Mix n Blend talks about ‘Rebel Gun’ and ‘Mercy’

This latest 2-track release features two incredible vocalists, blues artist Sannie Fox on Rebel Gun, and maloya singer Yaelle Trules from la Reunion on Mercy. Stepping out of their usual comfort zones whilst creating the music, both came up with something unique, special, blending their own styles and sounds with flavours not familiar to them.

 

 

“I think that’s where you get them to deliver themselves to a song. Because there are not really a lot of pre-conceptions about what they should or should not be doing, they have to go with their gut, with what feels right to them. I think that’s where you get really great results.”

 

 

 

 

First up, Sannie Fox blends her trademark dreamy blues vocals over dark, deep and melodic dub rhythms onRebel Gun – something unusual for her, but a mixture producing great results.

 

 

“We [Sannie Fox] met, we hung out a lot, started chatting about a lot of stuff, and decided ‘let’s make a track together’. She’s really really amazingly talented. I think it’s an absolute crime that she is not huge in this country. She is walking proof that making original, amazing music in this country means absolutely nothing in terms of success. She will make it huge though, she’s one of the hardest working, most original people I know.”

 

 

 

 

Yaelle on the flip side of the release, hailing from la Reunion Island, sings her verses in Creole and brings her unique flavour to the collaboration.

 

 

 

“She’s [Yaelle] an amazing vocalist. She has a really unique voice, and I think she adds so much emotion to that track, such a sense of loss and desolation on it, and really accentuates that feeling. She brings the track to life.”

 

The song, Mercy, was born in la Reunion on one of Mix ‘n Blend’s previous trips to the Island.

 

 

“If you listen to the tune, when I was writing it, I think quite a lot of the imagery that we saw when we were there was playing on my mind. This lush tropical island, so beautiful with a sense of desolation to it, and the volcano looking down over everything. My ex-girlfriend from there also had introduced me to a band called High Tone while I was driving around with her, and their sounds really influenced that track. Then we saw Yaelle singing on that trip and we thought she was amazing.”

 

Seeing her perform at Sakifo Festival, they knew immediately that they had to make music with her. A classic horn line composed by the bands brass maestros Lee Thomson and Ross McDonald rounds out this hooky affair.

 

 

These two tracks are released through the record label Ngomso – a boutique label looking towards the future, created by Mix ‘n Blend, allowing for the easy release of their own music and other artists whose music they admire, as and when they create it.

“I think we’re basically going to be focusing making Mix n Blend about our live band, which is what it should be about. We’re going to release more music. Hopefully, we’ll get to write a new full length album somewhere in the course of this year.”

 

Listen to Rebel Gun and Mercy on SoundCloud here:
https://soundcloud.com/mixnblend/sets/mercy-rebel-gun-release

 

Both tracks will be available for purchase within the next week on iTunes, Beatport, Amazon, 7 Digital, Juno Download, eMusic, and more.MIX N BLEND

 

 

Contact:

 

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mixnblendTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/mixnblendyoSoundCloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/mixnblendWebsite: http://www.mixnblend.com

Dre’Ama (Teknotribe): Underground Sound takes over Carr Street

Earlier this month Teknotribe, Science Frikshun and {psy.ology} announced they will be joining forces as Underground Sound for an indoor event unlike any other.  Well known for their incredible influence in the South African electronic  music industry, these infamous brands have brought us events such as Twilight, Science Frikshun on the last weekend of every month as well as two memorable birthday parties.

On 27 July 2013 they will be hosting Underground Sound at Townhall in Newtown, Johannesburg, which will feature drum n bass, psy-trance and tekno.  The line up includes legendary German act Cubixx as well as one of Cape Town’s best drum & bass exports, Mix ‘n Blend.

RavingFox took a moment to ask Teknotribe’s lady of the Grater, Dre’Ama, a few questions of what you can expect this upcoming weekend on the dancefloor at Underground Sound.

BIOGRAPHY

Dre’Ama aka Tank Girl

Mel (Dre’Ama) fell in love with electronic dance music at a really young age sneaking out to clubs and raves at the age of 13!!! Being a dancer her passion for music only grew as she got older. She moved to Cape Town at the age of 19 and was introduced to Psy Trance 2 years later – the entire scene was something she couldn’t get enough of and it became her lifestyle – everything had to fit around the music and outdoor parties. As she delved deeper into the scene her interest in learning how to mix became an obsession. She had always known she would be good behind the decks as well as in front of them so she decided to learn how.

