When we interviewed Gemmy back in August he spoke about the influence that computer games have had on his music. He also mentioned rather intriguingly that he had done a few cheeky remixes of tracks from Sonic 2. We've managed to badger him into getting them off of his hard drive for us and you can now listen to these brilliant remakes in the players below. If you haven't already read the interview then it is well worth checking out. It can be found here. Aquatic Ruin: Final Boss Theme:

There is still a very limited number of Punch Drunk T-Shirts left in the colours of Gemmy's release (BK2 The Future / Bass Transmitter), so don't sleep if you want one. They can be found here.

Also, big up to Gemmy for having his Highrise T-Shirt on every time I've seen him out recently! Respectacles!

Some very exciting news just in from Mary Anne Hobbs...

Being huge supporters of the Bristol scene we are obviously very excited!

Hello

The final Special of 2008 on my BBC Radio1 show will focus on Bristol..

I'm calling it:

BRISTOL: RISE UP

12 x 9.30 minute mixes from:

Pinch
Joker
Appleblim
Jakes
Komonazmuk
Headhunter
Peverlist
RSD
Gemmy
Gatekeeper
Forsaken
Wedge

These mixes will be woven into a seamless 2 hour sonic journey through the sounds echoing from the soul of this incredible city..

We are also working on the idea of a film to accomany the special for YouTube.. more on that later..

Bristol: Rise Up
December 2nd >>3rd
BBC Radio1
2am-4am
online all week at www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/maryannehobbs

You have this news first...

maximum respect

m/a.. x

The Brackles and Shortstuff 12" pictured above is the first release on Berkane Sol not to be produced by label boss Geiom (remixes aside). We caught up with him to talk about the label, his own productions and a nice pair of white polished loafers! Massive thanks going out to him for the words.

First of all, why did you decide to start Berkane Sol?

I had a lot of tracks done; some of my music is maybe a bit challenging and I think other labels were not sure if it would sell. When Kode 9 used ‘Overnight Biscuits’ on his Allstars 3 CD it seemed like the right time to start putting some tunes out myself.

The frequent use and style of vocalists on Berkane Sol helps set it apart from other labels. Do you see this as a feature of your tracks in particular, or is it part of the ethos of the label?

Vocals help people connect with electronic music; it kind of humanises it a bit. It was never a conscious decision to put out a lot of vocal tracks but it’s been an interesting process for me to see how they are received.

Do you add the vocals in after the rest of the track has been constructed or are they an integral part of the song writing process?

A bit of both really. The best tracks usually happen when the vocalist is with you during the early stages; they make suggestions about where the thing is going. It’s not always practical for the producer though. I have spent a lot of time making tunes with people who won’t let you change a loop to work on it because they are actually writing to it!

Is the use of live instrumentation something that you see as being important to the label?

I love all kinds of music and know many live musicians. The Magic Radios album I made with Morgan Caney some years back is full of live instruments. It’s nice to be able to incorporate them on certain tracks. In a dance music style like dubstep you hear a lot of nicked samples, so it’s fresh to be able to use, for instance, a live original flute.

Did you know the vocalists before you made the tracks or did you seek out people with particular qualities to their voices?

I was making dancehall with Terrible Shock for ages before we did ‘Feel So Bad’. As you can imagine it’s not an easy scene to break into, especially now that there are very few proper releases in that genre. I did think about putting our own 7”s out, but I never did it in the end. He makes a great dubstep MC. I remember once, Pinch played a Vex’d track at our night and he started shouting ‘the bass too dirty; it’s sinful!’, this was while dressed in an immaculate white suit complete with well polished matching loafers.

‘Reminissin’ (Berkane Sol 6) seems to have something particularly special about it. As you mentioned above the vocals really seem to add a human element to the track. Tell us a bit about the background to the song…

I met Marita at the studio I was working at about 5 years ago. I always wanted to get her on a tune, but never did it until we made ‘Unnecessary Stress’ (Berkane Sol 4). She’s a total natural and has strong opinions about music; she either likes a riddim and really goes for it or decides it’s not the one and refuses to write anything!

Did the success of the track surprise you? What is it about the track that you think made it so popular?

It’s catchy. Marita nailed both the lyrics and the hook on that one, although it doesn’t have a traditional chorus part. I think the beat is quite instantly appealing, but it doesn’t get too annoying as the chords are kind of thoughtful.

Will the version on Dubstep Allstars 6 ever see a release or is it strictly a dubplate mix?

It’s almost exactly the same as the one on the 12” it just has no hi hats! Appleblim got into the unfinished version I gave him and decided he liked it because “it’s more gabba!”.

You have recently written a few tracks with Appleblim (which are wicked by the way!), are there any plans to release these?

Thanks. We like them a lot too. The plan is to either put them out on Berkane Sol or Applepips, but if some massive label offers us loads of cash for them then we are ready! Will be working on some more tunes with Appleblim quite soon. He has tons of good ideas and is a total demon in 2nd hand record shops….

You have just started releasing tracks from other artists, what was behind this decision?

Corporate expansion, lol. To be honest it did feel a little weird only having myself on the label so that’s part of the reason.

Who are the artists that will be featured on forthcoming releases and how did the link-ups come about?

I’ve known Brackles and Shortstuff as friends for time now. Brackles is one of the most talented Dj’s around; expect big things from him. He has an amazing relationship with a crowd.

Shortstuff is on a curious musical journey making very thoughtful dance tracks that sound enormous and kind of fall over themselves. I cut and played tunes from both those guys and eventually thought that they needed to be immortalised on wax.

What are the qualities that a song must have to be right for Berkane Sol?

