Beats People Movement

Scratcha DVA CRAZYLEGS 004.1 (Crazy Legs vs Dirty Canvas Mix)

First up, a man that needs little introduction. Traditionally one of grime’s elite producers, the brilliant host of Rinse.fm’s controversial breakfast show and newest signing to Kode 9’s dubstep flagship label Hyperdub - we bring to you half an hour of the hardest, most twisted UK funky (some might call it “funkstep”) from man like SCRATCHA DVA.

At Scratcha’s request, we can’t publish the tracklist for this mix, but rest assured it is SICK. Tracks from Proxy and Major Lazer jump out as a real indicator where his sound is going at the moment - cold, mechanical beats and distorted bass stabs expertly blended together with deeper UK sounds to satisfy house heads and bass fiends alike. This is something very different, and very special.

Download: www.soundcloud.com

The Heatwave’s Funky Bashment Mix

Recent months have seen a whole lot of hullabaloo surrounding the burgeoning UK funky house scene (including our current issue’s cover story), but significantly less attention has been given to how these rhythms are intermingling with the world of dancehall. In search of more information, not to mention a sampling of new music, we turned to The Heatwave, the London-based DJ and production crew headed by Gabriel Myddelton that has spent much of the decade firmly planted on dancehall and reggae’s bleeding edge. Besides running a highly informative blog and frequently performing around the UK, The Heatwave also hosts a weekly show on pirate radio mainstay Rinse FM. Airing on Thursdays from 1-3 a.m. GMT and featuring plenty of dancehall, the show has also become a premiere showcase for funky bashment, the combination of dancehall MCs with riddims both pilfered from and inspired by the world of UK funky. If the idea of heavy hitters like Busy Signal, Sean Paul, Vybz Kartel, and Warrior Queen spitting over tropical beats from Crazy Cousinz and Hard House Banton gets you excited, then this exclusive mix, composed almost entirely of unreleased tunes, is not one to be missed.

01 Natalie Storm “Intro”
02 Lady Chann “Kill a Soundboy Fast (Heatwave Special)” (Fugitive Riddim)
03 Maxwell D “Text Text Text” (Fugitive Riddim)
04 Warrior Queen “Every Stiff John (Heatwave Special)” (Nitro Riddim)
05 Vybz Kartel “Tek Buddy (DJ Shredah Refix)” (Different Riddim)
06 Vybz Kartel & Spice “Ramping Shop (DJ Shredah Refix)” (Different Riddim)
07 Ms. Dynamite “Bad Gyal” (Bad Gyal Riddim)
08 Assassin “Idiot Sound Dat (Heatwave Refix)” (Bad Gyal Riddim)
09 Natalie Storm “Play Di Ting (Heatwave Special)” (Worker Riddim)
10 YT “Innit (Heatwave Special)” (Dirty Rag Riddim)
11 Doctor “Go Down” (Inflation Riddim)
12 Aidonia “Bounce” (Inflation Riddim)
13 Maxwell D “Bandolero” (Jumeirah II Riddim)
14 Natalie Storm “Jumeirah (Heatwave Special)” (Jumeirah Riddim)
15 Bunji Garlin “Fire Now (Mr. Leub Refix)” (Jumeirah Riddim)
16 Lady Chann “Run England” (Jumeirah Riddim)
17 Maxwell D “Mad MD” (Jumeirah Riddim)
18 Mavado & Busy Signal “Badman Place (Heatwave Refix)” (Badman Riddim)
19 Riko Dan “Ice Rink (Heatwave VIP)” (Ice Rink Riddim)
20 Ninjaman & Bounty Killer “Bad Boy Nuh Cub Scout (Heatwave Refix)” (Hey Bongo Riddim)
21 Buju Banton “Batty Rider (Heatwave Refix)” (Hey Bongo Riddim)
22 Shabba Ranks “Ting a Ling (Heatwave Refix)” (Hey Bongo Riddim)
23 Buju Banton “Bogle (Heatwave Refix)” (Hey Bongo Riddim)
24 Shystie “Pull It (Heatwave Special)” (Pull It Riddim)
25 Tifa “Nuh Good (Heatwave Special)” (Dirty Trumpet Riddim)
26 Busy Signal “Da Style Deh (Heatwave Refix)” (Dirt Salsa Riddim)
27 Rubi Dan “Funky Dip (Heatwave Special)” (Buss It Riddim)
28 Busy Signal “Step Out (Mosca Refix)” (Frontline Riddim)
29 Lady Chann “War” (King Riddim)
30 Mirikal “We Don’t Play”
31 Sean Paul “Temperature (Heatwave Refix)” (Sirens Riddim)
32 Stush “We Nuh Run” (Sirens Riddim)
33 Doctor “UK Funky Dancehall”

