The duo Hypomaniacs (Shaun – Producer/DJ, Stacey – Vocalist/Producer) come from the landlocked city of Johannesburg, South Africa. Their individual formative roots ranged from playing in metal bands, to drum and bass Dj’s, becoming ever in twined for the need of more electronic pulses, which eventually led them to production. Although the hard drum and bass sounds sparked their first interest in electronic music, the direction of Electro – the hard phat stomach churning beats, bass and synths, was too intense for them ignore.
Therefore the Hypomaniacs were born – bridging their roots with technology, to perform with live vocals. They produce hard in your face electro tracks, vocally dominated, thrown together in a mix of foot stomping, face punching, heart pulsating beats. The Hypomaniacs will be performing at Olmeca Presents Grietfest 2013 in Newtown, Johannesburg on 31 August 2013.
” One of the most exciting underground live acts in South Africa, if you haven’t heard of them yet, you will very soon” – Dan Apter, Double Adapter
“The Hypomaniacs are one of the most Unique Electro Trash acts bread in our country.
Every one of their songs have a unique energy and lyrics brought together by the talented Shaun and the gorgeous Stacey.
Their performance sets are explosive, fun and always an amazing time.
If you have ever been to one of their shows you know exactly what I’m talking about .” – Bjorn Ludwig, EDM Lover
Tell us a bit about who Hypomaniacs are and how you first got involved with music production.
We are from JHB and write/produce hard electro to bang your head to on the dance floor, its more about the emotion and the party and what we would prefer to hear in clubs. We both played instruments before moving onto digital production… a natural progression.
Stacey performs the vocals in your productions. How does this add to the unique sound Hypomaniacs creates?
Stacey’s aggressive vocal is the main Hypomaniacs “sound” and we specifically write our tracks around that basis. There aren’t many EDM artists who do this, and maybe that’s what makes our sound more unique.
Griet is bringing in some big names for Grietfest 2013 such The Upbeats, Etnik and Bart B More. Which particular acts to look forward to seeing at the festival?
F.O.O.L, The Upbeats, Haezer and Double Adapter would be on the top of our list of acts to see.
Grietfest brings together electronic acts from across the country. Why is an event like Grietfest beneficial for our music industry?
Grietfest is geared towards the underground and is one of the only events of the year of its kind. The fact that it gets bigger every year just shows it’s beneficial to our industry. It’s an event where people can come hear the latest underground music and see up and coming SA artists playing next to top international artists.
Hypomaniacs will be performing on the main stage at Grietfest 2013. What can the crowds expect from your performance?
Pure mayhem, a lot of sweat, spilled drinks, we don’t fuck around.
Two (or Cru), is usually better then one, a fact not lost on the Southwest’s answer to the new school UK Jungle movement, the Run Tingz Cru. A tip-top, one-stop, Junglist boutique, the Run Tingz camp have every corner of the scene well and truly nailed… A killer production outfit, two consistently solid record labels, a clothing line and a globally recognised brand of events. Get to know: Ed (G.Tactix) and Parker (LXP) are the Reggae-roused rave veterans behind the Run Tingz operation.
Two dedicated Bristolian Junglists, each armed with well over a decade of experience in the music industry, they were inspired to contribute to the scene that’s given them so much as DJs over the years. Mentored by Jungle legends the Serial Killaz (Congo Natty / Ganja), they established their label in 2010 and have been turning heads ever since. Their manifesto: to create original Jungle / Drum & Bass compositions featuring some of the very best Reggae and Jungle vocalists old and new. Since their bold inception they’ve recruited the very best in the game.
From Topcat to Tenor Fly, David Boomah to Blackout JA, Solo Banton to YT (and not forgetting their girls Lady MC and Lady Fyah), they’ve consistently aimed for the top and scored themselves a series of unique, original and contemporary Jungle releases. No bootlegs, no messing: Run Tingz have meant business from day one. Each of these impeccable studio creations are released through their two in-house labels: Run Tingz Recordings and Run Tingz Digital. Releases such as ‘Born Inna Babylon’, the Serial Killaz collaboration ‘Murder Ya Sound’ and ‘It’s a Junglist Ting’ have driven the Run Tingz Cru to the top of the D&B charts, winning them rave reviews in the music press and a live appearance on BBC Introducing. More recently they’ve uncovered the delights of Capitol 1212’s iconic ‘Don Man Sound’ (which earned them support from Radio 1 and Kiss FM) and recruited legendary toasters Cowboy Ras Ranger and 2Nice on ‘My Sound’, a next-level Jungle release featuring an original production from V Recording’s Aries and Gold. Massive tracks, bold-as-brass labels and road block events to boot: Run Tingz have been delighting bass audiences with their high-impact stage shows.
Previous live exploits include Glastonbury, Shambala, Glade and Electric Picnic. They’re set to perform to 10’000+ people on the iconic Arcadia stage at this year’s Boomtown Festival and are mainstays at St Paul’s Carnival, Europe’s oldest Caribbean street party. Eschewing the average D&B DJ and MC combo, their incendiary live shows have gained notoriety from as far afield as France, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Austria, Greece, Switzerland and Sardinia. Make no mistakes: Run Tingz Cru are playing an international game. Three years deep and now a household name in modern day Jungle, 2013 is set to see the collective up their game once again… Already a firm favourite in Bristol, London and Brighton, their nocturnal club rampages the ‘Run Tingz Sessions’, will add two new cities to their 2013 calendar.
The Run Tingz Cru have recently been signed to the on-point Boom Agency and they’ve got a release schedule (with a new project set to drop on a monthly basis) that quite frankly makes 2012 look lazy! The tip-top, one-stop boutique is well on its way to becoming a global hypermarket, so hold tight… and watch your bass bins!
You recently played in Glastonbury where you had the honor to share the stage with Goldie. How was the Glastonbury experience for you and which moments will you always treasure?
