CANTA ISSUE 4, 2022

canta. canta. canta.

Editorial.

Ella Gibson (she/her)

Haere mai, dear readers, to the highly anticipated and arguably overrated DnB issue of CANTA for 2022. How have you been doing? Good, bad, meh? Maybe a better question to ask instead is how much alcohol have you been consuming recently? I find that is often a better teller of my current mental state.

Anyway lovelies, you know what you’re here for today; nothing but pure filth. This issue marks the first DnB issue that the CANTA magazine has seen. And to be fair, if we’re representing our student cohort, that is kind of a surprising matter.

If you didn’t know (most people don’t because they’re not a nerd like myself), but there’s an association called the ASPAs which stands for the Aotearoa Student Press Association. This is an association that is made up of all the student mags across the nation. At the end of every year, we get together and have our own version of the Oscars but for student media. Anyway, why am I telling you this and why on earth is this relevant!? Well, dear reader, last year at the ASPAs in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara, I had many conversations about the DnB scene at UC and subsequently those conversations were followed up by questions such as, “why hasn’t CANTA done a DnB issue?!?” So that was taken on board and now here we are! Yippee!

While we do have an indisputable DnB breather scene - that of which sometimes I hate to admit that I am a part of myself - we do have to recognise the gap between DnB fiends and the “WTF is DnB” individuals. So, let me enlighten you sweetie so that you are no longer a “WTF is DnB” individual - you can thank me later.

DnB stands for drum and bass - quite the innovative acronym, right!? This musical genre comes under the tree of electronic music. Characterised by breakbeats, heavy bass, samples, synths, and everything in between - DnB was spawned out of the UK in the 90s. Now, DnB lives and breathes in Ōtautahi and stands as the go-to party music.

It is not in our interest at all to perpetuate a singular music genre, however, let’s think of this DnB issue simply as pure acceptance and recognition of our DnB at UC.

While this issue is themed on DnB, we are very fortunate to present to you a plethora of diverse content on the topic. Oh the goodies that we have in store for you, dear reader! From interviews with some of the UC homegrown DnB talent such as Ponz and Pirapus, to the dos and don’ts of decks, to finding out what makes DnB so addicting - we have got all the fields and more covered.

DnB STANDS for DRUM & BASS...

QUITE the innovative ACRONYM,

RIGHT!?

We have collaborated with SIMBA Canterburythe South Island Mixing & Bass Association - on this issue who have provided us with their DnB expertise. So buckle yourselves in for a spicy DnB Recipe Book and more from the mixing legends themselves. Big ups, SIMBA!

Anyway dear reader, that’s all from me. Please enjoy enlightening yourself with the glorious content in this issue, we’re pretty proud of the mahi that we have been able to cook up for y’all. May this second term of your university year be better than the first, maybe consider going to a lecture this time? Don’t go too crazy though, or do…

Arohanui xxx

PRESIDEN T’S PIECE

Pierce Crowley (he/him)

Kia ora koutou!

Welcome back to term 2! It’s a shorter term, so it is going to fly by – but that is all part of the fun! Hopefully you’ve all had time to rest and relax over the Easter break and are now all set and ready for a successful term of studies.

We are now at the Orange Traffic Light setting, and with this will come quite a few changes around campus. Masks are no longer mandatory indoors. However, they are still strongly encouraged. They are the most effective way to prevent the spread of Covid on campus.

Now is also the time to be getting prepared for all the other winter baddies that we’ve missed out on for a couple of years. The flu is going to be back in a big way this year, so make sure you get vaccinated ASAP. Meningococcal disease remains a serious threat, especially for students and young people. However, too often we are the most under-vaccinated groups. Ask your GP about your options and encourage your friends to get vaccinated too. They’ll thank you for it in the long run!

Covid is still out there in the community. If you are unwell, stay home, and get tested! At the end of the day, your health is paramount in ensuring you have a successful time at uni. Take the time to rest and recover, give your body and mind time to rest, and you’ll bounce back better than before.

If you test positive, make sure you log this in the Assura system. This is the evidence required for Covid related special considerations. If you need help with any of this, UCSA Advocacy & Welfare is here to give assistance!

Orange Light also means no more indoor capacity limits, and this means that club events are back! Make sure you are keeping an eye out for big things to come in the next few weeks! Clubs Day 2.0 is happening this coming Tuesday and Wednesday (3rd & 4th of May). It’s the traditional Clubs Day set up, with stalls and attractions all throughout central campus by C Block!

MONO is also back! Starting from Thursday week 1, come along to Haere-roa for the UCSA’s notorious gig. You can expect everything from DnB (just like this Canta issue), to band performances, to everything in between. Come along for a boogie and a beverage (or 3) – it’s going to be hectic!!!

Anyway, that’s all from me, stay safe, and enjoy this issue of Canta!

TUMUAKI PIECE

Rosa Hibbert-Schooner (she/her)

E ngā puananī o te mātauranga, nāia te whakamiha ki a koutou katoa!

Whakataukī: Ki te kahore he whakakitenga ka ngaro te iwi "Without foresight or vision, the people will be lost."

If we don't know where we are going and what we are working towards, how will we ever get there? A vision is like a place you are travelling to, whilst it might be distant, it serves as a goal and a guide, something to orient ourselves toward as we sail through, often uncharted waters.

This whakataukī serves as a reminder for us to keep striving towards the visions and goals we hold for ourselves. As we all work to move toward graduating, consider the wider possibilities and dreams you are pursuing for yourself, your whanau, and your tīpuna.

Something massive happening in the wider student political sphere this semester is the People’s inquiry into student wellbeing that is being around between Green Party member Chloe Swarbrick, NZUSA, Te Mana Ākonga, Tauira Pasifika, National Disabled students’ association among 33 student unions including ourselves at Te Akatoki.

I ask you all to take the time to complete this survey, to contribute your whakaaro and let your voice be heard. As students and young people, our voices are often ignored or not even given the space to speak. I acknowledge also the contribution of intersectionality and differences each learner faces. It is time for change to be made with our voices being the driver for this. It is time for young intersectional diverse peoples to show the nation what transformation in education could look like.

Survey can be found here: https://action.greens.org.nz/peoples_inquiry_into_student_wellbeing?fbclid=IwAR3DbYqxD-Igok-b4QTjufE9tcFvPhfpoTBz8i2ANT9z1fBANA1TH3UJdOo

“Student poverty iS not inevitable. it iS a political deciSion”

- chloe Swarbrick.

news. cant a

UC AT ORANGE

Alex Carter (she/her)

Life is moving slowly back to normal, but precautions regarding the Covid-19 outbreak are still in place.

Face masks, although while no longer enforced, are strongly recommended by the University to be worn during lectures that are in less ventilated spaces in order to provide extra safety while the outbreak continues.

Mandates remain in place at the halls of residence, online learning is still available for those students who cannot make it to campus due to health issues, and students who were unvaccinated can now also return to campus.

But one student is concerned about the move to orange, saying they fear people won’t take the same precautions.“It worries me that many people will take Covid-19 less seriously now that we’re in orange, even though it’s still the same disease, it still has the same risk factors” Rhiannon Mason shares with CANTA.

UC released a statement online and via student emails, asking people to be kind during these uncertain times.

“At UC we strive to create a campus culture of belonging, understanding, inclusiveness and caring. Any signs of discrimination surrounding a virus that doesn’t discriminate on race or religion will not be tolerated. Please be compassionate and kind, we are all in this together.”

In an earlier survey regarding vaccination passes at UC, majority of the students were unsure of the decision to impose the mandate.

The new traffic light setting will also see events and gatherings now being held in-person on campus, with events such as MONO being able to be held once more under the orange setting.

For those who missed the early year graduation, they will also be able to apply for the mid-year graduation, or wait until the end of the year.

The traffic light setting changed as of the 14th of April. The vaccine pass was abandoned as of the 8th of April, when the government dropped the nationwide mandates.

news. cant a

CALLS FOR UC TO ALLOW TRANS STUDENTS TO CHANGE THEIR LOGIN DETAILS

Alex Carter (she/her)

Transgender students are calling on UC to allow people to change their Learn login details to reflect their preferred names.

While name changes are widely accepted, the abc123 Learn login credentials are not being changed for students who have changed their legal name.

Kate Hennessy is a 30-year-old student studying philosophy and psychology and has been enrolled at the university for the last three years.

When Kate first came to UC, the application asked for her legal name and a preferred name. She put down both legal and preferred, but the university only used her legal name.

This caused confusion, especially when it came to exam time and exchange of university details.

“I don’t understand why they didn’t look at that preferred name and use those initials,” Kate shared with CANTA.

“When I go to log in on Learn, it’s just a reminder and can kick me while I’m down. It is just the tipping point of a bad day sometimes.”

This isn’t the first case to arise. Many other students have experienced the same issue regarding changing their username.

UC’s rainbow advisor Ari Nicholson is currently helping Kate and other rainbow students navigate this.

Three years ago, Ari spoke to IT, and was told that this issue could not be resolved. Instead, UC could only change a student’s login code if they unenrolled and then re-enrolled again.

Everything else within the system can be changed, except the six-digit code.

