blog

AUXILIARY. AUXCD002. RQ. Memory Fields.

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:37:00 +1200

One of Bassdrops longest standing members, RQ, a great designer in his own right, is also a fantastic producer of ambient and atmospheric bass music. With all his hard work, he's been noticed by ASC's label, Auxiliary - and has the very awesome opportunity to release a full length LP of his beats. 4 Original tunes with 5 amazing remixes are included on the LP, and its something I would recommend for bass music lovers. Read on for more info.

"Fresh New Zealand talent, RQ, otherwise known as Ryan Quinlivan, delivers 4 original pieces of emotive music drenched in bass and pure vibes. Ryan is better known for his artwork for labels such as Samurai, Samurai Red Seal, V Recordings, Valve and Commercial Suicide, but this is set to change, as we unleash his debut release onto an unsuspecting public. Backing up the original tracks are remixes from Anders Peterson (A.P.) of Ghost Sounds fame, ASC, who also provides an outing for his Mindspan guise, Sam KDC and ambient stalwart, bvdub. Another essential release from Auxiliary."

01 - Greater Geometry

02 - Greater Geometry (ASC Remix)

03 - Glowing Beyond

04 - Glowing Beyond (A.P.'s Ghost Sounds Mix)

05 - Hounds

06 - Hounds (Mindspan Remix)

07 - Hounds (Sam KDC's Strung Out Remix)

08 - Black Prism

09 - Black Prism (bvdub's A Labyrinthian Love Mix)

http://new.official.fm/playlists/ouDZ

http://mono-spectrum.tumblr.com/

http://soundcloud.com/rq_

http://www.facebook.com/RQ.music

Sexy Wallpaper, designed by RQ

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:44:00 +1200

36DEEP, a promotion outfit in the Auckland area, who are known for promoting Dubclash Auckland, and Ritual, among other great nights, are set to start a new series of Drum and Bass club nights called 'SPRAWL'. To mark the launch of this news, they have got a great designer, RQ, to put together a sweet wallpaper based on the event poster. Head here to get the wallpaper for your resolution.

Mix of the Week : 09/05/2012 - DDog / Bass Frontiers

Wed, 09 May 2012 10:25:00 +1200

DDog - a wellington drum and bass institution, has come forth with a tune packed mix for your listening pleasure. Filled with plenty of cracking new tunes and a couple of oldies, this one is worth a repeat listen. Read on for the tracklist and download link.

DDOG - PLAY OFF DRUM & BASS 2012

http://soundcloud.com/ddog/ddog-play-off-drum-bass-may

1. Fracture - Lately ft Ella Jones - Warm Communications

2. DJ Marky & SPY - Last Night - Innerground

3. B Cee & Robert Owens - Keep the Faith (Marcus Intalex alternative mix) - Spearhead

4. Villem - Solur Plexus - Samurai

5. Foreign Concept & Anile - True Enemies - Commercial Suicide

6. Rockwell - Tripwire - Shogun

7. Dabs - Subsidary - Dispatch

8. Need For Mirrors - Scuba - Integral

9. Spectrasoul - Shackles ft Fox - Shogun

10. Loxy & Resound - Metro - Samurai

11. Hamilton - Deep in my Heart - Ram

12. Moving Fusion - Attention - Viper

13. Kontrol - Forcefield (Optiv & BTK rmx) - Renegade Hardware

14. Break - Soundwaves - Critical

15. Major Look - Hush Ya Gums (club mix) - Cold Blooded

16. Zen - Bass Invader (VIP) - Flip Audio

17. Spectrasoul - Light in the Dark ft Terri Walker - Shogun

18. Enei - Obsession rmx ft DRS - Critical

19. J Majik & Wickaman - Hologram - Infrared

20. Gridlok & Prolix - Poisonous - Project 51

21. Cern & Borderline - Futurus - SOM Music

22. Jade - Lazer Tag - Lifted

23. Need for Mirrors & Kiat - Bad fellas - Zoltar

24. Optiv & BTK - Jacknife - Demand

25. Die & Break - Grand Funk Hustle - Digital Soundboy

26. Benny Page - Crazy (Bladerunner rmx) - Dope Ammo

27. Technicolour & Komatic - The Glow - Shogun ltd

28. Bladerunner - Feel For You - Dread

29. Logistics - We are One (Nu:logic rmx) - Hospital

30. Xtrah - Set the Levels ft MC Codebreaker - Modulations

31. Jekyll - Drainpipe - Diffrent

32. Mikal - Headbanger - Utopia

33. Klute - We R the Ones (Ulterior Motive rmx) - Commercial SUicide

34. Optiv & Maztek - Quarks - Subculture

35. Cyantic - Mirador - Cyantific

36. Amit - Manic Minor - Exit

37. Jubei - Say Nothin ft Flowdan - Metalheadz

38. Mutated Forms - Feels Like - Med School

Rumble in the Jungle is back for 2012!