Glastonbury was wicked as always, to be honest we were part time playaz this year as we literally hit site at about 14:00 on the Sunday afternoon and we were back in Bristol by 05:00 Monday morning, saying that we smash two of the best sets of our careers so it was actually one of the best Glastonbury experiences we’ve had. The live show we did with YT in the Common was the best show’s we’ve done with him to date and performing in front of 10,000+ people only an hour later on the Hell Stage is an experience that would be difficult to put into words, well, epic is the only way to describe it!
Legendary “junglists”, Serial Killaz, mentored you. What made them such great mentors and what was the greatest lesson they taught you?
Tobie and Graham collectively have more experience that pretty much anyone in the scene and have given us so much support and guidance over the years its impossible to tell you the greatest single lesson we’ve learnt. If I had to name a few it’s stay grounded, believe in yourself and always stay true to the cause. The production knowledge we’ve learnt from G has been priceless and it’s safe to say Run Tingz wouldn’t be the same without them.
When it comes to jungle, what sets it apart from commercial forms of drum & bass?
It’s completely subjective but in terms of the music we’re known for it’s clearly the Ragga and the Reggae influences that set it apart. Some of the lyrical content is conscious in terms of the message, potentially even political and this tends to differ to the slightly “safer” lyrical content of a lot of commercial music. It’s a fine line tho cause it’s only takes a couple of the main stream radio DJ’s to jump on the whole Ragga Jungle thing and suddenly it’s “commercial” so to speak.
Run Tingz Recordings stays true to producing the best jungle tracks time after time. How do you insure a constant improvement in your sound, which will satisfy any junglist’s hunger?
We always try and push ourselves in terms of the production but hopefully any producer would say that. For us there is a fairly wide range of styles within the Jungle and D&B spectrum so we try and represent a good cross section of the music with the tracks we release and the artists we’re signing. Josh (J.Man) has a completely different style of production to Ricky (Rick Tuff) for example but it’s all Jungle and the styles compliment each other really well.
Ed (G.Tactix) recently got accepted to study his BA Honors in Music Production. How would furthering your studies contribute to your already booming career?
To be honest I don’t think you can ever stop learning and the opportunity to be part of a huge community of up and coming producers and vocal artists is going to do wonders for the label and our long term plans. We aim to have our own recording studio set up by 2014 and music production is only a very small part of the course, I’ll be trained to engineer in studios like Rockfield and Toybox and that sort of opportunity isn’t something that falls into your lap every day.
“Run Tingz Remixes Volume One”, which features names such as Serial Killaz, Top Cat, Blackout Jah and Run Tingz Cru, is the latest EP on your Run Tingz label. Why did you choose to feature these particular artists on the album?
Well, when we started the label we were slightly wet behind the ears in terms of our production but the tracks we recorded with the vocalists you’ve mentioned were anthems in their own right and we felt it was time to give all the first releases a revamp and breath life back into the tracks which is exactly what it did. All the artists on the EP are essentially signed to us so it was a big label showcase in that sense, the only exception was Northern Lights and they stand out for us as one of the best production duo’s in the scene at the moment. We play their remix of “Walk and Skank” in nearly every set so on request the Informer remix was heavily inspired by that which is fairly obvious to hear.
Run Tingz Cru has an EP to be released later this year. Tell us about the EP and are there any surprises that fans can look forward to?
The Cross Roads EP is due to be released in the first week of September and will be promo’d in the next couple of weeks so keep your eyes peeled for that. It’s a 4 track EP we’ve done with long standing label vocalist Blackout J.A. and in terms of surprises it’s some of his best work to date and I think will turn a lot of heads. In terms of our contribution to the project we’ve steered our track in a slightly more bass influenced direction so it’ll be interesting to see what response and feedback we get but it’s been smashing it on the dance floors so all’s looking good at this stage!Keep your eyes on our website www.runtingzrecordings.co.uk and all our social networks for updates on the release and keep your eyes peeled for some very exciting projects that we’ve got planned for Autumn / Winter 2013.
Thanks for listening.Ed & Parker (Run Tingz Recordings)xxxxxxxxxxxxxxRavingFox
mono_sono aka Jarred Parenzee is a producer originally from Cape Town, South Africa, now residing in Pretoria.
He was introduced to electronic music in 2001 via the sounds of Wagon Christ & Aphex Twin on a community radio show. He gradually got into production through his love for hip-hop
The hip hop connection was always going to lead to a sample based approach to production, though the inclusion of synths was soon to be more than that. Having released an EP in the UK as well as forming part of Ghostsnare, Ravingfox approached this young man to be part of our Africa’s Bass Breakthroughs not just because of his talent but his passion for music as well.
Mono_sono is quite well known in the Johannesburg and Pretoria bass scene but you grew up with the Cape Town massive. Tell us about where mono_sono comes from and what led you towards mixing and producing music?
Ever since I’ve consciously listened to music, I’ve always read the liner notes of albums to find out whom or what created a certain sound. Ever since then I’ve endeavored to recreate those sounds. As for mixing, I’ve always made mix tapes (I’m talking cassette tapes), so being able to create a continuous mix of my favorite tracks just made sense to me.
The name? Well, that comes from an obsession with kwaito and Jomo Sono.
When it comes to music we all have a beautiful story that we can connect to every moment and every song. What does music mean to you and what constantly drives you to keep on pushing forward to achieve that ultimate dream?
Music is a means for me to express my personality in ways I can’t verbalize. It has helped me to connect with the kindred and to get out of the bedroom more often. With my music and dj sets I always strive to improve on any previous efforts, while at the same time I try to allow for the music to flow naturally.
You are actively involved with various local drum and bass brands such as Tomorrow Never Happened, Addictshun and Drum & Bass South Africa. What is so unique about the South African electro scene and why is it necessary for artists and brands to support each other in a growing industry?
I don’t know about it being that unique and I say that because I don’t think we’ve fully realised our cultural diversity in electronic music as yet. However, I have to mention John Wizards here; they’re a duo from Cape Town who have fused African & “world” music with all forms of the electronica continuum in a way that sounds totally coherent. They have recently released on the legendary Planet Mu records. This can only be good for the scene at large.