UC offers funding for transgender students who wish to legally change their name. This is because statistically transgender students have more financial strains.

Kate got funding from the university to help with legally changing her name; with her name legally becoming Kate during the March 2020 lockdown.

Ari Nicholson suggested that if students wanted to see change then writing letters to the UCSA student exec, chancellors or the University Board may be the way to go to help this process further and to cause direct action to be taken.

clFamiliariSeyourSelFwith aSSicdnbFacialexpreSSionS&GeStureS!

Ella Gibson (she/her)

The Stank Face

The facial expression that arises when a tune is that filthy that you’ve simply gotta accept and express the stanky business on your mug.

The Gurn Face

Generally speaking, the pairing of DnB and drug-induced states - typically with MDMA - is quite prevalent. One can be found here chewing their face off into oblivion while having their eardrums obliterated by DnB

The Drop Face

The rising of one’s facial expressions here anticipates an upcoming dutty drop in the mix.

The Yooooo Face

The face that arises after one has witnessed a dutty drop in the mix.

Gun Fingers

The most well-known of all DnB gestures. The gun fingers arise when listening to drum and bass to express to the DJ playing that your mind, body, and soul chakras are aligned with the DnB filth that they are throwing out

The Knob Twista (Felix Mendonca (he/him) came up with this name)

The Knob Twista is a gesture coined as the act of a DnB listener pretending to twist one of the knobs on decks and being a DJ themself.

The Rapid Shake

This gesture kind of imitates someone not knowing the meaning of something and moving your hand back and forth quickly while positioned in the air for the whole mosh to see that you’re loving the DJ’s grimey mahi.

The It’s Too Hawt

The hand movement that is emanated when the tunez are too fire you gotta put out the blaze with your hands.

Fake ucSa noticeboard

@pirapuS

one canta editor iS devaStated

there are examS???

where iS the Fruit on weetbix option?

um broccoli obviouSly…

GhoSt chipS

taylor’S verSion?

TE AKATOKI

YEARBOOK

HEAT ONE.

MAY 4TH

Desafinado

ABANDONED CARPARKS

ETERNAL SCORN

The BeauChamPs

HEAT TWO.

MAY 18TH

CROWN Kenring

GE CH O

MISSING MABEL

HEAT THREE.

JUNE 1ST

CAMERON GIDDENS

SECOND HAND GOODS

MONK SEALS

HELICOPTER

HEAT FOUR.

JUNE 15TH

Single Malt

Tusekah

LayaRounD RAGWEED

Ma rs ha

LIVE, ONLY AT A ROLLING STONE

579 COLOMBO STREET

PRESENTS

7PM DOORS OPEN ( FREE SALS PIZZA! )

8PM HOUSE BAND WARM UP THE PA .

8.45PM FIRST UOC BAND TAKES THE STAGE.

ROCK BOLD. CHEER HARD.

TIME TO UNEARTH ANOTHER UOC LEGEND.

GIVE ALL YOU CAN, THEN GIVE SOME MORE.

photoS by tom murray (he/him)

a yarn with

Interview by Ella Gibson (she/her)

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Tell us a bit about yourself?

Hey everyone, I’m PONZ! I am a vocalist, songwriter, DJ and MC. My main gig is singing vocals on drum and bass tracks and then I also DJ with live vocals. I started DJing in June of 2021 and have been in and out of performing since then due to COVID. For fun, I also started MCing on the side when people were keen to have me on stage.

When did you start being interested in DnB and music in general?

When I was seven, I began learning the piano and then at about ten I started playing the guitar and singing. Throughout high school, I played in rock bands, concert bands, and in jazz bands playing the flute, saxophone, piccolo, guitar, piano, and singing. When I went to university, I took a year off from music because, well, life can be a lot in first year. I started to really miss doing as much music as I’d done throughout the rest of my life. Then at the start of my second year at uni, my best friend passed away from Meningococcal. That was a really life changing moment, because she was so close to me and I felt like it could have been me just as easily as it was her. It really made me take a step back and think “ooh, would I be happy with the life that I’ve led?” I just knew that I hadn’t chased this music dream yet and I wanted to give it my best shot, otherwise I wouldn’t really feel like I had done something with my life that I was proud of. So, I made the jump to try and get into music in any way that I could. I started songwriting again and I managed to jump on vocals for a track with Pirapus. And that was my entrance into drum and bass! I started working with other artists, then one thing led to another and I started gaining a bit of momentum. I also decided that I really missed performing and wanted to get up on stage so I taught myself how to DJ. Now here we are!

Was learning to mix difficult?

At first, it was difficult. But I do think that I probably picked it up quite quickly with all of the other music I’ve done in the past. In saying that, it was still pretty frustrating, especially at the start. I don’t think my flatmates were very happy with me for a while there. It was very much about trusting in the process. I am my own biggest critic so I figured that if I could make a mix that I liked then someone else would probably like it too. In lockdown, the YouTube videos that really helped me out were Alice in Wonderland’s “learning how to DJ” videos. It was cool to see another female DJing and I think I watched them like 10 times each. I also watched a heap of videos of Koven’s sets because she sings and DJ’s too. She really inspired me to get into it in particular.

What has been your favourite/ proudest moment in your music career so far?

There are probably two that come to mind. One would be that one of the songs I collaborated on went on UKF’s youtube channel and got playlisted on their Spotify which was super cool and a really big achievement for me. UKF is a UK drum and bass label and it really helped the track to get a bit of exposure.

Also, probably touring around with Netsky, Hybrid Minds, Montell2099, Friction, HOLY GOOF, Koven, and Rene Levice with Repair at New Years. I was MCing for Repair who are a duo that I’ve released a track with. We were on a pretty early set time and so there weren’t a heap of people there but it was more just about the experience of going on the tour, catching the flights, and having the accommodation with them. It was a really cool experience.

How do you find being a female DJ in a typically dominated male industry?

For me, I am so used to - with Civil Engineering - being in very male dominated industries. So I didn’t find entering the industry super uncomfortable, whereas I can imagine it could be really intimidating for others. What I’ve learnt is that anyone who’s opinion actually matters doesn’t see you or treat you any differently. I have honestly really enjoyed it and I think it’s a really good place to be a female right now.

Favourite gig that you’ve played at?

My favourite gig was MCing for Sly Chaos at Rolling Meadows on New Years Eve. We were on at 8:30pm till 9:30pm on the main stage for the sunset, and it was just the most incredible thing. It was by far the biggest crowd I’ve ever performed to and I had the time of my life.

Tips for going to gigs?

Just make sure that you stick with your mates is the main thing aye. Your friends will look after you, you’ll look after your friends. If you’ve got someone watching your back, even if something goes wrong, someone is always on your side to help out if you need.

Piece of life advice?

If there’s something that has been eating away at you that you’ve always wanted to do, just try it out! Give it your best shot because in the end, what is the worst that can happen? It can’t be worse than not trying at all and you may as well start now. Life is way too short.

What should people stay tuned for?

New music! I am always working on new tracks - so stay tuned for that! I have also just recently announced that I’m going to be playing at Mardi Gras in Queenstown this year which should be sick!

Where can everyone find you?

On Instagram, you can find me at @ponz_music. On Facebook, Spotify and Soundcloud just type in PONZ and my music is all linked on there! Otherwise, you can probably find me ripping my hair out in eng core.

P hoto by Hamish Hobb s

William Huang (he/him)

As soon as I mention Drum & Bass, I already know what you’re thinking: breathers, yucky parties, and the most god-awful sounds known to mankind. The repetitive “doofs”, the deafening screeches and the mind-numbingly boring 1-bar, quarter-note rhythms all culminating into the sonic mess that can hardly be called music. Let’s face it. DnB is just trash, and so are the people who listen to it. That’s why I’m embarrassed to say that I in fact absolutely love DnB.

Before you get the wrong idea, I’m your typical scrawny Asian nerd. There’s no way I could possibly be a breather. And yet I’ve always felt lumped in with the rest of the DnBreathers, as the above sentiment is one I have heard time and again. So what gives? How does a quiet, introverted guy like me end up popping off front and centre at Koven’s 2020 Butterfly Effect tour?

Like most nerds, I do a bit of gaming. And like most gamers, I need music to listen to whilst doing so. Thus, I made my way down the EDM rabbit hole. I will admit, I hated almost everything EDM had to offer. It really is the worst music to try to get into as a new listener. Eventually, I got Stockholm Syndrome’d into enjoying it. You see, the term ‘EDM’ is pretty broad. It includes everything from house and trance, to trap and future bass and variants of pop, to dubstep and of course, Drum & Bass. I listen to all of it, and generally enjoy most of it.

Now here’s my conundrum. Do you ever see those Facebook shitty meme pages where they’re like “Tag someone who would scream the song lyrics out the window with you in the car?” Those show up on my feed because some random girlie I know tagged her bestie, but I’m always left third-wheeling. I never really knew anyone who listened to my kind of music and that I could share it with, since all my friends were either edgy theatre kids or stuck in the 20th century (or both). After a while, it began to feel like I couldn’t really fit in, since I was just the weirdo guy who listens to weirdo music.

