Dub Monday - Part 1.

Every Monday from now on I'm going to try and give you some info on my favourite dubstep artists... giving you some links and background info as well as places where you can find more of their music. So here goes.

Mt. Eden Dubstep

Mt. Eden Dubstep (real name Jesse Cooper), is a dubstep producer from the foothills of the mountain which gave him his name, or as he puts it "the ghettos of Mt. Eden", in New Zealand. Whilst this might seem an unlikely setting for a music genre which has its roots thousands of miles away in London and usually associated with an increasingly dark sound, I think he's one of the freshest faces in dubstep at the moment. Having also come from a background of Drum and Bass djing (using the alternative moniker, rather unsuprisingly, of Mt. Eden DnB), he has been praised for his ability to remix old tracks, having a tight production and for creating a completely new sound.

Here are some of my favourite tracks from him:

'Sierra Leone' - http://tinyurl.com/yjey898
'Omen' (The Prodigy) - http://tinyurl.com/yz8k4l3
'Saeglopur' (Sigur Rós) - http://tinyurl.com/ykxaxhr
'Silence' (Delirium ft. Sarah McLachan) - http://tinyurl.com/ykeugqb

If you like any of this then I fully recommend that you check out his album, which is available for free download here.

Get listening!
Paul Kemp.

Stussy SS'10

Stussy have just revealed their spring/summer line for 2010. The brand, known for its presence on the hip-hop and DJ scenes, produces high quality graphic t-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets. The new spring/summer line has thrown in some interesting designs, with some really nice and quite unique graphic t-shirts and jackets coming out of line. Below I have selected a few of my favourite items from the SS'10 release. You can browse/purchase this line at www.stussy.com and www.size.co.uk, as well as visiting their flagship stores which can be found in numerous locations around the country, but most commonly in London (Covent Garden, Carnaby St, Earlham St).

Stock Skull T-Shirt
Stock Hoodie

Skooled T-Shirt

Rasta Thump T-Shirt

Knowledge T-Shirt

Haze Varsity Jacket

Haze Polo

Dawn Patrol M65 Jacket

Dawn Patrol Hi-Vis Jacket

Black Sheep Sweatshirt

Black Sheep Shirt

Black Sheep Jacket

Athletic Jacket

'DLDRMS001' and 'Downtempo Without Being Downbeat' (BSRkR01)

Sorry to keep going on about this kid, but Joy Orbison really is something special. Recently I have downloaded two of his mixes, 'DLDRMS001' and 'Downtempo Without Being Downbeat' (BSRkR01), and even a few weeks later I can't stop listening to them.

'DLDRMS001 Mix'

Orbison's 'DLDRMS001' mix very much establishes the style of music which his label will be producing in the coming months and years. It showcases a number of young, innovative and emerging artists from both a dubstep and electronic background, as well as including a few UK garage/funky tracks. Orbison also manages to fit four of his own produced tracks in the mix as well, with the unreleased 'Smother' and 'Tentative Bidding' proving to be little gems.

'DLDRMS001' Tracklist:

1) Pearson Sound - Indelible

2) Karizma - Drumz Nightmare

3) Nu-Birth - Anytime

4) Tonya Renee - About You (Karizma Boucha Remix)

5) Altered Natives - Rass Out

6) Joy Orbison - Smother

7) Efdemin - Acid Bells (Martyn Remix)

8) Shed - Selection One

9) Ultramarine - Hooter (Carl Craig Remix/JORb Edit)

10) Joy Orbison - Tentative Bidding

11) Martyn - Hear Me

12) Joy Orbison - J.Doe

13) Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo

'Downtempo Without Being Downbeat' (BSRkR01): Orbison's 'Downtempo Without Being Downbeat' (BSRkR01) shows diversity and impeccable taste in his work, with the funky/soul sound of the mix proving he isn't confined to purely dubstep (not that that's a bad thing). The bpm (beats per minute) of the tracks on the mix range between around 90-110 bpm, contrasting the 130-140 of the DLDRMS001 mix, with this providing a more chilled out and relaxed mix which is good to lounge around with. The tracks featured on the mix are from a range of era's and generations also, varying from artists such as Arthur Russell (70s/80s) to the emerging Floating Points (aka Sam Shepherd) who is creating a cool soulful blend of house and boogie.

'Downbeat Without Being Downtempo' Tracklist:

1) Thriller - Genie

2) Floating Points - Love Me Like This

3) C.O.M.B.I. - It A Late

4) Eddie C - Make It Better

5) The Revenge - Night Flight

6) B.W.H - Stop

7) James Pants - We're Through

8) Alicia Myers - I Want To Thank You

9) Fudge Fingas - DinsDins4Dada

10) Bumblebee Unlimited - Lovebug (DK Edit)

11) Arthur Russell - Hop On Down

12) Nite Jewel - Weak For Me

13) The Samps - Traincummings...

14) C.B. Funk - Subway To Cologne

15) Kate Bush - Cloudbusting

You can download both mixes by clicking on the album cover links on Orbison's myspace page, which is www.myspace.com/joyorbison.

Altru

Altru Apparel is a company which provides uniquely cut and super soft t-shirts for both men and women. Each t-shirt is printed with a graphic design composed by artists which highlights moments and events in visual culture, with these graphics ranging from Olympic games posters and 80's Thrasher magazine covers to features published in The New York Times. I'm a big fan of the t-shirts, with the slim fitted style and graphics used being the standout features. If you fancy a look at the whole range of Altru t-shirts visit the website http://www.altruapparel.com/, and also check out http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/. Urban Outfitters flagship stores also stock Altru t-shirts, so if you want fancy buying them in person that will be your best bet.

