What are you doing on Thursday 9th September? Well, if you’re in New York then we’ve got a pair of tickets to see dance-pop maestro, Dan Black’s show at Bowery Ballroom, plus a copy of his album. Recently nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards and fresh off a sold out US tour with Robyn and Kelis , the ex-vocalist from the Servant is gathering critical acclaim either side of the Atlantic.

All you need to do is email here answering this question – Dan Black is from England, is playing in New York, but where does he live at the moment?

For more details on the show, check here.

Interview by Sarah-Jayne Boyd
Photography by Rob Low

Far more petite and delicate in real life than any pictures suggest, Ikonika (a.k.a. Sara Abdel-Hamid) possesses a shyness and awkward manner that is undermined in her attire – skin tight denim effect leggings, black and bottle green Puma zip-up (collar popped), Moschino gold-plated necklace, and New Era baseball cap (round, gold sticker intact). She looks street and cool and feisty, but in person is genuine and sweet. These two contrasting attributes are well reflected in her music, which can be as urban, edgy and aggressive as it can be melancholic and vulnerable. Perhaps a reflection of the dark dub-step scene she emerged from, an Ikonika production is an unstructured, hybrid melting-pot of beats, beeps, and bass that doesn’t let your ears rest for a minute. Her album, Contact, Love, Want, Have (Hyperdub, April 2010) is fully instrumental and is an eclectic ode to many musical influences from computer sonics to ’90s R&B and hip-hop.

I met the producer and DJ in a barren bar at CAMP on London’s Old Street roundabout to talk Hounslow, dub-step and being the so-called “First Lady” of London’s exploding genre.

Can you tell us a little about Ikonika and how it came about?
I produce and DJ under the name Ikonika. I’m signed to Hyperdub Records and Planet Mu. I just released an album on Hyperdub that came out in April. It’s kind of a tribute to where I grew up and what I grew up around.

Which was?
I grew up in Heston in Hounslow. Very near to Heathrow Airport. I’ve got two older sisters who were very much into raving. They listened to lots of UK Garage, so that influenced me a lot. I grew up with pirate radio and a lot of ’90s R&B and hip-hop. And also computer games. Particularly stuff on the Megadrive and NES. My sound is a kind of a regurgitation of all those influences in my life, in a kind of dub-step context. My music is written in dub-step bpm (130-140 bpm). I have a lot of sub-bass in my tunes, which is probably the reason why I’m considered dub-step.

What do you consider dub-step? You’ve been referred to as the First Lady of Dub-Step, the New Lady of Dub-Step. Would it be correct to say you don’t want to be boxed into that title?
It’s just ’cause I was brought up with different genres. In my teenage years, I was into hardcore and metal, and I was in a band for many years as a drummer.  So I guess my music is either combining all those genres that had surrounded me or its post-genre. Or it’s genreless.

A review about your new album stated that you have the ability to break down structures. Do you think that that is true?
As a drummer in a metal band we were never constrained to structures or arrangements. But a lot of the electronic music I was listening to, like hip-hop or R&B, it was just kind of an 8-bar loop played for five minutes with a vocalist. So doing instrumental music, I just don’t want it to be fatiguing for the listener. I want to keep it interesting all the way through.

Can I just pick up on the instrumental focus of the album? Is that on purpose? Do you think in the future you’d like to have vocals on your tracks?
Yeah, definitely. I mean right now I’m in my experimental stage in my production. I’m still an early producer. I don’t have any fear of that kind of stuff. One day, talking business related, then yeah I would. It’s just set-up wise, at the moment, I can’t have vocalists come in. But yeah, I’d love to produce for people like Robyn or Madonna. To be commercial and pop, but still have some integrity.

And you would be happy to go that route?
Yeah. At some point. I mean I wouldn’t sell out or anything. I’ve had major labels come up to me already and I’ve lasted five minutes in the office before I’ve said, “no, no, no!”

What kind of things have you been saying no to?
You know, they try and say, “I’ve seen you in magazines,” or “I’ve seen your Myspace, you’re categorized as dub-step” and kind of using my sex as a way to sell. They want a female commercial dub-step producer.

Can you expand on this?
Yeah, I can see what they were doing. I worked in music retail before I was a producer, so I know how things sell and how things are marketed. I don’t really want to be used like that and I don’t feel my gender is important to my music. In terms of being a role model for other female producers, I think that’s fantastic, but for me to sell myself as a woman, that’s wrong. To me that’s, that’s…prostitution (laughing).

How do you think dub-step has changed since you started?
Dub-step was the first genre that I felt I could do whatever I wanted. It just has to have sub-bass and it has to be the right bpm. It was instrumental, which I really liked, and the majority of the producers were from London. That was the main reason why I wanted to play a part in it – it’s so close to home. It’s all those things that I like and people were coming from different scenes, experimenting with the dub-step landscape and the dub-step platform. So you had people coming from rock, drum and bass, techno, garage, grime, house, everyone loving this one thing.
And what I loved about it was you can really tell the producers’ sounds. You can tell a Kode9 production from a Skream production from a Burial production from a Mala production. They were all dub-step and they’re so different from each other. If my music came out in 2005 I would definitely be considered dub-step, and that would be the one genre. But dub-step has mutated into different little branches. And to be honest that’s a really good thing, and if a scene can do that, that’s fantastic.