Download: www.xlr8r.com

Roska October Podcast Mix for XLR8R

Anyone who’s read our current cover story knows that we here at XLR8R are digging the underground sounds of London and all the ways that UK funky is intermingling with dubstep, house, and other genres. Leading the way are artists like Cooly G, Geeneus, and the author of this week’s podcast, Roska. In the span of just a handful of releases and remixes, many on his own Roska Kicks & Snares imprint, the man born Wayne Goodlitt has developed a trademark sound, highlighted by hard-hitting, syncopated drum beats and a proclivity toward upfront percussion. This mix finds Roska combining many of his own creations with a mixture of unreleased heaters and a few of this nascent scene’s biggest tunes.

01 Roska “The Sheppard” (Roska Kicks & Snares)
02 Poxymusic feat. Gina Mitchell “War Paint (Claude VonStroke Remix)” (Hussle)
03 Roska & Jamie George “Love 2 Nite (Roska Dub Mix)” (Roska Kicks & Snares)
04 Cooly G “Love Dub Refix” (Hyperdub)
05 Geeneus “Yellowtail VIP” (Rinse)
06 DVA “Nasty Nasty Nasty (Roska Remix)” (DVA)
07 The Dark House Project “Ruckas” (Kenzo)
08 Roska & Jamie George “Wonderful Day” (Roska Kicks & Snares)
09 Roska “Holograph” (Fantastic 4)
10 Shortstuff “Tripped Up” (Ramp)
11 Roska “Gone To A Better Place (Malice Deepstramental Mix)” (Roska Kicks & Snares)
12 OB “ER” (Invasion)
13 Ill Blu “Blu Magic” (Ill Blu)

Download: www.xlr8r.com

Thanks to all those who tuned in, if wanting a reminder about the show being on simply add me on twitter. Should have some recording / upload business a gwan from next week. As announced on the show look out for the first “Dubstyle BBQ” coming up on Friday October 16th @ Supper Club.

Playlist - Tuesday Oct 6th

Don’t Rock My Boat Dub, “Wailers Band / Augustus Pablo”
Dub Sampler Vol 3[ 2009 / Jamacian Recordings]

LoveLove (J Red & L Que Remix), “OG & Spikey Tee”
cdr[ 2009 / unreleased]

Can’t Be My Lover, “Unknown”
CTRLV[ 2009 / Copypaste]

Cays Crays, “Fat Freddys Drop / Digital Mystikz Version”
kart012[ 2006 / Kartel]

Conference, “Digital Mystikz”
sjr134[ 2007 / Soul Jazz]

Trauma, “Pinch Ft. Juakali”
tec017[ 2007 / Tectonic]

Clash, “Dread Foxx Ft. Werd2Jah”
aimp004[ 2006 / Airtight]

CCTV, “LV Ft. Dandelion”
hbd011[ 2008 / Hyperdub]

Peace Dub, “Helixir”
7even10[ 2009 / 7even]

Dub Trippin, “Dom Hz & Synkro”
dubout007[ 2009 / Dubbed Out]

Memories of 3rd Base, “Skream”
sboy023[ 2009 / Digital Soundboy]

Original Tearout, “Cluekid”
subz006[ 2009 / Subsonik]

Feel So Bad, “Geiom”
brk003[ 2006 / Berkane Sol]

Geiom, “Hizatron”
wf001[ 2009 / Wigflex]

Tarantula, “Zomby”
hdb024[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

Narst, “Cooly G”
hdb020[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

Untitled_RSN, “Joker”
tec027[ 2009 / Tectonic]

Stash, “Joker & Ginz”
hdb024[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

Bk 2 The Future, “Gemmy”
drunk9[ 2008 / Punch Drunk]

Doors Of Perception, “Data Ft. Cell”
tempa044[ 2009 / Tempa]

On The Strip, “Sigha”
hft007[ 2009 / Hot Flush]

2 Experience, “Headhunter”
cdr[ 2009 / unreleased]

Speakers Corner, “Quest & Eskmo (Antiserum Remix)”
cfunk034[ 2009 / Cyberfunk]

