Sheffield’s XCVB have been going strong over the passed 12 months, starting with the usual tees and then moving onto sweats, headwear, sweats and vests for both guys and girls. During the year running the brand, the duo behind XCVB have grown a significant social following (5k+ fans on Facebook and 7k+ followers on Twitter). We recently got talking and ended up doing the following brand feature…

Who and what is XCVB? XCVB, like many smaller brands, is just a couple of guys with an interest and passion for streetwear. We are still young in the game; having only just celebrated our 1st birthday earlier this month.

How have you found running/ managing the brand so far? Is it something you’d recommend doing? It has been a lot harder than expected, there is constantly a massive list of things that needs sorting but I’m a bit of a workaholic when it comes to doing something I love. Thankfully there’s not been many days where it feels like proper work – so it is absolutely something I would recommend others doing (as long as they are doing it for the right reasons); i.e. a passion for fashion, design, marketing etc and not just so they can say they have a “clothing company”.

How important has the internet and social media been in enabling you to grow the brand? If you could have done things differently, what would you have changed in the early days? Absolutely essential! I honestly don’t know how brands managed to get started 10-15 years ago without the internet’s tools and social media, it must have been a complete nightmare! It is also a great motivator to be able to get feedback and interact with customers via Facebook, Twitter etc.

In the early days we definitely made a lot of mistakes and nothing seemed to go right but it was all pretty unavoidable. Sh!t goes wrong and mistakes happen, even recently we’ve made errors but it’s all part of it – it’s all the things that help you grow and find an identity as a brand. The one thing I would say to any new companies is to expect and plan for everything to take twice as long as you think it will at the beginning.

Your range of product is fairly diverse (tees, crews, vests, hats etc for men and women). What would you say defines the XCVB ‘brand’ and what plans have you got to extend the product line in the future? I think we have a fairly recognizable style overall but at the same time we are conscious of not just releasing the same type of design over and over. I don’t want to become stale or predictable and hopefully our interests are wide ranging enough to keep that from happening.

So in the future you can expect all kinds of different things from us that we haven’t done before. In the immediate future we have some sexy wooden arm sunglasses and a coach’s jackets being released. Then beyond that we want to do some full colour photo tees and then just try and get whatever other garments made that we can (from varsity jackets to backpacks).

What does or will distinguish XCVB from the rest of the British streetwear being dropped these days? Maybe just that we are trying to push things a little bit and try new things that we haven’t seen before. We just released a 5 panel with a twist on a classic Script liner design which is something I’ve never seen on a 5 panel before, it even has a classic green underside to the brim which is again not something I’ve seen on a 5-panel before. We could have gone for a very plain safe 5-panel with a little patch on the front, (which is no doubt something we will do) but I think it’s important to try and do something which makes you stand out a bit especially when starting out.

We aren’t delusional or think we are revolutionary but it’s the little things which make you stand out from other brands. We aren’t trying to be anyone else, we are just doing what we are doing and hopefully people can see and appreciate that. We just make the kind of things we want to wear and would buy.

What’s your take on the independent clothing scene in the UK at the moment? What does XCVB bring? There are new brands all over the place at the moment which I love. Not all of them are great but it’s building a scene that will hopefully just keep growing. It’s about time we started to catch up with the US really!

What do you think the future holds for XCVB? Where do you think you’ll be in a years’ time? We just want the same as everyone else. World domination!

There’s no grand scheme really, I think most importantly we want to just have fun doing what we are doing and just grow naturally.

Where can people expect to catch your product; is XCVB stocked in any stores – or are you keeping the label strictly independent? So far we are in a few stores around the country, but this is something we will be working on. We have a couple of new stockists in Leeds and Manchester coming shortly and hopefully we can just keep building from there.

If you could say something to your fans, what would it be? Likewise to your haters? Some people may love one of our designs and hate another, this is one of the consequences of exploring new areas of design and having varied influences. I think a lot of brands won’t admit that they aren’t sure where they are going in terms of design but we are still young and still trying to refine our own voice and our own style. So to the fans I’d say thanks for all the support so far and to the haters I’d simply say don’t buy our stuff.

Top 5 favourite albums? That’s just a nightmare of a question! There’s 2 of us and we pretty much disagree on everything and both have pretty eclectic tastes so rather than fight over the answers here are just 5 bands that have been on heavy rotation for XCVB recently:

1. The Internet,
2. Little Dragon,
3. Das Racist,
4. Die Antwoord and
5. Notorious BIG.

XCVB (still not sure what that stands for!) are the third streetwear brand (after SAABC and Infinity Inc.) to feature here on FatKidOnFire from Sheffield (/ North Yorkshire – fourth if you count Harrogate’s Synapse Collective) who are killing it at the moment. Their recent 5 panel drop, along with the forthcoming coach’s jacket (with some other wicked product) is sure to cement their reputation as one of the UK’s independent brands to watch.

If you’re interested in finding out more about XCVB, hit up their website and the all important webstore – or follow them on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to give their blog and Tumblr a look over as well (both are pretty awesome)!

If you have any thoughts on what’s been said in the FKOF feature with XCVB, or want to recommend a new brand or artist you’ve discovered – or even just want a chat about something you’ve seen on FatKidOnFire, drop a comment below or get in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or the FKOF TakesQuestions page.

Nick emailed me back at the beginning of March with his Bandcamp link (where he’s giving away a few of his awesome remixes/ releases) – but I first discovered him through his entry to the Big Dada remix competition. He sent over the brilliant mix (which you’ll find below) and came back with the following interview…

Who is Subverse? Subverse is a name I explore electronic music under.

What got you into mixing and producing bass music? How would you describe your production style? I got in to mixing at a pretty young age. I was introduced to jungle and drum&bass when I went to secondary school by a friend’s older brother (who was DJing on a local pirate radio station called Flight Fm). My friend and I used to chill in his room, watching and listening to him play records. He was kind enough to let me borrow his tape packs, teach me the basics of mixing and introduce me to the guys in the local record store which at the time was Slammin’ Vinyl in Kingston. Buying and mixing drum&bass was my first introduction into DJing.

