Review:
Given his rapid ascent from pioneering 'purple' producer to major player, it's perhaps little surprise to find that Joker's long-awaited (and much hyped) debut album sees the Bristolian youngster mixing typically funk-laden synth-step jams with moments of soaring dubstep pop and hip-hop funk. While it's the latter that have propelled his rise, it's the former on which he built his career. It's notable, then, that the best moments on The Vision are those that draw most from his early purple work; the contemporary P-funk of "Level 6", cyber-funk of "Milky Way" and gorgeous Herbie Hancock-does-Purple grooves of closer "Magic Causeway" are amongst the best things he's done.
Review:
Iconic, genre-defining business from the one like Joker, and undoubtedly amongst the purple wow pioneer's best productions to date. Originally released in 2008 on Plastician's Terrorhythm, this now sees the light of day as a digital release. If you've not heard the ubiquitous sounds of Bristol referencing anthem "Gully Brook Lane" in the past few years, then just where, exactly, have you been!? That idosyncractic synth riff has "Joker" written all over it, with rippling melody, stepping b-line and buckets of grime infused flavour. "Retro Racer" tunes into an 80s vibe, taking its name from an old arcade game and using the same memorable melody in the sonic infrastructure of the tune, with smacking beats and low end pressure underpinning it.
Review:
Bristol's Joker is without a doubt one of the most respected 140 based producers in UK dance music, constantly bringing fresh flavours to the forefront of the scene with his unique ability to sniff out a quirky melody. Here we see him team up with Newham Generals' own: Footsie for a dubstep driven tearout with beefy lead synths and super crunchy drums topped with trapstyle lyricism. We are also treated to 'Polka Dot', a shuffling gem of melodic genius, made up of experimental chord progressions and skylined synthesis.
Review:
Sophomore session heaviness: Joker returns with his long-awaited second album The Mainframe, and it's clear his purple shades are still hooked on tight. Developing his distinctive brew of bass and rich synth funk, Joker's unique signature is scribbled across the whole piece of work; from the epic, orchestral dubstep drama of "Boss Mode" to the gritty, widescreen R&B of "Wise Enough" via the Swindle-style jazz of "An Intervening Episode" and the concept-style three-piece "Scene" narrative where the real tale of album unfolds. Second album cliches are ten a penny... The Mainframe sees Joker shoving his purple-gloved finger up at them all. Essential.
Review:
The creative genius that is Joker is at it again and ever, it's weird, wonderful and completely unpredictable. This two tracker comes to us courtesy of kapsize and kicks off with the incredible sound design and rhythmic presence of 'Boat'. We hear evil reese-like leads shimmering away amidst sharp percussive stabs and subtle melodies. On the flip side we hear 'Deploy' which is a throwback to early Dub Police styles with it's gritty leads oscillating alongside intense pitch bends and emotive chord progressions. Joker has shown once again why he is rated so very highly!
Review:
As his eagerly awaited album draws ever closer, Joker offers up this sneak peak as to what you can expect. If you ever thought Joker's tracks had something of a poppy tint to them, then this EP suggests that he's aiming for the top of the charts with his new material. "Here Comes The Lights" features those de rigeur slabs of screechy synth matched with an emo vocal turn from Silas, and it's hard to imagine many teenagers being resistant to this kind of digestible modern-day dubstep!
