, and didn't disappoint. The kicks camepackaged in a re-working of the original black and redcement-print box, and included updated versions of the

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original design lea;et and swing tab, sending collectors andenthusiasts into frenzy. It's rare that a retro (the term used todescribe a re-released Jordan) release comes so close to theoriginal, and that's not the only treat Jordan has in-store for usthis year.

This coming 26 March will see the release of the Orion Blue AirJordan VII, an entirely new colour-way of another Jordanclassic. Despite being 19 years since the VIIs were :rstreleased, this new model carries with it all the original 90s;avour, with an almost entirely white upper and hints of redand blue.

And it doesn't stop there. Jordan has classic releases lined upfor the rest of 2011, with rumours of black/silver Vs, Bordeaux7s and black/cement IIIs (the partner to the OG white/cementretro from earlier this year) all being passed around. There’s

also speculation that 2011 will end with a Jordan XI retro, as ithas for the last two years. 2009 saw the return of the SpaceJams, and 2010 brought back the Cool Greys, but for 2011there's hope we'll see an updated version of a shoe that sits:rmly in many Jordan fans' top-tens - the Concord Air Jordan XI.

Jordan has a monumental history behind it, and although mostof today's customers weren't old enough to pick them up whenthey dropped :rst time around, the brand is still as big as ever.Michael Jordan himself has since moved on from playingbasketball to become the majority owner of the CharlotteBobcats, making him the :rst former NBA player to become amajority owner of a league franchise. His legacy lives on, andyou'll :nd it on the shelves of sneaker stores the world over.2011 is as good a time as ever to be into Jordans – if you're nota fan already, what better time to start?

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DAVIDKENNEDY’SACETATETRAP SPEAKS TO THE MAN BEHINDTHE MONIKERS ABOUT HISVINYL-ONLY NIGHT IN LEEDS.. .

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WHETHER YOU SPEND COUNTLESS HOURSBREATHING IN ITS TEXTURE OR INVEST YOURDAYS IN SEARCHING OUT SMALL, RARE ANDPRECIOUS PIECES OF IT, THERE’S NO DENYINGTHAT VINYL IS STILL A COMMODITY. RESPECTEDJOURNALIST AND KEYSOUND LABEL BOSSBLACKDOWN HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEADRECENTLY USING HIS TWITTER TO CONVERSETHAT “PEOPLE BARELY BUY VINYL, BUT ALL THENEW PRODUCERSWANT THEIR WORK ON IT.”AND IT’S TRUE. OBTAINING THAT PHYSICALPRODUCTWITH ITS CLEAR AND PRESENTWEIGHT IS A VERY REAL GOAL, AND SOMETHINGPRODUCERS SHOOT FOR EVERY DAY, BUT AS ACONSUMERIST POPULATION, WE’RE SHUNNINGIT IN FAVOUR OF A QUICK FIX DOWNLOAD;WHETHER ITS FLAC OR OTHERWISE.

However, as well as being a target for producers,vinyl has long been a true measure of a DJ, thedepth of one’s crates and the panache with whichthat DJ uses those 12” tools; and for some it’s stillmore than just a habit. David Kennedy is one suchend user, though he’s probably better known to thewider public under his production guise of PearsonSound, or as Ramadanman - the moniker he isphasing out in 2011. His commitment to the vinylmedium is somewhat obvious when you considerthat his co-run Hessle Audio label still ships qualitypressings of each release and that he’s beenrunning Acetate - a 100% vinyl-only club night atthe Wire club in Leeds, playing host to specialone-oK shows from some of bass music’s mosticonic Lgures - since October of last year.

“Part of the reason I started Acetate is because it’skind of hard to play vinyl in clubs these days. No onereally does anymore and therefore clubs don’t reallylook after their decks,” Kennedy sighs, beamingdirectly to Trap from the vestibule of a quiet coachbound for London’s Kings Cross. “It isn’t so much astatement that you can’t play CDs, there’s no bigsign in the booth saying ‘NO CDJs’ or whatever, it’smore just the people playing wanting to bring a bigbox of records and have fun.”

Coined by Kennedy, the second third of the Hessleconglomerate, with Ben UFO and Floating Points,Acetate was reportedly something of a naturalprogression after the dissolution of the RuKagenight, which was also held at Wire.

“When RuKage Lnished we didn’t have plans to doanother night, but after chatting to Floating Pointsand Ben we thought it’d just be fun to play sometunes. It was all quite casual,” he quips politely.“I think part of the idea was just creating a party thatpeople wanted to play at, to not just see it asanother gig that they have to do. There’s not reallyany money in it, it’s all quite laid back but [as a DJ]

I think it’s refreshing to have those gigs; whereyou’re not pressured to play upfront stuK. You don’thave any pressures to play any particular kind oftunes and I think that’s the vibe of the night really.”

Kennedy’s illusions have been more than cementedby the calibre of the artists willing to travel andindulge their record collections. Having only donefour parties at the time of this interview, and afterhaving invited Floating Points for the Lrst session,Acetate has welcomed players such as Loefah,Appleblim, Joy Orbison, Kode 9 and Jackmaster,all of whom are big, in-demand DJs and labelbosses who possess the musical scope and recordcollection that can truly stand up to the task.

“Everyone who’s played the party has, I think, reallyenjoyed the afternoon before the gig, rummagingthrough all their old crates and digging out somestuK. I think [Hessle Audio signing] Joe actually cutsome dubs for the night and I think a couple ofother people have cut things especially, which hasbeen really nice,” he audibly enthuses, talking overthe distant metallic kerfuMe in the background.“I was like ‘What, you’re cutting bits just for tonight!?’I mean, that’s what people used to do for DMZ!You’d have DMZ on the weekend and a few daysbefore the night everyone’d be down at Transitioncutting that special dub for that party. I rememberbeing in there when so many people were passingthrough and I’m very honoured to be having DJs dothat for Acetate.”

Whilst indulging the historical core of his musicalgenesis at every possible juncture – reminiscingover cutting sessions, often ending his club setswith 140 bpm dubstep tracks and including classicssuch as Pinch’s ‘Qwaali’ on his soon to be releasedFABRICLIVE 56 mix – Kennedy is open and honestabout the (un)practicality of vinyl-only sets. Regalingus with stories of a four-and-a half-hour set theweekend before and embellishing his commitmentto sound quality, revealing that he tries to only everplay mastered material, his train of thought wandersoK into a touching soliloquy about rotary mixers but,again, he’s quick to point out the schematic behindthe night.

“I think there’s a danger of it turning into a gimmick,”he oKers. “Like saying ‘playing a vinyl-only set’ is aspecial occasion, which is how it’s almost become.I’ve seen people being billed at a club night as‘100% vinyl set’… That was my only concern withAcetate, I mean, that’s its selling point; I would neverreally want to phrase it as that but that’s part ofmakes the night special, isn’t it?”

THE NEXT ACETATE IS ON 6 MAYWITH SVENWEISMANN AND ONEMAN JOINING KENNEDY.

FABRICLIVE 56 PEARSON SOUND/RAMADANMAN IS OUT 14 MARCH

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WHILE YOU MAY NOT RECOGNISE THE NAME DADDISON IMMEDIATELY, SOMEWHERE, AT SOME POINT, WE’REPRETTY SURE YOU WILL HAVE SEEN SOME OF HIS WORK. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE SHEFFIELD-RAISED,LONDON/BRISTOL/BERLIN-BASED ARTIST HAS WORKED FOR EVERYONE FROM INDEPENDENT SHOPS, PUBS ANDBARS, TO THE LIKES OF NIXON WATCHES, FABRIC AND, MORE RECENTLY, EASTPACK AND RALPH LAUREN.

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’DADDISON

PHOTO: WWW.CHARLESEMERSON.CO.UK

WITH A UNIQUE, INSTANTLY RECOGNISABLE STYLETHAT MAKES PROMINENT USE OF HAND-DRAWNTYPEFACES, BOLD GRAPHICS AND IRREGULARPATTERNS, DADDISON’S KALEIDOSCOPIC DESIGNS ANDARTWORKS HAVE A DOODLISH, NEAR-CHILDLIKEQUALITY THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY CHARMS ANDINTRIGUES. ALTHOUGH HAVING ONLY JUST TOUCHEDDOWN FROM AWEEKWORKING IN PARIS, DADDISONMADE TIME FOR A QUICK CHATWITH TRAP ABOUT LIFEAS A PROFESSIONAL SCRIBBLER...

How did you begin your career?“I did a graphic design course at uni, but I got bad grades dueto not paying attention to what I was supposed to be doing.My 5nal project was pretty much a fashion project. After thatI started playing records out, doing a night and designing6yers. It was working with Kung Fu [seminal London hip-hopnight] that led to me getting introduced to certain people atthe right time and things spiralled from there. It was aroundthat time I started doing web stu4 to pay the bills.”

How would you describe yourself? Artist? Designer?“I wanna call myself an artist, but I 5nd that word a bitembarrassing or pretentious. I’m a bit of everything really -designer, illustrator, painter. I still kinda think of myself asunemployed - like not having a ‘proper’ job - even though I’mfar busier than nearly everyone I know.

How would you describe your style and what you do?“I’d describe my art as kinda naive, wobbly hand-drawn stu4,in as many mediums and materials as I have time for.”