When I found out that we actually do have an electronic music scene here, I was pretty stoked. I was definitely a lot less stoked when I found out it was just breathers listening exclusively to the same three DnB club bangers over and over. While I consider my taste a bit on the niche side, I gave it a chance. In turn, DnB and the people I met through it gave me a chance. I had found acceptance for what I like, in the unlikeliest of places.

Moral of the story? Every genre has its great songs and its shit songs, but DnB gets way too much hate in my opinion. There are hidden gems everywhere waiting to be discovered, in music, and in people.

Illustration by Nina Chen

By the SIMBA 2022 Executive

Hi, we’re SIMBA Canterbury, and this is a little something we prepared earlier - A Recipe Book for Drum and Bass.

Drum and Bass, often referred to as DnB or D&B, is an electronic dance music genre best defined by its repetitive drum patterns and its fast tempo. Tracks often sit around 170-176 beats per minute (BPM) but can range as low as 160BPM or as high as 180BPM, although some DJs like to push this bpm higher. This may sound like a load of random numbers, but keep in mind that most popular music doesn’t crack 130-140BPM. Drum and Bass is fast-paced and heavy-hitting but can be tamed down at times as well.

We’re going to give you an overview of the main subgenres, what makes them different, and give a few recommendations to get your bass journey started. Side note: we know 140s aren’t a subgenre of DnB, but it’s silly to act like the two aren’t becoming more and more intertwined.

JunGle

Cooked up by Dylan

“The sweet sweet sound of Jungle Drum & Bass” hits you with some sugar, spice and everything nice. Blasting straight out of the UK underground scene in the early 90s, jungle was created to get people with different tastes grooving together. Ranging from tracks filled with atmospheric sounds to grab the soul, to others that pierce your core with heavy-hitting drum beats divided by quirky amen breaks - Jungle will have you leaving the dancefloor wanting more. So the big question is, have you always wanted to become a junglist within your group and start branching out by listening to the origins of Drum & Bass? Well look no further! We’ve hooked you up with the Jungle DJ starter pack.

Goated Tracks:

Dillinja - Hard Noize (Break Remix)

DJ Hybrid - Madman (Napes Remix)

Ray Keith - The Chopper (Bou Remix)

Sully - Swandive

minimal

Cooked up by Florence

Minimal drum and bass, often paired with a side of grime, is the subgenre that many European drum and bass fans will adhere to. Putting it on at pres will garner comments from your mates such as “it all sounds the same” and “why are there no vocals?” Layered synths and melodies will have you feeling like driving down the motorway in the middle of the night, or fighting ket legs in a dingy basement nightclub. It has smooth basslines and drums, often with eerie, melancholic or dirtier, grimier atmospheres, with appearances from a heavier rolling bass.

Pairs Well With:

Tripping balls

Clubbing in Eastern Europe

Studying on level 10 of the library for so long the lights turn off (although not all at once)

Popular Tracks:

Amoss - Tinnies & Ciggies

Klinical - Framed

Alix Perez - Lock Off

Hidden Gems:

Squirt (Original Mix) - Sustance Too Tight - Klippee

halFtime

Cooked up by Toby

Half-time is defined by being around 80-90BPM, half the speed of most DnB. You'd be forgiven for mistaking it as dubstep, hip-hop, or one of their sub-genres, and some might even say it is. However, what makes half-time specifically important and unique to DnB is that they can be mixed together. For those who don't know, the main principle behind modern DJing is fading between songs as seamlessly as possible. This typically involves matching the tempo (BPM) of two songs and playing them at the same time, a technique called 'beat-matching'. Mixing from a 174BPM DnB song into a 70BPM dubstep song, or a 130BPM psytrance song will change the timing and cause sounds to clash which can disrupt the flow of the dance floor. Even mixing a 175BPM song with a 174BPM song will be enough of a difference to slide the songs gradually further and further out of time. What's interesting though, is that mixing a song which is double or half the speed of the other song means we can still beat-match them despite their radical difference in speed. Thus, halftime was born, allowing DJs to switch the vibe without breaking the general flow of the audience. Overall, halftime is the adopted sibling of the DnB family. It provides us with more space between beats for interesting basslines, synth leads, percussion, and vocal clarity.

Popular Tracks:

Conversations - Break

Jounce - Emperor (Ivy Lab remix)

Sunday Crunk (Mefjus remix)

Hidden Gem:

Poison Ivy - Alix Perez

Jump up

Cooked up by Matt

Jump Up is the guilty pleasure of DnB and the subgenre that DnB snobs love to hate. It’s loud, proud, simple, and has one main goal… to throw as much sound at your poor eardrums as violently as possible! Even with all the hate that it gets, Jump Up is an iconic staple of DnB. Chances are when you turned 18 and started hearing the sweet sounds of DnB, the tunes you called “bangers” were from this subgenre. Defined by its simple yet extremely punchy and distorted drum patterns, a dominating and in-ya face baseline, and enough cheesy lyrics to keep a fresher frothing for days - you’ve got yourself a recipe for a solid night.

Pairs Well With:

Freshers

2 for 1 vodka red bulls

A bag

Popular Songs:

Macky Gee - Tour

Kanine - Want You

Sub Focus - Siren

Hidden Gems:

Original Sin - Headshot

Dieselboy - Angel Dust

NOISIA - Oh Oh

liquid

Cooked up by Callum

Liquid DnB, liquid funk, or atmospheric DnB, is the tamest subgenre of what can otherwise be an aggressive style of music. Liquid was birthed by producers who wanted to focus more on atmospheric pads and synths as opposed to the heavy basslines and abrasive drums of most other DnB. This liquid scene began to expand rapidly as an advance in computing gave producers easy access to synths and the ability to sample music. This influence is seen in the fast drum fills which are often sampled breaks from jazz, funk, or soul music of the past, a-lah The Amen break,, or have been heavily inspired by these genres. Liquid is the drum and bass that you show your parents, or anyone else who is trying to get into the scene. The soulful nature of the synths, the flowing drums, and the calming vocals truly embodies the essence of DnB.

Pairs Well With:

Studying

At the beach

Being criminally dusty from the rave the night before

Popular Songs:

Poveglia - Degs

Touch - Hybrid Minds

Solitary Native - Alix Perez

Tell Me - Tokyo Prose

Hidden Gems:

Beautiful Struggle - Satl & DRS

Gone - Bert H & Eastcolors & Becca Jane Grey

Don’t Let - Athena

danceFloor

Cooked up by George

Targeting dancefloors all over the world, Dancefloor DnB grew rapidly out of the late 2000s to become arguably the most mainstream subgenre. Huge and catchy synth melodies, powerful vocals, and lengthy build-ups draw you in. The tension and excitement induced by this mainly differentiates it from mellower styles of DnB, while the focus on melodies and musical hooks differentiates it from heavier styles. And of course, it wouldn’t be DnB without snappy drums and a strong, driving bass line. When you indulge in this subgenre, you’ll find it’s uplifting, motivational, and gives you more energy than the free V from UCSA giveaways.

Pairs Well With:

Festivals

Cramming assignments

Hall dorm rooms

Popular Songs:

Metrik – Gravity

Sub Focus & Wilkinson – Freedom

Culture Shock – Discotheque

Pendulum – Watercolour

Maduk - Colours (ft. Diamond Eyes)

Grafix x Lee Mvtthews – Underground

Hidden Gems:

Lexurus – Static Groove

MUZZ (fka. Muzzy) – Lost Forever

Kawaii – Searching

Fred V & Grafix – Auckland Sunrise

neuro

Cooked up by Morgs

Neurofunk is a staple of DnB. Known to have high energy grooves and advanced production techniques, this music hits like no other. Being the heaviest of DnB subgenres this music is typically played at peak time and will get the people dancing as they’ve never danced before.

Neurofunk has a deep-rooted history within the scene since its inception in the late 90s. Ed Rush and Optical were the earliest pioneers that inspired people worldwide to listen to and produce this music. Neurofunk has always been an innovative and experimental genre making this an attractive quality for music producers to push their abilities and expand their knowledge. Neurofunk has without a doubt solidified its place within the DnB scene and will continue to push boundaries and expand to new horizons.

Older Artists:

Ed Rush and Optical

NOISIA

Black Sun Empire

Calyx and TeeBee

Newer Artists:

Mefjus

Camo and Krooked

Emperor AKOV

CLUB CORNER

SIMBA

Student life wouldn’t be the same without a bit of DnB, and no one knows that better than SIMBA. Stella Cheersmith (she/her) caught up with Vice President Matt Erskine and DJ exec Callum Gilden to find out what the club has planned this year.

what iS Simba?

Matt: SIMBA is a club that revolves around drum and bass, EDM - we’re trying to branch out more from drum and bass to anything electronic music. Whether it’s gigs, tutorials, or just helping people make music!

Callum: Originally SIMBA was founded to run gigs for the students, and they’d book internationals at the foundry and at flat parties. With Covid, it became really difficult for us to run events and compete with big promotion companies, so we’ve tried to move more into tutorials and open decks to support the local scene.

why did you two Join the club?