Trust Nobody, “SP:MC”
tempa034[ 2008 / Tempa]

Circling, “Appleblim & Pevrelist”
skull08[ Skull Disco]

Together, “Breakage Ft. David Rodigan”
sboy019[ 2009 / Digital Soundboy]

There seems to be a new genre name floating about the web. My twitter homepage has been popping off with comments like this from (Rinse Fm founder and leading DJ/producer) geeneus “i would just like to state that when i said funkstep that i was joking, it was a cuss to people that think they are making funky” or (leading DJ/producer) coolyg “jus to let ppl no i dnt call my music anything its jus wat i make i did not call it FUNKSTEP THAT IS @SCRATCHADVA AND @MRROSKA” danhancox provided a tidy summation “funkstep, dubbage, wonky… genre names have the lifespans of mayflies this year. need i repeat that this is no bad thing? probably”

Funkstep is apparently an amalgamation of UK Funky and Dubstep. Sounds a bit more digestible than ‘UK Funky’ to me. When sharing my enthusiasm for certain elements of this sound I get the sideways looks because it does sound like a sub-genre of cheesy/commercial house music doesn’t it? But yeah I get the whole thing like with Dubstep the top guys generally say “we didn’t name it, we just make music” which is cool but my question is - without a name for people to attach to how can a scene expand? I mean expand past one or two club nights or one or two producers you can be bothered mentioning in a sentence. Eg. “I like those producers like Roska and Cooly G, Kyla’s got the nice lyrics and there is this monthly night happening at Plastic People” any more information and the person your sharing your musical passion with is probably going to go to sleep! My point being in the current culture of (nearly) everybody you meet is essentially attention depreciated there is a need to summarise. That summary being “I like Funky” or “I’m feeling the Funkstep vibe” or “Have you heard any Dubbage?” It’s a human trait to discern that we mean “this” and therefore “not that”. In this case a musical style as defined by measures whether quantitative (bpm, drum pattern) or qualitative (flavour, style, energy).

Music journalists may like to throw ridiculous stereotypes around e.g. Simon Reynold’s ‘wonky-ketamine-dubstep-zomby‘ article back in March and that’s a good example of the content that needs to be filtered in my opinion. The more we hype that nonsense the more we are at the mercy of the next fool who wants to rubbish the music we appreciate and it follows, the artists we respect for making the music we appreciate.

There are of course exceptions, Alex MacPherson provides a nice description of the sound in his recent piece for the Metro/Lite:

From two-step to dubstep, the twists and turns of the British urban underground have long provided clubbers with thrilling, forward-thinking sounds that can also tear up any dance floor.
The scene’s latest incarnation, UK funky house is in many ways a counterpoint to the masculine, aggressive sounds of grime and dubstep. Drawing on New York house, soca and r’n'b as well as more familiar, British strains of club music such as broken beat and garage, UK funky is an altogether softer proposition: you’re as likely to hear sweet, soulful choruses as mind-bending rhythms, and the genre is all the better for that.
Its nights have swiftly gained a reputation for being genial, glamorous places where dressing up is encouraged and champagne flows; they’re also extremely female-friendly, which in turn results in a dance floor thankfully bereft of moody, skulking blokes.
Source: http://www.metro.co.uk/

On a recent visit to the UK I got to experience just that. DJs Cooly G and Brackles provided the soundtrack and there was no aggy, just nice club vibes from start to finish. Truth be told I’m getting to quite like this music, whatever it’s called.

For more of an overview on ‘UK funky’ and its strains (including some nice musical examples) check this recent XLR8R article:

http://www.xlr8r.com/features/2009/09/mutant-funk

Those wanting audio check:

FACT mix 64: Scratcha DVA (July ‘09)

FACT mix 46: Cooly G  (May ‘09)

FACT mix 23: Roska (Jan ‘09)

My first show since returning from the UK. Big up to Katakah, Bleak and Sam G for holding down while I was away. Tried to get through a few different styles. Dubby to Deep to Purple to Funky to a few of the latest Mungos Dancehall rhythms at the end. Thanks to all who tuned in, check the comments link for some of the feedback recieved. This weekly radio show is broadcast locally on 106.9 and worldwide via http://www.kfmradio.co.nz/

Playlist - Tuesday Sep 29th

Chase The Devil, “Lee Scratch Perry & Gudrun”
Return From Planet Dub[ 2009 / Collision]

