His education is listed as Enfield Grammar, and a work base in the Home Counties, which includes London; I will postulate that this artist’s origins are from this vicinity. This week I bring you artist Leigh Dickson.

With over twenty-five years’ experience in the domestic Audio/Visual industry, including parallel experience in studio production and pro audio, specialising in high-end hi-fi Installation, isolation, speaker positioning, and system tuning, and as an experienced AV Senior Installation Engineer. Trained as an Audio Engineer and a published musician and producer, he has in-depth knowledge of music, recording, and mastering, which helps him understand every stage of the musical process. He also had his own Radio show for five years. An important note: part of this chapter involved being entrusted with another person’s creation.

Starting on the ‘Static’ show at Hoxton FM, he moved to Soho Radio, where he covered ‘The Remix’ show, which ran for at least 21 months, from October 2017 until July 2019. You can find some shows from both ‘Static’ and ‘The Remix’ here. The Remix began on XFM, created by Eddy Temple-Morris, and moved to Soho Radio after the move was announced in September 2015.

The music is Techno, Electro, Electronica, Ambient, amongst other styles; however, his playlists show that he selects carefully, and there is only one theme: it is all incredibly well-crafted music, and these productions are represented by the word deep, or what I like to refer to as connects to the heart.

This undying ‘quality’ choice in music, coupled with his professionalism in the Audio/Visual industry, shows his utmost passion, attention to detail, and care with equipment and its output, achieving the best sound from physical audio playback; these are, without doubt, foundations that have filtered down to his music productions. I think these are incredibly important points, and critical to understanding his music output.

Known for emotive Techno and Electro, Leigh has released three solo EPs; one includes a remix by Peter Frank Adshead. Additionally, two releases are remixes of ‘Praise ’ by other artists. Leigh appears on a various artists EP on Verdant Recordings, releasing one track alongside John Shima, Plant43, and Mihail P.

PRODUCTIONS

In order, his first production came in 2002, on Cube with his seminal release ‘Praise’.

‘Praise’

Accompanying the Dub Plate on Verdant Recordings of ‘Praise Reprise’ (by Andy Green and Joe Sowrey) & Detention Centre, the 2026 release notes state, ‘ Summer 2026 marked the 30th anniversary of the writing and production of Praise…’ which places the track’s writing origins approximately in 1996: a time when electronic music was being pushed into unexplored territory by artists determined to challenge convention, where rhythm and texture became cinematic, atmospheric and full of emotion.

The original was released in 2002, including Baby Ford’s ‘Heavenly Circuit Mix’, and has resurfaced on Ben Boe’s For Those That Knoe in 2014, and as versions on Pariter, a subdivision of Sushitech Records, in 2013 and 2023. And Verdant in 2026

A timeless track that has kept drawing attention since 2002, and rightly so. This is a phenomenal achievement for a first-time production; it shows Leigh’s commitment to hard work, bringing the same attention to detail and care from other sound endeavours into his writing, and it shows incredibly well-thought-out processes.

Included is ‘Baby Ford Heavenly Circuit Mix’

With the Heavenly Circuit Mix. It is 9.30 minutes of hypnotic, minimal groove with subtle changes. The first is a low-pitched bass key that comes in at the one-minute mark, adding depth; the other is a clap which appears and disappears. The beauty of minimal, which does not always capture people’s attention, shines in full glory on Baby Ford’s incredible version of Leigh’s track. A track that certainly makes me lose time and place.

Praise’s enduring lifespan is perhaps the strongest testament to the original work’s quality.​‌

Aerobatics and Praise that appeared on Cube are incorporated into the two releases that came out on Ben Boe’s ‘For those that Knoe’ label in the summer of 2014, selected from tracks that were on Leigh’s SoundCloud page. Aerobatics features on Knoe 3/1, and Praise, an unheard and unreleased extended version of the electro classic, closes out the second EP, Knoe 3/2.

Knoe 3/1

Tracks ‘Chimera‘, ‘Aerobatics‘, and ‘Sketch Form’ are at those links. I want to focus on the last track on the EP:

‘Closed Box’

A stripped-back breakbeat, with heartwarming melody lines that interweave and harmonise. At 5.05, a high- to mid-range whirring synth line enters, giving the piece a slight oriental feel; an absolutely gorgeous track.

Knoe 3/2

From this EP, tracks ‘At One’, and ‘Praise 2014’ are at those links.

‘Cresnet’

From the outset, crisp percussion is accompanied by a sound that suggests an air current. At 0:15, this sound is enhanced to introduce the melodic line. At 0:53, this wind-like sound is used to great effect and enters quietly, grows louder, then stops, launching the bass with the melody. At 1:30, a single medium-pitch, emotive, heartwarming held-melody synth line enters, adding further depth until 1:58, when percussion pauses momentarily; mid-high-key stabs with a slight echo/reverb are added, accompanied by the reintroduction of the held-melody synth line; percussion re-enters, and everything comes together. At 3:12, the percussion pauses for the final time, and everything re-enters, creating a burst of significant enhancement from all melodies playing out until 3:56, when it’s just percussion and one melody line; at 4:25, percussion drops and the melody is changed to the melody that came in at 1.30 until it’s close. Stunning House music.

‘Ion’

Futuristic space exploration mixed with a slight oriental feel comes to mind from the opening melody line and continues until 5:00; here, it changes, and the opening melody line pauses; the dampened kick, the low-end bass, and one high-pitched melody line take its place, then the original melody returns at 5:25 until its conclusion. Echoey percussion comes in at 0:30, low-end bass is added at 1.00, and a hollowed-out/dampened kick appears at 1:14. A track with many textures, lovely string melody lines, and interesting sounds that add to the explorative feel, giving it immense depth and a style all its own; a unique, beautiful track.

Leigh certainly has a passion for how sound sounds. Part of this is looking after hi-fi lovers’ systems, alongside his other endeavours in sound and vision work, studio production and pro audio, and radio broadcasting. With his impeccable taste in music, listeners to Leigh’s shows will recognise and appreciate his selections and know he championed older electronic music and ran a vinyl- and collector-oriented show. Notably, he followed Colin Dale’s Kiss Show from age 14.

All of these things, in parallel, have shaped him, leading him to produce arguably a track that belongs at the pinnacle of timeless classics, alongside other impressive electro and techno tracks from the ‘golden age’ of these styles (1982 to 1999).

This is far more than just ‘Praise’. Over the past 15 to 20 years, he continued to refine his sound and went on to produce a wide range of tracks, some picked up by Ben Boe for his label For Those That Knoe. As far as I am aware, there are still around 40, possibly more, unreleased tracks.

There is no doubt Leigh is incredibly talented. His productions show careful thought, care and attention to detail. His sound is texturally rich, and it does cocoon you: the melodies and key work transcend, connecting directly with the heart.

His productions show an unfading commitment to quality; they also demonstrate perfection, and I suspect his work ethic, along with his other sound and vision work, is the reason. This is his trademark in everything he does, and it’s not only wonderful to see it come through, but it also attests that doing everything from within produces solid results.

This is what makes electronic music so special; for me, it is about people like Leigh, the important ones, the fundamental layer that holds everything in place. This is what keeps everything true. No trends, no hype, no underhanded nonsense, just good old-fashioned hard work to produce honest, quality music that comes from the inside.

