But let’s take a step back. What is TRANS PRIDE DUB WAR? It’s a compilation ideated and curated by Hallow which features tracks produced during a month-long dub war between transgender and nonbinary musicians from across the world.  An album that aims to act as a bridge between trans people to make them feel less alone in the music scene, a place that in contrast with its own root, it’s still far from being a safe and welcoming environment for trans, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people.

“I first got the idea to start a dub war between trans DnB producers in the summer of 2020, around when I first started a tiny Discord server for the few that I knew to hang out and connect with each other. At the time the server only had around a dozen members and many of them were busy, so I shelved the idea indefinitely,” Hallow explains about the birth of the project. “The concept for the dub war was reignited in my mind after reading a recent UKF interview with gyrofield where they asked Kiana a couple of questions about her identity. We’ve known each other for a long time and have talked at length about gender and DnB over the years, but her answers in the interview really resonated a lot with my own experiences and made me think a lot about some of the issues facing the scene”.

While the initial focus of the initiative was the D&B scene, which lineups, Hallow points out “are very often comprised of cisgender heterosexual men with the occasional cis woman (not to mention that the majority these days are white)” causing a strong feeling of alienation, the war dub quickly became a multi-genre affair. As they report, “it took like, a few hours and about three sends for it to expand far beyond that into the dance music scene as a whole. It was really incredible to watch a bunch of producers making so many different genres just pop up with their replies to a send. There were even people who weren’t the target of any sends just jumping in on the fun!”Among my favorite songs from TRANS PRIDE DUB WAR I need to mention Hallow and gyrofiled‘s contributions, ARIA VEIL stomping banger ‘NEONANGEL,’ the angelic ‘Procyon B’ by Vaque, telemist’s happy hardcore edition of ‘the veldt’ and the ethereal ‘Space FM’ by Kelbin. You can stream the full compilation (with all the dub war sends) on SoundCloud and purchase it on Bandcamp. All proceeds from sales will be donated to Mermaids, a charity dedicated to supporting young transgender, nonbinary, and gender-diverse people in the United Kingdom.

“To cisgender listeners: buy this compilation. Play the tunes in your DJ sets. Support transgender artists whenever and wherever you can. If you see anyone being unwelcoming to a trans person, step in. Feeling supported and welcome can be life-changing for many people.”

The post Dive Into The 32-Track Compilation ‘TRANS PRIDE DUB WAR’ appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

In the tracklist, drum&bass is predominant, but among the 136 tracks there is a varied representation of the wide spectrum of bass music (there’s even a touch of wave courtesy of Deadcrow). There is no shortage of well-known FUXWITHIT favorites such as Noisia, Dj Ride, Rohaan, gyrofield, IMANU, yunis, and some personal favorites of the undersigned like Balatron, latesleeper, Monrroe, Bop, and basically all the Hospital Record affiliated artists.

Sadly, this time the music is not the focus of the discussion, but only a means to convey a much more important message in support of Ukraine. For this reason, we leave room for those who are experiencing the situation and experiencing its effects firsthand. Below you can find the official statement published by the organizers.

With every day that passes, the high-scale humanitarian crisis and assault on the people of Ukraine continues to worsen. Civilian deaths are increasing on a daily basis across the country with no sign of stopping, with millions of citizens already forced out of their homes in search of refuge. As we wake up to yet another day of war, hundreds more innocent lives have been lost and destroyed overnight. We cannot leave this unchecked, and we need to act on this now without hesitation. Now more than ever is a time for unity, solidarity and support of a nation under attack. It’s crucial for us to use our voice to create widespread and sustained awareness of the situation on the ground in Ukraine, and to give support in every way possible. Whether it’s signing petitions, attending demonstrations, sharing facts on social media, offering help for refugees, or more – this situation cannot be allowed to continue, and engaging in support of any kind for the people of Ukraine is our absolute priority.

You can listen and purchase Together With Ukrain on Bandcamp here (the donations received so far amount to over £54,000).  Alongside the exclusive tracks, there’re also over 30 pieces of bespoke visual art, with art direction by Uno.

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gyrofield’s Synopsis EP dating back to October 2020 saw her develop a meticulous, boundary-pushing approach to production, stating that it was all “about taking drum and bass to its extremes.” Today, the talented artist looks to push that mentality one step further with the release of her Title Card EP via Inspected, orchestrating four mind-melting pieces that are sure to leave listeners awestruck. Fittingly delivered through a platform that only showcases the best and the brightest, the Title Card EP is a gem worthy of multiple listens from start to finish.