I am looking for a particular blend of innovation and respect. I want tracks that are unique and fwd thinking but also sound tough in the dance and mix well with other tunes. One tune does not make a night or a scene so it’s good when the producer’s ego is kept under control.

What else does the future hold for you and Berkane Sol?

Interesting link ups with other producers and labels. I have been working on stuff with D1 which will be one project that we put out. I have remixed a Shackleton track (‘The Branch Is Weak’) in return for his remix of ‘Reminissin’. It will be coming out on Skull Disco soon.

I have also been writing tracks with other Notttingham based producers like DJ Spamchop and Earlybird which has given a new aspect to my sound. These tunes are probably going to be the next 12”.

We are now proudly stocking Punch Drunk t-shirts and hoodies! The t-shirts are currently available in navy blue with yellow print, or black with orange print. The hoodies are black and orange. Just click on the image above to check them out.

We are also looking to further expand our range of clothing, so if you have something that you think we may be interested in then please get in touch.

If you are in or around Bristol over the next couple of weekends then I would highly recommend attending these two events...

Teachings In Dub: Iration Steppas v King Earthquake (Trinity Centre 10/10/08)

Up until now Teachings In Dub has always been run in conjunction with Subloaded, a link up which proved itself to be highly successful. This night sees them going it alone, moving to the Trinity Centre for what promises to be a night of truly devastating bass weight. This is going to be a clash of epic proportions, with both sounds promising to draw for only exclusive, unreleased dubplates. To quote King Earthquake speaking about the night, 'Your trouser leg ah go flap to the breeze of the bassline da night deh seeeen!' 

UFO & Tape present: Hudson Mowhake, Rustie, Jackmaster & Joker (The Croft 18/10/08)

The following weekend sees UFO & Tape playing host to one of the most exciting line ups Bristol has seen for a while. The cream of Glasgow's music scene are going to be making the trip down south for the night and will be joined by local grime prodigy Joker. Ridiculously, this stunning line up is being put on in the intimate surroundings of the Croft, so it will be well worth making the effort to get there a bit earlier than usual. For more information on these producers, check out the 'wonky' round up in the post below.

See you there!

This year has seen a wealth of bleep fuelled, synth heavy tracks which have spanned both genre and geographic location. A new sound seems to be emerging, its disparate parts slowly, almost randomly coming together to form a cohesive, if sometimes unlikely whole. From LA to Bristol, via Glasgow, Ireland and France, the sound is gradually gaining momentum. With an ever increasing range of genres beginning to adopt this sonic palette and with producers from seemingly unrelated scenes beginning to work together, the ‘wonky’ movement is most definitely underway. Whether it will end up becoming an identifiable genre in itself, or simply end up burning itself out remains to be seen, but the excitement of the here and now is undeniable.

Below are five tracks released in the last six months that have particularly grabbed my attention. This list is in no way meant to be comprehensive, and for those of you who have been following the development of ‘wonky’ it will hold few surprises. It should however serve as a nice introduction for those less familiar with the sound. I have included lo-fi clips of each track to help give you more of an idea of what they are all about.

Two years ago the 'Dubstep Wars' show on Radio 1 brought Dubstep to the world's attention. Mary Anne Hobbs recently asked the six artists who appeared on the show to select a producer who they believed was still pushing the 'Dubstep' sound forward. The chosen six were to appear on another Radio 1 show called 'Generation Bass'. Vex'd chose Philadelphia based Starkey, a decision which led to him travelling 3,552 miles around the globe to perform at the event. He was kind enough to talk to us about the experience, as well as about his forthcoming album, his love of grime, and a whole lot more besides...

First of all, let’s start with the age old question; what is your musical background?

Well... I started playing piano when I was really, really young. I took lessons all the way through high school... and I also took up various woodwind instruments along the way as well as bass. I was in my high school chorale, as well as a boys choir for 6 years before that. So yeah... basically, I've been all about music since day one.

The bulk of the Dubstep scene is based in the UK. Do you believe that living in America has led to you having a different sound, or is the scene so internationalised now due to the internet that it doesn’t really matter?

The scene is definitely internationalised. No music movement that gains any momentum nowadays stays in its own pocket of the world for very long anymore. The Internet has really de-regionalized music. But regarding my sound, yeah, I come from a different place. It's not Croydon... it's Philly. It's a different mentality, different surroundings, culture, politics, etc. I think the main difference is dance music culture. In Philly, hip hop is the dominant dance music of the clubs... period. In the UK, dubstep came out of garage, which has its roots in a very different place. So hip hop definitely influences my sound. I also come from "electronica", for lack of better words. Everything from Aphex Twin to Tricky. I probably enjoy trip hop and down tempo music more than anything.

You describe your sound as ‘street bass’. What do you mean by this?

Haha. The term "street bass" was first uttered by Dev79, the founder of Seclusiasis. It was just something he came up with that sounded cool. But, I kind of said one day... let's really use this. We were planning a new party in Philly and I said... let's just throw the term Street Bass real big on the flyer. Just that. STREET BASS. That's where it started really. We were using it to basically describe what you would hear at one of our parties; it was this cross-pollination of dance musics from around the globe that we played. It was a very vocal heavy approach to dance music... mixing up hiphop, r&b, grime, dubstep, electro house, bassline, etc. It was somewhat unique to what other people were/are doing... and the term just kind of stuck. From there we started the mix cd series under the Street Bass Anthems title. Every song has vocals, or cut up vocal samples.... it's a big part of the street bass sound. On a side note, the song that I personally feel was the first street bass tune, Dev79's "In Ya Face", is coming out on 12" soon on Seclusiasis. So I'm really looking forward to that.

You said in a previous interview that you also compose classical music. Do you still do this and what effect do you think it has on the music that you produce as ‘Starkey’?

