SECURE SHOPPING
Peverelist’s celebrated Punch Drunk imprint has announced its first release of 2012, with new signing Tessela dropping a two track EP next month.
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There’s a lot of naysaying about dubstep going on at the moment, what with its infiltration of the pop charts, its adoption by certain nu-metal dinosaurs, and the disappointing evolution of promising underground heroes. Put all the negativity to one side though, and there’s still plenty to enjoy from old favourites and fresh talent.
Spanning both of those criteria, Bristol’s ever-dependable library of locally sourced bass music, Punch Drunk, offers forth yet another hitherto unfamiliar name in the form of Zhou. Some of his contemporaries in the Young Echo collective (namely Kahn, Vessel and El Kid) have already been making their presence felt over the last twelve months, with fresh and diverse output sharing not much more than a sense of adventure, but Zhou has barely a release to his name thus far.
That should be all due to change on the strength of “I Remain”, reminding you from the outset just what made dubstep so alluring in its infancy. A DMZ sense of dread chimes out through the gorgeous chords which form the centrepoint of the track, dark and exotic at the same time. Meanwhile the beat is devastatingly simple, rolling and bumping with understated ripples of percussion while dubby effects zip and dart through the mix. There’s not much more to the track than that, but the brilliance of the music is that there doesn’t need to be.
“Noburu” on the flip is a far more daring affair, following the lead set out by the likes of Ekoplekz. The style is very different, but the sheer avant-garde nature of the track would be an utterly shocking inclusion on Punch Drunk had that other Bristolian experimentalist not marked the label’s 20th release. Distant drones and low-end textures are the order of the day, with not much else to grab on to.
For a first release on a prominent label limited to two tracks, it’s an artist with utmost conviction that opts to fill a side with a few minutes of textural ambience. While it might not have legions of fans fawning from the off, it sets a mandate for the kind of artist Zhou clearly is, which is worth far more than another attention grabbing track. Besides, “I Remain” achieves the direct approach more than ably on its own stead.
Oli Warwick
Judging the best record labels in any given year is not an easy task. The necessary combination of established labels reaching their peak and fresh imprints flourishing in their infancy is not an easy one to reach; inevitable comprises in the age old quantity vs quality debate are liable to be discussed ad nauseum. This year’s list came together slowly but surely, and we believe it provides a neat snapshot of all that is good about electronic music right now.
The aforementioned upstarts are visible in force (Hivern, Long Island Electrical Systems) as are their more established counterparts (Clone, Planet Mu, Honest Jon’s). Their combined reach is truly global, with our selected labels based in cities as diverse as Barcelona, New York, London, Glasgow, L.A. and Bristol – their respective rosters have an even broader reach and they collectively touch on too many genres to mention.
Anyone with a finger on or someone near the pulse of electronic music right now won’t need us to tell you the importance of record labels these days. They serve as what Andrew Weatherall describes as a “cultural filter”; the best labels wade through oceans of sameness to illuminate the interesting corners of music, earning our trust and admiration in the process. There are, of course, many, many more labels worthy of end-of-year coverage, but here is the Juno Plus selection of the labels that impressed us most in 2011.
Peverelist’s Punch Drunk imprint will cap a fine year with a 12″ showcasing yet more Bristol based talent, with emerging duo Zhou at the helm for a two-track EP.
Purple WOWer Gemmy has launched a new label, cunningly entitled World Of Wonders, with the debut release coming from the Bristol lynch pin himself and set for release later this month.
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Coming soon after the Worth The Weight: Bristol Dubstep Classics compilation, new Punch Drunk signing Kahn, aka 22-year old Joe McGann, makes his debut on Peverelist’s home grown imprint. Those who attend one of the young DJ’s gigs in Bristol may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of his old man sipping fine red wine in the corner (you do the math). Marking the 21st release for the Bristol based label, it’s an important moment for Punch Drunk as they change course and guide us through a rather different musical landscape. Soulful R&B vocals collide with slow, slouchy tempos here as Kahn borrows from the contemporary melting pot of house, techno and dubstep and sincerely impresses us in the process.
“Like We Used To” starts with a gorgeous, warm, warping synth line, clipped, snarling beats and lustrous vocals, which are chopped up and rearranged James Blake style, murmuring “mmm, hmmm…” in a gloriously enticing fashion, not dissimilar to the ubiquitous 2010 anthem “CMYK”. Continuing on, delicate drums are paired with rolling subs, at times rather reminiscent of Scuba’s “Three Sided Shape”, and perhaps more strikingly of Sepalcure’s recently released Fleur EP (the title track and “Your Love” especially). The mellifluous melodies Kahn carves out here are at once charming and compelling.
