On Wednesday the 15th of May, 92 Points were joined by the founder of Fine Grains Records, Alexander Horne a.k.a Uraki Riddim, for a guest session on NTS radio. As well getting into the mix and playing some upcoming tracks from the label, we chatted briefly about the upcoming movements for Fine Grains. Listen back to the show on the stream here and be sure to try make it down to our ‘Sink EP’ release party May 25th at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes!

Saturday 25. May / 21:00 – 03:00 (‘Sink EP’ 12″s available to buy)/ Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, London / free entry all night (Facebook event)

Saturday 25. May / 21:00 – 03:00 / Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, London / free entry all night (Facebook event details here)

OL dropped the news that he had just delivered a FADER mix during our Norway tour last weekend. After slaying Oslo and Trondheim with a ghetto slant on house, to say we were looking forward to hear this was an understatement. The “badass Russian juke producer” delivers an odyssey of mellow R’n'B, sleepy eyed house and techno via Detroit, Florida and New Jersey and a selection of his own productions for the latest FADER mix. The mix includes a first play for the Divoli S’vere & MikeQ remix of ‘You’ll Never Know’ from the forthcoming OL & ¥oin ’Sink EP’ on Fine Grains Records.

Young Scottish producer ¥oin first announced himself to the online music world through a flurry of internet interest in his debut release, ‘Martial Status/Wrong To Feel This Way’, on the ‘Aberdeen Truth’ series from Tuff Wax in 2011. Following initial coverage on the series which, showcased a collection of fresh faced and emergent bass-centric producers from the North-East city,  ¥oin has continued to bubble and tease his Soundcloud followers with flashes of his production potential. DJ gigs in support for the likes of Gold Panda, Moxie and Offshore; frequent play outs of his raw ethereal R’n'B slant on club music by Machinedrum and an increasing online following bear witness to the intrigue and relevance his music has so far evoked. The wait for his next official release is soon to be over as he prepares to drop what promises to be his most complete work yet in collaboration mode with Russian artist OL on Fine Grains. In the words of XLR8R: “Up-and-coming producer ¥oin technically hails from Scotland, he could just as conceivably be a resident of Bangor, Maine (as in, ‘That shit’s a banger, mang’).”

Q1: Hey man, you’ve been producing for more than a few years now. How did you start out? From ‘Tired of Me’ and ‘Martial Status’ to some of the tunes you’ve been putting out on your Soundcloud recently, how has your approach changed?

A1: My approach to producing is to simply make music I want to hear. I initially created tracks for the sole purpose of playing them out exclusively in clubs, and to never see the light of day elsewhere. This process changed through platforms like Soundcloud though, where the feedback I was getting was more formal and detailed than when I played out. Some of the tracks I make now may seem totally different to others but, the concept and approach is always the same – making what I want in the purest form, be that an experimental track or something for the club.

Q2: I noticed some press picking up on a thread of ‘hardcore continuum‘ in your tracks, notably the collaboration with OL (“OL & ¥oin’s ‘Real Thang’ kicks the pace up into more retro-rave territory sending 808 snares and toms rattling against the sort of synth-stabs you’d associate with the likes of Altern-8“, Cyclic Defrost). Is this a conscious thing? What have your influences been in terms of production and when playing out as a DJ?

A2:  I love the concept of the Hardcore Continuum, especially as it’s so broad and progressive.  I feel the majority of modern electronic music can somehow be traced back to UK jungle, Rave or Garage. It is something that has definitely had an influence on my music, even if it wasn’t intended. The fact that I grew up in Britain could be part of the reason that I decided to use the Tina Moore sample in “Real Thang” for example – due to it being a stable favourite in primary school discos! There is also a constant flow of creative output in the UK, particularly in Scotland these past few years, with some of the smaller labels exploding on a global level. It’s the success of these labels in cultivating and expanding sounds that I find progressive and inspiring.

Q3: What is the scene like in your home city, Aberdeen, these days? Is there an ‘Aberdeen Truth’ continuum or do you all mostly do your own things now?

A3:  In comparison to the rest of Scotland, the scene in Aberdeen is not so good.  However, I feel this has benefited Tuff Wax and all the artists (Lockah, Bones & Money, Grobbie, Zubuntu). We have all learned to push each other and try and compete with our peers, as well as each other. If there was quality nights more often in this city, we may not have felt the drive to do it ourselves. I would definitely say our crew has their own sound. I guess you could dub it the ‘Aberdeen-Truth continuum’ based on the progression we have made, even if Simon Reynolds doesn’t agree

Q4: Your next release, on Fine Grains, is a collaboration EP with OL. How did you guys first hook up? How was the collaboration process?

A4: OL and I hooked up after I found one of his tracks online. We exchanged tracks but, I was really humbled by his productions. When a friend, who was DJing out in Moscow with OL and Lapti, got in touch to say they had been asking about me and had sat and listened to my tracks at the end of the night, I had no idea that any of them genuinely liked my stuff. We got talking after that and decided we could throw some tracks back and forth. The whole process has actually been pretty stress-free, we get on really well and share a lot of the same tastes. Through Fine Grains we have been lucky enough to meet in person around Europe and form a real friendship that we hope to develop some more tracks from.

Q5: What have you got planned for the future with your music? Any hints at whats to come or tips for some other artists we should listen out for?

A5: I try to not make too many plans, I’m still just making music because I like making music. I have a couple of things I’d like to try on a different tip this year but, I’m in no rush to release unless it’s on a label with the right ethos.

There are a couple of artists that i have a lot of time for. Jaw Jam is one that Tuff Wax have snapped up for his first physical release, he is our (Tuff Wax) first international artist and for a good reason, i think he adds a great progression to the label and is definitely someone that the whole label is behind 100%! Applebottom is another that i have been bigging up for a long time, he is one of those guys that I imagine not caring if he is signed as he gets so much love from just uploading a track. His tracks are so loose and fun and he has this great undeniable sound that is getting some well deserved hype of recent. Strict Face is another name I have been going on about, his name seems to be flying about everywhere at the moment from features on Le1f’s new mixtape to constant remixes, I could go on.

