ranks of the hardto-defines, including Amon Tobin, a fan from their very fi rst slab of vinyl. In recent times, Amon has championed the act as part of his monthly website features.
CHEMICAL BROTHERS AS BROKEN NOTE, TOMMY (NO SURNAMES HERE) AND PARTNER IN GRIME EDDIE HAVE DEVELOPED A SUB AND RIB RATTLING SOUND FOR A NEW GENERATION OF HEAVY MUSIC FANS. DAVE DRI REACHES FOR HIS EARPLUGS AND STEPS INTO THE DANCE.
B
roken Note might have a difficult sound to describe, but the rapid rise of dubstep has given a visibility to the underground bass culture that isn’t lost on the London duo. “The visibility of dubstep has certainly given people that otherwise would not have ever been exposed to this music an opportunity to do so,” Tommy BrokenNote (not his real name) muses. “It has provided an open door to other music st yles that are generally considered to be less accessible.” If the ongoing world tour is anything to go by the duo have kicked down the door with their unrelenting take on aggressive beats and an influence drawn from Sino-Rastafarian sounds and heavy bass. 2010 saw Broken Note kick up their tour schedule across Europe and the USA, taking a sound inspired by the urban decay of their London st udio set-up to a diverse range of venues and crowds. The change of scenery hasn’t changed the core intensity of their music, according to Tommy. “The audiences vary,” Tommy admits, but offers that even in an era of underground bass culture fueled by the internet, “some music that could be considered underground in one county can be considered overground in another.” And it’s not just the audiences that can differ while touring, but their own creative inspirations. “Definitely, touring has a paradoxical effect on the music writing process,” Tommy says. “On one hand, it can be a massive inspiration and on the other it can inspire a lack of inspiration. But either way, urban decay is alive and well, whether it be in a sunny café or in an abandon[ed] warehouse.” Whatever the inspiration, the duo’s prolific release schedule has found fans in high places, including taste-makers Rob Booth and the ex-BBC presenting Mary-Anne Hobbes, often credited for breaking the dubstep sound to the masses. Fellow fans include other eclect ic producers in the
As to how they came to the Brazilian DJ’s attention, Tommy jokes of a “long session of oral sex in the back of his Range Rover”, before revealing that “there are some collaborative plans in the pipeline, which should surface over the next year”. In the meantime, the duo continue their relentless touring of an intense live show that features a collect ion of computers and controllers revolving around their longtime use of Ableton. If the fragile mix of elect ronics and grinding beats is of any concern, Tommy laughs off the worry. “I’ve been fairly lucky with live performances, but there have been a few times computers have crashed live or the bass from the system makes the needle jump on the hard drives, not to mention the occasional munter spilling drugs, beer, or a combination of the two on the gear.” As for the final word on what to expect during a Broken Note show? “If you have not experienced temporary deafness before, here is your chance,” Tommy suggests. “Complimentary hearing aids provided at the end of the set.”
WHO: Broken Note WHERE & WHEN: Heavy Innit!! at Brown Alley (Melbourne) Friday 25
February, Sub-Vival at Jubilee Hotel (Brisbane) Saturday 5 March
VIC
BARE BASS Bass Culture with RICHIE MELDRUM
IKONIKA
Some exciting news this week for Melbourne club kids with the excellent people at Too Much announcing that inst rumental dubstep gal Ikonika will be flying in from the UK to help them celebrate their second anniversary in April. With releases on Hyperdub and Planet Mu as well as her debut album – 2010’s Contact, Love, Want, Have – Ikonika’s melodic, scatty approach to dubstep won’t be to everyone’s taste but don’t let that put you off. Her music contains dist inct ive and unusual sounds that, depending on your state of mind, could resemble cowbells, sandpaper, laser guns or a Nintendo in a blender. Stick on one of her records, shut your eyes and see what you can pick out! On an international tip, the painfully good Julio Bashmore releases a new EP on Dutchman Martyn’s 3024 label called Batty Knee Dance. Who knows what that name means but the three tracks are sounding pretty tast y with the Bristol producer again showing his ability to merge Chicago house, UK funky and UK garage. The standout track here is undoubtedly Ribble To Amazon, a soft, dreamy, pulsating little number that is just made for listening to while watching the sunrise after a massive night out. Bliss. Fish and chips, Sonny and Cher, Italian rulers and underage girls – some things just seem to go together, but who would have ever imagined pairing Digital Myst ikz with the brilliant Icelandic fruitcake that is Björk? UK based producer Product ion Unit (also a member of the talented Marcia Blaine School for Girls – check them out when you can) has taken the Mala produced LP Return II Space and put Björk’s a cappellas over the top. Entitled Digital Björkmykz Return II Iceland, this surprisingly enjoyable series of bootlegs comes on the back of Product ion Unit’s previous effort that combines Aaliyah with The xx, also to great effect. They Live (Consequence and Joe Seven) drop their fi rst album on Exit records next month. Cancel Standard sees the boys pooling their individual talents once again and offering listeners escapism from their normal surroundings with the layered, textured and deep drum‘n’bass they’re known and loved for. Finally, a bon voyage and good luck to Melbourne DJ Dust who is heading to the US to take a bite out of the big apple.