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Nufunk Round Up

This week in The Armory we’re thrilled to have the latest addition to the Stanton Warriors‘ Punks label, Nixon, on the 1s and 2s. Press play. Get down.

Check out Nixon’s gorgeous, debut EP on Punks entitled “The Basics of Love” on Beatport.

Nixon has been mixing since before he first stood on a snowboard over 20 years ago. Being a pro-rider on the European snowboard scene for over 15 years opened up a huge freesport audience to his mixing talents and he’s been a regular at massive surf & snowboard events for years.

It comes as no surprise then to this crowd, that Nixon is receiving respective accolades on the London scene for his musical talents.

A random meeting with Justin Rushmore of FLR whilst snowboarding led to a move to London in 06 and to a new addiction – producing. His 2007 collaborations with D&B golden boy, Shimon, took the scene by surprise, with clubbers loving the heavily influenced D & B breaks – a fresh vibe in an increasingly jaded breaks scene. With three releases under the FLR wing, ‘I Like You’ received rave reviews, receiving regular airplay on both Annie Nightingale BBC and Kiss FM’s Jay Cunnings show. The second release “White Noise” went to No 13 in the DMC Buzz Charts, and ‘Around the Edge’, charged to No 1 in the Beatport Breaks chart.

Whilst Nixon’s background was rooted firmly in thrash and drum & bass, his DJ style today, is a blend of tight break necking beats, topped off with deep gut rumbling bass.

Engineering his own solo tunes, it’s a hard life dividing his time between snowboarding, and his recording in the studio! His strong self-expression of snowboarding is clearly continued onto the decks & is a lifestyle balance most DJs would kill for. The Mixologists, Aquasky, Tayo, Darren Jay, Davide Carbone, MC Chickaboo, Utah Jazz, the list is endless – have graced the decks with Nixon.

Now billed as the UK’s top pro-DJ/music producer and professional snowboarder, from his debut at London’s superclubs – Fabric & Ministry of Sound, he’s now a regular on the underground club scene & plays a host of international festivals including the legendary Snowbombing.

Moving forward, Nixon has stretched out his knowledge of quality music, composing music for UK computer games giant Codemasters and their Dirt 3 & 4 games. Top brands such as CASIO, QUIKSILVER, MONSTER, NIKE, SHARP have endorsed and used Nixon beats & sound design for their Global Marketing Campaigns. This in turn has opened doors to remix works by global sensation Ben Howard & upcoming acts such as A Girl Called Ruth & Ryan Keen. Stepping from clubland to culinary, he also produces music for Jamie Oliver’s DJ BBQ and to movies with CGI giants, the Foundry.

Now signed to the world famous renegades of beats & bass, the Stanton Warriors Punks label with his newly released The Basic Of Love Ep includes the tearing remix of LTJ Bukems classic club anthem Atlantis.

Artwork by Jem Panufnik

London’s longest-running and most celebrated breakbeat party, Hot Cakes is back at Jamm, where the bass meets the rhythm.

Joining founder Jurassik will be the mighty Plump DJs, legends of forward-thinking electronica and sometime breaks heroes, along with the always astounding A-Skillz, king of roughhouse midtempo funk beats and killer b-line attitude.

Support comes from Final Conflict, who’ll be bringing plenty of bass, with many more acts yet to be announced.

The last Xmas Supatronix was an absolute roadblock with hundreds of people locked outside on the night as we moved to one in one out, so advance ticket purchase is fully advised.

BUY TICKETS HERE

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

SET TIMES

11.30-1 Jurassik
1-2.30 A-Skillz
2.30-4 Plump DJs
4-5 Rev D Wayne (Alabama 3 DJ set)
5-6 Final Conflict

I caught up with headliner Lee Rous aka one half of the Pump DJs to find out a little more before the night. Keep up to date with everything Plump related via their Facebook and Soundcloud pages.

Who are you, what do you do, and what style of music do you play?