I haven't written much concert music recently... however, it's definitely an influence on my sound. I think it's just all the music training I've had over the years. I think about people who don't have that sort of training, who make amazing music... and wonder what my stuff would sound like if I didn't know much theory.

Your sound seems to have an ever increasing amount of dance floor energy. Was it a conscious decision to move away from the more electronica based stuff?

Yeah... definitely. My tunes early on kind of had the breakcore structure approach: whatever, whenever. I never made breakcore, but my songs definitely switched around a lot and moved from one place to another. But when I started dj'ing a lot more, I felt as though the tunes I was making just didn't work in my dj sets. They were great for live sets... but didn't feel right for the dancefloor. So I definitely switched to making tunes that could fit better in my dj sets. However.... I still feel as though I write "songs" and not just drops. I want my tunes to hold up listen after listen. I don't want to make songs that are only about drops and have no substance. I feel like a lot of "dance" music does just that.... and the tunes are boring if you listen to them all the way through. A song's structure is a really big deal to me... how it develops over time.

I sense a strong grime influence, especially in your latest tracks. Would you agree, and if so what is it about Grime that appeals to you?

Grime is my favourite genre of music probably. That's basically what brought Dev79 and I together in Philly. We were like 2 of the only people that knew what grime was. We started the 1st ever grime party in the US, called "In", back in 2004. It's the vocal element that really did it for me... and the raw energy of the riddims. I know that I just went on about song structure, developing songs, blah blah blah... but there's something about 8 bar grime that really does it for me. It's like the anti-formula. I kind of try to capture that spontaneity with my MOVES!!! stuff which is straight dancefloor. But grime, yeah... I wish the scene hadn't killed itself... or at least it feels that way from afar.

You often use a laptop when playing live. Why have you chosen to do this and how important do you think it is to your performances?

I've mostly been doing dj sets this past year, but I still use a computer. I use Serato with vinyl control. It's the best of both worlds really. You get that tactile turntable control with any tune you want on your hard drive. I can play tunes I just made that day... and my friends made that day for that matter. That's what it's about for me really. CD-J's were never really big in Philly, or in the US for that matter, so computers were just the way to go. It's one of the big cultural differences that I find between US and other "dubstep" dj's. I still buy vinyl... but I always record it into my computer and it ends up on my harddrive.

Starkey playing on Radio 1's 'Generation Bass' show:

It was Vex’d who chose you to appear on the Generation Bass show, how did you first hook up with them?

Hmmmm.... The first time I met Jamie from Vex'd was when he and Plastician (then Plasticman) came to Philly to play. We kept in touch after that and have since played shows together in Philly again and Los Angeles. We trade tunes online a lot, get each other’s feedback, etc... I think we have a similar approach to song writing and have similar tastes, although our sound might be a bit different. We all just enjoy each other’s music really.

Why do you think that they chose you over other producers?

I was flattered obviously. There are so many great producers out there right now, so I was honoured. I mean.... like I said... I think it's our approach to song writing that unites us. We're also kind of outsiders to the core dubstep scene as well, whatever that means... haha.

How did you feel when you first heard that you had been selected?

Well... Jamie first contacted me personally and said... “yeah, so Mary Anne Hobbs is doing this Dubstep Wars II thing... and we picked you to do it.... Are you down?” I mean, we talked a little about how my music would now be labeled as ‘dubstep’ to many people out there and how I felt about that. But, ultimately, she ended up changing the name of the show... so that wasn't really even an issue. I basically feel as though people are going to label your music whatever, so it's no big deal what they label it. Who cares really. If it's good music it's just good music. I mean... I don't think Joker, who also played that show, is dubstep as much as I'm dubstep.

What has the response been like since the show aired?

It's been really nice. A lot of people have been saying how much they enjoyed my set, which I really appreciate. It's great to hear that people are enjoying what I'm doing and connect with it.

The show was all about showcasing artists who are pushing the Dubstep sound forward. In your eyes who is doing this at the moment?

Dubstep is at such an interesting place right now. I feel as though there are so many factions within the scene. There are people who come from drum & bass, others who are into the breakstep thing, others that are more dub influenced. But here's just a brief list of favorites right now, some of whom are really not dubstep..... Darkstar, Raffertie, Zomby, DZ, HudMo, Rustie, Gemmy, Joker, Jamie & Roly Vex'd, Drums of Death, Dusk & Blackdown, .... I know I'm missing some people... so out to all crew, you know who you are!

You have an album forthcoming on Planet Mu, tell us more about this…

Well, it's called "Ephemeral Exhibits". The title comes from the idea that an album is a look into someone's world; a snapshot in time and place. It's going to be out in November on cd, triple 12" and digital. I'm really excited about the album because the few people who have heard the whole thing from start to finish have been really amped about it. It's definitely something you can listen to from start to finish. It doesn't just feel like a collection of songs.... but most of the tunes still work on the dance floor. It's really exciting to be on a label like Planet Mu as well. Mu was one of the first labels I really started following when I got into electronic music.

Do you see working on an album as being different to working on a series of individual tracks? What were you trying to achieve with the album?

This album kind of came together rather quickly. The tunes are pulled from the last year or so of writing... but most are fairly new. Mike from Planet Mu hit me up this summer and I basically sent him every tune I had been working on. We compiled the album from those, along with a few older tunes that I revised for the album.

Which tracks off of the album are you particularly pleased with and why?

Every producer has their favourite tunes... and there's always tunes that you may not necessarily love as much later in your career or after they are released. But, to be honest, I've listened to this album over and over again… and I can honestly say that I really enjoy it from start to finish. There's definitely stand outs though... I really love "Gutter Music" (which is only on the cd/digital version of the album (12" will be on Keysound), "Pressure", "Dark Alley" & "Spacewalk". I'm also really happy with how "Time Traveller" turned out. It was the last song written for the album. Actually, we had already decided to do an album at that point, so my head was at a different place when I wrote that tune.

