Badass line-up for RAWKMusic's New Year's Eve Party at Marrs Bar in Worcester tonight, with Orangudan, It Takes Two To Tango and Niiko bringing the bass! Read our review if the first RAWK Music here and grab your tickets for tonight here. Happy New Year glitches!
Krossbow smashed it at Whomp last night, with this new remix of Olux & Teknizim's eastern infused beast sounding bagning through the Funktion 1
We're loving the full set of remixes which see FarfetchD collab with Crazy Daylight, plus tasty cuts from Tantric Decks and Andy Malex 2.0. It's out now on Empathy Recordings.
As 2012 comes to a close, it's time to celebrate the very best skipping, tripping and beeping glitch hop bass sounds of our first year.
You'll have heard most of these tracks and artists on the weekly UK Glitch Hop radio show that we've been hosting on Glitch.FM since March. If there any any you've not discovered yet, we hope that these nominations will lead you to some amazing new music!
MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL THE ARTISTS, LABELS, PROMOTERS AND HEADS WHO'VE MADE 2012 THE MOST AWESOME YEAR OF GLITCH TO DATE!!!
*UPDATE*
The awards night will be Friday 15 February at Juno, London.
Akira Kiteshi - Snaggletooth
Beat3 - Get the Cash
Culprate & Maksim - Nightmares in reality
Dephicit - Gutter Fruit
Ford - One Day
It Takes To to Tango - Keep it Fresh
Koan Sound - Sly Fox
Kursa - Bonnibelle
Maksim & Retrospect ft. Captain Crunch - The Funk
MakO - This is my funky song
Pistol Shrimp - Gravity
SixAM - Bad Mother
Spenghead - Romancing the Colossal Squid
Tipper – Spunion
VENT.vs. Crush - Smack
William Breakspear vs. Mouldy Soul - Mash Up the Scene
2. Best Remix (UK artist)
Blunt Instrument - The Pocket (Krossbow remix)
Busta Rhymes - Woo Ha (Beat 3 remix)
Dead Prez - Hip Hop (Terrorbyte Glitch Hop bootleg)
Ill.Esha - Blazed (Standard & Push remix)
Ill.Gates - Live and Learn (Zen Death Squad remix)
K+Lab & Funkadunk Monk - McFly was a raver (William Breakspear remix)
Kry Talk - Bend it (Dephicit remix)
Mustard Tiger - Spell On (Mouldy Soul remix)
Sedge Warbler - Octopus Lover (SixAM remix)
Spenghead - Romancing the Colossal Squid (Shamanic Technology remix)
3. Best EP (UK)
Culprate - Nightmares in Reality
Dephicit - Gutter Fruit
Ford - Break Sound
Koan Sound - The Adventures of Mr Fox
Krossbow - Konnect4
Kursa - Machinate
Mouldy Soul - The Harangu
Tipper - Puzzle Dust
William Breakspear - The Royal Breakspear Company
Spenghead - The Cephalopod
4. Best Album (UK)
Akira Kiteshi - Industrial Avenue
Slugabed - Time Team
Reso - Tangram
Two Fingers - Stunt Rhythms
William Breakspear - Bardcore
5. Best Producer (UK)
Akira Kiteshi
Culprate
Koan Sound
Mouldy Soul
Tipper
Two Fingers
VENT
William Breakspear
6. Best newcomer (UK)
Dephicit
Ford
It Takes Two To Tango
Krossbow
Kursa
Pistol Shrimp
Shamanic Technology
Skope
Spenghead
Triptych
7. Best Glitch Hop Label (UK)
Colony Productions
Donky Pitch
Inceptions Records
Inspected Records
Jump Music
Ninja Tune
Planet Mu
Riddim Fruit
Skanky Panky Records
Wonk#ay Records
8. Best live act
Akira Kiteshi
Beat3
Culprate & Maksim
Koan Sound
Krossbow
Mouldy Soul
Slugabed
VENT
William Breakspear
Zen Death Squad
9. Best DJ
DJ Frear
Itchy & Scratchy DJs
Mike Wallis
Morbidly Obese Midget
Orangudan
SixAM
DJ Switch
William Breakspear
Your Niece
10. Best Night (UK)
Beta Birmingham
Badger's Nuts
Rawk Music
Uppercut / The Meteor / The Drop
Whomp
UK Glitch Hop Awards nominations (international)
1. Best Track (international)
AMB - Damn Hot
Habstrack - Get Funky
KTheory & Blunt Instrument - The Observer
MC2 - Beat Em Up
Lucky Htz - Glitch Hoppi
Opiuo - Fizz Tickler
Mr Bill - Cerebellum Serenade
Myselor - Neurolife
PLAYMA - Speaker Licker
2. Best Remix (international)
