DUSTY CRATES

Bristol’s 20-year-old producer Joker has a passion. It’s a passion for subterranean subwoofer frequencies he’s shared with a steadfast group of dubstep fans worldwide for quite some time. Following a string of remarkable releases characterized by 8-bit sounds,  swooping synths and rattling basslines, Joker’s anthems are uniquely branded the ‘purple’ sound of dubstep.

Eventually Gritsy‘s don, Suraj Kurian, tuned in full-blast.

The first time I came upon Joker was while * was running a dnb/dubstep/2step record store out of my house in 2007. I  had ordered a few copies of his first release called the Kapsize EP on DJ Pinch’s Earwax Label.

The thing that really set this release apart from all the other stuff that was coming out at the time [at least] dubstep-wise was its hype, grimey/SNES feel. It was a good release, but definitely not a game changer…

Enter Jae Swope from Sines. He dropped “Gully Brook Lane” during a set at Gritsy in the summer of ’08.

It was the first time I’d heard [the track played] out on the Gritsy sound system, and quite frankly, it was the shit!

This track shoved my prior conceptions about dubstep immediately out the door. I wanted more.

I purchased the record that next Monday and  instantly fell for the B-side, “Retro Racer,” which became one of the first of many Joker tracks in heavy rotation in my DJ sets.

Since then it’s been a stratospheric rise for Joker, including remix work spanning various genres. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s in the company of international dubstep superstar DJ/producers Skream and Benga.

Not surprisingly, Joker‘s “purple” anthems have gone over really well in Houston, particularly “Purple City” which got a lot of play last summer. I’m still partial to the monstrous “Snake Eater“.

And as expected, Joker’s recent popularity has also made him as elusive as his purple-draped comic book namesake. But persistence always pays off. Suraj and the notorious Gritsy boys finally locked Joker down for a Houston date.

Now the city infamously known for purple drank and passionate for dubstep parties is only one of four dates on Joker‘s North American tour this spring. He touches down this Saturday, April 10th, at newcomer venue Wired Live (2000 Bell Street, 77003) to play alongside MC Nomad. Tickets are $20 for 18+ and $10 for 21+ before 11 p.m. with a Facebook RSVP. Doors open at 9 p.m. Purple attire and earplugs are highly recommended.

Download

“Tron” + VIP Mix (soundcloud)

Purple Wow Sound Mix (zshare)

Joker’s Guest Mix on Skream’s Rinse Show

Joker’s Sonar Mix (zshare)

“How You Like Me Know” (Joker remix) – The Heavy (mp3)

Last year I stumbled across a delightfully heady compilation, For Corners, by San Antonio native Diego Bernal. The civil rights attorney was moonlighting as a producer, reinvigorating hip hop, breaks and soul with socially conscious samples and Tex-Mex music flavor. His over-time seems to have paid off–exponentially! For Corners was celebrated as one of the successes in hip hop for 2009 (All Music Guide). And it also helped that fellow Mexicans With Guns‘ high-spirited remix of “Bring It On Home” pushed the debut further out to the blog world.

This year he returns with Besides… (Exponential Records). On the album, Diego again refreshes hip hop and breaks for today much like Mayer Hawthorne has done for funk and soul. He adds some elements of cumbia and corridos to the organic, head-noddin’ soundscapes–even keeping the vinyl pops (remember those?) in the recording. From start to finish, Besides… transports you to another era, yet remains contemporaneous.

For those serious diggers (and those with dusty crates), this release is available as a limited edition blue 7″ 45 vinyl with “A Long Second” and “Blue Neon”. The vinyl includes a download card for all songs in any format including MP3.

The full album will be available April 27th digitally for free via Exponential Records.

Press for Diego Bernal

“Top 10 Web Releases of 2009″
- Disquiet.com

“One of the best hip-hop records of 2009″
- All Music Guide

“For Corners is what beats are all about, and Diego has mastered his craft. ”
- Urb Magazine

Photo by Franny Pack

Go Go Garcia is sportin’ a big-ass smile.

His Big Moe dub remix of “I’ll Do It” is part of Brit boy Sinden‘s new Fact mix featured this week on Fader:

…Graeme Sinden is your man with this mix for Fact. Check the tracklist after the jump, put on some sweatpants and do your thing.

DOWNLOAD: FACT mix 136 – Sinden

Track List

DJ Sdunkero – Choosing Love [dub]
Sbtrkt – Asymmillation [dub]
T. Williams – Chop then Screw [Local Action]
Sunny Beach Happy Slap Mardi Gras – Mamacita (Bambounou Remix) [Demeto Mori]
Roska – Time Stamp [Rinse]
Ill Blu – Blu Magic [dub]
Dubbel Dutch – Deep Underground [Palms Out]
Samo Sound Boy – Wacka Flocka [dub]
DJ Posh E – Dada Supercat (Bub Dance Mix) [dub]
Deesq – Bubble like Club [dub]
Big Moe – I’ll Do It (Go Go Garcia Remix) [dub]
Sinden & Sbtrkt – Kind of Familiar [Grizzly]
Bassanovva – Terrortactyl [Grizzly]
Brodinski – Arnold Classics (Egyptrixx Remix) [Grizzly]
Martin Brothers – Duckface [Dirtybird]
Para One – Toadstool [Sound Pellegrino]
Miike Snow – Silvia (Sinden Remix) [Columbia]
Jamtech Foundation – Too Fast (Julio Bashmore Remix) [Discobelle]
Jay Weed – On the Nile [Grizzly]
DJ Canchola – Africa 09 [dub]
Ultravid – Clan of Wow (Kingdom Remix) [Silverback]
Guido – Cat in the Window [dub]

Fact highlights include Roska, Dubbel Dutch, Go Go, Sinden’s own “Silvia” remix and DJ Canchola. Now this mix is only available for download for three, I said three, weeks.

So what are you waiting for? Now GO, GO >>