Leeds Local #003: JAMIE GRIND

photo credit: Jay Hawley
For the third in the series we welcome Jamie Grind, one of Leeds' most forward thinking promoters/producers. We caught up with him for a bit of a chat.

Tell us about you and your musical background...

I’ve done all sorts really... I’ve never played any instruments but I’ve been in various bands as a vocalist, and had a solo hip hop venture as an MC. I’ve dabbled with production in various forms over the years with different software but nothing serious until a couple of years ago... Not that I’d say my music is serious though!

How long have you been producing?

2-3 years ish, and had my first release on Infrasonics about a year ago – so still a relative newbie.

Your 'Footwork EP' came out on Fortified Audio at the end of last year. Have you any more releases lined up?

Yeah, I should have another one on Infrasonics soon, I’ve got some stuff lined up with Chicago juke label Ghettophiles, and a couple of other bits in the pipeline.

Footwork EP


Now let's talk about your night which is causing quite a stir. What spurred you on to start Modulate?

We just wanted to give some new up-and-coming artists the chance to play in Leeds. We try not to book people who have played up here before, to keep the night as fresh and interesting as possible.

Modulation the changing of key in a track - does this reflect on what you're wanting to do in the Leeds music scene?

Erm, yeah lets go with that haha!

Don't you wish that you could open the ears of those that frequent clubs like Mezz, Warehouse etc? They don't know what they're missing, especially when George Fitzgerald's in town!

That’s just the way it is I guess - the people that know about the good stuff will buzz off it, and those that don’t – will miss out, simple as!

Did you consider using any other venues, or was it Wire from the start?

Always Wire, no other venue has that kind of sound, or atmosphere.

What's next in the diary for Modulate?

On March 30th we have Jacques Greene, Machinedrum and DJ Rashad. That’s all we’re giving away for now, but the months following are shaping up to be massive too.

Give us a brief description of what's in your mix...

Some old stuff, some new... a bit of a mixed bag really, mostly tunes that work just as well at home as they do in the club.

DOWNLOAD

01. James Fox – New Jack Swing
02. Julio Bashmore – Ask Yourself
03. Crystal Fighters – In The Summer (Sepalcure Remix)
04. Jamie Grind – Footwork (Skips Remix)
05. RSS – Wife Her Up (Jamie Grind Remix)
06. Geiom – No More Tears
07. Groove Theory – Tell Me (George Fitzgerald Remix)
08. Kelis – Brave (Dark Sky Remix)
09. Headhunter – Chasing Dragons
10. Macca – Spaceship Anthem (TRC Remix)
11. Toasty – Knowledge (Untold Remix)

Check Jamie on Facebook and Twitter and Modulate on Facebook and Twitter.

EXCLUSIVE MIX #014

photo credit: Jay Hawley
As we push on with more exclusive mixes we're pleased to welcome brand new Maribou State to the series, we previously introduced them in this post under the alias 'Ghost'. Since then they've added a member to the production team and after much consideration have decided to change their name to avoid hassle and confusion.

The trio were all tied up in a band project before but are now taking a step in a new direction, using influences and experience to push a more melodic and uplifting sound...

DOWNLOAD

01. Soul Structure - Maribou State
02. The Look (Koreless Remix) - Jacques Green
03. Carbonated - Mount Kimbie
04. Love Cry (Joy Orbison Remix) - Four Tet
05. (Baby I Don’t Know) What You Want - Jacques Green
06. I Can See (Doc Daneeka Remix) - Jazzanova
07. Far Nearer - Jamie XX
08. Falling (Dark Sky Remix) - Ben Westbeech
09. Radio (Jeuce Rework) - Black Cherry
10. You Know That I Know You Know - Kastle
11. Fogs - Kingdom
12. Breathe - Maribou State
13. Wut - Girl Unit
14. 4 The Love (Dark Sky Remix) - Lorcan Mak
15. Ghoster - Supra 1
16. Casanatra - Maribou State
17. Take Another Look - Maribou State

They're giving away the last track in the mix, an iconic sound of where Electronic music is at the moment, euphoric synths and a chopped R&B sample, however it's worked well and we dig the end result. With a singer on board, we anticipate full original tracks of this high standard in the near future.