AMB - Bangers and Mash (Goosebumpz remix)
Mr Bill - Router (Circuit Bent remix)
Adina Howard - Freak (Intelepaths remix)
Beastie Boys - Intergalactic (Psymbionic remix)
Crazy Daylight - Shake it up (AMB remix)
Dr Dre - Next Episode (Staunch remix)
K+Lab - Need To Know (Blunt Instrument Remix)
K Theory - Good & Gone
Kimbra - Come into my head (Opiuo remix)
Ill.gates, Opiuo + Vent - Trillogy (Spoonbill remix)
Ionik - Set Your Heart Free (REG Remix)
Infected Mushroom - UR So Fucked (Opiuo remix)
Mr Bill - Cerebellum Seranade (ionik remix)
3. Best EP (international)
Andy Malex 2.0 - Love Doctor
Bran Richards - The Collaborations
He.Robust - Screw Loose
Ionik - Sexy Shapes / Remixes
Ill.esha - Imaginary Friends
Jobot - Until Tender
KTheory - Welcome to KTheory
Opiuo - Butternut Slap Vol.1
Myselor - Neurolife
Spoonbill - Astro Archipelago
Stephan Jacobs - Mad Era + In The Vortex Remixes
VibeSquad - Orphan Alien
4. Best Album (international)
Eprom - Metahuman
Flying Lotus - Until The Quiet Comes
Freddy Todd - Sick In The City, Alive In The Woods
Griz - Mad Liberation
Kalya Scintilla - Dance of the Spiral Never Ending
JPod - Halfsteppin
Mr.Bill - Focus
Stephan Jacobs - Stephan Jacobs
5. Best Producer (International)
AMB
Amon Tobin / Two Fingers
Bran Richards / Gruff
Dank
Die Antwoord
Eprom
Freddy Todd
HeRobust
ill-esha
ill.gates
Jpod the beat chef
K+Lab
Knight Riderz
MC2
Opiou
Mr Bill
Mustard Tiger
Spoonbill
Stephan Jacobs
The Glitch Mob
6. Best Newcomer (International)
Andy Malex 2.0
Angus Green
BarryKoota
Circuit Bent
Goosebumpz
JoBot
KTheory
kLL sMTH
Lucky Hz
Msyelor
Staunch
Teknian
TNGHT
7. Best Label (International)
Addictech
Adapted Records
Caliber Music
Chateaux Bruyant
Enig'matik Records
Empathy Records
Gravitas Recordings
Gruntworthy
Headtron
OWSLA
Muti Music
Robox: Neotech
Simplify Recordings
Swing Set Sounds
The Pooty Club Records
8. Best live international act to play the UK in 2012
One half of Critical Cuts and a regular at Riddim Fruit nights in Exeter, James Stafford aka. Dephicit's been plugging glitch in the South West like a trooper for years. This debut EP for Adapted Records sees him really come into his own as a producer though, with plenty of crisp licks and skanks filling the fresh space that he's opened up around his trademark deep funk wobble. It all layers together beautifully building into an irresistible rolling bounce in Gutter Fruit, while the Kry Talk remix is just pure, sweet ear nectar. Mouldy Soul's remix takes a light touch that really compliment's the original track, whereas Mustard Tiger pumps the funk by introducing slap bass into the mix (of course). The cover art (a digital mushroom garden spacescape) by Point Zero One Productions is as gorgeous as the music. Essential release!
You can read our interview with Dephicit and download his Glitch.FM mixtape here.
Keep your ears peeled for more tunes on Riddim Fruit in the near future!
Christmas gives people licence to do stupid shit like cover their houses in inflatable Santas, get pissed with family, eat turkey and release novelty records. In keeping with this fine tradition...
William Breakspear's gifted one of the best ever Christmas glitch mixtapes to Radio Eject (promo for Ejecto's clothing), with Dogspocket providing the decorations...
...and been mashing up the Xmas pudding with Mouldy Soul...
...who's been rolling in tinsel with his kecks down...
Mouldy Soul's The Harangu EP is released today on Beatport and Addictech through Adapted Records, or you can just name your price / pay by email at Bandcamp. We love Dragon Crunk and there's even a hype-dubstep piss-take, Slanted Master.
The Mouldy one will be touring his wibbly-wobbling-wangling-awesomeness to Australia in the new year, watch this space for details...