Callum: I joined the club in 2019 or 2020. I just wanted to get into mixing and some of my friends were part of the club at the time, and it seemed like fun what they were doing so I wanted to get amongst it.

Matt: I’ve been a member [for a few years], but this is my first year on the team. I joined because my friends were in the club, we’d been trying to work on some other music stuff for a while so we thought we’d do it through SIMBA.

what haS Simba Got in the workS For 2022?

Matt: This year we’re really trying to get back into gigs and doing events. I think the students have really missed out on being able to have cool events and things to go to that aren’t just house parties. We just had our Welcome To The Jungle gig at Dux Central, which went really well. We had about 200 people come in, and everyone had an awesome night.

Callum: And coming up we have Foot in the Door on June 11.

Matt: Which is an open decks night that we do in collaboration with Foot in the Door at 12 Bar. Basically, people can sign up for free to have a slot on the decks. We have decks there all night and people can come with their friends, and just mess around on decks in a real bar and perform to a live audience.

and what’S the dnb Scene like in chriStchurch?

Callum: Christchurch has historically been really good. We used to have the reputation of being called the ‘second London’, because drum and bass is birthed out of the UK. We’ve got loads of talented producers and DJ’s coming out of Christchurch, like Catch-22 is from UC and they’ve made it big.

thouGhtS on mono?

Matt: Last year, I made a goal to go to every single Mono… which I didn’t achieve, but we definitely tried.

Neil: I played [at Mono] last year, and a couple of the other SIMBA DJ’s played as well. But the best part about Mono is if they book a big act, it’s free!

we love Free StuFF! and where can we keep up with Simba online?

Matt: Facebook is the best way to find us! Just type in ‘SIMBA’ and keep an eye on that page for any events coming up.

Also, we have some upcoming events that you should get involved in. Tunesoc and SIMBA are hosting a weekly night of bands and DJs ay Dux on Thursdays called ‘Colour’ starting May 5th. SIMBA will also be hosting DJ and production tutorials and monthly open decks for people wanting to get busy in the scene. Solidarity music festival on May 7th is sure to be a highlight of the year as well.

SIMBA stands for South Island Mixing and Bass Association.

Stella Cheersmith (she/her)

CLUB PROMOTER

EDSOC

The Education Society - Mātauranga Porihanga (EDSOC) is an academic and social club aimed at any and every student that studies some form of teaching or education. Social events we enjoy holding include BBQ’s, quiz/game nights, and the end of year ball. Academic events can include Q&A’s, pre-placement panels, mentoring and further professional development. Our aim is to make students feel prepared and supported in their degree, and this includes enjoying it! To join check out our Facebook page @EdsocUC, click on the sign up button and enter your details, best of all it’s FREE.

MCSoc

2022 is the year of the new and improved UC Communications club! Say hello to the Media and Communications Society, aka MCSoc. MCSoc aims to be a place of inclusion, help and advice, connections, and socialising. MCSoc provides a safe space for support amongst all communications students… Whether you’re a postgrad, an undergrad, study under the comms degree, or as a BA! We’re in the midst of planning a variety of different events, from balls and quiz nights, to professional development seminars and work opportunities. If you’re interested in joining MCSoc, head over to our Facebook or Instagram page (@ucmcsoc) to get in touch! We can’t wait to hear from you!

Cafesoc

Cafesoc is an up-and-coming affiliate club for coffee snobs of all kinds. Maybe you can’t get through the day without 3 cups a day, or the sludge from your plunger ruins a good cup. Cafesoc is for specialty coffee enthusiasts. Explore the world through the different origins of coffee beans, from chocolatey Columbian to eccentric Ethiopian. With plans of get together brews and cuppings, brewing championships, and coffee tutorials on the various ways to go from bean to cup. Any interest is appreciated! Join via email at cafesocuc@gmail.com, our facebook page at www.facebook.com/cafesocuc, or come to the inaugural meeting in Rehua 226 at 4:00 Thursday 5th of May.

Women in Tech Society

UC Women in Tech Society is a welcoming community for women and non-binary people studying towards technical degrees at UC. We help our members to form friendships and connections within the male-dominated tech (STEM) field, and support them to succeed in their studies and careers. Sign up for FREE at any time in the year if you’re interested in some of the following: coffee catch-ups, cocktail night, mentoring program, study sessions, career workshops, networking events and more… Email: ucwitsoc@gmail.com; Facebook: facebook.com/ucwitsoc; Instagram: instagram.com/witsocuc.

benJi hermann (She/her)

INSTAGRAM - @benjidoesart

FL AT FAMOUS

Ft. biG blue (armaGh bz’S)

The fine ladies of the ‘Big Blue’ on Armagh Street have been a phenomenal force in the pre-drinks scene due to their close proximity to the strip. With a small backyard, a central city location - some even go home for half-time during a Flux night. Gathering fame amongst friends, and friends of friends through their Instagram account - @armagh_bzs - which is a content goldmine of the self-proclaimed “4 aspiring low waste lifestyle cheech djs” filled with dusty snapchats, complaints about gut problems, or bad photos of the boyfriends. Sustainability is at the forefront of the Armagh commandments, right after “thou shalt not ditch the girls on skincare night.”

Georgia (she/her)

First up, we have Georgia (she/her), better known as Gooey, or Perry Pistachio, who is the grumpiest member of the flat. With a constantly breaking shelf, and a king-sized bed, you will usually find Gooey girlbossing, lying on the couch with heels on, or grinding away at the gym - “I need serotonin!” Sometimes she stoops below her paygrade and makes a stop for a night or two in Upper Riccarton, but only if he accompanies her to the gym at 6am. She is a lady of luxury, however, frequently cracking out the Bondi Sands, face masks or getting her hair done. She even had her 21st at an actual castle!

Claudia (she/her)

Next is Claudia (she/her), known for Irish exiting out of Hide, and being the weakest link. The smallest, eldest, least immune flat member, who not even within a week of living on Armagh, managed to have her beloved Subaru stolen. Probably the hangriest, most caffeine driven girlboss, who only took one day off when she was on death’s door with the spicy flu. Never seen without her beloved dinosaur, Keith, Claudia is often away with the fairies, or with her builder boyf. The leading admin of the flat gram, Claudia finds great delight in publicising her google history when she is on the piss (although she never makes it that far out), or outsing the dumb questions she asks the flat (“Do fish come up for air?”). She is never far away from putting her head in the toilet or kicking the boys off the decks to play house.

Florence (she/they)

Thirdly is the flat baby, Florence. Flo (she/they). The flatmate who’s always at home, yet never at the same time. Never home before midnight, and never awake before midday. As the only member of the flat who lives ‘upstairs’ in her loft bed, which much to Georgia’s dismay is “noisy as fuck.” Florence is never far from loud noises - like Claudia, she is one of Armagh’s resident DJs. There has not been a single Sunday since moving in Florence hasn’t been dusty, as she is the self-titled “piss-tank” of the flat, due to her much larger stature in comparison to the other bzs. Florence is a part-time kleptomaniac, and is very proud of her Night’n’Day doormat, which has largely been the theme of the ‘Big Blue’. Other notable items include a ginormous Electric Avenue sign, a large canvas painting & bike with no handlebars.

Kyla (she/her)

Lastly, Kyla (she/her), aka ‘Guess Who’, is the flatmate everyone knows about, but no one sees. Known to outsiders as the mystery flatmate, she is elusive. Slyly sneaking out for Christmas, before disappearing for four months after Twisted Frequency, Kyla appears every so often to remind the rest of the flat she exists, and no, we cannot use her room for storage, and could you pretty please water my plants. Talented with the slow cooker, and the bringer of a trusty E2 set up, Kyla is never far from a comfy couch, a good time, and some chop.

CLAUDIA

FLORENCE

GEORGI A

a yarn with

Interview by Ella Gibson (she/her)

Photos by Hamish Hobbs (Vintage Media)

George Murray and Ben Hollamby (aka Tex) make up one of Ōtautahi’s and UC’s favourite DnB acts, Pirapus. Forming in the beloved halls at UC, the stadium DnB duo have taken their classical and hip-hop backgrounds to places that they couldn’t have imagined when they first had a drunk studio session together in first year. While they both finish up their degrees at UC (Tex is in his last year of Chemical Engineering and George is finishing up his Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Economics), the boys have become a household DnB act. Garnering praise from national and international acts such as Netsky, Lee Mvtthews, and The Upbeats, the duo never fails in delivering DJ sets packed full of so much energy that you won’t need to buy another Red Bull and Vodka from The Foundry. Ella Gibson sits down with Pirapus to find out everything that you need to know about the duo’s success and their humble beginnings at flat parties in first year halls.

tell uS about yourSelveS

T: “This is George. Age: 22. Height: 5’10. Intelligence: 100 (laughs). Extravagant business man and music industry machine. Yeah, that’s all I’ve got. Can cross up in a basketball game.”

G: “To my left, we’ve got Tex. He’s called Tex because he’s from Texas. That’s his only trait, he’s American. He makes some pretty good music. He’s pretty tall but I still beat him in basketball. And he also wears some chains every now and then.”

how did you Get into dnb?