I first heard dubstep in 2008. I was involved in pirate radio and running club nights in London, through all of that stuff I met Joe from Vagabondz. It was his passion for dubstep that made me really start to pay attention to the genre, from then I’ve just kept exploring and buying dubstep, house, techno etc. (all the stuff that gets labelled as “bass music”).

I think the kind of music I play and produce now is a culmination of years of exploring underground music and hanging on to the parts I like and losing the parts I don’t. For me I think nostalgia is an incredibly powerful thing, so when I make music or look for new music to play I always search for sounds that remind of music I love, or that reminds me of a time or place. I would say my production style or the sound I strive to achieve from my productions is heavily based around my love for all things analogue, I try and create music with as much sound from outside of a computer as possible.

How long have you producing and DJing? I’ve been buying records for 10 years and DJing for the majority of that time. I started to produce music when I was 17/18, thats when I decided to quit my job and go back to college/ and then Uni to really learn music technology – but I would say I’ve only made stuff to a reasonable standard for a year or so.

How do you go about building your tunes ? is there a process behind each one? What software do you use? I use Logic and as far as a process, it’s always sounds that inspire me to write a tune. That could be a sample from an old record I’ve recently picked up; a synth sound I’ve made; anything really – but it’s always sound that inspires me. Once I’ve been inspired, writing the tune is always different.

Turntables or CDJs for when you play out? I play a lot of my own music these days so I end up using CDJs which I genuinely hate. I’m still an avid collector of vinyl, but I’m not a fan of playing digital music with analogue music so I tend to play either a whole set of vinyl or a whole set on the CDJs.

What’s been your best gig and if you could DJ alongside anyone, who would it be? I‘ve played loads of great gigs that have really blown me away. Some that stand out would be playing at Plan B in Brixton just before dbridge, he’s always been a massive inspiration to me as both a DJ and a producer. Playing Digital in Brighton before Plump Dj’s and Audio Brighton before Drop The Lime have also really stuck in my mind because the tracks I would naturally draw for probably weren’t going to be what the crowd would want to hear – so that really made me dig through my collection to build those sets. Which was fun!

I’ve also played at amazing shows for the Vagabondz guys in Brighton.

There’s so many DJs I’d love to play alongside, all the big cliche ones – but apart from those guys I’d love to play on a night alongside Amon Tobin; his albums are mind blowing.

Who are your top 5 dubstep/ bass music producers at the moment; and why? Any labels you’re feeling? In no particular order:

• Dark Sky,
• Scuba,
• Alphabets Heaven,
• Girl Unit and
• Envelope.

I want to give these guys a mention because if I played a set with just music from them, I could cover every style and sound that I am currently really feeling. From the wonky experimental end with Alphabets Heaven and Envelope, the ambient melancholy sounds of Scuba and then two completely different uses of classic drum machine sounds from Dark Sky and Girl Unit.

Label-wise Hot Flush, Hyperdub, Cross Town Rebels, Exit, DMZ, Deep Medi and Night Slugs are always releasing great music.

What’s the future of dubstep – where do you see the genre going? Has it got a future? I see a real comparison in the development of dubstep and the development of drum&bass, but just really accelerated due to the easy access to information and music that the internet brings.

I see dubStep developing into different sub-genres or sounds like we have started to see already just as drum&bass did. There will be different labels and nights to cater for that. For me dubstep has become very formulaic and that is a bad thing, it was the openness to experimentation and different influences people brought to the table that made dubstep interesting to me and that seems to of been lost.

I kind of feel most dubstep has just become throwaway club music, but there are still some great tunes being made so dubstep definitely has a future. I hope that after this current mainstream fascination with dubstep has died down people go back to experimenting with the genre and tempo.

Any forthcoming releases we can look forward to? I am currently putting wheels in motion for a self released Cassette Tape featuring music that has all been inspired by my early exposure to dance music. Expect jungle, breakbeats, 4×4 and big basslines.

That will be out with artwork and a print designed from my good friend Tom Lewis in the not to distant future, as well as that I have a load of techno records finished that I will be doing something with.

Have you got any advice to upcoming DJs/ Producers looking to get their music heard or signed? Keep offline for as long as possible that would be my biggest piece of advice. Take your time and really learn your trade well, build a big catalogue of music then take it from there. I feel a bit silly giving advice because I’m not signed or anything like that.

Any shoutouts? Shouts to B’ka, Murder He Wrote, Dubloke, all the Below The Line gang, Envelope, The Love Sick Records crew, Cub Scout, Charlie from Gorgeous George, Wired, Tom Lewis and Polar Kid.

3 people (dead or alive) you’d go to the pub with (and why)?

1. Wiley – he just seems like he’s on the edge between creative genius and nutcase. People like that interest me.
2. Stevie Hyper D – I used to rinse tapes I had of him so if we could change the pub for Koko I could get to see him perform, that would be a dream come true.
3. Steve Jobs – One of the greatest men of recent years. It would have been great to get an insight into his mind as well as an insight into where he saw the future for technology and computing.

Analog or digital? Why? I don’t get the context of this question but I will say as a general rule there are always pros and cons to both so weigh them up and go with whatever suits your needs best.

SoundCloud or Bandcamp? If they came together that would be perfect. Soundcloud for the user interface and community feel. Bandcamp for selling or collecting emails for your music. Neither of them are perfect though.

Subverse’s mix for MakeItGood x FKOF is an hour’s worth of tracks from Burial, Joy O, Scuba and a whole host of other superb dubstep/ bass music producers. It’s a free download as always – hit Nick up on Twitter and Facebook if you’re feeling it! Don’t forget to head over to the Subverse bandcamp to get your hands on the four downloads from there.

