The new nu-metal

TRC combine the chagrin and angst of hardcore with some grime-style rapping. Read all about it over on guardian.co.uk/music.

By the way, synth-metal poster boys Enter Shikari are now doing dubstep.

Smutlee mix

I got Smutlee to do a short mix of dancehall, funky and garage stuff for the Vice music blog last week. It's real nice. Tracklist in comments.

Download: Smutlee mix

Hello Buddy

Photo by Alex Sturrock.

There was a piece on the rise of rottweilers or something in the Guardian on Saturday. The following left me a bit puzzled.

"On hip-hop and dubstep videos, on YouTube, on specialist canine websites, rough dogs strut, lunge, fight and hang from tree branches by their teeth, snorting and wheezing, their proud owners grinning beside them."

I've been frantically searching since last night for a dubstep video like the one described and have had no luck so far. The best I could come up with is this:

Thought of the day

[Not completely related to this video but ...] There are few things less appealing than watching a girl passionately shouting along to that annoying sample (that dubstep nerds insist on labelling correctly as an Armando Iannucci pisstake of a scene from the film Snatch, because otherwise they get really stressed and they are too ill to drink Red Stripe all night and pat each other on the back and their skanky dreadlocks fall out) in Rusko's "Cockney Thug" - while holding a can of Red Stripe aloft in the air. PS. These guys must LOVE dubstep. PPS. They should've got them to do the "Night" video.

Self-fulfilling prophecy?

I was scanning dubplate.net just now when I noticed something very disturbing. Tempa are releasing a 12" by conscious drum & bass MC SP:MC. I remember when dubstep was pretty new and people were calling it slowed-down drum & bass, and now that is just what (most of) it has become. There's no denying it. They are even letting sub standard d&b MCs produce on their supposed 'gold standard' label at the drop of a camouflage baseball cap just because they are big in the d&b scene. SP:MC is the white GQ. It wouldn't be too bad if they were amazing tunes, but they are totally inane, anonymous "wobblers". Listen to clips here and here.

I've been listening to "Stung" by Kode 9, my Martyn 12" and that new Appleblim and Peverelist 12" on Skull Disco on repeat for the last hour to try and block out the pain. (BTW, thanks to whoever sent me those Skull Disco 12"s recently. I lose faith in dubstep quite a lot but it's good to be reminded there is still good stuff out there).

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In other good news, Grooverider has been jailed for four years for carrying 2.16g of weed into Dubai. The real story here is the amount. He blatantly was sold the 2.16g as an eighth (an eighth = 3.5g). He should be more pissed off about the fact that his dealer would rip him off so badly, than the minor inconvenience of having to spend four years without Fabio.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

"Night" remix by L-Vis 1990. This video is heavy, man. Loving the "vibe". You can almost meditate on its heaviness. Your chest, L-Vis. Your chest.



I've found the new "It's just me on the road, it's just me on the pavement" guy. But this dude is a million times worse.

Speechless (well, almost)

Erm, not meaning to ruin any "vibes" or anything but if this is the official video for "Night" then congratulations Tempa, you have just completely killed the song. A CGI dancing squid? I've used iMovie once and I am pretty sure I could do something more interesting.



This is by some guys called sMoKio & DB. The video looks like it was recorded in the back of a car using the built-in camera on someone's Mac. Listen out for the voiceover from one of the Kersal Massive around 1:15.

Thoughts

Is it just me or does Eminem look like Brian Dowling (of Big Brother fame) these days?



This Benga album, Diary of an Afro Warrior, is pretty jazzy in places. Some of it sounds a bit like the soundtrack to a really epic soft porn film. In theory, I should really hate it but it's so different from what I was expecting that I think I like it. Btw, did I ever mention that "Night" sounds a bit like a pigeon being gently prodded by a nail?

