Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Boogie Boutique Records' debut release drops PLUS Bulabeats Bonanza!



A spanking NuFunk label dropped their debut release today, serving up a merry treat for the funk faithful - Boogie Boutique Volume 1.  It's the first release from Boogie Boutique Records - branding themselves a funky fresh label bringing the best NuFunk music to DJs, artists and party people everywhere with an appetite for phat, feel-good, funk fuelled sounds!





And with artists such as Badboe, Nick Fonkynson, CMC & Silenta, Kid Stretch, the Breakbeat Junkie, Hayz, Chris Awesome, Funk Ferret, Rory Hoy & Totalcult all delivering party bombs for this super-funk fest compilation, it's no wonder DJs in NuFunk-land are licking their lips! Yule not want to miss this!  Buy it exclusively from JunoDownload NOW!




After nearly 30 releases under their belt, Ireland's Bulabeats dropped an early Christmas goodie bag this week - their album entitled It's Bulabeats So It Is - released on Monday! It's packed with exclusive jams from the likes of Aussie Hip-Hopper Matty Blades, Dublin's Ragga Funksters -  The Dirty Dubsters, the talented Rory Hoy, beat bandit Kool Hertz, the one and only DJ Obese and of course the man himself - Johnny Pluse. Expect the usual party madness and Bag it HERE!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Come Together - A.Skillz Remix FREE DOWNLOAD on NuFunk.net

Grab it while you can folks - big up to Adam for sharing this to fellow NuFunk fans! (Exclusive NuFunk.net picture below of the man himself performing at one of our gigs!)





  Come together (A.Skillz Remix) by A.Skillz

Monday, November 1, 2010

NuFunk.net & Boogie Boutique Present Nick Fonkynson UK Debut Set - Friday 12th November!

BOOGIE BOUTIQUE in association with NuFunk.net - the new monthly event at London's award-winning Lost Society - is proud to present awesome DJ/Producer NICK FONKYNSON (Super Hi-Fi) who will perform a 90-minute headline set on Friday 12th November @ Lost Society - Clapham, London (voted Best bar in TimeOut magazine)!

Nick flies in from Canada exclusively for BB to show London why he's considered one of the most talented Producers in the NuFunk and Breaks scene today. And if you email  your full name to events@boogieboutique.co.uk we'll add you and your funky friends to the concessions guestlist, giving you entry for just £3 instead of a fiver!

BOOGIE BOUTIQUE continues on the 2nd Friday of EVERY month.

DJ/Producers Hayz & Chris Awesome plus selected special guests throw a NuFunk party that is fast becoming the funkiest new club night in the Capital. Prepare for a night of exclusive, never heard before Funk, Breaks, Beats, Hip Drop, Funk Hop that'll make you Bop Til Ya Drop!

Everyone who attends can grab themselves a FREE copy of the NuFunk.net CD Compilation Vol.1, which is packed with party bangers by CMC & Silenta, Badboe, Nick Fonkynson, Kid Stretch, Hayz, Chris Awesome, the Breakbeat Junkie, Funk Ferret, Totalcult & Rory Hoy. The track are all due to be released in the near future.

If you attended the NuFunk.net website Launch party in the summer (which reached capacity!) or the recent launch of Boogie Boutique in Oct, you'll know this event is NOT to be missed.

Stay tuned for more special guest announcements and more BB news!

The venue:

Lost Society is Clapham’s swankiest venue, which boasts the finest cocktails an superb decor.

Visit: http://www.lostsociety.co.uk/ for more info.....


Saturday, October 30, 2010

Exclusive Interview with BRYX & Free Mash-Up!

It's been a fortnight since we brought you our last exclusive interview.  So we caught up with another talent emerging in the NuFunk scene -  Canadian born DJ BRYX.  After recovering from the highs of the Shambala festival, the DJ/Producer reveals how he's managing to juggle the decks with making beats...

How did your relationship with music begin? What music did you listen to growing up?

My relationship with music (as a DJ) really started when I was 12 years old.  My brother and I had some Gemini belt-drive turntables.  I ended up with the name Bryx after always stacking Bricks underneath my turntables to raise them higher. Growing up I listened to Hip- Hop / Heavy Metal / Punk. I only started working on making beats recently - bridging my scratching into the production side has been real fun. 

How would you describe your sound?

My own sound can be described as just having fun.  Anytime I'm making something or playing live I'm being me and enjoying the experience! 

*Check out Bryx's Juggle Practice video below* 

 

Tell us about your latest releases/projects and anything you have coming out soon?

Working on few projects right now, including a project with Busta (Bombstrikes), a remix for Jpod (SwingSetSounds) and working on a new mix, where I'm taking more the 'DJ Yoda' approach to it.....having fun making skits and what not.

Which bands/DJs/Producers do you enjoy the most?

So many talented DJs producers these days, but Mat the Alien (DJing), Ztrip (Business Side) & A Skillz (Production) have been my three main influences over the last few years.

What’s your take on the bootlegging debate?  A shortcut or an art form?

I can see how people will feel like it's a shortcut, but at the same time, if it's a good remix/rerub/mashup/edit/refix/re - whatever u call it and there's no false advertising with it - who gives a fuck?

How do you feel about new developments in production and DJ technology – Ableton, digital vinyl etc?

It's great.  I'm loving Serato, which has definitely changed my style of DJing.   Ableton is awesome for production as well as for DJing.  Both programs are dope.   I'm loving what Jpod is doing with his live shows - all round good things!

How do you feel about being able to reach out to people through the internet – is it changing the music industry for the better? 

It's good.  Everything is evolving for the better, but it also makes music very disposable.  Lots of those hardcore collectors who just hate on DJs who play out a month old song.  At the end of the day, I think it's made it easier for anybody to do what they love for a living.

Anything you'd like to say to NuFunk.net members ?

Just a big shout out to my Kootenay Fam !
 
