Byte presents B-Mix 003:
Vast & Bulbous
'Beyond The Seventh Seal'
(Byte, 2010)

It's been a hot second since we last had an update on here (OK, best part of four months but time gets away from you now and then), so we thought it timely before the bank holiday madness hits to return with another installment in the B-Mix series. This time around we have an incredible set from one of the best DJ tag teams to come out of Bristol in some time - Vast & Bulbous. The duo behind interstellar disco wonk extravaganza I Feel Space have been steadily carving out a very intriguing niche in the sometimes anemic Bristol club scene with a raft of guests including Boxcutter, Various Production, Late Of The Pier, Illum Sphere and many more.

Promotions aside, these two young whippersnappers are also amazing DJs and producers in their own right, with a breadth and depth of music knowledge that is quite astounding given they are only just out of short trousers. Expect to see and hear many more great things from this pairing very soon, and to get us on our way there we have a blistering throwdown from them which takes us all the way from wonked-out future garage and crazed rhythms to old skool house and majestic disco licks. To ice this incredible bass-cake we also have an exclusive remix from them of another B365 favourite, Antoni Maiovvi. We caught up with the pair to chat about dystopian futures, Jamie Oliver on PCP, cling-film funk and death metal disco. Sit back and enjoy the ride!

B: Good evening Vast, good evening Bulbous. How the devil are you?

V&B: Good evening. We have both shed our dense winter plumage and are getting ready to revel in the full disappointment of British summertime.

B: Fantastic. Where are you right now?

V&B: Sat in an armchair taking in a bit of Jamie Oliver. We think it's scandalous the amount of
salt the man consistently puts in to his dishes, given his ambitions as some kind of modern day prophet of healthy-eating. But the big question is why is nobody talking about it? The popular press is being stonewalled, and it's lucky that these kind of outlets exist to get the message out there.

B: What do you think Jamie Oliver likes to listen to when he's 'getting on one'?

V&B: We think he probably likes to dip a Sainsbury's Ultimate Chipolata in a bowl of street-grade PCP, roll up his sleeves and get stuck into the lush production sound of Mr. Bobby Orlando.

B: Top of the list of queries has to be: why Vast, why Bulbous?

V&B: Why yin and yang? Why alpha and omega? Why Tango and Cash?

B: Which one in Tango & Cash was vast, which was bulbous? Should girth make a difference in a name anyways?

V&B: There's no question that Cash was both Vast and Bulbous, Tango was always just along for the ride.

B: What's the history of V&B? How did you find your way into DJing?

V&B: V&B started essentially as a shared blame system. When the beer bottles start flying it's nice to have someone to duck behind. We started DJing out of an unhealthy love of vinyl, and a desire to share the combinations we could make out of records. I remember when I first got decks spending days trying to mix a great Vangelis track into my latest drum and bass purchase. We didn't quite realise that wasn't what DJs did, and I'm not sure we've actually learnt that lesson yet.

B: Well thanks for taking the time to do this mix for B365. It's quite an eclectic affair - do you feel this represents your live incarnation well?

V&B: It's definitely an aspect of what we do. This is kind of our take on bass music, though you'd be just as likely to hear us rassing out some old disco or Tom's new genre of the month cling-film funk. I think whatever we're doing it would probably have the same eclectic feel to it - kind of like a musical ADHD. Except not with the connotations that seems to carry these days, where people play about 20 seconds of the most banging bit of each tune like we're all in some kind of horrible dystopian future where everyone walks around with glazed eyes and a fixed grin. We like to play our songs the whole way through, but we don't like playing the same kind of thing for too long.

B: Cling-Film Funk??

V&B: It's a sub-genre that's still awaiting a solid descriptive fence to separate it from the flock. Essentially the sound is like someone has sheathed a raging disco hard on in a four ply johnny and whacked it with a hammer. Or it can be said to be akin to listening to Talking Heads at -8 speed with a fishbowl on your head. It's a dense, creeping and incredibly seductive brand of music.

B: Sounds delightful. This track-listing perhaps reflects a maturity in your tastes that belies your ages. Do you feel you are a little removed from the usual cut and thrust of fad genres, or do you feel younger music fans are becoming more and more refined these days?

V&B: We love fad genres - that intense burst of creativity that accompanies them before they go stale are the source of some incredible music. The important part is being able to take them as just a part of music history as a whole. We like to pick and choose the best bits of each, without getting too caught up in one or the other of them as the only future of music. When we see figures like Prins Thomas playing out weird Spanish psych records or Ben UFO digging up Smith and Mighty tunes, that inspires us to be bolder in our own choices. I suppose the accessibility we have to the entirety of recorded music, via the Internet, makes young people grow up quicker musically. We go from wide-eyed innocents to jaded hacks who've seen it all in the space of a couple of years. It's like growing up in the Bronx. The E-Bronx.

B: Off the back of that, do you think the Interbang has kind of f*cked up people's appreciation for music as an art form? Everything is instantly attainable....we seem to cycle through new 'genres' every three months now...(I'm aware of the irony of saying this on a music blog)...

V&B: I think it has definitely ruined people's attachment to certain music - made it a bit more disposable. People are constantly looking to the next thing rather than cherishing what they have. I suppose its like a hit of blog crack which wears off so quick you need to find the next one ASAP. What people really need is the gentle, slow, loving embrace of quality vinyl skag.

B: What influences do you bring to the table with you? Who or what has inspired you over the years?

V&B: Jack's a less than closet black metal fan - with the obligatory studded wellies and a distaste for human company. This has stealthily lead him to gravitate towards dance music with undertones that are cold, atmospheric and filthy. In an attempt to redress the balance Jack's brain has told him to develop an unbridled passion for camp as tits italo hammers and disco stompers. Tom committed the crime of liking big-beat as a youngster and has since then been obsessed by the concept of sampling which has given way to an unhealthy passion for overly looped house and disco music.

B: Would you consider merging black metal and italo into some kind of satanic amyl-stained glitterball hybrid?

V&B: I had this idea once, and went through all of my cds to try and find something, but it really is a totally ludicrous pairing. It was a sad day when I had to admit that. Probably the closest we'll ever get is a Heartbreak mix on the Allez Allez blog where they start off with one of the ambient tracks off of Burzum's Filosofem album. If I'd still had that CD I could have beaten them to it, but someone stole it after I put it on at a house party back when I was 16 or something. Thinking about it now they probably threw it away rather than actually stealing it.

B: Who do you think is gearing up to be the best pick of the future generation of producers coming through right now?

V&B: There is some incredibly exciting music being made in the UK at the moment, drawing influences from all over the shop, and not just the usual musical ghettos that bass music has relied on in the past. We are lucky enough to have been able to showcase a lot of the new crop of producers we rate the highest via I Feel Space. The dysto-step of Illum Sphere, the moonbeat of Space Dimension Controller, the throbbing musclefunk of Antoni Maiovvi and the fierce live synth-hop of Kelpe alongside the glittering analogue frenzy of Ali Renault and Brassica have all been floating our boat recently for their unique and heartfelt approaches to making music.

B: Do you feel Bristol is an open-minded place for the V&B sound? Or do you feel with the advent in the popularity of Dubstep, commercialisation is starting to blinker the scene here?

V&B: Well we haven't been banished for crimes against music just yet, and we do manage to eke out an existence on the music scene so we couldn't ask for any more really. I definitely wouldn't say the popularity of dubstep is something that is counting against us. We've been fans of the sound since we first heard it coming out of the trombone of Bass Clef at a Toxic Dancehall back in the day. The only disappointing thing is that back then we would have classed Mr Clef as just another spin on the dubstep idea, but now it would be called some kind of radical mutant strain. That's kind of sad. But really if I was going to pick any underground genre to go overground it would be dubstep, because it has such a rich underbelly of experimentation and diverse influences. That's only going to be a good thing for people who get deeper and deeper into the sound.

B: So what's next for V&B?

V&B: We're just going to keep plugging away pushing the music we like. We've got Ali Renault and Brassica coming down for our next party at LAB on June 5th and they're bringing a big stack of vintage synths down to play live for us. Nobody beats those guys and the rest of the Cyberdance / Dissident crew when it comes to UK electronic music that smashes the mould, and puts it back together as a hyper-coloured synth fantasy.

I Feel Space is at Lab, Bristol on June 5th 2010.



