24DRUM&BASS//BREAKS//DUBSTEP
Tali
It seems quite the trend right now within Drum ‘N Bass to reinvent oneself, to come with a different name and in the case of some producers tired and bored of the current scene’s sound, a totally different vibe of music.
We are lucky within Drum and Bass that it is a scene known for being progressive and pushing boundaries, DJ’s are able to in- clude different tempos and vibes
within their sets and ravers are starting to get used to the idea that they may hear a House tune dropped alongside a Dubstep tune while at a DnB rave.
There will always be purists too, those that don’t want to hear or pro- duce anything but DnB, and that’s fine too. But how does one come up with a way of both staying true to
what you love and know, while cre- ating something that is going to be able to flow with this ever changing scene? Need For Mirrors AKA HLZ and Mo- sus, decided to create a new name for themselves that isn’t just an um- brella under which they can experi- ment with a new sound - but a name that reflects the very music they are wanting to make and hear. For NFM, the emphasis is on con- veying a sense of reflection in their music from past to present, and to draw on influences all around them. The Duo also felt a need to fill in the gaps they found within their DJ sets, with vibes that, to them, were no longer being mirrored by the scene itself. So how does NFM fit into the cur- rent electronica scene in regards to what they as producers are reflect- ing back to us -the listener? What can one take from their concept and from listening to their music? I am taken with the idea that our relationship with the music industry is based around file sharing and up- loading and downloading informa- tion. This is all done through giant mirrors in the sky - satellites - of which we are dependent on and have “a need for”. Also, not all producers within Drum and Bass have the same point of reference. Whilst Jungle, Ragga and Dancehall may be the kinds of music that some of our older pro- ducers were respectively weaned on, there is a generation of ravers that were nurtured by the late 90’s sound.
THE GUESTLIST NETWORK | MAY 2010
Need For Mirrors
I felt like I was immersed in some futuristic cinematic film score, but with that de- finitive 90’s stepping beat.
Dark, deep, beats layered with at- mospherics and hidden, less obvi- ous stories and influences. This is definitely a vibe one can get from listening to NFM’s music. At points I felt like I was immersed in some futuristic cinematic film score, but with that definitive 90’s stepping beat. With the flip side of the 12 - “Narrative” for example, NFM have sampled some of the dialogue from the David Lynch film ‘Inland Empire’ and continue to build upon the bro- ken narrative that works within the film throughout the track. But it is not only eras and genres of music and film NFM that are influ- enced by, fashion, art and the world in which they live and work.
Being based in Bricklane, London, there is a wealth of culture buzz- ing about the area from which they draw upon, but which at the same time with its busy, crowded streets, leads to tracks which embody their desires for freedom and catharsis from this at times. Neither producer is originally from England, but they both moved to London for the music, to write, pro- duce, and be involved in the indus- try, rich with culture and its wealth of resources to be influenced by and get lost in. They tell me they drink a lot of expresso and eat authentic Italian food every day, spending about 3-4 days a week in the studio, enough time to allow those creative juices to flow. Don’t think that NFM will be strictly limited to DnB though, they feel just as comfortable working at other tempos, and have started some projects and remixes which are to be released later in the year. So is NFM reflecting the electronica scene as we know it at present? Or, is it more a case of they, as produc- ers - taking what is particular to them and reflecting this upon us? What NFM are producing is a sound un- like anything else I am hearing musi- cally at present, and yet at the same time it molds perfectly into the musi- cal cross cultures that make up our progressive scene. Music may be a personal form of expression, but if by listening to it we can be transported to the world of the producer for a few moments, then this truly is creating music that is ‘Reflective”. And beautifully so.
Londinium Review
For all of you who didn’t make it to Londinium this month, I am not going to spare your feelings, it went off!.
With sooo many promoters under one roof the crowd were spoilt for choice, but as the night progressed people eventually found their groove. From the moment we got into the venue, the vibe in the place was popping. The first arch was dropping some serious two step ‘rid- dims’ and set the tone for the rest of the night. Ikonika, was one of the first sets I caught, and from the moment she started playing I was literally glued to the dance floor, serious tunes and some serious mixing. Her mixture of dubstep and four to the floor beats, proved to be a strong theme for the night. Highlights of the evening came from Ben U.F.O and Untold, whilst not forgetting true classics from Fabio and Groovrider. However I couldn’t finish this review without a big-up to Breakage, he pushed the Funktion 1 sound system and my ears to their very limits.
A big night with some wicked vibes, roll on Londinium 2.
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