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Here is a very short Mavado interview by me translated into Italian. You can't say I don't cater for you lucky 0.2 per cent who accidentally stumble across this blog in between looking for pizza recipes, cheap slip-on brogues, Roberto Cavalli thongs, Brylcreem and cures for crabs (only joking about the last one).

Dubstep Dance Demonstration

Someone sent me a link to this video called "Dubstep Dance Demonstration". It's a demonstration of how you dance to dubstep. Apparently this is what it's like now when you go to FWD>>. I also heard if you don't do this dance all night at DMZ then you are politely escorted out of the club and the bouncer steals your weed.

14 reasons why the new Burial album isn't as good as everyone says it is

1. I was in a shop on Carnaby Street today and I heard a girl telling her friend that for Christmas she had bought her little brother "a box set of Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps and a copy of the Burial album."

2. Every song sounds the same

3. Keeping your identity secret is gay unless you are me

4. It sounds like Enya doing dubstep

5. The first album was better

6. The best song he's made this year ("Unite") wasn't even on the album

7. The picture on the cover looks like something an autistic 12 year-old UK hip-hop fan from Luton would draw at an after school art class and then plan to print on a T-shirt (but never actually get round to doing it)

8. The drums are too awkward

9. People get really precious when I slag it off

10. No one sent me a free copy

11. One of the tracks is called "In McDonalds", which is actually a good name but considering he calls most songs things like "Archangel" and "Ghost Hardware" makes it look totally out of place and achingly forced: "I make music that reflects true British urban culture".

12. He has repeatedly told people he has no idea how to produce

13. In 20 years, when people look back at dubstep this will be the album that people most remember and will probably be cited as "dubstep's Timeless" or something.

14. Because I fucking said so, OK?

This >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The new Burial album

Your chest, Britney

Britney Spears has gone and made the best dubstep song of the year. Fuck "Night", they need to start dropping this at FWD>>. I'm gonna get Jammer to vocal it for my next mixtape I think. Has anyone got the instrumental?

WHOA WHOA WHHOOAA... WHY DON'T YOU GO TO MACY'S AND SPEND SOME DOUGH-OH-OH?

Ahhh, how nice. Everyone's favourite dubstep MC, Crazy D, heard that I was off to NYC today so he's sent me some vouchers to use. Thanks, dude! I semi take back my comment about you being like an empty prison: a waste of bars.

"He confesses that his favourite sounds are sampled from Vin Diesel's car keys in a film..."

Dan Hancox had an interview with Burial in the Guardian on Friday. Here is an interesting quote:

"What I want is that feeling when you're in the rain, or a storm. It's a shiver at the edge of your mind, an atmosphere of hearing a sad, distant sound, but it seems closer - like it's just for you. Like hearing rain or a whale-song, a cry in the dark, the far cry."

That last sentence reminds me of my review of his last album in Vice:

"Can everyone stop saying that this is "a grower"!? This is the most uneventful, over-hyped piece of shit we've heard all year. If you're after an album that sounds like the mating calls between a group of libido-less whales, then run and smash open your little sister's piggy bank. It's boring, gawky 2-step with some token reggae samples and some crackles."

I don't know why I gave it such a harsh review. I guess I hate hype. It wasn't that bad, but definitely not as good as everyone was saying. Anyway, can you see how I made the whale connection? It's like man can see into da future, ya get me? Man's brain is just different like dat. Only (slightly) joking. Anyway, I don't see why I needed to point that out. I am quite looking forward to hearing the new album I think. Here is a recent song from Burial that I've been liking for the last few months:

Burial - Unite



If most of his new album sounds like this it should be pretty increible. It reminds me of Groove Chronicles.



Matt Mason's book, The Pirate's Dilemma, arrived in the post today. I haven't started reading it yet. Maybe tomorrow on the way to work. It says I'm not allowed to quote anything yet because it's not the approved version but I don't think anyone will mind me mentioning the quote he uses on the blank page before the contents page that people often write something on:

You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.
-DR DRE, 1988

That has to be the best quote used on the blank page before the contents page that people often write on, ever.