What inspires you and your work?“Music, the need to get paid and deadlines. I’ve been tryingto read a bit more recently, ‘cause I realised that certainwords or phrases can really set something o4. I don’t reallylook at anyone’s work that is even vaguely similar to me;consciously or not, elements will creep in, and the last thing Iwanna seem like is a biter.”

You’ve recently been out in Paris working on some designsfor Ralph Lauren. Can you tell us more?“I’ve just got back from working on it. It was 5ve 12-hour daysin a freezing cold studio. An agency I do a bit of work with puttogether a project for Polo with an open call for submissions.It was suggested that I enter by certain people and I guessthey liked what I did.”

And you’ve done some sick designs for the Eastpack artiststudio project...“Yeah, I did a print for a group show at the Eastpack store onCarnaby Street. After that, they had this charity projectcoming up that I said I’d do; I didn’t really think about it at thetime and the bags I painted were done in a mad rush whileout in Berlin, then posted over. I think we’re submitting somemore toned down designs to possibly go into production.”

You’ve worked with some impressive brands, who wouldyou love to work with next?“I’m still waiting for a call from Nike; there’ve been a fewthings with them that have almost happened but fell through.And I de5nitely want to do more ‘proper’ gallery stu4 - likedoing exhibitions in places that normally show the moreconceptual or wankery side of the art world, rather thanstreet art stu4. I’m scheming for Saatchi money, basically.”

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DEEP IN THE HEART OF CENTRAL LONDON,A STONE’S THROW FROMWESTMINSTER AND BENEATHTHE SHIFTING SHADOWOF THE LONDON EYE, SITS ONEOF THE CAPITAL’S GRANDEST BUILDINGS. THE OLDCOUNTY HALL, ONCE THE SEAT OF LONDON COUNTYCOUNCIL, IS AN IMMENSE BUILDING FULL OFMARBLEPILLARS AND ELABORATE STAIRCASES. NOW RELIEVEDOF ITS CIVIC DUTIES, THIS PRIME PIECE OF REALESTATE HOUSES A HOTEL, RESTAURANTS, A MUSEUMAND, IN THE DEPTHS OF ITS BASEMENT, THEHEADQUARTERS OF PWL – THE PRODUCTION COMPANYRESPONSIBLE FOR LAUNCHING THE CAREERS OFMANY ASACCHARINE-SWEET 80S POP STAR, AND OWNED BYLEGENDARY RECORD PRODUCER, POP IDOL JUDGE ANDTRAIN-SPOTTER PETEWATERMAN.

It’s the last place on earth you’d expect to Lnd a dubstep anddrum & bass producer with a reputation for forging some of thedeepest and most credible music around. But here, in a studiotucked away behind the walls of platinum and gold discs,28-year-old James Boyle can be found almost every day,producing some of the most exciting bass-driven music on theplanet. Confused? We most certainly were as we got closer tothe address we’d be given and realised just exactly where itwas we were meeting the man known as Breakage.

Greeting Trap at the building’s huge doors, Breakage cuts astylish Lgure in his smartly-cut coat and buzzes with the kind ofenergy that only the very busiest possess. We cross the roadto grab a coKee and a taxi pulls up, from which no less thanjungle legend and Digital Soundboy boss Shy FX jumps outwith American DJ and producer B-Traits. CoKees bought, wecross back to County Hall and pass Will from Chase & Statuson his way out of the doors. As we make our way to the PWLstudios below, wondering which bass-music superstar we’llcross paths with next, Breakage explains he’s not the onlyunlikely tenant of Pete Waterman’s central London studios.

“Down here now, there’s Shy and Chase & Status downstairs,and then me, Nero, Sub Focus and Caspa in this one corridorhere,” he says in his unmistakable South-London accent,scanning a key-pass on the door to his studio. “Having a placelike this to work is great, but it’s more than that. Having peoplelike Chase & Status down the hall, getting to Number Two in thealbum charts, it pushes you on. Not that chart positions orsales really bother me, but they’ve pushed themselves so hard.And it’s the same for Shy; he pushes himself, Sub Focus – all ofthese guys down here. It’s nice to have energy around you, youneed that energy and inspiration to grow and push forward.I remember chatting to Photek years ago, and him telling methat those amazing tunes that came out on Metalheadz; it wasjust a competition between the producers. It was the samewith Full Cycle. That’s what keeps a scene going; you hearsomeone else’s tune, and think I’ve gotta better that!Everybody had that friendly competition in their head backthen, and I think that’s what we have here. When you don’t havethat around you, your inspiration gets sucked out of you.”

That sense of competition is clearly already rubbing oK onBreakage, having joined the likes of Nero, Shy and, of course,C&S with his latest single denting the UK Top Twenty andreceiving plenty of day-time Radio One play. Featuring thevocals of singer Jess Mills, ‘Fighting Fire’ is the perfectbalance of commercial and credible, and with its dubsteptempo, 4/4 beats and trance-inspired riK, is a bold illustration ofhow far Breakage has come since his early ultra-undergrounddrum & bass beginnings a decade ago.

“I met Jess through our mangers,” he says. “One day wehooked up, sat and listened to a lot of music together, workedout what we each liked. She doesn’t do dance music, shelistens to it, but her music is more than just that. I played her aloop I had that was just the riK from ‘Fighting Fire’, with a 4/4beat and a conga loop, and said ‘You reckon you could dosomething for that?’ She said ‘Yeh, I’ll give it a go.’ A few dayslater, she emailed me a demo version and I was like; ‘That’sperfect.’ Then she came back down and we recorded it reallyfast. It came together so easily, almost eKortlessly.Now we’re working on her album.”

‘Fighting Fire’ is the Lrst new material to come from Breakagesince his groundbreaking LP of last year, ‘Foundation’. Thatalbum, with its vocal-heavy mix of dubstep, grime, D&B andmore announced the arrival of Breakage the artist, winning himmasses of new fans with tracks such as the Newham Generalscollaboration ‘Hard’ and ‘Speechless’ with Donaeo. Since then,Breakage has continued to establish himself as one of the veryLnest producers in electronic music and has managed toachieve modest main-stream success and plaudits withoutever having sacriLced credibility. Breakage is the kind of artistwho can have a crowd of 1,000 sweaty kids undulating madlyto his ‘Riverside’ remix at Fabric, yet still have the verybeardiest of music snobs admiring the depth of his sonic craft.

Despite an astonishing Lve of his tracks being lauded as the‘Greatest Record In The World Right Now’ by Radio Onetaste-maker Zane Lowe in the last year (‘Fighting Fire’included), it’s clear that Breakage is still coming to terms withthe elevation of his status from underground hero tochart-troubling producer.

“It’s new ground for me; it’s kind of cool, kind of scary.Everyone else seems to be a lot more excited than I am.I’m happy, but I’m not content. Even if I went to Number One,out of all the people that would be happy, I’d be the least out ofeveryone. I’d be thinking about what I need to do next. You can’tjust go: ‘Right, got a tune in the charts, that’s me done for theyear.’ I want to better myself with every tune. This album I’mworking on now; it’s got to be better than the last album. Thissingle needs to be better than that. I just have to push myself,otherwise things get stagnant...”

So is that something that’s happened before?

“Yeah,” he replies without hesitation. “You get complacent; youget too comfortable, you’re happy with the praise you’regetting. You’re not thinking ‘How can I push this further?’ Forages, I thought, ‘I don’t have to get a job!’ But then, I startedthinking ‘If I treat this more like a job, I could actually get to aneven higher level.’ When I was younger, I used to think ‘Oh,maybe one day I’ll be able to release a tune and people will payme to go and DJ and pay to see me.’ And I got that. But onceyou get that Lrst foot in the door, you can do so much more.But I just didn’t think about it for years, I was happy with where Iwas at. And then one day, I thought ‘Wait a minute, I couldactually step things up and do all the things I’ve always wantedto do.’” The proof of this change in attitude comes from aglance at Breakage’s discography. It was after he’d linked upwith Shy FX and his anything-goes Digital Soundboy imprint in2007 that the Breakage we now know Lrst began to appear.Prior to his Lrst release for Shy, Breakage was known solely forhis deep, break-centric, dub-inspired releases for esotericdrum & bass labels such as Inperspective and Bassbin (forwhom he produced his Lrst album ‘This Too Shall Pass’ in 2006)Although worshipped by puritanical D&B heads for tracks suchas ‘So Vain’ and ‘Mars’, little was known of the South London

I WANT TO BETTERMYSELF WITH EVERY TUNE.I HAVE TO PUSH MYSELF,OTHERWISE THINGSGET STAGNANT.

“

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producer beyond the most underground corners of thatscene. However, after signing for Soundboy in 2007, within ayear his Grst dubstep tracks surfaced on the genre-shiftinglabel and the wider world began to take notice, ready for thearrival of ‘Foundation’ in 2010.

“Things changed when I came back from America. I had anamazing time there, but I got complacent. I got happy withDJing, getting up, watching TV for a bit, making a tune. I wasworking on the album for Soundboy, it was getting Gnished, itbothered me slightly, but there were no alarm bells. It was avery easy lifestyle; there was no real pressure on me to doanything... Then Shy started giving me a kick up the arse.That’s when I started thinking, ‘I can carry on as I am, and seehow long my luck lasts, or I can really go for it.’”