‘Leak Riddim’, which appeared on the ‘Slit Jockey Vol 1’ mixtape, was vocalled by Kano and Ghetto. Do you have any plans to work with vocalists again in the future?

Yeah... I love vocals. I'm already working with some singers and mc's on some collaborative tunes.

What other releases do you have lined up?

Well... like I said, the "Gutter Music" 12" is going to drop on Keysound. I'm also working on a mixCD for LoDubs which will be out in the early new year. It will be an official thing... like the Analog Clash cd that 6Blocc did this year. Out soon is the "Just a Million" 12" on Rwina Records out of Amsterdam and also the MOVES!!! "All Skate & Playaz" 12" on Dress 2 Sweat out of Glasgow. I've also done a few remixes for people which should hopefully see the light of day soon. After all that I'm going to start thinking about Street Bass Anthems Vol. 4.

More of a rapid fire Q&A than an in depth interview, below is the transcript of an early morning AIM conversation with Ramadanman. It's been tweaked a bit for readability, but is still essentially in its original state. No long ting...

Although it was actually released in July, I thought I'd give people a quick heads up about the above DVD, as it will probably have passed a lot of you by.

'Musically Mad' is the result of years of hard work by Swedish film maker Karl Folke and sound man Andreas Weslien. Filmed over the course of several self funded trips to the UK, the DVD documents the UK's roots reggae scene, looking at its history as well as at the current state of the scene. It is enjoyable, informative and humorous (especially some of the Iration Steppas footage), and is positively bursting with great music. The list of interviewees reads like a who's who of the British roots scene and there is a wealth of sound system footage from both past and present. The film is about an hour in length and comes packed with an abundance of extras (over another hour in total), as well as a 16 page booklet written by David Katz.

As far as I'm aware it is actually sold out at the moment, but more copies are due to be pressed soon. You should be able to find it in a selection of underground music stores, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Below is a trailer for the film as well as a short description from the makers:

"MUSICALLY MAD takes you into the hearts and heads of the singers and soundmen, the backbone of the UK roots reggae sound systems. With them they bring the deepest bass and the highest chants, delivered by massive stacks of speakers and custom-built sound equipment. For some, attending a sound system dance is a religious experience, channelled through the music and the message. For others it`s the natural way to connect with the music they love. Either way, sound system culture is growing and changing.

From their humble beginnings in the backyards of Kingston, Jamaica, sound systems were brought along by Carribean immigrants, gradually gaining a strong following in the UK. As David Katz´included extensive essay "Steel Horns And Bass Bins In Blighty" concludes, the dances were crucial in lifting the spirits of the Caibbean exiles, helping them to forget their hardships. Something that reggae and sound system culture now does worldwide, regardless of color or nationality.

MUSICALLY MAD is the story of the people pushing reggae to the masses."

Over the course of the last thirty years, Bristol has rightly earned itself a reputation as one of the most forward thinking musical cities in the world, with its huge influence on modern music belying the relatively small size of the city. The phrase ‘Bristol Sound’ has been used repeatedly to define the many strains of underground music that have developed in the city, so much so that the idea of a definitive ‘sound’ has been lost.

The discordant tones of the anti-establishment, punk and post-punk scenes were the first to be daubed with the title. The scene, spearheaded by the Pop Group, was to prove hugely influential to the city, imparting a strong independent ethos that urged others to lead rather than follow when it came to musical ideas. The tag was next linked to the burgeoning Hip Hop scene that surrounded crews such as the Wild Bunch and the 2Bad crew. Here, the independent ethos was taken further, with the crews forming their own sound systems which would blare out a bold combination of Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul and Punk. This heady mixture of styles helped to lay the foundations for the Trip Hop scene, which would end up giving Bristol its most famous acts, in the way of Massive Attack and Portishead.

The next genre to be given the Bristol treatment was Jungle / Drum and Bass. The music’s high octane energy had been causing riots on the city’s dance floors ever since its emergence from the Acid House scene in the early nineties, with parties such as Ruffnek Ting helping to spread the sound to the masses. The most notable exponents of the local scene were the now famous Full Cycle crew, who were swift to put their own stamp on the genre. The success of Roni Size and Reprazent in particular, once again put Bristol at the forefront of modern music and left journalists in need of the simple categorisation afforded by the ‘Bristol Sound’ label.

Although it is impossible to define a single ‘Bristol Sound’, there are certainly specific features, both social and geographic that influence the city’s music scene and help to give it its own unique character. One of these central influences is the city’s large West Indian population, which has for years shared its love of Reggae and Dub with the wider community, through carnivals, blues dances and club nights. The influence of Reggae on the city’s music is undeniable, and is most clearly demonstrated by the large amounts of bass which can be found in almost all of the genres that have found a home in Bristol.

The size of the city also plays an integral part in its creative output. The city, aided by its large student population, is big enough to support a thriving, open minded club scene that serves as a breeding ground for new musical ideas. Every night of the week clubs shake to the sounds of different strains of underground music. Compared to the sprawling, impersonal metropolises of cities such as London however, Bristol is relatively small. Because of this, the cities different communities live in close proximity to each other, creating a lively exchange of ideas and influences that enables new genres to quickly gain a foothold in the city. This is also true of the city’s various music scenes, who often share the same spaces and stages, inevitably leading to the cross genre pollination that makes the city’s music so special.