Click to DOWNLOAD

Track list:

1. Subverse – My Heart Beats For You [free download via Bandcamp]
2. Burial – Street Halo [Hyperdub]
3. Guy Andrews – Textures [Hemlock]
4. Sigha – How To Disappear [Hot Flush]
5. George Fitzgerald – Don’t You (SCB Edit) [Hot Flush]
6. Subverse – Indifference [dub]
7. George Fitzgerald – Friends In High Places [Hot Flush]
8. Subverse – The Calm Before The Storm [dub]
9. Subverse – Deluge [dub]
10. Scuba – The Hope [Hot Flush]
11. Timo Garcia ft. Amber Jolene – City Lights (Solee Remix) [Yoshitoshi]
12. Fur Coat ft. Cari Golden – You and I [Cross Town Rebels]
13. Lando Kal – Rhythm Sektion [Hot Flush]
14. Fur Coat ft. Argenis Brito – Space Ballad (T.E.E.D remix) [Cross Town Rebels]
15. George Fitzgerald – Weakness [Hot Flush]
16. Joy O – Jels[Hot Flush]
17. Dark Sky – Be Myself [50 weapons]
18. Girl Unit – Every Time [Night Slugs]
19. Nguzunguzu – Mirage (Brenmar remix) [Silverback Records]
20. Subverse – Old Enough To Know Better [free download via Bandcamp]
21. Club Scout – Gold (Subverse remix) [free download via Bandcamp]

If you have any thoughts on what Subverse has had to say, or anything else you’ve seen – maybe you’ve got someone to recommend to FKOF or seen something you think we’d like? Get in touch via email, Twitter, or Facebook.

JayPerspective recently hit me up with the following flyer (with FKOF fam rssk on it no less!) along with an accompanying mix. Jay and the rest of the derb team have been pushing the deep 140bpm sounds around Nottingham’s venues for a while now:

We’ve been running nights and takeovers in Nottingham since November involving DJs such as Tunnidge, N-Type and Chefal, as well as our own residents.

This weekend, the derb residents along with a few guests will be taking over Stealth nightclub‘s room 2 – and whilst I’m not 110% sure I can make the trip up the M1 this weekend – judging by the mix below it’ll be a pretty wicked night!

I can’t find the event page on Facebook; but head over to the derb Facebook page and follow the guys on Twitter to keep in touch with Saturday’s plans.

For those of you who reach (even if I can’t); have a wicked time!

Click to DOWNLOAD

Track list:

Peace, love and respect.

FKOF

Zimbabwean-born and Norwich-bred Kulez hit me up a month back with a few of his links and his pretty amazing bio (check it on his SoundCloud). I’ve been listening to hip-hop quite a lot in the passed few weeks (on a side note, check Logic’s ‘Young Sinatra: Undeniable‘ or The Four Owl’s ‘Nature’s Greatest Mystery‘ – I’m probably fairly late to the party with both of those but been slamming them both recently) and Kulez’ music definitely caught my ear.

Kulez and I got talking; bouncing a few emails back and forth and ended up with the following interview – along with the amazing FKOF free download he’s given away…

Who is Kulez? Kulez is a Shona slang term that originated from ‘Sekuru’, meaning grandfather (but can be directed at male family relations such as brothers, uncles, cousins etc). Similar to the English slang term ‘bro’ or ‘cuz’. Visiting family back home in Zimbabwe I would often get called it and it stuck with me so I decided to carry it on as my stage name.

You’ve got quite a history in battling around the world – can you tell us a bit about your background for those that don’t know? What you mean history? It’s still present… Yeah, laughing in people’s faces and insulting their mums completely improvised grew out of  what I did in the playgrounds to becoming entertainment for fans all over the world (even in that little place that isn’t quite Russia).  I am a huge supporter of the freestyle aspect and I feel it is an artform that is being overlooked in the battle scene today. “Nowadays a free style is a free track” – a lyric taken from my forthcoming release.

How important has the internet and social media been in enabling you share your music? I am a fan of the internet and social media when it comes to music and I do think it is important. But I think it should be used as an aid and not your main thing.

Myspace got me into social networking and I generated just under 80,000 plays on my songs, but before I even had a Myspace I had sold records. There are people with millions of plays on social networks but in reality have sold 2 copies of their record – I think there is a need for a balance.

It is quite easy to film a video with some music behind and slap it on YouTube; but that doesn’t make you a musician or director, it just means you are quite creative. With platforms like SoundCloud I have uploaded tracks on there from Norwich and by the next day I’ve had downloads in cities I didn’t even know existed – so it’s very good for worldwide promotion but in my opinion is making artists of this generation too lazy to guerrilla-market themselves internationally.

What got you into producing music and writing rhymes? There was a hip-hop night near where I lived that was over 16 entry and a pound a pint of red stripe ’till midnight. It was those moments that made me want to make music for drunken teenagers with rebellious motives.

What does or will make your music stand out and distinguish itself from the rest of the hip-hop being dropped at the moment? I have a strange accent and am not afraid to experiment or change roles when needed. I perform well under pressure; I mean I have had releases promoted, press sent out, generated hype, without the release even been made yet. Jump in the studio 40hours before its due date and still achieved results to keep listeners happy. It is nice to have people with such faith in me.

How does UK music compare to what’s being released/ supported in the U.S.? Can British hip-hop artists compete on an international stage? I think using the word compete is already burning bridges. We need to work more together, the UK has a strong music scene with a stronger history and collaborating more with the US would only be for the better.

What’s your take on the global hip-hop scene at the moment? Who do you rate as artists/ producers? I really rate Viro the Virus who passed away last month, but left a great legacy of 5 albums. R.I.P. It’s not just hip-hop I listen to, I mostly nod my head to Kwaito.

Where do you see you and your music being in a year’s time? In the CD changer of a convertible Austin FX4 (with Lamborghini doors) and Ozzy Osbourne in the driver’s seat.

Where can people expect to catch your music? Are there any upcoming releases we can look forward to? The website is quite good for that. I have a lot in the pipeline this year so keep your eyes out.