T: “We met in uni halls in first year and I think we were drinking on some couches and some Macky Gee came on. We were having a short talk about drum and bass and we seemed to peak each other’s musical interests. So, we were like, “do you wanna jump in the stu and try to cook some stuff up?” It went really well. We had a lot of organic chemistry. With George being the business mind that he is, he decided to formalise it quite a bit and take us places that I didn’t even think that we could even go.”

G: “Basically, we got drunk and had a studio session. We didn’t even make drum and bass at first. We made this hip-hop beat, then we made some house music, and then drum and bass. I don’t even think that Tex had even heard drum and bass before in America. I had heard it a bit at high school in year 12 and 13 but I wouldn’t know to call it drum and bass.”

“We realised that the biggest and best parties that you were going to, DnB was always playing and leading the scene. As people that love music and parties, we wanted to be involved in that.”

how did you Get into the induStry?

T: “We made our first DnB song and sent it to all of the biggest labels and best DJs. We were like, “this is it, we’ve made it!” We sent it to Andy C and thought, “you can have it, this is fire.” We were going pretty directionless without any concept of how the industry actually works.”

G: “We didn’t have any idea about how the industry worked but we just knew Andy C was doing bits. With playing live, we were playing some of our hall parties and we started to get asked to play some flat parties as well. We took it a bit more seriously than the other flat DJs. We made our own sign and whenever we played at a flat we brought it.”

T: “We had a Kendrick Lamar bootleg thing that we did for m.A.A.d city and we sent it to SUUNE [DnB trio from Timaru] and they were playing Soundsplash and they played that bootleg.

At the time, they had a decent following so we were like, “do you wanna make a song together?” So we made our song ‘Bank’ on Soundcloud which is not on our Soundcloud at the moment. That got us our first headline show at Club Tavern like two years ago. It was good, we were super nervous. I think I smoked a whole pack of cigarettes before the show. I don’t even smoke but I needed to take the edge off, you know?”

“We came up and we pulled the previous DJ’s USB out thinking that it loads the last song that they played in but it glitched out.”

G: “We tried to do a triple for the first drop and absolutely clanged that. In the early stages, we definitely were not afraid to fail. We were definitely quite ambitious which has helped so far.”

how iS it beinG a duo and what iS your dynamic like toGether?

T: “It’s good. We have faith in each other to make the best decisions for the brand. There is definitely a lot of arguing. We’re not bitter though and we’re working to get to the same point. We’re both confident in our own abilities so sometimes it is a conflict of interest.”

G: “I think it is always a learning process and we are always looking for ways to more efficiently and effectively communicate with each other. Both of us go the hardest at our own stuff and what we specialise in. We have the same ambitions, same goals, and we’re good mates as well which makes for a perfect relationship for a DJ duo.”

what are each oF your SpecialiSationS?

T: “At uni, you’re obviously stripped for time so normally I will be in the studio producing the music after we have written together. George will put the sets together and I just come and learn a bit of it after and that is how we divide the labour out right now. Next year, we’re going to be going full time so we’re going to be doing everything which should hopefully elevate both of our niches.”

waS learninG to mix diFFicult?

T: “I just bought a controller for fun and then messed around with it in halls in first year. And then George picked it up and he got way better than me. It hurt but I thought, “you know what, I’m gonna stick to my niche and get back in the studio and focus on my stuff.” I wasn’t afraid of handing the baton over to someone who was better.”

what haS been your Favourite/proudeSt moment oF your career So Far?

T: “Probably when we scored some pretty insane collaborations overseas.”

G: “Yeah, there are some big names that we’ve collaborated with coming soon. There’s a song that we’ve got with an electronic artist and this artist has released songs with the likes of Paul McCartney and Rage Against the Machine.”

T: “I have followed them since I was a little EDM baby so to receive a co-sign from one of your idols is epic.”

G: “That’s definitely a big part of progressing in the scene with people co-signing us, it helps a lot. There’s an awesome scene here but it helps to have that international presence and recognition to boost your brand.”

T: “After every show that we have done recently, we’ve been very proud. Every time that COVID is in the community, we go into the studio and write and produce as much as we can. And then we go out and we play them all at a show. It gets a good crowd reaction and it feels really good.”

what haS been your Favourite GiG that you have played at?

T: “My favourite was probably the first show back after the second lockdown which was the Obsession release party. It was either that or playing at UC Mardi Gras last year. I think we just got back from playing a Dunedin show and we were really tired but then we pulled up and there were so many people there all dressed up and it was like RnV 2.0 but a mini version.”

G: “There have been a lot of cool shows. For me, I feel like when we played RnV for the first time that was a big moment for us. Because it’s something that you go to as a punter and you’re like, “this is sick”, and then you’re suddenly playing it. We got a vocalist on stage to sing our single ‘I Need You Now’ with us and it felt surreal. That was definitely an early career landmark.”

what iS Some oF the crazieSt Shit that you’ve Seen while perForminG on StaGe?

T: “At any show where the majority of the attendees are freshers, it’s like Spartans in the front row. It gets pretty rowdy.”

G: “We recently took a crowd photo just for the gig that we played at the UCSA A Little Doof gig. I was zooming in on a couple of the people and there were definitely some dinner plates there.”

T: “Every time the strobe goes off you get to see everyone’s eyes.”

do you have any philoSophical pieceS oF liFe advice?

T: “I didn’t know how feasible going full time into music was until we started making some ground and I can definitely attribute that to George having that ‘just do it’ mentality. From that, you actually get results that make you more confident and then you can manifest bigger goals from there”

G: “I would be similarly inclined, I would just say back yourself and be comfortable with ambiguity. We still don’t know what the fuck is happening but you have to be comfortable with the fact that a lot of people, especially people in entrepreneurial suits like music, are all feeling the same way. Know that that is commonplace and keep on doing what you’re doing.”

T: “Also, every achievement and every accomplishment is a series of tangible actions that anyone can do.”

what Should people Stay tuned For?

T: “We’ve got a really cool big body of work coming soon which is our best stuff. We’ve also got some really cool collabs coming as well from overseas.”

where can everyone Find pirapuS?

G: “You can find Pirapus on Instagram @pirapus, on TikTok @pirapus, and Spotify. Follow our Instagram, our TikTok, and our Spotify because that’s where we are doing the most stuff.”

AND YOUR DNB BRAIN

I’ll be honest: I hate drum and bass music. When the CANTA editors asked me to write a story for the D&B issue, I was like ‘wtf does d&b mean, you know I’m basically middle aged.’ The only gig I’ve ever been to on campus was Marlon Williams in 2018, and I’m pretty sure everywhere else must have been booked.

Needless to say, this was quite a challenge for me so I decided to try and work out why I should like drum and bass. Like, scientifically.

In general, music has been cited as a way to keep your brain happy and improve your mood. Essentially, speakers put out vibrations that travel through the air and into our ears. Here, they tickle the ear drum and cause happy little signals to flood to the brain, which we perceive as music.

It’s also a kickstart for creativity, calling upon memories or feelings that impact our mood. Something about that lil vibration in the brain can send signals down a bunch of different neural pathways, causing all sorts of reactions - but one size doesn’t fit all.

While my boyfriend’s concentration peaks when listening to metal music, it makes me want to pull my hair out. What’s that all about? In its most basic form, music you can still concentrate to is good for learning. Opening those neural pathways means you’ve got a better shot at remembering the periodic table. It’s also why making up a rhyme can help you memorise all the dates for that upcoming history exam.

Everyone’s brains are different though, and more intense music can overwhelm some people (aka me). There’s even a name for this phenomenon – low frequency intrusion. It’s that feeling when you swear you can ‘feel’ the bass and all parts of your body are impacted. While this is part of the appeal at a gig when the crowd feels like they’re moving as one, it’s a nightmare when your neighbour starts blasting Shapeshifter in the middle of the night.

For some people, blasting the bass just can’t be helped –it’s thrilling. Turns out, there’s a reason for that too. Researchers in America found that certain music (aka d&b) can “evoke a sense of power” that raises your adrenaline and feelings of control. Which means that blasting Pendulum before your exam might just be one of the best things you can do, psychologically, for your grades. Go figure.

Just remember to take earplugs to your next gig – the science is also pretty clear about how it doesn’t take long to harm your hearing. It might seem lame, but products like party earplugs from the Rockshop don’t dilute the experience – they filter out the crowd and make everything sound way better. Don’t be that dummy with ringing ears in your next lecture – when the d&b comes on, pop those earplugs in and feel the bliss of those sweet, sweet neural pathways flood open.

Laura Tretheway (she/her)

TOGETHER AT THE SAME TIME ALL OVER THE WORLD

DnB is probably the most recognised music genre in Aotearoa - to students anyways - and is one of the things which defines Christchurch and wider Aotearoa party culture. Many people know it as an export from the UK’s underground rave and dance culture, but not many know its significant origins as “street music” and its linkage cultural identity.

When people think of DnB, they tend to think it is akin to genres such as EDM and techno. However, whilst it does come from dance music, it is influenced by hip-hop and Caribbean music especially UK and American hip-hop in the 60s and 70s. This is seen in its emphasis on its rhythm which is beat lead. Perhaps this can be better seen through the close associate of DnB which is a subgenre called Jungle which is heavy on the dubstep reggae front.