¥oin – Vitamins mix by ¥Oin on Mixcloud

Catch ¥OIN alongside OL, Uraki Riddim and more at these dates.

LISTEN to ¥OIN Soundcloud here

FOLLOW ¥OIN on Twitter here

Ahead of Fine Grains first vinyl release, the ‘Sink’ EP by OL & ¥oin, and building on encouraging reviews of Fine Grains Vol. 1, the label will be embarking on a cluster of gigs to showcase their upcoming sounds and in particular the talents of OL & ¥OIN. Tour support comes from label founder DJ Uraki Riddim, and special guests Slick Shoota , CAIN & OLAN. Stream the Slick Shoota remix of the OL & ¥oin ‘Sink’ EP title track, and check tour info below.

 01.03  Fisk Og Vilt, Oslo: Facebook event details

02.03  SUPA, Trondheim: Facebook event details

 23.03  Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes, London: Facebook event details

19.04  Cellar 35, Aberdeen: Facebook event details

TICKETS FROM BILLETTSERVICE.NO AVAILABLE HERE

01. Offshore ‘Long Now’
02. Offshore ‘Jen At The Station’
03. Offshore ‘Summer Hits’
04. Offshore ‘Black Bun’
05. Thavius Beck ‘Go!’ (Offshore Remix)
06. Offshore ‘Aneuryism’
07. Offshore ‘Simsalabim!’
08. Offshore ‘East Coast Capital Connect’
09. Offshore ‘Girly’
10. Offshore ‘Wolfcraft’
11. Offshore ‘Name Brand’
12. Lockah ‘Now U Wanna’ (Offshore Remix)
13. Offshore ‘Pepper’
14. Offshore ‘Lifes Too’
15. Offshore ‘Venom’
16. Offshore ‘Fraser’
17. Offshore ‘Back Wynd’
18 Offshore ‘Pacer’
19. Offshore ‘UTG’
20. Offshore ‘Mintlaw’
21. Offshore ‘Round And Round’
22. Offshore ‘Pearls & Butlers’
23. Origin Unkown ‘Valley Of The Shadows’
24. Solid Space ’10th Planet’
25. Offshore ‘Downer’

- Alexander Horne (Fine Grains founder)

Fine Grains return to Turkish Delight in Oslo for their last showcase event of 2012, and off the back of an epic release party night featuring Kutmah & friends. Expect similar eclectic and cutting edge sounds from our guest DJ, representing arguably one of the hottest nights in the UK capital, and a debut live set in Norway from Fine Grains’ Barcelona based machine funk don.

Friday 14. December / 22:00 – 03:00 (live sets from 23:00 – 00:00)/ Turkish Delight, Oslo / free entry all night (Facebook event details here)

Fine Grains Volume 1 is a ten track digital compilation showcasing the first group of artists signed to the Oslo based label. From the infectious futurism of Moscovite OL and Scottish producers ¥oin & Offshore, to the warm tropical offbeats of Dominican duo Inko & Cohoba and cool analogue funk from Norwegian skweee producer Beatbully & Barcelona based Fitzroy North - Fine Grains vol.1 exposes new music geographically linked to the artists and where they come from. Support and plays from B.Traits on BBC Radio 1, Moxie on NTS, Byte FM, Audio Texture, LV and Kidkanevil. Available from:

ITUNES    I    JUNO   I    AMAZON    I    BANDCAMP   I   BEATPORT   I    BLEEP

Press coverage and exclusive streams from the following publications:          XLR8R   I   Earmilk   I   Sonic Router   I   FACT   I   TSUGI   I   Concepto        

To celebrate the release of Fine Grains Volume 1, we invite one of the most respected eclectic DJs around and two Oslo based producer/live acts for an intimate party at Turkish Delight in Oslo.  Justin ”Kutmah” McNulty is an international force in both music and visual art. One of today’s most original DJs (and beatmakers), he has an an innate ability to extract unique grooves and cut rhythms with a freshness that goes against the grain of mimicking others. On support duties, live sets from Beatbully & Metronomicon Audio’s Koppen and label boss Uraki Riddim on the 1s & 2s. Be sure to be down early on for the live sets which, will run from early doors until just after midnight.

Saturday 16. November / 22:00 – 03:00 (live sets from 22:00 – 00:00)/ Turkish Delight, Oslo / free entry all night (Facebook event details here)

Read the XLR8R article on Offshore ‘Summer Hits’ video by Halvor Bodin

Fine Grains Volume 1 is a ten track digital compilation showcasing the first group of artists signed to the label. You can stream a preview of the compilation below. Vol. 1 will be available digitally from 1st November, we’ll be celebrating the release with Kutmah and friends at Turkish Delight in Oslo on 16th Nov! Stay tuned to hear the full tracks and the video exclusive.

Moscow-based Oleg Buyanov, AKA OL, has previously released tracks on labels such as Error Broadcast, Astro Nautico and Faces. But he has also built a sizeable online following through a regular stream of ear-popping DIY digital freebies. Arguably his most in-depth body of work yet…

Read the full Resident Advisor review here

A small amount of images documenting the visual setup of MWX & Florence To are now up on Resident Advisor. You can check them out in full on the link here. Thanks to the girls for their fantastic work and Dean Gray for the snaps.

After a successful launch in Oslo and showcase during Sonar in Barcelona, Fine Grains lands at Snafu to introduce the sounds of the labels’ debut acts alongside one of the fastest rising DJs in the UK, and an overdue return for an imperious local talent. More details on the Facebook event page here. Win tickets for the night and some Offshore and Fine grains goodies from the good peoples over at WLDWLVS here. Deadline for entry Wednesday 15th.

