I recently posted an amazing Dark Sky remix of ‘Ice and Arrows’ which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand to attention like soldiers saluting a fallen comrade. This new Skream remix, whilst not quite as good, adopts a different approach and consequently evokes an altered landscape of emotion. Wittily dubbed ‘Skream’s I Ain’t Got a License Mix’, it’s an epic and heavy yet fairly simple rework of ‘Drive’ from Alpines’ recent Night Drive EP and inspires more of a deep melodic rib-cracking vibe. Think disconsolate female vocals meets the frequency of Barry White snoring (low, lower than that) and you’re about halfway there. Drenched in Skream’s distinct style, it unsurprisingly reminds me of his massive if a little overplayed ‘In for the Kill’ remix, although to be honest I think I actually prefer this.
Recorded at Thekla in Bristol for the Foo Magazine versus Monkey!Knife!Fight! night a couple of weeks ago, ‘The History of Dubstep’ is Plastician’s masterfully compiled journey charting the genre’s evolution from its humble garage beginnings to the diverse landscape we know today. Featuring tunes by the likes of Wookie, Skream, Flux Pavilion, Artwork, DJ Zinc and Sukh Knight, there’s a huge amount of quality running through this mix and some equally good MCing from P-Money — the guy who destroyed Ghetts — augmenting proceedings. If there’s one thing you download today, don’t let it be another Anal Adventure flick…let it be this.
Amazing. From the lush beginnings of ‘Perforated’ to the frenetic finale of ‘The Epic Last Song’, Outside the Box is a pleasure to behold. Somehow richer than his self-titled debut, Skream’s sound has matured to positive effect, offering sweeter melodies, deeper pads and a new dimension of gorgeous vocal presence. Tracks such as ‘How Real’ featuring Freckles and ‘Where You Should Be’ featuring Sam Frank are testament to the evolution of his style and the rhythmic fluidity of the album as a whole. Similarly, his collaboration with dBridge and Instra:mental on ‘Reflections’ and the appearance of 8-bit infused roller ‘Listenin to the Records on My Wall’ displays a versatility which has become increasingly evident in his work with Magnetic Man. This is no surprise as Skream’s involvement in the development and innovation of dubstep is undeniable and I believe that from every angle Outside the Box is another step in the progression of the genre’s unspoken yet over-arching blueprint.
With all this talk of maturity and change you could be forgiven for thinking that raw edge of old was gone, but that is certainly not the case. Nastiness is still a tangible force in Skream’s world and ‘Wibbler’ delivers enough to venom to down a herd of elephants mounted by Ghurkas on crack. There are also plenty of other tunes, such as ‘Fields of Emotion’, ‘The Epic Last Song’ and ‘CPU’, offering up their fair share of booming low-end masochism, so bass is by no means scarce. At the opposite end of the scale, aperitif ‘Perforated’ introduces us to the action with a largely percussion free soundscape and ‘A Song for Lenny’ acts in a similar fashion as a light interlude before ‘The Epic Last Song’ executes the firework finish. These two particular tunes are a fine example of the album’s lavish musicality and Skream’s new attention to atmosphere and majesty.
I literally have nothing bad to say about this album. It is a tour de force and should be lauded as such. I just hope the genre elitists can handle listening to it knowing everyone else loves it too. It’s incredible.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Signed to Columbia Records and working on a debut album, Magnetic Man — a Croydon production trio comprising Benga, Skream and Artwork — are currently in the ascendancy. Their latest tune, however, is proving hard to get my head around. Dubbed ‘I Need Air’, I can’t decide whether it’s a deliriously rhapsodic summer anthem or a busy auto-tuned mess cheesier than Wallace & Gromit in Susan Boyle’s socks. Shit, maybe it’s both. Nevertheless, one thing I do know for sure is that it’s clearly a notable departure from the rugged vibes of the recent Cyberman EP and raises questions as to the nature of the forthcoming album. It certainly suggests variation and although a wider scope may inspire a few less than perfect tunes, it could also similarly uncover some gems.
The last 12 months have been pretty large for Skream. His remix of La Roux’s ‘In for the Kill’ shot the Croydon producer’s profile through the roof of dubstep and into the glossy pantheon of mainstream notoriety. Numerous remixes, unquantifiable media exposure and hell of a lot of touring later, the godfather is back. This time with something huge. Outside the Box, set to drop on Tempa on July 27, is the 14-track follow-up to 2006′s Skream!. Featuring appearances from Murs, Sam Frank, Freckles and La Roux, as well as production collaborations from the likes of dBridge and Instra:mental, the album is shaping up to be an interesting affair. One I am certain will surpass the disappointing lows of Rusko’s recent OMG.
The tracklisting released a couple of days ago comprises a few tunes we’re already familiar with – such as ‘Wibbler’ and ‘I Love the Way’ – alongside some which are yet to surface. Judging by what I’ve currently heard though, I’m excited for this release and am expecting big things. Things big enough to wobble my woofers and make my pet hamster’s exercise ball bounce up and down like a cheap petrol station football. Melodic bangers notwithstanding, of course.
Posted by