Joseph sings the Killers, far better than the Killers

The Killers eh? We all know they're music is self pretentious tosh and the new album is pap....so, even more reason for them to stand aside and let this little soldier sing their tunes. He's far better than that bloke with the moustache, singing about jesus all the time anyway.....

Buraka Som Sistema Live @ The Scala, 15/02/09

Buraka have had a phenomenal rise to power over the last 2 years, wielding a natural ability to set floors ablaze with a mixture of bottom heavy beats, booming sub bass and enough percussion instruments to shake a wegue at; it’s all wrapped around a street-wise, brash and full-on bulldozer sound. The percussion element comes from Kuduro, a type of West-Angolan, improvisatory music. Portugal’s Buraka, with their African connections, take Kuduro and re-adjust it’s parameters with split rave and urban/grime influences - ghetto-tech for a 21st Century European audience.

So it’s no wonder that the Scala - more like a maze than a venue with its endless stairwells, balconies and post-box red walls - was possibly the fullest I’ve ever seen it (kind of relative when you think that the band sold thousands of copies of their debut single without a deal and a youtube video). Bursting at the seams, with punters literally falling over themselves, it became slightly uncomfortable to say the least, especially when they were half an hour late on stage. However, we were treated to the proto-dubstep, two-step flavours of the warm up DJ, who held the crowd nicely until the stars of the show finally appeared.( cAN ANYONE ACTUALLY TELL ME WHO THIS GUYS FUCKING NAME IS PLEASE? I CAN FIND IT ANYWHERE - NO ONE KNOWS!)

Half an hour of waiting in a stretched-capacity room of sweat and elbows only seemed to make the crowd jump about more furiously, as the warped bassline and live kick-drum of ‘Luanda-Lisboa’ smashed into action, the crowd a sea of jumping, writhing bodies. In fact, for the first couple of songs, the ailing venue had to re-adjust their sound config’s, with the sound of two Laptops and a live drummer melding into one, leaving it all sounding slightly flat, the usual emphasis on Buraka’s killer drops and wicked tones missing. Fortunately this was just a temporary measure, as they literally ploughed through a jaw dropping set list of tunes such as ‘Wegue-Wegue’ and new banger ‘Sound Of Kuduro’. The two MC’s gleefully played the crowd, feeding them from the palm of their hands. And all the while I was thinking “do her dance moves get any crazier?” while watching the dancer flex and grind, her limbs bending to breaking point whilst throwing the most insane, booty shaking shapes.

Although the place was so full of life and energy that the trio had to shout to be heard over the crowd, and the speakers distorted under the sheer bass frequencies, it remained a full-steam party throughout. Forever teasing and coaxing the crowd, DJ Riot cheekily cut in samples from classic tunes such as ‘Show me what You Got’, Benni Benassi’s ‘Satisfaction’, Snaps ‘Rhythm is A Dancer’ and lots of vocal-house-meets-ghetto-tech polyrhythm’s in between. It gave the crowd a real surprise that went down as smooth as a pint of Caffrey’s, with added live drums and vocoder vocals over the top for extra heavyweight clout. When the former’s B-more ghetto-house style seamlessly blended into smash-debut single ‘Yah’, it was game over; the place literally crumbled under the crowd, exploding as the wooden block smacks of the opening bars burst to life; everyone in sight, from the top balcony through to the front of stage was jumping in unison. A great night for Portugal, judging from all the flags proudly thrust onto stage during the encore.

Rinse 08: Alexander Nut

(Rinse) (UK)

Oily hip-hop, spacey soul and disjointed Dubstep make up this journey. A sub-drenched dub mix of 2562 of ‘Brother: The Point’; Roots Maunva getting all steel-drum bashment on heads with Do Nah Bodda Mih and even a Digital Soundboy remix of the irrepressible ‘Night’, with a light syncopated percussion beat for pace. These are just some of the treats that wait upon this unclassifiable collection of stellar soundscapes, as the mix unfolds and melts like spreadable butter. This and the weekly show on a Saturday afternoon are more than worthy of the title ‘Essential Listening’. It’s a testament to a futurist sound, heavily rich in depth, flavour and direction. Buy it.