Until the next one, I will leave you with this track from ‘Emerald City’ EP.

‘Follow’

A lush electronic track at 120 bpm, starting with a warm, mid-range synth key. A dampened kick and hi-hat are incorporated shortly after. Wooden percussion slowly comes in from 0:40, increasing in volume. At the same time, another warm-sounding synth is introduced to add depth and create a lovely opening sequence until 1:55, when a different synth line takes over: one which comes in softly, increasing in volume, pitch and oscillation, and at 2.43 it is accompanied by a violin melody, giving the piece a unique yet distinct Japanese feel. Beautiful.

Please check out the other tracks on the Emerald City EP; they are all wonderful.

Be Safe.

Peace and Love.

Stef

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A few weeks ago the YouTube algorithm decided to bless me with an exceptional mix from one of my most favourite producers and selectors: Ramon Quezada, aka DJ Qu.

Qu’s 2018 set from New York’s The Lot Radio is delivered in slightly surreal fashion from what looks like a shop front on Time Square. It took me right back to the earliest days of Make Me and a golden period of music and parties at the end of the 2000s and start of the 2010s.

From the outset, the deep house sound coming out of New York at that time was one of my biggest musical inspirations and influences. I was lucky enough to be in the city on a number of occasions during those years and took the opportunity to head down to record stores like Manhattan’s A-1 and Brooklyn’s legendary Halcyon, where tracks from the likes of Levon Vincent, Joey Anderson, Anthony Parasole, Jus Ed and many others were firmly placing New York back at the pinnacle of the international dance sound it had helped pioneer through the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Qu was right at the heart of that resurgent scene. And his Lot Radio set is a perfect example of its musical heritage, as he artfully weaves together deep soulful and gospel house, triumphant disco records, minimal techno and the abstract jacking club tracks he’s known for as a producer into a pure, timeless and insistent groove that could only really come from that city.

It’s absolutely top drawer. Make sure to give it a listen.

“DANCING IS MUSIC’S SOUL MATE”

One of Qu’s defining characteristics as an artist is his background through the 90s as a house dancer. He comes from a culture where the dancer puts just as much time, effort and passion into their art form as the producer and the DJ, and receives the same level of respect in the club.

In many ways he was born to do it: born and raised in a Latino culture where dancing as a family was second nature, before taking to the streets in b-boy and hip-hop crews then finally making the move into house music. The competitive nature of dedicated artists pushing each other to new levels of creative expression feeds directly into his DJing, as described in this excellent short interview with House Wives at PMT Dance Studio in New York:

Funnily enough, while preparing this post I remembered having the chance to interview Qu at Make Me’s 4th Birthday way back in 2013 about just this topic. We talk, amongst other things, about the European propensity to enjoy listening to music as a social activity with friends, more than the focused solo dancing favoured by American crowds.

This was a great party…!

THE TRACKS

What I admire most abut Qu as a DJ and producer is his singular vision and absolute dedication to mapping out and owning a clearly defined sonic territory. He’s been releasing predominantly on his own exceptional label, Strength Music, since its inception in 2007. And, while he effortlessly traverses a range of different styles, all his output has an unmistakeable sound.

Ignoring trends and fashion.

Without fear or favour.

The mark of a true visionary and artist.

Some gems:

DJ Qu & David S - ‘Nite Ride’ - SMR 001

Qu announces his arrival in simple, elegant yet devastatingly effective fashion.

DJ Qu - ‘Air’s Force’ - SMR 002

A heavyweight and majestic dub techno BOMB. Perfectly shaped for peak time.

DJ Qu ‘The Zones’ - SMR03

Introspective, heads down and rolling.

DJ Qu ‘ Party People Clap’ - Deconstruct 03

A Make Me classic from the early years. Picked up on wax from the main man Nick Williams (RIP) at Phonica when I used to roll through every Friday. The Levon Vincent version is also top class.

DJ Qu - ‘Circuit’ - SR007

Raw and wild. A total floor burner.

DJ Qu - ‘All Across the Floor’ - Underground Quality 027

True elegance. Real deep ass house music MAN!

DJ Qu - ‘JuicyFruit’

The first of two tracks I’ve chosen from Qu’s debut LP ‘Gymnastics’ which I used to absolutely batter when it came out.

‘Juicyfruit’ is abstract, discordant and weird. An absolute gem in the hands of the right DJ at the right time of night. Sets you up to drop an absolute BOMB out of the back end.

DJ Qu - ‘Mixing Room’

The second track I’ve chosen from ‘Gymnastics’ and perhaps Qu’s best known production. Perfectly straddling the divide between house and techno with a lead riff that nods directly to Dub reggae. Absolutely vital.

’Times Like This’ - The Corner 001

Another head down roller. Simple, elegant and unbelievably compelling.

They exploded!

’Liquid’ - SMR012

Shimmering elegance. Qu takes things to the next level.

The dub is a very different beast that also demands your attention.

‘Do This Here’ - Ygrec

No messing.

’In Trance’ - SMR017

Minimal perfection.

I will simply wrap things up by sending mad love and respect to Qu and all the American dons doing it right since day dot. We see, hear and appreciate you.

You can pick up the whole Strength Music back catalogue over at Bandcamp.

And I’ll be delving further into this incredibly rich seam of production talent over the coming weeks.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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The mysterious Chicagoan Spirit Of The Black 808 has charmed us with 6 EPs, with their latest documented production coming in 2020, since arriving on the scene in 2013. In comparison to other artists' obscurity, here we have little to no information to work with, apart from one image of a baby found on this artist's SoundCloud page and a mini write-up with no identifiable information. Apart from mentioning the inheritance of his elder brothers' record collection - total anonymity; however, for me, until clarification comes, which it may not, and that is fine, I think of this as two possibilities.

The first is a collective. Bear with me here. When I listen to the entire catalogue, I notice elements of many artists, including the label owners who have released on Episodes, Machining Dreams, Synapsis Records, and Eargasmic Recordings, and I feel that Spirit Of The Black 808 could be a collaborative effort by these producers.

The music from Spirit Of The Black 808 spans the full range I expect from the above labels and their artists, especially those who appeared early in the label’s output. Diverse and unpredictable, Restrained, yet raw, sparse, and experimental in other areas. However, the mini write-up throws this theory out unless it’s meant to throw people off slightly.

After thinking more deeply, the second possibility leans me toward G. Marcell for a few reasons. He transitioned from his label, Bearatonerecordings, to the other labels mentioned above and a larger, established network in 2011, with his last release on his label in 2012. He was picked up by Keith Worthy in 2011 and Hakim Murphy in 2012, two major forces from Detroit and Chicago, and released for them. Following this, in 2013 he released for Episodes and Synapsis Records, and the third was on Vanguard Sound!, Amir Alexander’s label. This is interesting, as Spirit Of The Black 808’s first three releases in 2013, chronologically, are on labels of Ike Velez (Episodes), Hakim Murphy (Synapsis Records), and Daryl Cura (Eargasmic Recordings), which places this artist’s transition firmly within that tight Chicago music collective, which includes many on the roster of these labels.

After the second release, Spirit Of The Black 808 and G. Marcell have released on different labels. Regarding Spirit Of The Black 808, the other three releases came out on Hizou Deep Rooted Music and Sounds Of The City in 2015, and on Joe Marougi’s Roundabout Sounds in 2020; he co-founded Plug Research.

