As we enter a new month, a draft of work has been lifted onto me. I find myself stuck in dissertation hell, as well as organising next year's Abandon Silence line ups. We have successfully confirmed January and February's line ups, and you will be the first to know who we have in store.
Next month we turn our attention to Abandon Silence 04, featuring Breakage, Mele, Horza and Rich Furness.
This night promises to be the biggest Abandon Silence yet, I cannot wait to host the digital soundboy himself, as well as one of the countries most prodigious producers.
As well as the DJs, we have a fantastic artwork campaign. This is by far the most ambitious promo that we have ever used. Designer Ben Thapa has yet again excelled himself, and as I am sure you can see, his designs are unreal.
To play us out, here are a few select cuts from this month's guests...
Abandon Silence would like to wish a huge thank you to everyone that attended our show last Thursday at The Shipping Forecast in Liverpool. It was an absolutely huge success, with James Blake's headline set striking such a precedent for this Autumn that it is hard to imagine anyone beating it. Further thanks are given to our fantastic residents, Rich Furness and Horza, who once again absolutely killed The Shipping Forecast. Their opposing styles but awesome DJ skills make them residents that we are very proud to call our own. Guest KillaHurtz also deserves special mention for working through the tough test of following on from James Blake, which he handled superbly.
Luckily we were able to catch a few words with the man himself about the release of his new EP, Klavierwerke, out on R & S Records on the 10th October. It is pretty interesting to see his views on his own categorisation and the motives behind some of his decisions. We have also been able to, via FactMag, include audio of the title track of the new EP. I hope you enjoy, here is a picture of me looking very smug with James Blake, plus a few nice pictures from the evening below. To see all 129 pictures taken by the brilliant Robert Keith Seeley, click here.
So, here goes...
Abandon Silence (AS) : First and foremost, did you enjoy your Liverpool debut last Thursday? The Abandon Silence crowd seemed to really enjoy your set.
James Blake (JB) : I loved it yeah. It was nice to make my Liverpool debut and was chuffed at how open minded and nice people were, before during and after the set.
AS: We are fast approaching the release of your second EP with R&S records, titled Klavierwerke. How does this EP differ from any of your previous releases?
JB: I started to use my vocals (albeit in adulterated forms) a bit more candidly on this EP, so I feel a really strong connection with the music. Secondly, the piano samples are from the same recordings, not separated but equally bastardised and manipulated. I fell in love with the sound of the piano again on this EP, but this time in an electronic context.
AS: When you approached the creation of the Klavierwerke EP, which records/artists influenced you? Are these the same artists that influenced all of your work so far?
JB: I think the track that brought me to this new sound was 'Baves Chords' by mount kimbie, and possibly certain beatless burial tracks. I wrote Klavierwerke in a slightly different headstate, with memories of Berghain fresh in my mind.
AS: Klavierwerke is your second release with R&S records, as you help with it's remarkable re-emergence. What attracted you to work with them? Im sure there were other offers..
JB: The two EP's are so different that it takes a label like R&S, with their huge range of output, to release them consecutively without hesitation. I was excited to work with them because they've been reborn, and their reputation precedes them. Their audience base is also really diverse, which means it's reaching people that might not otherwise have heard it. I'm good friends with all the labels i've released on and I send them all my new stuff, so it's a matter of where it fits really.
AS: How did it feel to have your first full solo EP release, CMYK, given universal acclaim by critics? Had you expected it?
JB: I just wanted to make a track that brought out the euphoria i'd experienced listening to pangaea and joy orbison sets, and in doing so I made something that took on a life of it's own.. A while later it was incredibly surreal to hear it on Radio 1 and the like, but then the day i'm not suprised, humbled and delighted by people liking my music might be a very sad day.
AS: On the tracks that you have released, there has been a great variety in moods and atmospheres. Do you pick and choose your styles from production to production, or is it just natural?
JB: It sounds obvious but whatever I'm feeling at the time should be captured, or I'm doing something dishonest. Therefore the atmosphere is always changing and my music (like life) goes through phases.
AS: You appear to have been placed into the 'dubstep' genre. With such a difference between your music and the productions of other 'dubstep' artists such as, say, Borgore, how does it feel to be categorised side by side with such opposing sounds?
JB: I like to think I placed myself in the dubstep genre. When I started doing it I was listening to Mala, Coki and later Mount Kimbie, none of which are really categorised side by side with people like Borgore. I'm happy to play nights alongside people like Borgore because for me, opposing sounds make interesting nights, and make it easier for my music to have a clear shot at the runway.
AS: Finally, I ask all artists that I interview this question, which three records are you loving right now?
JB: Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me Tallest Man on Earth - The Wild Hunt An unnamed dub by Blawan who released on Hessle, and who is one of my favourite new producers
Finally we would like to thank James wholeheartedly for being an excellent guest at Abandon Silence last Thursday. It was a huge success and was most certainly memorable in part for his epic set.
Here's a live review I conducted of Holy Fuck and Sbtrkt's show at The Stanley Theatre in Liverpool as a part of the SoundCity Festival that took place over the last couple of weeks. This is only a draft but luckily I'm lazy and have a sub-editor that will check through it before it goes to print. Hope you enjoy it...