Do you think you’ll always stay true to that original dub-step?
Yeah, I don’t know. I mean sometimes I feel that the music is dub-step, sometimes I don’t. Right now I feel it’s kind of…well…housey (laughing). Housey mixed with dub-step, mixed with funky, mixed with R&B. And the bigger picture is that it’s just electronic music from the UK.

You can see that in your music: it spans genres – as soon as you think you know where it’s going, it flip-reverses it. How intentional is that?
I used to be really hesitant giving my tunes out to DJs, ’cause I’d think they’re really not going to play this ’cause it’s so different. I think Kode9 took a really big chance with me and it worked out for the best. Hyperdub’s the kind of label that wants to progress and understands mutations. Not really predict the future of this particular scene, but just kind of predict that it could be so much more. It has no fear whatsoever, which I’m really attracted to. And Kode9 never tells me what to do. Just having a mentor like that, it’s really important.

It’s obviously a real hybrid genre. Do you feel the fact that it’s come out of London has been a factor in that – the influence of London’s hybrid cultures?
Yeah, definitely. I mean dub-step was pretty dark in 2005. It was dark garage and then it span into this dark half-step, which I related to a lot because it had that kind of hip-hop feel to it: really raw, really cheap, really grimy. Really London. It was just really true. And I remember thinking UK artists were doing really well and why aren’t people pushing this sound? This fantastic sound. People should be proud to be from London and the UK. Like garage music for us was incredible, everyone was into garage. Even my mum was! And the way it died out was just all a bit confusing to me.

And in terms of all the people you’ve mentioned and in terms of your future albums, are there collaborations you’d like to set up in the future?
I’m working with a few producers, some are ongoing, some are known in the scene, I guess.

Such as?
I don’t want to talk about it if that’s alright? I don’t want to jinx anything. I can say there is one pioneer of dub-step in there, but also a garage-esque producer that’s involved. But the main collaboration would be with my partner, Optimum. We’ve just started a label together, and we’re working on a few tracks together and having fun with it.

And you’ve been touring quite a bit? What was the best place you’ve been?
Well this year I did a tour of the States back in June, and that was so nice to have people who really knew my music.

How were people responding to your music and to dub-step in the States? Were they receptive to it?
They were pretty clocked on actually. Particularly people in New York. They understand dub-step and where it came from. They are also fans of grime and garage, but they’ve always had a big house scene and hip-hop scene, and obviously are into R&B. So to go to the States and for them to really understand the music is great.

What’s next for Ikonika?
Just try and keep a lot of time in the studio, that’s really important. Some people want to make an album, have a rest and then tour, and then they get back in the studio and they can’t remember what to do. I just want to keep on working, I feel really inspired right now.

Do you feel like you’re getting your stride?
Yeah. With dub-step, Skream’s new album is out, and that’s a really big thing for the whole scene and for everyone in it. Dub-step hasn’t been around that long, but it’s a very big underground scene. And I hope that in another 10 years, maybe five years, it will explode.

And how do you think you’ll develop your next album?
It will be the stuff that’s influencing me now. So lots of house vibes, UK funky vibes. I’ve done the computer game thing. The second album is always difficult to do, but I really want to have that Ikonika sound and contrast. That’s something that I really love. I will say it will be totally different from the first album.

Ou Est Le Swimming Pool have confirmed that their debut album, The Golden Year will be released, worldwide on 3rd October 2010.

After speaking with the late, lead singer Charles Haddon’s family, remaining band members Joe Hutchinson and Caan Capan have decided to proceed with the original schedule for the release of the record they planned with Charles. In further accordance with Charles and the band’s wishes, the album will be followed by the single “The Key” on 10th October.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to the band and Haddon’s family.

Words Lou Wright

The introductory salvo of Hot Panda’s How Come I’m Dead? (Mint Records, 2010) – entitled “Membership Fees” – is pretty telling. The first impression is rumbling drone, joined by single guitar notes and a lurking chorus of strings. At first the guitar seems to be in a moderated, 4/4 cadence, but it’s soon taken out of context by vocalist Chris Connelly, making the notes sound draggy and nearly atonal. This is familiar ground, and we’ve been here before, most notably under the guidance of Kim Gordon. But then something new happens, something that presages the record to come. The drums kick in slightly ahead of the beat, turning what was droning, jangling miasma into…a groove.