Tue, 08 May 2012 21:42:00 +1200

10 years deep and they can't stop us! Rumble in the Jungle is back, giving Drum and Bass DJ's up and down the country the chance to flex their skills with heavyweight bass!
Check www.rumblejungle.co.nz for more info, or pop into the forums here to discuss the upcoming events.

Mix of the Week: 16/04/2012 - UKNW

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:33:00 +1200

Time for a mix that is deep, dark and heavy. Mixed by a bassdrop resident Noise Enthusiast, UKNW, this mix is full of gems that are not often heard in more mainstream sets. Do not sleep on this.

http://soundcloud.com/one_uknw/uknw-ontology-1

http://dnbshare.com/download/UKNW_Ontology.mp3.html

Tracklist:

1 Bredren: Eclipse [Break-Fast Audio]

2 DBR UK feat. MC Focus: Above the Slums [Blackout]

3 Pessimist: Syncopation [Horizons]

4 Arma: Canyon [Samurai]

5 Amoss: Footloose [Horizons]

6 Genotype: A Few Too Many [Ingredients]

7 Data: Termite [Horizons Music]

8 Overlook: Actress [Alignment]

9 Loxy & Resound: Black Hole [Exit]

10 Pessimist: Abstract [Ingredients]

11 Skeptical & MC Focus: Fluctuate [Dispatch]

12 Heavy1: Heavy Tone [Avantgarde]

13 Anile: Orthodox [Cylon]

14 War: Rafale [DSCi4]

15 Fade: Nutty Reese [Architecture]

16 Anile & Dakosa: Code of Conduct [Inneractive]

17 Future Signal: Fortress [Mindtech]

18 Data: Burning Paradise [Blackout]

19 Anile & Codebreaker: Start Again [Inneractive]

53:23_320KBPS_122MB

Shouts out to Johnny Kon and Synaptic, P-Vans, Balistics, Soba, Keel, Sect, Tamper, Snax, Trigger, Nanotek, A-Tech and the Bassdrop crew. And big up the all the featured artists. - UKNW

Mix of the Week: 9/04/2012 - Legoman

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:51:00 +1200

One of wellingtons most solid DJ crews, the Frederick Crew, have been putting out a series of mixes over the last month or two, and here is their third installment. Mixed by the always dapper Legoman, this mix features a bit of the old, a bit of the new and plenty of the amazing. Download here, and read on for the tracklist and for links to the previous mixes...

Volume 1 - mixed by Swanky - http://official.fm/tracks/332751

Volume 2 - mixed by Rythmatix - http://official.fm/tracks/347426

Volume 3 - mixed by Legoman - http://official.fm/tracks/362738

Garden – Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (Calibre Remix)

Solar Plexus – Villem

Changes – Big Bud ft DRS (Roy Green & Protone remix)

Fly ft Jay James Picton – Cinematic

Crystalline – Noisia & Hybris

Protection – Sub Zero

Memories – Flame

Tear Down – Die & Break

Dog shit – Calibre

Stark – Marcus Intalex

Dirty Beats – Roni Size

Long Way Home – Flame

Time ft Delilah – Chase & Status (Enei Remix)

Mystic Sunset – Marky & S.P.Y

Twice – Little Dragon (LSB Bootleg)

Afterlife – Camo & Krooked (BCee Remix)

Feedback – Viciuos Circle & Fierce

Kinky Funky _Marky & S.P.Y

Now It’s Time – Mind Vortex

Grand Funk Hustle – Die & Break

Attention – Moving Fusion

Blind Eye ft DRS – Artificial Intelligence

Bow Wow Wow – Bodyrocks (Break Remix)

Floating Zero – Noisia & Phace (

Ultra Clean -Commix & Icicle

Pistol Whip – Wilkinson

Enemies of the State -Gridlok

The Cut Deepens ft Foreign Beggars – Alix Perez

Navada – Need For Mirrors

Swag Bag – N3gus

Walk & Skank – Serial Killaz (Northern Lights remix)

Lazertag – Jade

Anubis – Camo Krooked (Inside Info remix)

Drop It – B.T.K

Hot Love – Break

Keeping Me -Hybris

Moving Fast -Enei

Close – Drumsound & Bassline Smith

New Life – Nero

Mixed with Serato on Vinyl

Mix of the Week: 27/03/2012 - State of Mind Live

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 17:44:00 +1300

State of Mind have released their recent Homegrown live set free to the world, and this is easily the Bassdrop Mix of the Week.
Their set was hosted by MC Woody, and features many reworks of their most popular tracks, such as Real McCoy, MindSlicer and Back to the Jungle.

