SECURE SHOPPING
U.S. producer Levon Vincent has mixed the 63rd volume of the Fabric CD series, it has been revealed.
The 61st Fabriclive mix will come from revered Bristol-based producer Rob Ellis, aka Pinch.
Never ones to rest on their laurels, in recent times Fabric have commissioned visual artists to record somewhat ingenious short films as promotional tools for their long running dual mix series, with the latest imploring you to hatch into Dave Clarke’s forthcoming Fabric 60 mix.
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Despite his residency at London’s Plastic People, his championing of the current crop of young UK bass artists, and an obvious love for good dance music of all types, Four Tet (aka Kieran Hebden) isn’t really known for being a DJ. It’s probably fair to say that general conception of Four Tet’s sound stems from his Rounds era productions, but his career trajectory over the last few years has seen has material become gradually more dancefloor friendly, and anyone who has had the fortune to see him DJ will know that he just gets it. His Fabriclive mix is arguably up there with the most interesting in the series, and it’s clearly a statement of artistic intent from Hebden in the way that previous mixes certainly haven’t been.
The mix takes a strongly conceptual approach; moving between Fabric’s “rooms”, each half of the mix is joined by field recordings of the club itself. However, the mix’s joy lies not in its approach, but the sheer quality of the tracklisting. Anyone who has seen Hebden DJ will probably know that he has a love for UK garage, (that he has been known to unironically play the Shanks & Bigfoot hit “Sweet Like Chocolate” at Plastic People is proof of this) and garage makes up the majority of the mix. But there’s no dayglo chart hits here: instead the first half of the mix is devoted to dusty underground UK garage tunes lost in a pre-YouTube black hole.
There’s no real lead in as such, aside from the electro-acoustic tones of Michel Redolfi’s “Immersion Partielle”, and the mix begins in earnest with garage, and Crazy Bald Heads’ “First Born”. Surprisingly for a man whose productions are so steeped in melody, the first half is monochrome; even the inclusions from contemporaries Floating Points and Caribou, usually known for their own colourful excesses, are distinctly bass driven. In this sense the mix owes as much to techno as it does garage; the basslines are kept simple, beats are often clipped and glitchy, especially on KH’s “101112” and Genius’s “Waiting”, and offers a fascinating insight into the obvious influence of techno in early garage music.
The second half of the mix sees techno come to the fore, with selections from WK7, C++ and Ricardo Villalobos keeping things distinctly straighter. But the centrepiece to this section is undoubtedly Hebden’s own “Pyramid”, a straight up techno track which is possibly one of his most balanced productions to date. It also functions as a microcosm of the mix as a whole; being primarily steeped in murky bass tones, it mangles and clips its vocals in a similar fashion to the rest of the mix, whilst offering only a hint of melody – it’s undeniably one of the mix’s most exhilarating moments, and its scale perhaps conveys better than anything else on the mix the feeling of being in Fabric’s room one. Finishing with another Hebden original, “Locked”, it offers a particularly effective end to the mix; its melancholy, sun-drenched tones capturing the moment of stepping out into the unexpected light of a Farringdon dawn.
This mix has come at just the right time – the revival and re-appraisal of older UK garage sounds among younger producers has never been so popular, but its dark, mature tone shows that there’s more to this sound than saccharine vocals and neon synths. More importantly however, there’s no fetishisation of the music; quite simply Hebden has lived it, and it’s a mix that offers a love letter to his most treasured memories and influences.
Scott Wilson
The inimitable rise of Hot Natured honcho Jamie Jones can be further charted by his commission to mix the 59th instalment of the Fabric mix series, with a 17 track selection due out next month.
Following a brace of zeitgeist-surfing Fabriclive mixes from Pearson Sound and Jackmaster, it was today confirmed that drum and bass pioneer Goldie will curate the 58th edition of the venerable mix series.
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In this day and age, it’s very rare for a DJ to achieve international success solely on the basis of his DJ skills. Thanks to promoters’ general reticence to book acts unless they’ve got a solid body of production work behind them – or at least one record to their name that punters may have heard of – plenty of brilliant DJs fail to break out of their home cities. For the art of DJing – an entirely separate skill from being able to knock a decent tune together – this has been one of the most depressing developments of recent times.
For those who still believe in DJing as a craft, the recent runaway success of Glaswegian party-starter Jack Revill is worthy of celebration. While much of his fame originally stemmed from his association with Glasgow’s hyped Numbers night and hot properties Rustie and Hudson Mohawke, his blossoming worldwide reputation has sprung from his immense qualities as a DJ; and, more specifically, an insatiable desire to rock a party hard.