We are Plump DJs and we play electro, bass, breakbeat, techno, and house and garage.

What’s happening in the life of Plump DJs at the moment?

We’ve just finished our new single called You Belong To Us and also sorted out a video. And we’ve been working hard on music for next year, touring Canada, and getting lots of studio work done, lots of fun really.

How would you describe the current Plump DJs sound?

Bass-led dance music. We’re playing at around 120bpm which is slower than we’re used to, but we’re bringing a lot of our older records into the end of the sets having recently remastered some tunes from the last 15-years. It’s pleased a lot of the older fans that we’re playing some of the older stuff.

You’re playing the Albama 3vs Hotckaes Christmas Party this weekend. Are you looking forward to it? The Hotcakes crew always throw a great party right?

We’ve done a couple of their events up and down the country. We did their boat after-party with Elite Force on the Thames, which was great fun, and we’ve played up in Manchester for them as well. They know how to out on a good show and the sound system is always good. We’re really looking forward to it. We’ve played Jamm before and had a really good set there. And it’s the A3 album launch after party so there’s going to be a real upbeat atmosphere.

Any other artists on the night that you’re looking forward to hearing?

They’re all of a great standard, the only problem for us is that we’ve got a gig down in Chichester so we won’t be up till three in the morning so we won’t be hearing anyone. We’re just going to get in and hopefully raise the roof.

What can people expect from your set on the night?

We’re playing for 90mins. It’ll be a progressive set in tempo, plenty of bass and inventive music in the early part and then later on we’ll be playing some well-known hits from yesteryear. So there should be something in there for everyone.

You’ve played a few classic disco/funk sets recently. What is bringing you back to that sound and is it something that we can expect more of?

We’ve been asked to play some disco parties next year already actually. I think it’s allowed us a bit of variation. We’ve been Djing most weekends for a long time so I think it’s important just for your own sanity, and it’s music from our teenage years so it’s good for the soul. In a way it helps you to keep your vibe alive a little bit because it tends to shape your ideas whilst you’re in the studio. It’s really nice to hark back to those early roots and remind yourself why you started DJing in the first place.

What can we expect from you guys over the next year?

We’re thinking about releasing some of our old tracks. We haven’t remastered all of them but the temptation is there. We’ve got a lot of new music loaded in the Plump gun and ready to be fired out over the next year. And we’ve started a new video project for those releases as well. So look out for some lively rhythms coming to you very soon.

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For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the event just enter our competition using the widget below. Remember to enter with all options for more chances to win.

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Plump DJ’s Interview / Hotcakes Xmas Party Competition

After the excellent Joker Project Vol One of 2013 and the newly remastered Joker back cat being made available via Asbo, things get taken to the next level with remixes of arguably one of the biggest tunes to come from the seminal Joker imprint ‘Stamina’ gets a brand new remix package with a line up of heavy hitters the likes of Aries, Stivs & Kelvin 373 who give it their own 2014 jungle flex, ragga jungle vibes from Kosine & Dialect, Jump Up from the mack daddy Jayline plus you get the VIP with added vocals from Ricky Tuff & Daddy Freddy, going from strength to strength and not once letting up, its clear 2015 is going to be another huge year for Asbo!!!

Pre Order:

www.junodownload.com/products/the-d…ep/2636203-02/

Dream Team – Stamina Remixes [ASBO RECORDS]

Hungarian twin brothers, Dublic make music to make you dance, it’s as simple as that! They work in and around a varied selection of genres but they always put feet on the dancefloor. They have seen support of their music from the likes of Lady Waks, Stanton Warriors, Dj Icey, Dub Pistols and coincidently Krafty Kuts. The brothers have given quite a fiery Electro Breaks re-rub to a remix of Krafty’s ‘Shake Them Hips ‘ which provides some real rib shaking bass. The original was a dancefloor hit and this carries all the same hall marks. Quality tuneage!