Friday 17.Aug / 20:00 – 03:00 (20:00 – 12:00 pre-party at Athaneum)/ 
tickets: £8 on the door (100 x £5 advance tickets available from RA here)

Check out this hot new Moxie mix for The Daily Street to get you in the mood:

Fine Grains boss Uraki Riddim (Alexander Horne) was recently invited to play at Hove festival in Norway as part of the Oslo Club Cast showcase in the Flekken stage. Despite the damp conditions and arriving on the final day of the festival, there was a good atmosphere and a chance to catch interesting new Norwegian talents such as Alexander Skancke & Mathias Stubø. Listen to a live recording of Uraki Riddim’s mix from the festival below.

JEEEZZZ!!! Holly mother of Blue. Don’t think it would be any discredit to any other artists we have worked with to say being involved in this night is THE biggest one yet. TNGHT (Hudson Mohawke X Lunice) in Oslo for their first Scandinavian show at The Drop alongside a host of the best local beats, skweee and electronica talent August 24th at Blå. Don’t really need to say anything to be honest, you should know who these guys are by now and in the spirit of this new super producer collab. – less is more. Event details here.

TICKETS FROM TICKETMASTER HERE (recommended – this will sell out!)

This Saturday at Turkish Delight, we welcome NTS resident and Hepcat Radio chief Mamiko Motto to Oslo for the first time. From being heavily involved in what some refer to as the ‘beats’ movement, Mamiko has documented and played alongside most of the best known artists from the scene. On top of her long running Hepcat Radio show, and gigging around the globe, Mamiko also ran the beats focused label offshoot of Kindred Spirits, Nod Navigators, which has released timeless EPs by artists such as The Blessings and Mweslee. Check out her radio show every Wednesday on NTS here.

Facebook event page

The Drop is returning to Blå on Friday July 6th with another healthy dose of upfront and cutting edge electronic music. The first of two Summer dates, the second on August 24th, will invite London-based label boss, producer and DJ IKONIKA and Oslo local Metronomicon Audio boss CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, to play alongside Drop residents Uraki Riddim (Fine Grains) and Andre Jazzmal (Sellout! Music). With a much anticipated EP due to drop imminently on her own Hum & Buzz imprint and fresh from a storming Boiler Room session with her Night Slugs cohorts, IKONIKA is primed to take on Oslo for her first gig in Norway since a much acclaimed set at The Villa during Oslo Live 2010. Check out snippets from the EP on her recent mix for Mary Anne Hobbs below and get your ears around the Center Of the Universe through his most recent LP for FREE download here.

Resident Advisor event page

Facebook event page

Fine Grains’ Barcelona based machine funk don just dropped a tasty mix of boogie, skweee and beats on the A Little Beat site ahead of his show at Skweee Gallery #03 alongside Beatbully and Fine Grains founder Uraki Riddim. Tracks from the man himself, Dorian Concept, Beem (recommend the new album!) and Mr.Oizo all up in there. Check out the mix  here and be sure to catch Fitzroy North live at Skweee Gallery on Wednesday 13th.

Skweee Gallery #03 event details on Facebook

- Skweee Gallery (Fine Grains showcase) (Fitzroy North, Beatbully, Uraki Riddim, Hybakusha, Chelis, Niño, Discos Paradisos DJs): Marula Cafe, Wed. June 13th, 21:00 – 05:00 / Facebook event page / RA event page

- Discos Paradisos (Day event) (OL, ¥OIN, Studio Cee, Uraki Riddim): Thurs. June 14th, 18:00 – 21:00 / Facebook event page / RA event page

- Terra (Bunker Rave) (OL, ¥OIN, Uraki Riddim & guests): Terra Bass refuge, Fri. June 15th, 22:00 – 06:00 / Facebook event page / RA event page

Fine Grains Records officially went online on April 21st 2012! Celebrations were in order so we decided to throw an intimate soiree at one of our favourite Oslo venues, Turkish Delight. To set the tone we invited highly rated Russian beatmaker OL, emergent UK producer ¥OIN and Norwegian skweee musician BEATBULLY (Beatbully was sick and replaced by INKO on the night) to perform alongside Fine Grains founder Alexander Horne (Uraki Riddim) and VJ Pop Com. The night built and built, filling up around the midnight mark, before ¥OIN and OL combined to smash a packed club in the final hours.

Check out images from the night on Resident Advisor here.

Check out video footage of OL playing live from the night  here.

Looking forward to the ‘THIS IS NOW’ exhibition at ™51. A collection of some of my all time favourite illustrators and graphic designers brought together by Oslo based Oh Yeah Studio. I will be bringing an eclectic crate of records old and new to play out on the opening night so come say hei and check out the artwork if in the area.

The Drop is back with an exciting showcase of live Scandinavian beats acts and International DJs to coincide with the Nordic equivalent of SXSW, By:Larm festival in Oslo. Live acts will perform early evening from kl.20:30, followed by a club night with one of Time Out’s ‘DJ to watch in 2012’ Moxie and a very special guest all the way from the USA. Synthetic funk, analogue beats and global electronic music at arguably the only event comprehensively representing these sounds during By:Larm 2012.

Playing records at the ™51 gallery opening/studio warming party in Oslo this week. Celebrations are in order as Norwegian design duo Oh Yeah Studio are moving in to the ™51 space. Looking forward to checking out the artwork on display and catch up with some fellow creative minds. Keep up to date with Oh Yeah Studio’s (poster by them) past and future projects on their website here.