Without a production career to fall back on, Revill – under his now familiar Jackmaster guise – has achieved almost cult status through his DJing exploits. To do that requires not just technical skills, but a keen ear for a tune and an ability to deliver when it matters. And in the case of a DJ, that’s pretty much every time he steps up to the decks. Of course, Revill doesn’t always get it right. Sometimes he gets too tied down in a particular genre, or is asked by promoters to simply play “bass music”. Sure, he can do that – and brilliantly – but his best sets are those where no boundaries are set – where he can display his ability to mix-it-up with the best of them. He’s at his mesmerising best when concentrating on the party, bottle of Buckfast in hand.
For those still unacquainted with this side of Revill’s approach, this debut Fabriclive mix should be essential listening. From start to finish, it’s a joyous, party-centric romp that barely pauses for breath. In typical Jackmaster fashion, Revill crams in an impressive 29 songs in 70 minutes, hopping between tracks and remixes by such disparate artists as Hud Mo, the Fantastic Aleems, Kim English, Radiohead, Aphex Twin, Doug Willis (aka veteran house producer Dave Lee), Sinden and DJ Funk. Along the way, he touches on everything from classic electro-funk and Motor City techno (UR and Model 500) to hands-aloft UK garage, ragging acid, boompty bass, original hardcore and obscure New York deep house. Grab a bottle of Bucky, don your dancing shoes and tuck in.
Matt Anniss
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Win: Entry to Fabric this weekend with Sammy Dee and Scuba
by Juno Plus on 06.04.2011 at 10:20am
Our friends at Fabric have found room on their list for a couple of Juno Plus readers to enter the hallowed Farringdon venue this Saturday with a suitably varied line-up across the three rooms doing all the talking.
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David Kennedy, aka Ramadanman/Pearson Sound, undoubtedly one of the most talked about electronic artists of recent times, steps up with his highly anticipated mix, marking the 56th instalment of the venerable fabriclive series. Since he first appeared in 2006, Kennedy has released on numerous labels including Loefah’s Swamp 81, Untold’s Hemlock, Will Saul’s Aus and of course Hessle Audio, the label he co-runs with Ben UFO and Pangaea. Championed by critics, tastemakers and the bass music fraternity alike, he very much represents the sound of now and is an obvious choice for fabriclive, being a talented DJ as well as producer. Amongst the almost exorbitant 30-track selection are 10 of Kennedy’s own, signposted by explorations into dubstep, post-dubstep, house, funky, techno, grime, juke and beyond.
Throughout the album, tracks are spliced together in an ever-metamorphosing swell of sound. We are taken from the atmospheric, blissed out entrée, pottering about around 130bpm, through some hissing techno-laced moments and house rhythms – most notably the ultimate DJ tool otherwise known as “Late Night Jam” by Levon Vincent – to the immense sounds of Julio Bashmore’s “Battle For Middle You” which ups the pace, segueing smoothly and effortlessly into the infectious booty bass of “Grab Somebody” (surely one of Kennedy’s less appreciated offerings) and onwards through the Carl Craig re-edit of “Void23”, his collab with Bristol based producer Appleblim. Elsewhere the grandiose “symphonic refix” of latter day hero Joy Orbison provides another delectable soundbite before we are plunged yet deeper into the mix.
Bass fiends will get a kick out of the second half of the mix in which Pangaea’s “Inna Daze”, with its tribal pattering, wailing cries and deep, dubbed out soundscape foreshadows Pinch’s moody, melancholic “Qawaali” and the Benji B championed classic MJ Cole ft. Wiley “From The Drop”, which all occur in a delicious triplet with a Pearson Sound cut to shake things up. To top it all off there’s even a delicately placed smattering of Burial, before the mix deftly changes direction towards Bok Bok, Girl Unit, and ubiquitous underground anthem “Woo Riddim”. Finishing with a slew of super sharp cuts from Bristol based Addison Groove, dubstep pioneer Mala and London via Berlin producer Sigha, Pearson Sound’s selection for number 56 is both on point and seamlessly eclectic. Much like his electrifying DJ sets, the elements gel together beautifully, offering something very unifying and wholesome, making for an essential and very satisfying listen.
Belinda Rowse
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You know what you’re getting with Derrick Carter. The Classic Music Company front man and self-confessed “sneaker queen” has always worn his heart on his sleeve musically. He likes house music blessed with swing and bounce, laden with bumpin’ basslines and prominent snares. He used to call it “boompty” – Chicagoan deep house with a hop, skip and a jump.