Byte presents B-Mix 003:
Vast & Bulbous
'Beyond The Seventh Seal'
(Byte, 2010)

01. Aphrodite's Child - The Four Horsemen [Vertigo]
02. Jamie Vex'd - Radiant Industry [Planet Mu]
03. Space Dimension Controller - Galactic Effector [Acroplane]
04. Dave Da Gato - Carbon [Fluid Oz]
05. Vast&Bulbous - Bless The Apparatus [Dub]
06. Red or Dred - How I Feel (Afterhours Dub) [Locked On]
07. The Hayden Andre Project - Tribal Life (Bang D Drum Remix) [Strobe]
08. Adonis - No Way Back (Greg Wilson Edit) [Global Underground]
09. 2nd II None - Waterfalls (Peverelist Remix) [Heavy Artillery]
10. Rossi B & Luca - Jah No Dead [Soul Motive]
11. Adam Port - Boogie Bass [Souvenir]
12. Of Norway - The Governer's Daughter (Danny J Lewis Remix) [Afro Art]
13. Emperor Machine - You Clapper [DC Recordings]
14. Debbie Malone - Rescue Me (Dub Mix) [Krunch]
15. Floating Points - K&G Beat [Planet Mu]
16. Rhythim is Rhythim - Kao-Tic Harmony [Transmat]
17. Tangerine Dream - No Man's Land (V&B Edit) [Dub]
18. Eskmo - We Have Invisible Friends [Ancestor]
19. Vast&Bulbous - Point Reyes [Dub]
20. Millie and Andrea - Temper Tantrum [Daphne]
21. Boxcutter - Other People [Dub]

DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 003 : Vast & Bulbous - Beyond The Seventh Seal
DOWNLOAD : Antoni Maiovvi - Tessa (Vast & Bulbous Re-Work)

FFI : I Feel Space Myspace
FFI : I Feel Space Facebook
FFI : Vast & Bulbous Soundcloud

Byte presents B-Mix 002:
Dekoy
'Rave Machine'
(Byte, 2010)

A new year, a new decade...and to celebrate Byte brings you the second installment in our ongoing B-Mix series, showcasing the most creative and exciting DJs around. Following on from our debut mix courtesy of Weasel, we are very excited to be able to bring to you a mix many months in the making! This time it's the turn of the infamous Dekoy - DJ, producer and promoter extraordinaire - who has laid down a incredible mix for your delectation - Rave Machine. Just like Ronseal this does exactly what it says on the tin - a speaker-shredding odyssey through dubstep, drum & bass, breaks, rave and much more besides. Tweaked to perfection the set includes some huge tunes and loads of little suprises to make it much more than the sum of it's parts.

Kicking things off with a salvo of the best in new wave bass producers we get a healthy dollop of Kanji Kinetic, Bombaman and Zomby alongside more seasoned subheads like Skream and Jakes - all mixed with precision and flair before the set starts to pick up even more pace hurtling into a hyperactive middle section of juicy rave action. Dekoy wheels out two of his own awesome tracks - Lazerface and Isolator - before unleashing Squire Of Gothos, MRK1 and Blackfinger tunes to heap more drama onto the dancefloor. The final quarter rolls on at breackneck speed into some serious D&B pressure with a real sense of this mix taking you through several continents of genres and styles, but without feeling piecemeal or lacking in drive.

An assured mix from an artist finding new confidence in his abilities, Rave Machine marks a new chapter in Dekoy's creative progression - and is an essential download for any fan of the cross-pollination of styles that is occuring in the musical underground at the moment.

Byte caught up with Dekoy ahead of the release of Rave Machine to talk about the birth and death of genres, the rise and fall of Rusty Needle, his triumphant return to the British Bass Capital that is Bristol and the genius of Phil Collins.

B: Evening Mr.Dekoy, how are you?

D: Good evening Mr Basic. I'm very well thanks. Just keeping warm in my house after finally convincing my housemates that we're gonna need the heating on so pretty happy at the moment.

B: Whereabouts are you right now?

D: I'm currently residing in the coastal town of Falmouth in South Cornwall. Some of the more astute members of the Bristol community may have noticed I haven't been about much recently, so this will explain why. I moved down here a couple of years ago for a job I got offered (in fact I had a leaving party at the Byte First Birthday as you may remember).

I wasn't doing much at the time so thought it would be a chance to do something a bit different and I've had an incredible time here. The place is beautiful and really peaceful but also has a nice, friendly buzz about it. Falmouth has a big arts college and university specialising in media related courses, so I've met loads of really cool people who are a lot more switched on than I was expecting. Excellent for the ales too!

The first year I moved down I was back and forth to Bristol the whole time but I made the decision that as I was only going to be here for a short period, I’d devote the time I had left to just absorb myself fully. That coupled with concerns over the old carbon footprint from racing up and down the M5 every other week helped me make the decision to stay put for the while. I’m still up every couple of months or so though. Does this make me an away fixture for the B-Mix series?

B: LOL Maybe it does! Thanks for this amazing mix! A real mash-up of styles and sounds here, would you say this is a good representation of what we could expect from a live Dekoy set?

D: Was a pleasure mate. Sorry it took a while! Yeah, I think in some ways this is a decent representation of what I'm playing at the moment. A lot of the tracklisting was put together a few months back and as things seem to be moving so fast in dance music at present, if I did another mix today it would probably be quite different. In terms of styles and vibes that I like to explore in a set though, I think it covers most bases.

On the flipside I'm playing a lot of the "deeper" side of things at the moment too, which I haven't really included in this mix. I'm really digging the dubstep/techno crossover stuff from the likes of Scuba, Ramadanman, 2562 etc plus all the Instra:mental, DBridge, Non Plus style D&B. This side of things is such a polar opposite to the rave side though, so I thought it best to exclude it and to be honest there just wasn't enough time available anyway. There's a few less frantic tunes towards the beginning of the mix plus a slow building, progressive section in the middle which I hope breaks things up a little before continuing the bass onslaught.

B: So who or what is influencing you right now musically beyond that?

D: Along with the aforementioned, loads of people man. It really changes by the week. When I did the mix I was really into the Kanji Kinetic, Squire of Gothos, Coin Operated sound. This week I've been listening to quite a lot of old grime and garage from Slimzee mixes plus the new Target and Magic mixtapes. For next week I feel a D&B resurgence coming on.

Ultimately though I'm just into people who do things differently, that stand out against other producers and don't try to conform to genres. Two people who instantly spring to mind are Reso and Starkey. The former especially just seems to make this incredibly produced music that just slams it every single time and can’t be placed in a genre. This doesn't necessarily mean I play loads of these guys’ tracks but this approach to things definitely inspires me.

Other than music, the environment around me and living by the sea I guess has some influence on me. Having said that I'm not quite sure how tranquil nature and lapping shores translates into noisy rave music!

B: Originally you came to Byte's attention through the fledgling hardcore breaks / nu-rave scene. Back then HCB had a real hype behind it, but that seems to have died off somewhat. What's your feelings on HCB right now and the direction that's taken?

D: Hmm. Difficult one... My thoughts on it now are that the sound is still about and there's quite a buzzing little community over at www.nu-rave.com. Things have changed quite a lot over the last year or so though. A lot of the original producers have moved on to other things and there seems to be no real events taking place anymore, and somewhere along the way the momentum just seemed to get lost. It's a shame, as there was a period when things were looking really positive and a lot of producers from other scenes were getting involved and making sick tunes and as you say, the sound was on the up.

HCB started out pretty much the same time as dubstep and had a lot in common with it. My vision was always that the two would sit side by side as the new hardcore and jungle and I would have loved to see how a rave could've worked with the two sounds properly merged. For whatever reason this never really happened though. I think one problem was that whilst dubstep was coming straight off the back of the remnants of the garage scene, HCB had it's roots in music that was being made 15 years earlier and as a result of that a lot of the people involved in it were mid-30s with kids etc, so not in a position to be out pushing the music and putting on parties.

Another reason is simply that the production in many cases wasn't good enough to stand up next to 21st century productions. People who’d only been producing a short time were getting tunes released that were just badly rehashed old skool tunes basically. I was guilty of this myself, and having only been producing a few months was sending out tunes and getting them played on radio and at raves. There was the other side too with wicked producers making new and exiting stuff. The politics of the two camps kind of held everything back though. There’s still some wicked tunes coming out though from producers such as Running Man, Simon Holmes and Rob Malfunktion plus a new wave of producers who weren't about a couple of years back. I think finally the scene is trying to merge with other scenes too instead of isolating itself so we'll see how it progresses this year.