Take Another Look - Maribou State

Make sure you get following on their Soundcloud to keep up with new tracks etc.

Sicko Cell remix...

Original is fresh, banging and worth the hype. This though, not really anything special - or is it? Doesn't sound like a VIP, more like someone Swamp related has had a play.

Oneman x LuckyMe

Rarely do we post mixes which aren't really related to us so, we make sure the ones we do post are special. This one is very special. Oneman has an incredible talent in selecting tracks, blending them together and taking you on a journey. There's a bit of everything in this one and plenty of fresh material. Get it on the download.

DOWNLOAD: Oneman - Ninety Three Mixtape [right click save as]

01. LITE - Drops
02. Mobb Deep - Quiet Storm (Inst.)
03. Bad Autopsy - Pour It On
04. Zed Bias - Music Deep Inside
05. Damage Daneeka - Creeper
06. French Fries - Charlotte (Canblaster Remix)
07. Boddika - Basement
08. Search & Destroy - Candyfloss (Toasty Remix)
09. Unknown - Knock, Knock
10. Pelican Fly - Bendin' (Jay Weed Remix)
11. Boddika - Soul What
12. Prince - I Would Die For You
13. Velour - She Wore Velour
14. Marcus Intalex - Under Surveillance
15. Oneohtrix Point Never - Nobody Here
16. Scuba - Twitch (Jamie Vex'd Remix)
18. Fantastic Mr. Fox - Peep Show (Desto Remix)
19. Joker & Rustie - Tempered
21. Addison Groove - Sexual
22. Ikonika - Space Ugly
23. Gil Scott Heron & Jamie XX - NY Is Killing Me
24. 50 Cent & Justin Timberlake - Ayo Technology (Acapella)
25. Girl Unit - WUT
26. Wiley - Shower Eski (Mickey Pearce Remix)
27. Digital Mystikz - Lost City
28. Starkey - Miracles
29. Desto, Clouds & Jimi Tenor Ft. ChaCha - Time Bird
30. Wiley - Saw It Coming

Check the Soundcloud for plenty more mixes and keep up to date with him on Facebook.

Featuring SEPALCURE

The creative combination of the ambient electronica of Praveen, of Praveen & Benoit, and the experimental IDM of Travis Stewart, aka Machinedrum, was always bound to yield something new and exciting in their joint venture as Sepalcure. Since the success of their debut release on Hotflush, "Love Pressure EP", they have remained in collaboration with each other and the label, but their recent "Fleur EP" has shown they are still bringing external flair to the ever-crowded scene that can be most conveniently called post-dubstep.

The title track's gentle chimes and soulful vocals float over layers that usher you through its soundscape with all the tranquil comfort of a childhood dream. It's incredibly beautiful, and you can't help but feel that it's a dream that you want to cling onto, refusing to be woken up. "Your Love" brings us back to reality carefully with its harmonious vocals, tribal percussion and deep textures. The second half of the track introduces a sense of anxiety that we have not yet seen, before it fades once more into calm. "No Think" immediately sets itself out with a newfound urgency, as the kick drum drives the track through its swirling clouds of vocals, synths and flighty arpeggios. It's a densely packed and wonderfully constructed track but it seems fitting that the EP is concluded with a relaunch into a fantasy world, surrounded by the swelling strings and beatless ambience of "Inside".



It's a very strong release, and once you have checked out the tracks above make sure you give these guys some incentive to collaborate again by buying the EP here.

Featuring GRAPHIC FURY

Introducing PhOtOMachine

Raffertie's Super Recordings is beginning to establish itself as a label that does not set itself firm boundaries in terms of genre, instead placing emphasis on innovation and quality. Consequently recent output has displayed elements drawn from dubstep, house and even techno. This approach is evident in the recent "Technicolour EP" from debutant Londoner, PhOtOMachine.