Upon arrival in Bristol, new musical ideas are incubated and allowed to grow and develop with a greater independence than they are elsewhere. The result is a take on the music that is often far removed from the rest of the worldwide scene, leading to the need for terms such as ‘The Bristol Sound’. The most recent genre to undergo this process is Dubstep.

Emerging from the remnants of the UK Garage scene at the beginning of the new millennium, Dubstep’s origins undeniably lie in the London borough of Croydon. From the oppressive drabness of these grey streets came a sound that was to set the UK underground alight once again. Dubstep’s original ethos of combining a vast array of influences with a large dose of Bass seemingly guaranteed its adoption by Bristolians, although it would take a few years to finally make its way to the South West.

DJ Pinch was Dubstep’s first and most active champion in Bristol. Inspired by what he’d heard at London’s seminal FWD>> club, and convinced of its potential to infiltrate the Bristol scene, he set about promoting club nights to showcase the fledgling sound. His ‘Context’ nights combined Dub, Electronica and Drum & Bass with the exciting new sounds of Dubstep in a bid to ease people into the sound. Pinch then teamed up with local Grime DJ, Blazey, to put on the now legendary Subloaded nights. Another early exponent of the sound in Bristol was Tom Ford, AKA the Peverelist. From his position behind the counter at Rooted Records he began to buy in as much Dubstep as he could get his hands on. More often than not this would come in the form of unmarked white labels which were bought directly from the artists. This enabled people to buy the tracks that they were hearing in the dances and in the process gave rise to a whole new wave of DJs, keen to spread the sound to the masses.

This desire to spread the sound is even more apparent nowadays, with a host of different nights pushing their own individual take on the music. Many of these nights continue with the local tradition of mixing genres, with music policies regularly encompassing everything from Reggae to Techno. By far the biggest Dubstep night however is still the mighty Subloaded. The last three events have all been sell outs, with ticket holders facing roadblock queues outside the (now sadly defunct) Clockwork club. This is no mean feat considering that it was one of the city’s largest venues, with a capacity of over eleven hundred. Only DMZ in Brixton can match Subloaded in terms of scale, proving, if necessary, that the Bristol scene is positively thriving.

Although Bristol now has a wealth of DJs and a more than healthy fan base, it is its producers that are really pushing things forward. Coming to the scene from a variety of different backgrounds, Bristol’s Dubstep producers have made the sound their own. Often referred to as Dubstep’s second city there is nothing secondary about Bristol’s current musical output. The fact that Bristolians have not just copied their London counterparts, but rather taken the sound and ran with it, is most clearly shown by the recent ‘Bristol Takeover’ nights at FWD>>. These bi-monthly events see the cream of Bristol’s Dubstep scene acting as ambassadors for the city, taking the sound back to its London roots and showcasing the new directions in which they have taken it.

Another recent accolade for the Bristol scene was the selection of Appleblim to mix the latest Dubstep Allstars CD. The Dubstep Allstars series has always striven to document the various different styles of Dubstep, but has previously only featured London based DJs. Appleblim used this fantastic opportunity to document his own personal Dubstep vision and it is no surprise that a high percentage of the tracks he included were from Bristolian producers. The CD is an especially good example of a style currently flourishing in Bristol, that combines the swing of garage, the techniques of Dub and the sonic palette and forward thinking ethos of Techno. As well as Appleblim, the main artists that are involved in pushing this sound in the city are Pinch, Peverelist and Headhunter.

Pinch’s debut album, ‘Underwater Dancehall’, was met with critical acclaim last year, with his use of vocalists on the tracks leading to comparisons with Massive Attack and other renowned Bristol artists. As well as his releases on his own Tectonic imprint, he has also had a number of tracks released on other labels, most notably the stunning ‘Qawwali’ on Planet Mu. Pinch’s deep and uncompromisingly minimal style forges a link between the aesthetics of Jamaica and Berlin yet at the same time manages to maintain a distinctly Bristol feel.

In 2006 Peverelist set up the Punch Drunk label to showcase the considerable talents of the Bristolian artists around him. The second release on the label, and his personal debut, consisted of the genre defying tracks ‘Erstwhile Rhythm’ and ‘The Grind’. ‘The Grind’ in particular received praise from far beyond the usual Dubstep commentators, and was seen by many to be a defining point in the supposed Dubstep / Techno crossover. He has since gone on to further push the boundaries of the genre with releases on Tectonic and Skull Disco.

Headhunter is a member of Bristol’s H.E.N.C.H crew and is exclusively signed to Tempa. Over the course of the last few years his sound has progressed from dark, punishing half-step, to a style based more around the 4/4 patterns of Dub Techno. Other members of the H.E.N.C.H crew include Jakes, Komonazmuk, Whiteboi and Wedge, all of whom are making innovative music that serves only to heighten Bristol’s reputation.

Another key figure in Bristol’s Dubstep scene is Rob Smith, who has recently been producing Dubstep under the name of RSD. Best known as one half of Smith and Mighty, he is arguably the most important figure in Bristol’s recent musical history, having been heavily involved in all aspects of the scene for over twenty years. Rob’s music embodies the city’s musical heritage and is probably as close to a ‘Bristol Sound’ as you will get.

The electronic, future Grime sound of artists such as Joker, Gemmy and Guido makes up another interesting part of the Bristol Dubstep scene. Largely synth led, their tracks are dominated by twisted, midrange leads and hooks that play cleverly off of the inevitably monstrous bass lines. Lying somewhere between Crunk, Garage and Electro, their take on the music displays once again how new sounds can be developed and spread quickly between local artists.