HOLY FUCK
Sbtrkt
Stanley Theatre
20/5/2010
As I arrived at the Stanley Theatre, a series of worries blighted me. Firstly, I worried that I had missed the support acts, as I was running late, and I also was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get in as Sound City gigs are ‘first come first served’ entry. However, at my arrival, all of these doubts were eased; as I walked in, support act SBTRKT’s technical personnel were setting up on stage, and there were sixteen people in the hall; literally sixteen, including myself.
Sbtrkt, coming to the stage covered by flowing locks of hair emanating from an intimidating African tribal mask, looked quite like a contemporary 6 foot totem pole. His set was particularly well thought out, with an even divide between his own productions and a fine selection of remixes and cuts from other DJs. His heavy beats were particularly impressive given the nature of the sound system in the Stanley Theatre, which seemed to have the quality quotient of the average iPod speakers. However, Sbtrkt battled through technical problems and crowd discrepancies to deliver a fantastic display of the ‘future garage’ genre that is on the rise across dance floors in the UK. Sbtrkt solemnly left the stage to a patter of applause from the minimal crowd, which had now raised itself to around thirty or forty.
However, by the time headliners HOLY FUCK took to the stage, there was a decent crowd gathered. An influx of punters had boosted the previously indistinct crowd to a respectable number. The Canadian foursome, fresh from the acclaimed release of their sophomore LP, Latin, took to the stage doused in darkness. Despite their immature moniker, they took to their task with a mechanical unity that was highly impressive.
As the crowd warmed to the band’s sound, so did the band begin to get into their stride. Despite the rapid nature of the band’s set, with minimal gaps left between tracks for applause, the crowd could be heard when greeting key tracks Lovely Allen and Stay Lit, as the band displayed their eye for a big sound early on.
Holy Fuck play instrumental music created by live drums, a bass guitar, keyboards and a sampler which created some glitchy beats which on more than one occasion strayed rather too closely to Radiohead’s Ideoteque. It can be quite hard to find a way to grasp a sound without lyrics to follow. In spite of that, their addictive and well administered melodies ensured that the crowd were given more play than work at tonight’s show.
Holy Fuck brought the night to an end with an epic five minute wall of sound, culminating in a Rapture-like funky break down leading to one of the longest and loudest crescendos that I have ever heard. This was the perfect conclusion for the night’s proceedings, as both artists left the crowd baying for more.
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!
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.
So, today AbandonSilence says it's teary farewell to Liverpool. Now it's a few nights in London before an epic 27 hour plane journey to New Zealand! We aim to carry on posting, though time constraints and internet connections may affect these plans.
Hope you all have a good Easter, and any one in the London vicinity, we encourage you wholeheartedly to attend this night. The night will include the debut of Jamie Vex'd's new Kuedo productions, as well as performances by Slugabed, Stagga, SDUK and Bullion. Get down there!
If you can, please go down, should be a great night. Check it out on Facebook here
AbandonSilence and friends often joke about how Rusko has lost it. Mentally that is, though I do hear grumblings that he is losing his touch on the music front. With the use of three videos, AbandonSilence will prove to you A) he has lost it mentally B) he hasn't lost it musically AND C) You should never under rate him, especially live.
Firstly, we have the EXCLUSIVE! new Rusko single. Acting as the main pre-cursor to Rusko's forthcoming OMG LP, this track, titled 'Hold On', is quite different to what AbandonSilence had expected. We would'nt've been surprised to hear electro, we would've expected dubstep, but instead we have distinctly wobble free, beat free UKG vibes. This track is going to be huge! Despite the non-existent response to Woo Boost, AbandonSilence predicts that this could be a crossover hit, and we think it will make the Top 40. ON A BOLD TING. AbandonSilence couldn't track down an mp3 for this, but we will produce one as soon as we can, that's a promise!
Here we have the promo video for Woo Boost. AbandonSilence likes to see ourselves as a forward thinking blog, so we won't post the now ancient mp3, go buy it if you're incapable of finding one. In the video, loosely inspired by MIA, but on a rather shit level, we see Rusko draped in a Union Jack messing around with Green Screen. No doubting the tune, but the video. Eeer.
Finally... just as the haters sharpen their knives as the LP looms, AbandonSilence wants to take you back to Rusko's strongest attribute. His liveshow. No one can doubt that he is a brilliant live DJ, showcasing great crowd skills, fantastic set lists and great exclusives. This video comes from the same guy as the 'Dubstep in HD', featuring the classic Rusko drop of Blinded by the Lights into Badman Sound. Check it and scream!
If youve ever been interested as to what a real dubstep night is like, check these videos. These videos are from nights in Toronto, and have been filmed by a genius named Matt. Filmed in what looks like HD, these videos have the best sound and video quality I have seen anywhere.
There are more videos on mattmtoronto's Youtube site, including Joker, Caspa, Rusko, Bassnectar and Skream. Please do yourself a favour and check them ALL out.