Some quick-fire questions to finish: 

What’s your favourite sound? 

Tazor Scratch

What’s the last tune/album/podcast you put on your MP3 player?

Nero - Me and You

What is your proudest achievement in life?

Still being alive.

And your biggest regret? 

No regrets.

What do you think about the launch of NuFunk.net? 

Tres Bien !

Bryx has kindly offered all our lucky members a FREE copy of his Bass Nectar - Basshead mash!  To get your copy, head over to our Member's Vault at the forum. You can't access the vault if you're not a member of NuFunk.net, in fact the forum is invisible until you sign in.

Once you sign in, the password for the Vault is in the forum DESCRIPTION. We've spray-painted it out in the picture below, but you get the idea:
And if you're not a member yet, get on it and join the rapidly growing community HERE

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Tom Drummond - Interview and Exclusive Free Track

One of the most consistent producers on the scene, Tom Drummond’s name is a mark of funky quality. With massive releases on Goodgroove and Manmade to name just two, Tom flips classic samples with ease, flair and originality.

He took the time to catch up with NuFunk.net, to talk about his transition from punk to funk and the proliferation of new releases we can expect from him in the next few months.



How did your relationship with music begin? What music did you listen to growing up?

I was one of those kids who had a mum and dad that took them to music lessons each week – I played the guitar. I remember getting introduced to popular music when I was about 8 and getting my teacher to show me how to play tunes. I started figuring them out myself soon after.

I was into a whole bunch of stuff starting at cheesy girlie pop when I was 10 (think ‘Real McCoy’). Then I was a bit of a punk, when high school came around I was a Slipknot freak. Finally when I was in my late high school years I literally went from death metal to funk and jazz over the course of a few days.

And how did that develop into DJing and production?

I was big into the whole ‘playing in a band’ thing, then a mate of mine in high school showed me some production software. I remember thinking: “I can do the whole thing myself? Sweet!”. This same guy had turntables and those were the first decks I mixed on.

Is there a ‘Tom Drummond sound’? What are you aiming for in tracks you produce?

I'm a big Mr Scruff fan, I like it how his music always sounds so fresh and that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. So that’s pretty much what I aim for with my stuff; to sound fresh and interesting but still musical and not too hard to listen to. That's what I look for in the records I play when I'm DJing too.

Which bands/DJs/producers do you enjoy the most?

A-Skillz, Featurecast, Mr Scruff, Flow Dynamics, Slynk. These guys are all great DJs as well as producers.

What’s your take on the bootlegging/sampling debate? Is it a short cut or an art form in its own right?

I think it's like how graffiti dudes start out by tagging then move on to murals. Though bootlegging isn’t as destructive and people (like A-Skillz) routinely go back to it. So it's nothing like that really, ha ha.

It depends on the quality of the boot - if someone takes some big song, adds in an extra hi-hat or something then goes and sells it on Juno that’s just ultra lame.

How do you feel about new developments in production and DJ technology – Ableton, digital vinyl etc.?

Ableton is the best thing to happen to electronic dance music in a long time IMO.

As for the digital vinyl thing, it's only logical that everything is going to go digital at some point. As a producer I love having tracks come out on vinyl because it’s a tangible thing that represents the work you put into the track so it’ll be sad when the day arrives when there's no more wax to release on.

Tell us about your latest releases and any upcoming tracks we should listen out for?

I have a house release coming on Lingo Recordings. I also have a few tracks coming up on Bombastic Jam, some collabs with Slynk due out on Manmade and Bombstrikes Records. I've also got a CD release coming out on the Hip-Hop label Cold Busted in the near future as well as a collaboration with JMC coming up on the new label Shanghai Disco.

Some quick-fire questions to finish with:

What’s your favourite sound?

Funk.

What’s the last tune/album/podcast you put on your MP3 player?

A bunch of old Freestylers/Freskanova jams.

What is your proudest achievement in life?

The fact that I'm not tied down to some boring job thinking that I have to make a whole bunch of money then die.

And your biggest regret?

Not coming to this realisation sooner.

What do you think about the launch of NuFunk.net?

Great idea. I've got a few of the sample packs that have been uploaded, I'm sure they’ll come in handy.

And finally, can you tell us about the exclusive free track/mix that you are offering our readers?

This is a house type track that I did about 2 years ago (I used to produce lots of house). I think it’s a good crossover type track to go between house and funky breaks, so I thought you guys could get a bit of use from it.

And here it is, in all its glory:

To get your copy of Tom's exclusive track, head over to our Member's Vault at the forum. You can't access the vault if you're not a member of NuFunk.net, in fact the forum is invisible until you sign in.

Once you sign in, the password for the Vault is in the forum description. We've spray-painted it out in the picture below, but you get the idea:
And if you're not a member yet, get on it and join the rapidly growing community HERE

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Interview with Chris Awesome & Free EXCLUSIVE Poppa Soul Re-Rub For EVERY member!

With a name like Chris Awesome you'd think there must be a big ego to match. Yet, in this candid interview, the DJ and upper coming Producer confesses to being pants when he first took to the turntables and reveals he's much to learn before he develops his own unique style.  However, his two debut releases made the top 3 in the Junodownload Charts and his future releases are sure to follow suit.  So, if that's not Awesome, what is?

How did your relationship with music start?

The first music I really remember listening to and enjoying was the almighty Status Quo. I was taken to see them live when I was about 11 and  loved how loud the music was - how everybody was united with there love of the same music. After that it was the late 90s chart dance music -  2 unlimited and the like. It's really naff stuff, but it got me hooked on music with a beat!

When did you start Djing?

I started 12 years ago, at the age of 16.   A mate of mine brought his decks round for a party and I was instantly fascinated.  He let me have a go and I was pants.  I brought my own decks soon after and started practicing with Hard House. I didn't really know what I was supposed to be doing or where to buy records or anything like that. I found a store that had a very limited selection of vinyl and brought about 10 Tidy Trax records. That was all the vinyl i would let myself buy untiil I could beat match, which took me AGES to figure out.  After two months and three smashed sets of headphones later, I could beat mix.