Koan Sound homecoming, Opiuo back in the UK... need we say more? This is already looking like one of the events of 2013 and there's still more acts to come. Tickets go on sale this Friday - keep an eye on Koan Sound's Facewaste page for details and get on it damn quick!
The second installment of Conscious Movement sees the Beta Birmingham lads hit the Croft in Bristol this Friday 7 December. Terrorbyte, Automaton and 3xDMC world champion DJ Switch bringing the glitch bounce alongside live funk band the Boom Operators and a whole loada reggae and Brazilian beats.
The first Whomp in October has already become a thing of legend, with Opiuo blowing the building off the basement of PlanB in Brixton for his first ever London show (read our review here).
Tickets are now on sale for the second edition on 28 December and likely to sell out quick with headliners Reso plus UK Glitch Hop favourites Vent, Krossbow, William Breakspear of Skanky Panky, Tryptich, Mike Wallis of Colony Productions and Lumo completing the bill. Should be a gone one to work off all that turkey and cheese....
Opiuo (Copyright: watchlooksee)
International glitch heads will know of Reso from his remix of Koan Sound's80s Fitness, while his debut album Tangram came out on Civil Music last month. As you can hear from the clip below, like label-mate Om Unit he inhabits a liminal space of bass that nods between house, twostep, future hop and mid tempo without ever being too tied down.
So today's been branded Cyber Monday in the retail trade - the day that everyone buys their gifts online for a certain winter festival because they've just been paid. Now we're not suggesting that you follow the crowd, but with two long awaited mid-tempo EPs released today - Skope's Razor Beam on Adapted Records and Tryptich's Twister / Eucalyptus on Colony Productions - perhaps now IS this time to treat yourself to some early pressies...
Founder of top midlands glitch-hop night Beta Birmingham, Terrorbyte hosts a Glitch.FM show with Automaton (this Wednesday 5 December 10pm-12am) and is just about to launch a new project, Beta Test...
Please introduce yourself....
I'm Harley Davies aka Terrorbyte hailing from Birmingham UK and architect of Beta Birmingham and the forthcoming Beta Test Records.
How would you describe your particular style of bass music?
That's always a difficult one as I hate to pigeon hole myself. Hybrid bass with a heavy dose of electro infused Hip Hop? In the past I've tried to experiment quite a bit so I've made anything from robot electro to ragga and breakcore. I like future b-boy music [thanks Andy Jaggers].
What equipment / software do you use?
I use fruity loops with a midi keyboard and my mpd32 for most of the beat making then switch it to Ableton for edits and glitches and master everything using Cubase and my TL Ivory valve compressor. Reaktor, Fm8, Massive, Predator, Albino soft synths. I have an Ensonique dp2 also which is truly shocking. I'm looking at maybe going analog and getting either a Moog Minataur or a Mini Brute as they look outstanding. Got a bit of synth love there, need to stop dribbling on my keyboard.
What first turned you onto bass / glitch / lazer music? Any particular artists or tracks?
Through a few avenues really. The early Warp, Ninja Tune, Detroit Underground and Rephlex stuff were definitely a big influence in getting me into Electronica and experimental electronics in general. It was Prefuse 73's One Word Extinguisher album and Forss' Soulhack that really stand out.
I worked engineering at a funk and jazz bar for 5 years and that introduced me to all kinds of sounds [shout outs to the Yardbird!]. I'd occasionally DJ there in between engineering the bands and that introduced me to funked up glitch breaks from the likes of Sticky Buds, Featurecast, and Shepdog. We had some amazing gigs there, working with such a high calibre musicians taught me loads about production. The UK B boy champs regularly throw down there too which made for a wicked atmosphere. We made a video for them actually, definitely worth a look!
Production wise, until recently I was always more into producing Electronica, Breakcore, Techno and Electro but I ended up playing a gig supporting Edit from The Glitch Mob and that was an epiphany. It's funny now as I had no idea who he was at the time. I was playing a boom bass electro set but after hearing the stuff he was playing I was hooked. That introduced me to the likes of kraddy, Boreta, Deweyb, Ill esha, Bassnecter and Breakbeat Buddha and there was no looking back really. At that point there wasn't much in the way of glitch hop in the UK and it's been amazing to see how the sound has progressed and how many people are switching up over the last few years.
I found Colony Productions after playing a gig with Point B back in about 2003-4 and always loved their stuff. Glitch Hop wasnt really a genre back then in my mind and I considered their releases to be more electronic than anything but Colony have been true innovators of the sound in the UK over the years in my opinion so massive respect to Mike and Sam!