A lot has been said of Shy FX so far, and the frequency withwhich Breakage mentions his label boss’s name is indicative ofthe role the Soundboy founder has had in helping Breakage torealise his potential. When asked about his shift towardsdubstep, it’s unsurprising to hear how the ever forward-thinking Shy FX supported Breakage in his push forward.

“Even when I was on Bassbin, me and Shy were chatting. He’dstarted the label, he expressed an interest in my stuF and wewent from there. Then one day, he asked me about an album.Then I started making more and more dubstep. I said to Shy,‘I’m making some dubstep’. He instantly said, ‘Cool, I likedubstep. If it’s good then that’s cool.’ That seems to be thething with Shy; if I made some house, and it was good, he’d putit out. I think that’s one thing that Shy has over almost anyoneelse. Most labels, especially those from a D&B background,they’re limited. They think ‘We’re not known for this music,’ andthey’ll start a new label for it. Why? How about just do a label.A record label is a label, not a tempo.”

This perspective is obviously something shared with howBreakage sees himself; as an artist, not a tempo. As one of theonly original D&B producers to truly establish himself as acredible force in dubstep, the switch from 174 to 140bpm wasa natural step for Breakage, with his Grst excursion into thegenre getting cut to dubplate immediately by no less thanDigital Mystikz’s Mala.

“I remember when I Grst moved out to America, I wasconstantly going back to the UK, making sure I didn’t fall oF themusical map. One of mymates, Georgina Cook who doesDrumz of the South, said ‘You should go to this night, DMZ. It’sreally interesting, it’s this music called dubstep that’s juststarted.’ I didn’t go. Months later, I started to see pictures ofMala, who went to the same school as me, and Skream, whowas the kid from Big Apple, Pokes and Loefah... I thought ‘Halfof Croydon is in this scene!’ I started listening to it; I came to ita bit late, but I’d already started going down that minimal route,which is why Georgina knew I’d love it. I started to realise ‘Thisis pretty much what I make, just slower.’ So I started trying tomake it. I listened to more and more and realised, as long as itsounds good, you can do whatever. I made my Grst tune, sent itto Mala. He cut it. I thought ‘I’m in!’ I’d wanted to makesomething along those lines for a while. This was music thatyou could make overly bassy, thin drums, whatever. You couldgo for it, make what you want and there was no rules. I lovedthat aspect of it – I’m a big production geek, but I’m a fan ofstuF sounding right. There’s a place for limited super loudmusic, and there’s a place for stuF that breathes too. I think forme, the whole 170bpm D&B thing; it’s a bit fast sometimes...”

This last sentence says a lot about how far Breakage has comeboth as an artist and an individual since his early days as aproducer of one of D&B’s most challenging styles.The evolution displayed between a track such as hisjungle-inHected debut for Bassbin ‘Disco 45’ and the tranceinspired, 4/4 groove of ‘Fighting Fire’ is astonishing. With that inmind, as he switches oF the air con, steps back into his coatand zips his MacBook securely into its case, there’s just time toask Breakage if his 17-year-old, D&B obsessed self would haveever imagined he’d end up making the music he does now?

“Well, I remember when I was working on ‘Foundation’, I wastrying to do a tune with Benga for it, and he came picked meup,” he recalls. “We were chatting on the way and, I said to him‘I’ve got a really strong feeling that everything’s gonna go kindahousey over the next few years.’ He looked at me and said‘Yep!’ We got to his and he started playing me tracks like ‘On AMission’ and I was like ‘Mate!’ We started making a tune, and Ikid you not, it was the most trance tune ever. This was twoyears ago. It was full-on trance, we were in his room thinking‘This is banging, but people aren’t gonna be able to bridge thegap; they’ll think we’ve lost it!’ So we deleted it. But things havechanged now; everything’s open and the connections havebeen made. Two years ago, that tune worried me. But now it’sall open – we can do whatever – and if that was two years ago...who knows what to expect next...”

CATCH BREAKAGE ON TOURTHROUGHOUT THE UKTHIS SUMMER.

2010WAS AMASSIVE YEAR FOR PMONEY.AS FANS EAGERLY AWAITED A FOLLOW-UP TO THEBREAKTHROUGH ALBUM ‘MONEY OVEREVERYONE’, NEW FOLLOWERS STARTED TAKINGNOTE AS THE SOUTH LONDON GRIMEMCMADESERIOUSWAVES IN THE DUBSTEP SCENE ANDBEYONDWITH HIS TRUE TIGER COLLABORATION‘SLANG LIKE THIS’ AND VOCALLINGS OFSWERVE’S ‘HO! RIDDIM’ REMIX AND DOCTOR P’SINFAMOUS ‘SWEET SHOP’.

With a landslide victory in the grime clash of the year(rendering Ghettz a near myth) and a spot in MTV’sTop 10 UK MCs 2010, all eyes are on P Money to seewhat he’ll deliver next. Sophie Thomas tracked downthe man behind the Money to chat upcoming releases,Rinse FM and the importance of quality production.

These days, you’re known just as well in the dubstepscene as you are in grime. Beyond that, yourcollaboration with Starkey on ‘Numb’ last year was adi7erent sound for you to work with. Do you have apreference when it comes to the beats you work with?“I enjoy spitting over beats like that just as much asgrime. When I 6rst heard that beat, I wasn’t sure at 6rstbut I thought, “Let me just sit down and empty my headand 7ow to it.” And that’s what happened. I just startedspeaking about normal stu5 and listening to thebeat - that’s how I came to the chorus, which is aboutlistening to the kick of the drum. I was just talking aboutwhat was going on around me; at one point I talk aboutmymum shouting at me to do the washing up.It’s a personal tune. Beats like that bring something elseout in you.”

What sorts of production attract and inspire you towrite bars for them?“Sometimes I like bassy tunes with a simple beat - so Ican be heard. Dubstep drum patterns are slow, whichallows me to say clever things. Sometimes I don’t evenlisten to certain sounds on the beat, I’ll just write bars tothe drum pattern. A lot of MCs don’t know what theysound good on; just because a beat is sick, doesn’tmean you’re going to sound sick on it. They’ll vocal itand wonder why they’re not getting paid. The amount oftimes I’ve said to people at radio, “Spray this lyric on thisbeat” and it works… I don’t know, I think I’ve got a goodear for music.”

Can you tell us a bit about your upcoming mixtapecollaboration with fellow O.Gz member, Blacks?“It’s just a CD to give everyone for now, until wecomplete our solo projects. We’ve got quite a fewpeople on the beats. From the grime side of things,we’ve got the regulars like Silencer and Royal T. For thedubstep, we’ve got Doctor P and a bit of Sukh Knight.

WORDS: SOPHIE THOMAS PHOTO: VERENA STEFANIEP MONEY

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IT’S NOTJUSTABOUTYOU;YOURFANS AREYOURCAREER.

We’ve actually done something over The Prodigy beaton ‘Smack My Bitch Up’ - it’s one of those ‘go wild’ ones;it’s going to bring the same energy as ‘Slang Like This’.

Will that be a free mixtape? What do you think aboutMCs releasing mad amounts of free material? Is itdiluting the scene?“No, the mixtape’s not going to be free, but I think freegiveaways are needed. It’s not just about you; your fansare your career. They deserve something free. Youcould be the sickest MC but the public might not evenknow you. Imagine you give them something for freethat’s sick - they’re going to think, “Wow”. And thenwhen you bring out something that they’ve got to buy,they’ll be happy to.”

A lot of MCs have neglected radio since breakingthrough, but you’re still regularly on RinseFM shows.Why is radio still such an important platform for you?“Radio is what makes you. The way I see it, you can’tabandon that. That’s where you get your diehard fanbase, that’s where your listeners are. If you’re not doinganything, your fans have nothing to follow, noconnection with you. Of course, sometimes you need abreak to pull back and work on a project, but you can’tjust disappear. People are mad to think they’re too bigfor radio. You’re never too big for radio.”

You’ve been working with Elijah and Skilliam Butterz alot recently; on radio, at parties and on productions.Are you excited by the reaction that’s come from it all?“Yeah, of course. It’s a powerful collaboration. Even ontheir radio show, they’ll bring people on that you’d neverexpect. They’re organised, a lot more people need to belike them. They’re not just DJs; they’re putting outmusic, they’re setting stu7 up, they’re bringing peopleover for special sets… I think they hold a lot of weightand I think they need a lot more recognition for whatthey do.”

Tell us a bit about the upcoming ‘Boo You’ trackfeaturing Blacks and Slickman (Mr Party). It’s the 7rstvocalled beat to come out on Butterz, right?“Yeah, Royal T has remixed a TRC instrumental and I’vevocalled it with Blacks and an old-school MC calledMr Party – people might know him from being on setswith Jammer back in the day. Because the beat’s kindof garage, we just gave it a Neutrino vibe and I broughtout an old-school kind of 9ow. I had the bars writtenfrom time ago; as soon as you hear it, you’ll recognisethe So Solid lyric.”

And 7nally, it seems like 2011 is the year for Grime tobreak through across the pond. Have you been to theUS yet?I want to go, I don’t know when, but I de8nitely want to.I’ve been getting a lot of feedback from America, addingme on the fanpage and buying mymusic or whatever.There’s this Canadian MC right now called Tre Missionand he’s the 8rst international person I’ve heard that isproper grime. And not an American rapper trying to dogrime, he’s fully grime. That just shows that there is UKinspiration out there. The eye is on us. Personally, I thinkif people stopped wasting time looking over there, theywould realise that it was always here.”

