A relatively new artist from London, Gary Brackley, is a producer whose productions under the name G.R.I.T. began in 2008.

However, this is not where his musical journey began; it started in the early nineties with a friend of his, Scott, a DJ, while Gary was a rapper. Both have a passion for the hip-hop scene, especially for original electro from the 1980s, which takes direct influence from early hip-hop and funk.

It is important to note that they had made several demos without interest. It was not until they entered rap competitions on Greater London Radio (G.L.R.), winning three times, and on each occasion being invited into the station to use their equipment and record a track for the following week’s show, that a release followed shortly after. This release happened in 1992, and it was a 12-inch on an independent label by a Euro-dance group. Scott provided a trance remix, and Gary provided vocals. I understand this happened between their early to mid-teens. During the same period, Scott became a runner-up in a DJ competition.

Additionally, they discovered hardcore, acid, electro, techno, and dub techno. Scott dabbled with hardcore. The sounds of acid and electro (harder-edged) captured Gary; despite this, he found a deep connection with Basic Channel. Staying with techno through the years 1993 to 1995, and following this period, for him, the music dried up, and he stayed away, dipping in occasionally as other commitments in life took over.

Reinvigorated in music creation and Scott suggesting an investment in music software, in 2007, a transition began, and soon Gary started crafting techno, and his production career took hold.

Music is an integral part of these individuals’ temperament; a journey of discovery into their passion in this arena. The connection to Basic Channel was the moment when music went from aural engagement to a will for creative art. The importance of what Basic Channel and its side projects accomplished is breathtaking, and its lasting impact on people cannot be understated; it is a phenomenal artistic creation that keeps on giving. For further reading on this, please turn to Ben’s starting piece on Basic Channel, and, when completed, to the side projects as well. This specific moment in Gary’s history resonates deeply with me, and I am confident this resonates with many others.

What is so beautiful about this is that it is innocence, inquisitiveness, and following that feeling from within. Both found a style that was what these two wanted to give. For me, both of these artists are incredibly talented; though their music production outputs are slightly different, both artists’ music shows careful consideration in its structure. It is this that is so important for me, this undivided attention, and here it shows in abundance.

For Scott, the only track I can locate is the one embedded directly below. I am unsure of the exact production date; it was before April 2013. Beautiful, sensible electronic music with lovely acid and chord lines; it is magnificent. Such a shame this was not finalised.

SCOTT: FUTURE THOUGHT TAPESTRIES

‘Plnetz Reprise (Gabriel’s Quest)’

I understand this file for this track is no longer available, and since its creation, it has evolved into something different.

GARY BRACKLEY: G.R.I.T.

Gary has produced three albums, one on Shoreless and two on MeanWhile; two solo EPs for Exalt, and Rohs! and two joint EPs for Grounded in Humanity and Samuvar Ltd. Additionally, five tracks for Rohs! digital label. He is also part of the Satellite Religion collective, which is SEN; John G. Shern, Future Thought Tapestries (Scott), Channel 73 & Space-ci.

In order, his first release was digital only; 5 tracks for Rohs! in 2008, ‘Tunnel Transmissions Vol.1’.

In the same year, an album titled ‘Expanse’ was released on Shoreless. From the start, his productions show a solid work ethic and deep understanding of rhythm, timbre and technique.

A couple of selects:

‘Marianas Trench’

‘Endless Waves’

The first of his joint EPs alongside Hubertus Schacht followed in 2009. Gary’s track, ‘Infinite’.

In 2012, there were two remix albums of Expanse released on Entropy, part I, part II, and a third release containing a single track, ‘Expanse cv313 Expansed Reprise’ with a duration of 21:33. Rod Modell and Stephen Hitchell use micro-samples from every track on the album and reprocess them to create this beautiful soundscape. Incredible.

In the same year, Gary produced an astonishing album, ‘As I Look To The Sky From The Surface Of The Water’. It is a masterpiece that makes an incredibly strong statement, cementing this release with its own distinct independence from the creator’s own material.

‘As I Look To The Sky From The Surface Of The Water’. Full album.

The whole album is phenomenal. The title track is 9.49 of pure emotion that will open the heart of anyone who engages, and it does not let go, and that, for me, is always a good thing. More precisely, it is sound that covers me like a blanket and holds me in a secure state, one of love and incredible positivity. Evoke is another that leaves me in awe. It is electronic music of the highest order. This release truly hits hard.

Tracks from this album, including the opener, were offered to me for consideration; unfortunately, at that time, I was not in a position to take them on, which was upsetting. I am forever grateful to Rob and Graeme at Meanwhile for this one.

In 2009, ‘Closure E.P.’ was released on Rohs!

‘Closure’

A quality track, soothing and freeing chord lines, yet they also draw me back in.

In 2017, he released another astounding album of faultless production and sonic technique, ‘Drifting From The Bay’, with two tracks chosen.

‘Drifting From The Bay’

‘Principle’

In 2020, a joint EP with Stojche Cvetanovski, titled ‘Genocide’, surfaced, featuring two tracks from Gary: ‘Karoshi’ and ‘Tears’.

Gary, immersed in hip‑hop: rapping, recording at radio stations, winning freestyle competitions, absorbing rhythm as a language, is something he lived long before he ever touched dub‑techno. This early grounding in cadence never left him. You can hear it in his percussion. When he shifted into electronic music, he brought with him a groove and emotional truth that is unmistakably his own.

What sets him apart is his sincerity; there is no posturing, no attempt to mimic the Berlin lineage, and no desire to fit into a scene; a sound wholly shaped by his environment, history, and emotional landscape; music made by someone who understands that depth is through honesty.

Gary’s own words, “I hope to continue making music and find it very satisfying when I hear that the music I have made reaches someone like yourself in the way that it reaches me.” These words speak volumes. His tracks already prove that his production knowledge is wide in scope and that his technique is finely tuned, as his compositions are layered with precision sound choices, shifting between the diverse depth found in dub-techno and the emotive beauty of ambient. True commitment to his work ethic, and for me, it’s reflected in his statement. That the music he produces needs to reach him in the way he intended, and that this precise emotional state and feeling transposes to others in the same way, his pieces show that he sets his creative bar extremely high.

The same is true for Scott. Though I have only got one song to go from here, this one song is enough for me to commend and speak with equal high praise. It is a track that encompasses all that the 1990s were; it is timeless and incredibly well thought out. Though unfinished, it is seriously good.

Two producers that I hope have not finished creating.

Until the next one, I leave you with this intoxicating sense of freedom. A 7-inch from 2014; both tracks for you.

‘Midway Across The Bridge’

‘This Journey Of Ours’

Stay safe.

Peace and Love.

Stef

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There are few production outfits as foundational to techno music as Basic Channel. In the early 90s, the German duo of Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus was pivotal in placing Berlin at the forefront of this emerging sound, providing a European counterpoint and sparring partner to the waves of innovation coming out of Detroit.

At the same time, they were exerting huge influence over dub, reggae, house and a swathe of other genres through a near-flawless run of releases across an extraordinary range of side projects and aliases. All of which we’ll cover in the coming weeks.

For now, let’s start at the beginning.

BASIC CHANNEL

It’s hard to imagine today what Berlin must have been like in the early 1990s. A time when post-industrial, administrative and military buildings vacated by the collapsing Soviet empire became a playground for hedonistic adventurers and artists forging a new path into a free future.

But rather than listen to me speculate, go and read about it from someone who was actually there.

At the epicentre of this extraordinary historical moment was a production team, Basic Channel, expertly flexing the machine funk template of Detroit techno into the audio processing, echo-chamber sensibilities of Jamaican dub soundsystems to create something bold, fresh and new: Dub Techno.

I know we say this a lot, but in this instance it really is mandatory to go and check out the entire back catalogue. I could very easily embed every single track Basic Channel have released, and be justified in doing so. But for the sake of editorial rigour I’ve pulled a few favourites below:

Cyrus ‘Enforcement’ (BC 01 / 1993)

Their first release is a blistering statement of intent with a direct link to Jeff Mills (both sonically, and through his remix on the flip side) and no doubt a huge influence on Robert Hood, who would go on to release ‘Minimal Nation’ the following year.

The early Basic Channel stuff was something that did have more of a Detroit flavor. Yeah, I would say it has some direct influences from Jeff Mills. The beginning of Basic Channel sounded like Detroit techno but really degraded, sonically degraded. We were doing our music with what we had, but what they were doing was something else. What we were doing in Detroit is we were making paintings. What they were doing was they were making sculptures.

Carl Craig (via RA)

I often wonder how it must have felt descending into some monochrome, post-Soviet bunker to hear one of these monumental rhythms slowly and menacingly emerging out of the darkness.

What an incredible time.

Basic Channel ‘Phylyps Track’ (BC 02 / 1993)

The second Basic Channel release delivers one of the all time tracks of techno. Tough and rolling yet, at the same time, delicate and skeletal. Kicks submerged under layers of processing and effects. Not the relentless ‘boom’ of the modern sound, but something much more human and refined.

A true work of art.

Basic Channel ‘Octaedre’ (BC 07 / 1994)

A masterpiece of phasing and slow, patient minimalist evolution.

Sod it, have the A-side too:

Basic Channel ‘Octagon’ (BC 07 / 1994)

An impeccable release.

While I certainly appreciate the high-tempo tracks, it’s the deeper cuts that resonate with me most strongly. A prime example being this timeless piece of music:

Basic Channel ‘Q1 1/I’ (BC 04 / 1993)

Majestic, shimmering and optimistic. It could have been released today and still sound fresh and new.

Would do serious damage at DC10.

And while the Basic Channel sound is undeniably club-ready and primed for the dancefloor, for my money the strongest output lies in their ambient and dubbed out explorations.

Which is really saying something, because the straight techno is absolutely first rate. As you’ve just heard.

Vainquer ‘Lyot Rmx’ (BC 03 / 1993)

Cyrus ‘Presence’ (BC 05 / 1993)

I could listen to this on loop for days.

Finally, three tracks that place BC at the absolute pinnacle of my record collection.

‘Radiance I’ (BC 08 / 1994)

‘Radiance III’ (BC 08 / 1994)

Basic Channel ‘Mutism’ (BCD / 1995)

These are deep, profound, healing grooves created with time, care and attention that demand extended home listening.

They are also a perfect segue into the Rhythm & Sound project which I’ll be covering in two weeks time.

For now, take care.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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It’s Friday.

We’re relaying the Foundations.

Here’s a few words from Stef.

I should begin by explaining my workflow, since many of the artists involved have considerably longer and more complex histories than others, who are smaller in scale; all of whom are incredibly important, and it is for time constraints that my posts will not follow a strict decade-by-decade timeline. I am going to move between artists from the beginning, the pioneers and those that followed; beginning in the late nineties, and later, generally referred to as ‘second wave’ artists, which in my humble opinion is an ineptly named term, artists that came later creating quality are indisputably critical to the development and progression of something that is our heritage and are not less important; the same applies to new and upcoming artists.

I appreciate your understanding, and now on to this week’s post.

釣哲生 (TETSUO TSURI)

From Japan, I turn your attention to Matrix, the alias of Japanese producer Tetsuo Tsuri, without a doubt a highly competent and incredibly forward-thinking artist, who, in comparison to Steve Paton, had a considerably shorter music time span: Less than 17 months, somewhere in 1999 to May 2000 and then no more.

Matrix is one of the quietest corners of late‑90s electronic music; however, it is one of the most compelling. Leaving behind only a small number of quality electronic music productions. A total of 17 tracks over four releases: 3 EPs, ‘Isthmus #Fast’, ‘Isolated Dot’ and ‘See Off’; with all tracks from these releases appearing on the final production, a compilation titled ‘Various Films’. In this release, the first three tracks (0.1 - ‘Isolation’, 0.2 - ‘Blue Film #A’, and 0.3 - ‘Equator Music’ - also found on the EP Isolated Dot) are hidden in the pre-gap track, with a duration of 12:25. Rewinding the CD, back from the first track gives access to these tracks.

I have the utmost respect for this artist and his productions. The discography is small but incredibly precise. Each production is captivating and invites you into its atmosphere: short, mid, and long length, self‐contained studies in texture, mood, and intensity.

VARIOUS FILMS

‘Various Films’ is electronic music at its brilliant best, and it is dub-techno of the highest order, sitting and belonging alongside other grand productions from pioneers of this style. It also encompasses minimal and ambient styles. Cold-machine quality balanced with delicate, introspective beauty, uncompromising in places, with a slight grainy feel, and finely placed subtle hiss adding further depth. Percussion is overall distinct, yet subtle, as displayed in Nimbus. Tempo range 120 to 150. Varied pitch between low, mid, and high melody lines; however, it is mainly and equally balanced in the low and mid key domains.