Two other producers that are currently making waves in the city are Gatekeeper and Forsaken. Forsaken’s unique style steers clear of populist dance floor trends and focuses heavily on live instrumentation. He is definitely an artist who has the potential to ‘cross over’ from the Dubstep scene, with DJs such as Giles Peterson already playing his tracks. Along with others he has just set up the Soul Motive label which aims to showcase a diverse range of boundary pushing music. Gatekeeper has already had releases out on Punch Drunk, Skull Disco and Soul Jazz and is definitely an artist to watch out for in the future.

With so much talent around it is clear that Bristol’s music scene is as strong as ever and it is surely only a matter of time before it delivers the next Massive Attack or Roni Size. It is not a question of if, but rather when the ‘Bristol Sound’ will once again be the focus of the world’s attention.

This article was originally written for ATM Worldwide and can be found in the July / August issue.

One of Grime's most appealing features has always been its immediacy, its raw, uncontrolled hype that threatens to bubble over at any moment. During the scene's heyday, the airwaves of the capital were bursting with pirate radio broadcasts that connected the artists with their audience in a way that cannot be replicated through the recording and releasing of music. Many of these radio shows proved to be pivotal moments in the scene, with their unplanned nature leaving listeners guessing as to what was going to happen next. To those living outside of London however, it was next to impossible to hear these illicit transmissions.

Thankfully, due to the dedication and enthusiasm of Grime fans at the time, many of these sets were recorded onto tape, and occasionally onto computers. A limited number have since found their way onto the net, providing a first glimpse for many into what was previously a very localised scene. Most of the recordings have remained hidden though, languishing in boxes, or tucked away at the back of dusty cupboards. That was until recently.

Grimetapes.com was launched at the beginning of this year, in a bid to archive and document this special period in music's history, a period during which creativity ran wild and careers could be made or ended in a matter of seconds. Paul, the man behind Grime Tapes, was kind enough to tell us more about his labour of love...

When and why did you decide to start Grimetapes.com?

The initial idea came around eight or nine months ago, mainly through the difficulty of obtaining sets from that era really. There have always been a few floating around the internet and I had my own limited selection of tapes, but the knowledge that there were so many more out there just being ignored led me to start up the site.

Where do all the sets come from?

From all over the place really. A lot of the initial contacts came from putting out requests on internet forums and the like, as well as a couple of people I knew had a few anyway. Since then I've had people approach me with tapes or their own files.

What's more interesting to me is the amount of people involved in the scene who've delivered really. My biggest source so far is an old 2-step producer whose collection is just huge; to be honest I don't think I'll get to the bottom of that for a while. I'm currently converting a load of tapes from DJ Spooky of Slew Dem Crew, and there's some really rare stuff in there as well. Stuff like Tinchy Stryder's first appearance on Rinse, really early Slimzee sets, all kinds.

How important do you think the archiving of these recordings is?

I think the importance of the recordings can't be stressed hard enough. Because of the nature of the early days of the scene, the greatest moments of the era came from the pirates, and a lot of those sets are just gone, or decaying in a shoebox full of tapes somewhere. If I can bring back even an eighth of that stuff then I think that what I'm doing is made worthwhile.

Do you see the site as being purely for the enjoyment of Grime fans, or do you see it as having a wider social and historical significance?

To understand the significance of this period, I think you only need to look at the size and importance of the scene at the time. Grime was the sound that shaped a lot of people's formative years, it dominated the airwaves, albeit illegally. That brief period is effectively a sound and time that will never be duplicated. It's difficult to really explain the importance of it. As much as it's possible to listen to the sets from the site and enjoy them, for the people who were there at the time this stuff has a whole different meaning.

The vast majority of the sets on the site were recorded off of pirate radio. How important do you think the pirates were to the Grime scene?

The pirates were grime, effectively. You had the raves and vinyl releases of course, but effectively Deja Vu, Freeze FM, Raw Mission, Rinse FM, these stations and the sets on them, this is grime at its essence. For some people, recording from the pirates and the vibrancy or the culture around them is as much a part of the experience as the sound itself; recording the sets onto tapes, trying desperately hard to get the perfect radio signal on your hi-fi or whatever. A lot of the pivotal moments in the scene were on these pirate radio sets, the MC clashes, the "beef" between rival crews, the biggest rhythms getting premiered.

When the pirate stations got shut down, via Trident’s influence, and through incidents such as the Muskateers running up on Deja Vu, a lot of people view that as the end of the classic era for grime. Whether these kinds of statements are melodramatic or not, I think there are many people who would agree that Grime now has a very different feel and vibe compared to the time period documented on the site. Without the pirates, that vibe wouldn't have been there.

Do you try and improve the sound quality of the recordings, or do you leave them in their original, raw state?

It's difficult to be honest, because there's only so much that you can do with certain tapes. I'm lucky in some respects because some of the sets on the site were recorded direct to the hard-drive, plugging in a portable radio or whatever directly through the soundcard; these are the sets that sound the best. But some tapes are almost unsalvageable. I converted a Wiley & Slimzee solo set recently that's incredible, but the tape has been played so many times that parts of it are almost unlistenable. In some respects that's part of the appeal of the recordings I guess, you're almost duplicating weak FM signals or 3rd generation tapes etc. I try my best, but as I said some of these recordings are never going to sound 100%.

Do you have any plans for the future of grimetapes.com?

Short-term, the site's going to be moving onto private hosting soon, so we can negate the reliance on the free-hosting sites like Rapidshare, Zshare etc. I've got some other things that I want to be getting on with, but I'm not going to start talking about them in case they fall through. It's a cliche but watch this space.

Which are your 5 favourite sets on the site and why?

Keep in mind that these change a lot. It's difficult to really quantify favourites when there are so many.