According to UK DJ Roni Size, “[DnB] was a blend of different cultures. It was the face size from reggae music, the great beats from hiphop, it was like toasting from sound system, it was rapping, and it was all from UK culture.”

Perhaps, this is why it was called the antagonist of British identity because it was associated with black culture and gang violence. The harsh, inconsistent tones of DnB also turned away many journalists in the early days which further cemented this negative perception.

DnB also had to contend with another subgenre called Britpop, which is equivalent to what we think of as local music if we go by ear. Internally, the two subgenres are not trying to compete. But from the outside, the singer-songwriter nature of Britpop had a wider following and can be considered more encapsulating what is considered “British.”

However, these unfavourable outcomes did not deter the loyal following of DnB as fans saw it not as a sign of negativity, but like many underground music such as Thrash and Punk, it was seen as an act of rebellion.

From the uk to aotearoa

The first DnB DJs to really establish themselves were artists such as Grooverider and Goldie, who made tunes for the top ten for UK Timeless. This saw a slow snowball effect following up to 1996 when DnB hit its golden alongside British music in general. This is what is known as the ‘Summer of 96’ which launched DnB straight into the atmosphere and surpassed Britpop’s popularity.

As a country that is heavily in-tune with British culture, Aotearoa quickly adopted a fancy for DnB. The beginnings of DnB in Aotearoa is very much like the UK. According to DJ Bulletproof in his The History of New Zealand Drum & Bass Podcast, “the beginnings of DnB here is much like DnB in the UK in [the sense] that the music is often associated with other underground music such as Thrash.”

One of the first bars to host DnB events in NZ was the Bob Bar, a now defunct in Wellington. However, back then (around 1996), the venue was small with the limited capacity of the bar. But also with it being underground, since technology was not really a thing this meant that the community was tight. This changed after a few gigs when the attendees hit around 100 people, where the gigs moved to Cassette 9 where the audience grew.

This is when different DnB DJs alongside Hip-hop DJs formed a collective and collaboration began.

The late 90s to the early 2000s was a time for innovation with new technology such as turntables and editing software. This meant that collaboration was invited, but also friendly rivalry created new techniques in DJing. These innovations which were further removed from Reggae - the split between DnB and Jungleare the sounds that we hear today.

At that time, DJ Presha along with others started to hold release parties for DnB artists from the UK and locally in both Christchurch and Auckland to share the spotlight of the releases. This soon turned into bigger events that cemented the DnB culture in these two cities. This caught the media’s attention, and in the early 2000s, DJ Presha was interviewed on national television which further cemented DnB culture.

One of the hotspots of DnB and dance music in Christchurch is the Ministry which was in the heart of the city. The newfound DnB fame meant that not only local artists were playing at nightclubs, but also big names from the UK such as Grooverider and Brian J which meant that DnB culture can no longer be ignored.

dnb today

Whilst the Ministry like many other establishments is no longer with us due to the 2011 earthquakes, DnB is here to stay. According to Spotify data and Radio New Zealand, Christchurch is the third largest consumer when it comes to UK DnB with Auckland being the first. This is not to say that UK DnB is necessarily superior. In fact, an article published in a UK DnB music centre deemed that “New Zealand stole DnB in 2020”, referring to how our DnB culture may be better than in the UK.

There have been many theories of why DnB is so popular in Aotearoa. Some say it is the Caribbean themes of early DnB, or the “rock vibe”of it. Nevertheless, we are experiencing a boom in DnB what is known as the second generation.

Stella Cheersmith (she/her)

Put DnB and UC together, and what do you get? Mono! Until the long-awaited gig nights return, I asked you for your best Mono memories. Good, bad, ugly, strange… it’s all happened at Mono!

First time going to mono which was in the old building 10 minutes in and the fire alarm goes off :( never went again.

I’d trekked over to Ilam campus one night to sit a test for one of my BCom papers I was barely stumbling through. The test ends at the ungodly hour of 9pm and I walk past Mono feeling deflated, when I hear voices calling my name. It’s several mates from school and after a fight with an ATM machine I’d made it to Mono. Drinks were had, ungainly shapes were cut and I had certainly forgotten about the lacklustre session in Jack Erskine earlier. I noticed a girl nearby asking a bouncer where she could get some water from. The bouncer replied that he didn’t know but she could have some of his Red Bull Vodka. This didn’t seem right and I tried to explain to the girl that there was a tap next to the bar, but the bouncer cut right across me with a blunt “SHUT THE F*CK UP!!” Later that night, after we all ended up at one of our mates’ flat, I discover my phone’s missing. My only option is to return to the scene of the crime the next day. I get there in the morning and walk see it across the dance floor. This awful Nokia brick from 2010 managed to defend itself from being stomped into oblivion by hundreds of throttled students. I never went back after that.

2 3 4 5 6

I remember Pink Shirt Mono like it was yesterday! After a news story came out where a guy was bullied and brutally targeted for wearing pink l eaving a Mono, the next week the student body took a stand and virtually everyone at the Mono after wore pink. To see everyone rally around #PinkShirtMono in the face of homophobia was a highlight of my time at UC.

Mate drank a bottle of free piss. No sorry I don't mean beer I mean it was in the urinal and he thought it was worth.

I remember the year where I went to every single Mono. My BFFs group name is Monhoes because we went every time. I remember the night Tiki Taane played Always on My Mind to a huge crowd at the Old Foundry. I remember the night I drunk too much and the fire alarm went on so I barfed at the bus stop on Ilam Rd. I remember when Thursdays in Black fed the drunk masses one night, that was a fun one. I also remember when a group of us burst the doors of the New Foundry per a Facebook event “They Can't Stop Us All”. I could get super risqué too, I had some gay old core memories at Monos past. Good times all around.

2010 managed to defend itself from being stomped into oblivion by hundreds of throttled students. I never went back after that.

What DnB sub-genre WOULD endemic insects

listen to?

I’m not a big DnB fan. There I said it. The parent sub-genres of DnB (breakbeat and hip-hop) are shitting themselves and violently throwing up, just knowing there are some downright monstrosities created by their children. No, I don’t want to hear another chair scraping sound which I’ve only recently found out is a foghorn. I think I have a few animals who would agree with me on this, considering that some can ‘perceive’ sound like our human ears do…

vaneSSa Gonerilla (red admiral butterFly)

The red admiral can be found across NZ in the warmer months of the year. Their life cycle thrives in the haven of their endemic host plant ongaonga (Uritica ferox), which many a tramper has learnt to avoid due to their stinging hairs. The dark coloured, spiky caterpillars of this species eat themselves silly by folding the leaves they munch into tent-like structures to protect themselves. Many butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, of which the red admiral belongs to, have evolved ‘ears’ on certain parts of their body. Their highly evolved sound perception overlaps with our own human range of 500Hz – 6kHz. I wouldn’t hesitate to argue that these butterflies would be a fan of Jazzstep or Jumpstep. Plug in E-Z Rollers ‘Weekend World’, and I bet you’d have them feet-tasting in style.

laSiorhynchuS barbicorniS (GiraFFe weevil)

I’m honestly not even sure if weevils have sound perception, but their funky anatomy has me guessing that they’d listen to LSD and Remixes or Bomberman Hero. Basically video game DnB.

powelliphanta Suberba (nz’S native land Snail)

Our native snails are no joke. They are one of the largest in the world (as big as an enclosed fist), are hermaphroditic and carnivorous. They slurp up snails like it’s spag bol. In a 2015 study by Contzen Pereira, it was found that when put into a maze after being exposed to two types of music, the Giant African Snail was able to complete the maze faster after ‘listening’ to Tibetan incantations as opposed to rock music. Snails do not have ears but may hear through vibrations “at the cellular level”. Given such, I think there is ample evidence to believe that Powelliphanta would vibe out to some atmospheric, downtempo DnB. They would probably be a fan of the EP ‘Mr Nice’ by Big Bud.

peripatoideS indiGo (velvet wormS or nGaokeoke)

There are nine described species of velvet worms in NZ. All are stubby, cute, and remind me of tardigrades. Velvet worms can’t hear very well but would probably be a fan of liquid DnB given that its method of attack is to spray a sticky jet of fluid over its victims. Would be a fan of the 1995 hit from The Chameleon, ‘Links’.

caedicia Simplex (common Garden katydid)

This polygamous leaf mimic chirps in our very backyards, calling to its many lovers by rubbing the comb like structures on its front wing. This stridulating rhythm is surely inspired by its favourite DnB subgenre, Techstep. I’d take a bet that their collective favourite song is either ‘Wormhole’ or ‘Mystery Machine’ by Ed Rush and Optical. Katydid hearing has been extensively studied, as they have been found to have highly evolved tympanic organs located on their ‘knees’.

Jude Van Houtte (she/her)

GIG GUIDE with Simba

Matt Erskine (he/him) & Callum Gilden (he/him)

rule #1

The front of the moshpit can be a tight and claustrophobic space. Make sure that you’re keeping yourself and those around you safe. There's nothing a crowd hates more than a pushy party pooper.

rule #2

Don't stress about dressing up! Most venues are hot, and the mosh pits can be sweaty, so just wear whatever you feel most comfy in, but make sure it’s light.

rule #3

Lastly, don't be a pest! There's nothing worse than some sweaty, random bloke pushing his half chub against your back for a couple of songs before asking “doing much after this?” If you are gonna shoot your shot, don’t be a creep.