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TRAPSTARkeeping it secret...

LONDON-BORN FASHION BRAND TRAPSTAR HASESTABLISHED ITSELF AT THE TOP OF THE HIGH-ENDSTREETWEAR MARKET WHERE MANY OTHERS HAVEFAILED. WITH JUST THE RIGHT COMBINATION OFEXCLUSIVITY AND QUALITY, EVERYONE FROMHOME-GROWN GRIME MCS AND ACTORS, TOINTERNATIONAL SUPERSTARS SUCH AS RIHANNA ANDLUPE FIASCO HAVE BEEN SPOTTED WEARINGTRAPSTAR GARMENTS.

’’

WORDS: KASHA MALYCKYJ.

Conceived with the ethos that there’s ‘a star trapped withineveryone’ and sighting a broad pool of in7uences, fromcinematography to contemporary art, Trapstar producescollections that it’s loyal fans can wear with the assurancethat they won’t see every next person rocking thesame item.

Since its beginnings back in 2006, the brand has extendedits style repertoire beyond the graphic tees and sweats thatbuilt its name, with an impressive range of tailored coats,varsity jackets and a small collection of womenswear, aswell as a collaboration with G-Shock watches. You can 6ndall these items in the 7agship Trapstar store in West Londonthat, with its combination of bright red décor, sleek,minimalist lines and antique pieces, re7ect the style of thebrand perfectly. We grabbed a few quick words with Mikey,Trapstar’s Creative Director and one of the brand’soriginal founders.

How did Trapstar start?“It was a mistake really, we (the other members ofTrapstar are co- founder Will and graphic designer Jeng)weren’t happy with what was available to buy at the time,so I started to make some tees for us to wear. We thenstarted giving them out to close friends and family andthen friends of friends wanted one and so on. You had to

know someone to get one and, as the demand fromoutside our circle got bigger, we knew we wereonto something.”

Why was secrecy and exclusivity so important tothe brand?“We didn’t want to stock in stores at 6rst and we alsofound stores didn’t want to take on new brands -especially those that wanted to remain a secret like us -so we came up with the invasion concept. We would takeover a store for a day and sell our collections for thatlimited time, which not only gave us an outlet to sell, butalso introduced the brand to people who weren’t familiarwith it yet.”

So it’s not about that all-important paper?“No we weren’t looking to make a mass pro6t and itwasn’t about following any fashion trends. We justwanted to make clothes that we would wear ourselvesand I think that’s why the brand has worked, because thepassion and the quality are there. I know it may soundsel6sh, but we still design with ourselves in mind andthat’s why we continue to produce good stu5; we won’tput anything out there we wouldn’t wear ourselves.”

Trapstar launch a new collection at the end of March.WWW.IAMATRAPSTAR.COM

George wears:

Shirt: Carhartt £55Trousers: Dickies £49.99 at CooshtiTie and belt: VintageStussy X Nike All Court £80 at The Hideout

SHIRTS AND SHOES.Casual tailoring withathletic footwear.Trap switches up the stylesfor a fresh look this Spring.PHOTOGRAPHY: Shifteye Photography.facebook.com/shifteyephotographySTYLED BY: Kasha Malyckyj.Assisted by Charlotte James.MAKE UP: Zoe Lodde.MALE HAIR: Harry Blades.

Laya wears:

Silk shirt: Blue Rinse £24Trousers: Miss Selfridge £36Nike X Liberty Blazers

George wears:

Shirt: Carhartt £60Trousers: ‘Sid Pants’ Carhartt £70Reebok GL 6000 £69.99 at Cooshti

Laya wears:

Silk Cami: VintagePleated Skirt: River Island £24.99Nike Gladiators £49.99 at Cooshti

George wears:

Selvedge Denim Shirt: Edwin £75 at CooshtiTrousers: Dickies £49.99 at CooshtiBelt: Motel Vintage £18Air Jordan 3 £100

Laya wears:

Crop top: Topshop £16Balet Skirt: VintageY3 Adidas Blazer: Stylists ownVans Authentics £37.99

George wears:

Shirt: Carhartt £50Trousers: Dickies £49.99 at CooshtiAdidas Originals Attitude £59.99 at Cooshti

Laya wears:

Silk shirt: Blue Rinse £24Trousers: Miss Selfridge £36Adidas Originals Charms (worn as necklace)Nike Air Max 1’s £89.99 at Cooshti

STOCKISTS:

Adidas Originalswww.adidas.com/originals

020 7379 4042

Blue Rinse Vintagewww.bluerinseleeds.co.uk

01132451735

Carharttwww.thecarharttstore.co.uk

020 7836 5659

Cooshtiwww.cooshti.com

0117 9290850

Libertywww.liberty.co.uk

020 7734 1234

Nikewww.nike.com

Niketown London020 7612 0800

Motelwww.motelrocks.com

0117 934 9173

River Islandwww.riverisland.com

020 8991 4500

Miss Selfridgewww.missselfridge.com

Reebokwww.reebok.com

020 7240 8689

The Hideoutwww.hideoutstore.com

020 7437 4929

Topshopwww.topshop.com

020 7636 7700

Vanswww.vans.com

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HAILING FROM THE DUTCH CITY OF EINDHOVEN,JEROEN SNIK AKA ICICLE, IS KNOWN PRIMARILYFOR HIS D&B OUTPUT, ROLLING OUT HIS OWNICONIC DEEP, DARK SOUND AS PART OF FRICTION’SSHOGUN AUDIO CAMP AND FOR A CLUTCH OFOTHER ULTRA-CREDIBLE DRUM & BASS IMPRINTS.

HOWEVER, OVER THE LAST YEAR, ICICLE’S WORKAROUND THE 140BPMMARK HAS BEEN CAUSINGQUITE SOME STIR AMONG THE DUBSTEPFRATERNITY. 2010 SAW THE RELEASE OF ‘ANYTHING’FOR THE MIGHTY TEMPA, AND THE MUCH VAUNTED‘MINIMAL DUB’ FOR SHOGUN, SETTING THESTANDARD FOR CUTS SUCH AS ‘BREATHING AGAIN’(WHICH FEATURES ON HIS FORTHCOMING ALBUM).BLENDING D&B AND DUBSTEPWITH ANUNMISTAKABLE TECHNO INFLUENCE, THEAFOREMENTIONED ALBUM, ‘UNDER THE ICE’,DELIVERS COLLABORATIONSWITH ROBERT OWENS,SP:MC, DRS AND PROXIMA, AND STANDS AS ACULMINATION OF ICICLE’S ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE.TRAP CAUGHT UPWITH THE DUTCH PRODUCER ON ASUITABLY COLD FEBRUARY DAY AND SET ABOUTDIGGING DOWN BENEATH THE ICE TODISCOVER MORE…

ICICLEHANGINGTIGHT’

WORDS: BELINDA ROWSEPHOTO: JEAN-LUC BROUARD

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I guess everyone always piles on the ‘ice cold’ punsaround your name. Having said that, ‘Dreadnaught’ is aTrap favourite and ‘26 Degrees Below Sub Zero’ ispretty cold! What's the coldest you've ever been?

Icicle: “I once got caught in a snowstorm in France when Iwas snowboarding. I couldn’t see more than a few yardsand got loads of snow in my hair. That snow partiallymelted and froze up again. I remember sitting in front of a<re afterwards with my head forward and these big lumpsof ice slowly falling frommy hair.”

Your debut album ‘Under The Ice’ is out soon. You’vementioned before a desire to create a diverse butcohesive LP that isn’t just a string of singles – was it achallenging process putting the album together?

“If it wasn’t challenging, it wouldn’t have been goodenough. It took me about two years to write all the tracks.At points it felt like I was closer to dropping it all andmoving back to Holland than actually <nishing it. I tried toput all my in=uences into it, together with my idea ofmodern bass-music and thedirections I think it should go in.”

On that note, we just want to clear up a couple ofrumours… Firstly, is it true that originally you wanted alot more techno/dubstep content for your album but itgot axed?

“Haha, I love techno a lot. I would love to make a technoalbum, but it’s a very di;erent kind of music; an albumalternating between techno and D&B may lose a lot ofthe =ow and its listen-ability. It’s true that some of thetechno I wrote for the album didn’t make it, but that wasbecause it sounded out of place.”

YOU NEED TO SEE THE RELATIVEPROPORTIONS OF THE PARTS THATMAKE UP THE WHOLE TOUNDERSTAND THE BEAUTY OF IT.

Secondly, we heard that you were lined up to do a FACTmix but it got pulled when they found out you were aD&B artist – is that true?

“Wow, you guys are on it! As far as I’m aware there was apossible slot reserved for me but it didn’t work out timingwise. I haven’t really chased that up, but I can hardlybelieve it was anything to do with the fact I predominantlymake D&B.”

Increasingly, D&B artists are diversifying into the slowertempos (Alix Perez as ARP 101, Al Instra:mental asBoddika). Do you produce under another moniker?