The high-pitched melody line of ‘Red Film #2’ features sudden increases and decreases in volume throughout, dropping out when Tetsuo places what seem like sudden jumps, making it seem like the track is restarting. The melody line volume previously dropped, re-climbs. It is a fascinating listen, and it throws you out. These sections change the original structure, and it seems out of sequence; it would certainly seem complex if you were thinking of mixing at this section. However, these changes do not throw the timing out; it certainly sounds odd to the middle ear, but it is possible to keep everything matched. Absolutely intriguing.

‘Blue Film #4+’, ‘Blue Film #2+’, ‘Red Film #1’, ‘Isolated Dot’, and ‘Zkj’ take the listener to the darker edges of emotions: ‘Blue Film #2+’, ‘Blue Film #4+’ with its lurking, move-with-stealth overtones; ‘Red film #1’ brings uncertainty to the fore; ‘Isolated Dot’ with its distinct desolate, despairing melody. ‘Zkj’ with its repetitive, dystopian industrial-machine feel, then at 2,35 you experience the beautiful chord line to accompany the track out. These are the tracks that bring forth dark undercurrents.

At either end of ‘Various Films’, you are greeted with pieces that are connected with good emotions, instantly connecting to the heart; at the beginning, ‘Isolation’, ‘Equator Music’, and ‘Blue Film #A’, at the other end it is ‘Flora’, ‘See Off’, ‘Nimbus’ and the 137 BPM masterpiece of ‘Isthmus #Fast’.

These pieces are like vignettes; however, not all are brief, rather varied lengths of evocative descriptions of what I tend to think of as scenes from an experimental film or dream with no narrative, only feeling; each one a moment suspended in time: simply existing. And yet, within their minimalism, there is a profound sense of humanity; this is the hand of someone who absolutely understood that music, with the smallest gestures, can produce incredibly powerful emotion.

The following tracks are a few that resonate deeply with me:

‘Isolation’

‘Milieux’

‘Isthmus #Fast’

What makes Matrix so absorbing is the way his work bridges two sensibilities: the submerged, grainy aesthetic of Berlin’s dub‑techno pioneers and the delicate, introspective minimalism often found in Japanese electronic music. Where Berlin feels industrial, architectural, and cold, respectively, Matrix’s culture is organic, botanical, and warm. It is the direct combination of these two distinct areas explored by Tetsuo that comes into full effect in his 17 pieces and in his rather unique production style.

Even though dub‑techno emerged in the 1990s, its core aesthetics echo ideas pioneered at the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) Studio for Electronic Music in Cologne in 1955. WDR established the idea of music built from pure tones and controlled repetition, normalising the studio as an instrument, and their focus on space, resonance, and tone purity shaped later ambient and minimal aesthetics.

Matrix’s productions are acknowledgment and a distinct nod to WDR’s Innovations. We can push this further and think about the lineage of his music to 1940s Pierre Schaeffer’s musique concrète, and tape manipulation, 1950s, early computer music, and pure electronic synthesis; pure tone synthesis, and pure synthesis, and 1970s dub-style tape delay: It is, minimal, evolving structures; pure, rounded synth tones; loop‑based rhythmic logic; and fundamentally using space as a compositional element, and studio‑as‑instrument philosophy.

In a scene dominated by prominent producers, Matrix represents something essential: the value of smallness, of subtlety, of music made without expectation, with quality as the backbone of every piece. His work reminds us that the most affecting music is the one that sits quietly yet can provoke a vast array of emotions. It is anticipation, uncertainty, emptiness, but it is personal, quiet and deeply sincere.

However, what makes this artist demand attention is that, after listening to the ‘Various Films’ compilation as a whole, it is what is left. For me, it takes me on an intense emotional journey through numerous emotional states and varying lengths, coupled with tracks of varying speeds and intensity, which adds a fascinating dimension to the listening experience. Fundamentally, it is not only the music; it is the placement of the pieces and how that comes together. When it concludes with ‘Isthmus #Fast’, the state leaves me with that awe-inspiring moment, deep in thought for days to come. But it is a state that also feels as if a personal encounter has just occurred, or more so, a deep connection into Tetsuo’s world, and that may be the essence of why, in the same vein as Steve Paton, nothing is found archived about this producer. Here, though, I am drawn deeper in and have a better understanding of Tetsuo. I can not explain why, so I will not attempt this. If this is telling a story about him, then it’s genius. Unbelievably talented; I only wish there were more of his productions.

His productions leave me with the overriding reality of being remarkably free.

Until the next one, I will leave you with this timeless beauty, ‘See Off’.

Peace and Love

Stef

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It’s Friday.

We’re relaying the foundations of dance music culture.

No time to waste »

REPRAZENT

I’ve been revisiting ‘New Forms’, the 1997 long player from legendary Bristol collective Reprazent. This release did more than any other to thrust Drum and Bass out of the underground and into the mainstream, multi-national limelight.

Without compromising on quality, I should add.

It really is very good.

A deserving Winner of the Mercury Prize in 1997.

And one of the defining releases of the decade.

It has definitely stood the test of time.

Let’s have a listen »

Opening shot ‘Railing’ sets a ‘different pace’ with razor-sharp breaks setting the foundation for what is probably the best MC performance on a Drum and Bass track, courtesy of Dynamite:

After which we’re dropped straight into one of dance music’s most iconic bass licks ‘Brown Paper Bag’:

Amazing music.

And a statement of intent.

Because from that point on it’s wall-to-wall heaters and, as I sit here writing this, it’s actually really hard to select standout tracks.

Of course, special mention has to be made of the extraordinary vocal contributions of Onallee (aka Tracey Bowen). This previously unknown artist stamps her mark on almost half the album, and really helps elevate the project from a collection of high quality rhythm tracks into a timeless soul record.

I love her appearances on ‘New Forms’, ‘Digital’ and ‘Watching Windows’. Today I want to highlight ‘Share The Fall’:

And the all time classic ‘Heroes’ which will always remind me of standing in Virgin Megastore in Nottingham listening to the future open up in front of me:

It’s also impossible to ignore the group’s pioneering blend of live bass (Si John) and drums (Clive Deamer) with the hardware and production core of Roni Size, Krust, Die and Suv.

This uniqe formulation (especially in a DJ-driven culture like Jungle) made them one of the most compelling live acts to come out of the UK in the past 30 years:

Era-defining sounds and vibes.

Make sure to check out the whole thing for yourself.

But Reprazent didn’t appear from nowhere, fully formed in 1997.

Where did this extraordinary burst of creativity come from?

BRISTOL

Bristol has always played a central role in UK sound system culture.

Since the arrival of the first Jamaican immigrants in the 1950s and ‘60s, social gatherings focused around highly-amplifed reggae, funk and soul music have been a vital gathering point for communities going through social and economic hardship.

By the late 1970s, Bristol's scene had solidified with dedicated crews operating dub and reggae-focused sound systems, including prominent selectors like Jah Lokko, Enterprise, Sir Bastian, and Excalibur.

The ‘80s saw the arrival of hip-hop crews like Wild Bunch, a project of Robert Del Naja (3D), Grant Marshall (Daddy G) and Andrew Vowles (Mushroom) who would go on to form Massive Attack.

Nelle Hooper, also part of the Wild Bunch, would go on to produce for Soul II Soul, Sinead O’Connor, Bjork and many others. He was on the buttons for Massive Attack’s classic second LP ‘Protection’ (a personal favourite of mine).

And of course we can’t forget Smith & Mighty, or trip-hop originators like Portishead and Tricky amongst many others.

All of whom were integral players in the rich cultural lineage from which Reprazent would emerge in the mid-90s, driven by the creative force of a core crew of producers centred around Roni Size, Krust, Die and Suv.

Either working alone, or collaborating across a huge range of aliases, the crew released an extraordinary amount of music music on their own labels Full Cycle and Dope Dragon, as well as on iconic imprints like Chronic, V and many others.

I’ve picked a few standouts.

RONI SIZE

Roni is widely viewed as one of the three most important artists in Drum and Bass, alongside Goldie and LTJ Bukem. Definitely the leader and most prolific member of the Full Cycle crew.

Inch by Inch (1993)

Both tracks on Roni’s debut release are great. What I love most is that one side is hardcore and the other jungle. This was the exact moment (1993) when the scenes split, with the 4x4 hardcore crew going in one direction and the junglists in another. Check it:

‘Kiss’

Straight kick drum, definitely hardcore.

Compared to the low slung broken jungle steppa ‘Soul’:

It’s a Jazz Thing (1994)

By ‘94, Mr Size was already rolling out scene defining riddims and establishing his signature deep jazz and funk sound.

Firefox & 4-Tree - Warning (1994)

Pure fiya jungle. Nothing better.

Roni Size - ‘All the Crew Big Up’ (1995)

Yet another scene anthem and defining tune of jungle.

KRUST

Krust is a big thinker and serious artist, responsible for many defining records of the era.

Jazz Note (1994)

Sublime elegance and simplicity, should be in any discerning jungle lover’s arsenal.

Set Speed (1995)

One of my first introductions to jungle. A classic roller with killer samples.

Maximum Style - The Teacher (Krust Remix) (1995)

A personal favourite. The perfect blend of deep intelligence and ruffneck tearout rudeness.

Towards the end of the 90s, Krust would take Drum and Bass to new heights with a series of pioneering, cinematic long-form tracks.

Memories (1996)

Brief Encounters (1997)

Soul in Motion (1997)

True Stories (1998)

DIE

A Devon native who arrived in Bristol in 1985 and went on to become one of the city’s most cherished musical sons.

Play It For Me (1996)

All about that bassline. The classic Bristol Sound, perfectly balancing the dark and light and delivering with soul.

Music Box (1996)

Glistening and shimmering perfection in this collab with ROni Size, which formed part of the seminal complication of the same name released by Full Cycle in 1996.

The Music Box lp also included this collab between Roni and Die under their Scorpio alias, alongside vocalist Leonie Laws.

Scorpio - Breakbeat Era

The trio would go on to record and perform as Breakbeat Era, as I’ll come back to shortly.

Clear Skyz (1998)

One of the all time classic tracks of Drum and Bass. There was a period in the late 90s when this track would be dropped at every single rave, often by multiple DJs.

Clear Skyz VIP (1996)

Alternate version discovered on an old DAT and released in 2022. Probably one of the only good things about lockdown was all the old heads digging out their archives.

Reprazent - Watching Windows (DJ Die Gnarly Vocal Mix)

The best remix to come out of the New Forms album. Used to cause absolute murders on the dancefloor when the LFO drops. IYKYK.

SUV

The least prolific of the crew, but with some real heaters in the bag nonetheless. Here’s a couple:

Get On Down (1996)

A wicked collab with Die on V Recordings which formed part of the Randall Dreamscape mix I shared a couple of weeks ago.

Parklands (2000)

Just epic from start to finish. Possibly the best release on Full Cycle, NGL.

BREAKBEAT ERA

I definitely have to mention the other group Roni and Die were part of alongside vocalist Leonie Laws.

Breakbeat Era was formed out of an early collab on the Music Box LP (as mentioned earlier), with a series of 12s and an LP dropping through 1998 and 2000. There are some gems.

Breakbeat Era (1998)

Little jazz funk roller very much in the Reprazent vein.

Our Disease Tera (1999)

One of the all time rinse out DnB tunes. My mate went to Planet V at the Que Club in Birmingham around this time and Roni Size opened with this on dubplate. Apparently half the crowd thought the soundsystem had blown before the drop came in and the place went completey mental. Killer track.

Late Morning (1999)

The melancholic standout from the Ultra-Obscene LP.

DOPE DRAGON

And finally, I need to shine a light on Dope Dragon. This is the jump-up focused side label the crew ran in tandem with Full Cycle.

It’s a deep catalogue you should go and explore.

The ‘Wayz of the Dragon’ compliation, released in 1998, was one of my earliest introductions to Bristol DnB. Killer beats:

Mask & Swabe - Came and Conquered

Roni and Die under their respective Mask & Swabe aliases.

Bigga Star - Ghost

Rude and deadly.

Gang Related & Mask - Dictation (Michael Caine Mix)

Finally, we’ll end on a high note with one of the all time classics of jump up drum and bass.

You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off..!