I think it was at the edit gig though that I realised the potential of mid-tempo 100 - 110 bpm music and changed focus. There appears to be no end in scope for what you can get away with in Glitch Hop and Bass music in general.
What's the scene like where you are?
Painfully slow really but Birmingham is a notoriously difficult egg to crack. It's strange, there are so many wicked producers and musicians here, which is why I set up Beta Birmingham, but whenever we make an effort and put decent events on it can be hit and miss as to whether people represent. Then you get the old "there's nothing good on in Brum" speech which can be frustrating. Don't get me wrong, Birmingham is a melting pot for creatives and I love that, but I wouldn't really say there was so much of a "scene" for decent bass music here unless you like commercial Drum and Bass birthday parties or drole Dubstep events. There has always been a wicked Reggae scene in Brum Town though so it's not all bad.
Both myself and cohort Automaton have been holding down a bit of a monthly residency for the afore mentioned Andy Jaggers [ADJ] from Pyramid Transmissions and to be honest without those events and the bits we do, there isn't much else which is tragic. Under The Counter have done a couple of cool events but it's all a drop in the ocean really. Quick shout out to Ben from Jam Hott though, played a wicked show for them a few weeks back and it sounds like they have some interesting projects lined up for 2013!
Where do you like to play the most?
Festies are great fun but I prefer 200 cap venues as you're right up next to the crowd and that's a real buzz. I used to play loads of free parties under motorway bridges and in abandoned warehouses, except for the odd bit of trance music they were pretty epic.
What's the craziest gig you've ever played?
Ha! I'm not sure I'm allowed to mention all the details but I was on my way to be interviewed on the Tim Shaw show on Kerrang Radio to promote one of our gigs years back but on the way to the studio the police tried to pull us over. I'd not met the guy giving us a lift before but he turned out to have a bit of a shady past as a bit of a getaway driver. He had some weed on him or something and decided to pretend to pull over and then do one. A few handbrake turns later and we were at the studio. Never laughed so hard in my life!
Absolutely loved playing at Shambala Festival in the ufo this year as they had alien air hostesses with lazer tits.
Who's inspring you most at the moment?
Such a difficult question, I guess what has inspired me the most has been the emergent scene in general and all the characters I've met along the way. No beefs or arrogance and just pure passion for the music is my general experience to date and that's really refreshing to see.
What's your next project in the pipeline?
Big things planned for the future! The label is going through a bit of a transition at the moment as we are changing the name from Beta Birmingham to Beta Test. I've always wanted to represent a pretty broad spectrum of bass music but now I want to move away from the D and B and Dubstep and concentrate more on the Glitch Hop stuff as this is what I'm enjoying the most at the moment and it's also the stuff we have had the best reception to. Originally the label was conceived to represent the Midlands but we are going national now so the name is a reflection of that.
I'm currently coordinating our first vinyl release, admittedly its taking a little longer than expected but once the first one is out and we're set up properly we will be looking to do one every 6 months and to be honest it's worth the wait. I can exclusively confirm that we have William Breakspear, Mouldy Soul, Abstrakt Knights, Shamanic Technology, Spenghead, Automaton, Inaudible and myself. This is a heavyweight line-up to be pressed to a gatefold double vinyl with scratch samples and lock-grooves for remixing the tracks on the fly. I want to make Glitch Hop battle wax basically and the response we have had already to the idea has been immense. I don't want to say any more as there are still a few other bits to confirm, but that alone is pretty dope ey?
I'm in the studio 5 days a week at the moment finishing up a few projects so I'm expecting to be a lot more prolific in the coming months. I've just done a mashup of Dead Prez's Bigger Than tune which is available for free download by liking my page on Facebook. Glitch Hop Bootlegs are bigger than hip hop but with Funk licks and some brass and Clavia synths to boot.
Coventry neuro producer MakO first teased us with this fluoro-funk brainsplurge and it's addictive vocal tick on Soundcloud eight months ago. Since then it's had 16,498 plays and 482 favourites on his stream alone. Now, after the longest ear-tease ever, you can finally get your sweaty paws on it thanks to Adapted Records, with tasty remixes by fellow Brit Kursa and Brisbane's Blunt Instrument to boot! The Blunts remix is a stripped back full-fat bass wobble, while Kursa oscarllates (geddit?) between floaty build ups and filthy high end bass massages, both keeping the essence of the original intact. The digital cover art by Point Zero Productions is delicious too. Good job Corey!
After 9 years of playing together Itchy & Skratchy DJ’s Jackatak, Hame One & Antidote have taken a decidedly glitch direction of late. Check out the tracklist in this groove... and the cheeky Opiuo sample recorded at Whomp last month!