“Having a second alias is a great way to put music outthere in a di;erent context. I’m not doing it, but have beenconsidering it for a while. I had the album as mymainfocus for a long time, but I guess there’s a bit more time

“

now for those kinds of projects. So, at the risk ofsounding like a clichéd promoter, watch this space…”

You’ve got a show on RinseFM. Do you think that’shelped to build your proBle and reach a new audience?“I have about four scheduled shows a year. In reality,though, I also do a few shows with Youngsta andsometimes cover for other people if I’m free. Rinse is agreat way to boost your audience. I guess a lot of peoplewith a general interest in London’s underground dancemusic listen to it; make sure you mention your twitteraccount loads and more people pick up on you.”

We’ve also heard that you’re an ace mathematician.There have always been theories about the intrinsiclinks between maths and music - is this something thathas helped your production, personally?

“You know, I hate mathematics but I have studied it a lot.It’s just a tool in my opinion and mostly carried out a lotbetter by machines than people. But there are someinteresting similarities with music, no doubt. There’s asystem behind music, rhythmic and chromatic; it helps torealise that if you don’t want to fall in the ‘happy accident’category of producers. I think in general you need to beable to see the relations and relative proportions of theparts that make up the whole to understand the beautyof it.”

You live in a bit of a creative hub with a bunch of otherD&B producers in North London. Do you all get togetherand give each other ideas and advice on your work?

“I think what we do more than anything else up here is getdrunk a few too many nights of the week. We’ll talk aboutmusic and gear and tricks but that’s kind of a dryconversation. It is nice to live among people that do thesame thing as you, though, because you can moan aboutstu; and they understand!”

Talking of ideas and inspirations – who/what would youcite as key inCuences?

“For D&B, it’s always been a combination of SourceDirect, Photek, Jonny L, Virus, Metalheadz and Certi<cate18… But speaking outside of D&B, it gets a lot harder.Tonnes of techno artists; recently Shed has just beenhurting me so much. I used to listen to lots of old jazz,anything Davis or Coltrane will do. And also, just soundsyou pick up from TV or randommusic etc that make youwonder how they were made and inspire you to havea go.”

And Bnally, can you summarise ‘Under The Ice’ for us inBve words?

“Music beyond characterless rollers for DJs…ahh, that’s six!”

‘UNDER THE ICE’ IS OUT NOWON SHOGUN AUDIO.FOLLOW ICICLE ON TWITTER @ICICLEMUSIC

ESSENTIAL LISTENING.

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.UKFAULTLESSLY COMBINED, IT’S

WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THEFINEST MOMENTS IN THEILLUSTRIOUS SERIES SO FAR.“

REVIEWED BY: BASSMUSIC BLOG, SAM COLLENETTE,DUB BOY, LEYLA EROGLU, DAVE COTGRAVE,JERYLWILTON, FIREMAN SAM, JUSTIN IRIAJEN,JON COOK, SEAN KELLY.

REVIEW GUIDE: DRUM & BASS DUBSTEP HOUSE/FUNKY GRIME/HIP HOP DANCEHALL/REGGAE

FABRICLIVE 56Pearson Sound / Ramadanman(Fabric)

Despite being a mixed compilation, thelatest instalment in the FabricLiveseries was an obvious choice for thisissue’s featured review. A zeitgeist seizing,constantly surprising collection of music,this 30-track mix smoothly blurs theboundaries between everything fromdeep house and techno, to dubstep,grime and UK funky, leaving you in nodoubt that the Pearson Sound monikerrepresents a shift in scale and ambitionfor David Kennedy, the man known indubstep circles as Ramadanman.

The highlights are too numerous to listhere, but tracks such as the impossiblybrilliant ‘Battle For Middle You’ from JulioBashmore, Kennedy’s own re-lick of JoyO’s ‘GR Etiquette’ and Addison Groove’s‘Fuck The 101’ stand tall. Girl Unit’s ‘IRL’and Lil Silva’s ‘Bad Girl’ remix o>er otherhome-grown high points, while the earlyinclusion of Tiyiselani Vomaseve’s Africanchoir-sampling ‘Vanghoma’ demonstratesthat Kennedy’s gaze often falls farbeyond UK shores.

A phenomenal collection of music,faultlessly combined, FabricLive56 iswithout doubt one of the ?nest momentsin the illustrious series so far. For anexpedition into the sounds of now, lookno further.

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2562'Fever'(When in Doubt)

For his highly anticipated thirdalbum, 2562 pays homage to theheady days of 1970s disco.‘Fever’ is a visceral and somewhatraw interpretation of a genreoften overlooked in bass-musiccircles. Those expecting endlesshandclaps and Dltered loops willbe sadly disappointed, as this isdisco that has been chopped,screwed and re-thought beyondall recognition. The saccharinesweet veneer has been strippedaway leaving a densely texturedmass of technoid drums andspace age atmospherics. Thestuttering spring-loaded stabs of‘Winamp Melodrama’ and therugged IDM syncopations of‘Flavour Park Jam’ see the Dutchmaestro at his experimental best.Fractured percussion andsub-aquatic bass collide to greateCect on tracks such as ‘Cheater’and ‘Wasteland’ ensuring that‘Fever’ remains Drmly rooted inthe dance.

LONDON ELEKTRICITY‘Yikes!’(Hospital)

When you’re old enough to bemost of your fans’ dad, it givesyou a certain freedom as anartist. With maturity of yearscomes a lack of concern for theopinions of others and a senseof liberation to be yourself. Thisis all quite clearly the case withHospital head-honcho TonyColman, who beneath hisLondon Elektricity guise has noqualms in calling his latest album‘Yikes!’. But the title is where thesilliness ends, as this is actually arich and interesting collection ofD&B, which is risen above thenorm by the vocals of Swedishsinger Elsa Esmeralda on sevenof the 12 tracks. From theopening Think breaks and pianosof the gentle ‘ElektricityWill KeepMeWarm’ to the electro-jungleof ‘Yikes!’ there’s real musicalityacross this record.

FALTY DL‘You Stand Uncertain’(Planet Mu)

Remarkably proliDc NY-basedproducer Drew Lustman, AKAFalty DL, returns with thefollow-up to 2009’s brilliant ‘LoveIs a Liability’ LP for Planet Mu, viaa string of impressive EPs for thelikes of Ramp and Rush Hour andan extensive list of remixes. Therapid-Dre drum programming andsoulful melodic patchworksremain from previous releases,but ‘You Stand Uncertain’ ispermeated by a new sense ofdepth and texture. Layering dustyatmospheres over the shuFingdrums, Lustman explores newrhythms and moods, directingthe ebb and Eow over a variety oftempos. Drawing more overtly onjungle, house and hip-hopinEuences, the scope isbroadened, giving his music anew freedom. Vocal contributionsfrom Anneka and Lily McKenzietie themselves perfectly to hissoulful tracks.

LEFTSIDE FT SHAGGY‘Jump Around’(Keep Left Records)

This is one of the most originaldancehall tracks this year. Theriddim, produced by Leftside, is amasterpiece of minimal half-timejungle complete with sub-bassdrops, built around a wicked vocalloop. Leftside and the one and onlyMr Boombastic, Shaggy, are bothon top form riding the beat withskill and imagination while urgingthe listeners to jump around.Absolute killer!

ADDISON GROOVE‘This Is It’ / ‘Make Um Bounce’(Tectonic)

Yet more Bristol-based quality, asthe man once known asHeadhunter continues his thrillingseries of explorations of drummachines, juked-up vocal samplesand diCerent tempo ranges asAddison Groove. The highlight is‘Make Um Bounce’, which has allthe swagger and the swing neededto rock a Eoor, without resorting tocliche. Another example of Pinch’sTectonic imprint opening up itssound to great eCect.

TEEZA‘Bounce EP’(Earth 616)

Coming on LoganSama’s Earth616 label, Teezamakes hisbreakthroughwith this EP. Titletrack ‘Bounce’ is a former ‘JamHot’onMista Jam’s showand causeshavoc everytime. Part of theresurgence in grime producers,Teeza brings it back to the essenceof the genrewith skippy, hype Dlledbeats, raw production and oC-the-wall inEuences. Other tracks tocheck include ‘Switch’ and‘Reebok Pumps’.

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FRESH‘Future Jungle’ EP(Ram Records)

One of the most interesting andrefreshing pieces of dancemusic we’ve heard in a longtime, this is what the ex BC manis calling ‘future jungle’. Andwhile that name’s a bit lame, themusic here is not. ‘Gatekeeper’is one of the D&B tunes of theyear, ‘Mission To Mars’ revivesearly Prodigy vibes and‘Arkanoid’ and ’Ice Cream’ areimpossible to de@ne. The soundof creativity.

GORGON SOUND‘Circles’ / ‘Backchat’(Steak House)

Steak House returns with arelease from Bristol’s GorgonSound. ‘Circles’ features NaomiAndrews’ soaring vocals and issteeped in driving sub-bass andhard-hitting percussion, evokingmemories of classic Smith &Mighty. On the Aip, ‘Backchat’twists a looped ragga vocal overa pounding bashment riddim,while ‘Find Jah Way’ moves intothe fertile ground betweendubstep and UK steppas with asoundsystemmonster.

OM UNIT‘The Timps’ EP(Civil Music)

Om Unit delivers a de@niteprogression in his sound with hiscontemporary take on classicElectro, via Detroit. Dark, coldand minimal with a hypnoticrhythmic propulsion, thesetracks demand your attention.Fresh from the release of debutalbum ‘Complex Housing’, Salvasteps up with a brilliant remix of‘Prawn Cocktail’ injecting it with aswelling bounce, while Hrdvsiongive ‘The Timps’ amenacing grind.