Catch Alex on the Mixed Nuttz show every Saturday from 1-3pm on Rinse.fm. Alternatively, lock on to some podcast akshun blaaard: http://rinsefm.blogspot.com/2009/02/alexander-nut-14th-february.html

School of Language

David Brewis is fast becoming somewhat of an English hero. Lead vocalist and protagonist of successful band Field Music, David is known for a decisively creative and musical approach to his work. But he’s also known under many guises, the one in question here being ‘School Of Language’, his very own solo, and experimental masterpiece. Deep, epic and engaging in a more rock-led aesthetic, it represents David’s embrace of a newfound freedom to create, diversify and follow a different path, as he divulges....

(this interview was orginally published last year, but Im a big fan of David Brewis, so thought i put it up anyway)

When approaching this solo project, what musical ambitions did you have? It’s quite a departure from the field music pop structure, a lot heavier and darker.

I wanted to do something that was put together in a more spontaneous way. One of the frustrations of the last Field Music record was getting the three of us together at the same time and getting all involved. We felt pressured to maintain that with FM at the time. This was more like I’ll do whatever I feel like and be free. I linked that with re-discovering how much I actually love playing guitar. Its more guitar orientated than any of the field music stuff.

Did you record the guitars at a higher level? It’s seems that when you listen to the album it sounds like the guitars were recorded louder to give more resonance.

It’s mainly because I wrote the tunes on my guitar, and the field music set-up was always emphasizing piano and the songs were based around that. There was no pressure to do it any particular way, other than me wanting to do something spontaneous.

Has this been your most liberating project to date then? There’s more of a grungy feel to it all at times.

It has been really liberating but much more like a learning experience, of realising that I can do whatever and whenever. We restricted ourselves by the pressure we put ourselves under with field music. The pressure was always ‘try and make a real record’ but I don’t feel like that at all any more. If I try my best and make something exciting then that’s the best I can do. And if people don’t like it…

You’ve had a busy year it has to be said no?
The first few months was gigging, then spent the whole of March in the US, with school of language, and with band members who I’ve never met before, which was liberating. Then we did UK and European tours and got on with our own thing. I’ve also been recording with various people and writing stuff in between. I’m just totally knackered.

Finally, what with all the sequencing, writing and recording on your own, was it a bit testing and painstaking or did you see it as another liberation?

I don’t find the recording process painful, but a lot of it was definitely painstaking. We’ve been recording for so long, I mean, I’ve got this little four track when I was young and I’ve got about 14 years worth. Also this was the first time I’d recorded straight onto computer, but it was a big help. It was fun more than anything, another learning experience. New ways to mic up, new technical challenges… but a lot of the fun is the challenge. There’s nothing incompatible with recording interesting performances; personally, I love the recording process. It gives you the framework in which to do a performance.

David Caruso: The man with the greatest glasses

Our man in Miami, David, has never been the sharpest of tools ot even the most fluid of acing talent. Here the legend is on top wooden form, showing us what he does indeed do best....put on a pair of sunglasses, spout a snappy one liner, and walk stage right.

Salute.

AWDIO _ PLAY THE WORLD

Awdio is the manic brainchild of Frenchmen Vittorio Strigari and designer Ora-Ito come to fruition. Now a free membership service, Awdio asks you to come and ‘play the world’, enabling users to listen to real time DJ sets across the world, as they happen from the comfort of your own home. Clash music last reported that Shoreditch’s T-bar and Brixton’s Dogstar had signed up to the 100-venue strong service; now Awdio move into the future with new venues on the horizon, more interactivity between users and artists and a global vision of networked live music.

