Listen to this incredible mix Mr Mon did to get you geared up for Olmeca Presents Grietfest 2013!!!
Click here to read our recent interview with Mr Mon: Mr Mon RavingFox Interview
Tag Archives: interview
Run Tingz Cru (Run Tingz Recordings) Revamp Jungle Classics
BIOGRAPHY
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!
INTERVIEW
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) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx RavingFox
The Upbeats (NZ) heading for SA – Interview
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!).”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RavingFox
Etnik Interview July 2013
Vexille – Africa’s Bass Breakthroughs Part 2 July 2013
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.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RavingFox
The EP can be downloaded for free here: http://www.mediafire.com/download/t3cfo2dr162c42k/VEXILLE_SHATTERED_EP.rar
Invaders of Nine Interview July 2013
BIOGRAPHY
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!”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RavingFox
Crusty – Africa’s Bass Breakthroughs Part 1
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.”
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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
04. The Upbeats & Noisia – Clamber
05. BTK – Megahertz
06. Optiv & BTK – Insight
07. Nouwa – Dying Star
08. Prolix – Interlace (Feat. MC Coppa)
09. AMC – Puppet Dance
10. Zero Method – Command Four
11. Counterstrike – Empire (Audio Remix)
12. Fourward – Stuck (Jade Remix)
13. The Prototypes – Subterrestrial
Nick Grater (TEKNOTRIBE) Interview July 2013
It’s the month of July and a very big month in the South African underground music scene. With 3 major influential brands celebrating another year of successfully defending their domains, we decided to sit down with the man who brought us Teknotribe, Nick Grater.
Interview
Your “Decade” EP is due to be released in August this year featuring a remix by Emoutikon. Why did you decide on this exact title for the track?
“When I sat down in the studio to write this EP it had been about 10 months or so since my last release, having not written in such a long time I was full of fresh ideas and ambitions that I couldn’t wait to get into production, and the fruits of that vocation gave birth to “DECADE”. Nothing was planned; it was a natural progression which coincidently was perfectly timed to dedicate to 10 years of Teknotribe.”
If any of our readers love beautifully produced techno then your “Synthesis” EP, to be released in October 2013, won’t disappoint. Which producers constantly deliver when it comes to techno music and does this track portray the true essence of techno?
“Wow, there are so many talented, inspiring producers out there and with techno being such a diverse and immense genre I have many influences that I depict in my music. Some of my favourite artists at the moment are Joseph Capriati, Dave The Drummer, Luigi Madonna, Alex Di Stephano, Sergy Casttle. My EP, Synthesis is a cross breed of techno representing a multitude of elements across all techno genres.”
Teknotribe’s first birthday bash was held at ONE77 in Randburg featuring international act DJ Ant (Stay Up Forever). How did you manage to get such a massive name for your first birthday event?
“On a trip to the UK I had the opportunity to visit the “Stay Up Forever “Record Label headquarters, where I met DJ Ant. We hit it off really well and made plans for him to come out and play for us in S.A. We have since written a number of tracks together that have been released on vinyl on record labels such as “Stay Up Forever”, “Cluster” and “Hydraulix”” 
In December 2003 Teknotribe hosted the first ever “Techno vs Trance” event, which featured Mushroom Mafia. What impact did this event have on the Teknotribe brand afterwards and why did you did decide to combine the two genres?
“Introducing psy trance into the techno scene back in 2003 was, for me, a natural progression. I always knew the 2 scenes were going to come together, unite and overlap in a symbiotic way. Everyone thought I was crazy, they couldn’t envisage the 2 scenes together. Back in 2006, a psy trance “follower” once told me that the only thing Nano (psy trance label) and Techno have in common is the “N” and the “O”. It’s pretty funny to look back on things like that and see how far techno & psy have journeyed together. Including psy trance to my parties had a phenomenal effect on Teknotribe. It introduced an entirely new group of people to the unknown world of Techno and vice versa. It educated and merged 2 very diverse factions of people into a new-fangled way of socialising, I believe strongly that this has been one of the fundamental reasons the scene and the community within it has grown into the strength it is today. As it stands now we are 50% Techno & 50% Psy Trance, and will always represent both genres at all of our events.” 
Twilight is an event where drum & bass, techno and psytrance come together. What sets this particular event apart from the rest when it comes to venue as well as line-ups?