1. Studio Set: Slimzee ft Dizzee & Wiley ("Studio Sets")
Aside from the poor quality, this a real genuine classic. Just over an hour of the two biggest names in grime going back to back, which is a rarity in terms of sets made up solely of these two. The scene would be a very different place if it wasn't for the beef between these two; this is a glimpse into that I guess.

2. Musical Mobb: J-Wing, Dizzman & Rugrat on Freeze FM ("Miscellaneous")
J-Wing, Dizzman and Rugrat in a mountain of distorted hype, all three of those are just madly underrated if not forgotten by most. The tape is just worn out from the amount of plays I've given this. Even now I know every bar.

3/4. Young Man Standing 1 & 3 ("Miscellaneous")
The encapsulation of the concept; bags of MCs and hype, beats that still get me aggy now, EVERYONE on their one-line flows and biggest bars. Perfect.

5. Wiley vs Durrty Doogz, plus God's Gift, Dizzee and Dogzilla ("Roll Deep")
If it wasn't for Dogzilla turning up, it'd probably be number 1. As it is, it’s the biggest 1st half of a set going. Doogz, Wiley and Dizzee ciphering, turns into a clash, Wiley gets on a hype, it's sick.

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Please do check out the site, I really can't recommend it enough. Massive thanks go out to Paul and all of the other contributors for helping to provide such a valuable resource.

Gemmy - 'BK2 The Future' (clip)

Gemmy is feeling positive at the moment. With an upcoming release on Punch Drunk and an ever increasing list of DJ bookings, he has every reason to do so. He was kind enough to pop round for the evening, during which time a tape recorder was randomly turned on and off. Here’s some of what was caught on the tape…

How did you first discover Dubstep?

I came into Dubstep from the Grime angle. I’d say more garage actually, producers like Oris Jay and Zinc. It all started with 2-step really, then I moved into more minimal sounds, but always keeping a vibe. I think I got drawn into Dubstep by just going to the nights really. I remember hearing the sound and thinking, ‘yeah, this is much better produced’. Grime was never really that well produced, people were just cutting and pasting little things in and always using the same sounds. You’d hear tunes that were made up of three instruments and you’d be thinking, ‘it’s got vibes but it hasn’t really had enough work put into it’.

Do you think the Grime influence comes across in your music?

Yeah, I’m Grime influenced, that’s something that I can’t hold back. Roots are something that you keep, I can’t let go of them. I still use the grimy sounds, so my tunes may sound grimier to some people than most other Dubstep. It’s all experimental though really, that’s how I look at it.

Your music is sonically quite similar to Joker’s. Is this a coincidence or do you feel that you have influenced each others music?

I’ve been working with Joker for ages, which a lot of people don’t know. I knew Joker before he was even properly making tunes, since around 2003. Back then he was making his tunes on Fruity Loops and I was using Reason. I showed him Reason and all the different things that you could do with it. Being an experimental guy he tried it out and started making rhythms on that. From that stage onwards we were just making our own sound and bouncing ideas off of each other.

We always try to do something different though, so that we don’t always sound the same. It helps to keep us on the ball, so that we’re not just sticking to the same formula all the time. We like using melodies a lot as well, rather than just little hits and loads of bass lines. We always try and mellow it out a little.

What else inspires your music?

A lot of music from the 80’s sticks out to us. The synth sounds especially, even down to the bass sounds and the kicks and snares; 808s and stuff like that. Sonic has been a big influence as well, the same with loads of SEGA games. Those producers had to work within a system, so obviously they were limited to the amount of sounds that they could use. Just based on those instruments they made some of the sickest tunes. If they were made using the kind of synths that we use nowadays then they would be big tunes. We remixed a couple, undercover, just random ones that we’ve dropped at raves and stuff. I’ve got some from Sonic 2, so there’s a few out there still. Those producers are big producers, they influenced us loads. We used to just sit down and listen to the tunes on sound test.

Synthesised leads and hooks play a major part in your tracks. How did you learn to manipulate synths so well?

It’s more about us just playing around with sounds really. We used to just mess around with sounds all day. Sometimes we’ll be about making music, and other times we’ll just be about making sounds. Our intention is always to make a tune, but often we just get the first sound, and then mess around with that all day. After a while you start to understand what kind of sounds you like to hear and how to make those sounds. We’ll say, ‘let’s have more glide on it’, because we like more glidey sounds, or another time more detuned, or more chorus or whatever. We just know how to make those sounds basically.

Two of your tracks, ‘BK2 The Future’ and ‘Bass Transmitter’, are being released next month on Punch Drunk. How did this come about?

Joker was playing at FWD>> with Pinch. Pinch, Joker and Peverelist were in the car on the way down and Joker was going through some new tunes. ‘Bass Transmitter’ came on and Peverelist liked the tune, but he thought that Joker had made it. It turned out to be me that had made it though! He just really liked it I think. I’m pretty sure he was going to release it anyway, it was just lucky that I agreed to it!

Also at that time, ‘BK2 The Future’ was at a high point. That track was how loads of people first heard of me, so I think it just came about from that really. Originally I think his intention was to put out ‘Bass Transmitter’ as the A-side. I think he prefers that one, but for whatever reason it didn’t turn out that way.

The weird thing is that I’ve been buying vinyl from Pev for ages (at Rooted Records). I don’t know if he remembers this, but I went into the shop ages ago and asked him a very random question; I asked him how to get a tune out there. How do I actually get my tunes from my room and onto a record that’s standing there on the shelf? I think he was a bit dazzled by the question, he didn’t really know what to say. For all he knew my tunes could have been shit. He said, ‘you’ve basically just got to find a record label that’s willing to do it. Then you’ll get a release and they will put it out there for you.’ He was the fist guy I asked about how to get a tune out there, and then weirdly enough, four or five years down the line, he’s the first person to release one of my tunes. It’s bonkers!