If you could say something to your fans, what would it be? Likewise to your haters? I gots nuttin but love for ya! x

Top 5 MCs at the moment – and why? I would rather broaden the question more and make it Top 5 Artists. Top MCs are quite hard to choose, it just depends my mood. In no running order:

• Tracy Chapman,
• Elvis,
• Lucky Dube,
• Nas and
• Ringo Starr.

Any shoutouts? Anyone behind Kulez at the moment, from press people, to public relations, to the clothing brands and local heads generally spreading the word banging my sh!t out in their stereos! One Love!

Kulez’ definitely a homegrown talent worth checking out (or more importantly, worth supporting!) – but if you still need convincing after his interview check the FKOF free download Kulez is giving away.

As reviewed by latest FKOF contributor Korrupt, ‘Wrong Number’ is truly awesome:

“Short but nice intro, the melody of this fine hip-hop track is soothing. The combination of the panned vox and the repeated piano gives it a soft touch, but listening to the lines Kulez drops tells a different story. Listen carefully, some harsh targeted sentences”.

If you want to keep track of what Kulez is doing, follow him on Facebook, SoundCloud and Bandcamp. Hit him up on Twitter if you enjoy the free download!

Click to DOWNLOAD

If you have any thoughts on what’s been said in the FKOF feature with Kulez, or want to recommend a new brand or artist you’ve discovered – or even just want a chat about something you’ve seen on FatKidOnFire, drop a comment below or get in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or the FKOF TakesQuestions page.

With the site going down and my day job keeping me on my toes, there’s a few MakeItGood x FKOF features backed up. Yesterday saw #109 go live with a wicked 128-140bpm vinyl-only mix from Fent Plates label boss man Seizure – and today sees us sit down with Bacon Dubs‘ Reamz…

[Photo by Rewire Oxford]

Who is Reamz? I am an 18 year old producer from Oxfordshire, UK.

What got you into mixing and producing dubstep? What’s your style - big, dark basslines or as filthy as possible? I started out using software to record my old band; not really having any idea what I was doing (just messing around trying to make it sound good). I eventually discovered dubstep through a friend so decided to branch out a little and try to produce some. At this time I was using FL Studio with no idea what anything did – I didn’t even know EQ and compression existed! Luckily my friend who introduced me to the music was a producer as well and he helped me out a lot. I produce 140 bass music in whatever style I’m feeling most at the time.

What software do you use to produce your tracks? I started on FL but now use Logic Pro 8.

Turntables or CDJs? Will always be mainly vinyl for me. There is an amazing feeling about owning a record and playing it. CDs just don’t compare. However, it’s nice being able to play out unreleased music without spending 40 quid getting each track cut. The mix I recorded [for MakeItGood x FatKidOnFire] was completely CD though as I wanted to showcase the music rather than the mixing.

How long have you producing and DJing? Probably been producing about a year and a half/ 2 years now. Been DJing for little over a year.

What’s been your best gig and if you could DJ alongside anyone,
who would it be? The best gig I have ever been to was the most recent GetDarker night at Cable. The RC1 soundsystem they had was unreal and the whole room was vibes all night. No topless, traffic cone-wearing, neon painted c**t getting in my way.

Best gig I have played would have to be Ukraine a month or so back. The vibes in that club were awesome. People really seemed to be feeling the music.

If I could DJ alongside anyone it would probably be either Youngsta (purely to watch him mix) or Biome (to hear all his dubs). Would have to be on a boat party at Outlook as well.

Who are your top 5 dubstep producers at the moment; and why?

1. Biome – This man is killing everything. Haven’t heard a single tune of his that I don’t like
2. Truth – The amount of tunes these boys churn out is insane!
3. Perverse – Really fresh new take on the sound and they’re really nice guys (Churrrr)
4. Kryptic Minds – Will always be in my top 5
5. Cauze – Seriously, watch out for this boy.

So many great guys to choose from. The amount of talent around at the moment is
insane!

What’s the future of dubstep – where do you see the genre going? I think the scene is actually in a really good place at the moment. As I said, there are so many new artists emerging who are all really pushing the true sound of dubstep. I don’t think dubstep will ever be represented properly on a commercial scale but I don’t see that as a bad thing. Nothing will beat a room of 10 heads vibing to the music.

Any forthcoming releases we can look forward to? Nothing announced for now. But my new E.P ‘Fear‘ has only just come out so go cop that if your feeling it.

I am also in talks with a few labels atm but that’s all secret. Follow me on Twitter or SoundCloud to keep up to date.

Have you got any advice to upcoming DJs/ Producers? The most important thing I would say is be completely honest with yourself about your tracks. If you don’t like how it sounds don’t send it out. Doing so will just give yourself a bad name. But once you are happy with them, send them to everyone. You never know who might like it and what connections they might have.

Any shoutouts? I would just like to say a big shoutout to the following artists: Sparxy, Skriptah, Hiloxam and everyone else from the Bacon Dubs Crew. Perverse, Compa, Widowmaker, Content, Collision, Formless, Scalade, Occult, Percept, DRTY, Cyntel and everyone that has helped and supported me in anyway. Big up to all!

Reamz’ mix for MakeItGood and FatKidOnFire features a solid selection of dubs from the some of the best up and comers producing the deep and dark sounds. Hit Brad up on Twitter or SoundCloud to let him know if you’re feeling the mix!

Click to DOWNLOAD

Track list:

1. Facta – Surface Tension
2. Reamz – Fear VIP
3. Pheral – Untitled
4. Reamz – Engage
5. Skriptah – Dark Animal
6. Alias – Boggart (Reamz remix)
7. Gantz – Cave Dance
8. DJ Madd – The Life You Chose
9. Reamz – Dimension
10. Kbeatz & Cauze – Nightmares
11. Reamz – Dusk (Widowmaker remix)
12. Sparxy – Full Throttle (Reamz remix)
13. Tallan – East
14. Reamz – Colony

If you have any thoughts on what Reamz has had to say, or anything else you’ve seen – maybe you’ve got someone to recommend to FKOF or seen something you think we’d like? Get in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or the FKOF TakesQuestions page.