“This collaboration is known as UNDERGROUND SOUND, where we partner up with Science Frikshun. I have always had a vision of what the EDM platform would eventually become and this is another step in the natural progression of merging and overlapping of underground genres. Our goal in this partnership is to put together the most extraordinary events we can for our patrons in the most exquisite settings we can find. We spare no cost on the line up, sound, lighting and decor. The partygoers are LOVING the combination of Psy, Techno, & Drum n Bass. This is THEE ménage a trios of underground dance music!!”
Twilight is always a momentous occasion for anyone who has had the privilege to attend this event. When is the next one and what can you tell fans of this event which will get them more than excited for the next one?
“The next Twilight will be on the 26 – 27October 2013 at Hornbill Lodge. You can expect bigger, better EVERYTHING with insane lineups, stupendous performances, exquisite visuals, decor lighting and people!!!”
Teknotribe will be celebrating a decade of music, memories, inspirations and beauty. Not only has Nick Grater produced an EP to commemorate this event but he is cooking up an incredible event. Tell us how you and the all-proud Teknotribe supporters will be celebrating 10 years of psy trance and techno?
“The line up is insane, with international sensation Perfect Stranger, together with local talent to include SWITCHCACHE (C.T) STEREOTYPE(CT), DRE’AMA, BIONIC, DIGITAL DREAM, KILLER B, MANIFESTO vs THALIA, THORNE vs UNCLE RUCKUS, SEBOTAGE, SENJO, SOUND SENSIBLE and DOCTOR STONE Amazing visuals, performers, decor & sound to rock it all night long!!!! The patrons also go all out, and will no doubt be dressed to kill.”
A decade in the life of Nick Grater included starting a family life with the incredible talented deejay, Dre’Ama. What can we expect to see from Nick Grater and Teknotribe in the next decade to come?
“The next decade will no doubt be filled with MANY more indoor and outdoor events. You will also see album and single releases on our digital labels Teknotribe & {psy.ology} The EDM world is still young and growing, we are committed to driving its growth and prosperity.“
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
RavingFox
Foreign Beggars – Six minutes for S.A. (Exclusive Mix & Interview)
Foreign Beggars are a critically acclaimed Rap, Grime and Dubstep group based in London, UK.The group consists of MCs Orifice Vulgatron and Metropolis, producer Dag Nabbit and DJ Nonames. Foreign Beggars are renowned for their eclectic and energetic live shows.
Currently performing well over a hundred shows a year the group have performed with a number of high profile artists spanning a range of musical genres. Foreign Beggars first three album releases were through Dented Records; a label that is owned by the group and was created to support their own material and a host of UK underground artists.
Today the group line up on stage as Orifice Vulgatron, Metropolis and DJ Nonames often with UK Beatbox Champion MC Zani or THePETEBOX. Guest appearances from long time collaborators of the group and Dented recording artists Kyza and Dr Syntax have also become a regular occurrence.
Having successfully changed the face of, UK hip hop in the last decade, Foreign Beggars’ recent output has been a genre-defying blend of their former machinations and speaker-busting, dancefloor rumbling dance music produced by the hottest artists around. 2009’s ‘Contact’ (3,000,000 views on YouTube), taken from their third album, saw them combine furious London-fuelled flows with Noisia’s crunching electro backbone – the start of what has become Foreign Beggars’ new obsession; fusing hip hop with dance music.
Since then Foreign Beggars have delivered a succession of incredible collaborations, while each release seems to bring greater success and critical acclaim; the incredible ‘Beggatron Remixed’ album which featured reworkings and originally produced tracks from Plastician, Bar9, Chasing Shadows, Noisia and more, the Beatport chart topping ‘Scatta’ with Skrillex, the anthem that is ‘Lines In Wax’ with Flux Pavilion and the recent team up with Vato Gonzalez ‘Badman Riddim’ out on Ministry Of Sound seeing Foreign Beggars finally cross over to the mainstream.
This critically acclaimed UK bass act will hit the Electronic stage fresh from their collaboration with fellow heavyweight, Noisia. They will be headlining the Red Bull Studio Live stage at Synergy Live 2013 on Saturday 30 Nov.
Links:
INTERVIEW with FOREIGN BEGGARS
Orifice Vulgatron and Dag Nabbit were playing in metal, grunge and indie bands back in 1993. How did the cross over to hip hop happen?