Head along to http://www.stateofmindnz.com/ to find the download, and of course check them out on facebook or twitter.

Mix of the Week: 19/03/2012 - DJ Sal

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:05:00 +1300

Coming in with our 2nd installment of mix of the week, is a great mix by DJ Sal to celebrate Bass Frontiers 13th Birthday.
Some sweet tunage for a great occasion. Check it out at Mixcrate or follow the jump to get the alternative link.

Dj SAL Bass Frontiers 13th Birthday Mini Mix by DJ SAL (37:33)

http://www.mixcrate.com/mix/131394/Dj-SAL-Bass-Frontiers-13th-Birthday-Mini-Mix

1. Regrets - Marcus Intalex

2. Shanti - Digital

3. The Path - Jubei

4. Hubble - Basher & Xtrah

5. Warrior Stance Amit Remix - Darqwan

6. Belleview Dbridge Remix - Commix

7. Lofar - Need For Mirrors

8. Resolve (Klute Vip) - Nympho

9. Badfellaz - Need For Mirrors & Kiat

10. Commix - Audience

11. Grand Funk Hustle - Die & Break

12. Autum - Die

Alternative Link for Download

http://dnbshare.com/download/WMD_Sal_BassFrontiers_13th_Birthday_mix.mp3.html

Bassdrop Member Mix of the Week: 12/03/2012 - Flaw

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 11:15:00 +1300

Flaw has done a delicious mix of Drums and Basses from '97.
"I decided that I should actually use some of the records in my spare room for once... so thought I might do some mixes in my limited spare time! Here is with a few tunes from 1997 that I pretty much love. No real planning apart from grabbing a few bits from that year... and it ended up being quite dark in the end - with a few exceptions!"

http://soundcloud.com/thetrashheaphasspoken/hotxbun-1997-mix

40 mins:

terminal outkasts - militant moods (frontline)

photek - the rain remix (razors edge)

genotype - toxic (renegade hardware)

adam f - circles (roni size mix)

roni size - new forms - krusts widescreen version (mercury)

dillinjah - unexplored terrain (v recordings)

technical itch - the virus remix (audio couture)

elementz of noize - rise above (emotif)

genotype - extra terrestrial (renegade hardware)

nasty habits - shadow boxing "the remix" (31 records)

j majik - your sound remix (razors edge)

dylan - turbulance (droppin' science)

elementz of noize - astral 97 (mindswitch)

Agent Alvin back in Wellington this weekend

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 11:21:00 +1300

With tracks signed to premier drum and bass labels Hospital Records, Viper, Commercial Suicide and Full Cycle you know Agent Alvin means business! So get ready as we welcome him back to Sandwiches to lay down his unique and original brand of high grade dancefloor smashing, uplifting, heavy rolling drum and bass. The Agent Alvin sound is all about the party and as a DJ his top notch selections and skills always get the dancefloor moving!

Bass Frontiers & Sandwiches present

AGENT ALVIN (HOSPITAL RECORDS / VIPER)

Friday 2 March @ Sandwiches

Club

AGENT ALVIN

DDOG

SAL

TITTS MAGEE

SWANKY

DELUXE MC

Bar

ETHIXX

BUCKS A POP

$10 presales from dashtickets.co.nz, Rough Peel Music, Cosmic Stores

UK drum and bass legend DJ Hype back in Wellington for BF birthday

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:27:00 +1300

BASS FRONTIERS 13TH BIRTHDAY!

UK DRUM & BASS LEGEND

DJ HYPE (PLAYAZ / UK)

FRIDAY 16 MARCH - SANDWICHES

13 years on and Bass Frontiers is stronger then ever, dedicated to representing Wellington drum and bass culture and bringing you the worlds best drum and bass artists on a regular basis. We could use worlds like epic, massive, heavyweight to describe this occassion but you already know its gonna be all of these things and more. So what we would really like to do is thank you the party people for continuing to love great music, dirty basslines, huge drops, rolling beats and vibing parties.