On a side note, I find the mystery of Spirit Of The Black 808 intriguing, and I also find the artists and their productions on the labels discussed here fascinating; over time, I will write about them. Strange as it may seem, one thing shines through and connects them all, and it is abundantly clear to me: none of them does this for popularity. These are personal journeys: such a beautiful quality–total respect to all who do it in this way. 

One moniker with a small output on respected labels; however, Spirit Of The Black 808 productions are extremely dear to me. I have followed this artist’s output since the beginning, and they never disappoint. Always something different, which makes it intriguing when a new release appears. Another favourite of mine.

SPIRIT OF THE BLACK 808

…fusion of deep house, funk, downtempo boogie and hip hop.

The first release, titled ‘Analog Funktions’ came out in 2013 on Episodes. It features three tracks of Chicago-style machine funk that perfectly align with the label’s sound, or, for that matter, you could be forgiven for thinking this is Ike Valez. It is for this reason that this producer’s debut is an incredible feat: to slot right in, especially if we consider that this producer is new to the scene and not part of the collective.

‘Analog Funktions’

‘FrecuenciaX0X’

‘Guerilla Shit EP’

This is all about the B-side ‘4dabrothaswhoainthere’: exceptionally good. It starts with a voice saying “this is 4dabrothaswhoainthere”, and the beginning of the acid line that flows throughout the track, lowering its presence at the 5-minute mark and slowly fading out. This is a track that builds from the beginning, revealing well-thought-out, subtle yet interesting (intriguing) sounds throughout the track’s progression and entire duration. The percussion is incredibly tight, including the angsty drumming, with bass drum, and kick, with well-placed sounds creating immense depth and mood. There isn’t a single poor sound choice, or even one out of place. From the track’s mid-stage, we hear a man’s voice ask, “Why does the sun kiss the earth?” and again at 6.30. Additionally, an upward-sliding (glissando) female voice enters at 6 minutes and continues until the end, ending with the male voice saying, “this is 4dabrothaswhoainthere”. 

This artist shows restraint and Incredible depth in sound design and production techniques.

Adding to this record’s appeal is the unusual A-side, with both tracks featuring darker sounds. ‘King Kong’, with its 808 drum and Chicago-style jack, patterns, also contains varied samples of Denzel Washington’s voice from the tense ending of the film ‘Training Day’, in particular, “King Kong ain’t got shit on me!” And ‘Guerrilla Shit’, a low-energy affair that brings melancholy and a tense, frightening edge to the track; to be fair, they both do that.

Raw underground music.

All three tracks from the EP are below.

‘Dirty Jointz’

The first three tracks fall into Spirit Of The Black 808’s unique fusion of deep house, funk, and boogie. In contrast, track four is a stripped-back percussion track with a melodic line that resembles a continual industrial machine, with a voice scattered throughout - not a distinct word, but rather an exclamation. At 2.30, a spoken word resembles the letters MTC, until 3.20, when the energy shifts to more distinct exclamations, rolling percussion is added for intensity, and a horn enters. Strangely interesting.

‘One’

‘Two’

This track samples the opening sound of Gil Scott Heron’s and Brian Jackson’s ‘We Almost Lost Detroit’ (1977).

‘2.5’

This is a version of track ‘Two’, which Eargasmic Recordings is kindly allowing people to download for free, here.

‘Four’

‘Infroduction EP’

This is one of my favourite 2013 releases. It opens with a 108 BPM jam reminiscent of Three Chairs, Mahogani Music, and KDJ productions. Of the four tracks, this one leans more toward Detroit. The other three tracks are undoubtedly Chicago in feel, with ‘Electronic Love’ and ‘I Funkd Up’ layered with beautiful melodies - subtle, not overdone and nicely placed - and those unmistakably deep Chicago-style grooves. The last track ‘Rough Joint’ is stripped down to the bare essetials with Chicago-style beats with cowbell, a whistle and has an otherworldly feel, made more so by a woman’s voice which produces a musical fragment or phrase making this EP a diverse and very fine release.

‘Infroduction’

‘Electronic Love’

‘I Funkd Up’

‘Invasion Of The Black Bass’

‘Invasion Of The Black Bass’ uses beautiful synths that feel vintage to me, which creates an incredible, heartwarming groove that accompanies and adds to the percussive lines. This being my goto on this EP, unfortunately there is not an full upload of this track ‘Invasion Of The Black House’ is a version of the previous track. ‘Frenzy In Firenze’ is a two-beat rhythm mainly found in Roots music; however, it is not exclusive to it: African musical traditions, with their complex rhythmic patterns, also contribute to its development.

‘Frenzy In Firenze’

‘Rough Bounce’

‘Rough Bounce’, which came out on Roundabout Sounds, strongly reminds me of Sean Hernandez productions. It is a wonderful track, and do check out James Duncan’s ‘Morning Mix’.

REFLECTION

There is no doubt Spirit Of The Black 808 is incredibly talented. One notable observation is how this artist’s sound flawlessly encapsulates many of the artists who have appeared on Machining Dreams, Episodes, Eargasmic Recordings and Synapsis Records and who are part of his close network. His unique fusion of musical styles has placed him among the best in the business.

Another observation is that this artist keeps things incredibly close and personal. The only picture online is of a baby holding a record. The mini write-up says this person inherited his elder brother’s record collection, and it is noted elsewhere that their inspiration lies firmly with Theo Parrish, Larry Heard, and Marcellus Malik Pittman. The image shows deep love, respect, and connection to his elder brother after he took possession of their records. This unknown person pursued production to share their feelings and advances in their life and musical journey from that exact point.

Unequivocally, Spirit Of The Black 808 is all about the music and what that means and nothing about prominence, so it makes sense there is no identifiable information about this individual, which leads me to the paragraph below.

However much I think about knowing this artist’s identity and the importance attached to it, and, additionally, for my thoughts about who this could be, I want to clarify that I meant absolutely no disrespect by my analysis.

For someone to come onto the scene and create something similar, fitting in as if they had been producing for decades in Chicago’s music scene, yet there are sounds, placement and technique that lift and push all of their productions outside the expected, which make them beautifully unique, is a testament to how exceptionally good this artist is at production. Frankly, I am in awe of the brilliance, and I want to understand more.

There is only one point to make, and it is what Spirit Of The Black 808 represents: this is true dedication to the art form, drawing inspiration from many music styles, and I would suggest the connection to his elder brother as the backbone of their musical journey; it is full commitment and professionalism in creating quality music, and that comes through in abundance. A remarkable producer, with impeccable sound selection and an ability to use female and male voices to great effect in interesting ways; it is simply creative thinking on another level, and I hope we will hear more work from this artist in the near future.

Until the next one, I will leave you with track three from Dirty Jointz on Eargasmic Recordings.

‘Three’

Be Safe.

Peace and Love.

Stef

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We’re back in business.

Regular service will now resume.

And in fact we’ll be increasing our output and mixing things up over the coming weeks and months. Watch this space…

To kick things of, I’m excited to share this short series of documentaries and interviews, which I was previously unaware of, that appeared out of nowhere on YouTube a few weeks back.

The year, 1996.

The place, London.

The focus, Jungle: a revolutionary new sound emerging from the UK’s multicultural urban youth that was already shaking the foundations of music worldwide.

The protagonists, an extraordinary cast of key players from one of history’s most important periods of musical innovation.