Itchy & Skratchy DJs Intro
Off Kilter VIP– Tipper
Spell on you – Mustard Tiger [Mouldy Soul remix]
Loist Moinal – Opiuo
Clip Clap with a Boom Shwack – Funkdamunk
Mr B – Griz
Without a Passport (WOP) – Rubber headz
Next Episode – Staunch
Contact – Goosebumpz
Robo Booty – Opiuo (Teknizm vs Lucky HZ & Clufe remix)
San Francisco – Alias & Benson (Itchy Re-Rub)
Character – Quade (Dephicit Remix) – (Itchy Re-Rub)
Gutter fruit – Dephicit
Rokkit
Snot - Sunmonx www.facebook.com/itchyskratchydjs
Wonk#ay Records release free music from the twisted end of the listening spectrum. Their last downtempo compilation included tracks from Kursa and Zen Death Squad back before you'd even heard of them, while 2012 has seen the release of Kursa's debut EP and Olmec's first mid tempo four-track. In other words, a new selection from label boss Bunkle is worth paying attention to, glitches.
This time round we open with a cinematic string build up from Thunder VIP clearing the way for Wattknot's twisted electro-glitch, rumbling into skanking robot bass juju from Olmec, an arm bouncing funk throwdown from Lionel Glitchy (responsible for one of the best Make It Bun Dem re-glitches), furious stumbling pulse stabs from Duskky, filthy bumping saw bass stylings from M3H, Dirty Job's surprisingly understated half-speed hype dubstep, tumbling techno-esque twostep from Hurtdeer and a nuerofunk foot-twister by ASVRA to cap it off. There really isn't a bad track on here. If you like music with a dirty edge, what are you waiting for? IT'S FREE!
Jump Music didn't so much as push the Thursday night launch button on The Meteor stage at Glade, they blasted a hole in the festival with it. Now they're ready to release their first label compilation JUMP001 featuring remixes and originals by Hungry Man, Harky, Wascal and Spenghead... all for FREE!
Get a cheeky listen in here...
... and check out these wicked videos to get you in the mood.
We LOVE the early experiments in motion tracking re-glitched for Wascal and Harky! Classic.
Badman glitch MC Maksim's gonna release this incredible funk banger with Hurley & Mr Bonez as part of a whole free EP when he reaches 5,000 likes on Facewaste - get clicking glitches!!
Remember how good Friday on The Meteor at Glade Festival was? Love Filth are going to be recreating some of that glitch hop and drumstep goodness magic next Friday at Vibe Bar on Brick Lane, with Krossbow (Colony Productions/Simplify Recordings), It Takes Two To Tango (Simplify Recordings), Sweet Jesus (Uppercut/The Meteor), Head of State (Uppercut/The Meteor), Dyson (Love Filth) plus MC's Skola X & Rizlablu. Get in!
Love Filth
8 - 1am, Friday 16 November
Vibe Bar, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
Hear yea, hear yea! After months of teasing, Skanky Panky big man William Breakspear releases the Royal Breakspear Company EP today. It's a total belter, packed with bass jumping, booty bumping collaborations from some of the UK's finest: Mouldy Soul, Krossbow, Jiffster and WhiteNoiseBoy, as well as long time Skanky Panky affiliate K+Lab from NZ, plus a banging VIP of Vowel Mouthed, the classic SP collab with co-honcho SixAM. BUY IT HERE!
As a further visual collaboration, for Nervous System with Krossbow The Brothers Lynch have made this wicked POV suburban Parkour gaming video with runners Mathanda Mutero and Patrick Howeson:
Mouldy Soul's gonna give away The Harangu EP for free when he gets 1,000 likes on Facewaste. What are you waiting for? We love the mindblowing cover....
Zen Death Squad are back with a gorgeous video for their new track Galaxy, out now on Muti Music's Clipping Paths Vol. 2. The first Clipping Paths was a seminal glitch hop release in the US so it's great to see ZDS and fellow Londoners Beat3 with tunes on the follow up!
Zen Death Squad - Galaxy (Official Video) from Zen Death Squad on Vimeo.
ZDS have also produced an awesome ill.gates remix for Muti this month
You can still hear their interview on the very first UK Glitch Hop Glitch.FM show back in February on the Morbidly Obese Midget's Soundcloud. It's still mostly relevant.
The lucky Parisiens have Skanky Panky head honcho William Breakspear and wobbly wibbletastic wizard Mouldy Soul headling Digital Whomp at Belushi's on Friday 9 November. Ce'st super magnifique!