This is not to undermine “Helter Skelter”, of course, which is an equally impressive slice of musical sunshine over on the flipside. Here, colourful swathes of synths – like a more chilled out Night Slugs release – dance mischievously around deep, dubbed out bass, whilst tense synth chords simply bristling with energy pepper the piece. Expect big things from Kahn in the future.
Belinda Rowse
Various – Worth The Weight (Bristol Dubstep Classics) review
by Juno Plus on 15.11.2010 at 14:41pm
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Once again affirming Bristol’s significant presence and enduring credibility in the ever-expanding global phenomena that is dubstep, this compilation marks another significant chapter in the genre’s narrative history. Brought to you on Peverelist’s Punch Drunk imprint, the album is split across two CDs and celebrates the past five years of music from the city. The first disc is predominantly made up of work from the older heads – Pinch, Peverelist, RSD, Headhunter, Gatekeeper, Komonazmuk, Forsaken and Appleblim – whereas the second disc marks the achievement of the new wave of artists – purple wow trio Joker, Gemmy and Guido, Wedge, Shadz, Hyetal as well as a couple of tracks from RSD’s other alias Smith & Mighty and HENCH founder Jakes.
The first disc kicks off with Pinch’s “Midnight Oil”, in which swathes of instrumentals weave around a dark, oleaginous bassline, setting the tone for the compilation before we move through such highlights as Gatekeeper’s creepy, sci-fi bleeping “Tense Past”, Appleblim’s “Vansan”, the delicate, dancing melody of Peverelist’s “Roll With The Punches” to the tribal utterances of ’06 Planet Mu hit “Qawwali” around the midway point. Headhunter’s “7th Curse” is a stand out from the second half as is Komanazmuk’s recent release on Apple Pips, “Bad Apple” and RSD’s superb “Pretty Bright Light”. Disc two sees the aforementioned RSD make another appearance, this time under the legendary Smith & Mighty moniker with “B Line Fi Blo” – a track which, originally released in ’02, was re-mastered and re-released on Punch Drunk’s sub label Unearthed earlier this year.
From here, we are taken on a tour of contemporary Bristol through the synth-heavy sounds of Joker’s “Holly Brook Park” and “Stuck In The System”, Guido’s gorgeous, jazz-infused “Mad Sax” and “Orchestral Lab” (both taken from his debut album Anidea, which was released on Punch Drunk in May). Jakes’ obnoxiously bruising bass heavy riddim “3KOut” rears its head, but it’s the glorious Rustie-style technicolour “Pixel Rainbow Sequence” from Hyetal which concludes the album with a final flourish. This essential album of 2010 brings together some of dubstep’s defining moments and it has most definitely been worth the weight.
Belinda Rowse
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The output from Bristol (second home of dubstep, lest we forget) has been particularly impressive of late. There’s been Pinch’s “Boxer”, Gudio’s debut artist album Anidea and some great stuff from Komonazmuk, Appleblim and the Soul Motive camp. Amongst those leading the way, however, is Peverelist, aka Tom Ford, whose meticulous approach in everything from production to label management to A&R has meant he has become one of the key figures in Bristol’s dubstep scene and beyond. As the owner of Punch Drunk imprint he has been responsible for putting out records from the likes of Guido, RSD, Pinch, Shortstuff and Hyetal. This 12” sees the label boss teaming up with Hyetal, whose previous productions “Phoenix” and “Pixel Rainbow Sequence” have garnered huge attention from across the bass music fraternity.
Kicking off with “The Hum”, the contrast of the deep, murmuring hum of the b-line, percussive hiss and twinkling, dancing synthetic skittering of the melody is immediately striking. After a moment of doubt, where the two layers of sound are distinctly separate, it seems they accept their differences and move along in unison thereafter. The pattering drums and rippling swathes of synths which bathe the beats become more and more prominent as the track progresses. The influences and echoes are many, but it is hard to put your finger on exactly what each part reminds you of why, suffice to say that the sound is very much of that elusive “Bristol Sound”.
On the flip, “Rrrr” compliments its A-Side counterpart with a rather different flavour, but equally as impressive in terms of sonic quality. A bewildering intro paves the way for a more sparse, stripped back and intensely meditative piece. A swirling synth dies out to expose a creaky sound repeated with hollow, loping beat and gentle onomatopeiac rustlings embedded into the very fabric of the track. Textures are muffled and withdrawn, with intriguing whirring moments, rattling elements, neat blurs and bleepy arpeggios towards the end. It’s a contemplative venture all round here from Peverelist & Hyetal – hats off!