LONDON JUNGLE

DJ Hype, Goldie, LTJ Bukem, Kemistry + Storm, the Moving Shadow crew, Grooverider, 4Hero and DJ Krust are just some of the names who feature in this exceptional 1996 documentary from German music programme Lost In Music.

This is like stepping into a time machine and emerging in a better and simpler time, in so many ways. The tone, the clothing, the technology, the modes of speech and interaction, the way these independent creatives were obviously thriving both commercially and artistically.

And, most importantly, the music itself.

DJ HYPE

An hour of wisdom from one of the realest artists in the game. Understand the true roots of jungle from the dancehalls of east London in the early 80s, through hip-hop, acid house and up to emergence of hardcore. And the importance of this culture to the street kids who filled its upper ranks.

LTJ BUKEM

Without question the most influential artist in the melodic side of jungle. Danny Bukem is a true gentleman, rooted in classical and jazz music. Watch out for a feature article coming in the next couple of months.

4HERO

Marc and Dego. The Dollis Hill crew. Two of the most evolved artists in UK music who in many ways superseded jungle before it have even properly begun. I really must do a deep dive on Reinforced…

PESHAY

What an absolute geezer.

Also, this track is simply untouchable:

ROB PLAYFORD

Finally, the man behind the scenes at Moving Shadow and the second half of the creative partnership that formed Goldie’s Timeless.

What an era, what a sound, what an inspiration.

I feel truly humbled by these films.

Shout to all the artists.

Legends in the game.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Peace and love.

Rubin and Stef.

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Three mixes that have been on heavy rotation for me over the past 12 months:

JANE FITZ b2b PAQUITA GORDON

Rolling, sun-kissed festival techno perfection from two of the First Ladies of the scene. Absolutely belting mix.

RYAN ELLIOTT

The inimitable Mr Elliott is now 12 releases deep in one of the standout new house and techno labels of the past few years: Faith Beat.

In this killer set, he expertly blends together all 34 tracks from the 2024 label comp “Have Faith”.

Proper gear. Bravo.

PLOY

I’ve been a big fan of Sam Smith since his early releases on Hessle, Hemlock and Timedance. He is one of the standout UK artists and DJs of his generation.

I’ve been equally taken (although perhaps a little surprised initially) by his recent detour into chunked-out party House, including this future classic on Faith Beat.

This 3 hour session from last year’s Dekmantel Selectors is top drawer:

Normal service will resume next week.

Until then, peace and love.

Rubin

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This week, I am supplying several DJ mixes as an interim measure.

The first is from Joey Anderson, a phenomenal producer and equally mesmerising DJ.

It is incredible how he puts things together, smooth and precise; the percussion choice is always interesting, and I suspect his dance background has a significant part to play.

This selection has a track that gets me every time, ‘In Bed’ by Donato Dozzy.

The next is from the man himself, Donato Dozzy, a true master of the craft.

Speed, yet accurate, that flows. Watching him is quite awe-inspiring.

Next is Nick Marshall, Taeleu

Superb selections. I like this form of mixing; it allows the listener to get into the track for longer. I firmly believe that is a good thing in sets.

And the final one from the master of deep, Fred Peterkin.

Included is a conversation with him. Fascinating.

If you get a chance to see any of these artists live and preferably in a small, more personal space, see them. It will lift you considerably.

Peace and Love

Stef

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My only issue with this analysis is the use of the word ‘secular’. I don’t believe it’s possible to transcend without establishing a connection to the divine.

But, broadly speaking, Lord Sabre and I are on the same page.

So if raves are the ritual and ecstacy the sacrament, then the music is also a crucial component of a liturgical framework that drives the ceremony forward.

Think of these records as ancient wisdom handed down through generations.

Like some kind of cuneiform tablet or Dead Sea Scroll.

Righteous grooves with mystical powers.

Preserved for posterity.

A glimpse into something ancient.

A gateway into another world.

MAURIZIO

I won’t go on at length about individual tracks this week.

Suffice to say I have been blown away once again going through the complete back catalogue of Mark Ernestus and Moritz von Oswald. It really is extraordinary to consider the volume and consistency of output of these two master producers. How lucky some of us were to have experienced all of this first hand, fresh and new.

The Maurizio project alone would be enough to place any other production team into the ranks of the greats. To have it running in parallel with Basic Channel and Rhythm & Sound, as some kind of casual side project, is simply astounding.

I’ve pulled out my favourites from the series below.

The best (in my humble opinion) comes last: M-7, oh my gosh…

As you listen, think about what I said at the start of this post: These are righteous grooves, created for ancient riutals, to achieve collective transcendence and a connection with the divine.

M-1 - ‘Ploy (UR Mix)’ (1992)

M-2 - ‘Domina (Carl Craig Mix)’ (1993)

M-4 - ‘Untitled A’ (1995)

M-5 - ‘Untitled A’

M-6 - ‘Untitled B’ (1996)

M-7 - Untitled B (1997)

Totemic.

Where it all comes together.

Finally, for those that made it this far, one more classic that had nowhere else to live in the series.

Quadrant - Infinition (1993)

It really doesn’t get much better than this.

Thanks for listening.

Until next time.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Moritz von Oswald is particularly interesting to consider in this manner.

He is certainly no longer the strutting young buck of Palais Schaumburg, the trainer wearing party starter of 3MB, or even the casually attired dub-techno dad of Basic Channel.

In recent years, von Oswald has emerged as a cravat-clad aesthete, scooping out luxurious dollops of high grade synthesis from his premium collection of increasingly rare and idiosyncratic audio machinery. Like some kind of eccentric Victorian explorer from a novel by Jules Verne.

He is, without question, an absolute boss.

But let’s not get sidetracked. We’re here to discuss music, not pocket squares. And there’s plenty to cover.

I’m going to skate over the Krautrock era of Palais Schaumburg (1983-84) and the sweetly innocent acid house party starters of Marathon (1989-90) and His Name Is Dime (1989) and head straight to the most pertinent material.

It’s been a pleasure putting this together.

Enjoy.

3MB

Three Men In Berlin (3MB) started life as 2MB (Two Men In Berlin), a collaboration between von Oswald and Palais Schaumburg co-founder Thomas Fehlmann. Fehlmann was a pioneering avantgarde musician who would go on to become resident DJ at the original Berlin techno superclub Tresor, as well as being a member of ‘90s ambient pioneers The Orb.

In 1992, von Oswald and Fehlmann produced a couple of solid 2MB remixes for Detroit pioneers Blake Baxter and Eddie Fowlkes before establishing a formal partnership with Juan Atkins as 3MB.

The resulting LP, 3MB Feat. Magic Juan Atkins, was one of the earliest link ups in the Detroit-Berlin axis, and a true piece of techno history.

Two selects from the release:

Die Kosmischen Kuriere (MvO and Thomas Fehlmann remix)

A glorious slice of blissed out techno euphoria.

‘Jazz Is The Teacher’ (Magic Juan Edit)

Your regular reminder that Techno is not Black, but it’s certainly American (which often gets overlooked). And its roots are in Jazz. More on this another time.

I also want to draw your attention to this wonderfully uplifting, Steve Reich-esque composition released by Fehlmann and von Oswald as ‘Schizophrenia’ on Tresor in 1995, during the peak years of Basic Channel.