In terms of industry growth, we all want our music to be appreciated by wider audiences so I think it’s essential for us to share resources. We have so few venues willing to support our music that any disunity will only prove their point. We need to stop trying to hold on to the scene as if it belongs to an individual, that can only stunt its growth.
We have a lot of talented producers rising up from the masses and making their mark and mono_sono is one such producer. Which of your productions are you incredibly proud of and what was the concept behind each track?
The track “This Music”, the title track of my EP that came out on Omni music UK last year, is definitely one of my proudest moments. It started off as an experiment; I wanted to create a drum kit where timbres were morphing constantly and that became the basis for the track. Also, in terms of structure, it doesn’t have a breakdown; it just keeps building all the way to the end. I also tried to build a bit of a narrative using the vocal samples.
You have provided RAVINGFOX with a mix showcasing the best of your skills as an artist. Why did you decide on that particular track selection?
In addition to my own material, I’ve featured artists and labels I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with, either in person or online. I’ve also included some of my favorite producers and tracks that have and continue to inspire me.
In South Africa we have experienced merely a taste of the international electro scene. Are there certain countries or events you aspire to perform at and why?
It would probably be Star Warz in Belgium or Ichi One in The Netherlands as they represent the music I like and an almost holistic approach to throwing parties. And if dBridge were to throw a house party, I’d love to play there 🙂
You still have plenty of work to put in to reach the pinnacle of your career. What is your strategy for the next few years and what will mono_sono be presenting us with in the near future?
Well, I’d really just like to finish and put out quality music; definitely release an album. I also want to start my own label at some point. I also run a bi-monthly show using the mixlr online streaming service, featuring a broad spectrum of electronic music and I’m hoping to build my listenership as well as that of the music I love. As for performances, I just wanna get better at djing and maybe dancing to my sets a bit more J ,then playing bigger & different parties around the country and of course more festivals.
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RavingFox
mono_sono RavingFox Mix July 2013
Track list
Eschaton – Lunar (Parallel remix)
Blocks & Escher – Sagan
Adam Elemental – Poly6
Wraetlic – Better the devil (dBridge Advocate remix)
Om Unit – Slowfast
ENA – Wave pattern
Fearful – Nostromo
Fre4knc – Marching cube
Indidjinous – Skulk
Data – The Sprawl (Linden & Blocks remix)
Indigo – The Root
Stray & Halogenix – Poison
Mindmapper – Orbital Orchestra (ASC remix)
mono_sono – This Music
On Thursday 18 July 2013 Griet announced The Upbeats as one of the internationals performing at Grietfest 2013. These two gents have indeed made an enormous mark on the global electronic music scene and can definitely be name drum & bass royalty. RavingFox decided to have a few words with these talented blokes from New Zealand regarding their upcoming visit to our sunny shores.
BIOGRAPHY
In today’s heady climate of bass-fuelled dance music it could easily be argued that producer-DJs are the new rock stars. Climbing into that mould with a pair of schoolboy grins on their faces, The Upbeats have already been playing that role for years. Their anything-goes live performances are renowned for mosh pits, topless dancers (sometimes women) and crowd surfing, while their approach to writing hard-hitting, unique-sounding drum & bass is lauded across the globe.Nicknamed Terror Snake and Downie Wolf respectively, Jeremy and Dylan are not your average, boring producers. Meeting at school through mutual interests in surfing, skating and ‘being gangly teenagers’ Jeremy had to work hard to pull Dylan into the world of drum & bass. But, armed with a stack of Mickey Finn & Aphrodite mixtapes and an unrelenting attitude, the snake soon overcame the wolf’s natural propensity for rock music and, fortunately for us all, a love of fast breakbeats and low-slung basslines soon followed.This love soon grew into a passion for creating their own music and by 2001 the pair were balls deep writing their own D&B. Fuelled by New Zealand’s isolation from the rest of the world and its staggering natural beauty, The Upbeats’ unique take on 170bpm+ bass music has seen the duo work alongside scene stalwarts such as Ed Rush & Optical, Bad Company, Hive, Gridlock, Bulletproof, TREi, State of Mind and Noisia while releasing tracks across a plethora of the D&B scene’s most respected record labels.In the wake of such a prolific impact on the worldwide drum & bass scene, The Upbeats continue to push the boundaries. Working on producing an album for award-winning New Zealand live act Shapeshifter and collaborating with US bass music superstar Bassnectar this is set to be the most exciting season for The Upbeats yet, for precisely one reason: the duo’s forthcoming fourth studio album set to be released on Noisia’s increasingly imperial Vision Recordings.Amongst the incredible list of singles for legendary D&B outlets like Ram Records, Virus, Commercial Suicide, Subtitles and Lifted Music, and production and remix credits for some of the hottest names around, from MSTRKRFT to the aforementioned Shapeshifter, The Upbeats have displayed where their true strength lies; releasing critically acclaimed, boundary pushing and excitement-inducing long players. From their debut album on New Zealand’s LOOP Recordings through their sophomore offering ‘Nobody’s Out There’ on Bad Taste to 2009’s ‘Big Skeleton’ released on their own Non Vogue imprint, The Upbeats have consistently impressed with a deep understanding of what makes a dance music album great.
Perennially packed with enough energy to rock the floor and backed up with genuine emotion and an infinite capacity to inject a taste of something different into their music, The Upbeats’ albums drag you deep into their own personal world of drum & bass. That’s a world which is infused with the duo’s sibling-like relationship, a propensity for having fun, unusual food combinations at breakfast time and an unnerving amount of insect-based facts. Not only are The Upbeats producers with studio skills, they’ve also got a few things which link them to all the best artists in history; bags of character, endless amounts of fresh ideas and a large dose of friendly rock star attitude.
INTERVIEW
You started out in the New Zealand electronic scene. What was your first experience with electronic music and what gave you the spark to involve yourself more in the scene to the point where you started producing?
