The West Country’s Eats Everything aka Dan Pearce has just launched a record label with "100 percent freshness guaranteed" – the fittingly-named Edible Records. This news reminded me that Eats Everything is a Bristolian beacon of light in a world where the majority of modern House is just the same beat with a different sample on top. At the moment, his reworking of a Tiga vs Audion track ‘Dancing (Again!)’ has hypnotising effects and gets you doing just that when it is dropped here, there and everywhere. Similarly, 2013’s ‘The Gettup’ still succeeds in its aim to uplift; it certainly managed to get my pals and I utilising the space in an empty Cosmic Ballroom at the early hour of 11pm last week. All this recent talk of Eats has got me thinking – does Bristol really do it best? As an ex Bristol Uni offer-holder, I would have voted yes to this question in the summer of ’14, because the city’s dub-ling electronic discography was the reason I applied there – I do not lie. I mean, the words, "Roni Size", "Pinch" and "Julio Bashmore" are far more of a selling point than their English Literature department. As a reject, I can now analyse the so-called Bristol Sound” free from bias. Naturally, I now agree with Twitter’s biggest cynic Geoff Barrow (@jetfury) of Portishead fame, who once dissed his hometown in saying that Newcastle has a better electronic scene than Brizzle. Aesthetically, the Big B is undeniably the edgiest place in the UK, and its graffiti goes hand in hand with dub, grime and drum & bass. I guess electronic music probably sounds more atmospheric if you’re contemplating a Bansky mural rather than a Geordie hen do on a Saturday night.
Preview: OUT Part 2, 19th November, World Headquarters
Still fairly unknown underground event, OUT was launched in 2013 with the aim ‘to break the mundane’, and recently took a brief hiatus to reinvent and improve itself. It returned in full force to both of World HQ’s floors last month with the likes of Nightshift and Plastician, and is back with our monthly fix this Thursday accompanied by "Godfathers of Grime" The Newham Generals and Royal T. Having grown up in Southampton, Royal T felt isolated as a kid from the Garage Scene which was emerging from the darkest depths of London, so his unique take on Garage and Grime isn’t to be missed. OUT promise eclectic vibes at this one with Jungle, Techno and Disco all on the bill, which is why they feel they should be chosen over more-established club nights. Give it a go.
You Need To Hear: Grades
My artist discovery of the week is GRADES, a vibrantly versatile EDM producer from Croydon, Londontown. Fusing elements of House, Disco and Garage with effortless ease and attention to detail,the elusive male figure behind the project puts a creative spin on tracks by mainstream artists like Lana Del Ray (his ‘West Coast’ remix is super-sexy), whilst also offering us treats of his own. His first release ‘Forever’ from 2014 succeeds in the ultimate producer goal of making your skull vibrate when played through headphones. A rare modern House triumph, it doesn’t surprise me that Annie Mac plugged it as one of her Free Music Monday downloads, which spurred on an air wave of radio play from the BBC likes of Zane Lowe, Pete Tong and Mistajam. The first GRADES song that I heard was actually third single ‘Crocodile Tears’ which made an appearance on a DJ EZ mix, due to the fact that it screams noughties Garage with its jittery 2-step beat. Yet the track is still contemporary enough to have bagged Blonde’s support slot. It’s a GRADE A for talent from me.
Listen to: Grades – Crocodile Tears