Schizophrenia (1995)

Speaking of Basic Channel, we’ve already covered that project as well as Rhythm & Sound in extensive detail elsewhere.

So now we’ll fast forward 13 years to 2008 »

ReComposed

Having pioneered dub techno and scaled the heights of reggae, why not turn your hand to reworking some of the most iconic classical music of the 20th century?

On paper, a techno reinterpretation of Ravel’s ‘Bolero’ probably shouldn’t work. But MvO and Carl Craig do an extraordinary job of honouring the source material through an epic 16-minute opening section:

Before dropping the hammer on the second side of the LP:

It’s a classy release. Perhaps unsure of where it’s most suitably deployed (is it really a club record?), but certainly rewards repeated listening. And I can’t quite believe it’s already 18 years old(!)

Moritz vo Oswald Trio

Von Oswald’s later career will of course be defined by his eponymous supergroup; a rotating cast of musical auteurs who expertly blend dub, techno and jazz into an incredible immersive live act.

The trio is led by von Oswald (keys, percussion, and production) and originally featured Max Loderbauer (synthesizers, samplers) and Sasu Ripatti / Vladislav Delay (percussion, live processing).

This core group delivered four groundbreaking albums between 2009 and 2012.

Vertical Ascent (Honest Jon’s, 2009)

‘Pattern 1’

Live in New York (Honest Jon’s, 2010)

‘Nothing 1’

Horizontal Structures (Honest Jon’s, 2011)

‘Structure 2’

I love how the Rhythm & Sound style bassline merges into the Trio’s freeform jazz explorations.

Fetch (Honest Jon’s, 2012)

Probably my favourite LP from the original line up. It brings a raw directness and utility that is often absent on earlier releases.

‘Club’

‘Yangissa’

Blue (Honest Jon’s, 2013)

I should also highlight this exceptional single from the OG lineup released in 2013 which could very easily have come from the Maurizio project (which I’ll be wrapping this series up with next week).

Both sides here, turn up your subs:

‘Blue’ & ‘Blue Dub’

In 2015, Vladislav Delay was replaced by Fela Kuti’s legendary Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen. Thereby shifting the Trio’s sound towards a more muscular jazz-funk fusion that I am a huge fan of.

Sounding Lines (Honest Jon’s, 2015)

Two selects:

‘Sounding Line 3’

‘Sounding Line 6’

This track is where Allen’s influence really comes to the fore.

Incredible drum work.

For the full experience check out this live concert with Tony Allen from 2016.

For their 2021 album Dissent, the trio underwent another transformation, replacing Tony Allen with jazz drummer Heinrich Köbberling and Loderbauer with electronic musician Laurel Halo (keys, Wurlitzer, Rhodes). Dissent marked a return to a murkier, more abstract sound, highlighting Halo’s bright tonal center against von Oswald’s dub techniques.

Dissent (Modern Recordings, 2021)

‘Chapter 4’

‘Chapter 5’

I absolutely love the loose, up-tempo shuffle of this track. Proper gear.

Oh, and before we sign off this section make sure you get to know about this extraordinary 2010 link up between MvO Trio and Dubstep pioneers Digital Mysticz. A match made in dub heaven from a golden era of bass music.

‘Restructure 2’

Nils Petter Molvaer

After the fourth MvO Trio LP dropped in 2012, von Oswald somehow found time to collaborate with Norwegian jazz trumpeter, Nils Petter Molvaer. The resulting 1/1 LP, released in 2013, is a brooding jazz-meets-dub techno gem.

‘Future’

‘Noise 2’

Borderland

At the same time, von Oswald was rekindling one of his oldest relationships with ‘Magic’ Juan Atkins. They released a collaborative LP in 2013 called ‘Borderland’, which they then decided to use as the name of their joint production project.

To be honest, some of these tracks are a little bland and edge into ‘dad house’ territory. But there are some definite highlights.

‘Odyssey’

‘Merkur’

‘Concave 2’

Ordo Sakhna

In 2017 von Oswald collaborated with this long-standing musical collective based in Bishkek, devoted to the roots music of Kyrgyzstan.

A couple of gems from quite a challenging release:

‘Draught’

‘Drums’

Silencio

And finally, after so much collaboration: a solo release, a profund statement of artistic maturity, and perhaps a career highlight from 2023.

Silencio shows how, even after a creative life as storied as Moritz von Oswald’s, it’s still possible to reach new levels of artistic expression. This extraordinarily ambitious album would sit comfortably alongside the work of Phil Glass, Steve Reich, Aphex Twin or any of the other late 20th century masters.

Bravo, Moritz.

Two favourites below, but make sure to check out the full release.

‘Silencio’

‘Volta’

So there you have it.

A 40+ year career that’s traversed the night club, the opera house, the jazz shebeen and the sound system with an elegance and style that really nobody else can match. And even at this stage of the game, the question I’m asking myself is ‘what’s next?’

For now, I’ll leave you with one of my top 10 all time records. The Moritz von Oswald rework of Sebbo’s ‘Watamu Beach’, released on Desolat in 2008:

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Now we’ll take a look at the men behind the music, starting with Mark Ernestus.

Both Ernestus and his production partner Moritz von Oswald have been notorious over the years for their aversion to public statements and profile building, preferring instead to let their music do the talking.

In fact they pioneered the minimalist, anonymous white label culture that in many ways continues to define serious club music. For many years nobody knew who was behind the era-defining rhythms they were unleashing on the world.

In a rare interview with the Wire from 2010, Ernestus recalls:

“When I first got involved with producing I remember thinking for myself, what is it you try to achieve, you know. Because you definitely don’t want your face or your name all over the place. And you’re shy, you’d rather be invisible. I realise that I really loved the idea to have my genetic code in the genetic code of music. That would be a huge goal, that would be the biggest achievement in a way”

I think we can say with absolute certainty that Ernestus has achieved his goal. His DNA has infused every area of electronic music and he is a foundation stone of the entire culture, the Berlin scene in particular.

As founder of the city’s legendary Hardwax record store (Tip!), which opened in 1989, he played a critical role in establishing the Berlin-Detroit nexus. By facilitating the import and distribution of Detroit techno across Europe he helped cultivate a sound that would become completely central to the continent’s musical identity.

As co-founder, alongside von Oswald, of the Dubplate & Mastering cutting house, he brought specialised club music mastering to Berlin for the first time, inspired by the high quality independent sound engineers he admired from the US and UK.

As a solo producer he’s been behind some of the most important electronic music of the past 15+ years; delivering a slew of high quality remixes, versions and collaborations with top tier artists, as well as playing a central role in one of the most compelling live acts I’ve ever seen; Ndagga Rhythm Force.

Let’s start with the versions.

VERSIONS

A few favourites for your delectation.

Tony Allen - ‘Moyege (Mark’s Disco Dub)’ (2006)

A rare disco outing for Ernestus as he expertly re-rubs a slice of afro-funk for Fela Kuti’s legendary percussionist Tony Allen.

‘Mark Ernestus meets BBC Version’ (2011)

Taken from Honest Jon’s now classic 2011 Shangaan Shake remix compilation. This beautiful, deep, rhythmic ambient workout demands serious amplification.

Mark Ernestus vs Obadikah ‘April’ (2016)

One word: Triumphant.

Calibre & DRS v Mark Ernestus ‘Bad’ (2021)

A dream collaboration for any bass music connoisseur.