To celebrate this milestone we had to do it big, we had to enlist a true pioneer, a real soldier and one of the best drum and bass party djs on the planet! The legendary DJ Hype represents the rock solid foundation of UK drum and bass, his history streches right back to the birth of drum and bass and jungle music. For over 20 years DJ Hype has been at the forefront of the scene and in 2012 his influence and passion for the music are stronger then ever. Playaz is one of the premiere UK labels representing the very finest in dancefloor music and Hypes dj sets take him to every corner of the globle as well as holding down a monthly residency at legendary London club Fabric.

So there you go 13 years in the game, celebrating with one of the true legends of DnB and UK dance culture. What are you waiting for?! get yah ticket today!!

$30 + bf presales from dashtickets.co.nz, Cosmic, and Rough Peel Music. Doors open 11pm.

local support from TBA

www.bassfrontiers.co.nz

www.sandwiches.co.nz

www.realplayaz.co.uk

www.bassdrop.co.nz

Always a very very special party every March and def one not to miss!

13 years in the game and Bass Frontiers is stronger then ever, dedicated to representing Wellington drum and bass culture and bringing you the worlds best drum and bass artists. We could use worlds like epic, massive, heavyweight to describe this occassion but you already know its gonna be all of these things and so much more. What we really wanna do is thank you the party people for continuing to love great music, sick dj's and dope parties. Its your guys support and the amazing energy of the Wellington party people that keeps us loving this music and rolling out the parties. Mad love and big ups to each and everyone of you who has supported Bass Frontiers and drum and bass music in Wellington.

To celebrate this huge milestone we had to do it big, we had to enlist a true pioneer, a real soldier and one of the best drum and bass party dj's on the planet! The legendary DJ Hype represents the rock solid foundation of UK drum and bass. A man who's history stretches right back to the birth of the sound. For over 20 years DJ Hype has been at the forefront and in 2012 his influence and passion is as strong as ever. Playaz has always been and still is one of the premiere UK labels representing the very finest in dancefloor music plus Hypes dj sets take him to every corner of the globe as well as holding down a monthly residency at legendary London club Fabric.

Do not miss out on what is always one of the party nights of the year as the Bass Frontiers family comes together with one of the biggest names in drum and bass to celebrate the capital cities incredible drum and bass culture. Boom! Get your drink on and lets fucking party!

BASS FRONTIERS 13TH BIRTHDAY!

UK DRUM & BASS LEGEND

DJ HYPE (PLAYAZ / UK)

FRIDAY 16 MARCH - SANDWICHES

$30 + bf presales from dashtickets.co.nz, Cosmic, and Rough Peel Music. Doors open 11pm.

local support from TBA

www.bassfrontiers.co.nz

www.sandwiches.co.nz

www.realplayaz.co.uk

www.bassdrop.co.nz

TREi & Stickybuds this Friday

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:03:00 +1300

Get set to smash the rave as Bass Frontiers & Sandwiches bring together 2 of New Zealand and Canada's best party djs and producers for a big night of dirty drum and bass, dubstep, ghetto funk, funky electro and next level bass music styles. Party vibes and good times is what this one is all about, so get along to Sandwiches and get down to some of the best in the business on the best sound system in the Wellington!

TREI [SAMURAI MUSIC / NZ]

With a passport full of stamps, scorching hot exclusive selections and the technical skills to match, TREi is one of the leading lights of the New Zealand drum and bass scene. Internationally known as both a producer and a DJ, over the last seven years, TREi has made his mark, both at home and abroad, particularly across Europe, where he is fast becoming a favourite for those who know.

Current projects include collaborations with The Upbeats, Concord Dawn, Chris SU, Dose and emerging talent Johnny Hooves. In tandem, TREi is also finalizing releases on Viper Recordings, Uprising Records and working towards his second album.

Focused on making nightclub ceilings drip with sweat; and writing the tunes that we all party to, TREi is laser-etching himself into the history books; and future proofing drum and bass in the process. Hold tight.

http://www.twitter.com/trei_music

http://www.soundcloud.com/trei

http://www.youtube.com/treimusicnz

http://www.treimusic.co.nz/

STICKYBUDS [GHETTO FUNK TOUR 2012 / CANADA]

From the funkafied west coast of Canada, Stickybuds has been making his mark on music all over the globe, captivating fans on tours in Brazil, UK, Hungary, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. His work ethic and passion have also earned him a residency at Canada’s Shambhala music festival (2005 – 2011).