Soft, comforting textures float vividly throughout ‘Silk.’ ‘Rosequartz’ alongside frequent collaborator latesleeper is a glitchy, ethereal journey that is equally calculated as it is emotive. Chaotic, fast-paced rhythms leave one perplexed yet amused in ’23nd,’ and ‘FYDB’ is similar, but different. Simply put, every track is uniquely incredible, with gyrofield stating that “these four worlds are interlinked by their exploration of meaningful characteristics of sound, their central concepts originating from my perception of reality.”

We had the extreme pleasure of catching up with gyrofield to discuss the above statement in more detail, the ideas surrounding the project as a whole, and a few more interesting bits. Check out the project and the interview below.

The title card of a movie sometimes denotes the change from one act to another. How is the title of this project a reflection of this new chapter in terms of your sound?

Title Card and Self Titled represent a change in the way I approached writing music. For a very long time I was mainly invested in the technical side of production, aiming to execute ideas as best as I could. Some time after my Synopsis EP I began writing music that reflected on my mental state, my thoughts and the way I perceived the world. This was the beginning of a shift from a focus on dancefloor tracks to music that is emotive and expressive, though the two aren’t mutually exclusive.

You’ve talked about musical journaling in the past. Broadly speaking, what does this mean to you?

Musical journaling to me means that I’m trying to write something that is personal to me, and is reflective of my mental state and thoughts while creating the piece. Achieving this involves a process of self-discovery and relating aspects of myself with the ways that I write music, finding ways to create an authentic representation of my mind using the tools and processes involved in music production. Obviously this is an ongoing journey, and extends way beyond Title Card and Self Titled. Journals document personal experiences and thoughts with an aim of being truthful and honest, and I would describe my way of approaching music to be similar to that.

The project title is relatively straightforward, but the song titles aren’t. What does each track represent to you, and how do they all fit together to form what you envisioned for the Title Card EP?

These track titles are a bit oblique but each track represents a general concept or aspect of myself. These titles are up to the listeners’ interpretation. In attempting to depict these concepts I looked to creating character in sounds that remind me of them.

‘Silk’ to me is a track that sounds soft, smooth, and flowing. As with many other synth-focused tracks I’ve written there was a focus on warmth. It is something I’ve looked for in the music I listen to and make for years now, and ‘Silk’ is one way I chose to represent this characteristic in sound.

‘Rosequartz’ is about beauty and light, like how light refracts and splits into prisms when hitting a crystal. Kai (latesleeper) and I decided to depict that with small, discrete pieces of synth sounds. The interaction between the sounds creates the crystalline and fragmented aesthetic of the track.

’23nd’ was a track I wrote while reflecting on the pervasive disorder of the systems in our societies. It was written in a time of social movements and systematic injustice. Cold calculated rhythms form a complex web of musical relations that warp and develop over time. There is a kind of aggression, akin to the rage against the machine.

‘FYDB’ is similar to 23nd in the way it also has to deal with systematic and personal injustice. I wrongfully thought that the drum and bass scene would be a meritocracy where everyone could belong. Disillusioned by the truth I began writing the track in a turbulent state of mind. I wished I could just yell at everyone with a megaphone to get it together.

You recently tweeted about wishing you were more active on social media, but that you find comfort in creating in private. Can you elaborate more on that thought? In this age of social media, how do you balance promoting your work while still working in privacy? Why do you wish you were more active?

With that tweet I wanted to express the sentiment that it felt tiring to have a presence on social media while having to create music. It would be nice networking with people more often, and that would probably lead to many great opportunities for collaboration. It would also be nice to be more outspoken about social issues, and to be true to my moral compass all the time. It would be nice to do these things, but I simply don’t have the time and energy to involve myself like that, on top of living and creating. Right now I wish to continue my personal process of creating art in private, where I don’t have to prove my capabilities or be outspoken about anything. It’s also nice to be able to not be seen as ‘gyrofield’ when I interact with people in online spaces.

Why do you think Inspected is the right platform for you to showcase this evolution in your artistic abilities?

Above all, I’ve enjoyed Inspected’s output for years, they’ve released so much imaginative and thoughtful electronic music. Now that my focus in music is shifting to dreaming and thinking in sound, and I’ve grown in confidence in my craft, I felt like I could present my work to Inspected and its community. I want to present my perspective to people who are looking for forward-thinking and genuine expression in music, and Inspected is a good place for that.

The post gyrofield Makes Her Grand Debut On Inspected With Riveting ‘Title Card’ EP [Interview] appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Artists such as Guppi, SØMETHING, Xotix and much more have taken up the challenge to tackle this great anthem and sprinkle their flare onto it. Each musician gave it their all and showed everyone what they’re made of. From trap, house and even drum n bass, they not only served the original justice, but also the genres themselves. One artist in particular who really caught our ear was SØMETHING’s remix. Adding his groovy trap rhythms is a perfect execution when working on this. His deep bass leads cut through the competition in style. Turning it into his own club heater. Him and all the others were perfect choices.