Reprazent, Bristol, Roni, Die, Krust, Suv, Dope Dragon, Full Cuycle, V, Chronic: Salute.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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“Any affiliates of Choose Love should be demanding transparency. When one looks at the sponsors of Choose Love it is heavily infested by Zionist or supporting organisations and those that advocate for Israeli supremacy in the region.” Vanessa Beeley

A message to Ben UFO, Yazmin Lacey, Greentea Peng, Hot Chip, Benji B, Tash LC, Shygirl, Scott Diaz, DJ Boring, Hannah Holland, Moxie, Luke Unabomber, Heidi, Sarah Story, Daniel Avery, Saoirse, Jumpin Jack Frost, L-Vis 1990, Jon Hopkins, A Guy Called Gerald, the Chapter 10 boys, the freemason Norman Jay MBE, Danny Howard, Horse Meat Disco, Shay Malt from Adonis, Josh Caffe, Grace Sands from DIY, Katy B, Chloe Caillet and others.

Do you know what you’ve signed up to on March 28th in London?

CHOOSE LOVE?

A few weeks ago I wrote about the infiltration of Together for Palestine by the supposed ‘charity’ Choose Love: an organisation which talks a good game about ending conflicts, while collaborating with military intelligence agencies and billionaire-backed slush funds coordinating regime change operations in Syria and ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.

In case you missed it:

I described this at the time as the “total subversion of the British music industry and our creative culture in order to deliver geopolitical outcomes for Zionists and the ethnic displacement / erasure of the Palestinian people.”

I stand by that analysis.

And now Choose Love has popped up even closer to home: working in collaboration with R3 Sound System as part of the fully astroturfed and establishment-backed ‘Together’ protests taking place in London next weekend.

Quite the lineup, I’m sure you’ll agree:

R3, for those that don’t know, is an ‘activist’ collective founded and run by Gideon Berger, the DJ and promoter behind Glastonbury’s Block9, which includes NYC Downlow, Genosys, Maceo’s and IICON.

According to his RA profile, “Gideon has been very involved in political activism over the years and is now increasingly focussed on organising hybrid cultural-political events partnering music and protest, often under the banner of R3 Soundsystem.”

I first remember R3 appearing after the Brexit vote, when we were treated to the remarkable sight of wealthy DJs who spend their lives flying around the world being paid to attend parties pouring scorn on largely working class British people who object to being governed by unelected bureaucrats in Brussells.

This was one of the moments where I began to fall out of love with club culture in a serious way.

To be clear: Europe and the EU are not the same thing.

And if you think the EU is working in your best interests, I can assure you with absolute certainty that it isn’t:

DIVIDE AND RULE

But Ben, I hear you cry, they’re protesting against the ‘Far Right’ and ‘Hate’, what could possibly be wrong about that?

The issue is this: the Zionist establishment runs on divide and rule.

By weaponising two sides of the population against each other they have us fighting in the streets instead of coordinating to overthrow the corrupt and genocidal regime.

It is quite literally one of the oldest tricks in the book: The Romans used a policy of divide et impera to manage conquered territories by fragmenting local power structures and preventing unified resistance.

And ‘Together’ and R3 Soundsystem are helping the British establishment execute this exact strategy, whether the artists booked to perform next weekend realise it or not.

Think about it:

How can we be ‘together’ when the entire premise of the ‘Together’ march is to demonise half the country as ‘Far Right’?

Why are the only messages being amplified by the mainstream ones of division, including those being pushed by the supposed ‘Together Alliance’?

Left vs Right

Black vs White

Women vs Men

Natives vs Immigrants

Muslims vs Christians

I could go on, but I’m sure you get the point.

Have any of the artists booked to play next week had a single conversation with one of these supposed ‘Far Right’ bogey men?

Do you even know what it is they’re upset about, or are you repeating what gets printed in Zio rags like the Guardian?

Are you aware that people like Tommy Robinson on the political ‘Right’ are ultimately backed by the same financial and geopolitical interests as Choose Love on the political ‘Left’?

Read that again.

Mad innit.

REAL UNITY

Acid House is supposed to be a unifying force that sits outside of mainstream political discourse.

That’s not to say it shouldn’t be political, but it certainly shouldn’t be helping perpetuate establishment divide and rule narratives designed to prop up the neo-imperial status quo.

More on that another time.

Although this would be a good place to start:

For now, my strong advice to all concerned: stay well clear of the march on the 28th, stay well clear of R3 Sound System and start getting real about what’s actually happening in this country.

Otherwise things are going to keep getting worse.

Peace and love.

Rubin

PS - art world too you know:

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It’s Friday, and we’re back in your inbox relaying the foundations of Acid House culture.

STEVE PATON

One of, if not the most, opaque figures in 90’s UK electronic music.

Gracing us with his mastery in electronic music production from 1993 to 1999. There is nothing archived on the web about Steve Paton, apart from the physical traces of his productions; this discography is small-scale, but it delivers an incredibly strong statement with a lasting effect that resonates to this day.

He is an extraordinary and exceptional artist, one of my personal favourites.

He has four aliases: Disco Midgets, Lo-Fi Sensibilities, Midiman, and The 4th Wave, and he worked in three groups: Area, Emotive Force, and The Invisibles.

His two established labels are Urban Audio Co. and Fourth Wave Productions.

Additionally, I have the feeling that he is involved with Intelligence Records, but I have been unable to substantiate whether it is another of his labels. That said, the fact that Steve Paton and John Litchfield appear multiple times on this label, specifically the first two releases, and that Steve is a deeply anonymous figure as is this label’s details suggests he was either: part of the core group running Intelligence Records, or the primary creative force behind it, or the owner operating under anonymity, which fits his pattern. The label’s sound, era, anonymity, and roster all align with his known work and habits. Based on what I do know, Steve was most certainly involved in Intelligence Records at a foundational level, possibly as the owner or one of the key people running it. Without a surviving credit, I cannot confirm ownership with certainty.

In order, his real name and alias productions are:

STEVE PATON

He released Motor-Vation / The Seventh City in 1994, the only release to come out on his Fourth Wave Productions record label.

The Seventh City (6 a.m. Mix)

He co-produced and engineered ‘Central Park’ and ‘Headhunter’ on Aubrey’s Seminal ‘Long Live The Underground E.P.’ from 1994, which I spoke about here, and he remixed Sound Enforcer ‘Re-Enforcement 6’ in 1995, which was on ‘The Secret Life Of Trance 6’.

MIDIMAN

In 1994, he wrote ‘Patterns’ which came out on Intelligence Records, INT008. Early UK Detroit-influenced techno machine funk.

‘Nusa Dua’

The other three tracks are Phon, LX and Altitude (links provided whee files are available).

THE 4th WAVE

Stunning emotive deep techno; precision productions of immense quality are on show here; this is the epitome of the class of UK techno from the 90‘s. Deep, emotive, machine soul of early Detroit‑influenced techno.

1995 / Touched

‘Touched’

‘Ethereal’

‘Electroluv’

1996 / Attention Please

‘Mean Streets’

‘Cosmic Dance’

1997 / Objets D’art III

‘Lounge Music’

LO-FI SENSIBILITIES

A joint release in 1996 on Mo Wax alongside the gorgeous Urban Tribe’s ‘Covert Action’ track, originally on Retroactive. Cabin Fever is another beautiful, slow, deep, dusty, experimental, downtempo textured track, making this release essential.

‘Cabin Fever’

DISCO MIDGETS

A house release in 1999, titled ‘Boomba Ye’, of Leftfield electronic explorations on his second label, Urban Audio Co. No uploads for this one.

Steve was also involved with several groups.

AREA

Steve worked with John Litchfield for Area and Emotive Force, releasing two EPs: Area, ‘Databook EP’ in 1993, and ‘Area 1’ in 1994, the one I will focus on. John also contributed to other productions, in particular ‘Ethereal’ from the ‘Touched EP’ by The 4th Wave.

‘Area 1’ contains tracks of beautiful techno, ‘Area 4’ and ‘Area 7’ on the more experimental side, delicate and refined, ‘Area 1’ is a lovely driving piece. Outstanding.

Area-7 ‘Dreams Of Her’

Area-4 ‘A Moment Passed - Reworked’

Area-1 ‘R. Sound’

EMOTIVE FORCE

Two releases, plus a track provided to a various-artist release. The sound here is a techno/trance-acid combination, leaning more toward the latter with the 1993 ‘Voyages’ release, and straight acid with the track ‘Neutron’, found on ‘Intelligent Hardrive Volume 1’, 1994. ‘Ascendance’, a lovely piece of Techno with a fine 303 and chord lines sculptured throughout to be found on their second EP, ‘Power Device’, in 1995.

THE INVISIBLES

This alias is his work with Jason Jones, releasing two tracks.

The first track is on the 1996 compilation ‘There Are Many Different Colours’ on Octopus.

‘Babel’

The second track is ‘Estamos Perdidos’, released in 1997 on the ‘Further Adventures In Techno Soul Sampler EP’, and in 1998 on the ‘Further Adventures In Techno Soul’ compilation CD’. Interestingly, the title translates as ‘we’re lost’, which is quite telling.

‘Estamos Perdidos’

There is another track on this release as 4th Wave versus Synchrojack, titled ‘Rudder’.

Steve is quite an incredible talent, and his output is phenomenal. Though his presence was only six years, and one of those rare figures whose work circulated in the true-underground as he left no public footprint; making him a cult figure. His entire presence is defined by the music alone; the ability to write across different genres with such ease is breathtaking, showing us in this short span just how talented he really was. What is astonishing here is that the tracks he writes for these different styles are not poor; in fact, the opposite: they are high-quality, capturing the genre with incredible precision and lucidity; showing he had a true passion for the scene, immersing himself fully and committing to writing quality from the start:

His productions sit in the quiet corners of the 1990s UK underground, where Detroit’s emotional futurism met London’s leftfield experimentation. His tracks appear on obscure 12-inch records and on labels with only one or a few releases, which feel like messages from someone who never intended to be found. And that could be the point; the anonymity wasn’t an accident, maybe it was the essence. The music itself carries a solitude, a distance that feels almost private; someone who lived more so outside the music world, a man walking his path quietly, unnoticed, yet close enough to observe the scene and translate it into something purer and deeply meaningful for the listener. The majority of his tracks feature intricate percussion programming, beautiful emotive chord lines, and are layered with depth that invites you inward. When I listen to his tracks, there is a real warmth of analogue circuitry that comes through. Music that I describe as only to reach you, and once it does, it stays. His 4th Wave productions are a perfect example of this; they are deep and full of the same emotional weight you hear in the best of 90s Detroit techno or UK IDM. There is real tenderness in these pieces, a sense of someone working alone in the quiet of the night, head down, focusing on quality with no intention of being recognised. This man wasn’t trying to impress anyone; he was only trying to express something true. What makes him so compelling is not just the music, but the silence around it; the refusal to be known, a name attached to aliases attached to records that feel like fragments of a life not meant to be seen. And yet, the emotional clarity of the music tells you everything you need to know. The story is in the sound.

A producer who left behind no words, only resonance and there’s something deeply moving, honest and rare about that.

Just incredible, beautiful electronic music, nothing else left to say. Just sit back, close your eyes and let this music flow through you.

Until the next one, I leave you with this beauty.

‘Attention Please’

Be safe.

Peace and Love.

Stef

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It’s Friday, you know the score.

This week we’re heading back into the jungle, with the all time master dubplate selector.

Love.

RANDALL

For true dnb heads growing up in the 1990s, there was only ever one king of the rollers: Randall.

The vinyl vandal.

Too hot to handle.

Real name Randall McNeil.

In the thick of the scene from the earliest days of Acid House, which he first encountered at Notting Hill Carnival in 1987, Randall quickly established himself as a consummate selector and one of the best mix-and-blend DJs ever to touch deck.

As Acid House morphed into hardcore, jungle and drum and bass, Randall was at the forefront of the evolutionary process. Cutting the most upfront dubs and constantly pushing the sound forward through his residencies at seminal raves like AWOL in Islington and the legendary Metalheadz sessions at Blue Note on Hoxton Square. As well as through his involvement with Forest Gate’s highly respected De Underground Records, alongside co-owners Mike De Underground, Cool Hand Flex and Uncle 22.

Randall is probably most famous (for DJs anyway) as the inventor of the double drop mixing technique that would go on to define drum and bass DJing right up to the present day. Ths involved creating completely new musical forms live in the mix by skillfuly blending and switching the bass, drums and melodies from different tracks to create a completely new composition. Often keeping tracks rolling together for minutes a time, all perfectly laced up on dubplate. No mean feat.