When did you start playing NuFunk and how did that come about?

I ditched Hard House once I'd mastered beat mixing and started moving into Funky House. I remember loving how happy the music was, but something still wasn't right, i didnt feel comfortable with the music I was playing. Then I stumbled upon a Fatboy Slim CD, and managed to catch the very end of the Big Beat thang. I'd found my sound, but couldnt find much stuff on vinyl, there were no good record shops near my hometown Peterborough and didn't know any good online stores so found it hard to find music I loved.

A couple of years went by, then one day, I was looking at a new online record store i found and i stumbled across the 12" that changed everything. It was Badboe's Good Groove artist E.P.  I bought up everything i could find by Badboe and Good Groove, I then found Bomb Strikes, Funk Weapons and mashed up funk etc. I started playing the NuFunk in a local bar and it went down a storm. Everyone loved it and really got into it.  I found it had an infectious quality that people just couldn't ignore.  It suddenly became very easy to get a crowd into the music.

When did you start producing and mashing up your own tracks?

Separate from my DJing life, I started to learn to play guitar.  I'd always wanted to be able to play since I was little, but never really got round to it. One day i discovered that a very good friend of mine could play like a ninja, so i started to learn from him. We formed a little studio band and started writing songs. My friend had done some studio recording at college so we started recording our songs on a really simple home set-up. A couple of the projects got really involved and I guess this is where my producing started, but it was a couple of years before I merged the producing we were going with the songs we had written, and the NuFunk that i played out while i was DJing.

My first attempts at producing NuFunk style tracks were in Garage Band. I was skint and had no money for expensive software and Garage Band was just sat on my Mac not being used, so i started to experiment. I swiftly realised that, despite its basic appearance, it's actually quite powerful if you know how to trick it into doing what you want, which i got pretty good at.  I made a couple of amateur sounding tracks, which never saw the light of day, but once I'd learnt from those mistakes I started to find my feet. The first song I was happy with was the You're Not Awesome made entirely in Garage Band, which is out on a Big M vinyl this year, thanks to Mick for all his support!  After that I hit the limitations of Garage Band and moved on to bigger and better packages.

Is there a Chris Awesome sound, and if so how would you describe it?

I don't think there's a 'Chris Awesome sound' in terms of music production yet.  I've only been making tracks for just over a year, so its still a massive learning curve for me. I do hope that one day I'm considered to have a 'style', but i think that takes a very long time to develop. As for DJing however, I'd like to think that I have a certain sound. I try to make my sets as energetic as possible without loosing the crowd to anything too heavy. I think it's a fine line, but something that's extremely important. One wrong move and you can loose a crowd you've spent the last two hours building up. I like to think of my vibe as feel good party tunes, hopefully that comes across.

Tells us about your latest releases and anything you've got coming out soon.

Well, my first release was 'dont say you love me' on Big M, with remixes from the amazing Kid Stretch, my good friend Hayz and the dirty little bass whore - Busta! They're all really strong remixes and helped the E.P no end in getting to number 3 in the Junodownload Breakbeat Chart. It was received really well and I was chuffed to bits to get messages of support from people who were playing it out in there sets.

Following on from that, Mick (Big M) and I started up the Bangers & Mash Up Series Vol.1 one, which offers exactly what it says on the tin - mashed up bangers. That release was also received really well and went to number 2 in the Junodownload Breakbeat Charts. I was made up, but bummed not to get to the number one spot.  However, as Theo my step son tells me: "First the worst, second the best, 3rd the one with the hairy chest!" So I guess 2nd is cool with me :-) I'm working on Volume 2 right now, but it's still early days.

I've recently produced a track called Happy times for the exclusive CD we've lined up to mark the launch of NuFunk.net's debut monthly gig - Boogie Boutique. It's an absolute honour to be on that CD with the likes of Badboe, Kid Stretch, Nick Fonkynson, well, everyone on there really, they're all top guys and I'm proud to be associated with them. The CD will be handed out for free at the launch of Boogie Boutique (8th of Oct - Lost Society in Clapham - London) Excuse the shameless plug!

Which bands/DJ Producers do you most enjoy?

Away from the decks, I'm a huge fan of Muse. I've seen them live about five times now and they're simply the best live act going. I saw them at Wembley Stadium a  couple of years ago - it was stunning. I love the grandure and shear enormousness of their music. But back to the world of DJs and NuFunk producers.  I know this is the most boring answer I could give and the most predictable, but it's A-Skillz all the way for me. He is the king of taking samples and beats and out putting something, which is not only technically amazing, but funky as hell. When it comes to making DJ friendly tunes, he's at the top of his game.  When I'm playing one of my long 5 hrs sets I play a little game. If the crowd is being stubborn and not getting up to dance, I select any A-Skillz tune and drop it and 9 times out of 10 it works - people get up and dance. You can't argue with that! Obviously there are loads of DJ/Producers I really admire and respect, but i think Adam 'A-skillz' Mills has a little something extra. I'm sure I'm not the only one who sends love to him and his family at this time.

What is your take on the bootlegging debate?

This always splits peoples opinions, but I think that so long as your changing the proposition of a song, then its fine. Let's say your take a love ballad, and turn it into a dance floor monster, you've completely changed what the original song had to offer. However, if you were to take a song that was designed to be danced to and change it into something else designed to be danced to and then sell and make money from that, I think that's a little bit naughty and you're asking for trouble. However, if you're doing that just for fun and don't sell the tunes, then you're not stepping on anyone's toes.