OV: Well, we’ve always been into different types of music… Dag Nabbit started building his studio from about 94 so started to get into electronic music, mainly producing trip hop and the music his bands were playing. OV started rhyming seriously in about 96, and that’ when they started making hip hop together.. it was about a year later we started throwing DnB Parties.
Orifice Vulgatron moved to London and Dog Nabbit to Norway when you separated for a while. What’s the difference between the hip-hop and bass scenes in those two countries?
OV: Firstly, just being a part of the hip hop and dnb scene itself was a massive honour, meeting and working with all the artists that actually inspired me to move to this country. Anik and Hoycke from Dark Cirlce and Natty from Defcon records were instrumental in many of my early introductions to the likes of Skinnyman, Task Force, Mystro, Champion of nature etc Also Mc’ing for Andy C for a whole set when I was 19 was a massive moment that gave me the belief to keep pushing.
When you met up again in London and started opening for Andy C, Mampi Swift and Ed Rush just to name a few. Who did you have the biggest honor being a supporting artist for?
NN: Focused Few was the first group I was in, I was on turntables and samples playing with a drummer, keys, bass, emcees and singers. Metropolis played with us for a while, it was an exciting time cause I was at uni, really getting into music and playing a lot of cool spots in and out of the capital for the first time.
Playing with musicians and vocalists taught me a lot about putting on a show, space, learning to phrase stuff in the context of a song, dynamics, when to shut up.
Tell us about the years with Focused Few and what were the biggest lessons you’ve learned during that time?
NN: Focused Few was the first group I was in, I was on turntables and samples playing with a drummer, keys, bass, emcees and singers. Metropolis played with us for a while, it was an exciting time cause I was at uni, really getting into music and playing a lot of cool spots in and out of the capital for the first time.
Playing with musicians and vocalists taught me a lot about putting on a show, space, learning to phrase stuff in the context of a song, dynamics, when to shut up.
What were the oddest jobs you had to do to support yourself before you started Foreign Beggars.
NN: Some market research job, it involved going all over London and asking residents what they thought of the council… which pretty much they all hated, so they take it out on you.. it was actually interesting the people I met doing that job everyone lives side by side in London, and aside from asking the same questions over and over it wasn’t too bad, except for the occasional dog.
OV: I did a graduate trainee program at bank of americe inverstment banking and prepared a feasibility study for an Automible Recovery service like AAA for one of the biggest players in the Automotive industry in the UAE
What was the idea behind Asylum Speakers and what expectations did you have when you released the album in 2003?
OV: There wasn’t necessarily an idea behind it, we just wanted to make our first album, make it as sick as we could with the resources we had and collaborate with our favourite and inspirational peers doing the same thing.
When you’re creating incredible music for the masses or locked up in a recording studio, where can you be found kicking of your shoes and just leaving the world behind for a while?
OV: I dunno man, I’m pretty much around music all the time, whether its our scene or other scenes or musicians who are friends… mostly kicking it with family and friends I guess.
As a group, what are the greatest challenges you face with regards to working together, writing tracks and producing?
OV: Well we all have different tastes and ideas and images we wish to portray. We also have very different personalities, but it’s the balancing and mutual respect and admiration for each other’s passion that actually shape the music we create.
What advice would you give to aspiring producers, DJ’s and artists who are starting out in the scene and who feel that they’re doing their best but just not hitting that big break?
NN/OV: Work harder on your sound, if you’ve got something to say, there’s the means of getting it out there; soundcloud, mixcloud, youtube, facebook, all these things are universal and if you’re doing something that’s really dope, and you’re using these platforms people will hear it. Also putting on your own nights is a good idea. Make connections and build with them.
—————————
RavingFox
Kasra (Critical Music) Interview June 2013
Since his first forays into drum & bass as a burgeoning young DJ, there’s no doubt in 2013 that Kasra has made an indelible mark on the scene, a mark that continues to grow ever-stronger as his Critical Music empire prospers.
Conceived back in 2002 in a front room in north London, the label has grown from a simple idea driven by a commitment to putting out the best music the scene has to offer; it has now become one of the most well respected underground dance music labels in the UK. Nurturing new talent and releasing some of the freshest breaks and beats from the likes of Break, Rockwell, Breakage, Cyantific, Marcus Intalex, S.P.Y, Calibre, Total Science and many more, it has gone on to build a loyal following around the world driven on by Kasra’s never ending quest to release quality underground bass music.