Soon, the introduction has been made and we’re off on an adventure, blending wiggly, danceable beats with noisy, goofy instrumentation and what I believe music critics have come to call “knowing pop structure”. Not many bands can pull off being this strange and this catchy at the same time – lately, Dinowalrus is the only thing that comes to mind, while looking farther back I’d point out The Fall and The Deadbeats. But that’s the thing. Many bands these days remind me of The Fall with their discordant, anti-melodic vocals and artfully asymmetrical guitar shred-throughs. Those bands just make me want to listen to The Fall. Hot Panda makes me want to listen to more Hot Panda.

References can be tricky, because they help us paint a picture even though they can sometimes hold us back. The last relevant one in this review is Talking Heads, whom Hot Panda borrows from not so much in their sound as in their sound’s attitude. The feel is one joyful exploration, of wide-eyed looking-out that isn’t afraid to fall down and look the fool. This is something that seems a little scarce lately, although to be honest I’ve been in Alaska all summer and I may have missed a sea-change – in recent weeks, it seems like every new record I hear is bouncy, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (shout-out to Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin’s Let It Sway!). It’s good to see that a band can combine the we-don’t-care-what-we-sound-like swagger of the Brooklyn basements with the we-just-want-you-to-have-a-good-time vibe of a children’s television show.

Standout tracks include “1995”, which makes the reasonable assertion that the year in question ‘looks good / in hindsight’ and its immediate neighbor “Masculinity”, which proclaims ‘I can’t grow a beard / but at least I can act like a man!’ But standout tracks aren’t the issue, it’s the spirit of the record that I’ve come here to praise. Hot Panda claims to play ‘rock and roll that’ll make people dance and feel happy…simple stuff!’ and they do it admirably. They sound like the kind of band you’d like to have in your backyard, tearing it up while you bite into the most delicious pancakes you’ve ever tasted. They sound like the start of a weird, sunny day. Get into it.

Words by Jo Fuertes-Knight
Photos by Dan Wilton

Bashy is devastatingly charismatic to the point where you just want to run through meadows with him and have him braid your hair. Unfortunately we were only there to catch up with him on the promo trail – with the release of his first feature film Shank coming out on DVD and fresh off a video shoot for his new album.

Since sparking both controversy and admiration with underground smash “Black Boys” and releasing debut album Catch Me If You Can, his rise has been steady. Like many of his peers to finally triumph in the charts, Ashley Thomas has an enviable CV – MC slash actor slash music co-ordinator slash Bish Bash Bosh clothing owner…yes, there are a lot of slashes.

At some point between all the fidgeting, veering off topic and shouting abuse at each other ‘SUP got to pick the brains of this charming muh-fucker about media domination plans and sugar highs.

Life? How’s that going for you?
(laughs) Best way to start an interview. Just been working hard man – promoting the films I’ve been in, auditioning, going to castings, filming a new feature film with Matthew Hope.

Concentrating on acting then?
I’ve been recording my next album as well, touring with Chipmunk, a world tour with the Gorillaz and I just shot my new video for “Fantasy” in Mexico.

Yeah you spent a few bills on that I see?
Independent money baby! Everything seemed to fall in to place for it, especially getting Preeya Kalidas involved. Now I’ve got a bit of quiet time though, to do stuff like this obviously.

Your music videos are often quite epic, you’ve had weird 1970s disco styling to mini movies, what’s all that about?
Was the 1970s one weird?

There was a lot of crotch.
(stares though rolled up magazine)

…let’s just say cinematic then …because… (shouts through rolled up magazine) I can!

Are you just showing off your acting chops?
Artists have a knack of putting themselves into boxes and becoming quite repetitive because they’re scared of confusing and scaring people off. I’m lucky I’ve got the choice to experiment, so why not?

You’ve got that independent label freedom but have you been tempted to go major yet?
They both have benefits, I’d sign a deal with a major if it was right but I’m not going to be selling my arse. There are a lot of benefits to having a smaller team, as well as the freedom the pace seems faster, decisions can be made instantly instead of having to go through a million different people in offices, that’s important to me. But like I said if the deal was right, I’m not going to rule anything out.

You first got recognition with “Black Boys”, which caused a bit of a knicker twist in the papers and with OFCOM. Do you find it strange how tabloids that have demonised it before are now hailing black music?
It had to happen sometime, we’re so far behind America in that respect. Every ten years or so we get a spotlight but this time round it seems more exposed, there’s a bigger presence. That’s exactly what we need, positive black male role models in the media. I think now, because it’s so easy to get exposure with YouTube, blogging and all that stuff the playing field seems to have levelled. But you know, the press will love you today hate you tomorrow.

You’re pretty keen on the blogging game too?
I like that you can have an opinion or start a debate on a blog. With Twitter it’s very promotion driven or ‘I went to see a film. The end’ (laughs) I have shit to say!

Music, acting, clothing, blogging – do you think artists have to try their hand at everything?
Not necessarily, I like being creative, however that may manifest, but if you’ve got one trick and you’re really good at that one thing then stick to it.

Who do you think is a one trick pony?
No! I’m not answering, not gonna bad mouth anyone.