“He’d blow your brains out. The way he’d roll things out, and his selections were out of this world. I can still remember some of those blends now. The genius of his switches, and how he’d take things where you least expect. It’s not about transitions, it’s about creating actual moments between the records. That’s the art of DJing, right there.”

Andy C, describing Randall to DJ Magazine in 2017

A perfect example of the double drop in action is the opening section of one of the defining DnB mixes of the late 90s: the ‘Extra Sensory Perception’ session released by Dreamscape in 1997.

Opening with Dom and Optical’s apocalyptic tech step masterpiece ‘Quadrant 6’, Randall effortlessly segues into the rude, broken sub bass steppa that is Seiji’s ‘Storm Report’ over a flawless 3-minute transition.

Truly next level selection and technique.

Beyond the opening salvo, this set is a perfect encapsulation of the best of late 90s drum and bass and Randall’s clinical approach to mixing. Featuring wall-to-wall underground classics from the likes of Future Forces (D Bridge & Vegas), Nasty Habits, Capone and many more.

In a scene that often becomes obsessively focused on its own micro-genres, Randall’s ability to effortlessly select and flow between different sounds and corners of the scene while creating something coherent and uniquely his own is one of the things that made him stand out as one of the true creative forces in underground music.

As Lee Gamble once said, “Jungle functions as a particle accelerator”. It strips all other genres down to their fundamental components, shatters them, accelerates them and reshapes them in its own image. Pulling on everything from jazz fusion to rare groove to progressive rock to detroit techno in the process.

Randall was the master of navigating this terrain.

Shout to MC Fats for perfectly hosting the session on mic.

Sadly, both Randall and Fats passed away in recent years. Fats in 2023 after a long struggle with diabetes, and Randall just a year later in 2024 at the tender age of 54. Yet the impact of these originators lives on through the indelible mark they’ve left on the artists and ravers around them.

For those wanting to dig deeper, you really can’t do better than this extraordinary collection of over 500 Randall sets put together after his death by Mancunian rave archivist Dork Sirjur. (Tip - head to the AWOL sets from 92, 93 and 94 to hear the evolution from hardcore to jungle. Golden era business.)

Some personal highlights:

The first time I saw Randall playing Flashback at the Que Club in November 2001. He delivered a ‘93 jungle masterclass which will forever be etched in my memory.

Watching him shut down Renegade Hardware at The End with this absolute weapon from Amit.

That one time I got play with him at Queen’s Yard Summer party a few years back.

One more tune!

Peace and love.

Rubin

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It’s Friday, and we’re back laying the Foundations with one of the House Masters.

Enjoy.

AUSTIN BASCOM

Austin Bascom was born and raised in the East End of London. In the early 1980s, fascinated specifically by Jazz, Funk and Soul he frequently attended LOCAL parties, incluDing the BRA disco, a community-based event where DJ Steve Howlett played. Austin also attended the clubs Scuds and Pynatic, which were both integral to the evolution of London’s nightlife at that time.

Holding a deep respect for London, all of the above played a significant part in shaping Austin’s development in music production.

In 1983, at the age of 15, he and his family moved to Toronto. His parents were instrumental in making this move, looking out for his best interests. He finished the last two years of high school (grades 12 and 13) and college there. By 1990, he was among those throwing warehouse parties in the fashion district, known as the garment district, in the downtown area of the city.

Austin has been fundamental in shaping Toronto’s dance music culture. Through running his own warehouse parties and working with David Nick Holder owner of DNH Records, and his collaboration and remix work with Canadian artists. He is also deeply connected to Chicago and renowned for his productions on labels Prescription, Guidance and Balance.

His contributions to electronic music are worldwide, with work on some of the most revered labels, writing across genres with flawless fluency, making him one of the most respected names in the underground music scene.

RELICS

Austin’s first release was in 1994, at the age of 26, under fascinating circumstances. In the late 1980s, he met Derrick May and briefly came to know the main Detroit guys; one of whom was a person known as Shay. Austin would regularly go down to watch Shay DJ in New York, and hang out with him, Kai Alce and others.

Austin had started making music at the time, but these were experiments and not proper productions. He recorded some of them onto cassette which he left with Shay. Two years later, Shay contacted Austin and said he had released something from the cassette.

This was Relics, and this is how Austin’s career took off.

As soon as this was released, Rob Kouchoukos from Guidance Recordings in Chicago contacted him, asking for similar material.

LESSER-KNOWN WORKS

To begin, I will delve into his lesser-known works under his real name and his other two aliases, A:xus and Blak Crowê, as well as his group work with Bang On, Charley’s Vault, Charly Brown, and Din-dunya: a production career spanning thirty-two years and still active today .

Collaborating with Thompson and V. Denardo, Bang On released a remix of Temperance – ‘Music Is My Life’ on Hi Bias Records in 1994.

In 1995, he produced one track with V. Denardo called ‘Body Salsa’ released on a various artists EP, with the who’s who of House (including Chez Damier and Ront Trent) titled ‘The Grand Lodge Of Luxor (Thebes) EP’. This was the opening statement and holy grail from Prescription Records. Incredible.

In 1996, he released one track, ‘Gabrielle’s Horns’, under the name Blak Crowê for the SSR label.

Working with Nigel Hayes under Charly Brown, two releases in 1997 were produced for the mighty Guidance label, ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Freaked Out’.

From Freaked Out: My Planet Rocks

A lovely techno production.

Sounds like something that would not be out of place on 21/22 Corporation, exceptional track.

Noteworthy: this is a different version of his remix of Chaser’s ‘Blue Planet’.

As A:xus, he released 4 EPs and a critically acclaimed album in 1999, ‘Soundtrack For Life’. This incredible timeless classic boasts varied styles of electronic music, deep house, downtempo, broken beat, with flavours of Soul, Jazz, and Detroit. Including tracks featuring vocal work from Jean-Bea Englishman as Bratticus on ‘When I Fall’, Rosina Kazi on ‘Near Or Far’, and Naomi N’ Sembi on ‘Nice To See You Again’, and ‘Baghdad Café (Callin’ U)’.

My pick is Baghdad Café (Callin’ U); however, I want to draw your attention to the 1999 GDR054 release with the extended vocal version.

Callin’ U (Extended Vocal Mix)

Austin took the original Calling You from the Baghdad Cafe soundtrack. He created a phenomenal, soulful, deep house track, incorporating the powerful vocal of Naomi N’ Sembi, which propels this track as one of the most significant releases in house. Beautiful.

The Mood II Swing remixes are available here.

In 2000, with Nigel Hayes, as Charley’s Vault, they produced ‘My Answer’ for a joint EP on Hayes’ label Twilight. Think DJ Q.

And as Din-dunya with Haf S on his own label, Re:Think, he releases Analogue Stories Volume 4.

The whole EP is embedded in this video. Austin’s tracks run from 0.00 until 11.55.

ABACUS

It is under his Abacus alias between 1994 and 2025 that Austin cements his name alongside the other House Masters. It is astonishing the quality of this man’s output for thirty-two years, and continuing. Twenty-seven EP’s writing for: Prescription, Balance, Fragile, 83 West, DNH, Guidance, NDTAL, Innermoods, Phonogramme, D3 Elements, and his own label Re:Think. Not one bad release. It is timeless music of the highest standard.

I will lay out my picks, which are likely going to come from a significant number of releases, no apologies here. Please do check out all Abacus releases in full.

Following the Relics EP, mentioned four paragraphs from the top of this article, he started gaining prominence with a series of seminal releases: one is on the legendary Fragile label, ‘The Abacus E.P.’, a superfine EP to grace vinyl. I have embedded the whole EP. Essential.

The Abacus E.P.

From the Foot Therapy EP: Come On

Abacus – My Brazilian Love, three incredible productions, difficult to pick one over the other.

I choose Evolution

Collectors Edition: here we have a version of Come On, B side, the original version is found on the Foot Therapy EP. However, the original for this track came from ‘True Love (4 A.M. Deep Dub)’ from 111 East Records in 1993.

A side - Untitled

The Earthly Pleasures E.P. on 83 West Records is a trove of funky-jazzy deep house, with the lovely 88 BPM beauty of ‘Lazy Hazy Crazy Days’ as B2, also found on the Soundtrack For Life Album.

Sunrayz

Moonbeamz

Lazy Hazy Crazy Days

On Nick Holder’s Label DNH, two tracks of a blend of Deep House / Techno, Then and Now.

Analog Trks Volume One, Were Cookin’ Now

Not only is this a beautiful piece of music, but it is also exceptionally well thought out, crafting a strong social message: in this case, about food and the soul. There is this instant positive connectivity thing going on within this piece which would positively connect the listeners to other people in the right way, which is the whole point of music. However the real point here is that it is done with true dedication and craft for the art, understanding how to do that without manipulation and letting it be free flowing, done with careful thought, which is very different to what the music industry is currently doing.

For those who know me, you understand where I am coming from; to others, this message is within my older posts. To unite, coupled with the music, makes this an incredibly powerful track and one that puts this at the very top of house music.

Analog Trax Volume 2 featuring Mikael & Bratticus

When I Fall (Winter Reprise)

As promised, returning to this track. This track is soulful, deep, and raw. It is the haunting vocal of Michael J. Bensonn as Mikael that is so special here and so powerful; it brings a tear or two. Bratticus provides further depth. Austin’s precision music programming finds the perfect balance. Simply gorgeous.

In 1998, his first release on his Re:Think label was produced.

Sweet Embrace

Trouble (Deeply Rooted Beatdown) from African Hi:Fi Volume 1. 2006, his second release on his label.

It was not until 2024, an eighteen year hiatus, that he relaunched his label, focusing on delivering innovative and thought-provoking music, his more experimental and forward-thinking productions.

Two single-sided releases on the Innermoods label, ‘Lausanna’, and the one below.

Basic Amounts

In the following releases, I have embedded full EP recordings, except for the one from Lost Stories Volume 2. Just Enjoy.

The Lower End Theory EP

Analogue Stories Volume 2

Analogue Stories Volume 1

Music For Table Tennis from Lost Stories Volume 2

Analogue Stories Volume 5

Analogue Stories Volume 3

Austin is not prolific, more precisely, a very measured producer; his music is never about spectacle, it is about subtlety, the rhythm, texture, timbre, the soul and connecting to the heart. He makes music for people who listen with their whole body. Music that does not age because it is not chasing anything, it is waiting for the listener to connect to it. It is emotive, deep, soulful house, slightly abstract in nature. His unique production style and sound signature, coupled with incredible attention to detail, have not only kept his productions at the forefront of house music but have also brought together a significant and diverse group of artists for collaboration and remix work.

Quality music is a passion in creating, but to the listener, it is timeless. It is correct to say that Austin’s music is exactly this: a man completely locked in concentration, focusing only on producing timeless pieces. His current output shows greater maturity than his first productions, which is quite an incredible feat, since those early pieces are faultless.

I feel a lovely, underlying sense in Austin’s production strategy: that he is making music for people who feel things, and that this is what drives him. It is all about the heart and connecting. What is really impressive is that he disappears for years at a time, only to return with more passion for his art, enhancing the beauty within his productions and an even stronger connective message.

A man who has never lost sight of the art, through hard work, which is what our overriding message is all about.

The heart of it, his music, is not trying to be a glancing memory. Rather, it is to truly be felt by the heart of the listener and embed itself in you as ‘Music For Life’.

Until the next one, I will leave you with this lovely track from ‘iDRUM This Djembe’ in 2011 on NDATL Muzik:

Welcome To The Party

Be Safe.

Peace and Love.

Stef

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It’s Friday, you know the score.

This week we’re reaching way back into the crates to bring you one of the masters of modern classical minimalism.

STEVE REICH

“I became a composer because I loved Stravinsky, because i loved Bach and because I loved bebop” Steve Reich

Steve Reich is one of defining American composers of the late 20th Century. Best known as a pioneer of minimal music in the mid to late 60s, he was one of the first composers to experiment with the emerging discipline of tape looping. Thereby laying the groundwork for digital sampling technologies that would have such a profound impact on hip-hop, acid house and techno in the 70s, 80s and right up to the present day.

Reich’s work is characterised by its use of repetition and phase shifting, where one or more repeated phrases play slower or faster than the others, creating new and evolving musical patterns across the span of a piece.