In terms of my personal involvement, I support all that I can but I've always felt a bit as though my musical tastes weren't always that in tune with what the majority of people in the scene seemed to be into. I think for this reason, and taking into account the cross genre raves that are happening at the moment, plus the success of people such as Redlight, I have more confidence in just doing my own thing really and hoping people are into it. About 50% of my output could definitely be described as hardcore influenced still and whenever I've had a period of making alternative styles, I always come back to my roots!



B: A lot of your style incorporates the old skool elements of rave music with newer genres like dubstep. Do you feel this is a conscious reflection of your own musical past? Was rave culture a big part of your youth?

D: Yeah definitely man. I grew up on a strict diet of happy hardcore and jungle. I was like 12 or something when I started listening to this stuff. My parents must have thought I was crazy. Around 95/96 a load of us would listen to a London pirate called Dream FM every weekend and this was my first real introduction to music (bar a dodgy phase of being into Genesis - Phil Collins still murks it!). In this way, 90s rave culture was a massive part of my youth. At the time obviously I had no idea what went on a rave and found the adverts for Dreamscapes and Helter Skelters fascinating. I’ve still got bags of tapes I sometimes dig out and get nostalgic with.

This definitely impacts on my productions and can be a good thing. It can really frustrate me though as I'm quite naturally drawn to these massive hands in the air riffs. For this reason, I have to be quite militant with myself and scrap anything I see as too "cheesy". A sick piano line is still something that gets me going more than anything though. The truth is I think this is the same for pretty much everyone as we all love a good bit of happiness. I love trying to fuse the light with the darkness too. I’m really annoyed that guy’s made that Sweet Shop tune as I think I was pretty much put on this planet to write a tune like that! Oh well...

B: You operate best in the blurring of genre boundaries. This mix really takes it everywhere, an all-terrain throwdown!! What's your general feeling on the cross-pollination of genres right now?

D: I think it’s amazing! In quite a short space of time there’s been a complete shift in how line-ups are put together, and it’s so good to see. The idea of going out to one style of music seems incredibly dated now and no doubt this has been directly responsible for the merging and bleeding of genres we’re currently seeing.

The other thing I’ve noticed is the merging of what I call ‘rave’ music (D&B, hardcore etc) with ‘club’ music (house, techno, electro). For me the two were always so far apart. Not just in terms of the actual musical content, but also the whole culture and style they adhered to. Raves would have MCs, rewinds, last ones etc whilst the club stuff was just boom, boom, boom all night long with no interruption to the flow. I have respect for both but the whole dubstep/140/elevator music thing has created this middle ground where suddenly there’s tunes that I’ll be into that friends who like house are also into. This would have never happened for me a couple of years ago. That could just be to do with growing up a bit though and not being able to take 8 hours of 180 bpm anymore.

My main concern is that it’s all just moving so fast and really quite hard to keep up with. There’s sooooo much music that seems to be getting made at the moment with everyone shouting about themselves resulting in this really disposable attitude being found in kids now. I suppose that’s just the times though and a direct consequence of the iPod generation.

B: Nice to see some original Dekoy productions on here too. Catch22 was one of Byte's favourite tracks of the last few years - do you feel you're gaining more confidence as a producer now?

D: Yeah, I’m at the point now where I’m reasonably happy with my standard of technical ability. It’s still got a long way to go but I can translate my ideas into something that sounds alright now so I’m pleased about that.

When I moved down here my PC blew up and as I was still finding my feet in terms of meeting people etc, I didn’t write anything for about 9 months. I then got a Mac and spent a while learning Logic so it’s only really been the last year I’ve been taking it seriously again.

I had to give myself a bit of a kick recently as I suddenly realised I wasn’t as involved in music stuff to the same extent I had been a year or so earlier when I’d being doing tunes like Catch 22. I kind of gave myself an ultimatum around this time that I either had to start putting the time again or just let it slide, and just enjoy going out or whatever I was doing at the time. Luckily the kick worked though and I’m slogging away again!

My main problem is just my frequency of output. Having a 9-5 obviously restricts your time in the studio. It also makes you more appreciative of the time you have though. I have to save any late night sessions for the weekend though so that lack of freedom can by frustrating.

The two tunes in the mix are in a new style I’ve been working on which is just 4/4 bassy stuff at 140 odd bpm. I had another tune I made to use as an intro tune but then I found that Kanji remix and had to abort. Lots more coming in this style though. I have a real love for all the old DJ Narrows type 4/4 dark garage sound, so I’m gonna work on some of that kind of thing next. The Blackfinger tune in the mix is totally on that vibe. Minimal, dark and aggy but rolling at the same time.

B: Your Bristol club night Rusty Needle was a real forerunner for a lot of the mash-up nights that occur now, especially with the harder-edged sounds of dancefloor dubstep. What's your favourite memories from running that night?

D: Umm, I dunno. There’s a few really. The night we did with Malice & Enzyme + Rusko was probably the best, and it felt like a culmination of all the hard work we'd previously put in. For that gig everything just went perfectly and we got the décor, system, lighting, VJs etc bang on and the Croft really was completely transformed into a proper little rave den of madness. Other than that the Dub Child night we did was sick. Having DJ Luna C (of Kniteforce Records) down was also a spesh for me as he’s pretty much my favourite DJ of all time.

The sets we played as the Bashmenteers (Mulder, Ruttler, Spree, Malfunktion, Ram and myself) were also a lot of fun. One of the best bits about doing the nights was the fact that there were so many people involved, so there was always a proper family vibe. That was a big part of the enjoyment for me, putting on these little parties with my mates and just having jokes. Big up Ruttler for always keeping one eye on health and safety operations!

Unfortunately though it wasn’t all good times, and the last two events we did really didn’t go that well which hit me pretty hard. One was the May Day Bank Holiday event at the Blue Mountain. This was mad as it was off the back of several packed nights and I really was expecting it to do well so was genuinely shocked when we were left with a quarter full club. We did one more back at the Croft after that and again, it didn’t do that well. I think this was largely due to the fact I thought I could run a club night whist living 250 miles away, this wasn’t the case and just proves you have to be on the floor putting posters up or whatever everyday to be successful in promoting. It's all just about continuity.

B: Any plans to bring it back??

D: Unfortunately I think it’s unlikely. When we started doing parties, the main objective was just to push hardcore breaks in Bristol. For this reason we had a real niche of our own that no one else was providing. This ethos changed over time and we started incorporating other genres that I thought would fit well with the HCB stuff like the Storming Productions style breakstep (I think we had Caspa to do his last ever set as Quiet Storm coincidently, unfortunately Storming doesn't really seem to be putting stuff out anymore). As hardcore breaks quietened down, we undertook a bit of a rebranding exercise and were booking people like Reso and Baobinga. This wasn’t really doing anything that fresh though, and I think we kind of lost our place within the events market.

For this reason, coupled with the stress of it all (for often very little reward and a slightly lighter back pocket), I think my promoting days are probably behind me unless some little niche pops up that I don’t think is being represented again. The productions where I’ve always wanted to focus my time, so I think this is where it will stay for a while. I’m never one to say never though.

B: What's new for Dekoy in 2010?

D: Well, I’m gonna be moving back to Bristol soon which I’m really excited about. I was only meant to be in Cornwall for two years, so have already outstayed my welcome so am going to have to peel myself away and come back to reality. I should hopefully be back by the early summer. I’m gonna take a gamble and just work on music full time for a bit I think. No idea where this will take me, but I feel I need to give it a proper chance before more serious things come along so expect to see me back on the block soon!

Release wise I’ve got a tune called Freedonia coming out on Sharkfin Records soon. I’m also working on a remix for Simon Holmes which will hopefully accompany this on the release. I’m still running my own little digi label called One Three Recordings. The third release should be out soon which will be the two tunes in this mix. 004 should follow shortly after which is a remix package I think you might be into!

Other than that, I’m gonna start sending tunes out to labels outside of my comfort zone (i.e. not HCB/nu rave related) with a view to hopefully getting some stuff released later in the year. I’ve been holding back recently, as I wanted to wait until I was happy with things before sending tunes out again. Think I’m nearly there now.