His DJ approach is similarly energetic. Constantly in the mix, he tweaks and teases endlessly, bringing new elements in to to mix, cutting between tracks and overlaying edits and acapellas. Derrick Carter is one of the few DJs to make playing house records a performance. It’s for this reason that he’s still going strong after so many years, despite championing a style of house that long since passed “flavour of the month” status. Carter is at his energetic, all-action best on this excellent mix for Fabric, his first for the London clubbing institution. Musically, there are few surprises – it’s boompty, kids – but don’t let that put you off; it really is a fantastic mix.
The tracklist itself is, of course, impeccable – more recent cuts from Justin Long, Cajmere, DJ Sneak and Iz & Diz nestling next to forgotten classics like Roger Sanchez’s 1995 slammer “My Organ” – but the most impressive thing about Fabric 59 is its spontaneous, off-the-cuff feel. While many commercially released mixes can feel sterile and overproduced, the live, one-take approach Carter utilizes here makes it a genuinely exciting and entertaining listen. It’s the sound of a true master at work.
Matt Anniss
Derrick Carter rocks up to Farringdon this weekend to headline the main room at Fabric. Nice lot that they are, Fabric are offering Juno Plus readers the chance to see Carter do his boompty boompty thing.
Sébastien Devaud, known to sweaty dancefloor throngs as Agoria, has released nearly 30 singles and EPs in a sparkling career that spans a decade. His fourth studio album Impermanence is due out imminently, he owns and runs the InFiné record label and has bagged himself the rather legendary role as the next fabric mix CD curator. His role within InFiné is particularly interesting; rather than using the imprint as conduit for his own productions, he’s used the platform to push a broad range of artists, from the classical leanings of Aufgang to the indie techno of Danton Eeprom, via the sultry house of jozif and more besides.
The night before Agoria played what panned out to be a storming set in London’s fabric, kicking off an mammoth 24 date Impermanence album tour, Juno Plus writer Hannah Briley sat down with the very affable – and very French – Sébastien Devaud to talk about his special relationship with Farringdon’s most famous nightspot, inspirational love and all things InFiné…
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One of electronic music’s most in demand characters, David Kennedy, has mixed the 56th instalment of the Fabriclive series.
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Having had the Marky & Friends residency at Fabric for a number of years now, it’s surprising that Marky’s entrance into the Fabriclive mix series hall of fame hasn’t come sooner. The Brazilian DJ/producer and Innerground boss – real name Marco Antonio Silva – has been instrumental in the development of the genre in his native city of Sao Paulo and indeed, the country at large, throughout the 90s and well into the new millennium.
Sandwiched in between David Rodigan’s Fabriclive mix released last November and the forthcoming mix from much hyped Hessle Audio poster boy Ramadanman, Marky holds his own and stamps his mark firmly on the series, bringing in the soulful and liquid funk flavours to this 24 track mix. He lives up to his reputation as one of D&B’s foremost versatile and adept DJs, indulging in some trademark scratching to accentuate the live element and remind us of his skills not only as a selector but also as a performer and entertainer.
The mix opens with what was undoubtedly one of the most widely drawn for tunes of 2010, S.P.Y.’s ubiquitous hands-in-the-air rave anthem “By Your Side” and, just a few tracks later, another (albeit rather overplayed) smash hit of last year – “Bright Lights” by Die, Interface feat. William Cartwright. Asides from these more obvious choices, the rest of the selection is a seamless and versatile blend of lesser known, but instantly recognisable tracks from the likes of Logistics, Icicle, Marcus Intalex, S.P.Y, Commix and other household names. Lynx’s “Chess Funk” adds a dollop of humour with slinky drums oozing with funk and Klute’s “Will You Still Love Me?” introduces a darker element to the first half of the mix, employing a warm, rumbling b-line and melancholy strings. Icicle and Skream go in deep, paving the way for Break’s excellent cut “Time After Time”, taken from his recently released album Resistance (check it – it’s big.)
Marky then takes us on a bit of twist and turn as we near the end; with Culture Shock’s magnificent “Cathedral” adding a sprinkling of dancefloor D&B before “Mystic Sunset” closes the piece. Ending aptly with this collab between Marky and his compadre S.P.Y, it’s a testament to his ethos that “music is something I take very seriously and is very emotional to me; all the music I’ve made has a story or history behind it”. Amen to that.
Belinda Rowse
Those of you who missed out on the Sandwell District album, now sold out pretty much everywhere, have two options: cry into your pillow and pray for a repress, or enter this competition and put yourself in the running to see them in the flesh at Fabric on January 15.