Hello. Please introduce yourself and your role at Awdio. How did you form the company?
My name is Vittorio and I founded the company two years ago with a friend. I studied graphic design but decided to quit for music. I had this crazy idea of listening to clubs all over the world in real time. I wanted to listen to clubs and see what was going on in places like Asia. It was from scratch, so I took it to my Vitto and he instantly supported me. I spent 6 months travelling the world, meeting with club owners and sourcing, and we also met producers, labels and artists. But we’re not just about your Pacha’s and superclubs, we wanted the cool bars and pokey underground clubs; all the places that effect our experience of music.

What is the ethos of the company?
For us the clubs and venues are tomorrow’s fresh labels. They have been producing, developing and helping many talents and artists. They’ve never really been acknowledged in this way, as a brand. They contribute in such a large way, and they don’t have their own media set ups to promote themselves and give platforms to artists. We are giving a voice for the underground, so they can bring to light their nights but also with the introduction of players so we can host music as well.


Digital technology has been critical in the evolution of modern musical experience, but also for communication hasn’t it?
There are many different music scenes going on right now, so we offer a new way to be able to listen in on these scenes and cultures without having to buy a plane ticket. What we are doing is giving a voice to the underground and bringing to life their musical programs and their shows; we are connecting the musical community on a level that can be maintained through digital technology.


Are the sets in high quality?
It is compressed MP3 format in good quality, 120kps per second for streaming. Sometimes we go to 150 and 160 but what with the internet and its constant evolution, we will be looking to further improve on this soon.

What is the plan for 2009?
We want to collect 350 clubs and sources by the end of this year to the existing list. We also want to sign up festivals, and we’re going to make a Myspace where signed up clubs and artists can manage their own dates and space. In April we going to give the artists the opportunity to manage and interact with their community. We are going fully interactive, so I guess we are going ‘Web 2.0’. We will also be going to Africa, South America, Jamaica. Not just for electronic music but other things like jazz and reggae. We are going truly global.

Listen up and get connected at www.awdio.com

Drums Of Death

Drumz of Death is not a DJ. He is a performer. Nor is he an actual real person, rather an alter ego of the one previously known as jazzy, electronica producer Kid Twist. However, with Drumz of Death, his techno meets bass heavy metal-dance music has been hotly tipped by the music bigwigs, with the release of a full-length album imminent and a hardcore following hanging off every 4-4 beat he concocts, including a deal at Hot Chips Greco-Roman label. Angry but emotional, energetic and twisted, the face-painted mask and Papa Lazaroo-esque stage costume are a frightful and often high-octane experience in itself. But far underneath the mask is Colin, a meek and friendly character. One of the softest-spoken people I’ve ever heard, Colin is exuberant, charming and down to earth, his enthusiastic dialect coated with a thick but decipherable Scottish accent. “This a character is super villain for Greco-Roman, but at the same time he’s a manic depressive guy. He’ll go from wild crazy rave bass abandon to piano and melancholic pieces. People will understand this person through the live shows” he cryptically tells.

Attracting characters from all ends of the spectrum, Drumz has a string of remixes under his belt, incorporating many mixed styles, from dubstep to grime, and electronica to hardcore metal. How did the young and no doubt polite Colin discover music?
“ I listened to tears for fears, Michael Jackson and loads of eighties stuff. When I was young, I remember you could send off for this tape,’ he amuses ‘I was more into animation and that.. I wasn’t into music until I got into Nirvana and more grungy stuff.” Colin even used to be in a Hardcore Punk band. “Oh Aye,” he agrees, ‘I was in a bunch of them. I love the attitude in the music, the energy, but I’m more focused on the fifteen-year-old feeling like that. I started producing music quite late, after being in bands” he confesses, “It took me a long time to write a song because I was scared of the process,” he says.
So, after discovering a love for electronica and a thirst for computer production, after a healthy career in punk bands, what possessed Colin to transform to Kid Twist – and then – onto the current demonic guise.
“It was stuff like Drop the Lime, and lots of laptop stuff’ he spurts, ‘more techno stuff, more people buying laptops and stuff. I was in a group in Glasgow called Measle. I was making all this electronica stuff in the vein of Venetian snares and stuff. But when I moved to London I wanted to make more upbeat, club music and put my hat in that ring and I want a show that goes with it. The reason I do what I do is because it takes me and other people out of their comfort zone. I wanted to make it more like a hardcore show, but with tones and textures more akin to Kraftwerk, or acid house and Jamaican bass culture, with a mix of grime. I wanted to something visually, something that in personally wanted to see. People are getting bored of clubbing; I’m not saying I’m the saviour of clubbing and live dance music, but I personally wanted to make it more exciting.”