Since we last had the pleasure of hosting London DJ/broadcaster Moxie at downtown Oslo spot, Turkish Delight, she has been on a roll of gigs and increasing popularity with press and punters alike. In fact, hot off the back of five years of success with the Deviation parties, Time Out nominated Moxie as one of the top DJs to look out for in 2012 alongside the likes of Maya Jane Coles, T. Williams and John Talabot. Having co-produced the Deviation parties with Benji B for the past few years, Moxie took up a permanent slot on NTS radio in early 2011 to add to her guest shows on stations such as Kiss and Rinse FM. From being the first female DJ to play at renowned dub spot DMZ, she has established herself as an excellent selector DJ playing a multitude of styles seamlessly without losing sight of the dancefloor. Benji B says ‘Moxie is not just a good technical DJ, but a good selector. She has great taste in music across the board and is open to music styles both old and new.’

Q1: Hey Alice, you´ve collected an impressive roster of past gigs and affiliates in your years as a DJ and broadcaster, how did you start out and what have been the key moments and memorable gigs along the way?

A1: When i was about 15 my school organised a DJ workshop with a youth company called Bigga Fish which was originally set up for the year above but they had a few places left so me and some of my friends joined up.  That was where it all started really and that Christmas i asked for a pair of turntables!

Some of my most memorable gigs would have to include the first time i ever played out as my hands were shaking like crazy!  It was at a tiny bar in Camden Town where they were holding a dj competition hosted by Normski, I remember playing Rose Royce ‘Love don’t live here anymore” so clearly!  More recently playing the DMZ 6th Birthday will always remain a special and treasured memory as the people i look up to a great deal invited me to come and be a apart of something that over the years has built a cult following.  It’s kinda crazy to think that over the 6 years i’m still the only girl to have played there twice!  Never thought when i was buying DMZ records a few years ago that would be me, so i think it will be very hard for a gig to come close to that one.

Q2: Deviation has been running for 5 years as a club night and has also been involved in putting on non-club events such as the stunning strings performance in the London Eye in 2011. How did the night come about and how and when did you get involved in the Deviation team?

A2: Deviation was originally started by Benji back in 2007 as he felt there was a lack of mid-week parties in London and so he decided to create one!  For the first session which was back at Gramaphone then Skream & Waajeed were the first booked guests alongside Benji.  I think those two guests are a great example of what the night is all about, as we always try to put people together who would never normally be put on the same bill.  For example someone like Waajeed playing Detroit Hip-Hop alongside an up and coming Dubstep producer called Skream is something that wasn’t being done back then. A year later myself and another girl called Zainab became involved in running the night along with Benji and together we run Deviation as discuss everything as a team.  

The string quartet performance was a great experience and something we all felt very proud of as in the space of a week we managed to organise the whole operation from finding an arranger to write the music for the strings and then finding the string quartet to play the music and then of course deciding which tunes reflect the club best and finally Benji piecing it together to create what you heard.  It truly was a magical experience and a definite highlight of last year for all three of us!

Q3: I was listening to Alexander Nut and Floating Points during an Eglo special on the Deviation show a while back. It was especially interesting when Alex talked in detail about the art of DJing and how it seems to be more and more of rarity. You’re still digging in the crates, playing out a multitude of styles and most often playing out on turntables – what do you think it takes to make a good DJ and what is your take on the digital and analogue debate?

A3: I think to be a good DJ you ultimately need to have a passion for music and have to be open to learning.  It’s all about working on your craft and putting the time in, whether that be practising mixing or just learning about music, i’m a strong believer in the effort and time you put in is what will come out.  When i was getting into music i spent a lot of time in record shops, just looking at the covers and learning about which music came out on what label and joining the dots.  But naturally things have changed over time and it’s a different process for people getting into music or wanting to be a DJ nowadays. 

In regards to Alexander Nut’s comments i totally understand where he is coming from and i agree with the point that music somewhat has become extremely disposable over time, which is a shame, but it’s also become accessible for people that could never before reach it.  Although I do think there is a massive lack of appreciation for the work that goes into making vinyl and the packaging, such as the process of designing the artwork to deciding on the weight of the vinyl.  All these things get lost along the way when people solely buy digital and i think that’s a terrible shame. Personally i try to balance it, as not everything online is available which i think is a good thing as it keeps you on your toes and reminds you to stay in tune with all sides of music.

Nowadays when i play out i pretty much use Serato as it’s a way for me to keep everything together.  It’s actually taught me a lot about music and over time i’ve had to re-tune my brain to think differently.  I was never that great on cdjs so to use software where i can play out a tune as soon as it’s sent to me without it being released is amazing.  I still get to enjoy the feel of using vinyl whilst testing out tunes in a club that i could never before do!  But i do agree that some djs get too involved and forget about the art of djing and rely too much on the software to tell them what to do!  It has generated a bunch of djs that i find predictable and boring but i suppose that’s the thing that separates the good from the bad.  Personally I would rather hear someone play an interesting record than beat match two standard tunes perfectly.

Q4: Your NTS show is a great example of mixing up styles and alongside Mamiko and Kutmah has made Wednesday a staple day for NTS listening! I heard you play some classic hip hop and finish up on some new bassy stuff a few weeks back - do you have a typical journey through music (ie hip hop to house) when you play out? What is your approach to each gig?

A4: That’s great news to hear you keep it locked on a Wednesday, it really do love playing alongside those guys, also Martelo who is on after me is a dope DJ!  I don’t really have a set out plan for the shows, it all depends on what i have in the crates tbh.  I’m a lover of many musical genres old and new so always like to switch it up but when deciding on when to play which tune it sorts itself out along the way, similar to playing in a club in some senses.  It’s a mixture of vibe and tempo and just because something is the same bpm doesn’t mean it should necessarily go together, I think it has to be a balance of the two.  I try my best to take people on a journey of sounds and textures that to me all make sense.

Q5: On top of being a DJ and broadcaster of growing repute, I just found out you have even more creative activities on the go than music! Is the artwork you completed for the Mizz Beats releases on Eglo something you are doing regularly? What is your creative background outside of music?