Outside of music I’m getting quite into photography at the moment. Falmouth locals will regularly see me trying to be deep taking photos of clouds and paper bags blowing in the wind. My culinary skills are coming along nicely too. My Mum even gave me a badboy apron for Christmas so there’s no holding me back now!

B: DJ, Producer, Promoter and now celebrity chef...there's nothing you can't do! Thanks for taking the time to chat!



Byte presents B-Mix 002:
Dekoy
'Rave Machine'
(Byte, 2010)

01. Egyptrixx – Reconnect (Kanji Kinetic Remix) (Electrostimulation)
02. Skream – What Did He Say? (Rinse)
03. Bombaman – Episode (Electrostimulation)
04. Jakes – Rock the Bells (Hench)
05. Zomby – The Lie (Ramp)
06. Skream – Trapped in a Dark Bubble (Tectonic)
07. TRG – You Know (Berlin Wall Mix) (Immerse)
08. Emalkay – A.G.S (Dub Police)
09. Relocate – Dot Dot Dash (Buraka Som Sistema Remix) (Iberian)
10. Pachecko – Lockdown (6Blocc Remix) (Seclusiasis)
11. Syntonics – Material (Bombaman Remix) (Lo Dubs)
>>> Zinc – 140 Trek (Bingo Bass)
12. Dekoy – Lazerface (One Three Recordings)
13. Dekoy – Isolator (One Three Recordings)
14. Rob Malfunktion – Vibration (Sharkfin)
15. Squire of Gothos – Triple Drop (Coin Operated)
16. MRK1 – Kill Zone (Contagious)
17. Blackfinger – UMF (Trouble & Bass)
18. Luck and Shy Cookie – Troublesome (Remix) (Lush)
19. Deville – Quente Damais (Kanji Kinetic Remix) (Senseless)
20. AC Slater – Hello (Trouble & Bass)
21. The Others – Bazooka (Dub Police)
22. Kyza – Go (Bar 9 MIx) (Dented)
23. Running Man – Living in a Dub (Firewall)
24. Running Man – E.T.A (Nu Basement)
25. Donny – Symptomless Coma (Current Value Mix) (Barcode)
26. Kemal & Rob Data – The Calling (Evol Intent and Ewan Remix)
>>> Logistics – Murderation (Hospital)
27. Ed Rush & Optical – G Force Jesus (Virus)
28. Subfocus – Could This Be Real? (Ram)

DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 002 : Dekoy - Rave Machine
DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 002 : Dekoy - Rave Machine (Mix & Artwork Zip Pack)

FFI : Dekoy Myspace
FFI : Dekoy Soundcloud
FFI : One Three Music

Byte presents B-Mix 001:
Weasel
'This Is My House'
(Byte, 2009)

In a new mix series for Byte, we've asked some of the most creative and exciting local DJs around to craft upfront mixes which will be available for download as well as being in select Bristol shops and clubs as free, fully artworked CDs. First up, long-standing Byte resident Weasel has stepped up to provide an awesome, booty-shaking dancefloor inferno of a mix. Over a short few years, Weasel has evolved from a fresh-faced new DJ on the block to one of the hardest-working selectors around. Her quick, incisive mix style and impeccable taste in selecting the best in house, techno and breaks has seen her in high demand, lighting up club nights across the city and beyond.

This Is My House rips through seventeen tracks of high-octane house, techno and breaks all condensed into Weasel's quickfire mixdown style. Kicking off with some bubbling, wonky house beats before getting stuck into some hypnotic techno rhythms, the mix locks you into a persistent groove from the first bar. It's a testament to Weasel that her precision mixing and intuitive timing adds an extra element to the progression of the mix, complimenting the feel and sound of a selection that doesn't put a foot wrong. Right up to the buzzing crescendo of smash-mouth breaks and noisy rave action, the tempo and pacing is perfect, showing just how far Weasel has come as a DJ to watch in such a short space of time.

We caught up with Weasel recently to chat about the mix as well as cats, stoner rock and everything in between. Enjoy!



B: Evening Weasel, how are you this freezing winter evening?

W: Fine thanks, just scoffed some Ben & Jerry's and am chilling with the moggies. Rock and roll!

B: Moggies presumably is the name of your rock hard street crew?

W: Oh yes, by moggies I mean gangstas (of the four legged variety).

B: Weasels and moggies, who knew? So what's been happening in the world of Weasel recently?

W: Just the usual work, play, eat and sleep really. I've recently taken quite a big step back from the DJing thing for a couple of months, and I'm now enjoying getting back on it!

B: Any reason for the step back?

W: Well...I had a difficult start to the year, and it kind of got a bit much. While all that was going on, I was doing up to three gigs a week and I just got really jaded and apathetic. So I took a break to regain my lacking enthusiasm and get back on track!

B: What's your view on the Bristol scene right now? Up until recently you were one of the busiest DJs on the local circuit...

W: I love Bristol, and I love the fact it's so close-knit! But I get frustrated at how that can occasionally turn into clickyness...I think some really good DJs are possibly being over-looked because they're not with the in-crowd. Having said that, the DJs that are getting booked regularly are absolutely awesome and I am very proud to be part of the Bristol scene.

B: Very diplomatic! Obviously you have a slightly different perspective from a majority of the DJs out there, so do you feel being female in a male-dominated industry has helped or hindered you?

W: The girl DJ thing is always there, I know that those that haven't seen me play already and don't know who 'that girl DJ' is are probably thinking, 'oh, a girl DJ....lets see if she's any good'. But in all honesty I don't get worked up about it. What has helped me is that I've never played on being a girl DJ, I've never pushed the whole girl DJ thing to try and get gigs and I think that my fellow DJs and promoters appreciate that. They respect the fact that my mixing ability and hard work has got me to where I am, without ever playing the gender card. I believe quite firmly that it's only an issue if you make it an issue, and I choose not to.

B: So do you feel female DJs that do rely on their gender are letting the side down as it were?

W: No, because I can understand why they would do that. It is easier to do it that way! Sex sells! Unless they're really shit!! Seriously though, I do get why it's done that way, I just don't feel comfortable doing it. I feel like I'm cheating. I've just had my first promo shoot done and I had to act all serious and pouty because i know that a) it looks nicer, and b) for those bigger promoters out there, outside of Bristol.....the curiosity will make them actually listen to my CD rather than put it at the bottom of the pile of 100s of mix CDs they already have. The difference is now I feel like I'm sort of allowed to do that, I've worked hard to get the amount of gigging experience I have, and that counts for more than one photo shoot.

B: Speaking of which, you are definitely one of the hardest working DJs in Bristol. Do you feel you had to put extra effort in to be taken as seriously as your male counterparts?

W: I'm not so sure you know, there's some seriously hard working DJs out there. Gigs just seem to come at me and I say yeah! I was lucky to be given a chance by Byte, and at the time I remember feeling like I really had to impress you, that if I did well then this was the gig that could lead on to me getting noticed in Bristol, and it did. I'm always grateful for that chance, having Byte next to my name on flyers made me more credible, I'm convinced of that.

After that I think what helps is just being easy going, not having hissy fits, arriving before your set and socialising, hanging about after and watching the other DJs play, putting up posters for the night at my work (Chemical Records)....you know, those little gestures go a long way and I'm convinced people book me because they know I deliver, but also because I'm not twat!!.

B: LOL! You're pretty immersed in the culture - as well as being a DJ, you're also getting into production alongside your work for Chemical Records and LOT49. What's your opinion on the current state of the dance scene?

W: Ooooh, well...I gotta go careful how I word this! There's a lot of regurgitated shit out there. There's some music that seriously does my head in and makes me go: 'what?!?'. Working in a record store whilst DJing a lot AND working for a label makes me uber fussy! So I'm not sure if I'm the best judge on the state of music at the moment. I think dance music has evolved so much that not only are we blessed with some amazing tunes and producers, but we are also cursed with some absolute tripe! It's just the way it goes...I try to avoid what annoys me and embrace what I love. I've been pretty much avoiding dubstep for a year because many people's obsession with it and their reluctance to give anything else a listen is tedious. I love dubstep, I think it's great - but variety is good. I get annoyed when people act like there's only one genre in the world!



Photograph by Odissi

B: So where did the desire to start DJing stem from for you?

