June 14th has been confirmed as the release date of Rusko's debut LP, O.M.G. Despite the horrible title, all of the tunes being leaked are very impressive, not least next single Hold On. The track is UKG channeled through Dirty Projectors and MJ Cole, it is fantastic!
UK D'n'B stalwarts Sub Focus have come in with a huge remix. The remix features Doctor P style screeches along with some heavy crescendos and pulsing synths clatter the track along to it's large conclusion with high hats, symbals and wobbles flying every which way. Check it...
Firstly, we have a remix of Skream's Make Me, coming from Distance. Distance's tracks usually take the way of an instrumental, with long drawn out 'riffs'. This remix is no different, but by splicing in the vocal samples from the original, Distance has almost bettered the original and created a great track.
Joy Orbison has had a very impressive six months; after the hype of Hyph Mngo threatened to devour him, he pressed on with the fantastic The Shrew Should Have Cushioned the Blow EP, and some highly rated Live shows adding to his burgeoning reputation. This new remix is of a Todd Edwards track, I Might Be. The remix is just plain nice, the light vocals of the original remain intact, with some great 2steppy beats thrown around with some added trademark chopped vocals. Enjoy...
Finally, after the previous YouTube post praised Pendulum's new dubstep direction, here is the track in question. Set Me On Fire has it's influences all over it, just like their drum 'n' bass work I guess. This could be a good or bad thing, as the track essentially copies the ideas of Doctor P, Nero and Trolley Snatcha in the female rave build up and the huuuge billowing bass wobbles that are just silliness. But that's what we like, isn't it?
This video proves a few things. Firstly, Dubstep is most certainly not just a UK thing, this video is from Toronto, Canada, and is another feature in our 'Dubstep in HD' series. Also, my lambasting of Pendulum in the drum 'n' bass genre can be shot down, as both of the songs on the video are from the hairy electro rockers. It is clear that they have maintained their fantastic production values when taking to the dubstep. Enjoy, and wish you were there as well.
AbandonSilence is incredibly proud to release details of our first ever night. It will be held in The Magnet, Liverpool, UK, on Thursday 3rd June. Entry fee and other details will be confirmed closer, but I can exclusively (I'll be honest, there's only me here) reveal the line up;
The full Rich Furness interview is forthcoming, AbandonSilence would love to thank him for producing that absolutely fantastic mix, we all recommend checking him and his own productions out. Unfortunately as everything has not been signed on, we must stress that this may change, but we are almost 100% sure that this is the line up. Nice bit of legal stuff there for you all. Hope you all enjoy the mixes, and really hope that you can all come down to join us!
AbandonSilence was recently very happy to get an interview with Mele. Mele is a new producer coming out of the Wirral, Merseyside. His productions have a style and flair that I absolutely love. I simply cannot get enough of his tunes, check them out after the interview;
(As a special treat, I've also put Mele's 'Favourite Tunes of the Moment' up for download or stream - right click, open new tab for them.)
here goes....
AbandonSilence: So, how did you end up producing and DJing music?
Mele: I got into about 3/4 years ago, a mate of my mums son sold me his decks when i was about 13 with a load of techno vinyls, so i just learnt to dj with them, producing came a little bit after.
AS: What was your inspiration to get into music?
M: Definitely seeing the prodigy for the first time, it was like an epiphany
AS: Which three artists are the biggest influences on your sound?
M: I must admit that that changes literally all the time, but at the moment i would probably say the stuff L-vis 1990, Redlight and Toddla T are doing.
AS: When you have created a new original production, how do you go about releasing it? (what order - internet, vinyl, bootleg, etc)
M: it used to be just sending demo's to labels, but now i really only release on labels i know and want to do releases with me.
AS: What are your views on the Liverpool scene?
M: i have been going to clubs like Chibuku for a while now, its getting stronger! I have only played in liverpool once or twice. but local guys like Rich Furness are smashing it.
AS: Why does it have such a small scene by comparison to other cities such as Manchester, Bristol or London? Do you have any idea as to why this is?
M: I often ask myself the same thing?!
AS: What are your views on dubstep? I know that you produce and DJ all forms of electronic music, so why do you feel that dubstep is coming to the fore at the minute?