A5: The artwork for the Mizz Beats 10” was my first official piece of commercial art, and is something i did last year for the guys over at Eglo and something i’m really proud of as that was my plan after leaving art school, to join my two worlds. I graduated over a year ago and studied at both Central Saint Martins & London College of Communication.  For my degree i studied surface design which was a great course as i was able to explore designing for a multitude of surfaces.  Whilst studying i was doing music and running Deviation as well.  Music & Art have always been my two passions so it’s great that i can combine the two now as i also design the Deviation flyers.  Something i really must do this year is get my online portfolio up and running! 

Q: Finally, bit of a cliche but always exciting to hear about new upcoming heat. Any tips for up and coming producers and/or tracks for 2012-13?

A: Dro Carey is someone i’ve got my eye on, he recently had an EP out on Ramp which i thought was really great and varied musically, especially the tracks “Brite Lotion” & ” Journey With The Heavy”.  Also Casino Clams who is making some really dope experimental Hip-Hop/ Electronic beats atm and is the man behind Lil B & Soulja Boy.

In terms of tracks there’s a tune called ‘Belfry Tower’ that i’ve been supporting on my NTS show.  It’s by the London based DJ & producer Braiden who you might recognise the name from the massive track he did called “The Alps’ which was released on Joy Orbison’s label Doldrums a while back. So i would highly advise to keep an eye out for the track this year as it’s coming out on a highly respected label that i’m not actually allowed to mention quite yet but is set to be a big tune for this year!

And finally the musician Kwes who was recently signed to Warp is someone making really forward thinking music right now.  I went to see his first London show a few weeks back at The Shacklewell Arms and it was a completely packed out show with Actress supporting.  He performed only a few of his tracks but it was enough for me to know he is someone that will become very big this year.  He’s also worked with the XX & has produced Speech Debelle’s forthcoming album.

LISTEN to Moxie fortnightly on NTS Radio here

FOLLOW Moxie on Twitter here

Alongside the likes of Inko and Torkelsen, Snasen is one of Norway’s most promising beat makers and live acts. We first caught him live at the tiny Sound of Mu venue for alternative electronica and bass night Dubious. Since then he has gone on to play support for the likes of Gold Panda, Actress and The Drop’s off By:Larm showcase in 2012. Ahead of the latter show, Drop co-promoter and Sellout! honcho Andre Ishak decided to put out some of the artists’ finer moments on the self titled Snasen EP. The EP is available for a pay as you wish download on the Sellout! band camp site, we recommend you donate something if you can.

DOWNLOAD the SNASEN EP from Sellout! records online here

DO IT! is 3 – and out! Our closing night at Snafu went down heavy and was great to see so many of our regular faces make it down to bid adeu. Tuff Wax duo Cruicky and ¥oin set the tone at the pre-party before our residents (Uraki Riddim, Kid Bell and White Chocolate) warmed up nicely for the first ever Auntie Flo live show in Aberdeen. The foundations were set for one of our favourite past guests, Ikonika, to tear down the club and bring three years of groundbreaking audio visual events in Aberdeen and Oslo to a close. A fitting way to end with two of our most high profile guests. Check the video of the night by Campbell Montgomery (aka Studio Cee) and his pics on RA here.

In the past 3 years DO IT! has booked the artists listed below and received coverage from culture publications such as Juxtapoz, Superfuture & DPI.

Ikonika / Rustie / Dorian Concept / Mweslee / Pursuit Grooves / fLako / Offshore / Auntie Flo / Melkeveien / Beatbully / Sprutbass / Mother North / All City Records (Olan) / Telephones / Onra / Buddy Sativa / Gold Panda / Snasen / Moxie / VKTR / Inko / Timber / Bobby Brazuka / DJ Woo / Proviant Audio / Tom Wilson / PYHUFNT / Leif and the Machines / Tobii / Indian Red Lopez / Yoin / Casiokids / Ben Butler & Mousepad / Torkelsen  / Am$trad Billionaire / Toob / Studio Cee / Cruicky / Ekko Festival (Asel) / Halvor Bodin / Vixen VJs / VJ Pop Com / Cupofill

Third edition of The Drop and final one for 2011 will bring some much needed tropical light and musical colour to Blå in Oslo this Thursday. Casiokids have been taking their smile inducing electronic pleasure pop to enough countries around the globe to know a thing or two about playing out so anticipate a lively performance off the back of glowing reviews from their latest LP on Polyvinyl. On support duties, Ben Butler and Mousepad represents the lofi synthetic funk sounds we are more accustomed to hearing at Drop or DO IT! nights. With an abstract pop, rather than heavy boom bap, approach to skweee – BBMP have managed to trickle out releases on three of the genres most excellent purveyors; Dødpop, Harmonia and Musique Large. Expect to hear tropical offbeat, skweee and kwaito-tinged sounds from The Drop residents Uraki Riddim and Andre Jazzmal!

Facebook event page

Resident Advisor event page

London-based producer Offshore, AKA Ewan Robertson, has been developing a name for himself in the realms of UK bass and experimental hip-hop. With releases on labels such as Stuff, Disboot and Big Dada, it’s something of a surprise that Robertson hasn’t entered into the conscious of tastemakers sooner…

Read the full Resident Advisor review here

Offshore – Pacer EP (preview) by Offffshore

New mix and artwork I just completed for the super dope Mondayjazz guys, remember listening to their early podcasts and looking in awe at their bookings some years back. A nice way to round up the DO IT! nights getting a mix on their site so I thought I would include tracks from some of our favorites guests. Click on the link below to listen to or download the mix. Tracklist after the jump.