W: Well, it was quite a simple thought process really. I'd seen Diss Miss and Annon Lee play out and I thought 'Fair play girls'. I didn't really think much of it, but a week later I was driving in my car listening to one of my compilation cassettes and I clearly remember thinking 'I wish these tunes got played out'...and a split second later, I thought 'I know, I'll make it happen. I'll start DJing' - and a week or so later I had decks. Two weeks later I was playing my first set in The Croft.

B: When was this?

W: This was when I was 21, so about four or so years ago now.

B: So before that you'd been making compilations, you'd always been interested in music?

W: I didn't even own any music until I was about 13 or 14. I grew up in the countryside and made bases or rode my pony for fun! I then got into grunge and rock and started playing guitar. I was in a band and ran a rock night in my home town of Hereford when I was 16 and 17. I then started getting into DJ Shadow and DJ Food, and eventually came across the Plump DJs - my love for dance music started from there really. When I started DJing, I played funk and hip hop and had the odd Finger Lickin' record...but then I came across a LOT49 release by 30HZ and that was it....I'd found my niche!

B: That's a land speed record from deciding to DJ and then playing out though. Weren't you worried about messing it up on your debut performance with only two weeks of owning decks? Or had you been practicing on mate's set-ups beforehand?

W: I literally had about ten records when I bought my decks...and I'd never used turntables before! I hate practising in front of people...so I sort of hid away and went through my tunes and made a set. There was no mixing...but there were fade-ins and outs and some drops! I was bricking it! I practised hard man! It was just a front bar gig entertaining the bar while the band was on...but I was f*cking nervous! Looking back I had no idea what I was doing. But it was well rehearsed and no-one complained!

B: Do you remember what you played?

W: God, it was so long ago I don't know. Without flicking through my records it's hard to say. Definitely a tune by the Propellerheads, maybe a DJ Shadow tune...I really can't think! All hip hop, funk and leftfield downtempo stuff.

B: What do you think it is about the tech-funk sound of labels like LOT49 that appealed to you so much?

W: I think it's just the 4/4 beat and the bass noises and squeaks....I don't know! It just kind of brings out a cocky self-assurance in me, and it makes me do gun fingers and bass gurns lol! I don't quite know what it is about tech-funk that makes me like it so much...it's heavy without being too much, it's rave-tastic without being repetitive. I like the verse-chorus-verse structure to a lot of LOT49 releases, which probably links back to my love of band music.

B: Outside of dance music do you still find time to appreciate the music genres you enjoyed in the past? Are you still a secret rock chick at heart?

W: I will always be a rock chick! I have a KYUSS (epic stoner rock band) tattoo round my ankle and I religiously listen to stoner rock while bombing round the country in my GTI! I even like singing along to KT Tunstell while cooking (even though she's not rock). But you can edit that last bit of info out right?!?

B: LOL, never knew you were into stoner rock! Everyday's a schoolday. Seems to be a genre at odds with your vibrant personality!

W: I used to be a massive massive stoner! Listening to stoner rock is the only thing that makes me miss smoking weed! But it's still awesome even if you're not stoned. I just like that sludgey sound. I also like metal bands like Lamb of God, and I liked emo back in the day when it was all about tight black trousers and white socks! Original emo bands like Planes Mistaken For Stars and Last Days Of April...I sort of gave up on the band scene when being uncool became cool!

B: Ha ha, why you haven't done a metal set I don't know! What other influences do you have?

W: As cliche as it was at the time, I clearly remember being influenced by Courtney Love's attitude when I first got into grunge and rock. I just thought her sluttish style and raw aggression was amazing - and I was quite an angry teenager, so imitating her wasn't hard!

Plump DJs got me into breaks, 30HZ/LOT49 got me into the whole tech-funk sound, whilst early Herve productions influenced me to start playing fidget and jackin' house rather than just breaks alone, but then his music just went all 'epic synth breakdown every four bars' mad, so I no longer even look at his tunes.

My favorite producers include Zodiac Cartel whose sound is unique and amazing! People react really well to his tunes when I play them out, lots of bass faces! Daniel Steinberg too - the happy vibe to his tunes are infectious; his signature vocal snippets define his style and are one of the reasons I like his tunes so much, even if singing along makes me sound a bit demented!

And also 30HZ, I was gutted and gave him a lot of grief when he stopped writing tunes under this name! I still hold a vague hope that he will write another album (for me exclusively of course). I'm currently waiting for my delivery of tranquilizers and rope so I can do a 'Misery'!

B: LOL! So in little over four years you've become one of the best DJs locally, definitely one of the most technically proficient too...what's been some of the highlights so far?

W: Thanks! That's very kind of you to say. I think without a doubt my favourite gigs EVER have been: the Byte Xmas Party. I'd played for Byte once and you'd given me the 12-1 (or 1-2) set and I was bricking it! I enjoyed that set so much, as I hadn't yet played to such a going for it dance floor. DRAMA NYE (2009) was my best gig of 2008 and ended the year on a complete high. And another DRAMA in May 2009 where I had Frilla on the mic and we did a heeeeeavy set! It was sweaty, and I'd never seen the bar room at Timbuk2 so rammed! Also getting booked for Mooch and LOT49s party in London this year was a highlight as I was playing in the big smoke and out of my comfort zone.

B: DRAMA's pretty notorious now for being very very messy...

W: Oh it is! After parties are not for the faint-hearted, I call it the Rave of the Dead!. But we never have any problems down there, everyone is too wasted to get angry!



Photograph by Tula Blyth

B: LOL. You mentioned you recently took a step back from DJing, and you've been dipping a toe into the world of production too. So what's next?

W: Well, I'm not so sure with production! I have so much creativity bottled up inside of me that it could be put on tap! I made a tune with my mate [sic] and I enjoyed learning about Logic. Around him, I felt like I'd cracked it - but then I'd get home and try, then I'd hit a hurdle, and wouldn't be able to solve the problem! I was getting really frustrated! One thing I am not blessed with is patience. I didn't (and still don't) have the time or energy to dedicate my few spare hours to sitting in front of a computer making music.

I work with music and computers, so when I come home I just wanna chill with my moggies (and friends of course!). I guess what I'm saying is, that for now it's on the back burner until I am ready to hide away and slog it out. At the moment I'm happy just playing other peoples tunes, and will probably write one or two more with Dan to gear me up for going solo.

B: Production normally goes hand in hand with DJing these days though, especially if DJs want to get recognition and gigs outside of their home towns. Do you agree?

W: Yeah, it goes without saying that writing tunes is what can propel people towards being the all important BITG! But the ironic thing is, once they're there...they get booked to DJ, and then they play a set that consists of other peoples tunes! Obviously the fact they've released a corker is what makes them draw a crowd, but there are a select few DJs out there who draw a crowd because they are awesome tune selectas! I'd love to start writing music, and I'm sure when I do it will be the definition of awesome (jokes)...but I'm not gonna do it because I have to....I'm gonna do it because I want to.

B: So DJing is the main focus right now?

W: Yeah. During my time out I did a lot of thinking. I was so jaded, fed up and down in the dumps that I'd even considered giving up altogether (that thought lasted about 0.00003 seconds...but it was there!). I was trying to squeeze everything in - work, DJing, promoting DRAMA, training for the half marathon, going out and seeing friends, travelling to see both sets of parents monthly, doing LOT49 work....I'd had a rota written out and I was getting really stressed because my free time was scheduled to be sat in front of a computer trying to learn logic and make tunes.

It was forced creativity and I was starting to get really pissed off about the pressure I'd put on myself to start writing music. I decided that I'm more about enjoying myself and doing what I can, than forcing myself to try and do everything. I've basically decided to go at a slower pace (which is still pretty fast) and enjoy life. I don't react well to pressure.

B: So you're going to be pretty selective with future gigs? I see a lot of local DJs playing virtually every night and you can't help but think over-saturation like that is counter-productive...

W: Yes, I've taken the decision to be more selective because what I can provide is limited. While I do play mixed-up sets of breaks, house and techno, I am still limited to the vibe those genres create. Someone like my other half (Ewan Hoozami) can just about get away with it because he mixes it up with so many different genres, styles, and techniques and plays solo or as part of a collective. I think some DJs need to go careful as eventually people will go 'so and so's playing....but then, they're playing here next week, so shall we just go see them then?'.