Our second Reverbnation winner was Russian based breaker The Reptiles. Already with several releases under his belt on labels such as Subtribe, Elektroshok and Breakz R Boss, The Reptiles (aka Kirill Skotnikov) is a promising young producer with a unique take on the breaks and beats sound.

His winning track  ‘Get It Played’, is a roughed up ride through big beat, breaks and low end with a serious nod towards the electro punk ethos of The Prodigy. After hearing the filthy distorted guitars on the intro we knew we had something special on our hands. Speaker busting beats, screeching synths and a real sense of the big beat  era. It was really refreshing to hear something that hinted on a sound from years back but with a fresh new approach and ignoring the current ‘in sound’ to create a completely unique slice of dance music

We drafted in booty breaks & bass masters The Beatslappaz on remix duties who served up some delicious bass frequencies for your ears. Stripping the track back completely they rework the vocal around  a steppy break with warping sub bass and a chirpy synth melody. This is right up there with their latest sound, delving deep into the bass and breaks sound being championed by the Stanton Warriors, Mafia Kiss etc. Speaking of the Stanton’s keep ‘em peeled for The Beatslappaz remix competition winning version of Marten Horger’s ‘Oh Girl’ which is soon to be released on their label Punks! For all things Beatslappaz, hit up their Soundcloud.

Free – DOWNLOAD Checkout Added to cart

To download please click the button above. When the item is added to your cart you can checkout or continue adding music. When you checkout please enter your e-mail address, first and last name and click purchase. No money will be asked for this is a FREE DOWNLOAD. You will be added to the Free Breaks Blog mailing list to keep you informed of any future mixes, tracks or features we think you’ll be interested in.  You can download direct from the PURCHASE CONFIRMATION page or via the link sent to your e-mail.

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1. Congrats on being picked as winners. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, for those that don’t know please tell us, who are you, what do you do and what style(s) of music do you play?

My name is Kirill Skotnikov, I am the founder of the project The Reptiles, my work is focused on genres of music such as Breakbeat, Big Beat of Dubstep and Electronic music.

2. Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at the moment, any releases on the horizon?

I am currently working on a few new tracks, which plans to publish in 2015, it will be a mixture of Breaks and Dubstep, Electronics and Vocals.

3. Do you DJ? Any residencies or regular slots we can catch you at?

No, I’m not a DJ, music is my hobby, my passion, but I do not play at clubs and performing in live, so you can not get on my performance

4. What production software / hardware do you use?

All my songs are written in the program FL Studio…

5. What got you into electronic music? What made you choose your current style and sound?

For myself, I chose not to a single genre, but at least a few, it Breaks and Breakbeat and Dubstep and Big Beat and Electronics, in all these genres attracts me dynamics and power of sound, rhythm and bass.

6. Which other artists past and present have inspired you?

I have always been inspired and continue to inspire the same performers as Prodigy,Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Fat Boy Slim and Pendulum.

7. What do you get up to outside of music?

I enjoy when working on their music, it’s my passion, my hobby, I like to do it as well as I am happy when listening to my music and my fans to comment on it.

8. What do you think it means to be a successful DJ or producer?

I think to be a successful DJ and producer, primarily it be on demand, to be loved by his audience.

9. What can we expect from you over the course of 2015 and beyond?

In 2015, I plan to release a few releases, possibly with remixes from outside producers, as well as create a full-length album from several previous and new releases.

10. Anything else you would like to add?

I wish you all good luck and love, good mood, never lose heart and always enjoy the fiery rhythms of the project The Reptiles

https://soundcloud.com/the-reptiles
http://www.beatport.com/artist/the-reptiles/174832
http://www.junodownload.com/artists/The+Reptiles/releases/
https://twitter.com/TheReptiles

The Reptiles – Get It Played

The first of our recent Reverbnation competition winners is Philadelphia based hip-hop, electro funk collective R@ts Music. Consisting of three members Connor Hansell (synths & production), Keith Wadsworth (lead guitar & synthesizer) and Gralin Hughes (live digital art).