Fine…so what did you think of everyone creaming their pants over Skepta hooking up with Diddy and remixing “Hello Good Morning”?
Oh man, you’re just one of them controversial ones. I’m saying nothing, I can see the opinion just ready to jump out of your face…

Should America patting us on the head validate a whole genre though?
(hides in jacket for a quite a while) Look, Skepta is big whatever happens. He took the opportunity, boom, he done his ting, he’s always on it. Him linking up with Diddy, to me, was just super professional, who wouldn’t have? Not only that, but he got the remix done and it sounds sick. Opinion wise, grime has already arrived, so with people shouting about that I’m like, ‘What the fuck? We’ve already had number ones, Dizzee’s had fucking hits for ages!’ I can’t blame people for being excited, especially with all the glitz and glamour of the U.S., but we have to get this territory locked too, keep Europe locked down, you know?

Like a war?
NO…fuck, you’re trouble. I mean, yes it’s nothing but good that we’re getting U.S. hype but the world is bigger than England and the U.S. – it’d be foolish to close our eyes to other music. Touring with the Gorillaz I got to spit in Beirut with The Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. I would never have looked at that music ordinarily. Music is not just the UK versus America.

That said, everyone in UK music seems to be playing nicely, less MCs beefing and sending for each other?
Exactly, we’re finally working together and so long as people don’t start fucking about shit will stick, this time feels more permanent.

There is a high now but what’s next?
The sound could go anywhere. What I do know is we need some proper labels, we need our own so we can nurture and it’s not left to people to scout out the talent. At the moment we rely on established labels to find us, there’s an Oliver Twist ‘please sir can I have some more’ attitude about it.

And for you? What’s the ultimate?
Be rich. Nah, not really, just to reach my full potential, I’ve got big aspirations, massive dreams it’s just a case of staying focused. Fingers crossed I’m in for the long run, I’m sure it’s easier to give up than it is to keep going, you get so many knock backs.

Finally, most importantly…what happened to the lollipops? You’d never be seen without one, did Chupa Chups decay your teeth?
I got really good teeth but I think I just grew out of the lollipops.

You could do Sherbert Dip Dabs?
I have a mad sweet tooth, I just eat a lot of sweet stuff anyway. But it would not be cool to be pictured with a Bakewell tart would it?

(Dan cuts in ‘a Mr Kipling sponsorship?’)
Rah, that would be sick…

or Bish Bash Bosh lollipops?
Yeah, I was thinking of that! This interview is bonkers, lets get some more quotes in.

Yeah do it.
How about, “maintain a rags to riches state of mind” (laughs) that’s off my label, shameless plug there. I’m on fire today man! I’m in a good place right now, just happy.

One of ‘SUP‘s most prevalent photographers Dan Wilton, teamed up with filmographer Huse Monfaradi to brave a week long tirade of spit and heartfelt fury to bring you their first collaborative exhibition – Fuck Off I Love You. They captured 54 friends and colleagues looking a bit terrifying as they hurl abuse, cuss and rant at the camera. There’s a private view on 19th August (RSVP here) and it’s open to the public from the 20th – 26th at Londonewcastle Project Space, 28 Redchurch St, E2 7DP.

For all the detail check out their site here.

Words: Lou Wright
Pictures: Portrait of Jesse by Grant Willing, all others by Jesse Hlebo

I’ve known Jesse Hlebo for quite some time now, and he has never ceased to be a positive force in the world, constantly moving forward into bigger and better things. I remember the first time I met him, at the house he shared in Echo Park, Los Angeles- he shook my hand for upwards of three minutes, smiling beatifically, in a way that made me feel completely welcome. Now living in Brooklyn, Jesse is the impresario of Swill Children, an art/music/writing/performance powerhouse exploring the wild borderlands between the physical and digital worlds – and pumping out some damn fine music in the meantime. I got a chance to talk to Jesse for ‘SUP, and while our conversation covered everything from the high cost of jazz shows in New York to some blurry memories of Los Angeles underground shows gone by, the overall message is simple and concise; this boy and his friends are onto something big, and you’d better start paying attention. Enjoy.

How are you?
I’m OK, crazy busy right now.

With what?
Preparing for this convention tomorrow that I’ve been helping out with. My friend started this sunglasses line that I’ve been the graphic designer for and the convention is tomorrow and we have all these catalogs that need to be done and order sheets etc. I made the site, too. (http://phosprojects.com) I might not be typing super fast ’cause i have a really bad hangnail.