Dre’Ama moved back to Johannesburg in 2005 where she decided to invest in her own equipment to pursue her dream of becoming a DJ and to take on the art of mixing in a more serious manor. With the help of Nick Grater and a few other dj’s her DJ career began- her debut set at TEKNOTRIBE in June 2006 was an immense success and since then has played at numerous outdoor and indoor events.

INTERVIEW

Earlier this month Teknotribe celebrated their 10^th birthday with a phenomenal party.  What was this experience like for you?

 It was a phenomenal party!! One for the books, I had a packed floor and there was such an electric atmosphere – I love it when I connect like that with the crowd, it’s one of the main reasons I love being a DJ. And even though I played during Perfect Stranger’s set the floor kept on pumping

You fell in love with psy-trance at the age of 21.  Why do you prefer this particular genre of electronic music?

 Before I moved to CT I used to go to Raves and I listened to Industrial & Techno!!!  I didn’t even know Psy Trance existed. When I moved to Cape Town friends of mine dragged me to a party and I fell in love with everything about the scene, especially the music. There is nothing more energizing than being surrounded by nature, while beautiful, banging psy trance escapes into the air!!

You have experienced Teknotribe’s events in thee most beautiful locations in South Africa.  Which particular venue would always be your favorite?

 We held our first Twilight at an amazing venue in Fourways, surrounded by a forest of trees and soft grass, really stunning!! Unfortunately we are not able to use this venue anymore. My absolute favourite is Hornbill Lodge, it is beautiful in every way.

 You started playing techno as Tank Girl 5 years ago.  What got you into techno music and why do you love the versatility it has to offer?

 Living with a Techno Junkie like Nick Grater it would have been impossible not to fall in love with the genre and I decided to give it a try. I haven’t played as Tank Girl for a few years now, but definitely looking at doing a set soon. I play pretty hard techno in comparison to what is heard at parties at the moment. It’s a totally different way of mixing! With psy, the track tells a story so if you mix other tracks into it too much it kind of messes the story up!! With techno it’s all about chopping and changing track into track – it’s really exciting!

Underground Sound is an event that brings together psy-trance, drum & bass and techno.  What sets Underground Sound events, such as Twilight and the upcoming indoor event, apart from the rest?

 Nowhere else in South Africa do you have this combination of styles being offered to you at 1 event, we also don’t have a main floor and piddly side floors. We make each floor equal in size, sound, décor and lighting. So far these events have been a huge success, and we are growing in numbers.

We believe Underground Sound – embodied by Techno, Drum n Bass & Psy Trance – are Thee menage-a-trois of electronic dance music!!!

 With so many skilled dj’s in the local electronic scene, who would you like to be on the same lineup with in the near future?

 If we are talking local artists I think I have played alongside all the producers and DJ’s I admire and look up to in the scene, I have had the privilege of playing alongside Broken Toy, Commercial Hippies, Zezia, & Bruce. I play all of these artists’ produced music and I have a massive respect for each of them.

With regards to international artists I would love to play alongside GMS, Logica and Xerox & Illumination.

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RavingFox

 

Hybrid Minds – Meant To Be

Comprising of Josh White, Matt Lowe on production, and Jeff Crake on vocals, Hybrid Minds represent a new musical force, with their melodic, soulful Drum and Bass already making waves across the globe. A synergy between influences including trip-hip, acoustic, soul and jazz, Hybrid Minds, consisting of Sensa, Josh and Grimm, draw on a myriad of influences to produce the smooth sound they are known for.

Josh and Matt [Sensa] had worked with one another for a few years running record labels before deciding to put their drive into music making. After only a few joint efforts, the duo immediately shot to the forefront of the Liquid scene, with household names such as Netsky, Lenzman, Marcus Intalex, Logistics, John B and Camo & Krooked all playing tracks from the newly formed duo. Their method of bouncing ideas off each other in the studio yielded immediate results with one of their first tracks, ‘The Place’ becoming one of the biggest liquid tracks of 2011, and receiving vast amounts of love from the UKF fans, a market they did not expect to reach. Combining hard drums, delicate vocals and enchanting melodies, ‘The Place’ features all the elements that now make up Hybrid Minds’ distinctive, soulful sound.

After the unprecedented success of ‘The Place’, Sensa and Haste made the permanent jump to liquid, to the delight of millions of Drum and Bass fans, and began to look for a permanent vocalist. That search ended in the discovery of Grimm, a vocalist from Canada, thus Hybrid Minds was formed.

Hybrid Minds are now set to solidify their rapidly growing reputation in the scene, and become one of liquid’s new supergroups.

Read the RavingFox interview with Hybrid Minds:

Hybrid Minds – A Melodic Dream Affair [INTERVIEW]