I’ve selected a handful of my favourite recordings for today, the ones I’ve gone back to again and again over the years. Although this will obviously do no justice at all to a career that has spanned an astonishing seven decades.

MUSIC FOR 18 MUSICIANS (1976)

A sonic murmuration, and probably Reich’s most famous composiiton.

I’ve selected the 1978 release on ECM, as this is the one I’ve been listening to personally for many years.

I once saw this performed live at the Southbank Centre and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Having spent so much time over the years listening to electronic music, it’s easy to forget the incredible levels of skill, dedication and teamwork required to deliver a live performance like this.

In terms of place, it will always remind me of waking up one morning in the Standard Hotel, New York, and watching the sun rise over the rooftops of Manhattan. A glorious experience and a truly magical piece of music.

MUSIC FOR A LARGE ENSEMBLE (1980)

Occupying very similar sonic and stuctural territory to Music for 18 Musicians. Some of the brightest and most optimistic modern classical music you’ll come across.

DRUMMING (1971)

In June 1970, Reich travelled to the University of Ghana to study polyrhythmic music for five weeks with the Ewe master drummer Gideon Alorwoyie. From this experience, as well as A. M. Jones’s Studies in African Music about the music of the Ewe people, Reich drew inspiration for this extensive piece, which he started to compose shortly after his return.

Composed of four distinct parts, Reich introduces us consecutively to the bongo, marimba and glockenspeil, before bringing all three instruments together for a triumphant finale.

Enjoy this vinyl rip from the original 1972 release of Steve Reich's Drumming, produced by John Gibson and Multiples Inc. in a limited edition of 500. The recording is from the last in a series of four premiere performances of Drumming at various New York locations in late 1971.

DIFFERENT TRAINS (1988)

A later piece with incredible emotional depth and richness of tone that uses carefully chosen speech recordings for much of its raw musical material, expertly combined with a range of different string instruments.

THE DESERT MUSIC (1985)

Finally, what is often described as Reich’s Magnum Opus. An epic orchestral masterpiece that places him at the pinnacle of contemporary classical composition.

Until the next one.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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A Guy Called Gerald sits down with DJ Ron for one of the most important conversations in UK electronic music history. From “Voodoo Ray” to Black Secret Technology, from 808 State to Juice Box, from being tricked into studio sessions to pioneering new software tech with Roland — this is the FULL story told by the man himself.

Gerald breaks down:
• The real origins of “Voodoo Ray”
• How his music became 808 State
• The truth behind “Pacific State”
• Living in a squat while having chart hits
• The birth of Juice Box Records
• Creating “28 Gun Bad Boy”
• His pioneering live setups + global touring
• Working with Roland & Native Instruments
• Revisiting Black Secret Technology 30 years later
• His message for the next generation
• Why independence matters more than ever

This is a deep dive into the foundations of UK dance culture — told with honesty, clarity, and decades of experience.

Make sure to subscribe to London Something and check out episodes with Kenny King from Telepathy and the legend that is East Man from Kool FM, plus many more.

Massive respect to Ron and Gerald.

Rubin

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TOGETHER FOR PALESTINE

On 17th September last year, a huge event was held at London’s Wembley Arena, supposedly to raise funds and awareness for Palestinian civilians affected by the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Together for Palestine was organised by Brian Eno, who I’ve spoken about recently, and featured a staggering array of performances from the likes of Damon Albarn, Hot Chip, James Blake, Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry, Paul Weller, Portishead and many, many others.

Over £2m was raised.

Many tears were shed.

I know people who were there.

Unfortunately it appears the organisers are working for the other side. Which would make Together for Palestine and the people running it traitors to the cause they pretend to support.

CHOOSE LOVE

All of this relates to an organisation called Choose Love. A UK-based charity that talks a good game about peace while being backed by CIA money and directing funds to organisations carrying out ethnic cleansing in the West Bank and running regime change operations for Mossad and MI6 in Syria.

For the full lowdown watch this excellent report by Chris Williamson at Palestine Declassified with Professor David Miller and Vanessa Beeley, two of my esteemed colleagues at UK Column.

More detailed information breaking down the links between these organisations can be found in David Miller’s in-depth article for Almayadeen.

Ultimately we are looking at the total subversion of the British music industry and our creative culture in order to deliver geopolitical outcomes for Zionists and the ethnic displacement / erasure of the Palestinian people.

Is Brian Eno aware of all this?

How about Benji B and Peter Gabriel, who helped produce the Together for Palestine Christmas single?

I have my suspicions.

And even if they aren’t, they should be.

Big time music arists with big time money and platforms have a duty to carry out due diligence on the organisations they decide to work with. Especially around such a serious cause.

Perhaps they should issue a public statement?

I won’t hold my breath.

NB - I’m not suggesting for a second that all the artists who performed at Together for Palestine are complicit in this. But the people at the top certainly have some questions to answer.

RESIDENT ADVISOR

Before I forget, RA have been working in partnership with Choose Love since 2015 and ran this joint event with them in November ‘23.

A pattern really does seem to be emerging here:

I guess going to nightclubs doesn’t end wars in the Middle East.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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It’s Friday.

You know the score.

This week, Stef is back with one of the quiet innovators of UK techno.

Peace and love.

AUBREY

Unwavering Allen Saei is another under-appreciated producer. In my opinion, a name that does not circulate with the respect it deserves, even though his influence is all over the deep‑techno identity.

Here is a journey of thirty-five years through the emotional and technical evolution of a man who helped define the UK’s underground with subtlety, integrity, and a quiet intensity, who still holds that love for his art with utmost passion.

For this post, I will focus on Saei’s Aubrey alias, but please do check his other aliases and groups, all 11 of them, which can be found here. Including releases on many respected labels: Offshoot, Intelligence Records, Mosaic, Ferox, Reel Musiq, Syncrophone, Metroplex and his own: Cheap Knob Gags, Dark, Dot, Solid Groove, and Textures.

A LIFE IN TECHNO

From the suburbs of Portsmouth and later Cowplain, in the county of Hampshire, Allen’s music career began between four and five years before his own label, Solid Groove, was formed.

He had various influences growing up, from funk, hip hop and ambient to synth pop and jazz. At thirteen, he started DJ’ing hip‑hop, developing the rhythmic sensibilities that would later become a defining part of his sound.

Everything changed at sixteen when he heard Mr Fingers ‘Washing Machine’, a moment he describes as a turning point, a doorway into a new world. Acid house arrived, and he stepped into it with complete conviction.

It was at this point that his DJ style shifted to Acid House, and he began receiving requests to play at raves.

By seventeen, he had released his first vinyl record, Panic ‘Voices Of Energy’, a breakbeat hardcore piece released on King Meat Records and Ozone Recordings, and licensed to Buzz. This made him one of the youngest producers active in the UK underground. The transition-shift from his first releases on Ozone and Wax Factory to the sound he became known for is in his first two Solid Groove releases, ‘No Intelligent Life N.I.L.’ and Panic!

At eighteen, he secured a residency in the loft of a club called Central Park, Portsmouth. This venue regularly hosted Luke Slater, Joey Beltram and other pioneers. The residency became a launchpad, and soon he was playing across London and the South of the UK.

Alongside his DJ work, he opened Razzles, an import record shop that became one of the major dance‑music stores in the south of England. Later, he worked with Luke Slater at Jelly Jam Records, further embedding himself in the UK techno ecosystem.

These experiences, the shop, the residency, the early vinyl, the immersion in scenes that were still forming, all fed into the sound he would eventually become known for.

Within one year of Allen’s first release in 1991, he founded Solid Groove Records with a distinct idea for the music he wanted to produce. Though his first few releases for this label show he was still finding his creative identity, it became a platform where, from 1995 onwards, he developed an undeniable and unique sound.

In 2019, he set up the Berlin Record store Latitude. With a focus on the alternative DJ culture of the last 40 years, offering used records as well as new releases. Showing he remains true to where it all started. Sadly, this closed in November 2025, but he continues to DJ, produce, and be involved in all things related to electronic music.

LONG LIVE THE UNDERGROUND

Before I venture into Aubrey’s releases, specifically those on Solid Groove, I will talk about his defining moment: INT 006 ‘Long Live The Underground E.P.’ The record where everything aligns: intention, technique, emotion, identity. This release is not just important within his catalogue; it is one of the defining statements of UK deep‑techno futurism.

At the centre of this EP is ‘Journey Time’, a track that captures the essence of what makes Aubrey extraordinary.

Journey Time

A piece of music that is deep, driving, hypnotic, yet emotive to the core that grabs hold and stays with you, or rather connects to you, long after it ends. Outstandingly sublime. Seriously, nod to Jack Smooth for providing the Lead stab, which is a Korg 01W using wave shaping.

The rest of the EP only reinforces its significance. Find embedded below the other three tracks from the EP.

Sandstorm

Central Park

A nod to the Portsmouth club.

Headhunter

SOLID GROOVE

There are small shifts in his techno structure and sound between his five labels; however, it is within Solid Groove that the essence of Allen Saei, the complete message and soul of his music is found. He represents the pulse of the underground, regardless of how much of its history or relevance is being forgotten. His pieces on this label have this lovely intensity-to-emotion, one I immediately connected with when I heard SG 003 in 1995. He also brings elements from his other labels into later productions, adding layers. It is extremely well constructed, with precision percussive programming and beautiful chord work. Each release holds it own identity, commanding deep listening. However Solid Groove is music made to connect to the internal movement of one’s body; the heart and mind. Furthermore, it is music that never forgets the beginning: following a core set of principles with time, love and passion. Whenever I engage with his sound, it takes me back, as it has always done.

I will primarily be focusing on Aubrey and his releases on Solid Groove in this post; however, this does not take anything away from his other productions. I leave you to check out his other labels, Cheap Knob Gags, Dark, Dot, and Textures; these will not disappoint.

Note: The Dot releases host a wealth of artist contributions in the form of remixes, which make for interesting listening; these include contributions from Analog People, Ben Sims, Little Nobody, Mark Ambrose, Master H, Myles Sergé, Ozka, Paul Mac, Russ Gabriel, Savas Pascalidis, and Stephen Brown.

His discography is significant. To keep things as concise as possible, I will highlight a select number of tracks for you to immerse yourself in, taken from the 1990s and 2000s.

1990s

1995 - SG 003 - Lose Yourself

I have embedded the version from the ‘Breaking Out EP’, as it is a cleaner recording.

1995 - SG 005 - Ginger Biscuit

1996 - SG 006 - Long & Hard

1997 - SG 012 - Hard Times

1997 - SG 013 - Expand

1998 - SG 014 - Beyond The Ozone

1998 - SG 015 - Aspects

Not forgetting these three releases on other labels.

1997 - Offshoot - Marathon

1997 - Mosaic - Contact Funk E.P. 4 versions. A great EP. I have embedded Part 1.

1998 - Ferox - Aubrey - Blue Lick

2000’s

2000 - SG 021 - Stressed Squares

2000 - SG 022 - Looking Glass

2001 - SG 025 - Deep Reflections

2014 - SG 031 - Dust Storm Salsa

2014 - SG 031 - Sandy (Aubrey’s Windy City Remix)

2015 - SG 032 - Crimson Nebular

2023 - SG 037 - Breaking Out (1998)

Aubrey is at the centre of techno. His current work only reinforces his importance worldwide in this arena. His remix of ‘Plural’s Shifting Forward’ on Metroplex is nothing short of astonishing, twisted techno funk. Incredible.

Shifting Forward (Aubrey Remix)

Until the next one, I leave you with two tracks that show his enduring presence in proper techno into his fourth decade as a producer; insanely good.

The Crossing

Floating Point 7

This release carries the weight of a man who has spent his life refining his sound into something unmistakably unique; one who is still deeply connected to the emotional and technical core of his craft, working incredibly hard, and, more importantly, keeping faith with the art form. He stands and firmly belongs alongside the other quiet innovators.

Peace and love.

Stef

Oh, and for some old school mixing, a little treat.

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Amazing sit down interview between two of the OG dons of Techno music. Adam X (make sure to subscribe) speaking with ‘Mad’ Mike Banks in what is definitely the first recorded interview I’ve seen with the UR founder who famously doesn’t even like having his photo taken. Seems like a lovely fella..!

Big up to the uncles sharing their wisdom.

Long live the Underground Resistance.

Rubin

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It’s Friday.

You know the score.

This week we’re heading back into the jungle.

T.POWER

Hailing from my old ends in South Woodford, Marc Royal has been active in bass culture since the early 90s. A proflific producer of breakbeat, jungle and drum and bass under a huge range of aliases, he is probably best known for his work with Shy FX which did significant mainstream numbers in the early 2000s.