No worries. So, can you talk a little bit about what Swill Children is?
Swill Children is a project I started in 2009 with help from my friend Alec Dartley. He runs a label called Aagoo that I’ve been helping with for the past two years, and the way I got paid was through the first few Swill Children releases, he helped put them out. I like to refer to Swill Children as an umbrella since it encompasses a number of different projects in one place. The common thread throughout them all is a handling of the physical and the digital in an emotionally charged manner. I think it’s important for things to physically exist but I also love and value the opportunities set forth by the internet

You spoke about that balance in the release of your newest project, PAPERWEIGHT. Can you tell me more about that?
PAPERWEIGHT is an internet-based project with eight constant contributors and one rotating guest contributor each month. I want it to serve as a forum for critical discussion centered around small press and self publishing as well as a resource of historical examples of both those disciplines. It seems to me there’s a lack of thoughtful discourse occurring with regards to small press and that seems to me a dangerous place to be in intellectually as a creator. If all that I’m consuming of what’s going on with zines and artist books and other such projects is the aesthetics, it’s doing a disservice to both the present as well as the future of these mediums. I’ve found that to be the primary value drawn from these forms, their surface, rather than the deeper social, political, and ideological connotations they manifest.

Hm. interesting. I would really like to be able to talk to you about everything that you’re doing, because you’re doing so much, but I supposed we should talk about music. Can you tell me about the bands the Swill Children works with?
The way I’ve approached the music side of Swill Children thus far is in the context of the project as a whole. The music is supplementary to everything else and the artists I work with are chosen to play distinct roles along with everything else. I’ve released a split cassette (with Wizard Mountain) for W-H-I-T-E, a musical project by Cory Hanson. I’ve also released a 7″ of his that was intended to be the first part of a three part 7″ LP, the idea being that if we sold out of the first part, we’d use that money to make the second part, and that money to make the third, so the only way the album could be fully released was if people paid for its release. Unfortunately we haven’t sold enough to pay for the other two 7″s so there’s only the one. Alec (from Aagoo) and I felt bad that the material would go to waste though, so we released a limited edition CD of the record, it’s called SUNNA. The other music releases have been a 7″ series entitled Sorrow | Jubilance. The records are in editions of 333 and are all cyan colored vinyl. Each record decreases in saturation from Part 1 to Part 3, so that, when displayed all together, they create a gradient. All the records are splits, and each side is commissioned specifically for the series. Part one was Lucky Dragons and Weekend (who now goes under his name, Jason John Würm), Part two was Okie Dokie and Nü Sensae, and Part three is Ty Segall and Mikal Cronin. There’s also going to be a track of me reading a piece I wrote regarding sorrow/jubilance on the final record. I’m really excited because the third and final record of the series is coming out next month, so both Ty and Mikal will be in New York mid-month and we’re going to have a record release show for it.

This is Ty Segall of San Francisco, yeah? Used to be in the Epsilons?
Yeah. He’s been in a number of rad projects. Party Fowl, The Traditional Fools, Sic Alps. He sang for Bad Dudes for a minute, pretty rad!

Yeah, he’s a great goddamn guy. Epsilons at Il Corral (now-defunct underground club in L.A.) was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen – when we were all 17 or so, they were way ahead of the pack.
Oh rad!! That’s awesome.

You said that the music fits into the project as a whole. What do you think makes the bands that you work with fit into your vision? They’re very different, from very ambient and noisy (W-H-I-T-E, Lucky Dragons) to louder-faster stuff like Okie Dokie and Nu Sensae.
Well, the publications all deal with a sense of loss, both from an emotional standpoint as well as a ‘media’ standpoint. All of the musicians I’ve worked with thus far contain those elements of loss in their music, both in their lyrical content and in their use of the medium. So much of W-H-I-T-E’s music is about death and fear, in the context of sounds that are so enveloping and comforting, and it creates a really interesting juxtaposition to me. It’s like being wrapped in a blanket as you walk over a cliff. Both Okie Dokie and Nu Sensae’s lyrics are about an intense anxiety that won’t stop, and while being so seemingly negative, there’s consistent elements of humor in their music.

Interesting. How did you come into contact with the groups?
All different ways, but mostly through the music scene, going to shows, friends of friends, the internet etc. I used to do this online zine thing called Commonism and I met Lucky Dragons and Mikal through that, actually.

Why do you think that it’s important to keep material things involved with music specifically?
I think that, while the time we’re living in is really special in terms of its conversion to digital technologies, there will never be a full substitute for physical tangibility. One of the most important things to me is history and the idea that, with a single mistake, years and years of data can be lost. That’s so frightening! I mean, it’s great that I can have all that shit on my hard drive but, I mean, I’ve had hard drives crash and I’ve lost three years worth of work. You can’t get that back, you know? There’s other things that are nice about tangible mediums, the sound quality, the packaging etc, and while those are important factors for me, the most important thing is the historicity of it all. I know it won’t last forever but it has a better chance of lasting longer than an mp3 file.

Yeah, that’s true.
The same thing applies to the artists, books and zines and all that.

In that vein, is there anything that you wish you could see, touch, feel, and preserve that you can’t because no one applied this kind of thought to it? Anything that’s been really lost to the ages that you feel the specific absence of?
The first things that come to mind are Netflix and jazz music.

I think I understand the jazz connection, but not the Neflix. Go on.
Netflix’s transition to a largely internet based medium, while convenient, means the loss of the work that used to be required if you wanted to experience a film. You used to have to go to the video store which was a trip, required time in selection, the trip back etc. Whereas now it’s so impulsive and accessible! I mean it’s nice that the convenience is there but I feel like it makes us as viewers far too passive and inattentive.