The Want It remix EP has a ton of gems and ear candy laying deep inside. Containing surprises around every corner. This and the original song will go down as one of the most memorable underground electronic tracks of the year. A beautiful push for the movement no doubt. Do yourselves a favor and check out this group of remixes and see which ones you’ll be addicted to. We’re excited to see what’s next for Kumarion as well as Jadū Dala.

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The post Jadū Dala Drops A Wave Of Talent With The ‘Want It’ Remix EP appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

Synopsis is a bold exemplification of the experimental technics gyrofield is so widely praised for. A tactical layering of rolling basslines and melodic cuts, the four-track project marries contrasting genre-cultures with drum and bass design: a boundary-shattering approach the Hong Kong native beautifully perfects. Pushing drum and bass production to its absolute limit, Synopsis maintains a bright, dance floor energy with aery emotion thriving at its core.

Serving as a brief glimpse into gyrofield’s otherworldly mind, Synopsis opens with ‘2024’ (as premiered on Drum & Bass Arena). Euphonic in personality, ‘2024,’ is viciously complex, highlighting upbeat rhythms and rapid melodic force. This opening hitter creeps slightly over four minutes in duration, setting an imaginative precedent for what lies ahead.

Gyrofield lends an introspective look into the creation of ‘2024’ and its influence in guiding the creative execution of Synopsis:

“After ‘Evaluate Me’ and ‘Tech Flex,’ I knew I really enjoyed making music with synths. I enjoyed their unique expressiveness and the energy they brought to tracks, so I knew I wanted to do something focused on them, though at first, I did not know how. The first track, ‘2024’, came about from a simple bass riff experiment where I added layers and details to make the track progress. The initial idea sounded like something Camo & Krooked would do. At the halfway mark of the track, I wondered what I could do with the second half to give it that special edge. When I made the triplet switch idea, I felt the track really came together, and that it had an interesting series of twists and turns. Once the rough arrangement of ‘2024’ was finished, the concept of Synopsis started to take shape. I wanted tracks that were unexpected, full of details in both engineering and composition, and high energy. ‘Search Optimized’ came next…”

Our transition into ‘Search Optimized’ is an unpredicted one. Keeping true to gyrofield’s signature sound, ‘Search Optimized’ sits at just under four-and-one-half minutes in length. Although this track continues the promise of light-hearted dynamics and quickening excitement, it approaches listeners with an unsuspecting shift.

Gyrofield goes on to explain her creative process behind the record and its second-half tempo switch-up: 

“…I had the original idea of it back in last September, and it started as a more typical dancefloor track. One day I decided I wanted to revamp it, so I built a new track around the repeating synth riff. In some ways, it’s influenced by synth-funk music, like the short interjecting synth lines, the syncopated basses, and the complex call and response they were all a part of. With the tempo switch in the second half, the track was built.”

Gyrofield’s well-calculated detail and chopped melodic progressions carry into the following track titled ‘The True.’ However, unlike the previous records, ‘The True’ holds onto darker tones as it draws inspiration from classic techno production and design. 

The artist elaborates on the track’s gripping emergence of complimenting soundscapes from contrasting music cultures:

“‘The True’ and ‘Jade’ both seem more straightforward arrangement-wise, but I made sure to pack in enough rhythmic and sonic nuance to make them just as satisfying to listen to as the first half of the EP. ‘The True’ was influenced by synth-heavy techno tracks where layers built upon each other, but always changing. Similarly, the rhythms of the track change every 16 bars. The juggling-around of kick and snares was also a prominent feature in the track. I’d say juke and footwork and broken beat techno were influenced in the rhythmic ideas.”

Continuing further down the beaten path that is Synopsis, we land upon ‘Jade.’ Adhering to the orthodox drum and bass structure fans adore, “Jade” leads with a full-spirited atmosphere and strategically implemented gyrofield charm. The light-hearted makeup of ‘Jade’ then breaks into finite detail while harmonizing alongside a punchy bassline.  

“I think Jade is the most standard track out of the four and was very much influenced by contemporary drum and bass artists, such as Grey Code, The Caracal Project, IMANU, Phace, etc. One neat thing about it is that it used syncopated 16ths as the rhythm on the sharp sub stab, which made for an interesting groove and allowed for the elements on top to be more rhythmically simple but still interact with the bass. I packed in a lot of small little synth details into the intro and breakdown while finishing Jade to make sure that they were engaging while still being ambient enough to have the function of an intro or breakdown.”