Tonight’s post is the latest update in the MakeItGood x FKOF series, with Fent Plates label boss, hip-hop and dubstep producer/ DJ extraordinaire Seizure. Make sure you grab Za’s superb mix for MIG x FKOF, it’s a 128-140BPM vinyl-only journey through the bass music soundscapes. Well worth jumping on!

Who is Seizure ? My name is Za and I’m 21. I am a hip-hop & dubstep producer and DJ. I am currently studying Aerospace Engineering at The University of Southampton but am originally from a little town called Gerrards Cross. I run a couple of labels, I’m an avid graffiti artist, urban photographer and a medium term stock trader. Ahah! Not sure what else to say really!

What got you into producing Dubstep? How long have you been doing it for? I started producing when I was 13, originally only making hip-hop. I heard DMZ in about 2003/ 2004 and was completely blown away. I immediately stopped making hip-hop and made the transition over to dubstep, solely focusing in producing chilled out music.

What software do you use to produce your tracks? Since day one I’ve used Fruity Loops as my main interface but also use Sony Acid, Audacity and Cubase. My main source of samples and recording comes from my Condenser microphone set up where I record most the instruments you hear in my tracks. So I don’t really spend a lot of time using software and would rather spend the time using real instruments.

Turntables or CDJs? I only use 12”. I have never used CD decks (or know how to use them) and I don’t think that will ever change. I have always got my own tracks cut to dubplate or tracks that I really like by other artists cut to dubplate.

I cherish everything that surrounds vinyl culture and feel very sad that the new DJ just can’t be bothered with it all and would rather use a laptop. I feel like they’ve missed out on something truly special.

Discussing mixing styles and what not, I’ve changed a lot over time. I like to sometimes mix one bar off, which is what you’ll hear in the mix I’ve done for you, where the track drops and then drops again just one bar after each other. It sounds different. Also, I don’t mind when listening to a mix and hearing the track go off just a bit and you feel and hear the DJ pull it through, it just seems more real, organic, rather than this automated BPM matching software these days.

What’s been your best gig and if you could DJ alongside anyone, who would it be? Errmm, this is a tough one. Best experience whilst DJing has to be at Beach Break Festival. Really enjoyed it and felt honoured to be asked to play. Saying that, my favourite sets to play in general are at the Soul Cellar in Southampton. It’s the only venue which really allows me to play exactly what I want to and the sound system in there is beautiful.

DJ alongside anyone? Phaeleh.

Who are your top 5 dubstep producers at the moment; and why?

1. Phaeleh – As mentioned above, easily the best producer out there and still completely underrated.
2. Asa – Genre-defining and genre-changing music, pushing the boundaries and exploring all sorts of emotive music within dubstep and elsewhere.
3. Kasket – A new kid on the block, but definitely a person to look out for. His latest release absolutely blew me away, especially “A Song For Sunday”.
4. Dfaultuzer – An unknown artist with a unique sound. I’ve never heard anything like it, be sure to keep an eye out on him.
5. Djwanka – Deep Medi artist. Unbelievable drum patterns, inspirational synthesis. That’s enough said really. Check out his clothing brand too.

You founded Fent Plates Records. Can you tell us a little about why you started it? I took a gap year in July 2009 and by July 2010 I had decided to start the label. I wanted to really push the intelligent aspect of the dubstep scene, putting out melodic and timeless music by a range of talented artists.

We originally started off digitally and it was always going to happen that we started putting out 12”. Now every release will have a 12” followed by the digital release. Fent Plates also pushes the graphic designers, photographers and other people working behind the scenes.

That is why we brought out a clothing range near the end of 2011. Fent Plates is all about the music and we hope to continue pushing the deeper aspect of the scene and bring forward as many talented artists as possible.

Any forthcoming releases we can look forward to? I have two EPs coming out on Bass Taste Records, one at the end of April and the other at the start of July. I have a remix coming out on Fent Plates in June which is part of the next big Fent Plates release which is a CD album by a very talented artist. I have a hip-hop album coming out with my partner in crime within the hip-hop scene, De Main. The album will be given away for free as part of the local newspaper in Southampton. And I think that’s about it! Ahaha!

Have you got any advice to upcoming producers/DJs? Not much really as I’m in the same boat. I suppose the only thing I can say from a label head point of view is to stop sending demos in like crazy; the more an artist gets DJs to play their music and the more they work to deserve a release, the more a label will take notice.

Any shoutouts? There are truly too many, but I’ll have a go! Arif, Saira, Miz, Kareem, Akash, Sunil, Rameez, Asa, Keith Vaz, Box Mouse, Kochari, Twitch, Blind Prophet, Gnome, Macabre Unit, Demon, N-Dread, A-List, Fused Forces, Rob Sparx, Roqqert, Dee Ellington, Quantax, Blynk, Gantz, De Main, dfaultuzer, Pledge, Paleman, Kiev, Numa Crew, John Maveric, Pulsar, Sykes, J-One, Phrex, Pressa, De Real, Triggy, Netrik, Badhair, Module, Basic A, Whyrez, Eamon, Ollie P, Hudson, Mike Ball, Matt Bredikis and all the other writers that are part of the upcoming website. The SUSUDjsoc, Guro, Nicky J, Keem, Taz & Moe at Phoenix, easily the best pressing plant in the world. I think that’s about it! Sorry if I forgot ya!

Seizure’s mix for FatKidOnFire and MakeItGood is a 45m, vinyl-only journey across the bass music landscape. Definitely one of the best mixes we’ve had in the MakeItGood x FatKidOnFire series in a long minute! As always, be sure to check Seizure on Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud.