Okay, I hear that. I mean personally, I find that when I receive movies from Netflix, I rarely feel compelled to watch them. They lose all their urgency because they’re just there.
Yeah totally. There are so many positive things about Netflix though, but for sure the constant ease and ever-accessibility does a lot more damage than the surface conveys. With jazz, I just feel like it’s a really unique facet of American culture that has been so unattended by pop culture at large. I live in New York City and I’ve yet to find a quality jazz performance for under $50. So many people can’t afford that sort of cost so they just don’t go, me included

Yeah, i know what you mean about the price of jazz, which is strange considering the place it originally occupied in culture. I’m more likely to afford a classy dinner with people who feel themselves “above” jazz than I am to afford an actual jazz show in New York.
It’s so fucking devastating, man. That was one of the things that brought me to New York, it was jazz.

Really? Jazz was a motivation?
The history of it in this city and all the great players that live and have lived here. I get pretty upset every time I walk by the Blue Note club on W. 3rd, everything always costs too much and I’m like ‘oh shit! Branford Marsalis is playing there! Ron Carter is playing there!’

So jazz is important to you, but most people might award the music that you put out the “Least Likely to Ever Be Compared to Jazz, Ever” medal – though I’m sure there’s some connection. What do you think it is?
Ha! That sounds like an interesting medal. The way I approach music, and pretty much everything when it comes down to it, is from the standpoint of its structure. At the heart of jazz is freedom within structure, whether it be loose or rigid. The notion of freedom in the context of jazz’s underground beginnings is a really interesting space to occupy I think. So many of the original jazz musicians came from the blues and gospel scenes and that music is so heavily affected by sorrow, but a sense of happiness at the same time. There’s something so uplifting and inspiring about being able to create music while still communicating one’s sorrow. Jazz, blues, gospel, those genres all really communicate that heavily and it’s something I relate to very deeply. All the music I’ve dealt with through Swill Children holds a similar ground in terms of experimentation within structure and using music as a means of conveying sorrow and thankfulness for life. I see them all as forms of expression in the most literal sense, yet not maintaining a conventional means of voicing that expression within the context of different structures.

Do you think jazz is still doing that? Or has it changed into something new and less interesting?
The space that jazz occupied 80 years ago, 50 years ago, even 30 years ago is, in my mind, the same space that underground music occupies today. The music today doesn’t just reside in a particular style (not that jazz only had one style but there is an obvious disparity between the type of hardcore punk made by Pygmy Shrews and the performances of Lucky Dragons) and I feel like there are certain people doing interesting things with jazz now from a stylistic standpoint but it’s sort of devoid of the social, cultural and political attachments it once had.

Yeah, that seems to be the case. That sort of leads into the bigger question I wanted to ask. Everyone and their brother is in the “creating something” business in Brooklyn now, and so good stuff tends to get lost in the mix, as do the real reasons for creating. Do you think that some of the stuff we’ve talked about here is what allows the music and art that Swill Children produces to have some meaning in a place and a culture where *everything* is supposed to have meaning?
Definitely. It seems to me that a lot of things being done now are from the standpoint of recognition as a primary goal, rather than that being a result of what you’ve done. That sort of mindset has been bashed over our heads for years with celebrity culture being the ultimate goal of society and I think because of that it’s become more of the fixation for people who create. Rather than creating something because they FEEL a need to or as a visceral reaction to something, people create because they want to be known as ‘an artist’ or ‘a musician’, which in my mind is bullshit. Both those things are super tough existences in reality. I don’t know why anyone would want to be that unless you felt you had no other choice. I guess people just like the aesthetic of it all or something…

It’s been popularized as a lifestyle with no context
Yeah for sure, lifestyle is such a buzzword!

People gravitate towards it because they feel like the “creative” life is a method of being where even if you’re failing, you’re still doing the thing. You’re still an artist, whether or not you’re being exhibited. People are afraid of taking on projects that present the option of objective failure. There’s no such thing as a “starving scientist” who still gets laid.
When you think about it, ‘life’ ‘style’, a way of living, it comes into this super capitalistic way of thinking where the focus is so much on the individual and customization of that ‘self’.

Yeah, very much so. You get even closer to the point by putting quotes around “style”
Ha! I mean, it’s funny, I think there are so many historical examples of starving scientists, or starving writers, or inventors or whatever, but people don’t like to focus on the starving part, or maybe just don’t like to focus on the starving people?

Something like that! What I meant was that a starving scientist isn’t a “starving scientist”, that’s not an occupation. you’re either known as a great scientist or you’re not known. People can be known for having the OCCUPATION of “starving artist” because of that lack of context – and you’re right, it’s bullshit.
There’s a romance to the notion of pain, people just don’t want to go through the pain to get to the famous part.