Sometimes the best advice is the most simple advice; don’t be a dick! Be respectful of people’s space, watch how much you consume, and don’t be a pest. Everyone should feel comfortable going to a rave and dancing to DnB, and it’s on all of us party people to keep it that way.

druG SaFety

As much as we don’t like to admit it, drugs and DnB seem to go hand-in-hand. Whether you're snorting, shelving, or swallowing, make sure you know your stuff! Nothing ruins a great night faster than shit gear. Testing is becoming more accessible, so use it! The team at Know Your Stuff are a not-for-profit organisation that provides free and confidential full-spectrum drug testing nationwide. If you’re more of a DIY kinda guy/gal, then Cosmic has ya covered! They sell over the counter drug testing kits for whatever you think is in that little bag of yours. The main takeaway here is to find out for yourself exactly what kind of drugs you really have. Don’t just take the word of the dodgy looking bloke in the Toyota Altezza that just sold ya the bag. And believe it or not, you don't actually have to do all that gear at once! Remember, you can always take more if you want to, but you can’t take less once you’ve

creatureS you miGht encounter the FreSher

This creature is young, naive, and ready to have some fun! Roaming in packs, this special breed will usually be found all along the front gate of MONO, gripping on as if their life depends on it. They may look like young caterpillars now, but don’t be fooled. In 12 months, this lot will emerge as beautiful seasoned Rarkers, ready to take on any rave this beautiful country has to throw at them.

the veteran

A rare sight, but a welcoming one. These creatures are who we all aspire to become. 50 years old and still raving like it's 1999. You’ll normally spot these types around the back of the crowd, with plenty of space to let loose the dance moves they’ve been holding onto for the past few decades. Always be nice to these guys, remember, they’ll be you in 30 years.

the Gear-head

Eyes wide? Dripping in sweat? Jaw looks like it’s about to swing off? Sounds like you’ve got a gear-head on your hands. This type of raver is having the time of their lives, but to everyone around them they’re giving off some serious crackhead vibes! Enter into a yarn with these guys at your own risk, they can and will chew your ear off about some

enterinG the wild world oF raveS can be a dauntinG proSpect, but it'S really not aS Scary aS it may Seem. JuSt remember theSe unSpoken ruleS, and you’ll be Fine.

So you’ve just arrived at UC and you’re having the time of your life. The halls have been pumping for the last month (in spite of the liquor ban) and despite your best efforts you can feel yourself becoming swallowed by the genre known as drum and bass. You hear it flowing through every open door that you walk past as you make your way down the hallway to your room, pulling you in with hands made of long wispy build-ups for fingers and hard, chest-rattling bass drops for knuckles… “NO!” you think to yourself, breaking free of the musical hypnosis and sprinting to your room. As you slam the door behind you you make a decision. You don't want to be the one in the crowd thinking “who cares where we go”, you want to be the technical wizard at the front

making everyone scream, “we’re ready for the afterglow”. So, to your laptop you go to scour Facebook Marketplace for a dusty old pair of decks that you can score off some seventh-year named Tony, but it’s a cold dark world out there and if you’re not careful you could end up paying way too much for something that doesn’t work with your software, or getting weaselled by some slick Rick who’s asking Ferrari prices for his Toyota Caldina. This handy guide will give you an insight into a couple of the different controllers you’ll come across throughout your uni career and what they’re good for.

Tom Murray (he/him)

This little pocket rocket of a controller is perfect for learners. It’s stripped down of all the knobs and doohickeys that work the finicky stuff and what you’re left with is an approachable pair of decks that give you a good understanding of the key buttons and what they do. Another thing that makes it such a good first pair of decks is the price. You can cop these bad boys from anywhere between $150 to $300, meaning if you damage them at a party or find that mixing isn’t actually for you, it wont have burnt too much of a hole in your pocket.

These big mamma jammas are something you’d look at getting in your later years when you’re actually trying to get yourself some paid gigs. They’ve got more bells & whistles than I could possibly know what to do with but boy does it light up all pretty! A stand out feature is its ability to control the frequencies of four tracks at once. As you’ll notice on the DDJ-SB3’s, there are only two columns of knobs in between the jog wheels: these control the mids, highs and lows of the track that is selected. Where the SB3’s only have two columns, the SZ2’s have four, allowing you to mix and master four tracks at once without having to switch between them. These behemoths creep up near the $2000 mark so you really want to make sure this is something you want to be doing before you buy them.

So you’re getting the hang of the basics and think it’s time for a bit of an upgrade (or if you’re like me you left them at a party and got them stolen)? Either way, the Pioneer DDJSB3 is the controller for you. These decks build on the skills you’ve been learning and offer more control over some aspects, for example you have a lot more control over the loops and their length. A main feature that the SB3’s add is the ability to access four different channels, meaning you can have four songs playing at once. These trusty old gals range from around $550 to $700. They can take a beating for sure but with a price tag like that you’ll want to make sure you look after them. Think about investing in a case or build one yourself if you’re getting a bit tight on funds.

FEMME & BAS S

Florence Fergusson (she/they)

Ever since I packed my bags and moved to Christchurch, I’ve enjoyed drum n’ bass. My first taste test was a DJ playing Tour by Macky Gee at the Year 13 HIBS ball. I thought it sounded like Skrillex, but better. Although my introduction was a little less than to most people’s taste, it shot me off into the right direction. It wasn’t until studying for end of year exams, a friend of mine asked if I’d heard of Alix Perez - to which I vaguely had - but he showed me a little set of his in a dingy basement with green lighting. You could say it changed my life - and certainly my taste.

I feel a sense of distaste, or maybe it is a shred of sympathy for the girls I see getting absolutely minced up at drum n’ bass gigs, claiming they ‘love’ dnb as if it is so commonplace for one to love such a thing. They come in hordes of white Air Force 1s and Ruby Corvettes. There is little to no interest in the history or the culture of the music, yet you could chat to most blokes in smokers about various bits and bobs to do with drum n’ bass. The same goes for mixing - if you look at the width of popular music globally, drum n’ bass is a very small sliver of the pie - but what is it that makes it so normal here? I would look to the rave culture we have in the mainstream, especially at university. Caps, shelving, a bag. Words that are familiar to most. Activities for the herd. We slap a box and we slap a gig at Hide. Yet, the gender disparity still is apparent. Girls enjoy dancing, going out and, drinking/drugging as much as a guy does. But why is a Thursday night still a sausage party?

a boiler suit asked me if I was lost, to which I kind of snapped back, “no, I’m playing, actually”, which felt weird at the time as I’d never had to assert myself that way before. I felt lucky I had an old friend in there who said hello, otherwise I may as well have been a pot plant. I knew my being here was purely due to a friend of mine giving up his slot so some more women could play. It kind of felt like I hadn’t earnt my space like the rest of them had, working their way up through the music pyramid, but also I was very aware of the gender imbalance which haunts electronic music, especially that of the heavier genres such as drum and bass. These days, over a year on, I find it not too difficult to find female DJs, but incredibly difficult to find many female electronic music producers, especially that of the drum n’ bass scene here in Aotearoa. I’m even luckier to find a friend whom I can share a mutual passion for the genre with. Boys are easy. Girls, women - much harder. I could name less than five girls who are actually interested in it.

GIG AS A FEMALE

The sad reality is that it is not safe to go alone to a drum n’ bass gig as a female. There were many I missed over the pre-pandemic days because simply put, no one else I knew cared too much about it. It wasn’t until I started working in the music industry I began to uncover the hidden gems.

I remember my second or so ‘proper’ gig vividly. It was exciting, I couldn’t even eat the complimentary cheese board because of the butterflies. There was an international drum n’ bass act on the lineup, accompanied by some of the city’s most important in the scene. Everyone was tall, wore dark clothing, and I couldn’t help but immediately notice I was the only girl in the room. A man in

But maybe it is rightly so. You have to deal with a boys’ club, which frankly, creates an atmosphere of imposter syndrome and feeling like you have to justify yourself.

There are such amazing women and non-binary folk making waves across the country doing cool shit, but the masses never read up on them or give them the support they deserve. The heavily male-intensive mainstream drum n’ bass scene litters across university o-week lineups, major new years’ festivals, and throughout nightclubs. I feel like an outsider looking in. I exist on the fringes of the mainstream, dipping into it every so often, before sharply being reminded why I don’t enjoy it out there before I scurry back into the underground. The underground electronic music scene sounds pretentious by title, but it is anything but. There are hordes of amazing, colourful, diverse people doing huge things - which has encouraged me to write about my experiences.

I would love nothing more for some sort of new wave of feminism, shaking the heavily male-dominated drum n’ bass scene up. There are already so many sick female and non-binary DJs/producers out there, but it is still not enough. Imagine if it were safe and inclusive enough as the underground house n’ techno scene? Where people were rolling out to see the acts and enjoy the music? Respectful of each other? I am not saying it is all bad but there are definitely some dusty mans bopping round the scene. I hope this new wave shaking the scene, locally & nationally, warrants a new generation of chicks who love drum n’ bass, maybe the way they once loved One Direction.

