A short film giving an insight into the lives of people closely associated and dedicated to the vinyl record, the nostalgia it evokes in them, and what it is about this material that has led them into careers centered around it, despite the immense risks attached.
UK duo R1 Ryders didn’t really pull any punches when it came to naming its latest EP, London Underground, which is out today via Brookyln-based label Party Like Us. The four-track effort embodies the classic, hard-edged sound its title references, offering beefy bass and thick, skittering drum patterns with a crisp, modern production sense. “On My Own” even manages to sneak in touches of string-like synths and glimpses of melodic piano into the dark, dancefloor-aimed style.
Tracklisting:
01. SBTRKT – Hold On.
02. SBTRKT – Right Thing To Do.
03. Addison Groove – I Go Boom.
04. Shadow Child – So High.
05. Bugz in the Attic – Hold It Down (Bugz In The Attic Remix).
06.
07. Domu – Worldwide (Solid Groove Remix).
08. Disclosure – My Intention Is War!
09. SBTRKT – Living Like I Do.
10.
11. Machinedrum – No Respect.
12. Jay Electronica – Exhibit C.
13. Flying Lotus – Putty Boy Strut.
14. Frank Ocean – Thinking About You (SBTRKT Remix).
15. SBTRKT – Wildfire.
16. Machinedrum – Alarma.
17. Kendrick Lamar – Swimming Pools (Drank.
Scratcha DVA (a.k.a. Leon Smart) is an animated guy. (We thought so even before he sent over the above depiction of himself as Raiden from Mortal Kombat.) His productions are obviously the work of an extrovert—check the wonky exuberance of his recent Fly Juice EP on Hyperdub for proof. And as the longtime host of Rinse FM’s Grimey Breakfast Show (he’s since switched to Hyperdub’s less frequent program), DVA frequently peppered his sets with his own hilarious charisma. However, there’s nothing funny about this harrowing tale from his early days. At the height of UK garage, Cyprus’ Ayia Napa was the setting for a story of mistaken identity, police brutality, gruesome bloodshed, and more.
You know Ayia Napa, when everyone was going there? Not now, cuz it’s different [now]. But I went there in 2002, so 10 years ago—garage days. I wasn’t a proper DJ or anything like that, but I had records—I wanted to be in the scene, so I just took loads of records out there, and hustled loads of DJ sets at [venues] like Twice As Nice and Faces, known places. Anyway, I played in one club—can’t remember what one—and I was with a few of my mates, cuz it was a bit of a holiday as well. I left my mates in the club—I said, “Listen, I’m going to take my records back [to the hotel].” I took my record bag, winged off on this moped. I go back to the hotel, and the door was open. This is like a chalet as well, it wasn’t like in a hotel where you’ve only got the room—the room was on the street…