So Drumz, in his humble manner, has stated that he’s not the saviour, but does he hope to change the perception of laptop DJ’s, to blend the visual aspects of performance with clubbing sonics?
“I think ill change peoples perceptions of Scottish guys who wear make up,” he laughs. “ I don’t know, it’s a bit of an unknown path. Its down to all dj’s to change the perception of what they do. The nature of what I do is becoming less dj. I play my own stuff and when I play it’s an all Iive show. There’s version’s of tracks, samples and patches and bit and bobs that are special; it becomes less programmed and more spontaneous. There’s a lot of club music that I play that will never be released because I want it for the live show” he states.

Drumz definitely earned his name by churning out high profile, well received remixes blending recognisable tracks with a mixture of dark, light and meaningful sounds, attracting a deal with Greco-Roman. Does drums owe these remixes part of his success? Were they instrumental in his development?” I guess they have been, but I’m lucky to have been able to do what I want with them” he agrees. “It’s been good to do something different and I’ve tried to make each mix have its own feel. They have been very important to get me out there though and I’m grateful!”

“All the tracks on my EP are part of a mix tape that friends were handing round. Joe from Hot Chip got his hands on it. They put out some songs and asked me to do an album. That first 12” is more about dance-floor stuff, more of a hip-hop electro thing, which nods to Egyptian Lover: he was – and is - a big influence. The forthcoming album is going to be more fun to play, with more of a song structure though. Some of its pop music, but some of it is really full on, but not all of it ‘cause that would be boring” he whispers. “But,” he promises glefully, “they’ll be plenty of bangers on there!”

The Major event! - Skream / Serge Santiago @ The Star Bethnal Green - a DJ mag party

Yes yes, alright then, it may be the last movement at bar rumba, but across town tomorrow night something very interesting is going on. Our lovely cohorts at DJ mag have decided to treat those of us with wiry nerve receptors to a tasty cosmic/italo disco set by none other than stalwart Serge Santiago (!), and modern bass-bin botherer Skream!





To catch them in action head to the star in Bethnal Green, 9pm tomorrow night and feel the pair's unique take on far out sounds, disco claps and a unique partnership.

Down on the Underside: The return to Holland

Noorderslag / Eurosonic 2009
14/15/16 January, Groningen, Holland

After the Xmas blow-out, and the world sleepily moves towards a cold and dark Winter, the relatively small and low key City of Groningen bursts to life with music industry movers, wild-eyed music obsessed teenagers, and the cream of Europe’s musical talent. Similar to The Great Escape, with its roaming, spoilt-for-choice ethos, over 200 bands played across the city amongst the historical, the raucous and the down right bizarre (ever eaten a Febo - draw twinky? Don’t.).

For three days we cavorted and jaunted across the tiny city, hungry for music and fresh experience. In typical Dutch fashion, the whole thing seemed relaxed and open. The queue’s – in comparison to recent disasters at The Camden Crawl - were better than expected, although there was absolutely no way we were getting anywhere near Vera for Fight Like Apes. The drinks prices were reasonable too, but the festival USP was an electrifying atmosphere. Sure, their dances are wonky, they eat chips with Mayonnaise and everyone rides a bike, but at night the cobwebs are shaken off as you fluctuate between the Spacious hall of Grand Theatre, to the dimly lit bar of Huis De Beurs through sprawling and buzzing streets. Hell, we even saw Rolo Tomassi play an unscheduled TV session in a fake wooden pub in the middle of the city’s main square.

