Monday, 6 July 2009
Friday, 3 July 2009
Ikonika Q&A!
Name: IKONIKA
Genre: Dubstep
Location: London
Known For: ‘Please’
SUPERSUPER: When did you realise you had a talent for producing music?
IKONIKA: I started listening to Hip-Hop when I was younger. I think around 1993/4. I found myself really into the beat. I was never really listening to the lyrics; I was more fascinated about where the beat came from and how it was made. I guess from there is when I realized I wanted to get involved…
SS: Why did you choose to make dubstep?
I: I started learning the drums a couple of years later. I played in a few metal and hardcore bands. I was really into it. Then around 2005 I decided to go back to Hip-Hop and try making some beats. I’d got a copy of FL4 and was trying stuff out really. It wasn’t until I found out that Skream was making his stuff on the FL too is when I tried to emulate some dubstep.
SS: What’s your thought on the current state of the dubstep scene?
I: I actually think it’s really exciting. So many people are coming with their own sound and are starting to get a lot of recognition. I’m talking about people like Joker, Guido, Darkstar, Madd, Zomby, Brackles and Greena. These people just make me want to step my game up real bad and I’m really happy to be friends with them.
SS: To me dubstep seems like a very male dominated scene, a bit like the grime scene, how does it differ for being a female in such a scene?
I: I don’t really like this question because compared to say the metal scene; dubstep is a little teddy bear. I’ve never really seen it as male dominated, because everything in life is pretty much male dominated. As a woman you just learn to deal with it. I don’t really notice it. Most of my heroes are male but they’d still be my heroes if they were female. I dunno, I hate these sexism questions because it doesn’t effect me, I don’t think about it when I’m making tunes.
SS: Where do you get your inspirations from because your sound is very different to the normal dubstep sound?
I: I think it’s because I’d listened to so many different genres of music when I was growing up. I went through so many different phases as a teenager, it was all a bit confusing trying to ‘fit-in’ because people could never categorize me and I guess it’s kind of similar with my music. I’m a Gemini so there’s always going to be a weird balance with me. I have many personalities and I absolutely love a bit of contrast. I describe my style as, synth and bass, future and past, electronic emotions, quarter stepping, scared and not scared…
www.myspace.com/ikonika
A version of this appears in SUPERSUPER Magazine issue 17
iRate.
Just came across this on the grimeforum and it is actually ALOT. South London's Killa P is one of the more, shall we say capable MCs out there when it comes to yardie flows, he isn't too bad on a bit of dubsteppery either. This is real grime though, none of that poppy lovey duvvy shit (not saying that's always bad) but every now and then you need some realness in ya lifeeee! The video is not the best and we can clearly see that, but it's a 'hood' one so whatever (although I think he should have hollered SB.TV or Timoothy & Bazmondo for a better one). Minor, it's still sufficient for the eardrum though...
He has a mixtape out now which he is selling for 99p, cleverly titled - Credit Crunch Part 1 and it features 16 tracks of pure gully riddin grime, featuring Roadside G's and more.
Buy: HERE
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Do You Get The Hype?
This lady has been in almost every publication known to man and to be honest I don't get the hype, she is a good female rapper, that's about it. I'm not slewing it's just I don't get it. This tune is aiight though...I suppose?
Who Is It?: Lil London
I put my big cousin Samantha in this weeks column, have to rep for the fammo and that star!
Check it out: HERE
N.U.R
Following from my Swifta Beater post, I thought I would put up this about him and his label, Birmingham stand up!
NUR is headed by Leon 'DJ Ace' Lava & Swifta Beater. Having started in late 2007 as all members had a common intrest - music. We said we wanted to become the So Solid crew of bassline, but were over shadowed by other crews that were more organised, we found a lot of our singers were poached and the members did include AdotR and Moky from Creepers but both have pursued their indiviual goals. At present the remaining SKully 2 Gully, Dj Shystie, Jerome Tha Singer.
New Editions include grime based producer Captain Scarlet & Marky B an up and coming funky house DJ for 2009, it was a joint decision by the heads to re launch the brand focusing on bassline, grime and funky house. We are also experimenting with funky/bassline and the electro/bassline crossing the two genres and seeing what we can bring to the industy that is new and original.
There are plans for vinyl and digital releases over the coming months and there are residencies held on the radio stations across the 2nd city.