THE SAD REALITY IS THAT IT IS NOT SAFE TO GO ALONE TO A DRUM N’BASS

PSYCHED

why do Gear and dnb Go toGether like FreSherS and ilam FieldS?

You’ve been blissfully enjoying your breezy Saturday day, appreciating your relaxation time as a pause away from the rat race. That doesn’t last long though, your flatmate disturbs your peace to let you know that they’re going to this gig in town tonight and of course (being the human being that you are) you innately feel this wave of dread - otherwise known as FOMO - engulfing your entire body. You didn’t want to go out, you were going to take it easy this weekend and give your body a break from the violent damage that you did to it last weekend. Alas, here you are and you’re one to always live in the present moment.

Shit, you’ve been convinced. You’re gonna maintain self control though. “Just a couple of drinks” you say to yourself, just to take the edge off and then you’ll grab some kai, an Uber, and get some shut-eye.

Hmmmm, well that’s all well and good in theory, however you didn’t fully anticipate what those couple of sippies of alcohol would do to your inhibitions. You get to the gig and the vibes are on. Everyone is on a sweet level and you know that you’re in for a good time. Those few drops of alcohol have now got you feeling a bit cheeky and loose as the true hooligan inside of you begins to expose itself. Maybe you have a hoon on some nicotine to get your head spins going to mystify your senses even more.

What’s being played in the background, you ask? Nothing other than DnB of course, because what other genre would dare to be played at a pissed up gig these days? The drums are hitting and the bass is blaring as the crowd’s ears are marinated by the filthy sounds.

Then you get this feeling, a feeling you can’t deny. This said feeling is saying one thing and one thing only; “let’s get a bag.” This indisputable inclination beacons itself as the single existing narrative in your mind. You don’t know what it is about the splendid pairing of DnB and gear (colloquial term for MDMA or ecstasy), but there is no doubt that each inevitably rises alongside one another. And dear readers, that is what we are going to look at in this article; why do gear and DnB go hand-in-hand like Freshers and Ilam Fields?

One theory as to why this is the case is one that I’ll call the ‘stimulant theory.’ All drugs can be classed into one of three categories; depressants, stimulants, and psychedelics. Gear is a stimulant drug which means that it increases the general activity of one’s body and especially one’s central nervous system that navigates the world of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. Most DnB tracks sit around the 170BPM margin. The normal resting heart rate for an adult can be anywhere from 60-100 BPM, substantially lower than the BPM of DnB. But of course, that ol’ stimulating chestnut will increase one’s heart rate. So, along that train of thought, the pairing of gear and DnB could be more of a physiological alignment of one’s heart rate BPM with the music.

Another theory as to why gear and DnB complement one another is the idea of always wanting more. Drum and bass is a genre of music that is an eclectic composition of a lot of audible commotion. Composed of breakbeats, bass and sub-bass lines, vocals, synthesisers, and more - DnB has a great deal going on. When you’re on a stimulant drug such as gear, you will experience effects such as an increased sense of well-being, heightened extroversion, and boosted empathy towards others. Basically, you generally feel a lot more. Thereby, by physiologically feeling a lot more apace with listening to music that is made up of immense auditory activity - your senses might just be stimulated enough.

While I write of this drug consumption with this specific musical genre, I must declare that it is not the first rodeo of drugs being simultaneously devoured in the attendance of a type of music. Psychedelics with psychedelic rock of the 60s/70s, weed and reggae, and an introduction of cocaine use with 80s new wave music are a few of the many notable pairings.

Dependent on the intended mood that one wants to evoke in their music, an illicit substance will inevitably arise and marry itself to the genre. And that’s the wave that we - or rather the participatory individuals of this party cultural pairing - are riding on right now. So whether you think that the BPM of DnB and one’s heart beat align, whether one’s senses become entirely stimulated, or whether this pairing now is just a momentary bridging of party and drug culture - you can’t deny that it is most definitely here. Who knows what new revolutionary pairing will arrive next?

Ella Gibson (She/Her)

FeelinG lucky? apply For a lucky dip on our webSite

DIP LUCKY DIP LUCKY

CANTA s longest running segment! Each issue we set two people up on a blind date and they record their experiences.

Here are the uneditied results.

Normally, I wouldn’t get nervous for a date but for some reason this was different and the nerves came albeit somewhat delayed. I arrive at Rollickin’ probably a bit too early because I tend to not like to arrive late to things. Maybe this was a mistake as I was met with confusion from the staff but that was sorted out pretty quickly. I go upstairs and await the arrival of my date.

A couple of minutes pass and she shows up. My first impressions were that CANTA has done a pretty bang on job with this one. We do the typical ‘what do you study’ chitchat and then order some food and head back upstairs. We must’ve chosen a bad seat because there was obviously something interesting on the wall behind me that she kept looking at. We also must have forgotten to actually introduce ourselves as about half an hour in, she realised that she didn’t actually know my name!

As it turns out, a lot of her friends were actually in my class over the years and we had quite a few mutual friends. This made the conversation flow a little easier and we could exchange stories about her bitchy ex flatmate who was also a bitchy floormate of mine back in the day.

dipper one dipper two

After almost blocking the CANTA editor who messaged me informing me I was fortunate enough to land this month’s CANTA Lucky Dip, as well as verbally assaulting my friend who signed me up for it, I downed 3 cans and made my way over to Rollickin’ to go on my first ever real date.

As I followed the waiter upstairs, I managed to fit in a quick prayer that the man waiting for me was a 5th year law student with amazing notes that he was willing to share with me. However, given my rather ‘unchristian’ lifestyle, I should not have been surprised that my prayers were directed to God’s junk mail, and that the man waiting for me was in fact an engineer.

I have had a turbulent relationship with engineers, as I’m sure many fellow UC students have. If you google engineer stereotypes, ‘Newengineer.com’ does a great article that sums up the personality of approximately 28% of the Ilam campus. Despite this, I could see that this engineer was pretty genuine, serious about being there, and overall pretty harmless.

This was much better than the politics interrogation about the previous election which I had a significant lack of knowledge on. Not surprising when I’m an engineer being met by a lawyer. Maybe she could keep me from getting into too much trouble though.

After not eating the majority of the food (and spilling some on the table), it was time to go as she had to make a cake for her mum’s birthday which she forgot about. How do you forget your own mum’s birthday? It’s on the same day every year like how? Seeing as I Ubered to town, I managed to swindle my way into a ride home with her and her friends. In the process of getting out of the car onto Ricc road and trying to not get cleaned up by a car, I realised I had completely forgotten to get her deets. Classic mistake.

Overall, I enjoyed myself and would be keen to meet up again! Big thanks to CANTA for a good afternoon!

There was much to discuss over our 1 hour and 45 minute excursion. Topics of conversation included: engineering, Bishop Julius, Burnside City Fitness, preworkout, chicken and rice, forklift licenses, savory vs sweet foods, blue V, drugs, fruit, Instagram reels, the vaccine, National, my Mum, the best knives to murder someone, the Easter bunny, my GPA, group projects, and more. We managed to spend $39.50 of the $40 Rollickin’ voucher so it was definitely value for money.

Overall, it was quite a pleasant afternoon. I enjoy meeting new people and doing different things. However, I realised pretty quickly that I am not cut out for the dating world. The classic “it’s not you, it’s me” applies here. As I discovered, I don’t really have any desire to connect with anyone in a capacity that is more than friends. Our 20s is a time for new opportunities, adventure, self-discovery, and new experiences like this are a part of that. So cheers A*****a for signing me up, CANTA please can you book her in for the next issue.

HOROSCOPES.

which dJ are you? Ben OʼConnell (he/they)

Quiet Accomplished – Lets the music do the talking. Smartest person in the room, actually has a resume.

Breather – Picked it up because of a girl, now single behind the decks with a powdered nose two hours later.

Newbie – Trying their best and we love them for it. There’s room for everyone. Never be dissuaded. Keep at it!

Diva – Huge rider. Sunglasses inside never outside. Fit on point. Presses play and hopes for the best.

Queen – Better than 100% of male DJs, given 100% fewer opportunities. Shattering breather egos since 1999.

Party Animal – Here for a good time not a long time. Smell ‘em before you see ‘em. Has the tea before it’s spilled.

Tech Geek – Proves computer engineering is a transferable skill. Pushes boundaries. Loves insinkerators.

Jester – Doesn’t give a single fuck but secretly gives them all. Hopes the props will distract us from the pre-record.

Smoke Machine – Vaping is their main personality trait. Only in it for the free lines and to jump lines.

Hat Rack – A walking stand of lanyards, bracelets, glow sticks, backstage passes, rotten Hanmer Springs armbands.

Spiritual – Incense and insensitivities. Tie-dye. Proudly unvaccinated. Baggy trousers, wide-brimmed feathered hat.

Anonymous – That could be anyone under that marshmallow get-up, but who cares, they’re here to fist-bump DJ.