Today I want to focus on some of his earlier productions. In particular, one of the most accomplished and underrated albums of the golden era of jungle.

THE SELF EVIDENT TRUTH OF AN INTUITIVE MIND

Although jungle had been fully formed since at least 1993 and arguably quite a bit earlier, 1995 was the year it began to reach its most polished and creative peak. As seminal LPs from Goldie, A Guy Called Gerald, Omni Trio and Foul Play confirmed the reputation of the UK generally, and London in particular, as the global epicentre of musical innovation. A creative ecosystem consistently mapping out sonic territory that had never been explored before.

T.Power was a central player in this creative mix.

A slew of heavyweight releases through ‘93 and ‘94 had already established him as a dubplate favourite with the likes of Bukem and Grooverider, who reached for T.Power’s 1994 release Lipsing Jam Ring to open to what is arguably one of the finest jungle sets ever officially released.

Make sure to check the mix into First Sequence… Machine gun business! They really don’t make them like they used to.

NB - the Bukem and DJ Rap CDs are also next level.

With 1995’s Mutant Jazz, T.Power delivered one of the most iconic jazz licks of the 1990s.

A track that was famously reinvented by DJ Trace:

Not just once, but twice:

Each time with equally devastating impact.

Golden years indeed.

But it was his debut long player, released in 1995, that truly earned T.Power his place in jungle history.

Divided into two distinct movements, Intellect and Emotion, and comprised of nice individual tracks, ‘The Self Evident Truth…’ is a deep and profound creative exploration that delicately expands consiousness while causing absolute devastation on the dancefloor.

For me, this ability to perfectly balance the dark and the light, the cerebral and the physical, the grammar and the geometry is the pure essence of jungle music.

Take the time to listen from start to finish, it’s a truly remarkable piece of work.

And buy direct from the source.

See you next time.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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It’s Friday, you know the score.

We’re out here relaying the Foundations of Acid House.

This week with some killers from the flat lands to the East.

And remember, the best way to support independent artists is to buy direct.

Love ya.

CASEY TUCKER

From Peterborough, in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, Casey Tucker is another criminally under-appreciated producer. Having a deep passion for 90’s Detroit music at the tender age of 19, he began his low-key musical journey.

He has one alias, Variable Frequency Technician and worked in one group, 0733, with Richard Michael Hawtin. Releasing on S.O.R, Probe, For Those That Knoe, Certain Music, Love Notes, Fourier Transform, and his own imprint Fine Balance Records.

His music production career began with the release of one track on a joint EP with Shades of Rhythm (Frenzied Bass) on their own label, S.O.R. recordings, founded in 1988/1989 and also based in Peterborough. His first track was “Variable Frequency Technician; The V.F.T. – Fenland Bass,” a breakbeat/electro-acid number with a rap. An interesting track that shows Casey’s raw talent from the beginning, for me, it shows a serious side to where he wanted to take his passion.

Notably, he was the first UK-based artist signed to Richie Hawtin and John Acquaviva’s cult Plus 8 record label in 1991. Between 1991 and 1995, he released 3 EPs on Probe Records, a Plus 8 sub-label for harder techno: ‘Record Bass Story’, ‘Intelligensia’ (as 0733), and ‘The Arrival’ (as Variable Frequency Technician) in 1995. In particular, the track ‘Cross Section’ from this EP is showing those early trips to Detroit developing into his artistic vision. Unmistakably, this track shows Casey’s deep passion for Detroit’s rich history of sound and what it represents to him. Timeless music.

‘Cross Section’

Please do check out his early releases on Probe, here and here.

FOR THOSE THAT KNOE

Respect to Ben Boe, owner of Boe Recordings, releasing on his sub-label For Those That Knoe, a label dedicated to unsung heroes who bring this artist to the attention of more people. Four EPs taking tracks from Casey’s first two Fine Balance releases alongside new productions. This new material is embedded below. Enjoy

Knoe 2/1: Bst

Knoe 2/2: Tanita

Knoe 2/2: Secret Desires

Knoe 2/3: Juxtaposition

Knoe 2/3: Whatever Comes to Mind

Knoe 2/4: Inner Strength

Knoe 2/4: Waiting Game

All of the tracks are of incredible class. For me, this track is phenomenal and hits hard.

Casey’s inspiration is rooted to 90‘s Detroit, it is all about the harmonies with his productions: displaying a range of pitch frequencies, melody lines: however it is always balanced with some tracks incorporating acid lines: fundamentally what makes his music stand out is the layering with ethereal melody in that distinct higher frequency which is not easy to achieve whilst keeping everything balanced it is this in his music structuring that transcends me beyond aural bliss, it is not only beautiful music which validates taking time and working hard, but it captures for me, a lost time, one of fond memories surrounded by people where true art was at the centre. I was captivated by Casey from the moment I heard his very first track back in 1990. When he released ‘The Arrival’, and I heard ‘Cross Section’, for me, that is when Casey found his sound. something that would serve as the foundation for his releases.

FINE BALANCE RECORDS

Here, I turn to his own label, Fine Balance Records, set up in 1995, which released the ‘Carpet Dancer EP’ in 1995, ‘Accumulated Knoledge EP’ in 1997, and ‘Return To Techno EP’ in 2016.

Carpet Dancer EP

‘Blue Light Factor’ from beginning to 6.59 and ‘Momentum’ from 7.09

Accumulated Knoledge EP

‘Terraform’

‘Habit Of Awareness’

‘Stratosphere’

Return To Techno EP

‘Network 90’ nod to Network Records.

‘Disguise Your Eyes’

‘Escape’

Fine Balance has undergone several changes, but it is still active and, from what I read, it is promising new material. In Casey’s own words:

“Today Fine Balance continue to specialise in cutting edge underground House and Techno, drawing influences from different genres and blending them together into unique futuristic sound concepts.”

Though Casey’s output is small compared to some artists’, he holds the same fundamentals that I came into this industry with. For me, he is the real deal. He writes with his heart on his sleeve. His productions are a labour of love, and it shows in abundance, which is a testimony to a beautiful work ethic. There is one common trait among all the artists I talk about: they are humble, go about things in a low-key manner, get their heads down and work hard, producing quality pieces that make this industry beat with class. Casey is another fine example of this beating heart and soul of the music industry, exemplified by his undeniable, beautiful, and timeless productions.

We will not let artists like this slip into silence; those who turn away from untoward trends and pour their whole being into creation. Their work is a pulse in the dark, and must be protected and never forgotten. Without these artists, the electronic music industry lacks any depth and soul.

He has stayed fiercely loyal to his vision, making a firm decision to keep everything in-house, and that unwavering dedication is exactly what propels him to the forefront of electronic music and fuels his success.

Until the next one, I leave you with ‘Carpet Dancer’. Be safe.

It is high-frequency space age funk-techno soul.

Peace and Love

Stef

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It’s Friday.

You know the score: foundational classics from the vaults.

This week, one of the defining production duos of the 90s.

LEFTFIELD

Few acts have been as influential on electronic music over the past 30+ years as Leftfield. The British duo of Neil Barnes and Paul Daley formed in London in 1989, opening and closing the 90s with a series of exceptional 12”s and two of the most important LPs of the decade.

Widely credited with inventing progressive house with their debut release, the mighty Not Forgotten. A tune which never fails to summon waves of nostalgic, misty-eyed, blissed-out euphoria in ravers of a certain vintage.

‘Not Forgotten’

The original needed no embellishment, but the mighty Hard Hands remix stands proudly alongside it.

‘Not Forgotten - Hard Hands Remix’

Infamously layered up with Whitney Houston’s ‘I Want To Dance With Somebody’ accapella by the man like Sasha as one of his key showpiece mixes at his Renaissance residency at Shelley’s in Mansfield. Captured here in this small snippet from a rare Radio 1 set in 1991:

After this game-changing debut, the Leftfield boys went on a hot streak of 12” releases between 1990 and ‘94 that cemented them as "the single most influential production team working in British dance music" (Mixmag, 1995).

A position that was predicated on their ability to seamlessly weave a huge diversity of styles, influences and collaborators into something coherently and unmistakeably their own.

LEFTISM (1995)

This period was perfectly summarised on the 1995 LP ‘Leftism’, which collected together some of the standout pieces from their singles while adding a whole raft of new material into what could reasonably be described as the very first multi-genre concept album to come out of acid house.

This is one of those records that has become so ubiquitous and deeply embedded into the collective memory of rave culture that you really have to take a step back and appreciate quite how groundbreaking it was when it first dropped over 30 years ago.

This isn’t just a collection of club gear, it’s a serious technical and artistic statement that covers an extraordinary range of stylistic bases.

Let’s take a listen.

‘Release the Pressure’ w/ Earl Sixteen

Hybrid dub soundsystem meets progressive house pressure with Augustus Pablo and Mad Professor collaborator Earl Sixteen.

‘Original’ w/ Toni Halliday

A Trip-Hop masterpiece that would make Beth Gibbons proud.

‘Open Up’ w/ John Lydon

A simmering punk rock rebirth from Sex Pistols frontman Jonny Rotten in what he’s described as one of his favourite vocal performances. This is the track that thrust Leftield into mainstream consciousness when it dropped as a single in 1994.

‘Afro Left’ w/ Djum Djum

A progressive, tribal, afro-beat masterpiece that would absolutely destroy any techno club you dropped it in today.

‘Inspection’ w/ Danny Red

A ragga-chatting, broken-beat, dancehall skank out foreshadowing the likes of Tayo and Freq Nasty that is probably my favourite piece on the album (although that’s a very tough call to make).

‘Melt’

An introspective journey into post-club, spliffed out euphoria that easily stands alongside the best ambient tracks of the era.

And that’s just a handful from an LP which demands end-to-end listening. Once or twice a year I dig the CD out and take it for a spin. I suggest you do the same.

I also highly recommend checking out the early 12s, all of which contain dubs, remixes and versions of many of the tracks that made it onto the LP. Like this awesome downbeat version of Afro Left.

RHYTHM AND STEALTH

Although their notoriously difficult second LP doesn’t match the creative heights of Leftism, and for me personally doesn’t bear repeated end-to-end listening in quite the same way, there are still some standout moments.

Having kicked off the decade with one of the defining tracks of progressive house music, the boys closed it with something significantly darker and more technical, while no less iconic.

‘Phat Planet’

This is probably one of the top 50 or so pieces of electronic music ever made. Drop hammer percussion, armageddon-grade synth lines and a bassline that really defies description.

Foreshadowing Dubstep and no doubt drawing heavily on the sub bass explorations coming out of the DnB scene.

There’s simply nothing quite like it.

Oh, and let’s not forget the place where many of us heard it first, as the backdrop to one of the greatest ads ever made.

Beautiful work from AMV.

Anyway, back to the music: two more killers before we wrap up.

‘Rino’s Prayer’

‘El Cid’

Right, that’s enough for now.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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It’s Friday, you know the score.

This week Stef brings us one of the Generals of UK techno.

MARK BROOM

Londoner Mark Broom began his career in 1992, releasing on General Production Recordings. A dedicated, hardworking man in the techno arena, Mark found his production style by 1994; however, like Steve Pickton, he kept a low profile. He has one alias, Lighter Thief, and has worked in 35 groups, notably with numerous critically essential artists, some of whom are highlighted in these pieces, here and here.

Mark is best known and, I would hope, most appreciated for his work on Peter Adshead’s label, Ifach, where his productions were experimental and advanced in scope and additionally known for his own label, Pure Plastic and its three sub-labels, where he worked with Dave Hill on material that was predominately less complex, dance floor-oriented productions moving away from that familiar and ever-so comforting deep chord work; however, not all.

Though it can be said most, but not all current electronic music lacks depth and sophistication, is deficient in soul, which I can only conclude, describing it as empty: void and unable to evoke positive emotion. This coupled with the music industry’s inappropriate dark messaging and direction, then it is correct to say music productions made today are tailored explicitly for this current messed-up-industry, which unequivocally demonstrates what Ben rightly said on last week’s post with which I agree wholeheartedly. Stop the nonsense and return with heart; work hard and create quality electronic music, void of what is not needed.

That said, Mark is a phenomenally talented producer, just like the others mentioned in the ‘Foundations’ series, and it is his more experimental side where my admiration lies firmly. One where he makes sophisticated techno, full of evolving patterns, layered with emotion, whether in percussion or chord work, and featuring fine, intricate percussion programming. When he combines this precision production style, even the soul of that methodology, with his floor-oriented approach, it yields high-quality techno, as I will demonstrate.

