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Uncle Larry

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http://pitchfork.com/features/grime-dubstep/7767-grime-dubstep/

In recent months, new hybrids in UK dance music are proliferating at a mesmerizing rate, many of them settling into the 130-bpm range favored by house and, recently, UK funky. In this column, here are a few of the most exciting house 'n' funky inspired sounds around.

UK Funky: The Catalyst

If there's anything driving creativity in dance music right now it's UK funky-- part U.S. house, part UK garage pt 2. Waves of new producers are coming through at the moment, each with different approaches and styles within the 130-bpm spectrum, each preaching to both the funky faithful and recent post-dubstep converts.

A must-seek is Geeneus' podcast featuring Katie B and Tippa from Circle. Geeneus' gift is to be able to throw European house anthems into London's pirate arena, finding them a new audience amongst the UK funky faithful. One such re-contextualised example is Bassjackers & Apster "Klambu", that is to funky what Azzido Da Bass' "Doom's Night" was to UK garage-- at once anthemic and alien. The UK funky canon is vast and has been covered here extensively but always also worth checking are Marcus Nasty's Rinse sets, Roska's forthcoming album, DVA's stuttering new single for Hyperdub ("Natty"), Deep Teknologi's "Anthem", Ill Blu sets, and so many more...

Oneman, Ben UFO, and Brackles: Rise of the Super DJ

There are plenty of incredible new producers around, but the kingmakers of these new mutations are the super DJs, exceptional selectors, and beatmixers who make the extraordinary look ordinary. Oneman made his name mixing classic UK garage with DMZ dubstep anthems but has since progressed. His new mix CD, Rinse 11, showcases most of the producers outlined in this month's column, ending with a production by his fellow super DJ, Brackles, whose "I Love London" remix is as much an 8-bit anthem as it is a mission statement. Brackles' and Shortstuff's label Blunted Robots has garnered a great deal of attention in a short time, thanks to their respective productions and those of Brackles' brother, Martin Kemp. Ben UFO is co-owner of the Hessle Audio label and has an EP forthcoming from arguably the UK's most promising and jaw-dropping producer, James Blake. Ben was the first DJ to play Joy Orbison's "Hyph Mngo".

Night Slugs, Bok Bok, L-Vis 1990, Mosca, Jam City: Bringing Down the Walls

If there's a more hyped crew than this in London then someone in PR is going to be winning awards soon. Building on their long running night, Night Slugs has developed from the club brainchild of blogger/DJs Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 to a label that mixes UK funky, classic grime, and imported U.S. house and juke. The label's first release comes from Mosca but after this incredible mix on Bok Bok's blog, it's the Jam City 12" "Ecstasy remix" that will be one of the releases of the year. Bok Bok's "Citizens Dub" [ft. Bubbz], due out on Brackles' Blunted Robots, finds the midpoint between woozy grime and UK house. Expect to hear more from Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 now they've joined the Rinse FM lineup.

Addison Groove: Juke Infiltrates the UK Matrix

If Mosca and the Night Slugs are dropping juke in the UK, they're not the only ones. If you find yourself shouting "footcrab! footcrab! footcrab!" and dancing like a loon to 808 drums, you know former dubstepper Headhunter has caught the bug too. Renaming and thereby reinventing himself as Addison Groove, he's found a new passion in juke. With "Footcrab" and "Dumbshit" due for release on Loefah's Swamp 81 imprint, the drum machines points at both an interesting direction for future development for the DMZ producer as well as Headhunter's new alter ego. Dark 808 sh*t? Check Loefah's recent mix for D:Bridge's Rinse show.

Whistla and the Future Garage Movement

Sub FM's DJ Whistla made waves last year with his "future garage" manifesto, designed to "give garage a future" rather than stick it cryogenic freezer. In truth the sound is in early development stages, so it's easier to say what it's not-- namely dark dubstep or the rude soca-beat patterns of UK funky. But with releases coming thick and fast from Whistla's L2S imprint, while it's unclear where exactly he's going, he should be getting there pretty soon.

Maddslinky and the Original Dark Swing Dons

Amidst all the enthusiasm and energy surrounding new producers, it'd be easy to forget some of the original UK garage dons still doing it-- or indeed doing it again. With El-B and Noodles back in the studio as Groove Chronicles for the first time in 10 years, and Zed Bias and Steve Gurley collaborating, the foundation dubsteppers seem to have found their place again. Zed Bias and MJ Cole's recent joint EP was amazing but the big news that not only is Zed Bias releasing a diverse new Maddslinky album, but is reissuing the original, proto-dubstep album Make Your Peace with it. Perhaps only now will it be appreciated how ahead of its time its new dark swing was. Don't take my word for it: ask Skream.

Deadboy, Jackmaster, and the Numbers Crew

Numbers is the new meta-label built from the ashes of Glasgow's Wireblock, Stuff, and Dress 2Sweat Records. And while that camp may be well known as the home of Rustie and Hudson Mohawke, Numbers' new single is the Oneman anthem Deadboy's "If U Want Me" that combines garage vocal science with offkey Kode9 synths. It also features on Numbers label boss Jackmaster's recent Fabric mix, an emotional journey well worth joining him for.