The night loses it's appeal if the DJ isn't so exclusive. But it's not just a risk the DJ takes on, it's the promoters too. You can't blame a DJ for saying yes to a gig and money. Many would do the same so you can't really criticise. I've just made the decision to be a weekend-only DJ, my style does not suit school nights. I'm also more cautious of playing nights that I'm concerned aren't gonna be 'avin' it enough! I wanna play to busy bouncin' dancefloors and will have that in mind with every gig I am offered.

B: Speaking of which, the mix you've very kindly done for the new Byte series is pretty much a dancefloor banger all the way...

W: Yeah man, thanks! All those tunes I absolutely love! I wish someone would play that set for me while I'm out at a club! I like the progression...your groovin' to some deep house and before you know it TECHNO!!!!

B: This is a fair representation of your sets now?

W: I try and chop it up as much as possible, but it completely depends on the crowd and what they're feeling. I'm prepared to mix it up or keep it constant....it all depends on how the crowd react. Ideally I like playing progressive sets that cover all the genres I play, and I love quick mixes! No annoying breakdowns! But my number one rule is....no fillers!

B: How much of this mix is upfront dubs? Or is everything out there already to buy?

W: Most of it is available to buy, but there's one dub in there by Dustbowl which is definatly one of my favorite tunes ever! There's also one tune I have edited ever so slightly and definitely some tunes that I've never heard played out before!

B: If people haven't heard you play a set or downloaded one of your mixes before, what would be your encouragement for them to grab this one?

W: That's a difficult question, as I find it quite hard to sell myself when I'm not on a street corner! I'd say that even if someone thought they didn't like house, or breaks, or techno, they'd definitely like some of the tunes on this mix. The boyfriend apparently HATES house...yet I catch him singing along to the openning tunes! I think the last few tunes have quite a heavy metal/rock influence too. I'd say that people who say 'I hate breaks' or 'I hate house' etc would suprise themselves by enjoying at least some of my mix!

B: Sounds good to me! Well I think that wraps up things for now, you and your Moggie crew no doubt need to shake down some OAPs tonight...thanks for chatting! Anything you'd like to add?

W: My cats are awesome!! That is all.

B: Weasel's cats will be playing live @ Ministry Of Meow next Friday....

W: LOL! An exclusive catstep set.





Byte presents B-Mix 001:
Weasel
'This Is My House'
(Byte, 2009)

01 : WEASEL - Intro
02 : MEAT KATIE - Tension
03 : CHRISTIAN BURKHARDT - Doubledub
04 : DANIEL STEINBERG - Cry All Night
05 : DOPAMINE - Spunk
06 : WoNK & AQUILAGANJA - Phat Jack (Nick Supply Remix)
07 : TIM HEALEY & MARC ADAMO - Ghettoblasta
08 : ELITE FORCE - Melodik Hypnotik (Riva Starr Remix)
09 : ZODIAC CARTEL - Vudu
10 : DUSTBOWL - Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down
11 : ERIC ENTRENA & D-UNITY - Drugs & Stuff (D-nox & Beckers Remix)
12 : SPEKTRE - Cheyenne (Uto Karem Remix)
13 : AUTISTIC - Minimal Polizei (Kanio Remix)
14 : 30HZ - Consume Daphne
15 : 30HZ - Dissociate
16 : ELITE FORCE & MEAT KATIE - Believe
17 : THE BODYSNATCHERS - Club Beats International

DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 001 : Weasel - This Is My House
DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 001 : Weasel - This Is My House (Alternate Link)
DOWNLOAD : B-Mix 001 : Weasel - This Is My House (Zip Pack with Mix & CD Artwork)

FFI : Weasel Myspace
FFI : Weasel Soundcloud

In a new series for B365, we'll be chatting to up and coming artists who are taking design to new heights. First up is Luke Standing, who is perhaps better known as one of the promoters behind Bristol's premier dubstep night SeasonFive, as well as being a incredible producer and DJ. Luke is an emerging talent who has already been responsible for some key work in the Bristol dubstep community, and is quickly developing into one to watch for the future. We caught up with the man himself recently for a chat.

B: Good Evening sir, how are you tonight?

L: Very good thank you, another day done in the office and excited about the weekend!

B: LOL. What's new in the world of Luke Seasonfive at the moment?

L: Well we've just had our Hessle Audio feature at the Tube gone past from Saturday, a nice introduction to the new student clubbing. We had Untold and Pangaea playing for extended sets, it went down very well indeed - lots of people, good vibes, good music! Just finishing the programming for the rest of the year and the start of next year. I'm currently working for a design studio called Halo in Bristol at the mo which is going well, lots of exciting projects which I'm enjoying a lot.

B: Does it leave you much time for personal projects now?

L: Ummm, in some ways yes and no. I'm also working freelance, but I've been quiet picky about what things I will undertake. I still have time to keep on top of things in the design world!

B: Where does your love of design originate from? Is it something that's always intrigued you from growing up, or have you come to it relatively late?

L: I suppose it's been a natural thing in my life from when I was very young. It sounds weird, but I used to love to draw despite my strengths being in other places now. I guess when I first got into stuff like that it was when I won an art competition when I was 7 and won a crayola set lol! I even used to keep a pencil and paper under my bed.

Since then, I undertook on creative subjects like art and graphics (more like packaging design) at secondary school and then photography and art at A-level. That's when I first started to use Photoshop. As well as this, I used to write graffiti pieces in legalised areas in Brighton. The aspect of image manipulation really excited me, and it was very motivating in the progression of learning computer design.

B: So the potential with platforms like Photoshop and Illustrator became a progressive step to where you are now. Without software would you still consider yourself an artist though? I feel there's a lot of people who rely solely on computer design whom lack some of the understanding more traditional artists might bring to a project.

L: I would still consider myself as a designer and artist regardless of what platform or media in which I work. I guess in a way programs like Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator have allowed me to free my hand of weakness. These tools are often interfaces which I use on a daily basis and are what is often happening right now for me in the majority of projects in which i work with, but it is also a means to an end in a way with design nowadays. It's the most efficient way of producing artwork.

However, I do very much appreciate the different qualities of using tradition ways like type-setting and screen printing. I have used these methods of producing work successfully. Much of my work during my degree was based on screen printing and laser cutting. I believe there is a right method for every project.








Seasonfive Brand Identity, 2009

B: Speaking of which let's chat about some of your own work. Seasonfive has had a very strong visual look from day one, which seems to fit the musical content extremely well. Over the years we've seen a definitive evolution in the pieces you've created for the night. What was your thinking behind the concept for this?

L: I think a strong branding concept behind anything visual is the key to success. I wanted to create a look which people could relate to and would compliment the music of the events. The look and feel of these designs has been a learning progression of myself as a designer as well. I'm always trying to create something better than before. It's like a challenge within myself. It's great to see people recognize and appreciate the artwork for SeasonFive. It's really important to me that SeasonFive has a strong visual aesthetic and continues to do so.

B: You've also been responsible for working with Hyetal both in a musical and visual vein. The branding you created for him feels like an extension of the SeasonFive aesthetic, would you agree?

L: I think Hyetal has his own image as an individual artist, however I can see how people can relate Hyetal and Seasonfive visually. As Seasonfive, we have helped support his own achievements and provided an extra platform for him in the Bristol clubbing scene. I have helped develop designs and ideas in which he had initially, and helped encourage how he presents himself as an artist in someways. We're very proud to see how much he has achieved and he has our full support.






Hyetal Brand Identity, 2009

B: The Hyetal triangular logo has been widely used now in lieu of a press shot. What was your thinking behind that piece as a brand?

L: The abstract triangle shape was actually found by Hyetal. He came to me and asked me to create it. I simply recreated the image digitally and styled it appropriately. I'm glad people like it. I think its very suited to his music and his personality. Good find Hyetal!

B: Geometric shapes, geometric music! Similar in concept to your work on Morality In The 21st Century...

L: Umm...yes! Basically, Morality in the 21st Century was a project which I undertook whilst completing my degree. It's more about statistical information or data being visualized based on opinions of a group of people under subjects which are current world issued.




Morality in the 21st Century, 2009

B: Why did you choose that as a subject to visualise?

L: I think world issues have always interested me. I think I'm very responsive of certain topics in which we live with. Seeing as I had already chosen the subject matter of "conflict" to base my work around, I felt it was the right choice to look wider into world issues. It was very motivating as a project base and I felt it could have a strong relationship in a graphic form.