Their track ‘Straight Ballin’ , caught the Free Breaks teams ears from the get go, with the initial funked up riff an instant head nodder. As the track progresses Connors exquisite synth work and production bring the track into firm dancefloor material with hefty beats and crazy, off the wall FX . Just past the one minute mark we get served an insanely funky, electro riff that just makes you want to move those feet. After the first break Keith jumps in with some sick guitar solo action that takes the track up another notch into loose your s**t territory. This is one of those tracks where every element just works so well and these guys blend everything into a stand out party track.

As if this wasn’t enough we wanted to make this a really special package and after hearing the track for the first time we knew the mighty Funkanomics would make perfect remixers to round of the release. They very kindly agreed and managed to fit it into their busy schedule and the results are expectedly massive. Taking the original sample they layer a deceiving disco-funk / 4×4 intro into the sounds before dropping into a chunky, glitched out bass wobble with slick percussion and hard hitting beats. The Funkanomics crew really are at the top of their game at the moment and this remix is yet another example of their production prowess. Currently working hard on their next Adapted Records release, you can check out all their previous tracks over at Juno & Beatport. Be sure to follow them over at Soundcloud for all their latest music.

Enough words, check out the tracks for yourselves below and read through our feature with R@s Music. We will be holding another Reverbnation competition soon so keep ‘em peeled.

Free – DOWNLOAD Checkout Added to cart

To download please click the button above. When the item is added to your cart you can checkout or continue adding music. When you checkout please enter your e-mail address, first and last name and click purchase. No money will be asked for this is a FREE DOWNLOAD. You will be added to the Free Breaks Blog mailing list to keep you informed of any future mixes, tracks or features we think you’ll be interested in.  You can download direct from the PURCHASE CONFIRMATION page or via the link sent to your e-mail.

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1. Congrats on being picked as winners. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, for those that don’t know please tell us, who are you, what do you do and what style(s) of music do you play?

Thank you for selecting us! This is such a great opportunity for us to connect with new artists and new listeners.

We are R@S. We consist of three members from Philadelphia. Connor Hansell a producer, Keith Wadsworth a guitar/synth player, and Gralin Hughes a visual artist. We make music that might be considered Hip-hop electro soul/glitch R@S always focuses on live performances that incorporate live instruments and that engage the audience through an eclectic mix of music and visual arts

2. Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at the moment, any releases on the horizon?

We’ve been in the studio crafting our debut full length for sometime, not shying away from the single and remix hustle for certain though… We have a glitchy R@S look at our homies Maggs Bruchez’s single “Whole House” and you can grab a sample of that at www.soundcloud.com/embymusic look for a digital release via iTunes and Spotify within the next couple weeks. Honestly Emby Records is curating some phenomenal nu disco and proper house tracks, we were so excited to get an opportunity to show some love with the remix!

3. Do you DJ? Any residencies or regular slots we can catch you at?

Currently we do not have any residencies but we play frequently at many Philadelphia venues. Check out our website if you would like to catch any of our upcoming shows. www.ratsphilly.com

4. What are your best/worst DJ/Performance experiences?

Playing an illegitimate renegade set at Farm Fest this year out front of a vendor was absolutely bonkers, I learned you can bring a punk rock attitude to dance music for certain, following that up a with our official set keeping the party moving in silent disco after Space Jesus was surreal, we definitely dig in and had a blast at our first festival appearance. Worst performance for me was outside of electronic music, I played a six flags in a different state, it was easily 100 degrees and we were our own roadies, we did get to ride roller coasters after but I promise that it was not enough consolation. It was a living spinal tap moment.

5. What got you into electronic music? What made you choose your current style and sound?

We all come from very different musical backgrounds. I don’t think any of us really ever thought we would be working with electronic music before this project.  I (connor the producer)  have always loved working with hip hop and I have always worked with hip hop production outside of the many projects that I have worked on, but I never really new how to bring it to the stage. So this project really formed a little over a year ago when I started listening to acts that are very hip hop influenced like gramatik and pretty lights that perform awesome live shows. Next thing I know Im on a 22 hour long ride with Keith and the homies to basslights Miami and R@S was officially born.

