Woolich Woolen Mills SS/12

The handover at Woolwich Woolen Mills looks like a smooth one with this second line from head boy Mark McNairy looking fully on point...

Tune of the day

Timberland feat. Nexus VII

The only (strictly outdoor) shoe brand I mess has been doing it right for the past few years. More of the same with this twist...

Nanamica SS/11 Preview

This jacket is the best of the collection...

Saturday...

No I.D. Presents: Cocaine 80s – The Pursuit EP

Every now and again something special will appear that you just can’t explain. Enter Cocaine 80s, an out of nowhere No I.D.-helmed project, that includes little to no details other than the key players involved. A collective including: No I.D., Common, Steve Wyreman, Rob Kinelski, Kevin Randolph, James Fauntleroy, Makeba and many more.

To download just (click)

Loving bntl like a fat kid loves cake.

Jody McIntyre's Bars For Change - Channel4

The latest project i've put together with Channel4 has launched today...

Channel 4 and Windfall Films have linked up with political activist Jody McIntyre and some of the best artists from the grime/hip hop world to bring you Jody McIntyre’s Bars for Change.

The online project will be five music documentaries that will tackle hard hitting political and socially conscious issues that young people are concerned about and will feature artists including Akala, Lioness, Logic, RoxXxan and international music producer Jake Gosling plus many more to be announced.

Stay updated as this project progresses on the Facebook HERE.

Bass Laced - Silke Album Launch

Yet another night at Cable for Basslaced, this time it was to celebrate the release of Silkie's "City Limits Vol. 2"

With a line up featuring heavyweight's; Silkie along side Quest, Hatcha, Vivek, Loefah and Boddika it was already set up to be one to remember.

A special mention has to go out to Vivek, who played out of his skin with one of my favourite sets of the year. Drawing for plenty of his signature, unforgiving bass driven tunes along with some deep-medi dubs and teasing some of Skream's anthem's, at times it was literally too much to comprehend.

Picssssssss..

Check out the whole set @ Wittsphotography

Tune of the day

Out to MJE! Your time.

Brackles Interview

This post is already pretty text heavy, so let’s keep the intro short and sweet. Brackles is a Rinse FM regular, formerly a chipper dubstep producer, now on more of a slomo bass tip. He co-runs the Blunted Robots imprint alongside Shortstuff; their artwork is pretty swish and they host the Robot Dance parties once in a while (although humans are also free to attend).

He’s set to play the next Stop.Drop.Roll party at The Nest on 1^st July with Benji B and Deadboy so I caught up with him for a quick chat about dancehall, radio and studio time. Full S.D.R. event details below, as well as some really slim youtube widgets so you can listen to some Brackles whilst you read about him…

How do you balance your time between running a label, DJing and producing? Do you find yourself neglecting certain tasks in favour of the more creative, fun stuff?

I would say my priority is my radio show on Rinse, so I spend most of the week listening to music I've been sent or trying to find more music for the show, which kind of helps with the label as well. Whatever time I have left I will spend on making music.

Do you ever wish you were releasing music at a time when music piracy wasn’t such an issue, or do you enjoy finding new ways of making a living from music?

It'd be nice to make more money off of record sales but I've always wanted to focus on DJing. I do find it worrying though that there isn't enough money for most producers to make a living out of it without having to DJ. You could end up missing the next Todd Edwards because of it. Artists need to be able to hone their skills without having to spend half their week travelling about DJing.

You’re the name behind the Songs for Endless Cities mix CD; do you feel a certain pressure putting something like that together? How do you approach making selections for a compilation?

With SFEC they specifically asked for a compilation of the best of the new music that had come from people playing across the board. In the end it wasn't too difficult picking the music as I just went back through my favourite tracks from that time, it just took a bit of time to make sure that the mix was programmed the right way.

What recent release, if any, has made you think, “god, I wish I produced that!”

There has been a lot of stuff I really like recently but nothing that has given me that feeling. The only song I can think of that has ever made me feel like that is Mr Fingers, ‘Stars’. I can't find fault in that record, every element is perfect.

How important a platform is Rinse FM to you? Has it helped to raise your profile? Were you a regular follower of the main pirate stations back in the day?