The title track quickly adopts a pulsating 4x4 beat complemented by colourful vocals and a steady synth line. But it's after the half way point the track really kicks off, with a muscular bassline that is bound to get the dancefloor bouncing. Huge tune. In contrast, "Sine Language" sets itself out with a 2-step structure, before a diving bassline takes it deep, offset by by dubby sounds and spacey arpeggios. The release comes with a solid remix package with 3 variations on "Technicolour", with an effort from label boss Raffertie and a classy stripped-back house reduction from Optimum. Up as a freebie is the Throwing Snow remix, which emphasises the soft textures and adds some tight percussion. Check out clips of all of them below, and buy the release here.

Technicolour (Throwing Snow Remix) - PhOtOMachine



For fans of the label, check out the Super Volume 1 compilation preview below, with some well produced and varied soundscapes from the artists already mentioned as well as consistent talents such as Skinnz and Morris Cowan.

Super Volume 1 [preview]

Jack Sparrow x Skepta

Move me, like you did before...

Been a little while since we had some free tunes, sorry about that, hopefully this varied selection will wet the palette.

First off, those who trawl the internet for new music will have no doubt seen 'Sinden presents Free Gucci 2 - The Burrrtish Edition' sprawled across every music blog last week. American 'rap' etc isn't really our thing but we downloaded it anyway and gave it a listen. Two tracks really stood out. Firstly this original featuring Estelle with its uplifting synths, big growly bassline and big room sound. Next, Mosca on a remix and as with everything he touches at the moment, there's quality production and the end result does exactly what it should.

Grown Man (feat. Estelle) - Gucci Mane

O Dog (Mosca Remix) - Gucci Mane

Klic came onto our radar early last year sometime with his remixes of Greymatter. His tracks are getting better and by the end of this year I'm sure you'll have seen his name on a few big remix packages (one of which could be very special). Foolish, which features the ever-so sexy vocalist Alys Blaze (can only imagine that she's good looking in real life), is more Dubstep than his productions these days, however it's a beauty. The 'Ajar' remix is some proper 2-step pressure with wonderful melodies and groove.

Foolish (feat. Alys Blaze) - Klic [RUDEEE]

Ajar (Klic's Unofficial 2Step Edit) - E.S.T

Joy Orbison & Kavsrave? Sounds big doesn't it. Unfortunately, this bashy Funky/Techno hybrid doesn't quite live up to expectations. Check it anyway.

Untightled - Joy Orbison & Kavsrave

Relatively unknown Digital Farm Animals shows us his progression and variety as an artist with these three tracks. Starting with the oldest, 'Kids Of Today', perhaps some relation between the name and the wobbly synth in the middle? All round though, a nice skippy 2-step beat. Next, 'Jerusalem' a straight up deeper Dubstep track, with the feel of time and effort put in. Lastly, the soundcloud preview of 'Play Back The Tape' is something I can imagine to be on an Underworld album. Big!

Kids Of Today - Digital Farm Animals

Jerusalem - Digital Farm Animals

Play The Tape Back - Digital Farm Animals


Policy who has just dropped onto our radar is pushing boundaries with some interesting music. A release forthcoming on Rush Hour proves exciting things. This track is more Dubstep orientated but you get the idea...

Farewell TH3 - Policy

Lastly, a track from Pacheko who's been quiet of late but the split EP 'This Troy' with Cardopusher a few years ago has kept the name in the memory bank. He recently gave away a few tracks, this is our favourite...

Medias Panter - Pacheko

HUSH CLOTHING: Hush Script Tee

Our brand spanking new t-shirts have landed. Full quality, 100% cotton t-shirt available in Small, Medium or Large. Pre-orders have flown in so these are set to be gone quick sharp!

BUY YOURS NOW!




Photo credit: Jay Hawley

Introducing NOCTURNAL SUNSHINE

This girl Maya Jane Coles is incredible. We love her.