Stream/Download Mondayjazz#205 ‘It Came From Uruk’ mix by Uraki Riddim

Tracklist:

1. Nabo ‘Intro (Brain)’
2. Don Papa ‘Pol (Atmosphere)’
3. Ammon Contact ‘Stab and Loop’
4. Wagon Christ ‘Wake Up’
5. Kelpe ‘Taps On’
6. Dorian Concept ‘United Tree’
7. Tokimonsta ‘BreadySoul’
8. Washed Out ‘Before’
9. Hard Mix ‘Upkeep’
10. The Blessings ‘Moranis Riding Ants
11. Com Truise ‘VHS Sex’
12. Arp 101 ‘Warriors Galactic’
13. Onra ‘Moving’
14. Mweslee ‘Variations pour CX Pallas’
15. Cabaret Voltaire ‘Bad Self’ (Part One)
16. Aardvarck ‘BLooM 5’
17. Flying Lotus ‘Zodiac Shit’
18. Paul White ‘Alien Nature’
19. Dabrye feat. Jay Dee & Phat Kat ‘Game Over’
20. O.Boogie feat. Tableek ‘Paper Chaser’ (Mweslee’s Dolla Dolla Bill’Ya remix)
21. Ill Suono ‘Angel Beat’ (Dabrye remix)
22. Debruit ‘Turkish ish’
23. Daniel Savio ‘Monkey Pee Monkey Poo’
24. Beatbully ‘Kosmisk Regn’
25. Chanca Via Circuito feat. Fauna ‘La Revancha De Chancha’
26. Chanca Via Circuito’Puente’
27. Shackelton ‘Hamas Rule’

A little teaser of the stunning poster design by SIO for our final soiree this December 9th at Club Snafu. There will also be a special live visual setup from our visuals crew, collaborating with SIO and MWXTV for the first time, on the night. Advance tickets are on sale for a discount rate from Resident Advisor now, you can check the line up and pick up tickets from the link below. Grab’em while you can, just 100 advance tickets available and they guarantee you a one-off mixtape.

Buy advance tickets for DO IT! is 3 (and out, our final night) from RA here.

Moxie hitting up Norway for the first time in a few weeks, really looking forward to this one at Turkish Delight. Moxie is a London based DJ and broadcaster of growing repute, having co-produced the Deviation parties with Benji B for the past few years she recently took up a permanent slot on NTS radio to add to her guest shows on stations such as Kiss and Rinse FM. From being the first female DJ to play at renowned dub spot DMZ, she has gone on to establish herself as an excellent selector DJ playing a multitude of styles seamlessly. Free entry all night so guaranteed this one will be busy, be there if you are in the Oslo area.

MOXIE KISS MIX NO.2 (02.10.11) by Moxie on Mixcloud

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Hailing from the Highlands in Scotland, Samoyed creates beautiful sparse and organic soundscapes hauntingly reminiscent of the grand landscapes of his geographical roots. We first came across his productions in the days of ‘myspace’, and shortly afterwards when he played support for Gas Lamp Killer at Joe Coghill’s seminal Ballers Social Club night in Glasgow. Its been a while since his last proper release (the ‘Always From The Point’ EP on Flask records) but, now he is back with an exceptional “10” release on the Astro:Dynamics imprint. Check out the eery depths of ‘Malamute’ on the video above, below is a track he entered for a recent Bleep competition which showcases a more up tiempo production style.

Q1: Apart from Vancouver I didn’t hear much hype from people regards an electronic music scene in the West coast of Canada before I went. However, after coming across music from guys such as yourself, Prison Garde, Taal Mala and meeting the Rinse Out guys I was surprised more people didn’t have an awareness in what is going down over there. You run a night in Victoria, and gig regularly in Van – is there a big exchange with the beat makers, DJs and creatives on the West coast or is it just a city to city thing?

A2: The main factor with everything you refer to is geography. Canada is massive so our sense of community on a larger scale tips back and forth between the illusory veil of the internet and actual gigs that result from cross-country flights. It’s not that easy for someone in Vancouver to book Jacques Greene (who lives in Montreal) at any given time of year, a return flight from Montreal to Vancouver can be as much as $800, so it takes planning & lots of communication for something as simple as a DJ gig to happen. It can be tough – those gigs where the real connections are made and ideas exchanged don’t happen as often as I would like.

In Western Canada, there’s a strong connection between Vancouver, Victoria & Calgary. Gigs are often shared between the cities & the respective crews in these cities all communicate on a regular basis. Some of the earliest supporters of my Monolithium project were in Vancouver & Calgary, so it’s great to see the mutual creative energy recycled through our region. We have some amazing dudes out West; Eames, Prison Garde, Max Ulis, Taal Mala, Self Evident, Librarian, Dan Solo, Michael Red, Rhythmicon… there’s more names behind these peeps but yeah, we have no shortage of seriously dedicated selectors/producers who make no small sacrifice to ensure that our dancefloors stay fresh. This relationship out West extends down the coast as well. Some of my most rewarding connections this year have been with peeps like Salva (in California). I think as the gap between the big-room crossover sound & the underground widens, it’s becoming more obvious that the producers & DJs across our continent that are more interested in pursuing fresh, innovative music need to connect & make stuff happen. 

So yeah, despite the mammoth distances between the creative centers, there is a healthy creative exchange. The internet is the magic glue that keeps us all talking & sharing tunes, opinions, ideas etc.

Q2: What kind of music/acts are you putting on for your Sub|division night? Are you playing out lots of different influences or is the night more focused to solely hip hop beats or the crunk sound that we heard from artists like Megasoid a few years back? Any other crews putting on similar parties?

Second volume of The Drop about to hit Oslo! Anticipating a special show what with our headline act Gold Panda playing live in Oslo for the first time, not to mention the Scottish and Norwegian talents on support duties. Live warm up for Gold Panda will come courtesy of Oslo instrumental beats adventurist Snasen followed by a DJ set from Scotland’s latest electronic music DJ/producer representing the sounds of the ‘hardcore continuum‘ ¥oin. To top things off there will be a live visual set up from VJ Pop Com and expert selections from myself (Uraki Riddim) and Sellout! music’s Andre Jazzmal. Advance tickets are available from the venue, John Dee, and Ticketmaster.   