“I (Jeremy) was introduced to electronic music around 1996 when friends of my Dads came and stayed and played us a CD called Junglized. I instantly fell in love with Adam F’s track Circles, and from that started exploring the music further. Initially getting immersed in albums like Grooveriders Mysteries of Funk & Reprazents New Forms. In 1998 Dylan and I met at highschool and i started converting him from a rock kid into a D&B head. Around the same time a friend of ours introduced us to some software called Cakewalk, which piqued our interest, and started us on the path to producing our own music. We didn’t have any aspirations to make a career out of it for years, not really until we got our first release on Fabel Recordings in New Zealand in 2002.”
The Upbeats are known for producing dubstep and drum and bass but you have a bigger focus on drum and bass. What aspect about drum and bass that makes it stand out from all other genres of music from a producer’s point of view?
“I think Drum & Bass first attracted us because it sounded so completely new, and exciting compared to anything else we had heard. Also it was a really edgy, energetic and underground sounding form of music. That has changed a lot over the last 15 years with the rise of the internet and mainstream acceptance of EDM. It has meant that a lot of D&B can now sound quite commercial etc, and quite often that’s a big turnoff for us. That’s cool though because there’s still a big movement of people that produce and appreciate innovative and creative underground music. Also there’s a great community of producers that we respect, and they often give us big inspiration and motivation to try and develop what we do. A bit of friendly competition can do wonders 😉 “
Non Vogue is your own record label. What are the greatest challenges to face when starting up your own record label and what motivates you to keep pushing forward no matter how many hours are spent in the studio?
“The initial motivation for us was to have control over how we released our own music. Which having a label definitely gave us. It also gave us a far better understanding of what is involved to release and properly promote music, especially if you want to do it internationally. It’s a really big job, to do it properly, and that’s been part of the motivation with releasing our new album ‘primitive technique’ on Noisias label ‘Vision Recordings’. We could’ve easily released the album on our own label, but we realistically just don’t have the time and infrastructure in place to do it justice when it comes to promoting & distribution. After running our own label for the last few years, it has been a breath of fresh air working with Vision Recordings. They’re easily the most organised and professional outfit we’ve had the pleasure of working with, and we’re really honored that they chose to release our album!”
You have an upcoming performance in South Africa in 2013. The scene this side is quite underground and dark. What can your fans expect from your set as well as your performance, which will give them that beautiful taste of The Upbeats that they will remember even after the music stops?
“We really like to bring a party atmosphere when we perform. We love getting involved with the crowd, and the crazier the crowd goes, the crazy we will go! So bring it on, and lets try and create a night for the (d&b) history books 😉 ”
You have performed on all the continents except for Africa. Which cities do you always enjoy performing in and what’s the kind of energy you get from the crowd when you start your set?
“It really is hard to beat playing in New Zealand, we’re spoilt back home with how supportive and passionate the crowds are. Having said that a few of our other favorite cities to perform in are Tokyo, Perth, Melbourne, Los Angeles, Budapest, Groningen, Porto, London etc.. (Could go on and on!) As far as the energy goes, we never plan the set we perform, so it is always really dependent on the energy or vibe we get from the crowd. Really look forward to seeing what the South African audience throws at us!!!”
You have a new album that will be released later this year. What is the album called and what was the concept behind the album?
“The album’s called ‘Primitive Technique’, and is out April 29th on Vision Recordings. As we stated earlier we’ve always been very drawn to the raw and organic aesthetics within drum & bass, and so for us we set out to say something with this album. A lot of drum & bass production today sounds very synthetic, and edges closer and closer to becoming pop music, so we really wanted to take it the other direction, and push the raw, organic feel we love so much. The artwork concept reflects that, and the title primitive technique.”
The Upbeats have worked with various producers in the past. Which producers do you see yourself working with in the future to created tracks and why?
“We always really enjoy working with the Noisia guys, so we’ll definitely try and make some more collaborations happen in future. We’re also working on a couple of things with Bassnectar, and if we get the time would love to get in the studio with Teebee + Calyx, TC & Hazard. “
Having travelled the world. Where do you see the scene heading towards on a global scale within the next ten years?
“Wow that’s difficult. I would love to see this music expand outside of the traditional centres of Europe & North America. It would be really exciting to break into South America, central Asia & Africa. But really there’s no way to know. As an artists i think you really just have to focus on producing something that you’re passionate about and hopefully people will like and support it.”
What has your greatest accomplishment been from when you started producing music to starting up your own record label?
“Having our music played on the New Zealand equivalent of Coronation Street (Shortland Street). BO! But seriously, probably the two most important events in our career were when we signed our 2nd album to Bad Companys label BC Presents and recently signing to Noisias Vision Recordings.”
South Africa is filled with rhythm and music around every corner, which resulted in brilliant local producers. What advice can you give to aspiring artists, producers and dj’s who want to break into the international market?
“The market has changed a lot since we had our breakthrough, so I think you have to approach it quite differently now. It really feels like, at the moment, unless you’re with a label that has some weight behind it, it’s a struggle to get your music out there. Because there’s so much music available on youtube, soundcloud etc, unless you have an outlet that already has peoples attention, you’re going to have a hard time standing out (regardless of how good your music is). So I think the main things now as a new producer we would recommend would be trying to get on a solid label that has good promotion, and try to get on some popular youtube & soundcloud pages (ukf etc). Also, if you’re a new producer sending someone your beats, try to send them finished versions of the song, it can be a bit annoying receiving 5 different versions of the same track (especially if you’re not that into the track to start with!).”
Officially launched in 2010, TehSynes is on the forefront of Drum ‘n Bass technology and sounds.
Having been producing and dj’ing multiple genres for over a decade he has refined his tastes to a blend of soulful, atmospheric, jazzy and futuristic rhythms ‘n sounds that range from chilled out and smooth, to jungle frenzies of beats and bass.He hosts Tempo, with DJ A33 which is a Drum ‘n Bass event aimed at showcasing the styles of Drum ‘n Bass often over looked.