This all started when DJs wanted to make there own unique dance tunes to play in clubs. But then other DJs want to get hold of these tunes and play them out also. This is where the confusion arises. Is it OK to do this? Like I said, if you change the proposition of the original song then i think it's fine, because you not stepping on anyone's toes. No one is going to say "Hey, shall we buy that new love song by Justin Timberlake for our romantic night in tonight?" "Nah... let's buy the Parker - fucked up warp bass in your face dubstep dance floor monster remix instead"

But that's just my opinion and there seems to be millions of different opinions out there. Either way, I think the law needs to change somehow.

How do you feel about new digital developments in production and DJ technology?

I'm a big fan.  I've just bought myself Serato and god damn it makes my life so much easier! I hate CDJS, so I've been hauling vinyl around the country with me for a while now. I used to use one CDJ to play stuff that was only on digi release, but i didn't enjoy using it. Serato is the best of both worlds. Playing digital tunes through normal vinyl - perfect!

Can you reveal a killer production tip to our readers?

To be honest, I'm still learning myself! But there is one thing I'd recommend. I think it's important to have a catchy hook in your music. The way I test this myself is to play a rough version through loud speakers when my 8 year old step son is playing with cars or lego or something. I leave it on for a little while then turn it off. If he starts humming the song to himself later on, I know its got a hook (this technique also works with wives!).

How do you feel about being able to reach out to people through the internet, is it changing things for the better?

Oh yes, definitely. Especially in a scene this small. On my first E.P for example, Kid Stretch is from Greece and Busta from down under! Without the internet that E.P would never have been what it was. That's partly why we launched NuFunk.net. We wanted to give people a place to unite and get together to grow the scene. I think the internet has helped us all network and get NuFunk to where it is today - a strong growing music scene.

Some quick fire questions to finish:

What's your favorite sound? Cheering when you drop one of your own tunes, hasn't happened to me very much, but it's a good feeling when it does.

What's the last music you put on your MP3 player?
Hmmmm, I think it was the A-Skillz 09 mix that's on his Soundcloud player.

What is your proudest achievement in life? Getting married to Kelly last year on the one hand and on the other getting signed on Big M.

And your biggest regret? Hmmm, that's deep! I don't think I have any really.

What do you think about NuFunk.net? I'm very pleased to be a part of something that's doing so much good for our little scene. We've got big things planned for the future so watch this space!

And finally, tell us about this free tune you've offered out to the readers?

It's a re-rub I made a while ago of A-Skillz's Poppa Soul. I've been playing it out for a while now and it always goes down well. So, I hope everyone else can spread the love.

You can buy the original A Skillz version HERE - it's well worth it.

To get your copy of Chris Awesome's exclusive Poppa Soul re-rub, head over to our Member's Vault at the forum. You can't access the vault if you're not a member of NuFunk.net, in fact the forum is invisible until you sign in.

Once you sign in, the password for the Vault is in the forum description. We've spray-painted it out in the picture below, but you get the idea:
And if you're not a member yet, get on it and join the rapidly growing community HERE

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

NuFunk.net Presents Boogie Boutique - Launch Party Friday 8th October!



Here at NuFunk HQ, we're proud to present the launch of BOOGIE BOUTIQUE – NuFunk.net's new monthly event at the award-winning Lost Society in Clapham, London on Friday 8th October, 2010.

The partying will continue on the 2nd Friday of EVERY month thereafter.  Those who attended the NuFunk.net website Launch Party in the summer will know this event is unmissable!



DJ/Producers Hayz & Chris Awesome will host the event and we'll be looking for support from the community for the launch night,  We hope to book a few of you up for sets for the forthcoming Boogie Boutique nights each month and will announce some very special guests over the coming months! Those of you who attended the NuFunk.net Launch Party in the summer will know this event should not be missed!


Download FREE Hayz track to whet your appetite:
  Wicked Trip by Hayz 

Check out our Facebook event page here and get inviting your fellow funksters:

On top of this - to celebrate the launch of the new event and to demonstrate the infectious sound that Boogie Boutique will bring - NuFunk.net have signed several accomplished artists in the NuFunk & Breaks scene to produce exclusive tracks for a special one-off CD compilation, which we promise is packed with party bangers! 

At Clapham’s swankiest venue, which boast the finest cocktails, our promo girls will be handing out FREE copies of the NuFunk.net CD at the launch, which contains a mix of unreleased tracks produced by Nick Fonkynson, CMC & Silenta, Kid Stretch, Badboe, Hayz, the Breakbeat Junkie, Chris Awesome, Totalcult, Rory Hoy, Funk Ferret and Rhythm Scholar. NuFunk.net is set to release all tracks on the CD in the near future – but get your mitts on them first by bagging a copy at the launch party!


BTW if you're wearing a NuFunk.net T-shirt on the BOOGIE BOUTIQUE launch night, then pop to the DJ box and jump up and down and you'll earn yourself a free drink courtesy of NuFunk.net.

And if you don't already know - funky tees can now be purchased here:


Let's do more than just talk about the scene online - let's get real and involved! e1 

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Royal Soul Competition Winner Announcement

Thanks to everyone who entered our competition to win an exclusive, funked-up promo CD from DJ Soneca.

The competition is now closed and we are pleased to announce that the CD will be winging its way to: Niko Melaluka.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Win A Very Exclusive Mix CD From Royal Soul's DJ Soneca

This week, in place of our regular interviews and exclusive freebies, we have a very exciting competition.

One of our lucky readers has the chance to bag an ultra-rare mix CD from one of the leading lights of funky beats.

Rodrigo Ulson, aka Trotter, aka DJ Soneca, is a globetrotting DJ, producer and boss of the Royal Soul label.

His latest promo CD, not available in the shops or online, contains a seamless, funked-up mix of lowdown groovy tracks - including many unreleased and pre-release gems from Royal Soul Records and Timewarp Music.

All you have to do to get your hands on a copy of this excellent mix CD is answer the following question:

What year did the first release come out on Royal Soul?

THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED, SORRY IF YOU MISSED IT!

