WITNESS 2ND BIRTHDAY W/ GROOVE CHRONICLES

by Joe Burns

We chat with Noodles (Groove Chronicles) as we prepare to celebrate alongside him and the Witness boys at the second birthday of Witness at Sneaky Pete’s.

Beginning in 1996, Groove Chronicles (Noodles & El-B) were a duo who contributed to and pioneered the original UK garage scene. With El-B leaving the duo 1999 and having a solo career, Noodles has continued to work as Groove Chronicles and run his label DPR Recordings. Having spanned nearly twenty years, Groove Chronicles has produced some of the most prominent garage classics, with Stone Cold and the remix of Myron’s We Can Get Down springing to mind.

Here is what Noodles had to say about it all:

  How did Groove Chronicles first come about? When did it all begin? -

 - Groove chronicles came about whilst I was working in the records shops. After selling records for many years I wanted to hear something different and being in the shop you tend to get bored so I was like “I’m going to make some hybrid mixture of music I like which was dnb, jungle,deep house,garage and soul.”

 What was it like working with El-B and how was Groove Chronicles affected after his departure? - 

- I taught El-B a lot since I knew him from an early age, most of the work was about getting the sound & vibes right. As I like to make good sounding music.

Who were some of the inspirations that were taken into account when you were producing? -

- Too many to name. Put it this way: Anything danceable inspired me musically.

 Having played for many years, what would you say is one of your most memorable shows? - 

 - Corrr That’s a hard one! Playing at the musical festival in ren with DJ Ron (jungle dj) & MC Five O, The prodigy & Dalai Lama (yes he was there…)

When producing, would you say that you have a preference between using software and hardware? - 

- I still have a lot of outboard equipment, but currently I’m using Ableton Live & Reason for music production.

What upcoming releases do you have planned for your label DPR Recordings? - 

- I’m back in the studio so it’ll be releasing my own material. I’ve recently signed new artists onto the label as well, so you’ll be hearing music from Dubchild, Wr1ng, cj reign, Daega, Price, m2j, Royce Rolls and D3adline too.. 

You can checkout forth coming releases from the all the artists mentioned on http://www.soundcloud.com/dprrecordings & hear my dj mixes http://www.mixcloud.com/dpr 

If you don’t want to miss the opportunity of seeing a UK garage legend playing in the capital this week, then I suggest you head down to Witness at Sneaky Pete’s tomorrow night.

11pm – 3am
£3 Entry

Buy a ticket here - http://witnessnoodles-efbevent.eventbrite.co.uk/

Join the Facebook Event here -

https://www.facebook.com/events/356411201145594/?fref=ts

Noodles on top form, take a listen:

MPIA3 at Unseen promises utter madness

by Nick Deas

             Terms like ‘stripped-back’ and ‘bare’ are quite wanky ways to describe music, but if I was inclined to use them I’d probably apply them to Truss’s MPIA3 project (clearly the inclination is there, what that makes me by proxy is questionable). For those sick of the endless stream of vocal driven bounce along house dribble which now seems to be have infected dance music like the norovirus techno warriors Unseen are drafting in said project to Edinburgh’s Studio 24 for their first birthday tonight, like some sort of acid detox. With releases on both AVIAN and R&S (quite an achievement) and a big pat on the back from DJs like Blawan and Ben Klock, he must be doing something right. This is pretty much no-nonsense, hArdc0re sh1t for the heads and will be mental so get down.

                                                        Event page here.

Check out the retro chic of new videos from Xosar and Ceephax

by Nick Deas

Firstly an apology for the long absence of actually writing anything on this blog, the exam period is having a negative effect on my productive output and is fucking shite lawl. Whilst I continue to get my head around foreign grammar and try to think of interesting things to write about here’s two grand spanking new videos from analogue lords Xosar and Ceephax respectively:

Xosar’s promising new material ‘The Calling’ gets the weird treatment, being drafted a video complete with cameo from the fellow Euro-inhabiting Legowelt as a sort of net-salesman for E.T contacting C64 software (which according to the man himself actually works and may see some sort of release in the near future for neckbeards who are into that sort of thing). ‘The Calling’ will be released on Rush Hour Records later this year, the video really just a novelty serving to draw attention to one of Xosar’s best works to date (and as a reminder that she’s really hot).