Mr Babylon Dub, “Robert Trench”
Dub Sampler Vol 3[ 2009 / Jamacian Recordings]

Babylon, “Mungo’s Hi Fi”
12 inch[ 2008 / Scrub A Dub]

Sinners, “Mala vs Johhny Clarke”
12 inch[ 2009 / Ringo Recordings]

Perception, “Data”
[ 2009 / Tempa]

Late Night, “Breakage”
[ 2009 / Naked Lunch]

Lost At Sea, “Truth”
[ 2009 / Aquatic Lab]

The Unknown, “Quest”
[ 2009 / Deep Medi]

Skinz, “I.D”
[ 2009 / Earwax]

Rain, “Breakage”
[ 2009 / Digital Soundboy]

Trust Nobody, “SP:MC*”
[ 2008 / Tempa]

Speakers Corner, “Quest & Eskmo”
[ 2008 / Cyberfunk Records]

One Of Us, “Kryptic Minds”
[ 2009 / Swamp81]

Terminate, “Pinch & Distance”
[ 2009 / Deleted Scenes]

Unknown Suspect (Noah D Vip), “Noah D & NoThing”
Hypnotic Elements[ 2009 / Subway]

The Lie, “Zomby”
[ 2008 / Ramp Recordings]

80’s, “Joker”
[ 2008 / Kapsize]

Bk 2 The Future, “Gemmy”
[ 2008 / Punch Drunk]

Purple City, “Joker & Ginz”
[ 2009 / Kapsize]

Test, “Silkie”
medi 18[ 2009 / Deep Medi Musik]

Zumpi Hunter(Swindle Rmx), “Terror Danjah “
ziq248[ 2009 / Planet Mu]

Zomby, “Tarantula”
hdb024[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

Narst, “Cooly G”
hdb020[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

2 Far Gone, “Kode 9″
hyp009[ 2009 / Hyperdub]

Under Arrest, “Mungo’s Hi Fi ft. MC Ishu”
scob 016[ 2009 / Scoth Bonnet]

Step It Dub, “Mungo’s Hi Fi”
scob 017[ 2009 / Scotch Bonnet]

Ruff Mi Tuff, “Mungo’s Hi Fi”

Culture Mi Vote, “Mungo’s Hi Fi ft. Sister Carol”
scob 019[ 2009 / Scotch Bonnet]

Nuttin Nah Gwaan, “Mungo’s Hi Fi ft. Bongo Chilli”
scob 019[ 2009 / Scotch Bonnet]

Our new Beats people Movement* store is now open at La Gonda Arcade, 203 K’Rd

Specialising in Vinyl, CDs, DJ Gear, Art, Clothing and Culture Supplies.. Get in there!

The much anticpated Kode9 tour of Australia and NZ kicks off in a few weeks time.

The absolute evolutionary godfather of dubstep, KODE 9 is on his way to Aotearoa to take everything you thought you knew about the sound and flip it around, bringing you symphony of sonic seduction!

Kode 9 has nurtured dubstep music since day one, shaping its definition through founding the record label HYPERDUB. This imprint has given artists BURIAL, ZOMBY, IKONIKA, FLYING LOTUS and KODE 9 the strong voices needed to deliver an even stronger message: music that drowns out your expectations and resonates with your emotions.

In 2006 the underground music world was astounded by Burials groundbreaking debut, which was awarded ‘Album of the Year’ status by THE WIRE magazine, and described as an absurdly addictive sonic opiate - a feat that would not have been possible without Kode’s support. Out of this success, the HYPERDUB label has brought many ruff and revolutionary artists to our consciousness, and is refusing to adopt a formulaic approach to the sound.

Kode’s critically acclaimed debut album, ‘Memories of the future’ featuring Spaceape, has also been at the forefront of his exploratory approach, establishing his role as an artist, author, and lecturer on audio culture. It’s an interest that spans from grime emcees waging war with a mic to the US army waging war with advanced sonic weaponry. “It’s about the use of sound as a weapon. It’s about collective grass roots, tactical media, pirate radio, network culture, DIY media…”, an attitude that will ensure a night of auditory adventure.

Wellington - Thursday 2nd July

Christchurch - Friday 3rd July

Auckland - Saturday 4th July

For a bit of background on Kode9 check this download of Benji B’s 1Xtra show featuring Kode9 from about 55mins in. There’s also an interview transcript here from UK magazine The Wire.

Official Links:

http://www.kode9.com/

http://www.myspace.com/hyperdub