As Critical’s figurehead the demand for Kasra’s DJ’ing skills has escalated to the point of a schedule that sees him playing regularly every weekend throughout the UK and rest of the world. Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Beijing, Miami, Berlin and of course his beloved London are just a few of the places that have beared witness to the Critical sound and the list just keeps getting longer. Quite a feat these days for someone who’s not yet really taken the production bull by the horns.
Though this could be about to change as Kasra’s back in the studio readying his own takes on the Critical sound; a collaboration with S.P.Y. is already complete and due for a May 2011 release date as well as solo productions gradually working their way into the sets of the great and the good of the dnb community.
Not content with a release schedule bursting with future classics and his own rigorous DJ’ing schedule continually on the up, the label even now boasts its own residency at one of the worlds best electronic music venues , Fabric, where it can regularly be seen smashing up the place with an always superstar cast of DJing elite from D&B and beyond. So now as heads turn and eyes look forward to the rest of 2011 it seems this could be the tipping point for Kasra both as a DJ and a label head of one of the most inspiring imprints in dance music today. The Critical age is only just beginning.
You started out as a deejay and performed as one even after the massive success of Critical. Tell us where your love for bass music came from and how did that lead to being so intimately involved with the genre?
“I was introduced to drum and bass at school but I’ll be honest, I discounted all electronic music at the time as being ridiculous. I listened to guitar music and bands exclusively. As time went on and I was exposed to the music more I started to find a kinship with the punk and hardcore records and movements I loved. “
Critical has released tracks with names such as Enei and Mefjus. What has always been your mission with Critical Music and how has that concept grown and evolved as time passed?
“I just want to play the music I love .The label is inherently a bit selfish as it’s my vision of what drum and bass I like. Artists like Enei and Mefjus showcase exactly the kind of music I love to release made by artists who are passionate and hardworking.”
You can be seen performing across the globe every weekend but why is it always different performing in your hometown of London? What is the atmosphere like when you return home after your travels?
“To a lot of people London is the home of drum and bass and there is something to be said for a London crowd. We are very lucky as a label to have Fabric as our London home and the crowds we get for our Critical Sound events always know how to bring it. “
In 2005 you released “Babylon” which was the first track you produced. What was the concept behind this track and how did the massive positive response to the track affect your new outlook on production?
“I would never profess to be a producer, I’m still struggling to write music I’m happy with on a solo level. Babylon was written with Dkay, I’m very proud of that tune though as it’s something I still love to listen to today.”
You have recently signed Mefjus to your Critical Music label. Are there any other new producers out there whose careers you are following closely? Which elements in their music grab you and don’t let go till the track is over?
“There are some new producers I’m keeping an eye on but at this point the label artists are keeping us all busy enough so I need to focus on those. “
You have done collaborations with Cyantific, Dkay and Lomax. Are there any names you would like to produce tracks with in the future?
“I would love to write a track with Calibre but then again, who wouldn’t?”
Critical Music has seen massive growth as a label in the past years. How do you keep yourself strong and positive even when the worse comes to pass? What will always place Critical Music one step ahead of any other label out there in the bass music industry?
“Like anything there are highs and lows but we just keep working hard and concentrating on putting out the music we love. “
Critical nights have been popping up all over the globe. How much preparation goes into such a massive line up and could there be possible promises of a Critical night making its appearance in our South African underground music culture?
“We work closely with promoters to choose a line up that both the label and the promotions team feel will make for the best event. There is talk of us coming to SA soon, hassle your local promoters to make it happen!”
In the past years the bass scene has experienced massive growth globally. Where do you see it moving towards and what role, as a deejay, producer and label, will you play in this development?
“A lot has changed in electronic music over recent years, if I’m honest the type of drum and bass Critical is involved in has stayed somewhat the same, some people have chased major success be that on radio or other mediums but for me its about playing to your strengths. We are ambitious but at our core is underground music and you can’t forget that.”
Are there any major projects and productions you are currently involved with which people should keep an eye out for?
“We have some amazing music coming up including EPS by Foreign Concept, Enei, Mefjus and Ivy Lab as well as a brand new label compilation album which I cant wait to share with everyone.”
Xxxxxxxxxx
RavingFox
RavingFox 