MUMDANCE‘Mumdecent’ Rmxs(Mad Decent)

Inevitably the release of JackMumdance Adams’ @rst soloouting back in October 2010sparked such a series of sickremixes, it seemed only right torelease them as a follow up EP.Coming from Diplo’s legendaryMad Decent imprint, this EPfeatures reworkings of typicallyquirky, bass-heavy and genrestraddling Mumdance swagger,guaranteed to be starting upand rounding o? sets at ravesacross the UK.

TRE MISSION‘Maxin Everything’(Launch Pad)

The @rst non-UK MC to makewaves in the grime movement,Canada’s Tre Mission has beencollaborating with the rightpeople all the way up to Wiley.At @rst the Canadian accentthrow’s you o?, but Tre sitscomfortably on grime. ProducerExo Remedy is one to watch; thebanging instrumental stands upon its own and remixes fromRoyal-T, Mr Mitch and Moonycomplete the package.

SPECTRASOUL‘Lost Disciple’ / ‘Reminisce’(Shogun Audio)

Spectrasoul remind everyone justhow good they are once againwith this latest 12 for the everon-point Shogun Audio. Bothtracks feature the duo’strademark production weight,atmospheric depth and razorsharp beats – all wrapped in thesoulful textures you expect from aSpectrasoul release. While ‘LostDisciple’ is a tense, nervous a?air,‘Reminisce’ brings a soothing vibeand intricate, image-buildingdrum work. Bliss.

LIL NASTY‘Nasty By Nature’(No Hats No Hoods)

Being the brother of Griminal,Marcus Nasty and grime legendMac 10 certainly gives Lil Nastya pedigree in the scene. Thisgrime banger produced byScratcha DVA has an infectious‘Nasty, Nasty’ sample on thehook, venomous barsannouncing his arrival at the topof the scene, and a grittyindustrial synth bassline on topof a bouncing sub. High energygrime at its best.

BLAWAN‘Bohla’(R&S)

The re-invigorated R&S imprintcontinues to aBrm its recentrun of form with this EP fromHessle Audio aBliate Blawan.Propelled by jarring, tribalpercussion and taut shuCingrhythms, classic acid synthspulse through the tracks freely,worming their way through thespace in the tracks. ‘Bohla’ is thestandout here with its incisivehook, deep bass pulse andsharp rhythm all working incomplete unison.

I.D.‘Once Again’ / ‘Handbagger’(Baobinga Rmx)(Bass Music)

I.D. takes it back to a classicbreakstep sound here, with therolling but energetic ‘Once Again’- which, with its distortedsquare-wave bass and skippingsnares, recalls the likes of apre-halfstep Oris Jay. Baobingaweighs in with a savage amenworkout, while French bass-music star Flore rounds o? thepackage with some rave-kuduro-house stomp that keepsenergy levels up throughout.

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ICICLE'Beneath The Ice'(Shogun Audio)

The arrival of an artist album fromShogun Audio is always anote-worthy event, such is thequality present in Brighton-basedlabel’s stable of talent, and thislong-awaited long-player fromDutch producer Icicle is nodiDerent. One of the mosttechnically skilled producersaround, Icicle’s music harks backto the golden age of tech stepwith its deep, twisting subs andmilitant drum patterns. Fans of hissound will not be leftdisappointed by this album, whichmanages to be both dark andminimal, yet also warm and highlydetailed at the same time.Featuring collaborations withRobert Owens, SP:MC,Proxima and DRS, Icicle delivers13 tracks of his trademark sound,taking in dubstep on ‘BreathingAgain’, techno on ‘Hidden Track’and of course plenty of D&B,including the much-hammered‘Dreadnaught’ and ‘Arrows’.

MACHEL MONTANO FT LIL RIK'Go Dung' (Rmx)(Monstapiece)

With soca season well under way,tunes are pouring out of theCaribbean at the moment. 'Go Dung'stands heads and shoulders abovemost soca tracks so far this year andis set to become a roadmarch anthemfor 2011. Utilising the melody from theseminal dancehall riddim, ‘Duck’, thiscranks up the energy to create anuplifting ode to feting, juking andenjoying a bashment.Pure party steez!

DORIAN CONCEPT‘Her Tears Taste Like Pears’(Ninja Tune)

Austrian wunderkind producerDorian Concept delivers his debutEP for Ninja Tune, featuring fourtracks of soulful and forward-thinking bass music. Loose,skittering beats lay the foundationsfor his virtuoso melodicarrangements, Foating in thatambivalent space betweenmelancholic and uplifting.A stunning EP from one of the mostoriginal and exciting producersworking in electronic music today.

VARIOUS ARTISTS‘Transnational Dubstep’(Six Degrees)

One of the web’s morerespected blogs gets somerecognition for having itsEnger on the pulse of the bassmusic scene. ‘TransnationalDubstep’ is compiled byGeneration Bass chief DJ UMBand features a selection of theEnest purveyors of 140bpmbass music from across theglobe. Sounds from the streetsof London are peppered withsamples drawn from Asian andEastern moods and smoothedover with a worldwide outlookthat sets them apart from theeveryday dubstep humdrum,without travelling down the pathof pointless noodling. The likesof Engine Earz Experiment, CeltIslam and Barbarix all turn up tothe party armed with all theblistering beats and boomingbasslines you’d expect, but witha healthy selection of outwardfocused inFuence. Well wortha peep.

JAMIE WOON'Mirrorwriting'(Polydor)

Jamie Woon is a unique artist.Blessed with a remarkable voice, thesinger / songwriter / producer Erstgained notoriety back in 2007, whenBurial remixed his track ‘WayfaringStranger’ to wide acclaim. Sincethen he’s been religiously workingaway on this, his debut long-player.Combining a soulful, ethereal voicewith the most forward-thinking production around,‘mirrorwriting’ is an album thatsounds like no other. TakinginFuence from everything from 80ssoul, 90s garage and the mostmodern of bass music, Woon’svocals decorate lush soundscapesstructured around intricate rhythmsthat suggest everything fromtwo-step to house and dubstep.Opening with Woon’s most famoustrack to date, ‘Night Air’, the tone isset for an emotional and deeplybeautiful collection of work that onlygets better with each listen.

BAOBINGA & HYETAL'Anything For Now' / 'Trouble'(Build)

Hyetal has been getting a lot oflove recently, and rightly so. Hisdebut album, 'Broadcast', is duein May, while his collaborationswith Peverelist and ShortstuDhave been highlights of thePunch Drunk back catalogue.Here he goes back to back fortwo unclassiEable tracks withBaobinga, and the pairing worksreally well - it's all tuD danceFoordrums, heavy basslines andgloriously skewed synthmelodies. Big.

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V/A‘Ninety Riddim’(Non Fiction Recordings)

Taking the instrumental fromCourtney Melody’s classic ‘BadBoy’, Kubiyashi Productions call insome fresh voicings. Leading thecharge is Kenyatta whose track‘Clarks’ covers the populardancehall topic of Street’s Anestexport in conAdent style. The otherstandout has to be Dr Evil’s ‘WineUp Your body’, which leaves little tothe imagination and gets thedesired e@ect from the girls on thedanceBoor every time.

INTERFACE‘Voodoo Science’ EP(Clear Skyz)

This EP for Die’s Clear Skyzshimmers with brilliance, provingthat Interface is one of thegreatest talents working in D&Bright now. Long-battered,stuttering banger ‘Typhoon’ ishere, alongside the classic Bristolroll of ‘Get Down’ with Eddie K,and a pair of collaborations withtwo of the most soulful voicesaround, William Cartwright andShadz on ‘Things Change’ and‘Truth Beyond’.

JAYGLO‘Wiseau Funk’ / ‘Glo Worm’(Boka)

Two slices of danceBoor friendlydubstep from Jayglo for Bokahere, bringing some seriouslyWest-Coast, gangster funk to theever reliable label. ‘Glo Worm’,featuring Wil Blaze, deliverslashings of melodic synth funk,carrying you away on an open-topdrive through Cali, while ‘WiseauFunk’ takes the same themebefore Bipping out into adance destroying monster,complete with random ‘Oh, hiMark’ samples.

LENZMAN‘Masquerade’(Metalheadz Platinum)

Any release on Metalheadz’s eliteimprint, reserved for only thestrongest music, carries with it acertain weight of expectation. In thecase of this track from Dutchproducer Lenzman, that expectationis well and truly met. Perfect vocalsamples, a house-inspired ri@ andsome classic Intalex vibes combineto create a track that’s had raves inraptures for the last year. Once youhear it, this tune has you.

APPLEBLIM & OCTOBER‘NY Fizzzzz’ /‘Fountains Of Paradise Pt1’(Schmorgasbord)

Another label emerges from theBristol underground, kicking o@with this collaboration betweentwo local legends. Embracing aslow, chunky house sound, ‘NYFizzzzz’ is a gritty stomp with abusily compelling kick-drumpattern and classic pianoreferences. The Bip stretchesthings out into a timeless,dubbed-out vibe; one for thediscombobulated 8am crew.