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Ahead of his first gig in Norway as support for Gold Panda at The Drop last Friday, Aberdeen DJ/producer ¥oin picked up some major hype from the renowned XLR8R website. With his debut release ‘Martial Status’ imminently released by Tuff Wax as part of the Aberdeen Truth series, the future looks bright for the latest Scottish artist to don the hardcore continuum cape. Click through on the links below to listen and download a 192 kps version of ‘Martial Status ahead of his Oslo debut. You can also catch ¥oin play at the Tuff Wax launch party this coming weekend in Aberdeen and the final DO IT! night on December 9th, both nights at Snafu nightclub.

Listen and DL ‘Martial Status’ by ¥oin on XLR8R here

London based producer Offshore, aka Aberdonian Ewan Robertson, has been developing a name for himself pushing forward the realms of UK bass and experimental hip hop. With commended releases on respected underground portals of music such as Stuffrecords, Disboot and Big Dada it is something of a surprise that Robertson had not leaped into the conscious of music tastemakers sooner. That he has enjoyed a gradual increase in attention compared to some overnight ‘hyped’ UK acts is more testament to his humble, attentive and assured approach to production and commitment to his work as a graphic designer than anything else. That seems set to change after some almighty performances at festivals such as Sonar in Barcelona and with new music projects due to drop, after the final of his trident of EP releases on Ninja Tunes offshoot Big Dada. Ahead of his show in Oslo, we took the time to sit down with this mercurial talent to talk about how he juggles between music and design, his creative background and where he finds inspirations for producing, performing and award winning graphic work with Oscar & Ewan.

Offshore – Pacer EP (preview) by Offffshore

Q1: Hi Ewan, am I right in thinking that you left Aberdeen to study graphic design at art school in London? What did you bring with you in terms of influence from Scotland and what have been the things that inspired you along the way in London?

A1: Growing up in Aberdeen there wasn’t a glut of great acts coming up so, if you were into music, when something did come up that was good, you’d go along regardless of the genre. It taught you to be quite open and appreciate a lot of different styles rather than really honing in on one. A lot of discovering music in Aberdeen was more about buying records and listening to stuff alone or with a few mates playing Grand Theft Auto, rather than hearing it out in clubs. Inbetween the two, my older brother studied in Bristol, I vividly remember visiting him in his flat, and sitting listening to Origin Unknown – Valley of the Shadows and Ram stuff in his flat for the first time. They were describing it as ‘dark’ I’d never heard that before. Chills down the spine.

Q2: I found it interesting to discover that you interned with a label, Big Dada, that you later went on to have a professional relationship with as an artist. I remember Flying Lotus speaking about his internship at Stones Throw and how much he learned working around Madlib or Peanut Butter Wolf, what were your experiences like there? Did it give you any fresh creative aspirations? Would you recommend young artists to try and gain such experiences?

A2: I think the greatest thing I got from it was just seeing how a label works. Being young and naive I thought it was much bigger business than it is, there aren’t many people there running it, and for Big Dada it’s one guys vision from an A&R point of view. Its honest. Being there day to day, constantly listening to new music whether it was coming out on the label or just stuff Will and Jamie would play in the office, was brilliant and I learned a lot from them, so its great to be part of the label now as an artist.

Q3: Studying and working in London throughout periods such as the emergence and crossover of dubstep and the constantly evolving strains of 2 step the city seems to throw up must be exciting as a creative, have you been involved in any of these scenes in particular? Has there been any moments where a gig, track or event has defined one of these shifts into new territory?

A3: I dip in and out, and go to things here and there, but I’ve never been part of a ‘scene’. I don’t go out loads to be honest. But there have been those defining moments. Cliche, but experiencing FWD for the first time, with Clause Four, was quite amazing, just seeing the bass take on a totally key roll. Melodically though, I didn’t take much from there, it seemed more like a technical revelation. Melodically there are always mini revelations or epiphanies with tracks, or anywhere really. But that is more personal, rather than denoting a shift in the genre. I don’t follow specific genres too closely.

Q4: Your Offshore productions flawlessly mix the growl and snap of grime with lush catchy melodies, is this an approach you have consciously developed or more something that has gradually come along with time? How do you approach making tracks compared to playing a DJ or live set for example?

A4: Yeah, it is conscious. Some of the earlier tracks were really trying to mix the tempos and bounce of hip hop, with the sounds and tension of grime. I was keen, and still am, on how raw and dry it all is. Its very comfortable with how its made. I want my music to sound like its made on a laptop, and i don’t feel the need to cover that up. Hopefully the intelligence comes from interesting drum patterns and my sense of melody rather than the finish or atmosphere. My music is probably quite deceiving in a way. The sounds I use are probably more linked with music that is more upfront and banging, but the tracks effect are generally more understated, its something that creeps up and gets you over time.

Dj wise – a bit more fun and upfront, I try and play a wide range of electronic music that I really love, old and new and create links between- building up through different tempos over the course of the set. The idea of playing one particular sound doesn’t really represent where my music comes from. 

Q5: Running a graphic design agency while producing music and performing must clash sometimes, or not? How do you divide the time between the two fields or do you find that they feed into each other?

A5:  It does clash, at the moment a lot time wise. When we’re really busy, it can be difficult to make time. Its not a job that I can leave at 6 every day. But at the same time, I can take days off when I want if there is less on.