Diary Dates: February 2011

If the latest BBC weather reports are to be believed, the month ahead is set to be one of the coldest on record. Sharp, stabbing winds, and yet more snow creates an altogether daunting prospect for all of us, particularly those situated within cities (according to explanations from GCSE Geography that has something to do with the motion of the sea). Therefore in February, more so than any other month this year, it is imperative that we search and attend as many events as physically possible, not only to catch a glimpse of our favourite artists and the hottest new talent, but also to avoid the bitter winter weather, keeping warm with some obligatory skankin, next to the roaring bass.

Stop. Drop. Roll. (with Ms Dynamite, Mosca & Jam City) – The Nest, London: Friday 4th February



February 4th sees the launch of a bass heavy affair in North London’s district of Dalston, boasting an impressive and eclectic line-up with club-scene veteran Ms Dynamite headlining a bill that also includes the genre-defying Mosca and his affiliate from Night Slugs, Jam City. Unbound from any genre specificity, this launch stands out as one of the most varied of the month, catering for most bass-affiliated tastes and a promising sign for future nights as the event develops. Visit The Nest's website for more details.

Dubscover & Techscover – Rhythm Factory, London: Friday 4th February



Dubscover are back with another instalment at Rhythm Factory. You should know what these boys are about by now - if you don't check the previous posts here. As usual they've got the podcast recorded and available to download...

DOWNLOAD: Dubscover Podcast 008

Simple (with T.E.E.D.) – The Bullingdon, Oxford: Saturday 5th February



For several years now Simple Productions has been at the forefront of House, Electro, Techno and Breaks events in one the UK’s most traditional cities, Oxford. Through the simplicity of their events and the organisers’ ability to attract some of the biggest names in Dance music, Simple has consistently and successfully delivered groundbreaking, fresh beats to a city that is often wrongly underrated for its music scene. In the past year the club night has brought Annie Mac, Boy 8-Bit and Erol Alkan to entertain the masses and the calibre of headline acts remains high as Simple kick off 2011 with the homecoming of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs this Saturday.

Facebook Event - Tickets

Basslaced (with Shy FX, 16 Bit & Redlight) – Cable, London: 11th February



Branching out from their headquarters in Nottingham, the promoters at Basslaced are venturing to the capital for their debut event at Cable and seemingly pulling out all the stops. The incredible line-up includes D&B royalty Shy FX as well as lengthy list of Bass-ridden support from 16 Bit, Redlight and Silkie. DJ and producer Girl Unit will also be present to provide some slender House vibes and our very own Hush House DJs will be joined by Get Low Cartel for a collaborative few hours in room 2.

Hush Up (with Shortstuff & Dark Sky) – Jam, Brighton: 19th February



And so it begins… The launch of this month's 'Hush Up Brighton' signifies not only the inaugural event of our forthcoming regular nights along the shores of East Sussex but the beginning of many nights up and down the country (and in Spain) where the blog is personified into an evening's exploration of the depths of electronic music. Hush House favourites, Dark Sky (aka Boogaloo Crew but now with an added member) will be serving up their own grimey mix of Garage, Dubstep and Funky. With a recent release on Ninja Tune and two previous EPs with Black Acre and Pictures plus a forthcoming on Blunted Robots, they're sure to satisfy your bass music cravings.

Also on the bill, Shortstuff. This man should need no introduction for those of you immersed in the current underground bass music scene. The man behind the Blunted Robots label and master of the weirder side of the UK Funky and 2Step scene.

And finally, as well as our very own representatives from the blog we also have Tom @ Ramp Recordings. Named by those who know him as "the UK's most abrasive walking talking record label," Thomas Kerridge is the man behind RAMP Recordings, PTN and BRAiNMATH. He has released music by the likes of ZOMBY, FALTY DL, HACKMAN and HYPNO, as well as the man above, we can guarantee a solid set mixing a warped selection of Funky, Housey and Techno influenced beats.

Buy tickets online: http://www.etickets.to/buy/?e=6080