Clash picked two favourite venues in amongst the thirty strong list, one being Vera, the historical home of the city’s connection with live music. Once home to a rising and unknown Nirvana and a cheap 5-gilder U2 gig, the venue itself played host to Lowline offering their heavy, ballsy, Northern twang to a packed room of eager and fresh meat and Baddies showed us what the hype was about. Other acts at the Mecca included Fight Like Apes, Firefox and uber-cool, all-girl electro pop trio Le Corps Mince De Francoise, who showed us how to remain sassy even in the face of a confused and rather warped out crowd.

Clash’s other favourite venue was the Simplon Youth Hostel, located a fair way out from the main city, and host to some stunning acts. A youth hostel/arts centre, it’s two floors played host to Vice and Warp records, devilishly treating us after a long schlap to core alternative music, including Hudson Mohawk, Tim Exile, Beardyman and Esser, although Clash gleefully looked forward to a strong line up on the second night. Elsewhere, In assorted venue’s, we were treated to Hellsongs dark and unashamed death-folk and Dinosaur Pile Up’s post rock.

The low-point (and it kills to say this) had to be the third and final day, Eurosonic, a showcase of Dutch artists, housed under the space-age Oosterpoort centre at the top of town. With droves of cramped revellers, paranoid security and enough Orange semiotics, Grolsch advertising and festival logo’s to choke upon, I felt the feeling of mellow freedom and spontaneity melt away as we were mashed-up in amongst the lunatic fans. Luckily though, The Death Letters, and new epitaph signing zZz created an energetic break from a lot of other twee Dutch folk artists, such as the dreadfully dreary Wouter Hamel and the nausea inducing Masses. In fact, we were possibly the only British journalists in the building and after battling through Dutch speaking pop music, we ended the weekend with something that we knew required no talking whatsoever; we got our ‘cloggstep’ on to bass-baiting 2562 for smooth, techno inspired sub bass, followed with a tearing Caspa and Rusko style set from DJ Gomes as a nice little nightcap. That’s if you consider a sledgehammer round your cranium a nightcap to be fair.

Dutch music itself may be slightly damp and a bit squalid, and there may have been bemused foreigners and language barriers hanging off every chord and band, but fortunately, the festival remains one of Europe’s best, friendliest and - most importantly – cheapest. It offers great value for money and a scene away from the clutches of the global US market. And they definitely know how to put on a good party too!! In fact i got completely fucking twated. Here is what i remember:

Hits:

Buraka Som Sistema: No matter where Portugal’s’ Buraka go, they start the party fire with a bottle of Kerosene, a box of matches and a sinister grin.

Rolo Tomassi: Fresh, young and certainly not naïve, the shredding guitars and singers insane growling scared the wits out of us.

2562: a refreshing alternative to the day when Holland’s pop music comes together in what traditionally focuses upon jazz, blues and twee indie.

The Rakes: Playing a few new songs and all their favourites didn’t matter to the curious crowd, who after a flat start warmed to The Rakes’ twitchy post-punk indie.

Dinosaur Pile Up: A triumphant show from brave English post rockers. Every tune sounded like it had been plucked from a broad spectrum of tastes. Exuberant stage presence.

Shits

Firefox – Low-end grunge blues sounded strong, solid and rounded. Unfortunately, the crowd were just passing and the set fell flat after three songs and the band looked like wounded guppies for nthe next half hour.

Fight Like Apes – Hugely hyped Irish band. Clearly, the hype had spread far and wide, as it was the only band of the weekend that we were turned away from. Not worth a toss anyhow.

Filthy Dukes – Unfortunately, our geeky electro rock brothers played a full on, high-octane set that no one was around to witness. During the last two songs the venue started to fill – but is was too late after seeing them play ‘Messages’ and ‘The Rhythm’ to a virtually empty crowd.

John and Jehn – thistly crap that bored me – and everyone else – to tears. Bland, flat and not pop memorable, but pop annoying.