HINT: If you're having trouble with the answer, you could maybe check our interview with Rodrigo here. By some sort of crazy coincidence, the answer might just be in there somewhere!

We'll pick a lucky winner out of the hat and announce who won next week.

Good luck!

Funky Friday Round-Up

More bombastic bangers to be heard as we check out the latest releases from the world of NuFunk. Bombstrikes, Big M, Breakbeat Paradise, Dirty Dubsters and even Rennie Pilgrem all have tracks out at the moment that can't be missed!


Nick Thayer & Ali B - Bombstrikes Vol. 19

Label veteran Nick Thayer comes together with breaks legend Ali B to create an absolutely tearing release - even by Bombstrikes' very high standards!

Three tracks of pure dancefloor-friendly fire, this is a no-brainer for any NuFunk DJ.

A mad-catchy horn riff and killer hip-hop breaks combine on 'Music', while 'N E Way' gives Dillinger's 'Cocaine' the NuFunk banger treatment.

The phatest track is probably 'Back To You', which unleashes an insanely bouncy bassline alongside a classic De La Soul sample. BIG TINGS!

It's out September 20th at your local vinyl emporium, but in the meantime, check the phatness below.

  Bombstrikes Vol 19 'Nick Thayer & Ali B' Sampler by Nick Thayer


Mr Konfuse & Lunatic - Don't Wanna Lose It EP


A classic house vocal gets the funky breaks treatment on this vinyl only release from Nova Gain Records.

The 'Original Version' is pretty cool, but CMC & Silenta's version really kicks off. Ditching the original vocal for Candy Staton's anthemic 'You've Got The Love' and turning the Latin funk up to 11, the Manmade guys create a monster of a track!

You can grab a copy from Juno, and check it out on the player below.

  Don't Wanna Lose It - EP by Mr. Konfuze And Lunatic


Omegaman - Hip Drop EP


The mighty Omegaman brings the funky hip hop vibes on 'Hip Drop' with catchy scratchy cuts, skankin' guitars and a couple of wicked breakdown and drop moments.

Label head-honcho Badboe takes the track into slinky groove territory with some soulful vocal touches while Jayl Funk spins off into a smooth Balearic world of his own with tight stepping drums and lush horn grooves.

Rephrase gets moody with a smoked-out hip hop mix full of haunting instrumentation and bomb-droppin' vocal snippets.

This one is out on September 20th on Breakbeat Paradise. You can preview the release here and keep an eye on their Juno page for the release.



Dirty Dubsters - Big Tings Ft. Bass Nacho



Dublin's Dirty Dubsters bounce back with a ska-hop sizzler ready to squeeze the last drop of sunshine out of the British summer.

'Big Tings' does exactly what it says on the tin, with fat beats, a head-nodding, foot-stomping groove and an incredible vocal performance courtesy of Bass Nacho.

Mr Benn comes with a second version 'pon de flip.

Listen below and keep an eye on Juno for the release, as it's currently shrouded in mystery!

  Dirty Dubsters feat. Bass Nacho - Big Tings! radio edit by DirtyDubsters

  Dirty Dubsters feat Bass Nacho - Big Tings (Mr Benn remix) by DirtyDubsters


Timothy Wisdom & The Outlier - The Lollidrop EP


Almost certainly one of the heaviest releases to hit our inbox this month -  this new Big M phatty hits harder than a hammer!

The title track is a swung-out booty which will get the girls flooding to the floor and put a crazy grin on the face of the crowd before smashing them to pieces with its lung-rupturing bassline.

'Rock With Me' doesn't let up the pressure either - boom bap beats and a bassline ruder than a Bernard Manning joke book slam out on this one.

To be honest, words don't do it justice, listen below and buy on Juno.

  "The Lollidrop" - Timothy Wisdom & The Outlier by THE OUTLIER

  "Rock With Me" - Timothy Wisdom & The Outlier by THE OUTLIER


Rennie Pilgrem - Street Legal EP 2



The world of breaks was divided when Rennie, one of the godfathers of the scene, took a funkier direction last year on his Street Legal EP. Since then, he's been busy in his Bushdoctors guise.

Now he's back with another in the Street Legal series and it bangs! Rennie brings the funky housey break stylings on intro track 'Chocolate', before Indian style strings and some serious squonky FX announce the arrival of 'Grasshoppa'.

'Last Train' and 'Paint Strippa' bounce through tight funky breaks territory, while 'Kind of Brown' is an unexpected chillout trip.

Tune of the album for my money is 'Dalek Dub' - a mid-tempo funk roller with wicked bass, crispy beats and laid-back yet danceable vibes.

It's out on September 13th, and will be available at all your favourite online retailers, as well as the TCR shop. In the meantime, check out Rennie's promo mix here and a cheeky freebie 'Dalek Vox' here.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

DJ Zeph - Interview And Exclusive Mixtape For Download!

When DJ Zeph exploded into our consciousness last year with his 'Batidas Latinas' EPs we were blown away with his inventive, smooth edits and ability to select just the right vocals to ride on some of the hottest Latin beats around.

But he’s far from a newcomer to the scene. Starting out as a breakdancer before he moved behind the decks, Zeph has been a true B-Boy since the early 80s.

He took time to out answer a few of our questions and drop an exclusive download for our members.

From what we’ve heard so far, it seems like you have been involved in the hip hop/breakbeat scene from almost day one. How did you get involved and what do you think about how the movement has developed?

I was really blessed to be around and inspired by folks like DJ Imperial, Kutmasta Kurt, and Bubba G Scotch (Zulu Nation) in my hometown Santa Cruz, California. Even though it’s a small town, these guys were world class talents.

I could say I caught the fever from them in the early to mid 1980s. Recording radio shows, going to parties and shows, practicing DJing, sampling and working with vocalists and musicians.