With 16 releases under his belt on esteemed labels like Goodgroove Records, Jungle Cakes, Bombastic Jam, Fort Knox Recordings and recent Ghetto Funk EP release, he brings to the table his unique mix of funk breaks, hip hop, reggae, dnb and big basslines.

With the success of his Ghetto Funk EP and Jungle Cakes release "Guaranteed" not to mention an unforgettable set at the Fractal Forest at Shambhala 2011, expect even bigger things to come from the forward thinking and all around nice guy Stickybuds.

http://www.stickybuds.com/

http://soundcloud.com/stickybuds

http://www.myspace.com/djstickybuds

http://www.youtube.com/user/Stickybudsmusic

http://twitter.com/djSTICKYBUDS

plus heavyweight local support

FRIED CHICKEN SOUND SYSTEM [DDOG & MAREK] / STONYA & DELUXE MC [BASS FRONTIERS] / SHORT CIRCUT / SOLID WAX / JFK / GANDY & GUESTS

FRIDAY 24 FEBRUARY @ SANDWICHES 11PM

EARLYBIRDS $15 (+BF) FROM DASH TICKETS, ROUGH PEEL MUSIC & COSMIC STORES. MAWSA ORIENTATION STUDENT PRICE $10 (available on campus only)

New Site up and Running - fan-damn-tastic!

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:37:00 +1300

Those of you who were here yesterday may notice something different about Bassdrop today.

Those of you who weren't, live happily with the fact you wont have any hipster need to complain that it was better before.

You will notice that the non-forum part of the site has been trimmed down to just a straight blog. This was only a result of not being happy with the design and functionality of the events and gallery pages previously and after 2 years of attempting to think of a way to run them and failing, I decided to just foregoe them completely. It's my opinion that the ad hoc nature of the blog and the forum will cover most of whats important to any one interested.

So there you have it, take a look around and enjoy the pimp purple and ocean blue.

The image shown is from Calibre @ Studionine, June 2004 - taken by Steve Wells - another image of his was used as the inspiration for the colour scheme.

Sounds Electric Chch - with competition

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 +1300

Lock up your daughters and blowup your video, Sounds Electric has landed. Sounds Electric is a high voltage mashup of all styles electronic, presenting some of today’s most electrfying international and local artists.

SIGMA direct from the UK and a resident of the Breakbeat Kaos label are one of the most in demand producers in drum and bass right now. Dancefloor tearing remixes for the likes of Original Sin, releases on Hospital and the huge collaboration ‘Lassitude’ with DJ Fresh has seen Sigma jump to the very forefront of DNB in 2010. Their recent ‘Stand Up Tall pt 1 and pt 2’ EP’s on Breakbeat Kaos have cemented them at the forefront of all the top dogs record boxes continuing this strong momentum into 2011 and beyond.

Sigma is joined by Hungary’s dnb head honcho CHRIS SU, a dj known for his exceptional musical selection and tunes that shake your foundations. No stranger to New Zealand crowds Chris SU is a firm crowd favourite everytime he makes it down under. He has worked extensively in the studio alongside State of Mind and also had many of his solo productions released on prestigious labels Commercial Suicide and Subtitles.

These boys are joined by local livewires STATE OF MIND and dubstep new kids on the block THE TRUTH as well other locals like the NORTH SHORE PONY CLUB, DDOG, TIMI SCHUMACHER, BLINE, GRIND, MUFASA, and mc’s TIKI, TWINCAM, CYPHER, DELUXE. Expect a tour of electric beats and high voltage mayhem!

Check the event page for more info and the competition http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=111627298898898

LIMITED PRE-SALES $40 +BF AVAILABLE AT COSMIC CORNER OR ONLINE ,DOORS OPEN AT 11PM

http://www.cosmicticketing.co.nz/event/show/588

http://tikidub.com/

http://www.myspace.com/chris.su

http://www.stateofmindnz.com/

http://www.myspace.com/sigmauk

http://www.myspace.com/truthdubstep

Shapeshifter - "The system is a remix" out now

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Shapeshifters eagerly anticipated album on Hospital Records, The System is a Remix, is out now. With a 10 track CDLP featuring tracks from their 'System is a Vampire' album, remixed by artists such as The Upbeats, Truth, Netsky, Camo and Krooked, Nu:Tone and State of Mind. Check out the clips on youtube and a recent interview with them on Knowledge mag

Speaking the Truth

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

In a week that hasn't been without drama, you could possibly be forgiven for forgetting that NZ's all-conquering dubstep heroes, Truth, released their debut album this week. Consisting of 15 tracks of their unique bassweight compositions, this is definitely in the running to be one of the best dubstep albums of the year. Never mind the chainsaw ear-rape, this is dubstep at its roots. With the album's release this week and ahead of their launch gig at Sandwiches this weekend, Matty Baseline took some time to run some questions by the trio.