L-WIZ‘Straight Jacket’ / ‘4.42 Oz’(Kapsize)

Sweden’s own purple-dubstepduo bless Joker’s label with twotracks that the man himselfwould be proud of. With subtletrance synths, low-slung bassand futuristic yet 80s melodiesthis is much more than astandard half-step production,and the production value andbass-weight remind you thatdubstep can still be so muchmore than just a massive drop.

link up with Ms Dynamite on ‘LightsOn’, 2010 belonged to Katy B. Allthose tracks feature here, and helpframe an album that will conArmKaty B’s status as a genuine popstar, even though the beats behindher unique voice are very muchfrom the underground. While everytrack is an original song written byKaty, the beats are a mixture ofdubstep, UK funky and house, andcome courtesy of Magnetic Man,

Horsepower’s Benny Ill and, ofcourse, Geeneus and Zinc, who’vetaken an active role in the entireKaty B project. And although thelyrical content of tracks like ‘EasyPlease Me’ might be diCcult for theguys out there to empathise with,this is, quite simply, a landmarkrecord. ‘On A Mission’ signals thearrival of a completely new kind ofpop star; expect more top-ten hitsfrom Katy B.

KATY B‘On A Mission’(Rinse)

The most anticipated record of 2011is here, and Katy B has delivered thealbum we all hoped she would. Aftersmashing her way into themainstream with her vocalling ofBenga’s ‘On A Mission’, featuring onMagnetic Man’s ‘Perfect Stranger’and Anishing the year with a top-Ave

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VARIOUS ARTISTS'Back & 4th'(Hot Flush)

HotFush is among the mostinFuential record labels in bassmusic. The label started by PaulRose (Scuba) back in 2003 wasan early and important exponentof dubstep while based inBristol, and since Rose’s moveto Berlin has become one of thekey imprints blurring the linesbetween techno and Britishbass-driven music. ‘Back & 4th’does as its name sugeests;looking back at nine of thelabel’s Enest moments on CD2,while heading oD into the futureover ten tracks on CD1. WithMount Kimbie’s ‘Sketch OnGlass’, Untold’s ‘Sweat’ and JoyOrbison’s ‘Hyph Mngo’ FauntingHotFush’s illustrious past ondisc two, the Erst disc deliversexclusive tracks from the likes ofRoska, dBridge and Boxcutter. Ifyou like your bass music with alittle class, then look no further.

TRIAD‘Crooked’ / ‘The Puzzle’(Nu Directions)

The steady old ship that is NuDirections brings forth a slice ofminimal electronic funk fromgerman wunder-duo Triad.‘Crooked’ is the stand-out trackwith it’s patient build up, teethchatteringly heavy bassline and808 crescendo. For those wholike a bit of melody, depth andactually enjoy ‘listening’ to theird&b, this is deEnitley for you.

ALIAS/J SWEETEP(Earth 616)

Anyone familiar with grimeshould recognise the namesAlias and J Sweet, twoproduction legends responsiblefor some of the biggest tunesfrom the genre’s rawest goldenera. This is a welcome return,with an EP of tunes you couldimagine getting reloaded at anold school Sidewinder orEskimo Dance, and their classicproduction hallmarks are all overthese tracks from the ID dropsto the basslines.

MARCUS INTALEX'21'(Soul:R)

21 years is a long time. Andwhile for most of us such a timeperiod represents the majorityof our lives, for Marcus Intalex21 is the amount of years he’sbeen involved in electronicmusic. Present since the earlydays of rave, the Mancunianproducer, DJ, promoter andlabel boss has a pedigree that’ssecond to none, and through hisimpeccable Soul:R imprint wasthe Erst to sign the music ofartists such as Martyn andInstra:mental. Renowned fornever playing anything but theEnest music, this debut (yes,really) album fromMarcus wasnever going to be anything butpure quality. And that’s exactlywhat it is; traversing throughD&B, dubstep and techno witheDortless ease to produce analbum that we haven’t stoppedlistening to since it arrived.

BERT ON BEATS'Antenna Of Tallinn'(Man Recordings)

Über-cool Berlin-based label ManRecordings put their money wheretheir mouth is, snapping upEstonia’s Enest ‘tropical bass’producer, the relatively little-knownBert On Beats. Despite some initialreservations about the strangechoice of artist name, we decidedto End out exactly what isbroadcasting from the ‘Antenna OfTallinn’. What we discovered wasbouncing carnival rhythms choppedwith a host of samples, guest vocalsand synthetic preambles that leadto wobbling sub-soca and post-dubstep basslines. Altogether this isa brave attempt to bring somethingfresh and exciting to a tempo that’sstruggling under the weight ofMassive pre-sets and BritneySpears vocals. If you’re a fan of bassmusic, you should check this.

MONO/POLY‘Manifestations’ EP(Brainfeeder)

Mono/Poly joins Flying Lotus’Brainfeeder stable with a variedseven-track EP of otherworldly beatadventures. From the dreamy hazeof opener ‘Manifestations’ to thejuddering industrial sonics of ‘PunchThe Troll In The Neck’, via the brashfunk of ‘Toe Jam’, an uncanny feelfor groove construction andimmersive soundscapes underpinsthis EP.

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THE HOTTESTEVENTS ONPLANET BASS

BASSPOINTS

BASSPOINTSCLUB LISTINGS

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FWD>> & RINSE1 APRIL@ Fabric, London

After a ridiculously huge Boxing Day line-up, whichbrought every single artist from the now-legal Londonradio station to Fabric, FWD>> & Rinse is back at theLondon club on 1 April. With legendary <gures such asZinc, Geeneus, Brockie, EZ and Horespower alongsidenew-era heroes like Roska & Jamie George, SBTRKT, IllBlu and Jackmaster, this is without doubt one of thegreatest line-ups anywhere in the world in April.

WWW.FABRICLONDON.COM

WAREHOUSE PROJECT22 APRIL@Store Street, Manchester

Manchester’s Warehouse Project returns for theEaster weekend, with four dates taking in the verybiggest names in dance music. For us, it’s all about theSaturday night, when Ape and Metropolis link up to bringthe bass weight to the brewery. Skream, Shy FX, Roska,Falty DL, Andy C and Deadboy are just some of thenames on the line-up for what promises to be a veryspecial event.

WWW.WAREHOUSEPROJECT.COM

MARCH / APRIL 2011

FRIDAY 19 MARCHCRAZYLEGS@ BLUEMTN, BRISTOLJoy Orbison, Pearson Sound, Julio Bashmore,Braiden & DJ Petchy.

MONSTER BASS@ BLACK SWAN, BRISTOLPinch, Baobinga, Dub Boy, Mr Williamz, Monkey Steak.

FRIDAY 25 MARCHWORK & UFO@DOJO, BRISTOLJaques Greene, Hodge, Kelly Twins.

DETONATE@ STEALTH, NOTTINGHAMRodigan, Camo & Crooked, Reso, London Elektricity,Hatcha, Nu Tone.

SATURDAY 26 MARCHTHE BLAST@ BLUEMTN, BRISTOLMS Dynamite, Darksky, Greenmoney.So Bones in room 2!

URBAN NERDS@XOYO, LONDONZinc, Newham Generals, Hot City, Engine Earz, MarcusNasty, Mak 10 & Spyro + more.

FRIDAY 1 APRILRINSE FWD>>@ FABRIC, LONDONGeeneus, Zinc, Brockie, EZ, Roska, Plastician,P Money, BBK + more.

GET LOWVS REDUX@BRIXTON JAMM, LONDONIration Steppas, Man Like Me, DJ Derek, Sticky, Lil Silva,Swindle, Sampha.

RUBBERDUB@STEALTH, NOTTINGHAMMungo’s Hi-Fi, DJ SS, Dub Boy + more.

DUB FORCE@MOTION, BRISTOLJah Tubby’s and Aba-Shanti-I Soundsystems, Kenny Ken,Stanza, Marvellous Cain, Aries, Joe Peng.

SATURDAY 2 APRILTOGETHER@CABLE, LONDONMS Dynamite, Mums Of Death, Hatcha, Girl Unit, DeadlyRhythm Soundsystem + more.

FRIDAY 8 APRILSHOESTRING VS BUTTERZ@ THEKLA, BRISTOLKlashneko?, Elijah & Skilliam, P-Money, Swindle, Royal T,Blazey, Koast

ADDISON GROOVE’S JUKEBOX@BASEMENT 45,BRISTOLAddison Groove, Boddika, DJ Rashad + more.

SOULUTION@BLUEMTN, BRISTOLMarcus Intalex, Fabio, SPY, Lenzman, Rex, Boro, HenryHeatwave, DRS, Messy, Texas.

SATURDAY 9 APRILSHOGUN AUDIO@CABLE, LONDONFriction, LTJBukem, Icicle, Ed Rush, Spectrasoul, Alix Perez&Rockwell, TransitMa@a, Brackles, Conrad, SP, DRS.

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HOSPITALITY BRIXTON22 APRIL@O2 Academy, Brixton

Hospital take over the huge Brixton Academy onceagain to celebrate an impressive 15 years in the game.We doubt anyone would have predicted back in 1996that the then distinctly left-@eld label would grow tobecome one of the most iconic and popular brands indance music. With all the usual Hospital mega-stars inattendance, a second room packed with quality dubstepand some nice-up sounds from Reggae Roast in roomthree, even though the Academy’s capacity is anincredible 4,000+, this is sure to sell-out.

