Music : All Music
SUB FOCUS
It all started with a demo CD being passed on by a friend to the biggest drum and bass DJ in the world, Ram Records' boss Andy C in 2003, with a phone number badly scribbled on the cover.
Impressed by the quality of the production, Andy, after a few tries, managed to dial the right digits and talk to Subfocus. The result of that conversation was the release of 'Down The Drain' on Andy C and Red One's experimental offshoot Frequency in 2003, and the start of Subfocus' meteoric rise to fame in drum and bass circles.
Followed a couple of 12s on Frequency and Infrared, as eagerly received on dancefloors, and his exclusive signing and first contribution to Ram in 2004 with 'Strobe', one of the highlights of the Ram Raiders 6 EP.
His first 12 on Ram was another major step forward. 'X Ray', out in spring 2005 and described as 'Zombie Nation remade by Seattle grungers', became one of the year's anthems, enjoyed the rare privilege of being chosen as 'Single Of The Week' on alternative tastemaker Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show and even got some daytime plays. He was consequently asked to remix The Prodigy's 'Smack My Bitch Up' for their Greatest Hits package.
Subfocus released one more single in 2005, the awesome 'Frozen Solid', while enjoying a busy DJ schedule. Kick-starting 2006 with an impressive remix of Dr Octagon out-there 'Aliens', Subfocus unleashed another killer track 'Airplane'. Already previewed on Andy C's 'Nightlife 3' mix CD, the track's gigantic synths and vocal hooks gave it the same irresistible appeal as 'X Ray'. The follow-up, 'Special Place' was released late February 2007, and qualified as no less than 'Modern Art' by DJ magazine.
2007 was spent DJing all over the world and starting work on a debut album, now about to get released, with a new single 'Timewarp' as a taster. After months of dancefloor madness, this uncompromising track managed to get exposure on daytime Radio 1, even scooping the 'single of the week' slot on Nihal's afternoon show.
So what makes Subfocus so special? Passionate about music from an early age, Subfocus played bass in a band at school, before sitting in front of an old Acorn Electron computer at 13 teaching himself the art of sampling and producing. He went on studying acoustics at college. This eclectic formation, allied with an insatiable musical curiosity, with interest ranging from rock to experimental electronic music – happily discussing Vangelis, Nirvana and Justice in the same breath - explains how Subfocus production manages to sound pristine, unique and strangely accessible, and why his imminent album is so massively anticipated.
Upbeats
Since announcing their arrival on the drum'n'bass scene in 2004 – creating more of a shockwave than a mere splash – with their self-titled debut album, Wellington, New Zealand producers The Upbeats have continued to forge an impressive reputation as both masters of their craft and the future of drum'n'bass.
In 2007, The Upbeats take a new step in their journey to the top of global dance music with the release of their sophomore album on prominent label Bad Company Presents and embarking on a world tour with BC stars Vegas and Maldini. Enjoying both critical and commercial success with their 2004 debut LP, The Upbeats have positioned themselves among the highest pantheons of the genre across the world, recording and releasing through influential imprints BC Presents, Ed Rush and Optical's Virus Recordings, Renegade Hardware, Project51 and Project Human.
But what sets the partnership of Wellingtonians Jeremy Glenn and Dylan Jones apart from the myriad of drum'n'bass producers both in New Zealand and abroad – many of whom have extensive record-label pedigrees in their own right – is the unique, diverse and cutting-edge Upbeat style.
Producing music together for seven years, Glenn and Jones have crafted a sound that ranges between frenetic and energetic liquid funk, intensely moody and claustrophobic drum'n'bass, and soulful indulgences of elevation. The sheer diversity and inventiveness of their sound has paid dividends, as the Upbeats have been in demand the world over for their ability to traverse the eclectic tastes of dance music's fandom.
Their electric live performance has seen The Upbeats play in clubs, festivals and events across the US, Australia and Europe, taking them through Portugal, Austria, Switzerland, the UK, France, Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary and the Netherlands. Along the way The Upbeats have played alongside the cream of international drum'n'bass, notably Grooverider, Andy C, Roni Size, Pendulum, DJ Hype, Zinc, DieselBoy, Concord Dawn, Shapeshifter and Bad Company.
Despite the three-year gap between albums, Glenn and Jones have been no stranger to the studio, recording tracks with the likes of Optical, Bad Company, Noisia, Teknik, TeeBee and Bulletproof. Most recently, The Upbeats remixed Shapeshifter's Bring Change from the fellow-countrymen's highly-acclaimed album Soulstice.
With 2007 set to be a breakthrough year for The Upbeats, capitalising on a legacy of hard work, touring and the right connections, the wickedness this way comes.
Brookes Brothers
The 'Brookes Brothers', or Phil and Dan to their mates, have emerged as one of the major breakthrough drum n bass artists of recent years. Raised in London, the two brothers discovered a love for the more soulful sounds of drum'n'bass around the turn of the millenium. It was not long before they began producing in 2002.
Fast forward six years and the brothers have already established themselves as some of the most exciting producers on the scene. Their debut 12" 'Portal/Desert Island' came out on Danny Wheeler's W10 imprint to immediate acclaim, setting the Brookes' on their road to success. This was followed by 'Verano', a collaboration with old cohort and longtime collaborator Subfocus, one of the biggest tunes of 2006.
As a result of their hard work, in 2007 the Brookes Brothers were exclusively signed to Fresh and Adam F's Breakbeat Kaos imprint. Their first release on Breakbeat Kaos was the huge 'Hard Knocks/Mistakes', which recieved major radio support from the likes of Zane Lowe, Pete Tong and the Trophy Twins, as well as staple drum & bass DJ's such as Andy C, Grooverider, and Adam F. Next up they collaborated with another rising star, Culture Shock, together creating the monster track 'Rework', one of the biggest drum'n'bass tracks of 2007.
Fast forward to the present and 2008 has already seen them assault the market with a host of big tunes such as F-Zero, Gold Rush, Dawn Treader and Crackdown. They now hold residencies in both Fabric and Herbal nightclubs, playing regular national and international DJ sets. Their debut album is scheduled for release on Breakbeat Kaos
BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY 12th APRIL 2009 - LIQUID NIGHTCLUB 10-4pm
FULL RUMBLE DECOR, LIGHTING & SOUND
MAIN ROOM
DJ's
SUBFOCUS / BROOKES BROTHERS / UPBEATS
PERFECTION / MR ANDERSON / XTRIX
ALCHEMIST / OBLIVION
MC's
IC3 / MC RIKO / JUICEMAN / FLEXIMUS
AZZA B / BADBOY B / HERBALIST
HEAVY D / SHAY DD
ROOM 2
www.streetwisemusic.com
BREAKS & DUBSTEP
T! Stink Like Sok
RICHIE BALBOA NSB Radio
WILL STREETWISE Vs OLLY G Streetwise Vs Freerange
2TONE Vs SIQ:NOTE Streetwise Vs Freerange
DJ SCOTTY FT. CHRONIC RED EYE
LYRICAL T & FRANKO FRAISE NSB Radio
VENUE
Liquid Nightclub, Prince of Wales Rd, Norwich, NR1 3LG
Tel: 01603 6111113
Strictly over 18's Photographic ID required
Management reserve the right of admission
TICKETS:
£11 adv / £10 NUS subject to booking fee MORE ON DOOR
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