Joy Orbison, TRG, Scuba, Kowton, and the Journey via Berlin

While not directly connected, Tempa's TRG and Hotflush's Scuba, Joy Orbison, and Kowton all share a background in dubstep and an interest in expanding dark house and Berlin techno's template. Scuba has a new mix CD Sub:stance out now and a second album Triangulation due soon that explores Berlin techno, dubstep, and D:Bridge's Club Autonomic halfstep drum & bass. Kowton continues to make dark, swung dubstep-inspired house. TRG's recent EP signals his move from the swung dubstep gully he made his name in to housier climes. And finally Joy Orbison needs little introduction since featuring in this column last year, but his new single "So Derobe" is every part as wonderful as his warm, house inspired Hotflush debut, "Hyph Mngo".

Zinc's Crack House

Former d&b superstar Zinc has pioneered his own personal "crack house" sound, bringing his voice to the urban house dialogue. Zinc's sound takes in the kind of caustic, club-friendly sounds you might expect in the boxes of Sinden or Switch and he recently released the "Crack House EP". But it's "Wile Out", his collaboration with Ms. Dynamite, that blows the bloody doors off, continuing where her stunning Sticky and Geeneus club anthems last left her.

Skream, Sully, Grievous Angel, VVV, and the Resurgence of 2step

If funky is inspiring producers to drop their bpms to 130 and rediscover 4x4 grooves then a 2step insurgence is only a few only a few kicks and snares away. Burial's been on this tip for years and now people are catching up, not least VVV, who's prolific output owes a debt to the Hyperdub artist but is finding his own space. Sully's a don with the swing too. With new 2step to feature on Skream's new album, the swing is definitely back.

Hackman and Slackk

Two nominally unrelated producers who have both been inspired by UK funky. Hackman is a former dubstepper who's now tipped by Fact magazine after making amazing 130 UK funky with bleepy analog bass and exquisite melodies, reminiscent of vintage MJ Cole. By contrast Slackk is the man behind Grimetapes.com, so his fresh "eski house" direction is not out of character, but very much welcome. His debut release, a SLACKK001 white label, is the Wiley-inspired "Fire Flies".

Wbeeza, Kyle Hall on Hyperdub, Circle on Rinse

If you follow the arc through non-halfstep dubstep through the new UK funky-inspired sounds and keep going, the logical next step finds you at house itself. So following the Cooly G and DVA UK funky singles on Hyperdub, Kode9 follows up with a 12" from Detroit house producer Kyle Hall, recent remixer of Darkstar's synth-bliss 2step "Aidy's Girl's a Computer". Cuts "Kaychunk" and "You Know What I Feel" are blissful, combining house hats with offkilter kicks and woozy, warm sythns-- with as much in common with Darkstar than house producers. UK producer Wbeeza's swung house turned Ben UFO's head last year and has since featured in Kowton's sets amongst others. His 12"s are well worth searching out. And finally, if you're following the arc to UK house, you should look no further than Circle's sets on Rinse, hosted ably by Tippa. "Our style, our music..." he's often heard to exclaim. To own is to control: More mutations are sure to follow.

Download lots of these 130 sounds on the Dusk + Blackdown Rinse podcast here. Sully's "The Loot remix/In Some Pattern" is out on Keysound 12". Next up is two lost Skream tracks "Sweetz (2005 flex)"/ "Angry World". LV to follow.

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Guest Malcolm Tucker

good read, gonna look in to some of this sh*t....

realy hope the whole 2 step dubsteppy dark house sounds increase

gonna check out this future garage tip aswell

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Guest Malcolm Tucker

A future garage mix for those intrested

Link: http://dubfiler.com/373736c543a8

Tracklist:

Submerse - Everything Around Us [L2S Recordings]

Synkro - Everybody Knows [smokin Sessions]

Clueless - Secret Love [forthcoming Night Audio]

Sully - Phonebox [Frijsfo Beats]

Whistla - What You Want [L2S Recordings]

Sines - Love Becomes She [untitled!]

Submerse - Forgive Me [forthcoming Night Audio]

Burial - Unite [soul Jazz]

Whistla - Steelface [L2S Recordings]

Kanvas - Next [forthcoming on L2S Recordings]

Duncan Powell - Care 4 Me (Whistla Remix) [forthcoming as a free download from http://thepushep.blogspot.com ]

M2J - Blue Tone [L2S Recordings]

Littlefoot - Alien Wet Dream [L2S Recordings]

KingThing - Trapped [forthcoming on Night Audio]

Naphta - Soundclash (Grievous Angel Remix) [forthcoming on Keysound]

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A future garage mix for those intrested

Link: http://dubfiler.com/373736c543a8

Tracklist:

Submerse - Everything Around Us [L2S Recordings]

Synkro - Everybody Knows [smokin Sessions]

Clueless - Secret Love [forthcoming Night Audio]

Sully - Phonebox [Frijsfo Beats]

Whistla - What You Want [L2S Recordings]

Sines - Love Becomes She [untitled!]

Submerse - Forgive Me [forthcoming Night Audio]

Burial - Unite [soul Jazz]

Whistla - Steelface [L2S Recordings]

Kanvas - Next [forthcoming on L2S Recordings]

Duncan Powell - Care 4 Me (Whistla Remix) [forthcoming as a free download from http://thepushep.blogspot.com ]

M2J - Blue Tone [L2S Recordings]

Littlefoot - Alien Wet Dream [L2S Recordings]

KingThing - Trapped [forthcoming on Night Audio]

Naphta - Soundclash (Grievous Angel Remix) [forthcoming on Keysound]

Safe...

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Guest Malcolm Tucker

Future Garage is basically what garage was before, but more dub guys are doing it and it's starting to blow up, so they need to reinvent it and push it and call it something else.

yeah, id say its on a groove chronicles vibe..... 2 stepy and very dubby with broken vocals

very big

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