"Ain't gonna work hard, Chippy's no fool / Jesus tempts me, Satan tempts me, but it's the Lord that wins overall"

Durrty Goodz

I interviewed Durrty Goodz for the new issue of Vice. I almost didn't want it to run. It was such a hassle to get hold of him, he wouldn't answer most of the questions, his manager rang me to say I'd asked the wrong questions, then emailed to ask to see if he could see the interview before it went to print. Then, to top it all off Goodz was too busy to have his picture taken so I had to spend days running round trying to get an unpublished one. Eventually I got the one above, but I had to deal with the photographer calling to ask if he would actually get paid for the picture or if I was just lying. He also called our photo editor to interrogate him because I guess he didn't believe I was telling the truth. Weird. Anyway, here's the unedited interview:

Prancehall: Have you spoken to Titch recently?
Durrty Goodz: Yeah, I speak to him all the time. He phones me. He's alright, he's just holding his head down.

Has he made an appeal?
I'm not even too sure – I haven't really spoke to him deep like that. When we speak we're just talking normal.

How did you feel when you found out you were a suspect in the case?
You know, I can't even remember. All I know is I felt terrible, just like anyone would. It's a bit too much for me to even think back because my head was probably just spinning but my head's straight right now.

What was prison like?
Prison is just like prison. I suppose it's the same as anywhere, but I dunno. It's just prison innit, it's just jail innit. You just wanna get out because it's not a place built for human beings. And that's that. Music don't live there, music's out here. Yeah, that's why I'm here.

What would you eat for breakfast?
You don't get breakfast and those things. They don't do that. You have to survive for yourself, innit. I don't even take food from them. I wouldn't even eat, I'd just eat my own stuff. I'd just do my own thing. I don't think they even give people food. They call it food but I don't think it's food.

What did you think about when you were sat in your cell?
All sorts of thoughts go through your head because that's the reality of the case, but most of the time I was probably just thinking about my family.

Were you ever scared?
It depends because when you know you've done nothing wrong then sometimes you've got nothing to be scared about. At the same time, you know that the system's wonky so you always have like a couple of scary thoughts in the back of your mind.

What was the prison itself like?
They're all gritty. All prisons are filthy. Like I said, it's no place for a human being.

Was there one definitive moment that made you think you really didn't want to be there?
Yeah, there was loads of stuff but you can just look at a prison screw – just look at his face – and you wouldn't be next to that kind of face. Not when you're known for, like, having pretty ladies and that. I saw so much violence in there that I can't even say right now. I see a lot of stuff, I see a lot of stuff. It will probably be all revealed one day. Panorama will probably go in there and tell you what's happening. I don't think people understand. That place is so deep - you could just see the food and get upset and know that you're not meant to be there. It's not food, it's just garbage. Everything's just garbage. It's not the standard of living of where you come from. You're gonna be upset every second you're there.

What did you do all day?
There's nothing to do, just read, innit. Just the same old shit every day. There's nothing to do, ever.

Were there jobs you could do?
Probably, but I don't speak to no one so no one's not going to offer me nothing that I don't really need.

How did you feel when the verdict was read out?
They just said I could go and I went downstairs. Then, the others had to stay there. They just told me to go so I went.

What was going through your mind? Did you think about Titch?
Yeah I saw them when they came back downstairs. I was upset for them.

Did they seem upset?
Yeah, anyone would be upset. It's natural feelings.



I've written something on bassline house for the Guardian music blog. Read it here.

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New Vice column is up. Two of the songs we mention in the chart at the end can be listened to below.

Tampa Tony feat. T-Pain - Ride Out

I've been a closet T-Pain fan for a while now but I found out a litte while back that it's okay to like him. He hasn't pissed on any underage girls and he doesn't sing "Konnnnnvict Muuuuuuzik" in every song, so he gets the thumbs up from me. He also ghost writes for most of the rappers worth bothering about from below the Mason-Dixie line: Lil' Boosie, Webbie, Lil Jon, DG Yola, Lil' Wayne, B.O.B, Trick Daddy.



Seventeen Evergreen - Ensoniq (Bi-Polar Men refix)

A music PR girl I know sent this song to me ages ago insisiting I'd like it, but I never bothered to listen. She's really nice, but I had to endure so much tedious chit chat and fake enthusiasm from PRs calling me up every day when I worked full time in an office that I could never bring myself to trust what any of them thought. Then, recently, I heard Skream and Sinden playing this song that I really liked with a name I half recognised and it turned out to be the one my friend had sent me, thus proving music PRs can be worthwhile (if they are your friends and know what kind of music you are into).

Miaowww

My friend James bought me a copy of a new reggae / grime /dubstep magazine called Woofah a few weeks back. I didn't get round to reading it till last night because I had to read the new issue of The Source and the dog ate my homework, etc. It's a good one though. They somehow forgot to ask me to be involved (which is totally fine) but there's a Simon Hampson article in there which can only be a great thing. There's also a pretty interesting grime fiction piece. It just so happens I've started on a dubstep fiction piece. I'm writing it from the perspective of a 40-year-old farmer living in a village in Cornwall. Here is an excerpt:

As I cross a cattle grid into a foot and mouth exclusion zone, Benga's warm bass tones rattle my chest, and I think of Jah. I pass a working sheep dip. A sheep is flung into the bath of raw effluent and chemicals just as the beat drops, and Crazy D whispers "diggy diggy get on down" hoarsely. Like a horse, in fact.

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Jo Whiley played "Heartbroken" by T2 this morning (not that I was listening or anything). It's going top 10 - I can smell it.

Anger Is a Gift

I've finally finished my mixtape. It is available to download here and the best tracks can be previewed on the MySpace page. You may have thought it was lost in history never to be heard (like Sharky Major's mixtape that was supposed to come out 3 years ago) but here it is. Most of the tracks on here are specials, dubs or exclusives. One or two were given to me as exclusives but ended up being released before I finished this because it's taken me so long to do. The others are just favourites that I always play when I DJ out. Here is the tracklist:

01. Intro
02. Virgo feat. B-Live & Flirta D - The Clack Riddim (Prancehall Special)
03. Tempa T - Tempz
04. Terror Danjah - Zumpti Huntah
05. Jammer - Toxic Freestyle
06. Yung Joc - Do Ya Bad
07. Brains - Plastic (Instrumental)
08. Scratchy, Skepta & Breeze - Vice Freestyle
09. Jitset feat. Jammer - Mary Jane Remix
10. Brains feat. Slinga, 2-Pac & Biggie - Thug Love
11. Matt Shadetek - Bump Bump
12. Lewi White feat. Busy Signal & Mavado - Vice Freestyle
13. Brains - Neva Eva
14. Big Kuntry feat. Yung Joc & T.I. - Yeah (Remix)
15. Mavado - Wah Dem A Do (Dexplicit Remix)
16. Rossi B & Luca feat. Scorcher - Not No Talker
17. Tinchy Stryder feat. Fuda Guy - Sick Ina Head
18. Matt Shadetek feat. Skepta - Reign
19. Jammer feat. Delishus - Vice Freestyle
20. DVA feat. Badness - Prancehall Dub
21. Ruff Sqwad - Untitled
22. Jammer feat. Ce'Cile - Prancehall Dub
23. Syer B - Badboy (Prancehall Special)
24. Slix - Down and Out
25. Statik feat. Faction G - Lily Allen Remix
26. Ce'Cile - Tell Me What You Love (Cheerful Riddim)
27. Ears feat. Flamin - Fergalicious Freestyle
28. Brains feat. Knuckles - Damn (Remix)
29. Riko - Prancehall Dub
30. Statik feat. Tempa T, Kraze & Esco - Bad Guys
31. Statik feat. Cham - Prancehall Story
32. Outro
BONUS TRACK:
Fish Go Deep - The Cure & The Cause (Jitset's 'The Chop & The Screw' Remix)

Some notes:
For track 5, I asked Jammer to do a vocal of "Toxic" after I heard him freestyle over it the night David Banner played at The Old Blue Last. For track number 10 my friend Jamie-James (who helped loads with this) had the idea of doing a track using the most famous deceased grime MC, Slinga from YGC, plus the two most famous deceased hip-hop MCs. He got some Slinga a cappellas off Jammer and then gave them to my friend Brains to build a track around the vocals. For track number 12 I got one of my favourite grime beats ever and gave it to VBS when they were going to Jamaica to film a documentary and asked them to get some dancehall MCs to vocal it. Mavado and Busy Signal both obliged and then when they got back, Jammer blended the two together to make one song. They followed Mavado around for a week to convince him to do it and then they had to sit around for seven hours on the day waiting for him to finally record the vocals. Having heard a different version of track 31 that Logan played on Kiss last year, Fuda Guy called up asking could he be on the mixtape. I went to meet him at some random train station in east London late one night to pick up a CD of tracks from him, only to discover when I got home that he'd just given me some really old track featuring him and Stryder that was released ages ago. He later emailed me track 17, which was an exclusive at the time, but I think it was released recently. Track 19 is another dancehall dub that VBS got for me in Jamaica, this time over a Jammer beat. Track 20 is the track I first heard Badness on. Faction G hooked it up for me some time last year and I've been a big fan of Badness ever since. Track 26 is by Ce'Cile and is all about my "big stick". This was another one from the VBS documentary in Jamaica and you can watch the making of the song here. The beat is an old Jammer classic.

There is a bit of a Bugsy Malone theme on this mixtape. Track 24 uses a sample from the "Down & Out" song off the Bugsy Malone soundtrack. After giving Slix the idea and sending him the song, he got Scholar (I never knew he produced either) to make a track for him to vocal. I really wanted to get Ears on the mixtape because he sounds good on pretty much any beat but wanted him to vocal something non-grime because I thought it would be more interesting, so went for "Fergalicious" because it's probably one of the most ridiculous songs ever. Riko made me two specials in return for DJing at his birthday bash last year. One made it on (track 29), the other was hip-hop tempo but I will use it for something one day.

Over a year ago, we held a studio session till three in the morning at Jamie-James's house with Statik, Esco, Tempa T and Kraze. Wiley was supposed to come down too, and kept calling Esco, but in the end he kept to tradition and didn't bother to show up. The sample in track 30 is another one from the Bugsy Malone soundtrack, as you probably already know if you've seen the film. I was going to get Tempa T to do a vocal of that "So You Want To Be A Boxer" song (because he boxes) but it never happened for some reason. The Cham freestyle (track 31) was one of the first songs I got for the mixtape. Statik went to Cham's hotel while he was over in the UK last year and got him to record a special for me over the "Boy" beat. Statik then licenced the beat to the Babyshambles' album or something, so he re-did the vocals over a new beat (which I think I prefer anyway). I can't be bothered to go through all the drops but I managed to get some from people like David Banner, Juvenile and 5th Ward Weebie. I was promised loads more but just didn't have the time to chase them all. The New Orleans drops were hooked up with contacts I got while I was over there last year. Finally, the bonus track is a chopped and screwed version of a funky house song that I got my friend Jitset to do.

Special thanks goes to: Jamie-James, Alex Sturrock, Daniel 7 Year Glitch, Ben, Statik, Brains, Jammer, Faction G, Jack Adams, God, Jesus, Mary, St Joseph, my gran, my two cats and Robert Mugabe.

(If the download link at the top doesn't work, click here to download the mixtape directly.)