Here are a few of my favourite designs from the 2010 Spring line of Altru t-shirts:

Thrasher Valley
Devil's Dishes
California DreamingChe Cigar

Snap Snap

Shuttershades

New York Times Flight Over Detroit

New York Times Obama

Lower Manhattan

Loss For Words

Kit

Guitar Hero

New York East Village

DROPACID

Camera

Boogie Down Bronx

Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus, born Steve Ellison in 1983, is an experimental multi-genre music producer/DJ. Most of his work thus far has come in combining and experimenting with electronic and hip hop music (my perfect blend). This has led to the creation of two original and brilliant albums, '1983' (2006) and 'Los Angeles' (2008), with the 'Reset' EP released in between these two albums (2007).

FlyLo's 3rd album, 'Cosmogramma', is due to be released on May 3, 2010. This album follows on from the previous two in once again experimenting further with the electronic and hip hop genres, and in addition some big names are also featuring on the album, in the form of Thom Yorke and Laura Darlington.

Here's the tracklist for 'Cosmogramma':

1) Clock Catcher
2) Pickled!

3) Nose Art

4) Intro//A Cosmic Drama

5) Zodiac Shit

6) Computer Face//Pure Being

7) ...And The World Laughs With You (feat. Thom Yorke)

8) Arkestry

9) Mmmhmm (feat. Thundercat)

10) Do The Astral Plane

11) Satelllliiiiiteee

12) German Haircut

13) Recoiled

14) Dance Of The Pseudo Nymph

15) Drips//Auntie's Harp

16) Table Tennis (feat. Laura Darlington)

17) Galaxy In Janaki

FlyLo is currently signed to Warp Records, a pioneering independent English record label known for discovering quality experimental artists within the electronic genre. Also signed to Warp is Hudson Mohawke, who like FlyLo shares the same experimentation in combing hip hop and electronic sounds. If you fancy listening to him check out his myspace page (www.myspace.com/hudsonmo) and listen to his album 'Butter' which was released in October 2009.

It has been recently announced that FlyLo will be playing at the Sonar festival in Barcelona on 18th June 2010. He will be headlining the Mary Anne Hobbs stage, accompanied with support from Joy Orbison and Roska (unbelievable line-up!). Over the next couple of months he will also be touring the US, and hopefully we will be seeing more of him in the UK this Autumn. Here's a link to FlyLo's myspace page, www.myspace.com/flyinglotus

Blood Is The New Black

Blood Is The New Black is a line created by artist Mitra Khayyam, producing mainly t-shirts for both men and women along with other artworks. The aim of the brand is to display and promote the work of underground artists, photographers and designers in order to try and propel their respective careers. The brand has over 25 artists creating both unique t-shirts and artwork, which can all be found along with information of the artists at www.bloodisthenewblack.com. As well as this Urban Outfitters have exclusive availability on a select few of the t-shirts, and these can be purchased in their flagship stores or online at www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk. Below are a few of my favourite designs from recent releases.

Brian Donnelly - Joy Divison
Dan Monick - Storm Coming

Dan Monick - Ice Cream Truck

Dan Monick - Dino Roar

Dan Monick - Annie Goes To Hollywood

Dan Monick - Pug Dog

Bryan Ray Turcotte - Lady Liberty Hold Up

Scott Barry - Acid Trip

Keaton Henson - Beautiful Day

Sub:Stance Mixed By Scuba

Over the past few days I've been listening to Scuba's new mix, Sub:Stance, released on the Ostgut Ton label. The mix is brilliant, incorporating an eclectic mix of dubstep and UK bass. The playlist includes well known dubstep artists such as Digital Mystikz (Mala) and Shackleton, as well as a number of the group of Hemlock/Hotflush/Hessel Audio artists who are producing a number of interesting and innovative dubstep and electronic tracks (e.g. Untold, Sigha, Pangaea, Joy Orbison, Instra:mental). It is both a laid back mix, but something which can also get you moving, and the mix provides a few unreleased tracks with George Fitzgerald's 'Don't You' being the highlight of these offerings.

Scuba (aka Paul Rose) also includes three of his new tracks on the mix. He has a number of releases to his name, the most recent being his Aesaunic EP released on the Hotflush label (HF024) with a five song tracklist. This is worth a listen, and if you like Scuba also try Sigha who features on the mix, with both having a similar style (www.myspace.com/paulhotflush, www.myspace.com/sigha).

Tracklist:

1) Sigha - Light Swells (In A Distant Space)

2) Airhead - Paper Street

3) Sigha - Early Morning Lights

4) Pangaea - Sunset Yellow

5) Joy Orbison - The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow

6) Shortstuff - See Ya

7) Untold - No One Likes A Smart Arse

8) Scuba - You Got Me

9) Surgeon - Klonk Pt.4

10) DFRNT - Headspace (Scuba's Secret Mix)

11) AQF - Born And Raised

12) Badawi - Anlan 7

13) Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo

14) Mount Kimbie - Maybes (James Blake Remix)

15) Sigha - Seeing God

16) Ramadanman - Tempest

17) Instra:mental - Voyeur

18) Sigha - Shapes

19) George Fitzgerald - Don't You

20) Scuba - Minerals

21) Shackleton - It's Time For Love

22) Digital Mystikz (Mala) - Stand Against War

23) Scuba - Last Stand

24) Joker - Psychedelic Runaway