WWW.HOSPITALRECORDS.COM

CRAZYLEGS19 MARCH & 21 APRIL@Blue Mountain, Bristol

Firmly established as one of Bristol’s leadingpromotions, Crazylegs continues to go from strength tostrength at its new home of the Blue Mountain. With oneof the best sound-systems we’ve heard, there couldn’tbe a better place to check the artists featured on the twosick line-ups Crazylegs have planned for March and April.March sees Joy O, Ramadanman, Bashmore and Braiden,while April brings Bok Bok, Slimzee and Roska to town.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/CRAZYLEGSCLUB

BASSPOINTSCLUB LISTINGS

MARCH / APRIL 2011

THURSDAY 14 APRILCITY BASS@ BUFFALO BAR, CARDIFFAltered Natives, Eye4Eye, City Bass Fam,Clare James.

SATURDAY 16 APRILSTEALTH VS RESCUED@RESCUE ROOMS,NOTTINGHAMJam City, D’Lex + more.

THURSDAY 21 APRILCRAZYLEGS@ BLUEMTN, BRISTOLRoska, Bok Bok, Slimzee +more.

FRIDAY 22 APRILAPE &METROPOLIS@WAREHOUSE PROJECT,MANCHESTERSkream, Andy C, Loadstar, Jakwob, Roska, Falty DL,Deadboy, Illum Sphere, Synkro & Indigo, Prophecy,Chunky, Tonn Piper +more.

SATURDAY 23 APRILMUZIK HERTZ PRESENT BAR RAGE@CUSTARD FACTORY, BIRMINGHAMHazard, RuEstuE, Taxman, Sub Zero, Escape, Logan D,Devize, Funsta, Harry Shotta + more.

THURSDAY 28 APRILHOTWUK@ EAST VILLAGE, LONDONThe Heatwave, Sticky + more.

SUNDAY 1 MAYSUBLOADED@ LAKOTA, BRISTOLPhotek, Kode 9, Youngsta, Pinch, Vibronics,Dubkasm (live), Dub Boy, Steakhouse Showcase+ more.

DETONATE INDOOR FESTIVAL, NOTTINGHAMZinc, Shy FX, Skream & Benga, Subfocus, Andy C,2562, dBridge, SPY, Redlight, Instra:Mental,Die + more.

TORQUE@CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDONMarcus Intalex,Boddika, Alix Perez, Ben UFO,Jam City, Icicle, Ulterior Motive, Tasha, Messy.

WEEKLY RUNNINGS...

HIT & RUN@MINT LOUNGE, MANCHESTEREvery Monday

TUESDAY CLUB@ FUSION & FOUNDARY, SHEFFIELDEvery Tuesday

WOBBLE@ THEKLA, BRISTOLEvery Tuesday

SOME NIGHT@ EAST VILLAGE, LONDONEvery Wednesday

FWD>>@ PLASTIC PEOPLE, LONDONEvery Thursday

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BASSPOINTSTHE MAIN EVENT

#003VAGABONDZ

FOR THE THIRD INSTALMENT OF OUR REGULARLOOK AT THE PARTIES AND PROMOTERS THATARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR SCENE, TRAP CASTSITS SPOTLIGHT ON THE MIGHTYVAGABONDZ.

While most promoters concentrate on just one city orregion, Vagabondz refuses to be con*ned to oneplace, with their bass-infested parties popping o)across the full length of the country in Leeds, Londonand Brighton. And, as one of the main promotersbehind the untouchably good Outlook festival inCroatia, Vagabondz is a name that you really shouldknow by now.

Trap spoke to the three guys behind the brand -Jack Robinson, Joe Barnett and Jonathan Scratchley– to *nd out more about one of our favourite raves onplanet bass.

HOWDID VAGABONDZ START?

“Vagabondz was born out of the thriving house partyscene in Leeds. Back in London, we’d been working forraves and clubs such as Fabric for most of our teenagelives and wanted to take it to the next level. There were alot of talented musicians all around us at the timemaking good music, such as Gentlemans Dub Club,Ramadanman, Ruckspin, INC and Medison and wewanted to give them a platform on which to perform.The Arst event was at Faversham in Leeds on15 March 2007.”

WHAT DEFINES A VAGABONDZ PARTY?

“Vagabondz parties have always been driven by basswith really eclectic lineups, putting together artists thatwouldn’t normally go together, such as Plastician andTaskforce or Eksman and Rusko. We were pushingthese eclectic lines up four years ago and many nightsare only just catching up now. We attract a vibrantcrowd who have a gritty edge to their music taste.”

WHAT DIFFERS FROM THE LEEDS, LONDON AND

BRIGHTON EVENTS?

“Each city has got its own Bavour. The student townsare deAnitley more ready to go for it. London is muchmore up to date with new artist that are breaking butthere’s a lot of competition for the main DJs, so theline-ups have to be a lot more intresting.”

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WHAT’S THE BIGGEST PARTYYOU’VE DONE SO FAR?

“That has to be the most recent Vagabondz Leeds.Again, we pushed a really eclectic lineup includingPhaeleh, Submotion Orchestra, Zed Bias, P Money, TheBug & Flowdan, Kenny Ken & Eksman, Marcus Nasty,Girl Unit and Trolley Snatcha. We had over 1,500 peoplethrough the door, leading the crowd on a journeythrough many years of in@uence in bass-driven music.”

AS YOU’VE SAID, VAGABONDZ LINE-UPS ARE

ALWAYS ECLECTIC - WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS

ON THE MORE OPEN-MINDED, GENRE-BENDING

MUSICAL LANDSCAPE THAT’S SO OBVIOUS IN THE

UK RIGHT NOW?

“It’s all symptomatic of the iPod generation; people havea lot more opportunity to experience new music and ?ndout about new genres online, so artists are able to blowup before even playing their ?rst gig, which is verydi>erent from how it used to be. All this a>ects peopleschoices when going out.”

ANYONE YOU’D LOVE TO BOOK, OR ANYWHERE

YOU’D LOVE TO DO A PARTY?

“We really want to do a party at the top of Centre Point,in London. It’s one of the tallest buildings round that partof town and there’s a very exclusive VIP club up there. Asfor artists, we’re really liking what Odd Future are doing atthe moment, we would love to get them over from thestates... And also some of the oldies - Fat Freddys Drop,Damian Marley, ODB, Elvis and Kurt Cobain...”

WHAT’S BEEN THE PROUDESTMOMENT SO FAR

FOR VAGABONDZ?

“It has to be our involvement in starting Outlook Festivalin Croatia. That’s enabled us to bring an amazingcollection of artists together, to perform on the bestsoundsystems Europe has to o>er in the incrediblenatural beauty of Croatia.”

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR VAGABONDZ?

“Vagabondz runs in three cities at the moment, London,Leeds and Brighton, and we want to organically growthese while keeping the same ethos. We’ve done someshows in other cities and we’re looking to expandthis further.”

WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR SUCCESS?

“Constantly pushing our regular artists, involving livemusic on most of our events, emerging old and newstyles together and putting in the fucking hours.”

THE NEXT VAGABONDZ IS ON 14 MAY IN LEEDS.THE LINE-UP IS RIDICULOUS - IF YOU’RE UP NORTH,MAKE SURE YOU REACH.

BASSPOINTSTHE MAIN EVENT

EVERY BASS COVEREDMUSIC | FASHION | ART

#004 OUT MAY WWW.TRAPMAGAZINE.CO.UK

COMING SOONAFRICA HI TEK (LIVE)

ALI BANDY C & GQ

BENJI BBEN UFO

BLOKHE4D B2B AEPHBOY BETTER KNOW

CARTE BLANCHE (LIVE)CASPA

COMMIXCRAZY D

CYANTIFICDAVID RODIGAN

DBRIDGEDISTANCE

DJ DIE B2B BREAKDJ HYPE (2 HR SET)

DOC SCOTTDYNAMITE MC

ED RUSH

EMALKAYEZ

GEENEUS & TIPPAGOLDIEHAZARD

HUDSON MOHAWKE INSTRA:MENTAL

JACKMASTERJOY ORBISON

KASRALOADSTAR FEAT.

MC TEXASLYNX

MALA B2B PINCHMARCUS INTALEXMARCUS NASTY

MARTYNMISTAJAMMJ COLE

MZ BRATT (LIVE)

N-TYPEOPTICALP MONEYPASCAL

PLASTICIANRAMDANMAN/

PEARSON SOUNDROSKA & JAMIE GEORGE

S.P.Y.SBTRKT LIVE

SCRATCH PERVERTSSKIBADEESKREAM

SPECTRASOULSUB FOCUS DJ SET & MC

I.D.TENSNAKE (LIVE)

TODDLA T TOTAL SCIENCE

ZINC

77A Charterhouse Street, London EC1. T 020 7336 8898. Opening Times: 10pm — 6am Advance Tickets: £15. £16 on the door, £10 students and fabricfirst. £7 after 3am for all events unless stated otherwise. Fabric operates a 24HR drinking license. Advance tickets

are available from our website www.fabriclondon.com. A selection of recordings from these events will be available to hear again on www.fabriclondon.com/fabricfirst FABRICLIVE 56: Pearson Sound / Ramadanman — Available 21st March

FABRICLIVE 57: Jackmaster — Available 16th May /// FABRICLIVE 58: Goldie — Coming Soon

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