“Hope you enjoy the mix – which is from 128 – 140BPM and takes you through the whole of the UK music scene. It has some very old crusty dubplates in it from myself!”

Click to DOWNLOAD

Track list:

1. Arge Numa Crew – Feeling Macaco VIP [forthcoming White Peach Records]
2. DJ Crazy – I Need You (Breach Remix) [Dirty Bird Records]
3. Ill Blue – Meltdown [Numbers Records]
4. Breach – Fatherless [PTN Records]
5. Champion – Motherboard [Hardrive Records]
6. Champion ft. Ruby Lee Ryder – Sensitivity [Fomula Records]
7. Mosca – Done Me Wrong [Numbers Records]
8. Champion – Lighter VIP [Formula Records]
9. Mosca – Bax [Numbers Records]
10. Redlight – Stupid Feat Roses Gabor [Digital Soundboy Records]
11. GoldFFinch – Point Of Entry [877 Records]
12. Seizure – Business (Crusty dubplate) [forthcoming Bass Taste Record]
13. Mz Bratt – Selecta [Hardrive Records]
14. Lapo Numa Crew – Infama Feat. Ninjaz & Charlie Dakilo [forthcoming White Peach Records]
15. Headhunter – Futurebound [Tempa Records]
16. Rob Sparx – Broke Feat Roqqert [Fent Plates Records]
17. Asa – Leave The Light On (Stumbleine remix) [Fent Plates Records]
18. Eddie K – Starlight [Hench Records]
19. Rob Sparx – Try To Remember Feat Dee Ellington [Fent Plates Records]
20. Lung & Maxx Roach – Booty Call [Deadplate Records]
21. Seizure – Khaali – Very Old Crusty Dubplate 2008 [forthcoming Bass Taste Records]
22. Botz Numa Crew – Nobody Can Stop Us [forthcoming White Peach Records]
23. Phalaeh – In The Twilight [Afterglo Records]

If you have any thoughts on what Seizure has had to say, or anything else you’ve seen – maybe you’ve got someone to recommend to FKOF or seen something you think we’d like? Get in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or the FKOF TakesQuestions page.

Today’s third (and probably final) article on the topic is from Slice, head honcho over at Inna Riddim; a digital label who are currently looking to sort physical distribution deals. In my opinion, Slice’s post is near enough the perfect end to the discussion…

Respect to Lawrence for opening up a can of worms point of discussion around this worthy topic, despite the article’s overwhelming title. It’s a conversation I’m personally invested in and feel that what’s missing is the perspective of a “legacy label” (to use Lawrence’s terminology), that’s trying to establish itself amongst the cacophony – as there’s a lot more than meets the eye than just what the consumer sees.

Both contributors so far have provided a historical frame of reference which I believe is ultimately what this topic is hinged upon: times have changed!

Stretching back to the roots of the music we love, when rave culture exploded into existence in defiance of the iron rule of Thatcherism in the late 80s, whether consciously or not we’re continuing the traditions and foundations laid before us by our generation past (now in their 40s). Many won’t draw that parallel as at the core of our devotion to music is an expression of feeling rather than thought, also most of us (I always wished I was born a decade earlier) never lived this epoch. However, societal parallels are undeniable and I propose that this is at the core of our current state of affairs.

Whence the origins of rave was an anti-movement against the greed and individualism of capitalism, a culture of coming together (peace, love and unity!), reflectively the internet has provided us with a replica paradigm of “collective individuality”. We’re splintered all over the world yet unified by the internet and our ability to share ideas and content. How this has changed the playing field is quite self-evident and rightfully taken for granted (and exploited) by today’s generation.

Back in the early 90s, entire renegade industries were borne from the rave movement; similarly to how current IT, social media or search industries were spawned from the cyber revolution. As a result, music lovers are now connected world-wide with communication being reduced to the click of a mouse. One common thread that has remained is the D.I.Y. attitude that the rave scene brought with it – except instead of D.I.Y. physical, it’s now D.I.Y. digital.

Pointing the finger and pushing the blame on labels for saturating the scene with crap music is ridiculous when taking into consideration the bedroom home studio set-up and the ease of which anyone can write music nowadays. And that’s without even acknowledging the devaluing effects of widespread piracy and theft of music – a practise taken for granted (but one that largely prevents any revenue models from surviving). One look at the struggling grip of major record labels on the music industry and their inability to adapt with the times is enough to exemplify this. I received an email not long ago stating “I don’t like to pay for mp3s but for vinyl it’s the complete opposite”. There’s a perceived lack of value when there’s no physicality; if you could steal a car you would.

Ultimately nothing much has changed in the music industry: nepotism and favouritism are still rife from the mainstream to the underground. We’re currently trying to organise vinyl distribution for a select number of key releases on top of our current digital output, however what we’ve found is that if you’re not putting out buying out established names the guys at the top don’t want to know.

I’m a vinyl purist at heart – having taken part in the heyday of Jungle Drum & Bass in the late 90s. My quarterly student loan payments were chewed up by regular purchases at the local record store, so putting out vinyl is another step in making my dreams come true.

There’s no financial motivation behind any of my musical endeavours; it’s pure passion.

If there are some labels out there doing a sh!t job they simply won’t survive and will be weaned out with time. The problem of too many labels is not a problem for the consumer, but more one for young labels as they battle it out amongst each other for a piece of the pie that is already next-to-nonexistent. In a cluttered environment even a quality record label will struggle to make an impact.

The positive is that the rulebook is constantly rewritten by the audacious, pioneering new methods and means to reach that tipping point that puts you above the rest. And so it’s the D.I.Y. attitude our scene has come to be known for that should be lauded, not denigrated. Back in the day artists would drive around the country selling white labels out the boot of their car. Distribution deals could be done just by having a presence, because the infrastructure existed to support physicality, and built around a grassroots community instead of moderated, managed and controlled by evil corporations major record labels.

The internet has become our local record store – it’s where we now rally at, find out all the info, network with other like-minded people and sweet-talk/ befriend the owner to pull out the promos from under the counter.