Ceephax’s ‘National Grid’ gets an altogether more surreal working: the whole thing looks like a cross between an 80’s infomercial and a ‘Tron’ spin-off which was never fully realised, suiting really of the music which pretty much sounds like the soundtrack to the aforementioned work in progress. The appearance of “#random” humour in the later stages of the video (see “irrelevant kittens”) almost detracts from the aesthetic of an otherwise clever video, but that’s okay as I get the impression it doesn’t take itself too seriously anyway…

For more information on Xosar and Ceephax look here and here.

Witness Workout Session on Wednesday, no less

by Nick Deas

        Following up on their brilliant first EP earlier this year, the Witness boys are back to do it all again – showcasing even more local talent for the second release in their series designed to do just that. This time round Taz (aka BF Hoodrich), Tactus and Doajia take centre stage providing a faster flavour to proceedings. We were at the last launch party and it was an absolute riot, so you can take us in all sincerity when we tell you that this Wednesday’s party is going to be mental. No previews of the tracks yet, but you can grab yourself a free copy of the EP at the party, yaldo.

                  Check out the event page here and download their first EP and check out the artists below.

Check out All Time Archipelago, a new outlet in Edinburgh for emerging creatives

by Nick Deas

    

         Something we’ve been particularly excited about has been bubbling up recently – a base from which new artists and musicians alike from in and around Edinburgh can exhibit their work both in the online and offline spheres, which allows for a stream of new work from young artists to be discovered through connections both geographical and in style or substance. ‘All Time Archipelago’ (ATA) is a new project born of a collaboration between dance-music affiliates ZZZAP and Edinburgh based design studio Ursa Major Studio which was created in order to facilitate all of these things.

        What particularly appeals to us about the new project is the marriage of its online presence with events in the physical world – ATA having aims to throw a series of late night events in concordance with the work and artists they are exhibiting online, their first event ‘Island 1’ a success by all measures. Although it’s all very well being introduced to a new artist or musician online, the fleeting interest of users which goes hand in hand with the immense amount of information on the internet means that all too often their work is forgotten or added to the back of the mind. Events which attempt to showcase that work in an atmosphere which keeps them in the forefront of attention could go a long way to cementing those ideas and forming lasting impressions, as well as fostering a thriving creative community of artists and consumers alike. There’s also a great picture of Scott in a tank-top on their website.

Check out All Time Archipelago’s website here for more information, and stream their first music release – “Wake” by SOHLA – below.

Argentinian nut-Jobs Frikstailers pop in for No Globe x ZZZAP this Thursday

by Nick Deas

           The first in a series of team-ups from No Globe –set to include a collaborative party with our good friends at Witness next month – see’s the world influenced sounds of the Bongo stalwart crew set alongside those of party and arts collective ZZZAP this Thursday, topped off with appearances form Latin American eccentrics Frikstailers and Glasgow’s Sega Bodega.

Propelled into the limelight by a surreal performance on DJ chug-fest Boiler Room last year involving neon wigs and strobing glasses, Argentina’s Frikstailers’ bizarre aesthetic combined with a brilliant live set-up has been attracting a lot of positive attention. Almost perfectly suited for No Globe, who recently brought us the African soul sampling magic of Romare, the duo will hopefully bring some much needed heat to an unusually cold April time Edinburgh.

Glasgow-born Sega Bodega returns to household of ZZZAP, this time with his new EP “34” due for imminent release. Receiving high praise for last years “We Don’t Know What Sexy Is” and having gone on to support the likes of SBTRKT and Lil’ B, we’re not doubtful of the producers ability to stand out in the DJ game. All in all, this is set to be brilliant – highly recommended. Event page here.