I think of design as the thing I’m schooled in, and music as the more free and personal outlet. With design we’re quite strict about how we work through a project, making logical choices for every part. We have your own way to approach a project, and really its the same thought process whether we’re doing something like an exhibition design, or album cover, even though the deliverables are quite different. I think of music as being less rigid and free. I see design as work and music as play. Design can be play too as the type of projects we get are generally quite fun and interesting, but I don’t really want music to ever feel like work. It’s an outlet for me rather than a professional practice and a reaction to whatever else I’m doing, so I think its good to have stuff going on outside. The best music is made when you’re not thinking about music.

BUY Offshore ‘Pacer’ EP on Big Dada, 2012 here

LISTEN to Offshore Soundcloud here

FOLLOW Offshore on Twitter here

Time for The Drop! Been waiting weeks for this, Norway debut for Onra playing live with French jazz musician Buddy Sativa and a return to Oslo for one of the stand out acts from Sonar 2011 – Offshore. Not only that but, the anticipated live show from local act Torkelsen, live visual set up from VJ Pop Com and some expert selections from myself (Uraki Riddim) and Sellout! music’s Andre Jazzmal… phewwww. For those not in the know, Onra is one of the hottest music acts around right now – selling out shows from NYC to Dublin to Copenhagen and picking up reps from the likes of Jay-Z along the way. IN SHORT: DO NOT MISS THIS OSLO!

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For those familiar with DO IT! collective events in Aberdeen and Oslo, it was evident that they were not run strictly on a music tip. Inviting international graphic artists such as Halvor Bodin, Birk Nygaard and the Vixen VJs to perform live visuals is just part of the story, from inception DO IT! had two graphic designers working on poster designs, mixtape artwork and event scenography. Representing the graphic output in Aberdeen for DO IT! in the absence of Alexander Horne (Uraki Riddim), who moved to Oslo, was Grays School of Art graduate SIO (Siobhan Ogg). As part of the DO IT! team, Sio brought a fresh graphic approach and enthusiasm to explore new concepts for each event. Her style has developed to the stage where she is frequently approached to create designs and artwork for other Scottish club nights, galleries and independent culture projects such as the pop-up Rumour event. Her work melds ethereal and organic hand illustrative elements with sharp futuristic colours and have evolved in terms of after effects and finish. Check out her musings on design, music and experience being involved in club nights below.  (image: Sio artwork from ‘SO_WHYTE’ exhibition, 2010)

Q1: Hey Sio, so you grew up and studied in Aberdeen. How have these circumstances impacted your approach to work and inspirations? What do you think about the ‘culture scene’ there in comparison to your creative output?

A1: Moving around different disciplines has given me an insight into broader ways of working. Furthermore, while studying Graphic Design at Grays School of Art in Aberdeen I became more aware that I should not be focused completely on, and cornered, by one title. With regards to working in Aberdeen; the current ‘culture scene’ seems to have become more proactive over the last few years (this may also be because I am more aware since being involved). I think that with such a small community base and in a place that isn’t necessarily known for creativity you have to be more proactive. It can’t do you any harm either! I also believe that those involved in the current culture scene are encouraging to new projects and in supporting each other.

Q2: You mix traditional hand drawn elements with digital effects, has that taken time to development or has it always been part of your work? Who would you say are you favourite designers/artists and inspirations?

A2: I started out with hand drawing, as many people do, but then started to cross over into digital work and then the hand made bits started to seep back in at the same time! I like to see the cross over and mix of both – It opens up the creative possibilities when you can actively utilize everything and not restrict yourself to one medium. As a visual communicator and for individual projects, my approach depends on the appropriate medium to communicate each time.  Although I would say that this approach has always been my style, it has definitely taken time to develop and I am learning something new and developing fresh methods with every piece of work. It is more more interesting that way.

Q3: Regards DO IT! – who did you most enjoy see play at the parties? What do you think about the idea of blending graphics, visuals and sound?

A3: I really enjoyed the music at our last couple of nights – the Norwegian ‘Skweee’ label showcase was great to see something different in Aberdeen and the vibe at the Studio Cee and Inko night was really fun. Big ups to Studio Cee for his hand crafted sounds! I think it makes for the most interesting nights blending across the creative fields – graphics, live visual and sounds, an all round experience!

Q4: Have you got any tips for new design, art, music? Somebody or something that we should look out for this year or from the past?

A4: I would say watch out for people who are doing these interesting things across all fields. I really liked the ‘Broken Bells’ project; an all round creative project. I don’t know where else to find it but I think that’s the sort of thing to look out for!

Q5: What are your future plans as SIO, the graphic designer? Would you like to travel and check out any place specific or any side projects in the pipeline?

A5: To carry on developing my technique and keep up the freelance work I have been picking up in the past few years. I would like to find more work for myself, gain new experience and skills. Traveling is definitely a focus, I would like to get out there and see what people are doing and get involved! My work at the moment is focusing a lot on interaction, high tech vs low tech and moving communication so I would like to learn more in this field and possibly get more into moving image.

Q6: Having studied and been an active designer in Aberdeen for a few years – what do you think could help the cultural prospects of the city?

A6: Being pro-active about what you do and finding others with a similar mindset is the best way. Having pro-active groups for artists and designers in Aberdeen, such as 26 Collective, is really inspiring and encouraging for other people. It is refreshing to see that outwith art schools there are people coming together in studios to collaborate and complete projects that bring creativity to their own city.

CHECK out her online portfolio here

FOLLOW SIO on Twitter here

First DO IT! of 2011 and we are back at our home from home, Cellar Bar. Having celebrated two years of events with Ikonika and Offshore last December, we will be starting the new year with two fresh beats talents. Inko comes from the Dominican Republic via Norway and is part of the talented Stereoptico imprint. With two members of the crew already RBMA graduates, Inko is widely tipped to join them sooner rather than later. Joining Inko will be the Scottish beat maker Studio Cee, who travels up from Ayr for a live set alongside the DO IT! resident DJs (Uraki Riddim, Kid Bell & White Chocolate) and visuals by Uber AV. Be there next Friday 4th February from 20:00.