M: I love dubstep but i would never want to get bogged down in the whole thing, it seems like people are taking it and running with it, which is a good and bad thing i suppose. its just great party music i suppose
AS: Is music your day job?
M: it is!
AS: What is your favourite club night to play in Liverpool? If possible, why?
M: i cant say that yet unfortunately! hopefully i will be able to comment on that soon [AbandonSilence would like to say that we are planning on changing this answer for Mele soon]
AS: What are your three biggest tunes at the minute?
If you have ever looked at the endless rows of posters plastered on billboards, roadside fences and abandoned buildings around Liverpool, it is likely there is one name that you have seen more often than any other. That man has become a staple of Liverpool’s electronic music scene, he is Rich Furness.
Rich is a local guy who has grown up in and around the city, his musical influences and references are embedded in our local culture. His musical ascent to resident DJ of the mighty Chibuku club night began way back in the early 1990s. After being influenced by his older brother into listening to old rave groups like SL2 and The Prodigy, he began to rob his compilation tapes. After spending his adolescence in 3beat record shop looking for old Drome and Helter Skelter mix tapes, Furness finally got his chance to go to a live show when his older brother took him along to a New Year’s Party in Milton Keynes. When he was standing in the club, surrounded by 10,000 comrades, Rich Furness had an epiphany. He recalls, “I had always wanted to be an MC, but that night I saw Mark EG (hardcore DJ) play, and he looked like he was having more fun than anyone in the entire venue. I remember just watching him transfixed and thinking 'that's what I want to do'.”
A year later, Rich had his first decks.
Rich’s musical influences are not too dissimilar to that of many other dubstep and electronic DJs, he quotes David Rodigan, Marky & Mala as 3 of his heroes. He continues to say, “the influences on what I am actually playing at the moment are mainly from the multi genre ‘post dubstep’ garage stuff, there's so much good stuff around at the moment its getting very difficult to keep track.”
He really isn’t wrong. Through speaking with Rich, it can quickly be ascertained that he has a vast knowledge of the subject; he is a regular contributor to a couple of other music magazines, as well as running his own blog. The evolution of dubstep is a touchy area, especially for those in the inner circle, though Rich shrugs away the animosity for the growing popularity of his beloved music. “Its been really weird to have watched Dubstep grow into what it has become. It’s really strange now really as well as I think Dubstep isn't even Dubstep any more, the main sounds you hear at clubs now are so far removed from what Dubstep sounded like in 2005 when the term was first given, tracks have just been getting more and more aggressive and sillier, which doesn't really bother me because I like it all.”
This one-for-all attitude has lead Furness to being a popular DJ around the city; you are just as likely to catch him playing dubstep at Chibuku or Electro at Korova. His adaptability assures him a place at the top of every promoter’s booking slates, and he has amassed a very impressive list of support slots. He recalls one of those nights as his best, “Warming up for Chase & Status to 700 of the rowdiest people ever in The Theatre rank as some of the greatest hours of my life.” As I’m sure you have also noticed, Rich has one of the best attributes for anyone associated with the business: he simply loves the music. He revealed that, “I don’t think in the future I could possibly work somewhere doing something that isn't involved in music without becoming clinically depressed within an hour.”
It is this level of respect and admiration for his music that signals Rich Furness out as one of our great city’s leading DJs.
In May and June 2010 you can catch Rich playing at
27 May – Supporting Borgore @ Korova
28 May – Residency at Shipping Forecast - Liverpool
4 Jun – Dubstep set at Haros Night @ Lemon Lounge - Liverpool
This was really unexpected, after the painful electro-Tinchy-pop of Bad Boy, Skepta has blown me away with this huge dubstep banger. After the success of Tinie Tempah, this has given me a new faith in UK Mainstream music. Download this!
Hello there! I hope you've missed me. Back in the country, after last night's Toga Party debauchery it's back into the world of work. My lecturer won't be too jolly if he knew I was posting during a lecture, but still, thus is life.
I'm going to cheat by just giving you the review I have written of Joy Orbison's gig at the Leaf Cafe a few weeks ago. I know it's a long turn around of a review, but my deadline is Monday for the magazine so I've took my time. Please give me your feedback, constructive criticism is very useful!