Case in point: Mark Broom - Snap Shot EP.

‘Snap Shot’

‘Gurkha’

‘Brikhead’

Beautiful quality techno: music done with utmost care, thought and patience, full of deep, gorgeous melody and fine percussive programming and absolutely for the dance floor. It is the emotive beauty that emanates from these pieces that never fails to go deep into my soul, engaging my heart. Truly comforting. It is music done with this work ethic that is quintessentially so and precisely what is needed in electronic music.

Also make sure to check out these two gems on ‘Shuffle This’, found on Russ Gabriel’s label, Ferox.

‘Still Like It’

This syncopated, 303 number:

‘I Remember’

Even the percussive track ‘Rhino’, below, found on ‘Drift’ which came out on Steve O’Sullivan’s Mosaic label, has considerably more depth than most current productions: the rhythm is tribal, and the percussion, in this instance, has pitch, creating perceivable melody. Simple, yes; however, the point conveyed is that it connects.

‘Rhino’

In general, the work ethic and love for true art have gone; that true connective soul between people through electronic music has been stripped out, and it shows. For now...!

THE WORK WITH DAVE HILL

This powerful release on Pure Plastic features Dave Hill, an exceptional, talented producer. Two pieces of deep and atmospheric techno, a release that instantly draws you in to its infectious grooves. Not overly complicated; nonetheless beautiful in mood.

‘Sliced’

‘Thumb’

RUE EAST

Mark and Dave’s Persona, Rue East, released ‘Indoor Culture’ in 2001, featuring the widely known, sensational ‘Birmingham’ track with those distinct, menacing chords, which many techno heavyweights have remixed.

‘Birmingham’

With special thanks to Anthony Childs, Ben Sims and Claude Young, along with its music productions, this release convincingly and firmly locates itself between Detroit and the UK, specifically Birmingham.

This album hosts tracks like ‘Toothpaste’, ‘Winter’, and ‘We Need Air’ layered with Detroit-influenced melody lines and percussion, whilst other tracks are in that heavy-hitting ‘Dynamic Tension /Downwards’ style. ‘Snug Bar’ which has that fine, Arthur Smith / Grain feel to it. ‘All good’ has that USA stripped techno vibe and reminds me very much of Function; Dave Sumner, especially this one comes to mind.

There is a beatless track as the intro to the album and a short track, 3, ‘Bell’, which is, well, a bell; however, this piece has pulse and ‘Stern Promise’ with its delightful offbeat beginning, all of which add context to this album’s message of Timeless Techno.

An album that reminds me of USA and UK techno styles by artists; however, it leans more towards UK techno. In places, it even highlights the production styles of Jeff Mills and Planetary Assault Systems. It is a fascinating listen.

Be sure to check out the album in its entirety.

My picks from Rue East. Remember these!

‘Selector’

‘Past Times’

And ‘Remove’ with its distinct violin melody line.

Fond memories, heard this during one of Jeff Mills’ live sets; needless to say, the room erupted. Wonderful.

REPEAT

Andy Turner, Dave Hill, Ed Handley, and Mark Broom are Repeat. One of my favourites from this collaboration, in its entirety, is this quality EP, Easter. Sublime.

‘Easter’

The other track by Mark Broom and Dave Hill is Scattered. For listening, go here.

IFACH

What Mark produced for Ifach, which I brought to your attention here, is something to be inspired by. He was involved in 24 of the 25 releases for this label, showing unrelenting commitment and work ethic: what is notable is the attention to detail with a diverse range and depth in his productions under nine aliases on one label; there is a clear distinction between them, managing to keep the productions tight, never losing quality, not once. This production style is where Mark’s true aptitude lies.

Just amazing.

Two from Sympletic.

‘Jijon’

‘Thin Crust’; simply my pick along with ‘Snap Shot’ EP.

Until the next one, be safe and stay true.

Peace and Love

Stef

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It’s Friday.

Mid-January, 2026. The world is mad. Christmas a distant memory. Pay day tantalisingly out of reach.

So here’s something divine and beautiful to lift your spirits.

Allow me to introduce you to Richard D James.

Aphex Twin.

The enigmatic Cornish Techno Druid.

An artist of extraordinary talent and vision. Who emerged fully formed from the mists and myths of deepest Kernow at the tender age of 21 with a sound so singular we’ve never heard its like before or since.

This will probably be a three or four part series (maybe more). The man is prolific, to say the least. But today I will begin at the beginning with two of the most perfectly formed long players in the history of not just electronic music, but the entire creative canon since we started exercising our vocal chords and banging logs with sticks.

It’s profound and life affirming stuff.

Enjoy.

SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS, 85-92

It’s often said that electronic music is cheap, throwaway, lacking in depth and sophistication. For those holding these opinions, please direct their ears towards this timeless masterpiece.

Aphex Twin’s debut long player, released in 1992, is a work of delicate, fragile, soaring, majestic, ethereal beauty.

It’s astonishing that many of these tracks were made when James was only 13 or 14 years old. As legend would have it, on synthesisers he’d either built himself or customised in order to harness them towards his own specific ends.

Words can’t really do justice to the impact this album has had on so many people over the years. Simply scrolling through YouTube comments reveals it has soundtracked births, childhoods, lives, loves, losses, deaths and so much more.

For me, it always takes me back to my second year of university. Sunlight pouring in through the window of my bedroom on the ground floor of a shared house in Hyde Park, Leeds. The world full of potential and promise, yet with many personal and painful issues playing out in the background at the same time.

That ability to seamlessly merge the bitter and the sweet, the light and the dark, the sublime and the absurd is one of Aphex Twin’s most notable characteristics. This is truly human music that touches on every area of the human experience.

The opening double shot of ‘Xtal’ and ‘Tha’ deserve special mention. I honestly believe this is what heaven will sound like if and when we get there one day.

‘Xtal’

‘Tha’

As an aside, one of the most striking things for me about Aphex is that while he was soothing our hearts and minds with blissed out Ambient Works from the heavenly realm he was also putting out some of the most raucous bloodclot squat party acid techno ever to touch wax.

Case in point, from 1991:

Oh, and you must make sure to check out his debut Peel session from 1992 where all the stylistic bases are touched:

Unbelievable scenes.

As I said at the start, we’ll be doing several more posts on Aphex and going deep into his tougher output. But I wanted to draw your attention to these pieces and set some context while we’re here.

Moving on.

SELECTED AMBIENT WORKS, VOLUME II

While Volume I introduced us to a world of innocent, almost childlike lo-fi creative exploration, Ambient Works Volume II is nothing short of a widescreen, cinematic masterpiece.

I remember my friend Matt telling me how he picked this up on vinyl from Selectadisc in Nottingham the day it came out in 1994. He took it home, sparked a zoot and listened to the whole thing start to finish. When it ended, he put the needle back at the beginning and listened to the whole thing again.

Stef has talked a lot about how true creativity and dedication to the artform have been slowly abandoned in club culture over the past 20+ years. I couldn’t agree more (it’s one of the reasons we’re working together). The recent lack of true, era-defining visionary classics like these LPs from Aphex Twin is a perfect example of how this plays out.

We live in a throwaway culture. Artists chasing algorithms instead of build true art and legacy. For any producers out there reading these words: keep your head down. Build us something truly timeless and unique. These things take years, a lifetime really. Forget the hype, the profile and the rest of that bullshit. The work will speak for itself when it lands. And the audience will applaud and be thankful for your dedication.

Anyway, back to the music.

Two personal favourites:

‘Cliffs’

This is one of those tracks that touches me on a truly spiritual level. I can’t tell you how many times over the years this piece of music has pulled me back from the brink, cleaned my mind and my soul. Plug in your best headphones, take a few deep breaths and let it wash over you. There is simply nothing better.

Finally, one more for the ages:

‘Stone in focus’

Let’s go for the two hour loop. It’s worth it.

Thank you for listening and reading.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Happy New Year!

2026 is shaping up to be a transformational one for the whole of humanity. Strap yourselves in for a wild ride.

Of course we’ll be here to make sure you have an appropriate soundtrack: relaying the Foundations every Friday and bringing some new exciting developments soon to be announced.

For now, I’m thankful to Stef for kicking off the year with the second part of his Peter Adshead / Baby Ford deep dive. Truly one of the most talented and influential producers in this electronic music game.

Enjoy.

Rubin.

PETER FRANK ADSHEAD, PART 2

In Part One, I focused on Peter Adshead’s Baby Ford alias, and his releases during the developing rave scene and into the 1990s and early 2000s. However, he also released under the aliases Doucen, Konrad Cadet, Marylebone Affair, Peter Adshead, Peter Ford, and Twig Bud.

There are singular releases from four of these in the early nineties; two are worth highlighting, which I will come to later.

Firstly, I will go through his collaborative work.

ALLSTARS

Andy Turner, Dave Hill, Ed Handley, Mark Broom, and Steve Pickton. They released one EP in 2005 called ‘Old Skool Reunion’. I talked about this previously here.

BABY FORD AND THE IFACH COLLECTIVE

Three releases between 2000 and 2001 with Cheru Amadi, Ian Loveday, Mark Broom, and Thomas Melchior which are strangely minimal in feel, like that of material on PAL SL. However there is more emphasis placed on applying more strength and depth, even drive, by enhancing melody and rhythm, yet still keeping that minimal compound in play which makes the work here even more intriguing to listen to.

Sacred Machine EP

The two tracks and timestamps described below refer to the video linked above.

’24 Hr’ at 37.38 four-by-four meter, and four beats to a bar, with its haunting feel from those synth piano chords, two in number, the first chord played but still held when the other comes in, blending which causes dissonance: on repeat, giving an echoing appearance: accompanied by subtle percussion placements. Then a synth-based sound of two beats per beat, starting at 38.26, with two small pauses at 38.46 and 39.01, adding incredible tension to the already haunting feel by pronouncing each beat. At around 45.00, layers start fading, leaving beats and the lovely hollow sound on the first and third beats of a bar, which drop out momentarily a couple of times before returning. The subtle percussion comes in until the synth piano returns at 48.14. His ability to rhythmically richly layer tracks with meticulous precision, creating the depth he does, is quite phenomenal, and here, even though this track is minimal, it is incredibly driving. Outstanding.

‘Bad Friday’, at 11.34, oh boy, this is so good. A four-by-four meter, and four beats to a bar, with a closed then open high hat on the first and second beat, which repeats: tick tock sensation with a looped melody on the off beat repeating every bar, layered with other percussion lines, like the interesting shaker sound which is sixteenth note over four beats, which makes four beats per beat, additionally, an echoing metallic sheet sound, like waves that come and go through its entirety. However, before this comes in at the beginning, there is a burbling/murmuring sound, resembling a spoken sound that comes in quietly and does not increase, and then the metallic sheet sound takes centre stage. At 19.45, the shaker sound stops; the melody’s rhythmic pattern changes. Introducing a reflective rhythmic pattern and then adding the initial melody line, the production switches between them, creating a temporary, slightly wobbly effect, and the shaker resumes as before. Excellent track.

The Healing EP

Also worth checking out.

Before I move on, a few words on Ifach.

This is a cult label amongst those who intricately follow techno. Incredible music, beautiful layers, with tight beats and percussive work, constantly developing and futuristic.

I perceive the word ‘experimental’ as a way to describe the sound of this label. However, I prefer to think of it like this, as music made by seven men completely comfortable in their abilities, aligning and pushing each other to make sensational techno with immense attention to detail and some of the most captivating, thought-provoking, beautiful techno ever made, on a label that was not only discreet but consistently released quality.

BABY FORD AND ZIP

The work with Thomas Franzman is interesting because they share a similar style, as demonstrated by his Zip and Dimbiman work. The four productions they released between 1999 and 2013 show they complement each other comprehensively, which makes sense, as it was the BFORD 9 release that Thomas cited as the reason he left his band and went on to set up Perlon and write electronic music. It is therefore right to say that Peter’s music had captivated Thomas significantly, which is a sure sign of just how important Peter Adshead was to the development of electronic music.

However, overall, the feel of this work is uneasiness, with its dark, brooding beats, bass, synth lines, and male and female vocal drops, which you would least expect the female vocal to bring warmth. Still, here it makes it even more ominous: possibly this represents traces of the synth-punk-industrial band sound in which he and Markus Nikolai were involved. However, I find the early releases on this label interesting. It takes what Peter did on PAL SL, that blueprint and developed it.