B: And contrast and conflict are major motivators in your work? Horizons is another piece incorporating contrast...

L: Yes I think conflict generally has a strong image whether it may be working just simply with black and white. For this project, I wrote a piece of music which reflected my current music interests. I tried to express light and dark tones within certain sounds which was really stripped back and represented those two elements alone.

I then graphically visualized the track along a time line using shapes to represent sounds over the space of time. Alongside this piece, I developed the design right through to the end, resulting in a full product which incorporated designs on the sleeves of the record which were cut on vinyl and a supporting poster. The packaging and branding of the product was taken in to consideration with the music, with detailing of laser cutting and screen printing.





Horizons 'A Conflict Of Light & Dark', 2009

B: Was this just created as a mock-up or an actual product?

L: Well this was actually a one off! However the track has now been signed to a label called Project Squared, and should see a release in mid-December if not early next year. There are discussions of replicating a limited amount of copies for sale from the label but this is still in contemplation as the production costs would be very high.

B: Music is an integral part of your creative outlook, both as a designer and a producer. Would you like to design for record labels and so on?

L: Yeah I find music and design both equally inspirational. When I get the chance to combine the two is when i find an equilibrium, Horizons being a perfect example of this. Designing artwork for labels does interest me and I would be happy to undertake the right projects. I even have plans to start my own label in some time in the future.

B: Under the Seasonfive brand?

L: We'll see..it would be interesting to start a new project with a new image also, so we will see!



Accept & Proceed Light Calendar, 2009

B: LOL fair enough! So let's talk about your influences. Accept and Proceed factor quite highly in your inspiration...

L: Yes definitely, they have been an agency I've had my eye on for a while now. I was really inspired by them typographically alongside another agency called Build. But their information graphics have been an initial drive for me to experiment myself.

B: Do you draw influence from less immediate factors? Your work is very reminiscent of Peter Saville's early work...

L: Yep I love Peter Saville, its weird you have picked up on that! In fact I have the Unknown Pleasures cover poster in my room. The monochrome approach and very airy negative space with simple type is very appealing to me. I wouldn't be surprised if Accept & Proceed have been very inspired themselves, as I can see references and similarities in their work. Its easy to pick up on things that are visual which you are exposed to.



Peter Saville, 1979

B: Something that seems a recurrent theme in your work, and the work of others you find inspiring, is product. Does the potential of the art of the commodity, the consumable, fascinate you?

L: It's always possible to re-contextualize existing imagery for your own means. Part of the progression with art in general today is to re-innovate and pioneer new means to design using existing forms and given them a different purpose and meaning. However I don't feel this is solely my design ethic and I'm still interested in developing original pieces which create their own context.

B: But the lines I feel between artistic disciplines are irrevocably blurred now - it seems all aesthetics are bled into the mainstream of commerce. How do you see yourself as standing out as an artist, how do you find your voice in an increasingly over-populated market?

L: I like that art has got many cross references now. Obviously it is difficult to find an individual voice in such an over-populated sea. I think that the best way is to follow your own vision. This is not to say that I'm not influenced by work that's come before me, but i would say that as an artist I will try to create an individual space by representing myself as a person and reflecting my interests and life experiences within my work.

B: So what does the immediate future hold for you? What have you got lined up over the next few months?

L: Obviously continuing the brand development of Seasonfive. Working at Halo in Bristol is allowing me expand my knowledge and understanding of graphic design, and is really benefiting me with commercial experience. The idea of starting a label is a future possibility too. Spending more time in the studio making music. The main thing though is to focus on developing myself as a graphic designer.

B: A development that is going well already! Well that wraps up things for tonight, anything you'd like to add?

L: Just to say thanks very much for your interest in my work and taking the time to interview me. I really enjoyed answering the questions its nice to talk about the concepts to give people a better idea where it comes from!

B: No worries, thank you for agreeing to do it!

FFI : Luke Standing Online Portfolio

After an extended break, the Lifetracks series is back to add a little joie de vivre to your Sunday leisure activities. This time we've only gone and bagged ourselves a bonafide Bristol legend in the form of one Nick Harris. Nick just so happens to run one of the most consistent and downright awesome record labels in the UK, NRK Music. With over a decade of quality releases behind them, this fiercely independent imprint is still going strong, providing the world with timeless electronic music. Nick has very kindly taken time out of his busy schedule to offer up a stunning mix of absolute classics that have influenced and inspired him across the years, as well as a fascinating interview to boot. Enjoy!


B: Good Evening Mr.Harris. How the devil are you?

NH: Very well thanks, and thanks for inviting me onto Lifetracks. I like the concept of this, it was quite challenging putting down an influences mix, because I didn’t want to necessarily do a beat mix, but wanted to get a nice flow of all the differing sounds that have twisted my melons over the years. Hopefully your listeners will enjoy the mix.

B: I'm sure they will! Whereabouts are you right now?

NH: I’m in my office right now, I work in the same building as Optimum Mastering, who cut lacquers and master music for a whole bunch of top labels and artists.

B: So what's new in the world of Nick Harris right now?

NH: Plenty going on at Harris HQ, it’s a very busy time rebuilding the label after a few months out the game, I’ve just signed up a number of single releases from the likes of Scope, Spencer Parker, Kris Wadsworth and David Durango, all of which will see the light of day before the end of this year. Also I’m ready to drop the new Steve Bug The Lab 02 compilation next week, so plenty going on with that, it’s a superb double mix compilation of contemporary deep techno house.

I’m also super busy remixing and producing myself, I’ve got some remixes coming out on NRK, and working on a debut single release. Also always doing my monthly DJ mixes which I post on Soundcloud and the blog, compiling monthly charts, just really getting behind the music and enjoying it. Hopefully club work will pick up for me soon - I used to DJ weekly all over Europe, but took some time out for my family, and I’m eager to get back out there!

B: 2010 will see NRK 14 years deep in the music industry. Did you ever think it would get this far?

NH: To be honest, I have never really thought about it. Obviously looking back, yeah, I would have had no idea that the label would still be running 14 years down the line, but I never had any doubt that I would still be involved with the music industry in some way, shape or form. I’ve been involved with music since a very early age, so even though the label is 14 years, prior to that NRK ran as a promotions and ents agency since around 1993, and prior to that I was running club nights and gigs since about 1988…now that makes me feel old!

B: With such a plethora of quality music released through the label, do you feel excited by the state of dance music as it is today?

NH: I feel excited about the climate in which the music is coming out in, yes. The whole way that digital has flipped to become the main medium in which music is consumed, and the way that the Internet is used to promote and market the music….of course, from a label perspective, it has been disappointing to see a major downturn in physical sales, and hence a major downturn in revenue; digital sales no way replace the kind of incomes artists and labels were achieving a few years back, but hey, these are new times, and you’ve either gotta keep up with it or lag behind.

Musically, dance is still fresh, there’s always a new angle on the sounds, always new producers pushing things, new software and more accessibility for people to get involved with making music. Time will tell whether this current decade will throw out some of the timeless classics that electronic music brought us in the 80s and 90s...but music is music, whatever the times. When the Stones and The Beatles were kicking it back in the 60s, who would have thought that 40 years later there’s a bunch of bands replicating that same sound for their own generation.

B: What's been some of your most cherished memories from the first decade of NRK?

NH: I think the whole learning process, and being so young and involved right at the heart of the dance scene. Getting involved with names like Richie Hawtin, Armand Van Helden, Derrick Carter, Carl Craig, Larry Heard, well early in the game, I’m talking mid-90s.

I’m always asked what my biggest regrets are, and whilst I don’t really have any, I always chuckle when I think about the phone call I had from a friend at Soma label, asking me whether I wanted to do DJ bookings for a new act called Daft Punk, I had no heard of them at the time, and was too busy working with a whole bunch of other artists, I turned them down!

But you’ll always miss opportunities like that, my friend got sent a demo from an act called The Prodigy, and swiftly binned it! I’ve just got good memories of so many great parties and awesome music, the bad experiences quickly pale when remembering the good times.

B: And some of your favourite NRK releases from that time?

NH: I think I could highlight some pivotal releases from the last 14 years, Dimitri from Paris Jazzin The House, Francois K Time & Space, Nick Holder Summer Daze, Peace Division Beatz In Peacez 03, Quentin Harris Let’s Be Young, Kerri Chandler Bar A Thym...