6. Which other artists past and present have inspired you?

For guitar it’s always been Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Paul Gilbert. I’m a product of tech guitar, which I feel is refreshing to provide in the dance music realm. Presently I’m enamored with the nu funk cats like Opiou and Koan Sound, I’ve heard it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.

7. What do you get up to outside of music?

We are all about family and friends!

8. What do you think it means to be a successful DJ or producer?

It means your digging in and providing fresh ideas consistently, and that you’re connecting with your fans and consistently engaging them through new content

9. What can we expect from you over the course of 2015 and beyond?

We have plans to play festivals and a lot of shows this coming year as we continue to grow the R@S culture and fan base. Its really all about making music that we love and reaching fans who can enjoy and experience it with us. We also plan on dropping a full length album in 2015. A lot of big things up ahead and we get excited every time we think about  it!

10. Anything else you would like to add?

Just that you have an absolutely phenomenal thing going here at Free Breaks, We appreciate the opportunity and that you can keep up with R@S music at the links below. Keep it fresh and keep it moving! Enjoy the tunes yall!

www.ratsphilly.com
www.facebook.com/ratsmusic215
www.twitter.com/ratsmusic215
www.televisionsky.com
www.instagram.com/ratsmusic215

Rats Music – Straight Ballin’

Ali B - Oh Shit! (Paradise) Vol. 4 by Ali B on Mixcloud

Ok folks here it is...the last installment in the Oh Shit! (Paradise) series...enjoy!

Another seamless amalgamation of tracks from mash-up master DJ Syko. This time we see him take on the 2005 hit from Chali 2na – ‘Comin Thru’ and combines with elements from British hip hop musician Ty. With great flow and progression, the tracks work well together like strawberries and cream on a hot summer day!

Ireland’s Premier deck technician

DJ Mek

Uploads a Hip-hop Mix from back in Day

90s Up-tempo Jams

GET IT HERE : http://www.divshare.com/download/7508868-5f1

Ace and Action - Letter to the Better

Big Daddy Kane - R.A.W.

UltraMagnetic M.C.s - Poppa Large

Chuck Chillout and Kool Chip - I'm Large

Public Enemy - Cant Do Nuthin For Ya Man (inst)

Eric B and Rakim - Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em

Public Enemy - Burn Hollywood Burn

Sway and King Tech - In Control

King Bee feat Ultramagnetic M.C.s - Cold Slammin

Freddie Foxx - The Master

Paris - The Hate that Hate made

Arabian Prince - Let the good times roll

Tim Dog and KRS ONE - I Get Wrecked

Run DMC - Whats it all about

L.L. Cool J - Jinglin' Baby

E.P.M.D. - Rampage (remix)

Eric B and Rakim - Don't Sweat the Technique

Kid 'n' Play - Gettin' Funky

Pete Nice and Daddy Rich - Rap Prime Minister (Rat Bastard)

Intelligent Hoodlum - Arrest the President

Low Profile - The Dub Just Begun

The D.O.C. - Portrait of a Masterpiece

Freshco and Miz - We Dont Play

Big Daddy Kane - The Wrath of Kane

Ice T - The Hunted Child

Silver Bullet - Guillotine beats

Echo Minott - Murder Weapon

Hardnoise - Untitled

Merlin - Bust a Move

Hijack - Hold no Hostage

Gunshot - Battle Creek Brawl

Stereo M.C.s - On 33 (inst)

Paradox Brothers - Jailbreak

D.J.Mink - Hey Hey Can You Relate ?

D.C.S. and Point Three - Who Cut Who ?

D.J.Cheese - Cheese is back Pt.2

Chad Jackson - Chill Gettin' Def