Yeah Rinse has been so important to me and has definitely improved my profile. They really help support their artists and develop them. I never mix at home so it's great to have two hours of the week set aside to play all the new music I've been sent.

I followed the stations I could pick up out in Hertfordshire when I was a teenager. Used to get a bit of upfront, mission and Déjà vu. Although it isn't a pirate, I feel I should mention Kiss as we used to listen to EZ religiously on there as well as Matt Jam Lamont and Luck and Neat. It was pretty exciting listening to all this new music then trying to track down the 12"s without knowing any of the names.

We loved your Serani edit! Do you actively follow the dancehall/bashment stuff coming to the fore at the moment?

Thanks! I don't really follow it that much but one of my neighbours rinses it out night and day so I've heard a few bits I like out the window on a summer's day.

What’s the dynamic like when in the studio with Shortstuff? Do you have different strengths that you draw from? Are there ever stylistic disagreements?

Although I do think we have different strengths, when we're in the studio neither of us has a set role and we'll both chip in at any point. I think you can hear that when you listen to our stuff because it doesn't really sound like either of our solo stuff. There are plenty of disagreements over what sounds good but we know each other well enough that we'll say if something sounds shit.

The way your productions have slowed down has been discussed in previous features; has this just been a natural progression, or an active decision. Do you think you sound works better under 130bpm?

I decided to drop down to 128 as everything I was playing was around that tempo. I think my stuff definitely works better at that tempo and I've had other people say that to me as well. I was still pretty new to production when I was making the faster stuff so it's kind of natural that my stuff sounds better now. I do enjoy the juvenile quality of ‘LHC’ or ‘Get a Job’ though.

What have you got lined up for the summer? Any releases/collaborations/Robot Dances we should look out for?

DJ wise I've got a few festivals lined up (Outlook, Global Gathering, Lovebox). I'm just wrapping up my album with Rinse now, so hopefully it'll be out at the end of the summer. There will also be a 12" sampler dropping before that with Spider and Take Me Home.

Stop.Drop.Roll presents Benji B + Deadboy + Brackles

01/07/11, 9pm - 4am

Free before 10pm, £5 after

The Nest, 36 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 7XJ

www.ilovethenest.com

Sophie T

Kidult Hits Supreme

Real or Fake?

Bathing Ape Pirate - Store Returns

If you know whats good for your wardrobe you'll be in attendance.

Loving bntl like a fat kid loves cake.

Double Denim at the Shacklewell Arms

#GRIME for the iPod

Over the last week two very noteworthy grime mixes have surfaced on the internet which offer a fairly accurate aural illustration of the current state of the scene in terms of those MC's and producers who are making the most noise.



The first of the mixes comes from The Pitch Controller's and Rinse Fm's very own JJ with a promotional mix comprised exclusively of Flava D vocals and instrumentals.

There's no denying that Flava D has become one of the most exciting and talked about grime producers in a fairly short period of time with an increasing amount of her productions being vocalled and being featured in radio sets.

Keep an eye out for her forthcoming releases over the next few months.

Download the mix HERE

Flava D on Twitter

JJ on Twitter



The second of the mixes comes from Nasty.FM's very own Selecta Fewie with Vol.4 of his 'Grime Ain't Dead' mix series.

Expect to hear a wide variety of some of the biggest grime vocals and instrumentals that are currently tearing up radio along with some very tight mixing.

Selecta Fewie Presents- Grime Aint Dead Vol4 by Selecta Fewie

Download HERE

Selecta Fewie on Twitter

Listen again to Selecta Fewie's midnight mix on Kiss 100 HERE

Catch Selecta Fewie live on Nasty.Fm every Thursday 6PM-8PM

Brian Haw - R.I.P

I admire the mans determination in the face of a Labour government and the more recently formed "Condem" government. He fought a long and hard battle. Which we all knew he would never have won (as we "youth" have come to realize challenging the government on whatever decisions they want to make is pretty much impossible)
regardless he put up a good fight and will be missed.

I'll never forget my early teen days on the bus 12 from peckham on route oxford street passing his placards and tent.

r.i.p to you sir. For full info and round up (click)

Loving bntl like a fat kid loves cake.