You guys have been involved in the NZ bass music scene for some time, what was it about dubstep that drew you to it?

We came to the sound with very few preconceived ideas, which gave us a lot of freedom to experiment and really develop our own style independently. I think the opportunity to be original was something which really drew us to the sound. We also love the spaciousness of dubstep, you can do so much with relatively little. For years we had been writing music together, but when we started experimenting at around 140bpm we found that things just fell in to place much more naturally. Many sounds which we had wanted to use in tracks suddenly worked when making dubstep.

Going back a fair way now, how did the 3 of you link up?

The three of us linked up through a shared love of bass-driven music. We were all going to the same gigs back in the late 90s and just kept bumping in to one another. From that a friendship naturally formed. A few years later we decided to start playing together as a crew and also make music together.

What triggered the desire to write an album?

We've been making music for a long time, probably about 10 years each. We've always wanted to put out an album, but we haven't felt like the time was right until now and we didn't want to rush things. We also felt it was important to find a label with a good reputation which was prepared to back us. For us an album is a big step up from putting out a single. An album can encompass so much more of an artist's sound. The idea with "Puppets" was to create something which the listener will come away from saying "so that is what Truth is about".

Did you take a different process in writing the album, than you would singles? How did this work?

We wanted the album to convey a particular vibe or musical message, whilst portraying what we consider to be the complete "Truth Sound". In that respect we approached the album tracks from a different perspective. Usually with singles it is a label picking a couple of tracks you have made which equate to what the label sees as good music. With an album, there is much more scope to express the music over a greater number of tracks, and really explore the music a bit more deeply.

The approach we took was to work hard in the studio for close to 2 years, putting aside our favourite productions as we went. When we had a big pool of tracks, we narrowed down the beats so that within the pool there was a certain theme, but also enough diversity to keep the listener interested. Then we listened to those tracks in different contexts and narrowed it down to 13-14 tracks. We added "The Fatman" as part of the CD package, as we felt this track was an integral part of what Truth is, and also as the first single we had put out.

Do you each have favourite tracks on the album?

All the tracks are our favourites! It was hard narrowing it down to the final 15 which made it on to the CD. There are tracks which each of us lean more towards, but we will let the listeners make up their own minds as to what they are feeling most.

Having Mala release your first 12" gave you instant credibility within the scene, how did this connection come about?

Mala was travelling NZ on tour, and our friend was travelling with him. On the way to his gig in Christchurch they dropped in to Andre's place to chill for a few hours. Mala ended up leaving a CD of his beats with us to listen to. The next day we got together to make beats and had a listen to the CD, which totally inspired us! We decided to give making dubstep a go. When Mala came back to Christchurch on the Saturday we have him a CD of the tracks we had made. He called on his way back to the UK saying he was really feeling the beats. Next thing we knew he was opening and closing with our tracks and not long afterwards he had signed "The Fatman" and "Stolen Children" to Deep Medi.

With 3 members in the group, how does the studio dynamic work and do you split DJing duties?

The studio dynamic is always changing. Often just two of us will get together for a jam session, and other times it is all three. Usually, one of us will do the final layout and mixdown alone as we find this works best for the finishing touches. We'll always try to start a fresh beat when we get together. We can be pretty brutally honest with each other in the studio, we're not afraid to tell each other if we don't like something, it's the only way to keep the quality up! If there weren't three of us, who knows what the music would sound like as we all have quite diverse tastes.

In New Zealand, we try to play as all three when possible. Overseas, it often makes sense to split up to make the most of our limited time. For example, on our forthcoming UK/EU tour, there are two of us travelling and in the first weekend we're doing 5 gigs over 3 nights.

Do you have personal preferences between producing and DJing?

We love them both for different reasons, they are two sides of the same coin. We spend much more time in the studio on a weekly basis, it is a great feeling creating something new. But then it is just as enjoyable playing those sounds we have been working on to hundreds or thousands of people in a heaving club and seeing the effects of our studio work! Without producers DJs would have nothing to play, and without DJs there would be no demand for producers, so it's great to be able to do both.