When I moved to the SF bay area in ’92, again I was around world class talent. Qbert, Quest, DJ Apollo, Future Primitive events. I would just feed off being around them and what they were doing. Even more recently, I was on tour with Shadow and Cut Chemist, Lateef and Gift of Gab, just getting inspired by being around them.

It seems like there’s always been cool music and still is. Now it just seems like you have to dig more, and there’s more fluff out there.  A lot more. I find it's always good to think out of the box, because labels and genres can be limiting, but there are always interesting scenes and pockets popping up that freak original breaks, beats, and dope hip hop.

It sometimes seems like the scene today is a bit schizophrenic.  One end is moving towards an auto-tuned pop style, while the other seems to be going back to its roots, revelling in old-school sampling, turntablism and blending. What are your thoughts on the future of breakbeat/hip-hop?

I just don’t like it when people look at it like there’s a line between the two. I like my tech with some organic and my organic with some tech. I love vintage sounds, but old stuff sounds best when it slaps like it's brand new.

How did your relationship with music begin? What music did you listen to growing up?

I remember hearing a lot of mainstream stuff like Stevie Wonder, Donovan, the Eagles, Crosby Stills and Nash being played around the house. To this day, when I hear certain songs on all of those albums - I cant sit still. Love 'em! One of my proudest bassline chop-ups is from a Donovan record. The 60s & 70s were a great time for tones.


And when/how did you start producing your own tracks?
Somehow, I always knew I also wanted to produce my own tracks. I first started at around age 15 with my partner Tosh, working on a cassette 4-track.  We used a guitar FX box with infinite echo as a sampler. One day, I learned that I could chop beats into the loop by accident and that was really the beginning of manipulating and reconstructing samples. Bought an Ensoniq EPS 16+ several years later.


Looking at your discography, you have had a string of releases dating back to the early 90s – how have you managed to stay so prolific?
My first ever release was a number one college record (CMJ), so I feel like I came on strong at a great time in music. The company that did the college promo on it, Spectre,  hadn’t had a debut artist go number one previously.  They brought me to the CMJ conference in NYC where I was a panelist with Guru (R.I.P.)

The Bay was really a Mecca for DJs and turntablists at that time.   I felt like one of the few that was producing, cutting it up and playing in clubs. I won San Francisco Weekly DJ/Turntablist of the Year shortly afterwards.

My second solo album had some songs that were popular at the time in clubs. The last full length I did with lyricist Azeem, 'Rise Up', has gotten lotsa love in the licensing department. The new Karate Kid movie, HBO's Entourage, Adidas, and MTV have all used tracks from it. So my stuff has seemed to stay out there and be in demand.

How do you approach making a new track?

As a DJ first, I would say that I’m usually first inspired by something I hear. Could be a record, something played by a keyboard player, a car skid, anything.  Sometimes I’ll pass by a construction site and the way they’re pounding on some beams makes me think “oh that would be cool in a track”.

After the initial idea, it’s usually about finding the right layers, or changes. Sometimes I feel like simpler is better, some things sound better with more. Then I think about the objective, is it for vocals, baritone sax, scratching or all 3? I try to make my stuff sound interactive.  If I give a track to a vocalist and they send me the vocals, I’ll usually retouch the track to highlight moments in vocals.

Is there a ‘DJ Zeph sound’? If so, how would you describe it?

In a word I'd say 'organic'. I like breaks too. All those years of listening for breaks on records that sound cool, but are ruined by loud or obnoxious solos or string sections, made me never want to release anything that sounds like that. I love solos and strings, but also fat simplistic beats.

Tell us about your latest releases and anything you have coming out soon?

The 'Batidas Latinas' limited edition vinyl is actually inspired by a mixtape of the same name, out now on Breakin' Bread Records. I also have a new project with drummer Max MacVeety (Crown City Rockers), just turntables and drums called Skins & Needles. Although primarily a live project, we have a CD titled 'Back Beat Symphony'. I did a rock/hip hop mixtape with Azeem called 'On The Rocks' a little while ago and just finished a full length with DJ/producer Enki on some uptempo breaks DJ ish!


Which bands/DJs/producers do you enjoy the most?

For DJs - locally DJ D Sharp, my man DJ Platurn in my crew the Oakland Faders. I love anything Kid Koala does and thought his latest rock project - The Slew, was killing. I got some recent DJ Spooky that’s got some good joints on it. DJ Para’s album 'Fallen On Def Ears' on Breakin' Bread got some serious rotation in my car stereo. I've also been listening a lot to the Pretty Things, and saw Budo’s Band recently and they were doin' it.


How do you feel about new developments in production and DJ technology – Ableton, digital vinyl etc?

I’m all for it. We have to adapt otherwise we get left behind and this technology opens some great doors. My only complaint is that it seems like now that we can do a lot more, folks are actually doing a lot less. I almost never see folks using Serato or Ableton to really advance what they were doing previously. It’s usually more for convenience or so that it's easier. That doesn’t benefit music.


And can you reveal a killer production tip to our readers?

I almost never compress scratch/cut tracks. Usually I’ll ride volumes if necessary.  If it's hi pitched I find I usually want to turn the scratching down and up when the cut plays. This isn’t a killer tip, but more than a few times I’ve had other pro engineers over compress my cuts and not get that the subtleties in volume differences are necessary to the track. Especially if I’m doing manual echoes - over compressed will completely kill the effect.


How do you feel about being able to reach out to people through the internet – is it changing the music industry for the better?

Well, I like being able to do it, and it benefits me and my production world. But on the whole, I’d say that music is suffering since the invent of the internet. Not just financially - in every way.

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?

I just had another song from the Rise Up album placed in a commercial for Justin Timberlake’s new liquor company - Cheers.

What’s your favourite sound?

It's a tie between baritone sax and female voice


And your least favourite sound?

Mic feedback.


What’s the last tune/album/podcast you put on your MP3 player?

The Stance Brothers


What is your proudest achievement in life?

