1.
We’ve got some heavy weekend business for you today, with a barnstorming mix from Champion up first, and a collection of our favourite tracks from the past week of electronic music on the second slide, including new ones from Julio Bashmore, Brenmar and Dj Sliink.
Champion is a London-based producer who makes bass heavy music that’s built for the dance floor while retaining a colourful, melodic edge that is sometimes augmented by vocalists for those lighters in the air moments. What you’re about to hear is a party-starting, unabashedly fun mix of the finest of UK Funky, but if you don’t know your Butterz from your Formula‘s or your Lil Silva’s from your Funkystepz, just hit play and give yourself 40 minutes of gun-fingers and good times.
For you lucky people living in Philly or New York, Champion will be hitting your cities (along with Royal-T(!)) to play a couple of Trouble & Bass parties next week, so get to know the sound of the rave below, and make sure you don’t miss what is sure to be an epic night! Check out the mix below, and scroll on down for a few words from Champion himself and all the info on the dates he’s playing, as well as details of the huge “Crystal Meth” – his forthcoming release on Butterz.
Update: The track has reached it’s download limit from Soundcloud, but you can still grab it from the link below.
Champion’s Exclusive Mix For Pigeon’s & Planes
Tracklisting:
Notion – Digits – Forthcoming Formula
Champion & Ruby Lee Ryder – Sensitivity (Champion Dubplate) – Formula
Roska – You Dun Kno – Rinse
Champion – Cannon – Unsigned
Funkystepz – Radar – Forthcoming F.L.Y
Champion – War Dance – Roska’s Kicks & Snares
DJ Naughty – Zombie Dance – Forthcoming SOTU
Champion – Slap Man – Unsigned
X5 Dubs – Baby (Champion Dubplate) – CDR
Champion ft Princess Nyah – Crazy (Champion Dubplate) – Formula
Notion – Icicle – CDR
Champion – Lighter VIP – Formula
Notion – Watch Here – Forthcoming Formula
Champion – Mr Bogle – Unsigned
Notion – Soundbwoy Killa – Forthcoming Formula
DJ Naughty – Afrocentric – Forthcoming SOTU
Roska – Go ft. Mz Bratt – Rinse
Champion – Cruddy – Unsigned
Royal-T – Inside The Ride (Champion 130 Edit) – Rinse
Champion – Speed – Forthcoming Butterz
Terror Danjah – Fruit Punch – CDR
Champion – Crystal Meth – Forthcoming Butterz
Hi Champion, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how long you’ve been producing?
I’m a music producer and DJ who makes and plays UK Funky or Bass as it’s referred too. I’ve been making UK Funky for four years but overall, I’ve been producing for seven years now.
How would you describe UK Funky to the uninitiated?
I would say its an offshoot of House music with strong influences of UK Garage, D&B, Soca & Reggae – mainly very bass heavy & energetic.
Have you played over in the States before, and what are you most looking forward to this time?
This will actually be my first time playing in the states so I’m really looking forward to seeing our music being embraced out of the continent – especially in the US where theres big dominating genres of music already.
What and who are your musical inspirations, and what are you listening to at the moment?
My main influences are Reggae and Dancehall in terms of the music and culture. I always try and incorporate it into all aspects of my music (when I DJ & make tunes). I’m also heavily influenced by Sticky’s production when he was doing UKG & the Jungle scene as well, when it was more Reggae sounding. At the moment though im listening to a lot of Hip-Hop, R&B ane also a lot of D&B and as usual I’m trying keep current with the Dancehall scene.
You run Formula Records, what can we look forward to from the label in the near future?
Well we’ve got a release coming from a new producer doing damage in UK Funky right now called Notion with his forthcoming Digits EP out July 4th and I’m currently sorting out the next one but I need to keep that on a low for the time being.
Can you tell us a bit about the mix?
It features some unreleased/new Champion bits, some of my classics, old & forthcoming Formula bits, personal favourites & new music from the cream of the UK Funky crop!
Finally, and most importantly, Pigeons or Planes?!
Suppose it has to be Planes, I hate Pigeons lol
Event Details:
06/21 – Philadelphia
Philly Facebook: https://www.
Philly T&B Event Page: http://troubleandbass.
06/22 – Brooklyn, NY
Brooklyn Facebook: https://www.