Outside of the auditory aspects that enable this project to be so enticing, gyrofield finds the importance of carrying her intricacies to the visual experiences. The emerging tastemaker relays her admiration for abstract design and the early inspirations for the Synposis artwork:

“In terms of the artwork, I’d always been interested in abstract designs, so I decided I’d keep the Synopsis artwork in line with my two previous drum and bass EPs. I was fascinated by abstract oil paint art and crystal structures and wanted to combine the two in some way for the artwork. Once again, in this EP, I was attempting to communicate the abstract, but in a way that more resembles a narrative, and I aimed for the EP to be full of detail but still interesting as a whole, so I thought the ideas for the artwork were quite fitting for the music”.

Synopsis positions itself as just one of gyrofield’s more technical works and fans are right to be ecstatic. When listeners feel they have pinpointed her defining sound and direction, she surprises the masses to reinvent what drum and bass can accomplish in sound design and overall presentation. Gyrofield’s art-conscious and haphazardly philosophical approach to production is nearing incomparability as her newest EP displays not only her vast capabilities as an artist but her unique placement within the electronic scene. Setting unique sounds into the minds of steadfast drum and bass die-hards, gyrofield is undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with, and Synopsis plays proof to this statement.

The post ‘Synopsis’ Is A Bold Exemplification Of gyrofield’s Talents appeared first on FUXWITHIT.

AP11

France’s output of phenomenal future beat producers is seemingly endless. Hailing from Lyon, AP11 has been bubbling on our radar for over a year. His contribution to the impressive Outsider Paris compilation alongside tices was a sure standout, combining exotic and wordly sound palettes with his signature knock. AP11’s style is rap inspired with a futuristic approach and a keen ability to craft bangers. There may be no better example than their latest release Krunk. to embody this. From the lush, foreign strings to the mesmerizing plucks, it’s nearly transcendent while packing an absolutely filthy trap grittiness. Add in pitched down rap vocals and it simply doesn’t get much better than this. French future beats are taking over and AP11 is helping to lead the charge.
-C

BRUNCHBEATZ

Born and raised in Michigan, Quin Seabolt is quickly accumulating momentum behind his production alias BRUNCHBEATZ. A recent signee to Electric Hawk, Seabolt is widely regarded for possessing a diverse range of styles at even the earliest infancy in his career, with tracks such as ‘SCRAMBLED’ that range from a more eclectic variety of trap to a more aggressive dubstep, as depicted in ‘SMOKED’. In addition to his solo efforts, Seabolt has found a tactical opportunity to mesh both the sounds and imagery from branding into his own unique format of remixes coined ‘RE SCRAMBLES’. Much like the dining spread at a late morning buffet, there’s a variety of potential in BRUNCHBEATZ.
-SL

gyrofield

Ever since landing on my radar with the incredibly infectious ‘Out Of My Mind’ ft. inkwill over a year ago, I’ve been meaning to feature gyrofield on our Focus Five segment. The irresistibly danceable tune catapulted the Hong Kong-based artist to the top of the underground drum and bass scene, and with every subsequent release gyrofield has shown that her skills are only continuing to evolve, often exploring other genres with equal prowess. With a solid arsenal of original tracks under her belt, as well as a handful of unofficial remixes including an insanely catchy remix for AuRa and Alan Walker’s ‘Ghost,’ it’s evident that gyrofield has the ability to pump out quality hits on a regular basis, and with a forthcoming single on the coveted Pilot Records in early August, it’s only a matter of time before gyrofield becomes a household name.
-SC

Ivoryghost

While the wave scene is quite busy with an internal feud between the wave and hardwave formations, as a humble fan as I am, I prefer to simply focus on finding good music and brilliant creatives, regardless of genre. Ivoryghost is a name that I’ve seen popping up in my SoundCloud feed for a while thanks to his crossover remix of Joji and Lana del Rey and his appearance on pivotal networks like Yume and Sekai Collective, but now I believe it’s finally time to bring him to the spotlight. With the release of his brand new EP, the project has indeed reached maturity for me. In each one of the five tracks, the Dutch producer masterfully interprets wave’s signature mood in a different fashion. You’ll find wave and hardwave vibes of course, but also garage, house and ambient. With a huge release already signed by one of the biggest label in the game, I have high expectations from ivoryghost from now on.
-AA

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SALLA

What’s better in this life than some grade-A underground SoundCloud trap? The most succinct answer is, “Not much.” Deep into one of my nightly binges of the seedy underbelly of the SoundCloud game, I found an account with a gigantic sound, but a currently small following. Not much is known about Salla, but he has 2 tracks that would be on-par with producers that have 100x the followers he already has. ‘Cook It Up‘ has inordinate amounts of bounce and a groove that will have your hips shaking until they fall off your entire body. ‘Lift‘ is shorter on the energy, but just as tall in style and ambiance. For fans of that gritty underground trap, Salla is definitely one to keep your eye on.
-AB

Words by Alessio, Alex, Colin, Sam & Steph

The post Focus Five: Volume 30 appeared first on FUXWITHIT.