Which do I prefer, honestly? It is PAL SL; the music connects more, and I perceive that it is down to where Peter’s roots and love lie: the likes of Larry Heard and Marshall Jefferson are examples, and this comes through in the tone and filters through subtly into his unique productions.

‘Window Shopping’

My personal choice from the Baby Ford & Zip collaborations.

BIRDS

Two releases from 1997 to 1998 with Jochen Bader and Kotai. Abstract, experimental, minimal in design and though this may seem arid to many, it is quality techno.

‘Uuhm’

A four-by-four meter with all beats pronounced clearly with a tense hum as the backbone of the track. There is this layered sound line on each beat, giving the feel of a clicking sensation, which is more noticeable during the first minute of the track. Then adding a percussive brushing/shaker sound on the second and fourth upbeat, along with a cymbal sound that comes after the second beat and before the third beat, and this repeats every seven beats: this is an eight-beat two-bar phrase repeated until 2.55. Here it is just the beat with a low-pitched percussive sound on every second beat, giving that quite unusual clicking sensation, but lesser in effect until that brushing sound reappears on every second and fourth upbeat until 3.41, when the beat becomes heavier: more pronounced either with beat layering or with distortion. There is something strangely reminiscent and possibly inspired by Japanese drumming of asian drums, not as intense if you have ever had the pleasure of witnessing that, but to me it tugs on that memory. Still, even more strange, there is this sumo waggle to it. However, the piece connects to a person; it is 8.40 minutes of high-quality minimal techno. Incredibly minimal but so effective. Superb.

‘JL Or JP’

Sub bass crawler, four-by-four meter, heavily syncopated, which makes it very shadowed, hidden: not a pronounced beat; it also makes it sound out of time or odd in meter length, but the meter is four: this is what constitutes the rhythm and makes such an interesting track. Additionally, with its blowing background sound, its eerie, distorted voice sound on every third and fourth beat of every four bars, and its high timbre percussions, adding another dimension to that eerie voice, yet not following a strict rhythmic pattern from 1.57 until 3.36, when these two lines of sound take front place, bringing forth unease. Following, and returning to a more settled state, where at 5.50 a small break takes out the beat and returns quickly and continues as before to the end, yet the eerie sounds come more pronounced with the help of those high timbre percussions, this time manipulated, increasing the unease until only the blowing sound is left, and where it started. Unusual but spectacular.

MIDNIGHT CALLER

A single release in 2000 with Kotai

The whole EP is great, be sure to check out ‘On Hold’ at 14.09.

MINIMAL MAN

Nine releases between 1993 and 2005 with Ian Loveday.

An interesting collaboration with Ian Loveday, known for his beginnings as EON and later as Tau Rau; this one in 1988, ‘Light Color Sound’ and the hit ‘Spice’ of 1990.

Both started producing at roughly the same time; similarly, picking up on what was happening around them, Ian went about his productions with more vibrant, energetic sound palettes, while Peter went about it with less-is-more. However, there is something rather lovely about this partnership, one could say rather poetic and one that brings about one of the best techno tracks ever made, and was created one year into their history, which I will come to later.

With Minimal Man, it is catchy, vibrant productions, bouncy and fun at times, aimed at provoking dance floors into movement. No more so than their first releases on Vinyl Solution and Gurellia.

‘Semprini Risin’

A track that brims with good feeling: allowing independence to become untroubled and carefree: it has such a lovely swing to it. A four-by-four meter with a clap on the weaker second and fourth beat, with a continual melody line that resembles strings in the distance. A synth piano key strike on the up beat of two, and on beats three and four on the first measure, then nothing on the following measure and repeats like this. A high-pitched whistle sound between the fifteenth and sixteenth beat, every four measures; this phrase repeated. Delicate 303 placements added throughout the first three minutes. The stripping back of percussion lines, melodies, and other lines around the 3-minute mark, until only the high hat, first closed then open, the stringed, distant melody, and the fading synth piano keys remain. The beat kicks in at 4.03. The piano sound disperses. There is also a low-pitched, continuous ride cymbal in the background during the stripping back, which continues into the beat section, where the click sound changes to a clap. Also, the high-pitched whistle sound on the fifteenth/sixteenth beat returns. The pitch of the high hats rises during this drum and percussion section. At 5.35, it resumes to how it was at the beginning, bringing in the melody and acid line. Sensational. A beautiful rhythm, percussive track.

‘Six Of One (V_04)’

This menacing track, with its manipulated spoken word throughout, evokes a slight sense of despair, putting you on edge. Two synth line melodies, used as rhythm, accompany the four-by-four meter and closed high-hat lines. One is from beat one and is echoey; it continues past beat two. The other comes after beat two and continues for roughly a measure; it has no strict pattern; sometimes it is shorter and is syncopated. A low-pitched, deep melody at 1.14 and a second synth line that creates a creaking, crackling, rattling sound, adding to this uneasy feel. There is one other manipulated synth line at 2.27, along with the low-pitched, deep melody, manipulated further, and the second synth melody from the beginning of the track, which all have a little solo together. A drum and percussion solo with more of those creaking sounds at 4.08, and at 4.37, a despair melody comes, accompanied by the second synth line from the beginning. To finish the track, it ends with the despair melody, spoken word, echo synth lines, and some creaking. Nice.

SOUL CAPSULE

Six releases between 1999 and 2011 with Thomas Melchior and Tim Hutton.

Soul Capsule sound started out leaning towards House, extremely funky, heavy on vocal hooks, making it soulful, as displayed in their first two releases. Tim Hutton, who is no longer with this group, only contributed to their ‘Overcome’ release. From 2001 onward, on Aspect Music, the emphasis on Techno comes to the fore with its Perlon minimalism approach to production. Found specifically on ‘meltdown’ and continued in this vein for ‘Waiting 4 A Way’ on Perlon in 2007. On ‘Seekers’ and ‘Deep Dawn’, attempting to return to its original conception of the first releases with more depth and energy in the productions, however, techno-leaning.

An alias that started with a clear concept, the first two releases show this; however, it became lost in identity following Tim’s departure. They drew on the styles of House and Techno they were familiar with, from associated labels and other collaborations, trying to create something unique. Still, the Perlon sound filtered through and ultimately never quite materialised. However, ‘Waiting 4 A Way’ and ‘Beauty and The Beat’ are incredible pieces.

‘Waiting 4 A Way’

‘Beauty and The Beat’

SUNPEOPLE

A collaboration with Thomas Melchior. Two releases between 1998 and 2001, including one remix EP of one song from the Sun People EP.

There is an underlying intensity in all these tracks except ‘Check Your Buddha’, which has an otherworldly feel. The production overall has more energy, and though this is not Techno in the same serious vein as his Ifach or PAL SL releases, it has Techno tracks I can appreciate. By intensity, I would not say dark or haunting, but rather that this EP shows seriousness with bounce and vigour.

‘Lovers Eyes’

Starts with percussion and a melody consisting of a high-pitched synth, spacey, hollow sound sprinkled across the four-by-four meter, and a percussive closed high hat/clap sound, creating an accent on the fourth beat. On the thirty-seventh beat, a low bass sound, opposite to the hollow, spacey sound, is added, which continues for a bar measure and then repeats, creating incredible warmth. A voice line is added from 2.03 and varies in length at different points throughout the piece, with no fixed structure. Another high-pitched sound that accompanies the spacey, hollow sound: a synth wind instrument, horn-type sound, joins quietly around 5.00 and, at 5.24, gains more presence before disappearing after its brief appearance, which heightens emotions incredibly well; devastating floor material.

THE STRIPPER

Another singular release in 1999 under another collaboration with Kotai.

The key track is ‘After Dark’, a four-by-four syncopated piece, with the beat coming in on the offbeat and shaping the rhythm pattern; the percussion holds the beat count. A synth piano chord creates a beautiful melody line that comes in at 0.28, is held for a sustained period, and repeats. A second piano melody using high-pitched keys layered on top, and a sitar melody line weaves its way between the piano lines. The vocal work on this EP leans on the dark side; however, on this track, it is subtle and works beautifully. Lovely.

‘After Dark’

BAIRD REMO

One release in 1994 with Andy Turner, Dave Hill, Ed Handley, Mark Broom, and Tony Edwards features four tracks of glorious, haunting experimental broken beat material. ‘Yohm’ and ‘Emojerk’ are tracks Peter co-produced. I have embedded ‘Yohm’; however, do listen to ‘Amira’, ‘Emojerk’, and ‘Low Ride’. Phenomenal.

‘Yohm’

THE WORK WITH MARK BROOM

Writing under Brubaker, Casino Classic, El Mal, Perbec, and Solcyc, Peter and Mark produced eleven releases in total. Ten for Ifach, and they are all incredible.

Techno, as meant to be, is replete with constantly evolving rhythmic elements, compelling and captivating synth lines, and manipulated sine waves, music that provokes deep thought whilst enhancing the soul.

It is correct to say Ifach’s music is pioneering and of incredible importance, and sits at the very heart of Foundations; just remarkable, deep music. I have grouped all the aliases of Peter and Mark within Ifach in this segment, restricting commentary and selecting one track from each EP for you to immerse yourself in. But do listen to everything on this label.

Brubaker - ‘In’

Casino Classix - ‘Ringer’

El Mal - ‘Coburn’

El Mal - ‘Laguna Loon’

Perbec - ‘Rain Tower’

I do want to interrupt you for a minute to talk about ‘Rain Tower.’

This track is one of my favourites and sends shivers down my spine every time I engage with it, connecting with me deeply. It is soul-soothing on a very profound level for me. Starting with a synth melody line and percussion in a four-by-four meter, a second melody line is added at 0.28, evoking a deep sadness. The bass line and clap follow the high hat.

A track of a few layers, but it is music that speaks to me like few do. I perceive it as the dual sensation of both synth chord lines, both in high-pitched registers, as is the clap, the high hat, and all four simultaneously at this pitch, opening my mind and heart when engaging, having this incredible effect on me. Beautiful.

Perbec - ‘Gurner’

Perbec - ‘Until the End part 1’

Solcyc - ‘Vision’

Solcyc - ‘Off The Man’

Solcyc - ‘Walk-Ins’

I mentioned at the beginning that I would come back to a couple of the aliases. These are Twig Bud and Peter Ford. Before I wrap up, I will leave you with ‘Day Off’ from Twig Bud and ‘Eggs are Eggs’ from Peter Ford.

‘Day Off’

‘Eggs is Eggs’

Interestingly, Peter down plays his historic contribution to electronic dance music, however there is no denying he was incredibly influential and essential to its development. Peter is one of Techno’s leads and perhaps by extracting himself from this legacy he has been able to fine tune his sound, forever evolving with more finesse allowing him to be at the fore of Techno’s evolutionary process, thirty-five years on, instead of being stuck to the past.

A genuine and lovely man, someone I was lucky enough to meet during my time at the Wang parties in London. It is clear to see, for Peter, Techno is not only music but also a code and a way of life. He has worked with others who have inspired him, crafting a sound so unique that it serves as a blueprint.

His productions are some of the most captivating and thought provoking music ever produced and this is the crucial part of our message here in this Foundations series. This is a man who has graced us all with incredible music that is intrinsically and profoundly a part of all us, since the late 80’s when it all began. Yet here we are, allowing this extraordinary history to become nothing, stamped on: desecrated is probably a better word and something ugly is rising in that place, something it was never about for the new generations, who sadly know no better.

What’s happening to music is not a natural evolutionary process. It is deliberate.

With music, you only really get out what you put in. Presently, that put-in is poor.

As a final word, the finest example of Peter’s ethic is ‘Dead Eye’: an unequivocal piece of genius.

‘Dead Eye’

Ok one more from 1994 on Ifach, and a clue about who I will be talking about on the next one.

Sympletic - ‘Space 4-2’

Peace and love and Happy New Year.

Stef

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It’s Friday, and we’re relaying the foundations.

I’ll keep the words to an absolute minimum. Simply to say, if you get a spare afternoon over the next few weeks, do yourself a favour and find a quiet spot where you can listen to these four records back to back.

Talk Talk: Tottenham’s finest.

THE COLOUR OF SPRING (1986)

THE SPIRIT OF EDEN (1988)

LAUGHING STOCK (1991)

MARK HOLLIS (1998)

(Solo LP from Talk Talk front man, Mark Hollis)

Peace and love and Merry Christmas.

Thanks for listening.

See you in 2026!

Rubin

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