DEF
TEX
WORDS
:
STEPHEN
LAWSON
))DEF TEX
SINCE 1987 DEF TEX HAVE DROPPED ABSTRACT HIP-HOP WITH A DISTINCTIVELY MUSICAL EDGE.
ALONG THE WAY THEY’VE SHARED STAGES WITH THE LIKES OF DE LA SOUL AND BDP,
AND HOOKED UP IN THE STUDIO WITH EZ ROLLERS. KNOWLEDGE CAUGHT UP WITH RAPPER ANTHRO
ON THE EVE OF THEIR BRILLIANT DEBUT LP ‘SERENE BUG’.
))
After 14 years in the hip-hop scene Def Tex are the UK’s Def Tex had always been open to new sounds and Which brings us to the new album, ‘Serene Bug’. It’s
most established group. Quite an achievement for a experimentation, and from the beginning the group a compelling record. On the one hand you have the
relatively unknown act, especially considering those incorporated live musicians in their music. A decade hard sample based tracks, but then you also have
more famous UK stalwarts Gunshot have recently hung before bands like Fugees and The Roots, this was a the live instruments which crop up intermittently.
up their mics and turntables. In 14 years UK hip-hop has remarkable development. “We’ve pretty much What’s special about ‘Serene Bug’ is the way Def Tex
had two ups and one depressingly large down. Def Tex worked with musicians since the start,” Anthro says. have maintained a distinctive vibe, despite the
were there in the late 80s when record companies were “The first record with live instrumentation was the magpie nature of the tracks; they’ve taken the best of
genuinely interested in homegrown hip-hop and acts classic ‘Tutorial Sessions’ EP. We’ve listened to hip-hop’s sampling techniques and added the live
like Silver Bullet featured in the charts. They sat out the loads of other styles of music, which has always musician’s dopest grooves.
genre’s dark ages in the 90s, as the industry lost given us the curiosity to experiment with different
interest in British rap and heads were, fortunately, left sounds, and knowing so many talented musicians, “The album’s very varied, but everything has that
to their own devices to regroup, set up their own labels how could we not use them?” Def Tex sound,” says Anthro. “It’s very honest and
and, most importantly, innovate. Def Tex have been open, but lyrically it’s not instantly obvious.” The group’s
there and done all that. Now they find themselves with The group’s musical curiosity led to them teaming up lyrical complexity is complemented on ‘Serene Bug’
their first full-length album at a time when proper with EZ Rollers in the mid-90s. About this time by cameos from UK hip-hop luminaries such as
underground hip-hop acts like Mark B & Blade and UK hip-hop indie SON Records was finding its feet Huntkillbury Finn, Ty and Juice Aleem. “It was good to
Skitz are getting airplay on Radio 1. What better time to and branching out. SON’s independent stance get the chance to work with the guest artists. They
catch up with the Def Tex crew? suited the Def Tex ethos and so the two paired up helped create different styles and moods for the
for the group’s critically acclaimed ‘Poetic Speech end result. We’d like to think it’s an album that
Rapper Anthropologist began his career in Def Tex as Techniques’ EP. “It was cool working with EZ Rollers crosses boundaries and will be judged as music and
one of the group’s dancers. Soon Anthro switched head- because they gave us a solid finished sound,” not just hip-hop.”
spins for microphones and struck out as one of the Anthro says. “We were already feeling drum & bass
crew’s MCs, along with Chrome and ex-member Sure stuff, anyway. They didn’t have any musical input Typically of the UK’s longest working hip-hop group,
Delight. After gaining a name for themselves playing on the ‘Poetic Speech Techniques’ EP, but we do Def Tex aren’t about to rest on their laurels now their
modest gigs in pubs, Def Tex were signed to Virgin respect what they do as artists.” debut album has received glowing reviews and
subsidiary Ten Records (then home to Soul II Soul, admiration from their fellow b-boys and girls. “We’ve just
Mantronix and Loose Ends) and went from bar-rooms to By this time UK hip-hop was enjoying something of a finished a track for Dynamic Syncopation’s new LP on
sharing stages with their hip-hop heroes De La Soul, renaissance and the media swooped on material by Ninja Tune,” Anthro begins. “There’s a tune coming out
Cash Money and BDP. “It was quite surreal being so the likes of Mark B & Blade, Skitz and MUD Family. with Sir Beanz OBE. I’m doing my new Monkeyface
young and playing with your heroes,” says Anthro. Def Tex’s next release on SON, the ‘Synchronise’ label. Hopefully, a track with the Nextmen...”
“We learnt that there were going to be lots of ups and EP, was equally well received by both the press
downs; one minute playing with your idols, the next back and the native hip-hop scene. Shortly after the They’ve been here 14 years, an eternity in British
doing a shitty day job!” release of ‘Synchronise’ the group teamed up hip-hop, and it looks like Def Tex are going to be around
permanently with a trio of musicians, Matthew for a good few more to come. “We can only go up
Though the group never had so much as a single released Jefferson on bass, Jasper Williams on drums and from here and increase our audience. Confidence
on Ten, Anthro reckons the deal prepared them for the Toshi Matsunaga on guitar. The addition of these is high and the future’s looking good, so who knows
long road ahead and the group’s exile in UK hip-hop’s musos meant Def Tex shows were more complete what could happen?”
wilderness years. “It was a good experience. We learned and musically satisfying, so much so that now
about the industry and we got our first studio out of the defunct indie mag Melody Maker took notice and Who knows, but rest assured we’ll be keeping a keen
deal, so you could say it set us up for the journey ahead.” gave the group’s live show a five star rating. eye on developments in the Def Tex camp.
46KNOWLEDGE
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51