Here you go...
Joy Orbison – Leaf Cafe & Bar, Parliament St, Liverpool
Liverpool’s dubstep followers circa 2009 were a loutish lot; popping pills and stomping through venues like hordes of Viking warriors. However, as the genre has branched out, so has it’s fan base. The crowd of individuals populating the Leaf tonight were a regression and evolution on that rather sinister and intimidating bunch.
There were dubsteppers trying to find a rhythm that was long lost in the mix, there were Indie kids coming to see what the hype was about, and there were the local glitterati who I assume were the most at home at this gig.
The old crowd did infiltrate these peaceful and serene surroundings, a couple of pissed bellends decided to push into everyone in the venue, and I quote directly, “For a Laugh.” Others in the crowd certainly did not share their outlook, as angry confrontations followed them around the dance floor.
I am not attempting to come across as some ‘Cooler Than Thou’ lothario, just that there is a time and a place, and this certainly was not it. This was a gig for all, from a middle aged couple to the indie kids, everyone was at home. The unifying denominator was the music. And it was enthralling.
Fresh off the release of his The Shrew Cushioned the Blow EP, Joy Orbison sparked this chilled venue into life.
As Joy Orbison stepped up to the decks, there was an air of anticipation rippling through the crowd, and Mr O’Grady certainly didn’t disappoint. He came in hard, playing BRKNCLLN within the first ten minutes. As the crowd warmed to his 2-step/dubstep hybrid, the tunes began to come in heavy.
Continuously mixing the tempos, Joy Orbison’s set was an amalgamation of all that has created such a buzz around the man. Throwing in cuts from Martyn, Instra:Mental, Joker, Roska and a few exclusives from the man himself, his track list was essentially a ‘Who’s Who’ of the new wave of producers.
The crowd stepped on for their lives as they were confined in the No Man’s Land of Percussive Crossfire emanating from the parallel speaker stacks.After the adoration of the crowd over flowed into a huge round of applause, Orbison ended his pulsating set with the rapturously received Hyph Mngo.
After being named in BBC, NME and Pitchfork’s ‘One to Watch’ lists, 2010 is going to be a big year for Joy Orbison.
Andrew Hill
Here's a mix he did recently, listen while you read the review if you want, it's there to stream or download.
The trip to the other side of the world gathers pace, as we enter the second week. Network problems are threatening to ruin my holiday, as I can't get in touch with a certain someone back home, 'tis rather horrible!
Everyday here has averaged over 30 degrees, which is rather immense. Indeed, as I write this post I am out on our room's balcony over looking Bucklands Beach, Auckland, which I assure you is a lot better than the dusty old flat back in Liverpool. Indeed, despite being a Google Images cut, the image above is of this hotel where I am sat. I am to the bottom left on the balcony, good times.
The tunes that have been getting me through this week have oddly been some relatively old records. Radiohead's In Rainbows has been a constant companion, as has the epic Plastic Beach by Gorillaz, which has suddenly taken on a life of it's own as a Summer record - I hadn't noticed til 'Welcome to the Plastic Beach' came on shuffle, Snoop is so laid back on that.
The music today comes from Nero. After gain popularity with huge remixes of The Streets, Deadmau5 and Booty Luv, they come in strong with next single Innocence. The track is similar to the also huge Act Like You Know, with females vocals and huge house-like crescendo building up to a massive drop. Give it a go while it's fresh.
So, the NZ times continue. After that came before, we've now had volcanic geysers, a jet boat up a waterfall, the big local rugby game and a stag do. Pretty epic.
Firstly, please check this out. After Kick-Ass, this is my latest winner of 'Haven't Seen It Yet But It Will Be.. Film of the Year'
The music this post comes from 12th Planet and Doctor P. This track may highlight a few things. Firstly, 12th Planet knows how to get a good remix, after Skream's epic rework of Control. Secondly, that Doctor P is either a very lazy producer, or is trying to make his own niche of songs with exactly the same sound? Whichever it is, this is still huge, despite the obvious similarities to almost every other Doctor P song I've heard.
