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young girls wanting to shake their ass, it’ll always
be here. If more people and labels get involved in
the culture then it’ll be huge all over the world.”
“I don’t know where ghetto tech will be in five
years,” says Slugo, “but I know ghetto house will
be as big as rap. People can’t deny this music is
powerful and it’s hard not to like it. A party can be
dead as hell but you put on some booty house and
you’ll see what I mean when I say its powerful.”
What about UK bass? “I wouldn’t be surprised
if UK bass has evolved into a new sound by then,”
says Debasser. “It’s the beauty of music, just let
it evolve on its own and you never know where it
will end up.”
So, what makes a record right to be played at
Wide? “It needs to make people dance,” says Oli.
“It’s bass-led music. It’s not cheesy but it’s
definitely party music.”
“BASS and a snappy snare!” adds Debasser.
“We’re not ghetto tech or ghetto house or
Miami Bass,” concludes Cutlass, “we’re UK bass.
The thing about this music is that as a DJ you are
allowed to mix in as many styles as you want.
We’re not about trainspotting, we’re about
making people dance.”
BROKEN BEATS
Broken beats, nu-jazz or even the ‘west London’
sound is a very loose term for a style of music that
has grown up over the last few years. In many
4 HERO
instances producers from other fields have
embraced it as their own technical and musical
skills have developed. Elements of soul, funk, hip
hop, drum & bass and particularly jazz can be
found in broken beats, particularly as live musi-
cians and singers are used more and more.
In essence, broken beat dances to a different
rhythm, gentler and off-centre. Musicians from
many different styles of dance music now make
broken beats including Phil Asher, Nathan Haines,
Attica Blues, I.G. Culture, Domu, Modaji and Bugz
In The Attic, while labels on the scene include
Bitasweet, Papa and Inspirit Music. From a drum
& bass perspective, 4 Hero and Seiji are key
players on the scene along with, Landslide and
Phuturistix (Zed Bias and Injekta) who both record
for Hospital Records. LANDSLIDE
LTJ Bukem’s Good Looking Organisation were It sounds rather like drum & bass artists are
“There is certainly
Is it fair to say broken beats and nu-jazz reflect a
also very important in bringing new styles to the moving to broken beats as a sign of their desire
a limit to how
more thoughtful approach to music rather than
drum & bass audience through their Earth and not to be restricted to one style of music. “I
Cookin’ imprints but it was 4 Hero who really started off playing out mainly drum & bass,” says
much thought you
being dancefloor-driven?
broke the mould with their cover of Minnie Dave, “but at home I was always listening to more
can put into drum
“Definitely,” confirms Dave. “There is certainly a
Ripperton’s ‘Les Fleur’ and the ‘2 Pages’ and jazzy laid-back beats of all different tempos. For a & bass other limit to how much thought you can put into drum
‘Creating Patterns’ albums for Talkin Loud. Their lot of people who are more into the musical side of
than making a
& bass other than making a track suitable for the
music with its deep spirituality and obvious things there comes a time when certain genres
track suitable for
dancefloor. With broken beats you can take a
passion for the rich heritage of black music clearly just become formulaic and you start looking for
struck a chord with many people. other routes to fuse the sounds you love.”
the dancefloor.
track in a lot more directions and its easier and
more acceptable to fuse many more elements and
With broken beats
influences. I like broken beats because I can begin
So, what influence has drum & bass had on the “Some artists don’t like formulas,” agrees Tim you can take a by playing thoughtful, chilled out stuff and then
broken beats scene? Over to Dave Haynes, one Land, the man behind Landslide, “and once a
track in a lot more
rough it up with a few sneaky basslines but still
half of West of Centre with Tom McCarthy genre begins to create formulas it can lose interest
directions…”
keep the same vibe.”
(their ‘InSoul Sessions Vol. 2’ mix album on for those that enjoy the constant evolution and
Inspirit Music is an excellent introduction to the diversity that new forms of music can offer.” So, is it right to see broken beats as being at one
broken beats sound.) end of drum & bass or is it something different all
What common musical heritage and influences together? “I wouldn’t class broken beats as having
“I think drum & bass has without doubt had an do the two scenes share? “For me it’s the break- anything to do with drum & bass in specific
effect on broken beats,” he explains. “You only beats and the basslines,” says Dave. “I just don’t terms,” concludes Dave. “It’s just interesting to
have to look at the contributions from producers get as excited by music with a straight 4/4 beat. I see where the two scenes overlap and borrow
like 4 Hero and labels such as Hospital. I definitely love chilled out and jazzy tracks but I can’t resist elements from each other.”
think the west London scene has taken a lot from the odd naughty bassline underneath the music.”
drum & bass. However, the wider nu-jazz/broken ‘InSoul Sessions Vol. 2’ mixed by West of Centre
beats scene is made up of many other parts and “Probably the basic heritage is embedded in the is out now on Inspirit Music. ‘Cutlass Supreme
influences from other genres... hip hop, 2-step, rhythmic values,” confirms Tim, “drawing on jazz presents UK Bass’ is out on September 15 on
jazz and even house.” and funk drums.” Wide Records/Novamute. | œ
40 : KNOWLEDGE
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