My point is the digital landscape is our new bastion.

Yes there is a certain amount of separating the wheat from the chaff, but the blessing is that we do have the choice. Times have changed and with it consumption of music has evolved from the golden days of tape packs, pirate radio, vinyl and record stores to YouTube clips, digital radio, MP3s and torrent sites. One crucial thing to remember is how dubstep was propagated by the internet; its low-end frequencies echoing around the world. A tsunami that never quite carried to the same extent the Jungle Drum & Bass music that I grew up on. We’re all now more connected than ever, and it’s clearly influenced music consumption and in turn its proliferation.

We have an infrastructure to exploit different to any that existed before, and even though it’s shortened our attention span to 140 characters, 1-2mins clips and has flooded our inboxes with sh!te, it’s opened up new doors.

Basically, the internet.

If you agree (or don’t) with Slice’s response to Lawrence’s article, let us know in the comments – or give him a shout on Twitter.  To follow Inna Riddim’s story, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud or hit up their website.

I think we’ve had a pretty decent run of articles on the topic – so I’m tempted to put it to bed. If you’ve got any thoughts to add, leave them in the comments or hit me up on Twitter.

Peace, love and respect.

FKOF

Having worked with Chris before (have a quick read of this post to get an idea of his potential), I was 110% stoked when he offered to start writing for FKOF. His first post is about inspiration – a rather odd-sounding topic – but one very relevant to the fashion labels and musicians that feature here on FKOF…

Some of you may have seen a project I was working on for University (with some great help from Wil), entitled ‘Independence‘ – it focused on meeting the people behind some great independent clothing brands in the UK and trying to tell their story; celebrating those who work so damn hard to make something for themselves.

I wanted to look at action sports, but also I wanted to try and find something as inspirational as my investigation into indie brands. This is a video about Aaron ‘Wheelz’ Fotheringham – an athlete who’s part of the action sports brand Unit. Nothing unusual so far, apart from the fact that this athlete was born with spina bifida, a condition that’s had him in a wheelchair his entire life. Yeah, that’s right, an athlete in a wheelchair – this guy’s a massive inspiration.

I’m sure a few of you have seen this before as it’s been around for a year, and he’s also featured on the Nitro Circus Live Tour. However, I stumbled across the above video again when looking for something exciting to talk about, and thought it was exactly the sort of thing I wanted to look at.

It’s a fantastic story – the fact he’s part of an action sports team, there on his own merit. He’s done some amazing things. I enjoyed watching this video as much as I enjoy watching most other ‘standard’ BMX, skate etc. videos! At the beginning of the video, it states that he never let anything stop him, that he could do anything other kids could do – he just had to make it work for him.

Personally, I think this is something that everyone should apply to their own lives.

This kid is living a dream that many, many kids have – to be an athlete that’s part of a team, going on big tours, featuring in videos and having people look up to them – and yet so many people fail to achieve those dreams, despite there being no good reason why not. In fact, Aaron’s proved that there are probably very few reasons why you can’t achieve whatever you want.

The problem is people come across someone living their dream and think ‘I could never do that’. Aaron obviously saw kids doing what he wanted to do and thought ‘how can I do that?’. I’ve been guilty of just thinking I couldn’t achieve something, and it seems to come down to the fact that instead of thinking how you could go about getting something you want, you just assume it’ll be something you probably wouldn’t be able to do.

Wrong.

You can do whatever the hell you want to do – the only thing stopping you are probably going to be mental blocks (I think Aaron proves there’s probably a way around the physical)! All you’ve got to do is start thinking ’how can I do that?’.

Try it – next time you come across something you want but would normally dismiss as being unachievable, sit down and think how you could go about getting it and see what happens.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts about Chris’ guest post here on FatKidOnFire. Sound off (or be nice) in the comments below – or find Chris on Twitter. If you enjoyed his first post, be sure to watch out for more content from Chris in the coming weeks!

Peace, love and respect.

FKOF

Tonight’s interviewee in the MIG x FKOF series is talented young DJ (and soon to be producer) rssk. Ross hit me up with a guest mix out of the blue a few months back, pushing the deep and dark sounds I love – and asking if I’d be interested in support his sound. Never one to turn down a nice email (or a great mix), I hit him up and here we are. You can find rssk on Twitter, SoundCloud and Mixcloud or keep reading for the full feature…

Who is rssk? rssk is a 24 year old Nottingham-based DJ pushing the minimal sub driven dubstep sound.

What got you into mixing and producing dubstep? How would you describe your production style? My love for music has seen me pass through almost every genre under the ‘electronic music’ umbrella. It all started with electro in the 2004, house and techno in early 2006 and finally dubstep in 2007. My infatuation with the dark minimal sound started when I ended up absorbed in a bass-heavy minimal mash-up by the one and only Kryptic Minds about 3 years ago. Working full time hasn’t left me with much opportunity to produce but I knew from that point I wanted to do more than just listen.

How long have you producing and DJing? DJing for a little over a year.

How do you go about building your tunes ? is there a process behind each one? What software do you use? For the last year I’ve been totally focussed on the mix and blend, aspiring to the heights of Youngsta’s minimal Mondays on Rinse FM. I’ve experimented with beats on both Acid Pro and Ableton Live and hope to dedicate more time to this over the next year. Watch this space!

Turntables or CDJs for when you play out? Turntables all the way! There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of a flawless mix with acetate.

What’s been your best gig and if you could DJ alongside anyone, who would it be? Unfortunately, I’ve yet to play out, and that’s not through a lack of trying. Nottingham has a thriving music scene and I’m sure an opportunity will present itself soon enough. (Although, if anyone fancies booking me, I’m cheap and low maintenance)! If I had the opportunity to DJ alongside anyone? I’d have to say Kryptic Minds, Youngsta or J:Kenzo (or all 3 if that could be arranged); they’re all stand up guys with serious skills across the board.