I’ve had several, but it was nice to bring my mom and step dad to the San Francisco Weekly Awards, and feel their pride.


And your biggest regret?

Autotune was my idea, I just never thought it would turn into a multimillion dollar industry.


What do you think about the launch of NuFunk.net?

Love it, wish you big success.

And finally, can you tell us about the exclusive free track/mix that you are offering our readers?

It’s the 'Back Beat Symphony' mix by Skins & Needles, with me on turntables and drummer Max MacVeety from Crown City Rockers. It’s a live duo project designed to move butts!



Once the preview track above has whetted your appetite, head straight over to get your copy of Zeph & MacVeety's incredible 13-track, live drummin', funk breakin' mash-up mix, from our Member's Vault at the forum. You can't access the vault if you're not a member of NuFunk.net, in fact the forum is invisible until you sign in.

Once you sign in, the password for the Vault is in the forum description. We've spray-painted it out in the picture below, but you get the idea:
And if you're not a member yet, get on it and join the rapidly growing community HERE

Friday, September 3, 2010

Bag yourself an exclusive NuFunk.net T-Shirt

NuFunk fans can now spread the funk and grace any party with a customised NuFunk.net T-Shirt!  Once again, the No.1 NuFunk community has listened to its members and bowed to public demand to make this funky attire available to party people everywhere!

Prices:

NuFunk.net Black T-Shirt - £24.99

NuFunk.net Black T-Shirt with customised logo on reverse £29.99

Please note: Prices include delivery to UK mainland.  However, if you require overseas postage, please specify when ordering, as there may be a small additional charge for orders outside of the UK.

*Payment can be made via Paypal, Bank Transfer or Cheque.

Size Guide:
Custom Logo:

If you wish to have your own custom logo on your T-Shirt, please attach the hi-res artwork in one of the following formats (ideally transparent):

We accept the following file formats: .PSD, .TIF, .TIFF, .EPS, .JPG, .PNG & .PDF

Please email info@nufunk.net with your order requirements (style, size, attach logo, delivery address) and insert "NuFunk.net T-Shirt Order" in the subject field.  Our team will contact you with instructions on how to place your order.

DJs, Producers and Party People - feel free to email a photo of yourself donning your Nu-Funky Tee and we'll feature you on the website!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Rhythm Scholar Interview & Exclusive Weapon of Mass Destruction!

Born and raised in Chicago, Rhythm Scholar is one of NuFunk’s best-kept secrets. With a host of award-winning remixes and a unique talent for injecting funk into any existing track, as well as his own creations, the U.S DJ/Producer now unleashes his weapon of mass destruction - exclusively for NuFunk.net…

Give us a little history about Rhythm Scholar and your musical background?


When I was growing up music was always present. I have distinct memories of certain songs being played in the kitchen or in the car when I was younger. My earliest crate digging was in my father's collection of 45s. As a result, I have a huge knowledge and appreciation of music from the 60s onwards. I thanked my parents more than once in the past few years for making music a big part of my childhood.

I went on to pursue music and radio studies through college. My first 'real' jobs were in record stores and I hosted a rap radio show back in its fresh and creative days. Most recently my remix sets could be heard weekly on the Saturday Night Dance Party on Chicago's 100.3 FM.

DJing seemed a logical step early on for me, given my wants to be involved in whatever I could musically. So I bought a mobile setup and I have been DJing whenever I can for almost 20 years.

As home computers and gear became more and more affordable, I started getting into producing and remixing, always trying to push the limits on whatever system I had.

These days I use a PC laptop, real and virtual instruments, turntables, midi controllers and whatever works to do what I do.

You seem to have been producing for a while, but only really started breaking into the NuFunk scene recently.  How did this come about?

My NuFunk beginning was about a year ago when I did a remix for the song 'Triggaphunk' by Hayz. Since then, I have been offered a few more NuFunk based projects, which you should be hearing in the near future. It's been nice to delve into my funky side for some projects that deserve it.

Tell us about the remix competitions you’ve entered and any awards and achievements?

I’ve entered a handful of remix competitions and have been lucky enough to win prizes in most of them. My Fatboy Slim – ‘Weapon Of Choice', Derek Trucks – ‘Get What You Deserve' and 'Megamix' for Acapellas4U are the most recent prize-winning entries. For the most part, I have taken the winnings and purchased more gear to mess around with.

Are you more of a DJ or producer, or both? 

I’m made up of considerable parts of both. I’ve been DJing for a lot longer than I have been producing, but the music creation is what I spend the most time doing these days.  If you listen to my productions and remixes you will hear that I add a lot of turntable and DJ tricks, so they're closely knit.

What’s the most bizarre comment you’ve had whilst DJing?

Haha - there are always the odd requests for songs - for stuff that would have NO place in a set on certain evenings. That said, I've DJ’d in a banana costume before, so who's to say what's bizarre?

Tell us your all-time favourite track?

What a grand thing. There's no way I could ever imagine naming an all-time favourite track. BUT - in the spirit of all things funk - I have an album that I think is pretty amazing by Manzel – ‘Midnight Theme’. Absolutely wonderful stuff - 70s funk at its best. Do what you have to do to hear it.  It's available on CD and for mp3 download, I promise you'll dig it.

What are your biggest influences when it comes to making music and remixing?

Well, there’s great funk for starters. Parliament and all the George Clinton stuff. Manzel, as I mentioned and of course James Brown. There are too many bands to name. I did compile around 50 songs I dig for my 10 minute 'Funk Solution (Extended Odyssey)’, which is available on my website. The track list on that production is a perfect example of what influences me on the funk side of things.

As far as my remix style, it all started with the edit-style mixes of the 80s. Reel-to-reel and razorblades has had me fascinated for 25 years now. For me, some of he masters are:



The Latin Rascals (Albert Cabrera and Tony Moran) - Check out the craziness on Hall and Oates – ‘Out Of Touch (Dub Version)’ or Information Society – ‘What's On Your Mind (Club Mix)’ or anything they edited for Freeez and John Rocca.