Belinda Rowse
Peverelist’s Punch Drunk imprint will release a compilation that celebrates five years of Bristol dubstep history.
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Rooted Records manager, Punch Drunk boss and key player in Bristol’s dubstep heritage, Tom Ford makes his voice heard once again amongst the hubbub of sounds emanating from the cultural pinnacle of the South West. His last release was his debut album Jarvik Mindstate, which gained virtually unanimous support from across the board.
Carefully considered, well paced and (unsurprisingly) impeccably executed, Peverelist’s “Better Ways Of Living” begins smoothly, with finely graduated, filmy layers build on filmy layers, connected by hissing percussion and slow, drawn out sliding SFX. Rolling bass, fidgity Scuba-like beats and warm instrumental chirrups and stabs throb and continue to build to a climax as we near the end of the tune. In fact, the track certainly bears comparison to Ramadanman and the Hessle Audio camp, in all its shuffling, melodic glory, though, of course, this is Peverelist’s signature sound to the core. Offering a new perspective, a new way of listening, the message in the title is most certainly honoured here.
The curiously entitled, “Fighting Without Fighting”, on the flip, retains that trademark techno-infused-dubstep essence, fused with melodic loveliness, though is an altogether moodier venture. Hypnotic rhythms, a morphing b-line and pummelling kicks drive the main body of the tune along. Cavorting and darting round the sonic boxing ring with an almost tribal pattern at times, Peverelist manages to hit home with a mildness and notable integrity to his swing. Very much the sound of now, with echoes of the before and after, this is a stunning 12” and a must have for the connoisseurs. Belinda Rowse
Bristolian producer Peverelist (aka Tom Ford) will release a double A-side EP on his own Punch Drunk imprint next month.
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A giant leap for Punch Drunk, this debut LP by Bristol producer Guido could lead to an avalanche of fans for the burgeoning “purple sound” of young Bristol producers like Guido, Joker, and Gemmy. After only a handful of singles and remixes, Guido has fashioned a perfect album that drips with freshness and originality. Combining post-dubstep styles with a pop sensibility and the production clarity of The Neptunes, there’s a host of unlikely sounds thrown into the mix that strangely end up working – check the Kenny G-style sample flipped perfectly in the appropriately named “Mad Sax” as an example.
While the album starts off on an exclusively instrumental tip, “Beautiful Complications” bucks the trend and features a deliciously warped female vocal that works a treat with Guido’s sparse and gritty beats. As the album steadily grows in energy, tunes like “Way You Make Me Feel” and “You Do It Right” pack more beats into the bars and the album really feels like a journey, not just a random collection of songs. Not only is it an accomplished debut, it’s fiercely original and exciting, and comes very highly recommended indeed.
Review: Oliver Keens
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The Christmas tree is packed away, the festive jumper is back in the wardrobe and contented burps are suppressed for another year. Back to the music, then, and we’ve got a whole load of new releases to cure those January blues.
Artist: Peverelist
Title: Jarkvik Mindstate
Label: Punch Drunk
Genre: Dubstep/Grime
Format: CD, 3xLP, Digital
Buy From: Juno Records, Juno Download
The perfect accompaniment to a summertime nap, Jarvik Mindstate will lull you to sleep with an erratic sequence of numbing industrial drones and wails before drawing you back to consciousness with its more rigid, upbeat second half. It’s an exercise in structuring as Bristol’s Tom Ford aka Peverelist deftly manoeuvres his crisp percussion and playful synth lines off the expanse of space he creates with every pulsing echo.
A key figure in Bristol’s flourishing dubstep scene with specialist label, Punch Drunk Records, under his wing, the softly-spoken Ford produces the ultimate hybrid of dubstep and techno, the offbeat tendencies of the former held firmly in line by the latter’s unremitting flow.
Aptly named after Robert Jarvik, the American scientist who developed the world’s first artificial heart, Ford’s debut full-length throbs moodily through opener, “Esperanto’s”, lonely horns and “Bluez’s” mismatched organ jabs to “Yesterday I Saw The Future’s” delightful seagull chatter and the melodic trip that is “Infinity Is Now”. Of particular note is the haunting “Revival”, which sees fellow Bristolian, Pinch, inject his eerie, psychedelic vibe through the halls of this looming, abandoned mansion of a track. With Jarvik Mindstate, Peverelist proves himself to be the most delicate of innovators.
Review: Bec Crew
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