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Shackleton is undoubtedly one of electronic music’s most interesting and enigmatic characters. Having been there since the birth of dubstep, his elusive and shadowy presence, disregard for the media, hype and attention and obscure take on bass music have not placed him in the limelight. But in the words of Mary Anne Hobbs, “this is his time…”
Hot on the heels of the launch of his new label Woe To The Septic Heart and it’s debut release Man On A String Part 1 & 2 only last month, the Lancashire raised, Berlin based producer mixes the 55th fabric mix and in doing so cements his stamp on the series with a superb collection of predominantly unreleased tracks alongside material from now defunct Skull Disco (which he co-ran with Bristol’s Appleblim in the mid noughties), Perlon and Scuba’s Hotflush imprint. Inspired by his times at London’s flagship club, Shackleton returns to the tracklist from a set he played at fabric last year and in doing so blends dancefloor vibes with his unique, dynamic touch, focusing on atmosphere, mood and effect with masterful precision.
Abstract and enticing, the mix kicks off, rather aptly, with dubbed out roller “Come Up”, which stews in a sort of intoxicated haze of bongo drums and heady bass – a sound which is echoed again in “Visontele”. From here, we are taken through moments like the oceanic grandeur of “Operatic Waves” with disorientating narrative clips and swooshing atmospherics, via the tougher, contemplative cuts like “Negative Thoughts” and “Death Is Not Final”, with their focus on bass weight sculpting out a purposeful position. Later on we get the aforementioned “Man On A String Part 1 & 2″ which changes the pace again, as we move into the frenetic rhythms of “Busted Spirit” with its sense of being possessed or haunted by another, the glitchy mutterings coming more and more into the audible range as the track progresses.
The final passage marks a return to the murky atmospherics of the beginning, with eerie vocal snatches urging us to “let go…let go…let go”, unerring tribal drums and creepy atmospherics swirling around from beneath. Short, deftly positioned one-minute sonic sketches, such as the poetically titled “Moon Over Joseph’s Burial” and “Something Has Got To Give” join the dots between tracks. Elsewhere, clearly marked interludes make clear distinctions between parts. Overall, it’s a superbly sewn together collection of tracks, which echo and interact with one another throughout the eighty-minute duration.
Belinda Rowse
So Fabric have just released the astounding blend of original material from reclusive Berlin resident and all round sonic wizard Shackleton that makes up their 55th Fabric mix.
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Veteran selector David Rodigan knows a thing or two about Jamaican music. After more than 30 years in the game, his passion for the small island’s proud sonic heritage is as strong today as it was back then, as anyone who has seen him DJ recently can testify. His sets are as informative as they are entertaining, and Rodigan’s ability to capture the audience through his stage presence and tune selection is awe inspiring. It’s no surprise then that he excels on the latest Fabriclive compilation.
Representing the full spectrum of Jamaican music from dub to dancehall, modern roots reggae to classics, Fabriclive 54 is just as likely to wow a newcomer as induce grins from a seasoned reggae lover. For anyone who isn’t aware of who Augustus Pablo or King Tubby are, the first track “King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown” will certainly have them scouring both artist’s back catalogues for more dubbed out treasures. Legendary Deejay Big Youth’s signature style on “Waterhouse Rock” is a welcome addition to the already worthy riddim. Sicilian born but now residing in Jamaica, superstar artist Alborosie’s “Kingston Town” is a huge track that more than deserves its place, as does Etana’s Rootsy “August Town”. Romain Virgo’s voicing of “Live My Life” on the “Boops” riddim will certainly please fans of this classic.
Also featuring on this compilation, Super Cat’s “Don Dada” is a prime example of his adept delivery and style, while other dancehall classics featured on the mix include Pinchers “Bandolero”, Tenor Saw’s “Ring The Alarm” and the Bermudian artist Collie Buddz’s “Come Around”. Dub highlights include the deep and stripped down King Tubby classic “Roots Of Dub” and Joe Gibbs & Errol T’s “He Prayed”. Featuring other influential artists from past and present such as Prince Alla, Chezidek, Mr Vegas, Konshens, Beres Hammond and Sly & Robbie, Rodigan has done a stupendous job in representing a cross section of three decade’s worth of Jamaican music, but would we really expect any less?
Ben Daly
Win tix to Âme, Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts & Brawther at Fabric
by Juno Plus on 09.11.2010 at 12:31pm
We’ve teamed up with the folks at fabric to offer one lucky Juno Plus reader a double pass to this Saturday night’s showcase.
Full details of Shackleton’s forthcoming entrance into the Fabric mix hall of fame have been revealed with the much revered don of British bass mixing 22 of his own productions on a release that is set to hit the shelves on December 6.