B: NRK is arguably one of the most consistent labels in the UK, and is still going strong. What's the secret?

NH: It’s not been an easy ride. The last 12 months have been extremely hard for the label, and some could say we’ve been a victim of our own success and longevity. But saying that, it’s just been a simple case of keeping heads down and believing in the music that the label promotes, not pandering to where the money is, not trying to be overtly commercial, as trends come and go and take plenty of prisoners with them. NRK has always stuck by quality underground music, and will continue to do so for as long as possible. You need the utmost passion for what you do, and you need to put in stupidly long and unsociable hours, but for me, it’s been worth it.



B: Looking at the mix I want to start off by flipping it completely and taking a look at the last track first, Straight to Hell. You were immersed in the punk scene of the 1980s, so where does this track place you in that era? The Clash were a pivotal band for many, many people...

NH: Yep, for sure…I got into the Clash after they had split, I picked up on Combat Rock around 1986 and then worked my way through the catalogue, at the same time being totally blown away by the sounds and imagery of punk rock. Before this, I just loved music since an early age, but punk brought through a whole agenda and message that you just didn’t find in the pop charts….punk really gave me my cue to go out and “do it yourself” definitely, after getting hooked on the music I formed my own band, put on our own gigs, designed posters, published fanzines, wrote for magazines…

I ended up working on BBC Radio Bristol’s “yoof” programme, which was a Sunday afternoon show split into dance music (Tristan B) and indie/alternative (Caz Ford), and have many cherished memories of my time there, meeting artists as diverse as The Ramones, EPMD, Inner City, and PJ Harvey.

I picked out Straight To Hell from The Clash on my Lifetracks, really as this track sums up what first captured my fascination with this band, and this alternative music and lifestyle…such a haunting, memorable record…it sounds like no other act, it’s one of the quintessential Clash songs

B: Did The Clash's overt utilisation of dub and reggae influences in their work inspire you? Punk and Reggae in the 1980s were completely intrinsic to each other, were you also a fan of soundsystem and roots culture?

NH: Yes, massively, it was the punk bands that turned me onto roots music, bands like The Clash and P.I.L opened up the musical floodgates for me, and turned me onto, not just dub and reggae, but jazz and blues….especially in the case of The Clash. I got seriously into the whole On-u Sound thing in the late 80s, with Adrian Sherwood, Dub Syndicate, African Headcharge, Tackhead etc.

I remember the first time I went to Glastonbury, the On-U crew were hosting a night on the world stage, and that particular year (1990) there were loads of roots soundsystems there, seriously heavy music going through awesome speaker stacks….it’s a shame really, I haven’t seen systems like that at Glastonbury since that year.

B: You've retained control of NRK from day one - is this is a reflection of the DIY culture of the punk ethic, did you feel aligned with the more political and philosophical ethos of the movement - or was it more about the music for you? How does your experience in that scene manifest itself in NRK today?

NH: I wouldn’t say that I run NRK from any particular political standpoint, no. NRK is a business and a lifestyle, but I have certain morals and think I run the label respectfully to the artists and to the scene. Certainly I do pride myself on starting a label from scratch, with nothing, and making a success of it. NRK is a pure independent label, there has never been any cash injections of mergers from major labels, but that said, no offers have ever been made, so it’s great to be staunchly indie, but I would defy anyone to be seduced by big money offers…..but I think that’s a thing of the past, so many dance labels jumped into bed with majors in the 90s, but the major labels now are having an awful time, and in fact it’s never been so good as now to be an indie.

I enjoy working in a cottage industry, whereby you just surround yourself with like minded people, artists, marketing people, designers, promoters etc. and you work with each other to make something greater. It’s hardly big business, this ain't U2, multi-million, global touring shit, but it’s a scene that props each other up and chips away doing its thing, and that’s what U am comfortable with. Anarchic capitalism? Don’t get me started on Thatcher, but really it’s not far off what she was promoting, people getting off their backsides and doing it for themselves….



B: The early dub and house tracks here - Fingers Inc, Speedy J, Dub Syndicate, the remix of Killing Joke - all represent the playful, experimental time of this music's embryonic stage. Where did the entry point for you into house music begin, and where do these tracks sit in that evolution for you?

NH: I got aware of electronic music through the early 90s raves, not that I went to that many as I was still immersed in the punk/indie scene…and it was stuff like Aphex Twin, early Orbital, Warp stuff that hooked me onto machine music. I had moved up to London in 1992 and the techno scene was really kicking off around that time.

I used to go to clubs like Andy Weatherall’s Sabresonic, The Drum Club, Final Frontier at Club UK, Ministry’s Open nights…so that’s where the nod to Sabres Of Paradise, Speedy J, Killing Joke come from. Techno and chill out went hand in hand, and to an extent, Dub reggae would feature in chill out rooms…that’s why the Killing Joke track is on there…Kiss FM was instrumental in the techno scene around that time, with Colin Dale and Colin Favour on the air, Future Sound Of London etc.



B: The majority of the tracks here represent a later period from 1993 to 1996, the latter year being the time NRK came into being. Do you see that time as a golden age for the creativity in house music? Some of these choices are hugely influential tracks - Smokebelch, Alabama Blues, Ezio...

NH: Well, for me, this is the era that opened up all the doors, there weren’t such rigid genre definitions back them, techno, house, experimental, chill, garage, it seemed like most people were just getting off on the influx of all these new sounds and records, and all these fresh new clubs. I do see it as a golden age, but I would like to hope that 18 years old kids think that 2009 is their golden age, I think it can be harmful to decree that music stopped being great after a particular era.

But all these tracks on my Lifetracks mix are there for one reason only, for me, they are stone cold classics…that Alabama Blues record is f*cking brilliant, I met Ludociv a couple of times back then, didn’t speak any English, classically trained musician, very quiet and studious, yet he makes such amazing house and techno music, and then he disappears, don’t know what he’s been doing for the last 10 years…ditto Motorbass, they came along, did one totally groundbreaking album, hip-hop techno house raw jackin shit, then went their separate ways, no need to carry it on or repeat it; I think from that era, there wasn’t the agenda of having a career, out of it , people just made these great records for a few years then went off did something else.

B: Did you consciously choose to omit more recent tracks or does your selection here represent the basic core of styles in house music that have gone on to continually inspire you?

NH: For me, this Lifetracks was about delving into the records that formed the building blocks of my involvement in this scene, so really it wasn’t about picking out anything current. When I do my monthly DJ mixes, I always stick in a couple of oldies in there, just to revive a particular tune, or just to doff a cap to a certain producer or style…I’m not one of these DJs who has to play unreleased upfront promo for the sake of it, as long as a tune is right for me, it doesn’t matter if it was made last week or ten/twenty years ago.



B: Very true! Who is inspiring you now? Any artists that you'd love to feature on the label but that have slipped through the net?

NH: I like a whole bunch of stuff right now, some of which I am lucky enough to get onto the label, some that I don’t feel I need to chase, maybe coz they just don’t fit on the label but certainly fit into my personal tastes. Artists are too long to mention, but I love producers and labels like Radio Slave, DJ Koze, DJ Sneak, Mountain People, Ame, Dixon, Carl Craig, Paul Woolford, Charles Webster, Kerri Chandler, Steve Bug, Loco Dice…just good straight up house/techno, the right amount of deepness, the right amount of jackin groove…

B: What's next for NRK then, what does the future hold?

NH: I just take things in small steps always, just signing up few singles here and there, working on albums (which always seem to take up too much time). There will be another Lab album next year, and another Back In The Box compilation, and just keeps things moving onwards and upwards.


B: Thanks for chatting Nick!





Lifetracks #06 - Nick Harris

01 - Sabres Of Paradise - Smokebelch (Beatless)
02 - Plastikman - Koma
03 - Model 500 - Pick Up the Flow
04 - Saint Germain - Alabama Blues
05 - Stacey Pullen - Forever Mona
06 - Fingers Inc. - Distant Planet
07 - Rhythim Is Rhythim - Icon
08 - Motorbass - Ezio
09 - Speedy J - De-Orbit
10 - Killing Joke - Requiem (A Floating Leaf Always Reaches The Sea Dub)
11 - Dub Syndicate - Hey Ho
12 - The Clash - Straight To Hell

Download : Lifetracks 06 - Nick Harris

Ffi : Nick Harris Website
Ffi : NRK Website