Then Then Shamanic Technology, Kursa and Spenghead present an Omni Temple showcase at the 25th High Times Cannabis Cup on Monday 19 November in the Old Hall at the Melkweg, Amsterdam from 10pm. If they don't get lost in a cloud of smoke on the way...
Morbidly Obese Midget reports back from a funk filled basement in Brixton..
If you're going to launch a mid tempo or glitch hop night, you can't do much better for your first outing than booking NZ funk-meister Opiuo as your headliner. In terms of popularity and recognition, very few could claim to have spread this style of music further in the last few years, and Whomp was to be his only London date his debut UK tour. Homegrown support came from VENT, Itchy & Skratchy DJs, Colony DJs as well as the promoter himself, Tryptich. Word spread quickly through those in the know, and tickets to the 180 capacity basement at PlanB in Brixton sold out fast.
With 4/5 acts on the bill having released through London's Colony Productions, it was fitting that Colony DJs opened the evening. Mike Wallis serving classics from the pioneering label's 10 year history alongside new and forthcoming releases, while Lone Drum flexed his nimble fingers on the decks. By the time Colony Production's latest signing, Tryptich, took the controls, the room was half full with bobbing heads.
As the rest of the crowd filled the cosy basement, Tryptich teased out a deep, mid-tempo groove that got the whole place rolling. The only act on the bill to use vocal support, MC Intermet left plenty of space for the tunes to flow while doing a good job of gently hyping the dancefloor, leaving hands in the air and smiling faces.
The room read like a roll-call of UK glitch hop and psy breaks with Hedflux, Mouldy Soul, William
Breakspear, Neurodriver, Krossbow, Spenghead, Automaton and Terrorbyte
just a few of those present.
A trio of Itchy and Scratchy DJs from Devon changed up the pace with old skool beats across four decks, building into chunkier electronic territory that ranged from full-on mid-tempo madness though laid-back to a storming finale. I've not seen these guys before, but if they're playing sets like this across the country they're certainly going to be converting more beat-freaks to the glitch.
Then it was time. Most of us had been waiting to see Opiuo live since first hearing the game-changing squelch-funk of the Physical Symptoms EP in 2009, yet never imagined it would happen in such an intimate venue. Before Oscar had even started playing, the tiny DJ booth was overwhelmed by a sea of arms and grinning faces and as the first beats dropped the place went nuts.
When
you meet him, Oscar strikes you as one of those guys who's naturally laid back and
positive, but he obviously invests a lot of his energy (and sunny disposition)
into his music, conducting proceedings from the tiny booth as if he were beat-herding
with his arms.
When we spoke earlier in the evening (tune into Beta Birmingham on Glitch.Fm this Wednesday for the interview) he talked about how he edits every track live on the night, using Ableton to take over sections on drum pads, tablet, keys and midi-controls. His drumming background came into full effect on the staggered pulse beat intro of Robo Booty, while other tracks saw him wiggling his finger around a tablet.
The set journeyed between the deep, staggering off beats of the Butternut Slap series and the jacking bounce of earlier tunes, with a trumpet led remix of Ray Charles having the whole room shuffling ragtime one minute and jumping to the ceiling the next. Vocals on tracks like Load Landfill provided soulful flavour and moments of reflection to counterpoise the face-slapping slabs of funk; the Function One system doing his gorgeouschunky sound justice in the small space.This was about as much fun as you can have dancing with your clothes on and I don't think anyone stopped for the duration.
Ordinary DJs might've been daunted to follow such an act, but Sam Ashwell knows how to rock a crowd. Whilst sticking to the mid-tempo, VENT's set was dirty and dancefloor friendly, showcasing some of the best British bass alongside his own killer tracks, and whipping the room into a sweaty frenzy that climaxed in a filthy mid-tempo remix of the Prodigy.
It says something about the nascent state of the glitch hop scene in the UK that this wasn't taking place at Electric Brixton down the road, where The Glitch Mob played last year at Spectrum; but even then CA's finest were just a curious appetizer for a night of d'n'b. Opiuo's other UK gigs have seen him at dubstep and d'n'b nights playing back-to-back with Koan Sound at the Academy in Bournemouth and on the bill with Chase and Status in Bristol, but it's fantastic to see someone take the risk and program a full mid-tempo line up in London. From here, hopefully great, wobbly, digitally twitching things will grow.
Anyone lucky enough to have been at the first Whomp is going to remember this night for some time to come. You certainly won't get this close to Opiuo next time he plays London!