What studio equipment do you use, are you entirely software based or do you use some hardware as well?

We actually each have studios, one each. We work a lot within software, using FL9 as a user interface. It's all about the plugins though to be honest! Synths like Massive, Zeta, Blue, Absynth,Vanguard and a bunch of others, combined with the right effects. We also have quite a bit of oldskool hardware. Probably our favourites are the Juno 6 and Juno 106 (hence the track "Juno", most of which was made on the 6). We also have a number of old Casios a Pro1, an old Yamaha and whatever else we can lay our hands on! It's definitely a good feeling to be able to include sounds from hardware, they can be so much more unique.

Do you think that being based so far from the home of dubstep helps you keep a unique sound?

It has played a factor for sure. We've certainly tried to create our own sound and being isolated must have helped a bit. It's hard to speculate whether being closer to the epicentre of the sound would have made a difference to the tracks we have been making. I guess we also have to credit the type of sound that New Zealand crowds seem to crave, which is perhaps a bit darker and heavier than some (though not all) of the stuff coming from London.

Who, inside and outside of dubstep, would you like to collaborate with?

We've collaborated with a number of artists we have wanted to work with such as Silkie, Loefah and Coki and Joker, and recently we managed to get in to the studio with Antiserum, which was very productive. We have plans to link up with Crushington soon which we're amped for. If we could choose to collaborate with anyone in the Dubstep scene, both Mala and Skream would be top of the list.

Dubstep's progression has been likened to that of Drum & Bass, but hugely accelerated. What is your take on the rapid growth from underground acclaim to mainstream success?

Well no doubt there are a bunch of factors which would be pretty hard to articulate. Having said that, one factor has to be the widespread use of the internet. It is arguable that dubstep is one of the first musical forms to emerge since the advent of social networking and a more general internet usage. Even when Drum n Bass was developing, the net was very slow, and generally used for work rather than pleasure. We remember back in the late 90s taking all night to download one mix set off napster, and being stoked about it! Now you download a mix in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. The music, videos, forums etc are available instantly to anyone with an internet connection, anywhere in the world.

On top of that, the actual sound of dubstep is quite user-friendly. It's at a good tempo for listening as well as partying. And it has developed a very diverse and expansive sound with something for everyone.

Having now played gigs all over the world, do you have any standout favourites or crazy tour stories to share?

We've played a lot of dope gigs over the last couple of years. It would be hard to pick a standout favourite, but there are a few we can think of. DMZ in Brixton, London is pretty much the home of Dubstep... we were privileged to play there last year on our first UK tour. SubDub in Leeds is another standout with an absolutely killer soundsystem. Denver in Colorado kills it, really up for it crowd and dope system. I think Austin, Texas must be one of the best and craziest gigs we did. Sunday night, in a basement with a ridiculous soundsystem... sold out. We had so much fun that the next night we decided to throw a follow up gig, which was also packed, Monday night style! It got extra crazy post-gig when we bore witness to a proper drunken Texan bar-brawl between the three promoters running the gig!

What would you be doing if it wasn't for music?

Well Tristan has a degree in Law, Dre has a Political Science degree and Julian is about to finish his computer science degree... but fuck that, we'd be doing music either way!

Thanks so much for taking the time to do this, could you share a top ten to finish?

Some of our favourite tracks atm:

Truth - The Emperor
Truth - Wednesday
Truth - Amnesia
SP - Trust Nobody VIP
Truth - Puppets
Mala - Drunken Swagger
Truth - Indigo Mood
Antiserum & 12th Planet - Purple and Gold
Truth - Juno
Joker & TC - It Aint Got a Name
Crushington & BSE - Wolf Moon
Silkie & Truth - Feel

Truth at SoundCloud

Backspacer turn 6!

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Backspacer are turning 6! After that many years putting on some of the biggest names in Drum and Bass in Wellington and across NZ, they are hosting another top international DJ/Producer to celebrate their milestone.

ShockOne - one of Australias finest DnB exports - is to headline a whole host of talented locals, on Saturday the 11th of September @ Sandwiches, Wellington.