Not content with displaying an only mainstream accepted approach, he finds his inspiration as a producer from many era’s and genres, most notably break-beats from the 60’s and 70’s, the explosion of modern electronic art / dance music from the 90’s and of course, his spiritual connection with music and instruments.His musical journey began with playing Rock and its sub genres in bands on guitar. Hip-hop was extremely formative in rounding out this knowledge of music where he was able to explore Jazz / Soul melodies and began composing with his own rapping and beat-boxing. This led up to his discovery of Jungle in 2001, which is pivotal to his current focus as Jungle / Drum ‘n Bass music combined each one of his major influences into one genre.
As a DJ he has featured at many of the most influential club nights in the industry, most notably, The Cape Town Electronic Music Festival (CTEMF) 2013 and the now defunct Homegrown, which for the last 10 years was a major influence on his musical education and he is proud of the fact he was able to play there on multiple occasions.He has also had artist and DJ features on Bush Radio 89.5fm, Mutha FM and Assembly Radio.Musically he aims to share his love for funk, soul and experimental music with listeners at home and on the dance-floor. His sets are comprised of a wide range of Drum ‘n Bass styles as his influences should indicate and while predominantly Liquid DnB based, he believes that a DJ set should not just make you dance but tell a story and his story is one of love of music and self-discovery.
Your relationship with music kicked off with bands like most of us during our teenage years. What was the importance of this stage of your life and what caused the transition to other genres of music such as hip hop?
“I remember listening to Nirvana while doing homework as a kid and I would always end up using my pencils as drum sticks on pillows. It was my first physical exploration into music and later lead to me playing guitar.
For the next 8 years I was a devout guitarist playing in bands and gigging. I learnt how the club scene worked at a young age thanks to that. My last band broke up after some mild success on radio and by that stage I was already messing around making beats on the computer.
I guess my transition from metal to soulful hip-hop and jazz styles came from learning the blues on guitar. I kind of got bored of heavy guitar music and synthesizers, samplers and drums became something I wanted to hear more of. It was perfect timing for when I discovered Jungle / Drum ‘n Bass.”
TehSynes is a name familiar with many Homegrown fans. What role did Homegrown play in your musical education as well as the growth of the South African electronic scene?
“Homegrown is the single most influential live music experience I’ve ever been a part of. It wasn’t just a party with incredible music that changed my perception forever, it was a community shaped by one thing, the love of dnb! Over the 10 years I was going to those events I met some really cool people who are still a part of my life, we all grew together as artists and friends. Homegrown was our school and our church. That first Saturday of the month was always something we looked forward to.”
You’re quite fond of mixing Jungle into your drum and bass sets. Which producers do you keep a close eye and what about their music sets them apart from commercial drum and bass acts?
“Well the term commercial bothers me because there are loads of ‘Jungle styled’ tracks that have been popular over the years. To answer your question guys like Fanu and Breakage really opened me up to modern jungle music. Other artists like Earl Grey, Tim Reaper, Parallel_[NSF] and Nic TVG are doing incredible things right now.
Labels like Rupture, Pinecone Moonshine, Omni Music, Lightless and Counter Intelligence Recordings are taking the sound from the past to the future, it’s extremely exciting! Also the whole Jungle Juke revolution is becoming a massive hit on the dance-floor thanks to guys like Fracture, Sinistarr, Calculon and Chrissy Murderbot. Even the new Rockwell, which takes the whole Juke element to the next level!”
You co-host an event called “Tempo” with DJ A33. Tell us about the concept behind it and why you decided to establish this event.
“Our idea was to push our favorite styles of DNB, the kind of stuff that we weren’t hearing enough of in the clubs like deep liquid, jungle and the more experimental stuff. We discovered very quickly how many up and coming DJ/Producers there were lurking on the dance-floor so we invited them in to play and together started to build a little scene.
We also added two awesome talents to our team who are both from the UK, DJ Tempo, who we ironically share a name with, and MC Tan. Both of them have invaluable experience in the game, they have really proved to be indispensable to our parties’ ethos and put on an epic show!”
TehSynes and mono_sono have teamed up to form Ghost Snare . What made you decide to start a project with this particular artist and what is the sound you create as Ghost Snare?
“Ghost Snare was born out of our sheer frustration. mono_sono and I share a lot of the same music interests and the only place we could hear a glimpse of the stuff locally was on Hyphen’s radio show on Bush and very rarely in the club. We used to complain to each other all the time, being a grumpy junglist does things to you, and we just decided to fuck the bull shit and start making the music we really wanted to hear. Initially it was just experimental break-beat driven jungle dnb, but it has evolved to encapsulate all styles at +170bpm that had a more musical nature.”
You have chosen an array of tracks for your mix. Which emotion did you incorporate into your mix and why this particular track selection?
“I’ve decided to give you a little example of what Ghost Snare represents to me. You can expect futuristic sounds and rhythms, half time dnb a bit of jungle juke, some choppy drums and a whole lotta bass! Hope ya dig, it’s quite different from what a lot of people may expect from me, but it is very much related to my roots as an artist and the kind of stuff that got me into drum ‘n bass.
The journey takes me from a place of peace and complicated thought to a dark struggle followed by an understanding that is beyond expectations yet accepted and felt in a way that it promotes a form of happiness. Even though there are still underlying challenges.”
TehSynes have over a decade’s experience in the music industry and only recently has the electronic scene experienced a massive growth. Where do you see the future of this industry heading? How will you use your talents and aspirations to make the most of it?
“The local electronic scene has been seriously healthy since the 90’s, while we have suffered moments along the way every year new artists break through and DJ’s and events are discovered. I’m very positive about the future, people are getting wise to the new sounds that are out there and are not just following trends.
When it comes to me, I would like to carry on making and sharing the music I love with people and try to boost the scene as much as I can. We have a lot of potential talent surfacing at the moment so it’s just a matter of time before another revolution occurs. I just hope that the people are ready for it.”