The next Whomp takes place on 28 December with Reso, VENT, Krossbow, Tryptich and Mike Wallis b2b with Lumo. Like it on Facewaste for more details.
You can read our pre-tour interview with Opiuo here
Saturday night saw Worcester shaken to it's foundations with the first RAWK music. Niiko reports for UK Glitch Hop...
The sleepy city of Worcester has very little connection to the world of Electronic Dance Music. The local nightclub (aptly named Tramps) injects weekly doses of chart trash into the student hordes, providing little more than the occasional Skrillex track to those of a more electronic persuasion. That sucks.
But then... RAWK came along in a flash of light with a deep rumble of bass to hype it up for one solid night of filthy, glitchy, chest pounding bass music. We set out with the aim of creating a vibrant and colourful environment in which to bombard our guests with the music we love. We threw them an eclectic mix of filthy electronica from dirty electro and dubstep to glitch-hop and breaks. We poured blood sweat and money (we don't cry) into the planning for episode 1.
Thankfully, the night was a huge success and solidly marks the start of our invasion of the Bass Music scene. The Glitch-hop for the night was provided by RAWK resident DJ Orangudan, who's set well and truly set the tone for the rest of the night. Hammering the floor with wave after wave of whompy, stuttery, bass driven tracks... followed by an uproar from the crowd and calls for more. For a few amongst the crowd, this was their first exposure to the glitch-hop genre, and they were treated to the best of it.
RAWK will be throwing one off nights in Worcester every three months and work has start on setting up dates in Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Find us on facebook here and keep an eye out for future events.
As part III of Butternut Slap hits the digital shops and Opiuo gets ready to play his first London headline gig, we've got an exclusive UK interview with the master of funkadelic bass!
Please introduce yourself....
Hello, my name is Oscar. I like beats. I'm from the little country in the Pacific Ocean known as New Zealand, but now days I find myself lost amongst the crazy inspiring streets of Melbourne Australia.
How would you describe your style of music?
Funkadelic Bass Music. I want there to be no start or stop point to what I can do, what I expect of myself, and what others expect of me. It's all the things I like about music: fun, funky, bass driven, and mentally engaging. I want you to call it what you want though, that's the beauty of todays music scene. Go forth and name thee how you feel!
What kit do you use/what instruments do you play?
To perform Opiuo live I use a laptop, DTX drum machine, a stack of Akai controllers, an iPad, outboard delay, Access Virus snow synth. I grew up playing drums, and a little piano, but these days its mostly geeking out in a dark room to the wee hours of the morning, or playing my music live on the spot. I have also performed + toured Opiuo as a 5 piece band. It was fucking unreal! :)
What first turned you onto glitchy / mid-tempo bass music? Any particular artists or tracks?
To be honest, it was hip hop + funk that made me think to write mid tempo funky music. At the time I did not know of that many artists doing what I wanted to do, and most of my initial inspiration came from faster, more breakbeat like music. Tipper obviously, and also AMB were the first producers I heard who made me realise there is music out there like what I was starting to make. Then I was shown people like Bassnectar etc.
I don't pay too much attention to the "tunes of now", or the "scene" so I can purposely continue to stamp my own style on the world, with out falling into a trend or fad. But these days there is so much amazing glitchy, mid tempo music out there its hard to resist, I'm stoked!
One of your first releases was through Colony Productions in the UK. When did you first hear of them?
I first had the Colony thing come about through Vent hitting me up and saying they liked what I was doing. Tipper I saw play way back in the mid to late 2000's when I saw him drop ridiculous music on the faces of many at a festival somewhere in Victoria Australia. It was insanity!
What's the scene like in Melbourne? How has it changed in the time that you've been playing?
Its now flourishing more than ever, with so many amazing people making and playing their own music. Gone are the days of someone with power in the scene only because they have the hookups. People are responding to self produced, performed music with huge energy. I think some of the best "beats" music is coming out of Australia. There are now nights dedicated to the sorts of musics I make, whereas before you were a part of another style of music night, ya know. it's fucking great!
What's the craziest gig you've ever played?
My nephew's open day at his pre-school. Kids were high as hell on sugar. True story. A close second would be during a storm on the east coast of Australia (I forget the name). The stage collapsed, and water fucked all the equipment. People were covered in mud jumping off the speakers until they fell over and the party was stopped. It was fucking nuts.
Where do you like to play the most?
Anywhere there is an inspiring crowd full of excited people. I've played 100's of shows, in 3 continents around the world, countless countries, and everywhere has something that makes me love it so. To choose one is impossible, so I say anywhere where the people are up for a good party, and want to dance to good music.
What can we expect at your UK shows?