Exactly. To finish up, can you talk a little bit about what’s next for Swill Children? Maybe some details on the upcoming Segall/Cronin split release?
The third installment of Sorrow | Jubilance is super meaningful to me. I use threes a lot in my life and artwork as an attempt to convey some sort of sense of balance within this chaotic mess of things. All the records were in an edition of 333, there are 3 parts in the series, the final record has 3 recordings (Ty’s, Mikal’s, and my reading) and the songs that they’ve done are covers of gospel/blues tunes, which heavily use the number 3 in their song structures. I’m really proud of everything that everyone’s contributed to the project, it feels good completing it in a year’s time! After that the next release will be the combined 5th and 6th issues of _ quarterly in conjunction with a series of four Showpapers that I’m curating. The whole release relates to the ideas of documenting something with a means completely unrelated to the thing documented, and in the case of these issues the theme is musical notation.

Whenabouts will the Showpaper/_quarterly releases be happening?
The first two will occur in August, the last two in September, and _ quarterly in October.

Alright, looking forward to it man. Thanks for taking the time to talk, it’s always good to hear that someone is putting thought and effort in where it counts.
Thanks for that! Nice talking with you, too.

OK, so it’s our fourth worldwide release party for issue 22. But after one party in Berlin, two in New York (so good we did it twice) it’s time for the London leg of issue vingt-deux.

And what better host that the big JC as we’re rocking out in the church of St Barnabas in Q Soho with a live set from The Hundred In The Hands, DJ set from 8Bitch and a very special surprise guest…let’s just call him a metallic bear of sorts.

It’s tonight, so if you haven’t already RSVPed to info@supmag.com then do you hate fun or something?

Free Ketel One cocktails for the first hour but be sure and get down early, we can only fit a tiny amount of people to worship at the alter of awesome music.

Here’s a special ‘SUP #22 mix to download to get you limbering up for tonight:

Tracklist:
“Grinding” – Lee Foss (wolf+lamb)
“Owe Me” – No Regular Play (wolf+lamb)
“Rollerskate” – Matias Aguayo (kompakt)
“Mi Mujer” – Nicolas Jaar (wolf+lamb)
“Los Navegantes” – Francisco Allendes, Felipe Venegas (cadenza)
“Wonderment” – Jus-Ed (underground quality)
“Yeah” – Deniz Kurtel feat. Guest Of Nature (crosstown rebels)
“Extravaganza” – Soul Clap (wolf+lamb)

SUP MAGAZINE 22 Mixtape by SUPMAG

Words by Jo Fuertes-Knight
Photos by Dan Wilton

Nonchalantly waving at the girls gawping and taking pictures on their mobile phones, as he strolled round a west London rooftop for the ‘SUP photo shoot, it’d be easy to forget the journey this break out star of the grime scene has had. Hailed as one of the leaders of the new-school, stints in prison and the birth of his kid might have ensured any other MC’s fall into the ether. But instead Tayo Jarrett a.k.a Scorcher took the ‘fingers in lots of opportunity pies’ option, starting his own clothing line Skywalker and production company Staple House alongside hammering out a music career. We met up to talk frankly about grime and crime, chart success and not once make any thigh rubbing ‘Lipsin’ Ting’ innuendo.

Having a relaxing summer then?
Nah no way, I’ve been non-stop getting on planes, doing shows – Glastonbury, Wireless, Underage Festival – in between all that I’ve been trying to get in the studio as much as possible.

Once all the summer fun is out and the ladies jugs are back in, what’s the plan?
Put out more music, more singles, getting ready for the next wave. It’s been a good year still, just need to continue the wave, it’s all about the wave.

Moreover it’s been a good year for underground artists breaking into the mainstream. What do you make of it all?
Everyone is finally getting the success they deserve, our music is having a renaissance and I don’t see anything wrong with that. At Glastonbury I was thinking to myself, ‘I’m here backstage with people I was backstage with at things like Eskimo Dance,’ those old, old raves. One day I’m at pirate radio with Skepta the next we’re at Glastonbury, it’s mad.

What about the Catch 22 where you can’t have mainstream success without being accused of selling out?
It’s irrelevant. If you do get mainstream success, maybe from making music that’s not of the same genre you were doing before and everyone’s getting paid, it just allows them to reach a whole other set of fans, a whole other platform. It might not be the route I’m going down, but I’m passionate about music. So not making music isn’t an option.

Would you say it doesn’t matter what genre it is so long as it makes for a viable career?
Exactly, I don’t care about genres. Making a living by putting out good music is the ultimate.

Then would you be willing to put out a typically pop record, dancing round with Pixie Lott or something?
If it was good, why not? The kind of music I don’t like, I won’t make…I’m not going to come out with a techno record because I don’t like techno. But if it’s a good pop tune I don’t see the problem.

And with something as underground as grime people are very quick to suggest artists are neglecting their original fan base?
It’s only really when you start touring that you begin to understand how big the grime fan base is, how many silent fans there are from so many different backgrounds. But the ones who are vocal, yeah I get why they’re territorial about it; it’s their music from their background. That’s understandable, not everyone wants to share, there is this weird, reverse snobbery about it.