Support from DJ Astroboy, Yak Polo and the ZZZAP/No Globe residents.

Catch XXXY at Cab Vol’s Fly Fridays

by Joe Burns

Edinburgh is to be graced yet again by another top-notch guest DJ at Cabaret Voltaire’s FLY.

This Friday sees the arrival of Manchester producer and DJ ‘XXXY’, a name closely associated with the recent revival of UK garage and a seriously hyped arrival to the city this month. Having released records on Rinse, Well-Rounded and Orca, you would be a fool not to have heard him already. If you struggle with names, then maybe his 2012 “Everything EP” below will jog your memory.

Accompanying XXXY tonight will be the FLY Club residents of Cadenza and Kottis, as well as great tunes from Scotch&Wry in Room 2 and the selected tunes of Laurence Nolan & Jonny Herd in the Bar. It’s shaping up to be a big one.

Entry is £7 on the door and £5 with a ticket.

£2 Drinks.

Who could say no?

Here’s some classic XXXY to start the weekend:

Substance rolls out the big guns for its grand reopening at Bongo tonight

by Nick Deas

           Substance are really pulling out all the stops tonight for their first party at Bongo’s new home, with not one but two headline acts – both real heavyweights, both worthy of being paid high attention in their own right, and both playing tonight in Edinburgh’s Cowgate. In one corner, German wonder and genre-defying techno machine Objekt. Fresh from releasing his first new material this year as part of Bleeps ‘Green Series’, Objekt’s contribution to disintegrating the walls of the genre constraints used by wanks to maintain a sense of security has been indisputably crucial – from the enigmatic beginnings of his self-released debuts, to absolutely smashing it on last year’s monstrous “Cactus/Porcupine” for Hessle, this man has proved himself again and again to be at the top of the pile in terms of producers working today.

Second up is one half of the Glasgow behemoth that is Optimo (Espacio) – JD Twitch. Optimo are quite simply one of the best DJ duos going at the moment, their talent for style hopping and impeccable selection having taken their Sunday night at Sub-Club to almost legendary stature. Quite frankly, anything either of the two puts their names to is sure to brilliant – believe us.

With a line-up this big Bongo is sure to be packed out tonight, so get down early to avoid disappointment. Event page here.

 

Catch man of the moment Anthony Naples at Sneaky’s tonight

by Nick Deas

Anthony Naples is a man who’s been making some big waves in the house spectrum recently, you need only look at the labels in his back catalogue (with two releases on Mister Saturday Night and most recently given the nod for the prestigious Trilogy Tapes) to realise how quickly the burgeoning producer has shot up in esteem rankings over the past year. Making the trip across the Atlantic to Scotland once again for those who missed his Glasgow date alongside Pépé Bradock, Naples is set to appear tonight at everyone’s favourite club Sneaky Pete’s courtesy of Bixon – for only a fiver, no less. If you really need some convincing that this’ll be top-notch, just have a listen to mix he delivered for them there at Louche below. Event page here.

The Melt Compilation Volume 1 – Free Download

by Joe Burns

Featuring many of the artists featured on the Astro Nautico compilations, The Melt Compilation Vol. 1 is definitely worth downloading, you will not be disappointed.

Los Angeles-based ‘The Melt‘ are a forward-thinking music collective, blog and club night who have made it their mission to showcase the latest talent from not just their local area but all across the globe. Their first compilation and second overall release following their resident Gossamer’s self titled EP. Featuring big tracks like the often fast-paced and skittish “Paraquiesce” by Queen Leaf, the absolutely fucking majestic “Alibi” by Deebs and more well known Astro Nautico names such as Obey City and Raja. This Compilation is definitely a fresh take on what has become one of the most successful electronic genres, giving a fresh wave of creativity back into beat-related music.

Grab yourself the download here from The Melt’s bandcamp: http://themelt.bandcamp.com/album/the-melt-compilation-vol-1

Listen to the tracks below: