Q&A :: Mako [Utopia Music/Metalheadz]

Utopia Music's first release was back in 2009. Since then, label owner Mako has been working hard, establishing an imprint built on a solid foundation of good vibes and a strictly no-cheese music policy.

We got hold of the incredibly humble bossman to find out more about what we can expect to hear from the Utopia Music camp and how he feels about the label's progress over the last four years.

First off, can you introduce yourself and give us a bit of background on how you started producing as well as the inception of Utopia Music?

Hello, my name is Stephen Mako, I am the owner and label manager of Utopia Music.  I currently write music for Metalheadz, Symmetry, Warm Communications, Dispatch, Horizons and my own label.  
Utopia was born out of a need for the family to have their own imprint and for other artists who have a similar style and approach, not just to music, but life ethics in general.  I started making music when I realised that it would help the label a lot more if I could actually write music by myself and use other labels as promotional tools for gigs and vibes.

   

Utopia has been running for a good few years now and you're part of what is arguably one of the more exciting collectives in Drum & Bass at the moment. Do you feel like you've managed to carve out your own niche in the scene? Has it been difficult setting yourself apart from the crowd?

I don't really feel like that - but I don't 'not' feel like that if you get me.  I haven't really given it much thought.  My 'thinking energy' tends to go on the making of music and the operation management side of the label.  Have we set ourselves apart from the crowd?  I don't know.  All I know is that I love the music.  I will gratefully let others decide the rest.

You have a few releases upcoming in the next couple of weeks as well as more from Utopia. Can you tell us a bit about what we can expect to hear?

Well there is the Andyskopes jungle 12" which is out now, the new Fields 12" is coming at the end of September and then we have a DLR 12" coming in November time.  After that we have a Break 12" and then a Villem 12" and then a Hydro, War, Habstrakt, Mateba and Sam KDC 12".  Then we have more from Mikal, Survival and myself.



So many of your collaborative tracks often read like a who's who of modern underground Drum & Bass. You've been working with names like DLR, Hydro and Linden to mention a few, as well as the Utopia crew. Do you find it easier working together with so many heads? How does it work?

When I was first writing tunes I was lucky enough to work with some talented producers from the start like Fields and Villem.  Then Break came along and taught me some really important vibes.  It was hard in the beginning to write with them as I felt really nervous most of the time and would feel most comfortable if they left the room when I was working on the track!  Now I don't feel like that and am a lot more confident and relaxed, so its a far more enjoyable process for me….and the others!  For a lot of my recent improvements I have to thank DLR as he instilled control and confidence in my tunes by helping my compression techniques and general vibes.  As for how it works, its all rather simple, people come to the studio, sometimes music is made and then they leave.  We tend not to put much pressure on ourselves, make sure our diet is good and we exercise regularly.  Its all part of the studio ethic.  A great deal of sarcastic banter is also part of the system, as is co-op Fifa and Trials Evolution.

Last year was a big year for the Drum & Bass LP. Any future plans for a Mako and/or a Utopia artist album?

No set plans, but there is talk of getting some of these older tunes out on a couple of 5 track EP's which would make up a mini album.

The ubiquitous current Top 5 tunes question!

1. Break - The Way Things Are (dub)

2. DLR & Mako - Your Mind (Metalheadz forthcoming)

3. Fields - Colours (Utopia Music forthcoming)

4. Degrees of Freedom - Children of the Sun (dub)

5. Mako & DLR - Meditation Vibes (Metalheadz forthcoming)

Any shouts or final thoughts you'd like to add?

As always, big ups to all the family.  I am eternally grateful for everyone's vibes and music.  Its a privilege to be here and be surrounded by the most talented yet non cheesy members of the drum and bass community.  Also shouts to Ant TC1, Heath at Warm Communications for showing a brother love and encouragement, Neil at Horizons, James my amazing press dude who works at Example Media and Alex at the Bassic agency. Shouts to T Dog and Ethel kitten and my little but big brother Robbie.  Also shouts to the universe for being full of flavours.

Blackdub Podcast #8 feat. Able Danger

It's time once again for another installment of our podcast series. Episode 8 brings with it our first Dubstep guest mix from Surround Sound Recordings' own Able Danger plus our usual round-up of recent Drum & Bass releases.

You can also find out more about Able Danger and Surround Sound in our forthcoming interview with the production duo as well as last year's Q&A with label co-owner, Lethal here.

Hope you enjoy the show!

Tracklist:

Able Danger In The Mix:

Warsa :: Terminal 502 [Deceast]

Kryptic Minds :: The Talisman [Tectonic]

Matt U :: Frequency [Black Box]

Tunnidge :: Empty Spaces [Chestplate]

Catacombs :: Music Mi Love [Macabre Unit]

Vivek :: Asteroid [System Sound]

Genetix :: Mohair [Bacon Dubs ]

Warsa :: Recon [Deceast]

Quantum Soul :: Underworld [Uprise Audio]

Matt U :: Threshold [Black Box]

Proxima :: Valve Wars [Tempa]

Sleeper :: Narcissus [Osiris Music]

Genetix :: Prototype [Bacon Dubs]

Kryptic Minds :: Bad Man VIP [Osiris Music]

Seven :: Go To War [Uprise Audio]

Able Danger :: Insane Hype [Forthcoming Surround Sound]

DJ Madd :: The Life You Chose (Distance Remix) [Black Box]

Able Danger :: The Rubicon [Surround Sound]

Enorme In The Mix:

Loxy, Resound, Escher & Blocks :: Monsters [Narratives Music]

Cern :: Micromega [Renegade Hardware]

Kantyze :: Dren [M-Atome]

Kolectiv :: Cryllic (DLR Remix) [Scientia Music]

Fracture :: Better Than Tomorrow [Metalheadz]

DBR UK & Mtwn :: Shrapnel [Dispatch Limited]

Bredren, M-Zine & Scepticz :: Faction [Proximity Recordings]

Mortem :: Iceberg [Metalheadz]

 Kolectiv :: Launchpad (Xtrah Remix) [Scientia Music]

Coma :: Half Ounce [Mute:8 Recordings]

Fre4knc, Mtwn & Mindmapper :: Relic [Samurai Music]

Cern & Dabs :: Hell Rose [Dispatch Recordings]

Generic :: Get Away [ BIOS Recordings]

Imagine This & Buck Rogers :: Bounce (DLR Remix) [Bass Mechanix Audio]

Emperor :: Radar [Critical Music]

Kantyze :: Marauder VIP [ M-Atome]

Raw Q & Amaning :: Sirocco [ BIOS Recordings]

Ruffie :: Refugee [Forthcoming AutomAte]

Kolectiv :: Dog Pad (Zero-T Reprint) [Scientia Music]

Ed:it :: Cargo Dub (Total Science Remix) [Rooted Recordings]

Dabs & Safire :: Back & Forth (Mako, DLR & Ant TC1 Remix) [Dispatch Recordings]

Ulterior Motive :: Right Here [Metalheadz]

Reviews :: May 6th - May 20th 2013

Introducing a new feature to the blog, we take a look at a selection of the releases that have recently hit the shelves or are about to drop. First up, we delve into a highly anticipated release from one half of the scene's most exciting duos in the last few years...

 Chris Octane :: Synthetics/Gaia's Dub [CO Recordings]

After the release of their brilliant debut album Method In The Madness, on Dispatch Recordings last year, Octane & DLR decided to part ways as a production team and pursue  their dreams in a more solitary fashion.

Much of the scene has been waiting with baited breath to see what comes of this new direction and Chris Octane served up his first solo release on his brand new label CO Recordings on May 6th. It doesn't disappoint.

"Synthetics" kicks things off with ethereal atmosphere, plucked bass and an existential vocal focussing on our perception of reality before dropping into a thunderous distorted sub, bringing with it a live sounding energy rarely heard in Drum & Bass these days. The drop catches the listener off-guard a little and as you'd expect, the production standards are astoundingly good. This is definitely one for the dance floor.
"Gaia's Dub" sees Octane take an altogether different direction, bringing it right down to an almost ambient level. Another vocal sample woefully describing humanity's destruction of our planet takes us through the intro until the drop lifts us into space with spectral sci-fi pads and a simple half tempo beat. Minimal sub-work drives the track while spacey effects flicker in and out keeping our ears happy and engaged.
Overall, Octane has covered all the bases with a well-rounded debut release that further cements his place in the scene and firmly defines CO Recordings as a label to keep an eye on. You can bag it now from all good digital outlets.

Kalm & Carera :: Late Night Vibes EP [Nurtured Beatz Recordings]

May 13th saw the second release from Kalm and Spindall's own Nurtured Beatz Recordings. Following the first EP on the label from the legendary Genotype, Kalm & Carera have supplied us with four deep and rugged tracks delivering exactly what it says on the tin.
"Late Night Vibes" sets the scene with its dark, creeping bassline and unsettling atmosphere while "Ton Of Bricks" comes with the same tone but ups the pressure a little. A smooth sub snakes its way through the sparse soundscape bringing that smoke-filled, underground club feeling we love here.
"Smoke & Dust" is probably our favourite of the four tracks here and is aimed right at the dance floor, hitting hard with more stepping beats before a sweet little switch that rolls nicely into an uplifting breakdown. The darkness picks up again after the second drop making this great peak-time material.
"Perceptions" closes things off with its rolling techstep vibes finishing an EP that we feel surpasses the first release and proves that Nurtured Beatz is definitely a label to watch. You can grab it now from all good digital stores.

Sunchase/Detail :: Nathnennia/Green Rain [Utopia Music]

Mako's excellent label, Utopia Music adds two new artists to their roster in the form of Sunchase and Detail with a pretty understated affair that focuses more on dynamics and atmosphere rather than dance floor punch.

Sunchase's "Nathnennia" opens proceedings, building tension with 80s style synths as the bassline slowly creeps in. The sparse vibes are continued after the drop and the introduction of keys develops the lushness while slightly darker effects bring with them a sense of foreboding. This one is deep, moody and packed with a respectable sense of restraint. Especially considering it comes from a producer who is more renowned for his dance floor smashing Neurofunk. Lovely.

Detail comes correct on the flipside with "Green Rain" bringing the minimal Footwork vibes. Dark, uncomfortable atmosphere kicks things off alongside that familiar Juke-style break arriving at a drop that comes with a false sense of security. Just as we're getting comfortable, a stupendous amen break clatters us round the head before sinking back into stark minimalism again. It's a bit like being ambushed by a silverback gorilla. We love it.

This one is out on digital format on May 20th but due to distribution problems, vinyl heads will have to wait another couple of weeks for release.

Chroma :: Intermission/Knock Knock [C.I.A]

Drum & Bass' latest supergroup, comprising of Phobia, Sato and Tyrone, have burst on to the scene from their respective solo careers in the last six months or so. A glut of solid releases on labels like Commercial Suicide and Renegade Hardware have shown that they're not messing about and their excellent "So Alone" on Ram Records' new offshoot, Program, was one of our favourite tracks of last year.

Their next single, for Total Science's label C.I.A, is scheduled for release on May 20th and carries with it a similar theme, bringing forward old-skool stylings whilst still keeping things sounding contemporary.

"Intermission" opens with a classic break and Dub effects culminating in a drop that is reminiscent of old Dread Recordings tunes. Deep sub stabs and an ever-satisfying reese keep things rolling alongside those familiar drones so prevalent in Drum & Bass today. The second drop brings a subtle switch guaranteed to keep the punters rooted to the dance floor. Classic vibes designed for the modern raver.

"Knock Knock" on the flip carries on in a similar vein but with a much darker edge. Steppy breaks and bass stabs keep this one rumbling along with an atmosphere that reminds us of classic Cylon and Renegade Hardware tracks.
All round, this is the sort of release you'd expect to hear on C.I.A; quality, modern dance floor Drum & Bass with more than a little nod to the old-skool. Great stuff.

Q&A :: Hex [AutomAte/Symbiosis Glasgow]

Our special guest this month came in the form Scotland's Hex. We got hold of him recently to find out what makes him tick and what we can expect to hear from him in the future.

Don't forget, you can check his mix out in the seventh episode of our podcast here: http://blackdubpodcast.blogspot.nl/2013/03/blackdub-podcast-7-feat-hex.html


For those of us who don't know much about you, can you introduce yourself?

Hi, I’m Hex! I’m a Drum & Bass DJ and producer based in Glasgow, Scotland. I help run Symbiosis (Glasgow’s longest running active Drum & Bass club night) and I run the DNB Dojo blog.

How did you get into the Drum & Bass scene and what made you want to DJ/produce?

My path into the D&B scene started back in 2004 or so when I started getting into electronic music via the likes of Aphex Twin and Squarepusher and the jungle-tinged IDM/breakcore scene. After that I started getting into Dubstep (back when it was still good) via the early Fortified Sessions nights in Glasgow where I saw guys like N-Type and Vex’d play, and I wanted to buy the tunes I was hearing so I started to buy vinyl records. Once I had a stack of 12”s I began to think about getting decks and learning to mix, which I eventually bought after finishing University and getting a proper job.

Around the same time as I was finishing Uni, I went to Shambhala festival in Canada and caught Ed Rush & Optical and Evol Intent throwing down on a 100,000 Watt soundsystem! Needless to say I was pretty much instantly converted to D&B, and found that I enjoyed mixing it far more than I enjoyed mixing Dubstep, hence my start as a D&B DJ. Neil and the Symbiosis crew gave me a set at one of their events in 2010 and I’ve been playing out as much as I can ever since.

As for production, I got interested in that more recently; I know quite a few producers who make all sorts of music and plenty of them encouraged me to give it a go, and once I’d learned the basics I found it pretty addictive…nothing quite beats the feeling of sitting in front of your laptop nodding your head to a beat you’ve actually constructed. 

How would you describe your sound/ethos both in the studio and the club?

Broadly I lean towards the techstep and neurofunk sounds both in my productions and DJ sets, though I also appreciate the deep halfstep and soulful liquid vibes. I think ultimately I’ve always been drawn to dark, angry music, all the way from listening to punk and metal as a teenager through getting into electronic music via tracks like Come To Daddy. Sometimes it’s fun to make or mix deeper tunes but more often than not I want something hench. It’s all about feeling that sub growling in your chest on a good rig! 

Can we expect to hear any releases from you in the near future?

I’ve got a pair of tunes signed to Automate Tech which should be coming out sometime this year, one of which you can hear in the mix. I’m aiming to get on it and write plenty this year so hopefully there’ll be more coming soon…watch this space!

Away from D&B, I took some time to write a four track EP of spacey, chilled out electronica leaning towards garage and dubstep which is available as a free download here.

Current top 5 tunes?

Always so hard to pick…right now I’d say: 

• Black Sun Empire - All Is Lost (Memtrix Remix) 

• Optiv & CZA - Bring It Back 

• Telekinesis & MC Coppa - Pocket Full Of Drops 

• Fourward - Street Knowledge 

• Command Strange – Regrets 

That list will probably change by next week though! 

Can you give us a little insight into the mix you put together for our podcast?

For the mix I wanted to try and go on a little bit of a journey, starting deep and then building things up into the harder, nastier tunes, and also showcase a couple of my own bits. The mix opens up with my remix of Lethal’s Seductive (which you can grab as a free download via my Facebook page) and goes through some other deep ones (like the excellent Fracture remix of Phantom Force and the sublime new Dub Phizix tune Rainy City Music) before hitting into harder territory with new cuts from Telekinesis and Memtrix. I always try and get a few classics into the mix too, and some lesser known artists/labels like the stuff from Audio Habitat on Sidechain and the tunes from Arkaik and Arclight. Hopefully the Blackdub listeners will feel the vibes! 

Any final thoughts/shouts you would like to add?