Now let’s turn to Ernestus’s primary musical focus over the past 15 years.

NDAGGA

I first came across the Ndagga project back in 2015, when I picked up the Yermande and Lamb Ji 12”s by Ndagga Rhythm Force on a trip to Honest Jon’s.

I was immediately struck by the depth and richness of this music; the complexity of the rhythms and the obvious joy and passion with which they were delivered.

For the origin story of how the whole project came together, you can’t do better than listen to the man himself in this excellent recent interview from RA.

Long story short: Ernestus had become increasingly hooked on the extraordinary Mbalax polyrhythms he found in youtube clips of Sabar drummers from Senegal. His online obsession soon became a real life quest as he travelled to the country seeking out original recordings and then collaborating with some of the culture’s leading artists.

He became a founding member of Jeri-Jeri, a group formed of more than 20 Senegalese musicians whose name came from the tribe of the participating artists. In true Rhythm & Sound style, the results of these studio sessions were released as a run of 12”s, followed by two albums of original tracks and dub versions. Two standouts:

‘Ndeye Gueye’

‘Gawlo” w/ Baaba Maal

After these initial releases, the project evolved into a more focused and polished live act and was renamed Ndagga Rhythm Force in 2014, with most of the Jeri-Jeri members joining the new group.

And while the early recordings from 2011-2013 are undeniably excellent, for me the sound is truly elevated when Ernestus begins to fully flex his hi-fidelity studio chops alongside the raw Senegalese tribal drumming, creating a more minimal, polished and dub-inflected sound.

Two particular stand outs from the original Ndagga run:

Yermande (Prophet 5 Mix) (2015)

‘Lamb Ji’ (2015)

You should absolutely check out the full LP.

Then after more than a decade of honing their stagecraft, Ndagga returned in 2025 with a new long(ish) player ‘Khadim’. My choice cut:

‘Lamp Fall’

Finally, Ndagga must be understood first and foremost as a live act.

I had the absolute pleasure of attending one of their first UK gigs at Cafe Oto in (I think) 2016, which was simply one of the most perfect musical performances I’ve ever experienced. Some footage here:

I seem to remember bursting into (happy) tears at one point during the performance; it was really that good.

If you get a chance to see them live, make sure you take it.

For now, ultimate respect to Mark Ernestus.

A true giant of the culture.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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You can watch the full interview here, where the first 15 minutes or so is focused on music festivals.

I found the conversation troubling for two reasons.

Firstly, because Mahon sits on top of an extraordnarily powerful collection of cultural assets, all of which are now owned by private equity in a direct affront to the grassroots of rave culture.

Secondly, because the Ditchley Foundation is a hub of military, intelligence and political actors who have been at the forefront of Anglo-American imperlialism for the past 70 years.

These things should not be mixing together and Mahon’s decision to give this interview in the very first months of her new role tells you everything you need to know about Superstruct and the state of the modern music industry: i.e. it has been weaponised by the global ruling class.

I’ll start by giving you a brief overview of Superstruct and its role in the centre of the corporate takeover of European music culture, followed by an introduction to the Ditchley Foundation and some of its key people and activities.

SUPERSTRUCT AND KKR

Anyone paying even the most casual attention to club culture over the past few years will be familiar with the controversy surrounding Superstruct; the huge festival operator, now wholly owned by private equity pioneers Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts (KKR), which has been steadily hoovering up many of your favourite festivals and music brands into its soulless global investment portfolio.

Snowbombing, Hideout, Elrow, Awakenings, DGTL, Lost Village, Sonar, Field Day, Boiler Room and many others are now fully embedded into the beast system and steadily generating corporate profits for KKR alongside its investments in Israeli weapons manufacturers and companies promoting illegal settlements in the West Bank.

So much for Peace, Love Unity and Respect.

Thankfully we’ve seen consistent and escalating push back from the music-loving public, and Sonar festival was notably hit by over 70 artists boycotting last year’s event in protest at the KKR link up.

But this has really only scratched the surface of the problem.

And you won’t fail to have noticed that none of the protests have changed anything whatsoever about what’s happening on the ground in Gaza.

Mainly because people don’t really understand what these investments are actually for.

Let’s be clear, KKR isn’t trying to make a few quid selling you overpriced water. It’s actually engaged in full scale psychological operations against European populations so the imperial war machine from which it so handsomely profits can keep grinding on towards its ultimate goal.

How do festivals help progress this agenda?

In at least three ways I can think of:

1. Bread and Circuses

By keeping the peasants (you and me) fed and entertained the global establishment, of which KKR is an important part, are able to keep us distracted, complacent and unquestioning of its wider policies.

2. Divide and Rule

The music industry has been at the forefront of pushing woke neo-Marxist political ideas that have been custom designed to split Western societies into warring factions more interested in fighting each other than uniting to tear down the corrupt establishment that is actually persecuting all of us.

The massive and ongoing controversy over the supposed racial roots of techno music is just one example of how this plays out in practice.

Yes, the billionaires fund Communism when its useful for them to do so. But more on that another time…

3. Mind Control

Military intelligence agencies have invested $trillions over the past 80 years in carrying out psychological operations against their own citizens. The CIA’s MK Ultra programme, as just one example, is well-documented and the lessons learnt are still being applied to this day.

Large scale public events, especially those where attendees are intoxicated and being exposed to high levels of sonic and visual stimulation, are extremely fertile ground for those seeking to plant new ideas into public consciousness.

They literally want to control what we see, hear and think on pretty much any major issue. Festivals are a perfect place to make this happen.

All of which might explain why the Ditchley Foundaton were so keen to speak with Alex Mahon at the start of this year.

DITCHLEY FOUNDATION

Ditchley was established in 1958 as a way to promote international relations between the USA and Great Britain.

It sits at the core of the Anglo-American partnership that has dominated global affairs since the end of the Second World War.

The Foundation is based at Ditchley Park in Oxfordshire, an extraordinary country house first built in 1720.

The Foundation’s Governors include some of the most prominent figures in British and international affairs from the past several decades, including:

• Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, aka David Cameron. The former British Prime Minister and ultra-Zionist change agent.

• Bill Emmott, former Editor of the Rothschild-owned Economist and former Chair of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS), one of the key global think tanks of the military industrial complex.

• Dominic Grieve, former Tory MP and former Chair of the House of Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, which oversees MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.

• Sir John Major, fomer british Prime Minister and former European President of the Carlyle Group (the largest financial beneficiary of the Iraq War, alongside Halliburton).

• Sir John Sawers, former Chief of MI6 (2009-14)

• Lord Robertson, former Secretary General of NATO.

I could go on at length, but I’m sure you get the picture: Top level political, military and intelligence operators, including some of the biggest bastards in recent British history, are cosying up to the Chief Executive of the largest festival operator in Western Europe in order to get her thoughts on how to exert influence over young people and inject their ideas directly into public discourse.

Why else would James Arroyo be so keen to talk with Alex Mahon about the “role of festivals in bringing societies together”, the need to “establish shared experience” and to “create a space for discourse, discussion and debate”?

Absolutely nothing good can come of this, and the sooner artists and ravers wake up to how completely rave culture has been stolen and weaponised by the ruling class and fully boycott the entire Superstruct portfolio, the better.

Oh, and this one is still hyper relevant:

Peace and love.