‘BK2 The Future’ and ‘Bass Transmitter’ will be out on Punch Drunk in September.

Forsaken - 'Running Back' (exclusive track)

Forsaken is an artist who has never been afraid to try something different. Having established himself with releases on Punch Drunk and Immerse, as well as gaining radio play from the likes of Giles Peterson, he has recently set up his own label. We caught up with him for a chat about music, and he was also kind enough to write an exclusive track for us. You can listen to the track, ‘Running Back’, in the player above.

Anyway…

How did you first get into music?

I used to play NES games; I was a massive fan of Nintendo and Atari. I had an Atari 2600 back in the day. I just loved the music in computer games; it meant everything to me when I was playing those games. It’s funny actually, there’s this band in Bristol called Chain Chomp and the Shy Guys, who dress up as Mario and play live computer game theme tunes. The first time I saw them I went with all these girls, I was sort of ‘in between’ girlfriends at the time. So there are all these really hot girls there, and I’m in tears on the dance floor, rocking out to the theme from Super Mario Brothers 2, it was deep!

I take it you were ‘between’ girlfriends for a while after that?

Yeah, I don’t think they were too impressed by my weeping at computer game theme tunes!

Most of your productions tend to steer away from populist dance floor trends. Is this a conscious decision that you have made?

Not really. I like telling stories; in fact I got an A in public speaking for my English A level! I like telling stories, I like reading stories and I like telling stories with music. When you hear a soundtrack and it just kills it for you, it can really make the film or the game that you are playing. That’s what I want to do, just write stuff that makes people think of story lines.

Headhunter came up to me one day and said, “Your stuff is great, but you should make a dance floor track; just kill it”. I thought, yeah, you know what I should. I tried, and I made some of the shittest music that I have ever made! I just can’t write dance floor riddims.

Would you describe your music as Dubstep?

I would, but I think there are a lot of people who wouldn’t.

What does Dubstep mean to you?

For me, there’s a sonic essence to it. Loads of bass, drums that carry you, stuff that embraces you, you know? I don’t know if the bpm is that important to be honest. I’ve heard slower stuff that I would still class as Dubstep; the same with the faster stuff and the more breaky stuff. For me Dubstep is more of a vibe than a specific ‘this is this’, ‘that is that’ sort of thing.

How important is the technical side of production to you? Do you focus more on musicality or technicality?

I appreciate that they have to coexist at the same time, but I never concentrate on the technical side in my productions. RZA from Wu Tang Clan is one of my favourite producers of all time. He puts together these beats, and they are fucking amazing; proper deep beats, really banging. He captures the errors in the sounds, the things that went wrong, but he gets them into the tunes and it makes them sound good. I kind of like that rough handled approach. There’s a kind of dirty graininess that I really appreciate. It makes you feel like your listening to something from his heart, rather than his MPC. Saying that, I do spend a lot of time tweaking shit. I tend to get stuck in that trap of making a beat and then tweaking it for the next two months.

How has living in Bristol influenced the music that you make?

I grew up idolising the Full Cycle lot; Roni Size, Krust, Die and Suv, and that was what originally got me into Jungle and Drum & Bass. It was like, wow, they live just up the road from me! I think that affected me a lot.

How about nowadays? Would you say that being around other Bristolian producers influences your sound?

I don’t think we are drawing on similar influences sound wise. The thing that influences me about all the people I’ve met who make Dubstep in Bristol, or Drum & Bass, House, Techno or whatever, is just the passion for music. That’s how it influences me. I’ll meet these people and chat to them, make a beat or something and then go straight back to my studio and be like yeah, I really want to make another beat.

Which of your tracks are you most proud of?

In terms of success, I’m most proud of Boat Noodles [Punch Drunk], that’s done the best sales wise. Personally though, the tracks that are the most ‘me’ are the Soul Motive tracks, ‘Into The Sunset’ and ‘Last Saloon Swagger’. Both those tunes are a little bit tongue in cheek… they’ve just got all the little bits that I find interesting.

Do you feel that you are making the kind of music that you want to be making, or do you feel as if you are still on a journey to get there?

I work with Joker quite a lot and he’s a technician when it comes to synthesis. He is absolutely superb; his melody is in his bones. When I work with him I get a little bit jealous. He can just sit down with his sequencer and make a fat synth line, whereas my synthesis isn’t so great. It’s always been a bit of a struggle for me to take the sounds that I hear in my head and make them in a synthesiser, but I’m definitely getting closer. I prefer working with organic, real instruments though, creating rhythms and that sort of thing.

You have just started a label with Neil Kymatik and Adam Bodynod; tell us more about that…

The label is called Soul Motive. We just want to put out music that, like I was saying earlier, tells a story. When you listen to music you can tell when someone’s written a part of themselves or an experience into a tune. We just want to put out music that captures a moment, whether that moment is in a club or whilst trying to cross the Savannah on horseback. That’s Soul Motive; music that just gets you.

Soul Motive 002 (Forsaken - 'Last Saloon Swagger' / 'Into The Sunset') is out now. Check out Blackdown's Blog for the story behind the artwork.

We've just set ourselves up a facebook page. It's feeling mighty lonely over there at the moment, so please add us and help us to spread the word! The link is in the image above.

There's also a chance of future discounts for our facebook fans, so it could well be worth your while to add us!

To help give you more of an idea of what we are all about, here are a couple of videos of events that we have been involved with in the past.

These videos show two of the headliners of our Dubstep night, Highroad, playing special intimate gigs before hand in Rooted Records. These were really great sessions, even though the ceiling did start raining rocks due to the bass!

Shackleton:

Bass Clef: (check out youtube for the other two parts):