Big shout outs to Stu, Jules, Neil and Altron (the Symbiosis crew), shouts to the Automate crew, biggups to everyone who sends me promo at the blog and much love to everyone who’s ever taken the time to listen to my tunes or mixes. 

Anyone in Scotland reading this, check out Symbiosis in Glasgow every 3rd Saturday of the month down at Audio on Midland Street and come catch me playing at Midgefest in Galloway April 12th-14th. Peace!

Blackdub Podcast #7 feat. Hex

It's time once again for a new installment of our podcast series and number seven comes in the form of a two hour show featuring myself (Enorme) in the mix as well as a special guest appearance from Glasgow's own Hex, who has a release forthcoming on AutomAte, co-runs Symbiosis; Glasgow's premier monthly D&B party and also manages to maintain his own blog at the DNB Dojo

This month's show is packed full of forthcoming music from AutomAte, Structured Music, Black Sun Empire, Surround Sound and more.

Keep your eyes peeled for our Q&A with Hex and enjoy the show!

Tracklist:

Enorme In The Mix:

Philth :: Submarine [Forthcoming AutomAte Deep]

Genotype :: All Broken Up [Nurtured Beatz]

JoJoe :: 4th Floor [Alignment Records]

Enei :: Thin Line [Critical Music]

M-Zine, Scepticz & MTWN :: Otomy (Mos Beef Edit) [Freebie]

Octane, DLR & EBK :: Zulu Fade [Dispatch Recordings]

Matt Pulsar :: Wickerman [Forthcoming Structured Music]

Able Danger & Torment :: Democide [Forthcoming Surround Sound Recordings]

Survival & Silent Witness :: Feel It [Dispatch Recordings]

>> Hybris :: Those People [Subtitles Music]

Exit9 & NFR :: Refuse To Lose [Forthcoming Structured Music]

>> Breakage :: Clarendon [Digital Soundboy Recordings]

Kalm & Spindall :: Expressions [Nurtured Beatz Freebie]

Quartz :: Seppuku [Freebie]

Ruffhouse :: Pellet [Alignment Records]

Spinline & Hydro :: Understand? [Horizons Music]

Mindscape :: Gene Labs [Commercial Suicide]

>> FD :: Break & Enter [Metalheadz]

Maztek :: Limber [Renegade Hardware]

Fearful & Keosz :: Obedience [Future Funk Music]

Jay Mythix :: Forsaken [Forthcoming Structureed Music]

Hybris :: The Cleaner VIP [Critical Music]

Tom Small :: Unreal Soul [Broken Audio Recordings]

Marukomu :: Emerge [Forthcoming AutomAte Deep]

>> Billion :: Defence feat. Sense & Codebreaker [Alignment Records

Stray :: Contract [Blu Mar Ten Music]

Hex In The Mix:

Lethal :: Seductive (Hex Remix)

Digital & Spirit :: Phantom Force (Fracture's Astrophonica Edit) [Phantom Audio]

Kuantum :: Lost & Found [IM:Ltd]

Dub Phizix :: Rainy City Music [Ingredients]

Naibu & Ena :: Nothing Special (feat. Key) [Horizons]

M.Pathy :: Grit [Terabyte]

Arkaik & MCXL :: Game Changer [Diffrent]

Mefjus :: Signalz [Critical]

Octane & DLR :: Set Up The Set (feat. Script) [Dispatch]

Audio Habitat :: Smoking [Sidechain]

Noisia :: Diplodocus [Quarantine]

Hex :: Tin Man [AutomAte Dub]

Optiv & CZA :: Bring It Back [SGN:Ltd]

Telekinesis :: She Wants To Skate [Eatbrain]

Black Sun Empire :: All Is Lost (Memtrix Remix) [BSE]

Silent Witness & Break :: The Hills Have Ears [Symmetry]

8-Bits & Q-Project :: Lowend Theory [CIA]

Arclight :: Pluroform [AutomAte]

Telekinesis :: Machines [oBSEssions]

Emperor :: The Fire [Neosignal]

Mindscape, Audio & Stapleton :: Truth Hurts [Commercial Suicide]

Calyx & Teebee :: Skank [RAM]

Neonlight :: Sprech Funk [Lifted]

Donny & Katharsys :: Wraith [Barcode]

Blackdub Podcast #6 feat. MC Fokus & 2Shy

It's time to kick things off for 2013 here at Blackdub with the next installment of our podcast series. We've got a bumper pack of high-grade beats and bass this month hosted in part by the up-and-coming MC Fokus.