You started out very dark, very, erm, grimey but as your career’s progressed you seem to have softened your image, has that been a conscious decision?
I write about what’s going on in my life at that time. The day to day for me now is not violent. In the past, my life has been slightly different, obviously.

Did your experience in prison have a big impact on that?
To some, prison is this terrible thing but it didn’t depress me like it does to most people. I was just angry at myself because I was wasting time. I could see others getting further ahead while I was just sitting on my arse. I didn’t feel sorry for myself, I just thought about what I wanted to do, where I wanted to take my career.

You’ve been quite upfront and unforgiving about having aggressive lyrics too?
If I had a punch up later…which I 100% will not!… then of course I’ll write about it.

But do you not think that’s why grime will always have that violent stigma around it?
It is what it is, you could try and combat it, but it is the essence of grime. People need to understand that grime talks about things that are happening within that community, they’re not just stories, this stuff is actually happening.

What advice would you give to the politicians arguing that the music encourages violence?
It’s not the music making people angry, they’re already angry. The longer they try and hide it and close it off from other people, the worse it will get. If they embraced it and understood the culture and its problems it wouldn’t be like that. It’s only the way it is now because it’s so underground. If you want to keep it closed off so only criminals will listen then, you know, it will be criminal! It’s not all clichéd crime and gun talk. One of my biggest tracks is a love song, on some sweet boy flex, but they don’t talk about that.

With Skywalker and Staple House you have quite a DIY approach to work. Is that a generational thing, where people have started taking on all aspects of their career?
My mum always used to say to me “there’s no such word as can’t” and that’s been embedded in my head. If I can visualise something in my mind my belief is I can make it happen. There is definitely that do-it-yourself mentality with our generation and in particular the scene I’m from. I’m blessed to have friends that are now colleagues who also think that way.

Similarly what do you make of people that have built careers online for themselves, like SB.TV for example?
I remember him coming to see me in a car that looked like a rust bucket, he was on it, he put the hours in. As much as you can use the Internet and all this new media as a platform, if you’ve not put the work in it’ll flop. With artists that are purely digital it shows – you will not get air if all you have is online hype. You need to be street savvy as well as having business smarts.

What is with the alias Skywalker by the way…are you a huge nerd?
No. Actually yeah, I’m probably a nerd…but you know, I’m just not a chief with it! It’s just a nickname that stuck, that I started using for the clothing line. I can’t believe you just called me a nerd!

NERD! Anyway, long story short, you’ve got a lot of projects on the go then?
Especially since setting up Staple House, it’s been crazy how many people we’ve worked with – Wiley, Bashy, Skepta, JME, Chipmunk, so many. It got to the point where I had to put my money where my mouth is and it’s paying off. There’s a lot to look forward to.

And it’s all part of the great entrepreneurial plan to be the next Diddy right?
(laughs) He’s an idol but nah, I want to be the next Scorcher.

The single “It’s My Time”, is released on August 29.

Words by Josh Jones
Photos by Marco&Angel

Camp Bestival went and did it again, sneakily pretending it was a massive kids fest it went and delivered a banger of a weekend. From George Clinton being typically bananas, to Sombrero Sound System rinsing it in the Silent Disco all the way until Friendly Fires‘ excellent closing headline set on the Sunday (and the massive rave that went on in the dance tent afterwards), the whole weekend was a non-stop party.

The theme was fairy tales, so the entire weekend was spent in a surreal state surrounded by families dressed as Goldielocks and bears, Shrek, Humpty Dumpty – you name it, they were all there.

Boy 8-Bit, Joker and Gold Panda, all seen on the pages of the last couple of ‘SUPs found themselves one after the other in the line up on Friday to jolt us into the weekend. And jolt us they did – each one of them delivering audio bombs shaking our bones, while we shook our bones in the sweaty tent. We managed to corner Boy 8-Bit and Gold Panda for an exclusive video chat backstage, so watch out for that coming soon. Over on the main stage in the shadow of the historic Lulworth Castle, swing-hop pioneers Mr Bruce and Mr Chuckles, otherwise known as UK festival favourites The Correspondents hop, skipped and jived their way through an amazing set ending with trademark super heavy jungle madness.

Talking of Madness (what a segue!) the nutty boys from Camden were out in force, representing their own brand of ska and delighting the parents by making them feel young again, while also representing a bit of the old school Marc Almond, Billy Bragg and The Fall, who appeared relatively early at 6.30pm – I guess Mark E Smith goes to bed a little bit earlier nowadays. Talking of bedtime (another amazing segue) where else would you find Howard Marks reading kids bedtime stories in a corner of a field?

It was an amazing weekend and if you’re gonna introduce your kids to how to do a festival, watching some cherry picked bands from the best parts of the world of music, then Mr and Mrs da Bank have got it so, so right (again) at Camp Bestival.