Who are your top 5 dubstep producers at the moment; and why? Any labels you’re feeling?

1. Vicious Circle – For destroying Youngsta’s Rinse show with afterlife and hibernation!
2. Razor Rekta – CHST018 is just massive!
3. Versa – For his intricate melodic vibes.
4. DCult – His attention to detail is untrue!
5. Sleeper – Banger after bass heavy banger.

MacarbeUnitDigital/ Osiris/ RedshiftOne/ Innamind/ Black Box, respect to all.

What’s the future of dubstep – where do you see the genre going? Has it got a future? There’s no such thing as bad publicity, with artists like Skrillex, Nero and Skream being key in bringing dubstep to the masses (backgrounds aside)… The more the merrier in my opinion. But I’m convinced a natural progression will see more people flock toward the FKOF way of thinking [fingers crossed]!

Any forthcoming releases we can look forward to? I’ll get back to you on that one.

Have you got any advice to upcoming DJs/ Producers looking to get their music heard or signed? Do what you enjoy, practice hard and don’t be afraid of rejection.

Any shoutouts? Kryptic Minds, Youngsta and MC Toast for being nothing short of an inspiration, and The PNG Crew (namely Fable, Solero and GA), Anex and Gutcha for putting Notts on the map.

3 people (dead or alive) you’d go to the pub with (and why)? The original Big Apple Records outfit to get a feel for how it all started.

Favourite clothing brand? Boxfresh.

Microsoft or Apple? I can’t afford Apple, so Microsoft I guess.

A strong selection of my favourite artists, some massive tunes and a respectable level of mixing skill. If this is a good example of what he’s capable, we’re going to be hearing more of rssk in the future. Promoters, book the guy! Grab the download and hit rssk up on Twitter if you enjoy it as much as I have…

Click to DOWNLOAD

Track list

1. Formless – Hidden Realm
2. Cluekid – Swampman
3. DCult – Particle
4. Versa & Rowl – Tesla
5. Pheral – Hatchway
6. Gutcha – Dark Visions
7. Perverse – Shaitan
8. TMSV – Difference (J:Kenzo remix)
9. Sleeper – Untitled
10. Versa – Monsoon
11. Sleeper & District – Transitions
12. Kotcha – Embrace (Georgehopcraft Master)
13. Demon – Chang Caine
14. TZR – Secrets (Instrumental)
15. DJ Madd ft. LX One – Program
16. Anex – Delusions
17. Phaeleh – In The Twilight

If you have any thoughts on what rssk has had to say, or anything else you’ve seen – maybe you’ve got someone to recommend to FKOF or seen something you think we’d like? Get in touch via email, Twitter, Facebook or the FKOF TakesQuestions page.

The following is the first I had, from producer Arkwright (I’ll be publishing the third and potentially final post on the matter later this week – a response from a digital label looking to get into physical releases).

Sam’s post is another intriguing take on the state of the music industry – but this time suggesting that all may not be as bad as first suggested* more of an extension to the post that went up on Sunday (rather than a direct response)…

The music industry has been dying and/or dead [perhaps evolving? – FKOF] for years. For over 50 years in fact – if we are willing to believe what we’ve been told.

Northern Soul, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rhythm and Blues hit full swing in the late 50s; bringing a nation of classical bores together in a frenzy of stocking-showing and staying up past 9pm.

But the consequence of these fantastic genres becoming popular is that unfortunately not everyone likes to keep music ‘as it is’.

In the 60s, when the US had artists like Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix as national icons, Britain decided that we would, in fact, play with the three genres we were given in the 50s. This resulted in bands like the Rolling Stones smashing through the RnB scene, The Who eating every boundary rock and roll enforced, The Small Faces taking soul to an all time high and, unfortunately for people of the 21st century; 4 unlikely lads from Liverpool combining all 3 to form the world’s first ever ‘pop group’.

R.I.P music. Apparently.

The Beatles were the first ever band in the history of music to put so many genres together for a musical sound (apart from Elvis stealing blues and creating rock and roll, but we’ll discuss that another time) and hone it to such an extent that it gets its own name.

The music created by The Beatles was in fact so confusing people started calling it ‘popular music’, a title that would eventually be shortened to ‘pop’. Voila.

As a band that took the mod look, added blues and twisted the hippie movement over it, The Beatles were detested by hippies and mods – but loved by young girls and teens around the world. This caused the hippies and mods to announce a very early ‘death’ to their respective genres.

Fast forward to 1980 and electronic music has taken over English. America is going mad for rap and the UK underground scene is pushing it through. It’s 1983 and Wham releases a rap song (‘Enjoy What You Do‘). As a consequence, rap and hip-hop artists everywhere declare rap dead.

But as I see it (and hopefully as clearly as you can), hip-hop is clearly alive and well today.

Let’s take it even further forward. 1998 and the dance scene in England has completely blown up. Dancehall, breakbeat, house and techno invade every dance floor in the country, garage is climbing up the ladder from the underground dance sewers (and eventually paving a way for dubstep). Goldie, a pioneer of jungle and DnB has one of his tracks sampled by the king of English pop himself, David Bowie. Dance heads around the country declare a death to drum and bass forever, this genre will never again see the light of day etc etc.

10 years down the line. May 2008. Pendulum release DnB album ’Immersion‘ – which hits number 1 in the album charts in its first week.

So here we are in 2012. Dubstep is one of the biggest dance genres to date. Justin Bieber is the biggest pop act to date – one who’s recently hinted at the release of a dubstep track [/ album – FKOF]. Will this be the death of yet another genre?

We’ll see.

If you agree (or don’t) with Sam’s follow up to Lawrence’s article, let us know in the comments – or find him on Twitter. Watch out for the next response(s) (from a label this time) later this week.

Peace, love and respect.

FKOF

* UPDATE I’ve re-worded the intro here (as suggested by Sashwat’s comments below) to make things a bit clearer. Hope it helps!