Brooklyn T&B Event Page: http://troubleandbass.
“Crystal Meth,” which is also featured at the end of Champion’s mix is out soon on Butterz. Check it out below – this is the kind of tune that will absolutely slay any party, and a final reminder of what a top producer this man is.
2.
Julio Bashmore has blown the fuck up in the past 6-12 months, and can now call himself a BBC Radio 1 regular and a label boss as well as one of the freshest and most exciting DJ’s out. The man puts a very individual spin on a classic house sound, and, having produced a genuine classic with “Battle For Middle You,” has not slowed up, releasing EP’s at a regular rate, and just earlier today dropping this blissfully chilled out 7 minute slow burner. Vibe to it below, and if anyone can tell me another song with the word “troglodyte” in the lyrics, they will win something.
This one blew up. Bass music aficionados RL Grime and Salva took on “Mercy” – no easy task – and succeeded in making one heart-stopper of a track. Right from the extended vocal-chopping intro it commands attention and doesn’t let go. With this trap movement blowing up comically fast (it’s already spawning a regrettably enormous amount of simply uninspired and clearly trend-jumping tracks) it’s great to see some of the elements already being played with. You get a lot of cues from over-the-top hip-hop beats here, from the the snare stutters to a Lex Luger-esque ascending synth slide, but this edit’s essence is still in dance music, and it’s a lot of fun to hear.
We’ve featured the man Melé a fair few times, and if he continues like this, we will be featuring many, many more of his songs. As if we weren’t already in love enough with the current trend for bass heavy hip-hop influenced beats, “Gold Casio” comes along and melts our collective faces off. Sure, it’s only a clip from the song (which will apparently be on a forthcoming free EP) but there is more fun in those 90 seconds than in whole albums. Get ready to hit repeat.
Fast rising label Push & Run have just released a four track free EP of bootlegs and edits from artists including the highly hyped Ifan Dafydd and Pedestrian, and some other up and comers. These guys are known for their work at the chilled out end of things, and the precise drum programming, combined with super recognisable samples from Amy Winehouse (“No Good”) and Lauryn Hill (“Doo Wop”) make for some awesome free downloads. Grab the rest of the EP over at FACT.
Ifan Dafydd – “No Good”
Pedestrian & Maribou State – “Doo Wop”
Krystal Klear is a disco loving don, and while his edit of Marina’s “Power & Control” is actually more house than straight up disco, it retains all the fun loving, up-tempo bounciness of the latter. This one’s like a liquid shot of happiness in your brain… and when that space-bound riff comes in around 2.50? AWWWW YEAHHH.
We featured this Javeon McCarthy track a while back, loving the super catchy chorus and sparkly Two Inch Punch production, and now Brenmar’s got his sweaty (but always incredibly well dressed and immaculately coiffed) paws on it, it’s definitely worth revisiting. This
Hahaha yes Lockah! We actually already featured Lockah’s thoughtful future-trap post-dubstep 8-bit synth fest “The Sour Drink From The Ocean,” which is on his When U Stop Feeling Like A Weirdo & Become A Threat EP, and as the rest of the EP keeps up the high standards, here’s some more. “Goons N Roses” starts reasonably slowly, but bursts gloriously, and grandiosely into life around the 1.30 mark in an explosion of fireworks and champagne corks popping. Check it below, and snag the whole EP over at The Jefrees.
I’m not entirely sure how to feel about this remix. It’s interesting to hear Grimes in a new light, but I’m not entirely sure DJ Sliink pulled it off seamlessly. It’s good to hear him playing with his own sound, even though he could probably just turn out the Jersey Club he’s been playing with for a while now and just leave it at that. Even though I might not be a fan, it’s certainly worth a listen.
Brodinski is doing some really cool stuff. Techno is a difficult genre to get people to pay attention to today, but he’s always to bring some verve to the proceedings that lends his production an edge that pushes it beyond the genre boundaries and scenes most techno is confined to. This is a dark, grinding track, the kind the Parisien has perfected as of late.
French duo Beataucue have been going strong for years now, turning out high quality remixes and singles without gaining much traction on longer releases. That hasn’t stopped them from doing what they do best, taking on Kitsune affiliates DWNTWN and flipping their track “See My Eyes” into a bass-heavy, feel good jam that really showcases Beataucue’s best talents; just listen to the vocal chops on this one.