Kriss FM 8 - 10 Tuesdays - DJ Ace
Kriss FM 8 - 10 Tuesdays - DJ Marky B - Hosted By Dapz & Tazzle
Silk FM 8 - 10 Saturdays - Swifta Beater B2B DJ Shystie
Join their Facebook group: HERE
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Monday, 29 June 2009
iRate.
This isn't the type of music I would usually listen to, obviously, but La Roux is actually very big, her voice is doing the damn thang for my eardrums right about now, even got some of the goons singing along to her tunes, it's actually funny. The video above is from a live session she did for NME, tell me she isn't a bad gyal LIVE singer?
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Swifta Beater Q&A!
Name: SWIFTA BEATER
Genre: Bassline
Location: Birmingham
Known For: ‘A Milli’ (Bassline Remix)
SUPERSUPER: What got you into making music?
SWIFTA BEATER: Well, like most musicians say they were born into a musical family it was the same for me. My dad known as Wooligan used to run a revival sound system called live wire back in the day. He’s also a producer as well he makes genres such as Reggae & Roots. I don’t know if you’ve heard an old song called ‘’Boom Shacka Lack’’ most likely you have heard it because it was a big track back in early 90’s. So yeah basically I’ve had a liking for music from when I was born.
SS: What was it about Bassline that attracted you?
SB: To be honest I never did like Bassline at first, I used to only make Grime & Hip Hop before but my friends kept on saying I should try making Bassline because I’d be good at it, at first I was thinking what’s the point, this music sounds like pill popping music (laugh). I eventually put some time and effort into a track I remixed called Why did you play me which was sang by Kyla who is known for the big funky house track ‘’Do you mind’’.
SS: Now, I have started to call your sound and some of the Organ Bassline production coming from the likes of DJ Q and AdotR etc: NOISE, are you offended by that?
SB: Well to be fair with you, the squeaky bass that you hear on most of my tracks was just to be different from the rest of the other producers. I can’t say I really like the actual synth itself because it is a noisy synth but I just like the deep bass it carry’s underneath though. As for the Organ Bassline as you call it, I don’t think that many producers are being as creative with music as they used to be or could, they’re just doing the same thing over and over again.
SS: How did you come up with your signature crazy siren sound?
SB: Lol! That’s a good name for it actually, I don’t really know how I came up with the sound I just know when I was messing around with the synthesizer I wanted it to sound different to anything that has been heard before.
SS: What plans do you have for 2009 & beyond?
SB: I’m planning to start my record label and produce albums and mix tapes and sign artists of genres such as; Grime, Bassline, Electro & Funky House, maybe a few others but we will see. Hopefully in the long run my label would turn out to be a major.
www.myspace.com/djswiftabeater
A version of this appeared in SUPERSUPER Magazine issue 17
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Remember This?
Just came across this, aint heard this in time and it brings back some memories boy, when grime was GRIME, think this was part of the Slew Dem DVD pack which came out a few years ago. It was a massive tune, surprised it never got out there a bit more than it did. Catch my feature on Tempa T in the August issue of Mixmag, I will keep you updated!
Friday, 26 June 2009
Dubplate Drama Series 3 Episode 1 Review!
Thursday, 25 June 2009
iRate.
Wolverhampton grime, tell me he doesn't do alot on this beat though?
www.myspace.com/raideroutlawz
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Freeness!
No Other Big Brother Series Can Test!
Aisleyne was the best Housemate Big Brother ever had and she was part of the best series they ever had aswell, I think anyway. No one has repped it for the 'ghetto yout dem' like she did, even the Black people that were on the show didn't do as much (well Science maybe). This video gives me joke though, haha!
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
iRate.
This is the new video from Donaeo, Double S and Wretch 32 for one of the tracks which is to be taken from the Dubplate Drama 3 series. I like the track, (although the intro is a bit too long) I like the video and I hope I will like the new series...
iRate.
Deadly is one of the best lyricists to come out of Birmingham and he has done plenty within the Bassline scene recently, but this time he jumped on some Grime bizniz and did what he does best. People seem to think that there is no talent outside of London when it comes to grime / underground music, but from this video above you can tell that isn't all true. Hold tight Despa on the videography - SB.TV, T&B ya'll better watch out star, he will soon catch you up!
Deadly has also turned his hand to DJing now aswell and you can download his first Bassline mix: HERE
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