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RavingFox
TehSynes – Raving Fox (Ghost Snare Mix) www.facebook.com/TehSynes | @TehSynes
Tracklisting:
01. Soligen – Imperfections
02. Marso, Gala – Whisper
03. The Last Hero – Into The Further
04. Loxy, Isotone – Ancients (Skeptical Remix)
05. Keosz, Mtwn – Drill
06. Andy Pain, Z Connection – Dive Ruv
07. Rawtekk – No More Vaccine
08. Heavy1 – Fear The Satellite (Sinistarr Remix)
09. Stray – Ginseng Smash
10. Cycom – Control
11. Lynx, Hellrazor – Feelin Me
Barend van der Walt a.k.a Vexille has been making quite the impact in the Johannesburg drum & bass scene. Performing at events such as Science Frikshun, Addictshun and Tomorrow Never Happened, Vexille became quickly well known for his aggressive sets. He recently released his Shattered EP and RavingFox caught up with him for our Africa’s Bass Breakthroughs Part 2
INTERVIEW
Music has played a massive role your entire life. Tell us where your relationship with music began and what role has it played in your life?
“Yes music has played a massive role in my life, all thanks to my dad. He ALWAYS had some good music to play, whether it was rock, old school, classical or Queen, he always educated me. But more importantly, he never forced me to do anything musical. This is what kept my interest and passion for music.”
You are frequently seen on Tomorrow Never Happened line-ups playing as either Vexille or teaming up with King Rat to amaze crowds as Bassik Assault. How has King Rat a.k.a. Sean Nel fulfilled his role as your mentor?
“Tomorrow Never Happened parties are always a “jol”, and as Sean is the owner of TNH, and my manager as of recent, he would obviously want me to play his parties. He has also been the biggest influence in my musical career because he always pushes me to do better. He taught me how to DJ the music that I now produce, and in return I’m teaching him how to produce the music he loves. Watch this space, King Rat has some SICK ideas in terms of production!”
Your track “Comfort” from your “Shattered” EP is definitely a sound that has the flow of a Hybrid Minds track and the soul of liquid drum and bass. Where did the concept for the track come from and is this the general direction in which you want to produce music?
“For my whole EP, Hybrid Minds was the sole influence. The concept for Comfort came about after I spent a few days in that piano progression. I wanted something with body and meaning, and after I felt the piano progression was right, I just made the rest of what that progression made me feel like.”
In 2012 you toured with Dubsidia as part of the “Empire Strikes Back Tour ft Dubsidia”. What was this experience like and which important moments will you always keep close to you?
“That tour was safe to say FUCKING MENTAL. Gabriel from Dubsidia is one of the nicest dudes I have ever met. But don’t get me wrong, he’s one crazy motherfucker. It was a once in a lifetime experience to tour with such an amazing group of people and I will remember, well, most of it for the rest of my life. We got robbed in Durban, we got shitfaced in Port Elisabeth and everywhere we went, we had the biggest fights, and the best times ever. It was a blur from beginning to end haha. ”
Describe to us the emotion behind your mix and why did you chose this particular track selection.
“My emotion behind this mix is a bit more agressive than my EP haha. This particular track selection is all the older and then newer stuff that I like played together to get a feel of the new and the old and how they work together. I always like to play older stuff aswell as new stuff. Play what you know, and go from there…”
You often perform at Addictshun as either Vexille or Bassik Assault. What always excites you about this event?
“The fact that nobody goes to Addictshun to get drunk or party, they go for the music. I LOVE the vibe there, and Ryan Green has made it my favourite DnB event. Don’t get me wrong, I love Science Frikshun with all my heart, but Addictshun inspires me to produce and progress the genre.”
You have an EP coming out soon, “Shattered”. How much energy went into the production and will it carry a true Vexille signature?
“Yeah my EP is out now and does carry my signature. Sean tells me I have something in my liquid tracks that makes them good, so I believe him haha.”
Since their first drum & bass productions back in 2011 Invaders Of Nine (Danny & Mark) have come a very long way, establishing themselves all over with their music getting support from BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio Wales, London’s Reprezent 107.2FM and Brighton’s 97.2FM. When they are not in the studio making music or out djing they are pushing their new brand Bass Rebels which is a collective of artistscreating that bass heavy electronic sound. Invaders Of Nine have already been djing alongside the worlds most elite DJs and producers like Jaguar Skills, Matrix & Futurebound, Kissy Sell Out and Scratch Perverts.
With Bass Rebels comes Bass Rebel Recordings a platform for the collective to release their music on. The first release which is from Invaders Of Nine called Don’t Go EP has
kicked off with support from BBC Radio 1 and some of the worlds biggest DJs. Remixes include Radio 1 favorites Jay Robinson and Switch Fusion and also a secret remix from
Mystery Shopper. You can hear what’s coming out on the label on the Soundcloud page here.
Now we are fast approaching 2013 Invaders Of Nine have opened a new chapter as they start to work on their first album “Life Without Sound”. After working on a lot of singles and remixes and giving them away for free download and realizing the amount of interest from fans all over the world the excitement for their first album is building. For 2013 they have an EP coming out with one of the heavyweight pioneers of the scene Infrared Music home to J Majik & Wickerman and a whole host of top award winning artists. Also they have now signed an exclusive contract with a record label which will be announced later this year.
INTERVIEW
Invaders Nine is a name not many are familiar with. Tell us about the people behind Invaders Nine and what is the type of sound you create?
(Danny) “Well we met in our day job and quickly found we both had a passion for music. We come from very different musical backgrounds so it was really interesting to find out about each other’s music. I was into all kinds of electro, trance, hip-hop, hard house and later got into Drum & Bass music. Once I got to grips with mixing, the next step for me was to mix my own tunes together. I got a copy of Fruity Loops studio and went from there. After using nearly all the music programs out there and learning various techniques for the past 10 years I finally settled with Presonus Studio One, which was, just as I started producing music with Mark. “
(Mark) “Like Danny said we met in our day job and Invaders of Nine was born out of a typical conversation about music and Danny’s home studio and then we got round to the idea of working on some music together. I’ve been interested in producing music for quite some time, but apart from the odd attempt with my band at university, I’ve never really got down to business with that side of things.”