Jansen 2010 Rumble in the Jungle

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

The Jansen 2010 Rumble in the Jungle is now open for entries, head to www.rumblejungle.co.nz to enter, and find out the dates of the events

Jansen Professional Audio and Lighting - www.jansen.co.nz

Allen & Heath – www.allen-heath.com
Phat Club – www.phatclub.co.nz
Samurai Store – www.samuraistore.co.nz
Pacific Ears – www.pacificears.co.nz
AIAIAI – www.aiaiai.dk
TMA -1 – www.tma-1.com

Cause 4 Concern

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

After a bit of a break the Sly Fox lads are at it again, and this time it’s with with UK Drum and Bass heavyweights CAUSE 4 CONCERN & Wellington's own TREi feat the infamous hip hop party starter TOMMY ILL with support from the SLY FOX boys with MC's WOODY + CYPHER

CAUSE 4 CONCERN:

A testament to their talent, it took only a few short months of collaborative creation before they scored their first signing – and not just to any old label – but the massive and seminal Moving Shadow. At the time they were known as nCode, but by July they had become Cause 4 Concern and started their own imprint label. The first 12” dropped that December, and secured the support of DJs Doc Scott, Fierce and Grooverider, amongst many others. Releases on respected labels Tru Playaz, Renegade Hardware, Moving Shadow and Timeless Recordings were to follow, and left little doubt that this was one crew to keep an eye on. Promoters right across the planet couldn’t help but pay attention, and consequently there aren’t many places C4C haven’t performed.

2009 sees the formidable foursome known as Cause 4 Concern return to wreak havoc with their first full length album. Spread over five separate 12”s to be followed by a double CD, Pandemic picks up right where the lads left off – the leading edge of electronic music. All of the elements that made them one of the most exciting and entertaining production posses in drum ‘n’ bass remain intact, and are both refined and reinforced.

TREi:
Stylistically inhabiting a musical landscape populated with driving jump-up drum breaks, angular melodic synthesiser patterns and driving pulse-like bass lines, as a musical entity TREi is a genuine composer and artist. An individual capable of easily dispelling the knob-twiddling computer programmer connotations far too often associated with the more throwaway aspects of dance music.

As smooth in the studio as he is in the mix, TREi’s music regularly features in the playlists of scene leading luminaries including State of Mind, Bailey, Marky, Andy C, Klute and Friction.

In 2006, TREi released his first 12 ‘Catscratch/Big Mouth’ on Random Recordings, and has since accumulated a substantial catalogue of releases on a diverse mixture of labels. Of particular note was the highly anticipated release of ‘Day Away’ on Black Sun Empire’s Obsessions Label and breakthrough track ‘Valium Express’ (w/Dose & Menace) on Commercial Suicide which featured in Andy C’s Cover mount CD for Mixmag’s December 2007 Edition.

With upcoming releases on Critical Music, Shogun Ltd, Commercial Suicide, Samurai Music, Incite Recordings, Syntax Audio, Revolution Recordings and Marky’s Innerground all receiving massive worldwide support and his debut album set for release in 2009; TREi’s going frequent flyer - watch this one rise

SLY FOX PROMOTIONS presents

CAUSE 4 CONCERN [UK] vs TREi feat TOMMY ILL

FRIDAY 2ND of JULY @ SANDWICHES

Support From:

CLUB:
JMC
Machs
Seizure
Apt & Gandy
MC's Cypher & Woody

LOUNGE:
Tommy Ill
Audiocity
Rap Authoritar & Urban Etherall
Hosted by Snax & Optics

Visuals from Optibreak

Limited early birds $20 + BF @ Samurai, Real Groovy, Cosmic Corner, Empire,

Current Phat11 Line up

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +1200

A bunch of acts have been confirmed for Phat 11 already, with a definite trend towards large Dubstep acts this year. Hoping for some more big name DnB acts, but we'll see....read on for the current list.

BLACK SUN EMPIRE (NL);
DATSIK (Canada);
EVOL INTENT (USA);
CAMO & KROOKED (Austria);
DIGITAL (UK);
THE UPBEATS;
CONCORD DAWN;
STATE OF MIND;
MINUIT;
SALMONELLA DUB;
TRUTH;
OPTIMUS GRYME;
AGENT ALVIN;
ORGANIKISMNESS;
WICKED DRAW;
OLIE BASSWEIGHT;
GOMORRAH;
SOULSYSTEM;
DOUBLE NEGATIVE
OSCAR THE GROUCH;
FUNKNSLOCUTS:
HENDI;
AUNTY ETHYL;
MR SQUATCH;
PHILTER;
NINJASTEP;
TWEQ V PSYMON BARNET;
SUBVERSION;