Omar Santana and Carlos Berrios (The Hit Squad). Taken either separately or together these two have done some incredible edit mixes. Check out Duran Duran – ‘Meet El Presidents (Meet El Beat)’ or Peter Gabriel – ‘Steam (Oh, Oh, Let Off Steam Mix Dub)’ or Latin Rascals – ‘Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (All-Star Edits)’.

I have also always really liked the INXS remixes that Nick Launay did in the 80s. Check out his mixes of 'What You Need', 'New Sensation' and 'Guns in the Sky'.

Your production seems to incorporate a lot of different genres of music, do you like many different styles?


Oh, for sure. My music collection is all over the place. There's something to dig in almost all genres and styles of music. On any one day I might listen to some Classical, Heavy Metal, Big Beat or RnB  I find a lot of inspiration in the varied styles.

Do you just remix or create your own original tracks?

I do both and sometimes it's a big combination of the two. Take, for example, my remixes of 'Weapon Of Choice'. Aside from the Bootsy Collins vocals and the Sly and the Family Stone sample, used from the original, that remix is all original music created by me. Since I was trying out different ideas, the remix is made up of three completely different and separate Rhythm Scholar original tracks that I strung together to make the final creation.

Which artist would you most like to remix for in the future?

I don't have any specific wants as far as artists, but I would like to be involved in projects that remix the older classic songs from yesteryear. Something like the ‘Motown Remixed’ series, or the 'What Is Hip' remix project would be great.

Your production has a unique style.  How important is it for an artist to have his or her own sound?

Well, it certainly doesn't hurt. If you have a recognizable style, people start to look forward to what you do next. That's the way I felt back in the day when I would flip 12" singles over to see who did the editing / mixing on the singles being released. I was overjoyed when certain names appeared, as I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. If a remixer is unpredictable in style or quality and you don't know what to expect from them, that doesn't always end up being a good thing. I'm glad that there are people who dig the unique things I do. To know that there are some people out there waiting to hear the next thing I work on because of my previous mixes or established style, makes me completely happy.

Any forthcoming releases and collabs?
   
Yes! As I mentioned, I have some label mixes I'm working with and I'm always working on some remixes just for fun, as well. I also have a bunch of original tunes that I'm trying to find suitable outlets.

What is your ultimate goal in life?

DONE! This NuFunk interview was it! :)

Can you reveal a killer production tip for our members that you wish you’d found out much earlier?

I have a couple of tips that I've always used that I know have helped me make better final productions. First, unless you're up against some deadline that is out of your control, don't rush your projects or final mixes. I have found it very beneficial to let productions 'simmer' - sometimes for days at a time during their creation. Do yourself a favour and take breaks from your tracks every once in a while. Perhaps you can switch to other tracks you're working on for variety or do something completely un-music related for a while like video games or movies. This is especially important right at the end when you THINK your track is done and you just want to get it out there or be done with it. That's when it's most crucial to take a break from the track - if even for a day.  You can then come back to it fresh to see if anything stands out or requires tweaking.

Another thing I ALWAYS do during the final mixing days for a track, is listen to it on a multitude of set-ups. A jam box, headphones or a cheaper set of PC speakers works well for hearing if your track is mixed evenly. See if you can hear all the elements in your track on a sound system you don't usually use as a reference - like your television. One of the BEST settings for deciding if my tracks are mixed or mastered well is my car. I love giving my audio the car-test, because I know what to expect from the sound there and I can tell if anything in my mix isn't fitting properly. Any elements that are either too loud or not present enough should show themselves in the varied audio environments.

What DAW do you use and why?

Ableton Live Suite.  So far, it's the most complete, intuitive and creative piece of software I've ever used to create music. It has some incredible features and the company has been so dedicated in adding new ones and tweaking things for the better. I don't see ever needing to switch as long as it's around. I'm so into it that I also offer Ableton Live tutoring, which is easy to do real-time while chatting over Skype. If anyone is interested in some hourly lessons - let me know.

Tell us something exclusive about Rhythm Scholar that nobody else knows?


I'm teaching myself Sony Vegas Pro with the initial intent of making a video for one of my remixes, which is made up of only Yo Gabba Gabba video clips.

If you were given £2000 to buy one single piece of equipment for your DJing/Production what would you buy?

Do the Yamaha studio monitors that just arrived today count? :) If I had to pick something else, I guess I'd like a 32" or bigger monitor to attach to the laptop.  

What are you thoughts about the swift growth of the Nufunk.net community?   

I think it's great and I'm really glad that people are finding out about NuFunk and getting on board. It makes sense, though. The music coming out of the NuFunk scene is some of the better stuff I've heard in recent years. The mix of fresh new funk productions, intertwined with some sampling, is the type of stuff I'm digging the most right now. It's eclectic, funky and it feels right.

Tell us about the FREE download you’ve kindly offered - exclusively for NuFunk.net members?
 
Recently, I did a remix of Fatboy Slim's 'Weapon of Choice' for a Beatport competition. The mix was very well received and that prompted me to finish other remix versions of the track that I was working on. While doing that, I got the idea to take what I was working on and basically obliterate it - but in a funky, creative way. The result of that destructive experiment is the track that I have made exclusively available for the NuFunk.net members. It’s my 'Edits of Mass Destruction' remix of 'Weapon of Choice'. Over 3500 tiny audio pieces arranged for your listening pleasure. Enjoy!

To get your copy of Rhythm Scholar's exclusive DJ Weapon, head over to our Member's Vault at the forum. You can't access the vault if you're not a member of NuFunk.net, in fact the forum is invisible until you sign in.

Once you sign in, the password for the Vault is in the forum description. We've spray-painted it out in the picture below, but you get the idea:
And if you're not a member yet, get on it and join the rapidly growing community HERE