A set of live electronic instrumentation, flipping old and new Opiuo music into a funk chunk monk feast fit for your mum and her cat.
Who's inspiring you most at the moment?
All of you. No, truly. My fans, my team, my family and my friends inspire me the most. Humanity is crazy and fucked up, but I love people around me so much, I'm inspired to do what I do. We ain't here for long, so follow any dream you damn got, and make the most of it.
Who are you looking out for in 2013?
Wally. I still never found him in the where's wally book from when I was a kid.
What's your next project in the pipeline?
Getting oil from Canada to Australia. It's much cheaper I hear. Also making another full length album. Remixing incredible musicians, even some film music. Taking my own expectations to the next level.
Where are you looking forward to playing next?
My next shows are always my excitement. I love playing so much that every show means something to me. It's about performing and presenting me, and my music in the best way possible, so every moment counts. Next up this week is Exeter (24 October), London (26 October), and Bristol (27 October)!
It Takes Two To Tango stormed the Beatport charts last week seeing Keep It Fresh, his first release on Simplify Recordings, peak at #3 in the Glitch Hop Chart. Since he gave us a wicked guest mix on Glitch.FM back in June, he's also released a free EP under his own name and a compilation through his own label Apex Music. Time to find out more about this funky injun....
Please introduce yourself....where did the name come from?
I'm Marc or It Takes Two to Tango. The name was originally used for a duo project between my self and a mate who would play guitar in the tracks. However uni came along for us both, so I just kept the name and went from there.
How would you describe your style of music?
Well like most musicians I listen to everything you could think of but I guess Glitch Hop would be the main genre. However I like to think that I make funky music also with a bit of melodic stuff in there as well. But at the end of the day its kind of what ever I want really.
What kit do you use?
Well in the studio (My bedroom ha) I have and iMac and a Macbook. I use both of them for production but mainly the iMac. Both are running Ableton and Logic Pro, which I use to produce. Plug-in wise just your standard FM8, Sylenth and Reaktor but I also have a few secret free download plug-ins I keep to myself.
I have a bit of hardware as well got some Korgs, EMX -1 Microkorg, Koass Pad (Which I use live as well) and then have my guitars and basses.
What first turned you onto glitchy bass music? Any particular artists or tracks?
Well electronic wise the band that got me in to that was Enter Shikari they opened up the idea of synths to me even though I had a funk and metal background. Glitch-wise id say it was a gradual build the the tempo being at the same pace as most funk songs and hip hop tracks.
Ultimately though I'd have to say the lord and mighty Oscar (Opiuo) Is where I really got in to the glitch hop style. Its just cool now that we speak a bit and I'm good mates with his PR and manager who I owe a lot to.
What's the scene like where you are?
Well I'm based in Redditch which is a little town near Birmingham which not many people know so I normally just say Birmingham. I travel to like Derby and London where they're starting to put on glitch nights to perform. Although I do play at the O2 Academy in Birmingham a bit so its getting there. (Check out Beta Birmingham - M.O.M.)
Where do you like to play the most?
Well having only really played in London, Derby and Wales at Beach Break live I haven't got around a lot but I would have to say Derby where I played a show about a small cafe with around 250 people in a room which is meant for a 100. Everyone was moshing and right in my face, it got a bit sweaty but was amazing.
What's the craziest gig you've ever played?
I would have to say Beach Break Live. The weather had been terrible, raining all weekend, then the sun came out for the day I was playing. However, when I went to the stage I was performing at all the DJs before me were playing minimal house and happy hardcore, so I was worried the crowd wouldn't like my stuff. I started my set with one person dancing, no lie, and about 10 sat on the surround fences, but by the end I had a crowd of about 300, which was just amazing. I finished with my track 'Yes Sir I Can Boogie' and they all went mental. So yeah best gig so far.
Who's inspiring you most at the moment?
I think I'd have to say I listen to more bands then anything. Like most producers I know I try to not listen to whats going on in the scene because its easier to compare yourself to them and make music like them without meaning to. Id have to say bands like Sum 41, Rise Against, Pure Love, Givers, Lemon Jelly. Stuff like that.
Who are you looking out for in 2013?
I'd probably have to say my beautiful friend Charlotte Carpenter, singer-songwriter and just down right amazing girl. I'm feeling the sounds of Dead Astronauts as well (who I recently remixed), so nice and chilled, with a little dark screech.
What's your next project in the pipeline?
Well I have a new track out soon as well as a sexy remix for Tut TuT Child, but I also have a very sexy track in the works with the loverly Charlotte Carpenter and a new EP.