Rubin

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But even these two extraordinary achievements couldn’t contain the full scope of their creative ambitions.

Main Street launched in 1993 as a Basic Channel sub label. This was a house-flavoured side hustle for the duo’s more soulful output, and a place to explore the spaces and overlaps between their two better-known projects.

While the label’s discography is small, it is perfectly formed. Containing, as it does, a near flawless run of soulful deep house and dub flavoured dancefloor gems.

All the tracks were compiled on the essential 1999 compilation ‘Round One to Round Five - 1993-99’ which you should really just stick on right now. But before you do, let me direct your attention towards a few key items:

Round One ‘I’m Your Brother (Club Vocal Edit)’ - MSR-02 (1993)

A sublime deep house vocal that could easily have been produced by Chez Damier or one of the other early Chicago masters.

Round Two ‘New Day (feat. Andy Caine) (Vocal Mix)’ - MSR-04 (1995)

For me this is quite simply one of the Great Tracks of House Music.

Bittersweet and soulful.

Melancholic yet deeply uplifting.

A work of true and timeless genius.

Round Three feat. Tikiman ‘Acting Crazy (Club Vocal)’ - MSR 06 (1996)

A stunning fusion of dub and house music delivered with long-time Rhythm & Sound collaborator Tikiman.

Round Five feat. Tikiman ‘Nah Fe Throw It’

The boundary between Main Street and Rhythm & Sound blurs with this sublime dub excursion. Stick me on a beach somewhere with this on repeat and I will die a happy man.

Round One ‘I’m Your Brother (Quadrant Dub II)’

Finally, the track where Main Street and Basic Channel collide as ‘I’m Your Brother’ is elegantly fused with one of the key slabs from BC.

A deep, glistening, hypnotic groove that simply never gets old.

Have a blessed weekend one and all.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Prominently producing under the name DaRand Land, releasing two Long Players, one of which is a mini-album and twelve EPs across Deep4Life, Downbeat, Pulp, Urban Imagery; his label, Confluence Records, Scissor and Thread, and Sound Principle. He also belongs to one group, Dark City Ensemble, with Chris Gray, and the two have released two EPs on Freebeat and Urban Imagery.

Buffalo, a city whose musical legacy is often overlooked, once brimming with industrial might and strategic geographic importance, is a city at a crossroads. Urban Imagery was set up and is ‘the reflection of the struggles and emotions of the inner city through music’. His productions do capture the atmosphere of this post‑industrial city well. Though I recognise that from 2013 there is a slight sonic shift, these heavier, moody lines that represent harshness bring it to the fore, deepening that feeling and inviting deeper thought. The genius, for me, is the use and placement of delicate, soothing chord lines and finely honed elements that captivate and astound me, allowing for a transformative place-switch, or rather a shift in a positive direction. Not only is this a sign that the balance of his production technique, sound element choice, and structure is creating an absolute cognitive effect, but it is also what this effect brings forth.

Chris introducing DaRand Land was a thing of beauty, with his undeniable ear for 70s/80s funk filtering through, and there it was, I became instantly captivated. DaRand Land emerged on the scene with a profound statement of intent, no more so than in his first two releases: it is a sound that was fully formed: deep, delicate, atmospheric, and emotionally articulate.

GENTLE SOUL

Starting with ‘Blessings’ from 2000, this is one of the most beautiful house records made, with its artwork adding to the depth of the message within the music; one of freeing from life’s harshness, which is what his label Urban Imagery music represents: more precisely, it leans towards gritty music lines to create that sensation.

Embedded is side B.

‘Sonic Vision’

Equally mesmerising, Side A ‘Blessings’.

Next came ‘Calming Effect’ in 2001 and it is a masterpiece, Such a special release for me, rather than me speak about just how good this is, I simply ask for you to go listen to every track on this mini album, to take it in and contemplate and understand what has graced you.

One selection from me.

‘Edge Of The Looking Glass’

The above two releases are art that truly transcends your inner-being to a place of tranquillity, yet provides resilience; incredible tracks to share with people in a music setting, however I wish to share personally for me It was only in a time of anguish that I came to truly appreciate both these records and the power they hold within them, I remember distinctly that period and it was how this music transferred to me at a very low point and brought me out; did things that I will never truly understand and I do not think I will be able to ever explain in a way of gratitude to the artist how important their music was at that precise point, it was a deep connective experience that turned an extremely fragile situation in to one of forward motion and will be cherished forever.

DECADE BREAK

In 2011, a return to production, not so much a new chapter but instead a continuation from the Deep4life era, using similar thinking and production techniques from then; building on the same principles, staying with his music roots with delicate atmospheric textures, low to mid range chord lines, crisp and deep percussion.

Foregrounds And Backgrounds - 2011

‘Middlesex’

It is here that this sonic shift I spoke of in the third paragraph is represented and brought to the fore for the listener; it is that reminder of the grind the system has people in, and how that plays out in a multitude of ways, encompassing difficult times. Not a bad thing to convey in music, and the selections I have embedded emphasise this fact. You will also find finely placed elements, as well as delicate and beautiful chord lines that directly connect the heart, bringing the message full circle and leaving the listener with reflection, strength, resilience, and the ability to push forward. It is so powerful.

One track from each EP.

Love’s Cosmos - 2013

‘Soothe Me’

Heaven Electric Pt.1 - 2014

‘Lets Interact’

Aspects Of NYC - 2014

To think that he produced ‘Aspects Of NYC’ during his most difficult period in life is hard to contemplate. I had to go and find my copy to listen to ‘Luv Rekindling’ in full. Incredible lead synth with the male voice saying ‘inside’ for this delicate 120 BPM number. All tracks: Incredible work during a demanding situation.

‘Of The Time’

Exposure To Form - 2015

‘Kin-Folk’

Heaven Electric Pt.2 - 2017

‘Emanation’

Collection Of Perspectives - 2018

Whole EP.

In the following releases, I sense he is moving towards his Deep4Life territory, showing maturity in technical elements and soundscape.

Discover You - 2018

‘Marcela’s Sense’

Sound Principle 01 - 2018, Joint EP with Jose Lau

‘Move-Listener-Emotion’

Whispers From The Lake - 2023

‘Melanin Vegan’

The Vermillion Room - 2024

‘Remember The Violets’

Wander Being - 2024

Whole album.

An album created in four months after redesigning his studio, modelling music-making tools and processes from the 2000s; it was strictly hardware for production, arrangement and mixing. Every track on the album used the Minimoog Voyager. Beautiful. Needless to say, it is an incredible album that represents a mature synthesis of his decades‑long craft.

In his own words.

‘Was a desire to return to the essence of some of my original Deep4Life productions. How was this accomplished? Principally, through the exclusive use of hardware components, minimalist arrangement, and a minds-eye approach to source the musical elements. In particular, the single, The Nature of Reality was written to convey a sense of what it feels like to be in a state of suspended animation. There is a natural tension introduced via the organic, swirling pad progression juxtaposed against endless vocal echoes and the low-end groove of the bassline. Thematically, I wanted to carry this forward through the entirety of the album.’

To hear of shifts like this, delving deep and returning to where it began, deeply moves me. Lovely.

DARK CITY ENSEMBLE

A collaboration between Chris Gray and DaRand Land: the first release, a double 12-inch from 2013, ‘Dark City Ensemble’, and ‘Past Life Connection’ in 2016; I adore this EP in its entirety.