(Danny) “As for our music you will hear my influence of electro and that big uplifting trance sound along with Mark’s influence of the more live sounds, guitar, violins, etc. which we think all work great to give our uplifting and energetic sound.”
Your track “Take Me Away” from the “Skyfall” EP is absolutely brilliant! Who was the vocalist used in the track and how did she get involved in the production?
(Danny) “Thanks mate, we were shocked with the support we have had from our followers and then it getting played on BBC Radio 1 was massive for us. The vocal is a sample that we liked so we decided to build an uplifting idea around that. But since this track we have started working with about 7 different vocalists which has been an exciting experience for us taking our new music to the next level.”
You run your own label, “Bass Rebels”. What was the concept behind starting the label and what will set it apart from any other major competition out there as it expands and grows?
“Bass Rebels started as a group of local artists around our home town who have been creating that bass heavy sound and after a few conversions we all decided to start a record label to put out our music and do remixes of each other’s tracks. I think Bass Rebels Recordings will grow well as we have a great experienced team behind it. First up we have Jay Robinson who is a firm favourite on Radio 1 and had his music played by the likes of Annie Mac, Laidback Luke, Fake Blood, Armin Van Buuren and more. Then we have, Switch Fusion, who at only 16 was supported on the Fabio & Grooverider show on Radio 1. We also have on board local beatboxer Mr Phormula who is making waves after him featuring in a BBC Documentry “Rap Brittania” which resulted in him being invited to play at the MOBO awards and was the first ever Welsh language rap artists to appear on the awards. Last but by no means least, is the main man behind Bass Rebels, Mystery Shopper, bringing you some great futuristic electronic sounds.
Whilst it did start as a record label to push the sounds of the collective, we decided it would be great to test our sounds out to the local crowd and started playing at our local nightclub, Embassy Nightclub, thanks to Ed Mackie. We then got the opportunity to play alongside the world’s most elite DJs and producers like Jaguar Skills and Scratch Perverts which was a massive boost for all of us!”
You are currently working on an album called “Life Without Sound”. Why did you choose this particular title for your first album and are there particular producers you looked towards for inspiration?
(Danny) “I had this title in mind since my early days of producing music I just loved everything about it, especially going shopping to Chester with my mates to get new vinyl and after those days I just couldn’t imagine life without music, so from that the title was born.”
You have recently been signed exclusively with a record label. Tell us about events which led to this crowning moment in your career and how has it already affected your day-to-day life?
(Danny) “Well we can’t say who the record label is at this moment but the contracts are signed and we are just working with the label to devise a release schedule. We originally sent some music to the guys at Infrared Music not even expecting a reply but they did and they loved the sound we were doing and they played a big part in helping us develop the quality of our music. After this came the opportunity to sign with a label that we both felt was the right move for us at this stage. After that our day to day life has got a lot busier with trying to get time in the studio together and working on our DJ/Live set whilst still both working our day jobs, but as long as we have a supply of coffee it’s all good .”
We all know that once a person hears that first drum and bass track they fall in love with the genre. What does drum and bass and music mean to you?
(Danny) “Out of all the music I produce, the energy behind Drum & Bass is on another level. Not just the energy of the music, but the culture surrounding it and the smiles on everyone’s face, at all the dnb events we have been to, just says it all.”
Invaders of Nine have embraced 2013 as a year where you have experienced continues growth. What will be the next summit to conquer?
(Danny) “I could list a load of things I would love to do but I just love anything music related so whatever happens as long as I’m in the studio once a week I’m happy. But if I did have one summit to conquer it would be getting my Dad to finish the new studio in my garage haha!”
Christiaan Human a.k.a. Crusty has made his mark in the Johannesburg (SA) bass scene. Throwing down the hardest hitting mixes alongside names such as RUDEONE, KING RAT, BENSON, VITO, MR GREEN, MR MON, MR-EGO SA, LEADASVIA SA & ADAMSKI, there’s absolutely no question why he has been nominated for our “Africa’s Bass Breakthroughs” series. Enjoy his exclusive mix dripping with the darkest drum ‘n’ bass tracks!
INTERVIEW
Crusty has been making waves in the local drum and bass scene. Who is Crusty and what is the sound you create?
“First off, I would just like to give a shout out to Vito & Adamski for playing Science Frikshun as VNA for their first time… Crusty is basically just someone really inspired by Drum & Bass and who has a huge interest in creating a dark & heavier sound. As a youngster I was involved in metal music a lot and that has a huge influence on the style of Drum & Bass I tend to like or play.”
Tell us about your first experience with the South African drum and bass scene and what significant changes have you seen over the years?
“My first experience would have to be Newtown Takeover at Townhall. I won’t lie, I really had no idea what to expect. Walking in for the first time and seeing all the lights and the man behind the decks with dreadlocks (Niskerone) was captivating. Over the years the sound has gotten a lot darker and technical in my opinion, which is great as that’s always what drove me to be more involved with this style of music. “
You have been involved with events such as Science Frikshun and Minx. What were the greatest lessons you’ve learned and who has been your best mentor?
“When it comes to involvement with Science Frikshun, I am part of the street team and I wouldn’t want that to change ANY TIME SOON.
I think the greatest lesson I learnt was that if you really want yourself to get out there then the effort you put in has to be greater than anything else you have going on. Someone that has shown me the most in this industry would have to be RudeOne. He has really set the Drum & Bass scene’s standard higher over the years in South Africa and especially now with Pressure Drum & Bass in Cape Town.”
What was the idea behind your mix and why did you choose that specific track selection?
“Flowing into a deeper sense. To kind of get people into it as it gets deeper is always my mission. Traversing into the darker sounds and manipulating people into its elements.”
You have recently started producing tracks. Which producers do you draw inspiration from and how far would you like to develop this particular talent of yours?
“The most inspiration would have to come from artists such as Mob Tactics, The Upbeats, Audio, Enei, Prolix and Counterstrike. But for me the producers that push me the most are local artists such as Damage Inc, Vexille, King Rat, Blak Frost and Reepa. This is why I would like to get the most out of Crusty. For longer than I can remember I have always wanted to produce my own tunes and that will be my priority.”