MC Fokus: For bookings: clive@evolutionartists.co.uk Twitter: @mcfokus

Considered a fairly new face on the scene, Fokus has more than earned his stripes, adding his vocal talents to releases on labels such as Dispatch Recordings and Renegade Hardware as well as a heavy gigging schedule across the UK and Europe. He's gone all out on Reevah's first hour mix, warming us up perfectly for this month's guest mix from 2Shy...

2Shy MC: For bookings: info@uniqueartists.co.uk www.2ShyMC.com

2Shy is a bonafide scene legend. Chances are if you're out in the scene a lot you'll have heard him hyping the crowd at raves all over Europe from Renegade Hardware to Ram and Tech:nology to Playaz. His versatility know no bounds illustrated perfectly by the stomping classics set he's put together for our first episode of the year, kicking us off in style! Enjoy the show!

Tracklist:

Reevah In The Mix with MC Fokus:

DBRUK :: Bushy (Able Danger rmx)

Calibre :: Simple Emotion

Meth :: Put up

Halogenix :: Raya

Able Danger :: Exile

Critical Impact :: Only Girl

EBK : Inside

Data :: Vice

HLZ :: 140 Dub

Decimal Bass :: Loudmouth

Survival & Silent Witness :: Immortal

Total Science :: No Justice (Jubei Remix)

Octane, DLR + EBK - Zulu Fade

Jayline & Papa G :: Over Expose

Seba :: Nightrider

Vicious Circle :: Solitude

Foreign Concept :: Possessive

Foreign Concept :: Show You

Icicle & SpectraSoul :: Body Language

??? :: ???

Able Danger :: Nautilus

21.Kasper & Everest ::

2Shy In The Mix:

Tracklist forthcoming

Blackdub Podcast #5 feat. Mechanizm

Another month goes by and it's time for episode five in our podcast series. This month's show is hosted by myself, Enorme again and features the usual rash of quality Drum & Bass that you've hopefully come to expect from us by now. I was a bit ill when I recorded this one so didn't really have the energy to get into the mix. Instead I decided to play a load of tunes I've been feeling over the last month or two. 

No need to worry though as our guest mix has been more than ably handled by the man like Mechanizm, taking us through forty five minutes of rolling techstep that'll get your head nodding. Keep your eyes peeled for our Q&A but until then, enjoy the show. Let's go!

Tracklist:

Dawn Day Night :: Alcoholic Dance Flow

Future Roots & Echonic :: Oak Tree

Foreign Concept :: Jaipur (Villem Remix)

M-Zine & Scepticz :: Alone

Raiden :: Dove From Above feat. Klose

Enei :: Trainchaser

SPKTRM & D-Struct :: C

Mechanizm In The Mix:

Verb & Nitri :: Fear Control

Manifest, Meth & 2Shy :: R.N.S

Matrix & InsideInfo :: Quattro

Calyx & Teebee :: Scavenger

Rene LaVice :: Brooklyn

Klute & Silent Witness :: Friendless

Foreign Concept & Anile :: True Enemies

Lethal & Able Danger :: HeadKnock

Prolix :: Sawhead

Prolix :: Funkhole

Dose :: Face Your Fears

Mechanizm :: Iconography

Zero T & Bailey :: Wasp Factory

Morphy & 2Shy :: Speakerbox

Verb :: Atlas

Verb :: Gully

Mechanizm :: The Unknown

Subtension & Minor Rain :: Sklep

Cursa, Subliminal & Alxr :: Camino

Zero T :: Rainha feat. Stamina MC

Sabre :: Injustice feat. Riya

Stray :: Contract

Escher :: Rugged