‘Aquatica’

Here is Chris setting the record straight.

‘All composed from scratch using Korg Trinity Plus and Tr-racks. No samples involved and that ‘Aquatica’ was composed along with ‘Ocean Floor’ & ‘Coral Reef’ back in the 90s for what was supposed to be an EP. ‘Ocean Floor’ was then released on the LP ‘Emotional Distortion’

I have followed Chris from the beginning, a deep listener of his work, and in the coming weeks, I will delve into his career.

DaRand Land made an incredibly strong statement of intent with the first two releases, and if that were all he produced, that would be enough to cement his legacy.

Recently he opened up and spoke about how the scene has challenges to who becomes a known quantity and how success is measured and compensated. He is correct and for me this is one of some longstanding concerning areas within the music industry; handpicked individuals not because they create timeless art but rather as showpieces for manipulation to drive something that is incredibly fake and lacks any heart, it troubles me that people want to do this and put themselves in that kind of position; this is not self-respect.

DaRand Land is still a firm believer in quality music winning the day.

After ten years without hearing from him, it was not unreasonable to think that there would be no more, but In 2011, his creative art once again flowed, and the message presented was mightier, hit harder, and the music was more able to convey realities; the ability to drive introspection was ingrained deeper into his pieces, a sound and principle rooted in his Deep4Life pieces presented with more precision, allowing for deep thought, reflection and moral life choices. People tend to ignore what is happening around them, or, for that matter, a broader scope of things; for music to bring what I talk of here to the fore in a way that creates critical thought, whilst deeply soothing, is an impressive artistic attribute.

DaRand Land is another artist whose productions demonstrate that he spends considerable time carefully considering the structure and elements of his pieces, with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring every element has its purpose; there is not a single poor track in his discography. A man who writes from the inside out, with a sincerity that is becoming increasingly rare, and a discipline that places him among the true custodians of the craft.

His music is genuine, delicate and deeply affectionate.

Until the next time I leave with this untitled beauty test press on Sound Principle.

‘Untitled’

Stay Safe

Peace and Love

Stef

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Some records get so deeply ingrained into your musical consciousness they simply become part of you.

Submerged into the fundamentals of how you process and navigate reality.

Fused into mind, body and soul.

To the point you almost don’t need to listen to them anymore because they are so familiar and well-worn. Like an old friend you strike up with immediately no matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen each other.

Rhythm and Sound produce those kinds of records.

While Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus’ Basic Channel project undoubtedly sits at the pinnacle of techno, their dub and reggae output as Rhythm & Sound has always spoken to me on a deeper level.

Intuitively the project makes no sense. Why would two German ‘pasty white boy’ (a YouTube comment) techno producers end up creating some of the most perfectly formed dub reggae music ever cut to wax?

Having indelibly stamped their mark on techno, it would have been easy to rest on laurels, keep repeating the formula and/or head out onto the club circuit as DJs.

Instead they chose to even-more-fully immerse themselves in the dub processes they’d so successfully fused with the machine funk coming out of Detroit; taking their exploration of reggae and sound system culture to its most advanced and complete conclusion, with extraordinary results.

SHOWCASE

At some point in my late teens I was handed a CD that would set my musical direction of travel from that point forward. Showcase, a compilation of Rhythm & Sound’s combined efforts with Dominican mic-man Paul St Hilaire, aka Tikiman.

Built from a series of 10” releases on the Burial Mix label, established in 1996 for the specific purpose of platforming Rhythm & Sound’s vocal collaborations, the LP showcased three artists expertly blending the Jamaican dub reggae template with minimal techno principles in what amounts to a groundbreaking fusion of musical cultures.

From the opening bars I was hooked.

The depth and purity of the subs.

The patient yet relentless insistence of the kicks.

The sizzle of the snares; their relics and remnants skittering away into the distance after each hit.

And, of course, those blessed vocals. From a man who would very quickly become one of the defining voices of electronic music; delivering a spiritual message in the true unifying tradition of rastafarian culture.

I was lucky enough to see the trio live at the first Bloc festival back in 2007. A warm, dubbed-out three-hour embrace on a Sunday morning after two or three solid days of techno fury.

In all honesty, I remember very little of it.

But we deya…

Two cuts of choice:

‘Ruff Way’

‘What a Mistry’

It goes without saying you should check out the whole LP.

THE ARTISTS

Having introduced Tikiman to an international audience, R&S would go on to work with an extraordinary array of roots and reggae vocalists, including:

Jamaican royalty Cornell Campbell; the Coxsone, Trojan and Studio One veteran who vocalled one of my all time personal classics, ‘King In My Empire’

Closely followed by another all time percy classic, ‘Queen In My Empire’ vocalled by the extraordinary Jennifer Lara:

The Chosen Brothers, whose discography extended back to the mid-1970s through releases on seminal reggae labels like Wackie’s, and whose 1980 reggae classic ‘March Down Babylon’ would provide the structural underpinnings for the R&S version ‘Mash Down Babylon’

”Politricks have failed, they let murderers invade…’

And while we’re here, I can’t ignore what is probably my favourite Tikiman tune. The spiritual peak of ‘Jah Rules Over Us’

All of these tracks and more are compiled on the all time classic 2004 LP ‘w/ The Artists’ which was accompanied by an equally strong dub version LP (aka without the vocals) ‘The Versions’.

Timeless, timeless music.

We really don’t know how lucky we are.

SEE MI YAH

In true dancehall style, a single riddim track from R&S provides the bedrock for a series of vocal versions.

Some of these artists, like Bobbo Shanti, Walda Gabriel and Rod of Iron have very little (if any) further formal discograpy and almost zero digital footprint, despite delivering some of the strongest material in the R&S catalogue:

‘Poor People Must Work’ w/ Bobbo Shanti

‘Boss Man’ w/ Walda Gabriel

‘Lightning Storm’ w/ Rod of Iron (My personal favourite from the project)

Do yourself a favour and liten to the whole thing start to finish:

The 7” set is one of my favourite pieces in my collection.

SEE MI YAH (REMIXES)

The boys reach back to their house and techno roots to reshape and reimagine the See Mi Yah project. It’s a great and varied project with some absolute donnies on deck.

Three selections for your delectation:

‘See Mi Version’ (Basic Reshape)

‘Let We Go’ (Villalobos Remix)

Ricardo delivering the weirdness as only he knows how.

‘Poor People Must Work’ (Carl Craig Remix)

A Make Me classic from the Cat in the Hat.

RHYTHM & SOUND

Last but most certainly not least.

While they were busy redefining the template of dub reggae music, R&S were still finding time to maintain the Basic Channel template and casually knock out some of the most essential and timeless dub techno records ever made.

1997 / RS-01 ‘Music A Fe Rule’ (part 1 and 2) w/ Tikiman

1998 / RS-03 ‘Roll Off’

1999 / RS-04 ‘Distance’

1999 / RS-05 ‘Carrier’

1999 / RS-05 ‘Outward’

All brought together on the essential 2001 compilation ‘Rhythm and Sound’.

Truly monumental selections that sit outside the normal order of space and time.

To close, a personal joy and Revelation: a release I was unaware of until yesterday.

2002 / RS-07 ‘Aground’

Until the next one.

Peace and love.

Rubin

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Peace and love.

Rubin and Stef.

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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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