If you were given the chance of a lifetime to produce a track with any producer around the globe, who would it be and why?
“It would have to be The Upbeats. Nearly every track they have made is so well written and goes down so hard. They have collaborated with many artists I like as well, so definitely would love to work with them.”
You have brilliant potential as an artist. What’s the next step for Crusty and which path will you take towards achieving your future goals?
“Crusty has a few events coming up, but the next step I would like to see would be releasing my own single for free. I can’t say just how soon that would be but definitely would like to have that done sometime in the near future. Ravingfox, keep up the good work! You seriously got some great artists featuring on your site! Thanks for the interview, peace out.”
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RavingFox
Track listing: Crusty – RavingFox Mix
[Artist – Track Name]
01. Benny Page & Mz Bratt – Tear Down
02. BTK – Drop It (Optiv Remix)
03. D Kay And Black Sun Empire – Bullet In The Head
Making waves across the North Sea from London, England to Utrecht, Holland, June Miller aka Mark McCann and Bart van Dijk pride themselves on their open-minded approach to music. After many inspiring years of travelling across Europe with bands, playing, writing and performing the music they love, they were drawn to the hypnotic sounds of drum and bass. And so in 2007, June Miller was born.
June Miller’s first steps were in fact giant leaps and their talent was immediately recognised in 2007 when they were voted best up and coming act at the Dutch DNB Awards. Their creative flair, along with the diversity and depth of their sound, has caught the attention of a range of labels across the spectrum of drum and bass, as well as dubstep.This effortless precision towards production immediately caught the attention of Loxy, who signed them to his timeless label, Cylon. This was followed by signings from forward-thinking labels such as Horizons, Deep Soul Music, Renegade Hardware and InnerActive.
June Miller’s electrifying live sets have moved audiences across Europe. From Renegade Hardware and Fabric in London, to Outlook festival in Croatia, their eclectic and ethereal mixing will give goose bumps to even the thickest of skins. Their refreshing approach to both production and mixing, and their versatility and love for the deeper side of dnb, will ensure that their musical journey will take them far and wide. The future looks bright for the talented duo with innovative collaborations in the pipeline, adding even further to the dimensions of their sound.
Interview
You started out in the music industry writing and performing with bands. Tell us about your early experience with music and how did that love and passion jump over to producing drum & bass tracks?
“Well from a young age Bart and I were elevated into music by sharing that love with our friends and playing in bands. We found drum and bass by accident actually, haha. Bart had some turntables and we just picking up old records and started making a mix. It all happened so quickly but we knew we were not going to be satisfied with simply mixing, so we starting learning how to write electronic music as apposed to writing as a band. 😀 “
Your sound is incredibly versatile ranging from dark tracks, such as the recently released “From Autumn to Ashes” to soulful tunes such as “Brave Men”. Take us through the process you use when producing a track and where do most of your concepts originate?
“I think the versatility really comes from the fact that we love so many different types of music. We normally approach our tracks in two ways: one being with a direction before we even start the track or we just do what we want! haha J Concepts can come from everywhere really such as finding a great sample, inspiration from other artists or just generally things in life.”
In 2007 you were voting best up and coming act at the Dutch DnB Awards. What is the mindset behind your continues success and how do you insure you constantly improve your sound?
“We think the goal is to always better yourself in whatever you do in your life. I think it’s about trying to push yourself. Personally I am quite critical of our output, which is some way of pushing yourself to make it generally better and better. There is always something to learn which will improve your skills, so there is always work to be done J”
Having traveled the globe to deliver live sets to anticipating supporters of your music, what have been your craziest experiences abroad and which venues do you always look forward to visiting?
“Haha! Oh gosh! I remember once in Poland I was half way through my set and a girl jumped on stage and took her clothes off, haha. That was all a bit bizarre. She didn’t stop there though and insisted I must also remove my shirt. Luckily she was unsuccessful (for the rest of the public’s sake!!) – This summer we have a whole bunch of gigs we are really excited about in Austria, Estonia, UK, Croatia… If you’re around come and say “Hi”!”
June Miller has been signed with labels such as RAM Records and Critical Music. Which lessons have you learned from such influential labels and who has been your greatest mentor?
“One big lesson is that no label is the same. For example: We were really impressed with how RAM is organised with all the structures in place to let the artist just write music. In a dream world this is how it should be. We also picked up a great amount of experience from these guys. They have been embedded in this music for far longer than we have. The amount of advice and support they give is amazing. “
The Dutch scene has produced names associated with dark drum and bass tracks such as Nymfo, Black Sun Empire and June Miller. Tell us about the Dutch scene from your perspective and where do you see it heading towards?
“It’s funny because I believe we have some of the best artists around but drum and bass in Holland will always play second best to a lot of other music genres. It’s never really caught on and the hardcore following seems to have died down. I mean it’s not all that bad and we have some amazing parties here but the focus on our own artists is quite minimal. “
Your latest releases from RAM Records, “From Autumn to Ashes” and “Change”, are brilliant dark drum and bass tracks. Tell us about the concept behind these productions and how did Sofie Letitre get involved in this project?
“Thanks so much! Well with “Change” we wrote a track with a sample vocal we had. We were not that happy with it so we asked our good friend, Sofie, to lay down some vocals. We ended up writing the whole track again because Sofie brought so much to the table. With “From Autumn to Ashes” we just wanted to write a straight up dark drum and bass tune but also something that was exciting to the ear.”
What are your future prospects for June Miller and are there any future collaborations or productions which fans of your music can look forward to?
“We have quite a few collaborations on the go at the moment but they are all still in construction so we can’t say much about them at the moment. But expect a lot of new music after the summer!”
INTERVIEW
![June Miller – An effortless precision towards production [INTERVIEW]](https://ravingfox.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/936475_10151585290188838_1078670374_n.jpg?w=672&h=372&crop=1)
RavingFox 