So Steady and Efeks (AKA UK Hip Hop dons), have released their first long player for your listening pleasure! It has been a long time coming...but it was worth the wait I believe. "Force of Habit" blends Steady's compulsive crate digging and love of boombap hip hop with Efeks carefully crafted lyrics and passionate delivery.
I first met these two whippersnappers at a cypha in the crack den that was Dragon bar where I would warble and they would respectively rap and and fiddle with mpc's. It was the start of something dead spesh (An Industry term). Indeed this very open mic spawned some prodigious talent including Sabira Jade and Om Unit. Anywho, I do indeed have a little ditty meself on the release called "My Baby". My favourite tracks are "The Basics" (feat.haiku & crusada), "Departed" and "Run for the Hills" -feat.ed strong & king kaiow of the i.r.s.
Teebs is a talented producer and visual artist, first picked up by Flying Lotus (Brainfeeder) as his protege, alongside talents like Kutmah, Strangeloop, Daedelus, Samiyam and Tokimonsta.
I am a huge fan of his work and was completely blown away by his his rather scintillating set at the last Brainfeeder night in London. I have been humming away to "Why Like This" from the Ardour album and thought I would do a refix in my room! My lyrics may be sparse, but I hope are a reflection of music's unbelievable universality and it's unending ability to touch souls and minds across borders and seas. Please share/comment/let me know what you sailors think....
Now then campers, As some of you who been lucky enough to come close to my fabulous personage...you will know of my feminist leanings. I had some of my heckles raised to within an inch of boiling point upon reading a recent article by our beloved posh teddy bear that is Stephen Fry. Now I love our national saviour of Twitter as much as the next non homophobe homosapien...however, I am slightly concerned and bemused that he seems to be able to pigeon hole my hetereo sex drive with such deft accuracy. No Stephen, I dont have sex to keep my man happy...to keep him in a relationship, to make sure I get my puke making cath kidston kitchen set. I do it ( unsuprisingly), because I like to (in the words of Primal Scream) get my ROCKS OFF...GET MY ROCKS OFF HUNNNNNY.
I really dislike being schooled on my sexuality, let alone by someone who has no experience of my particular sexual persuasion. Perhaps many straight women's reticence to form similar camp cottaging clubs stems from them wanting to have a shag that lasts more than 3 minutes flat? Can women decide on their own how they feel about sex for once, rather than their adherence to some kind of arbitrarily chosen sexual code from the 1950's. Perhaps this is the price that you pay for having been educated at the well known free swinging University of Cambridge. Ah I thought not. I would prefer it if, after eons and ice ages of misogynistic misanthropes deciding where I have sex and with whom that, for once I get a choice in deciding how my sex life runs.
There is a lady I know that seems to have boundless creativity, whether it be blogging, singing, filming...pretty much anything she turns her dainty hands to turns to gold. I met Zayna Daze whilst performing on the same bill at a Spredluv event, I was immediately struck by her sweet vocals and command of her trusty loop box. I love chilling, writing and collabing with this woman.
Check her video below recorded on an impromptu brainstorming sesh at the Vortex Jazz bar in Dalston. We are currently working on a lil Ep together with the mega talented Shuanise... so watch out for the takeover...
I have been working with the delectable Drum and Bass producer Wayz on several projects. Wayz has been featured on Drum and bass Arena’s podcast which caught the attention of Breakbeat Kaos’s DJ Fresh, in turn leading to the subsequent signing of ‘Beyond’ to the high profile Dogs on Acid label. His tracks have also been featured on; Knowledge Magazine, Radio1, 1xtra, BBC Asian network and now has play support from some of the scene’s top DJ’s. Following a handful of successful releases WAYZ has decided to launch his own imprint, Steam Recordings, with good friend Sidius.
Our most recent collaboration is a remix of my track with Dj 2tall's - "Delicious Delicacies" which has been getting some good loving on YouTube recently.
Our previous collaboration was on Wayz's scintillating remix of "What you Want".
Drum and Bass has always been a big inspiration to me from my raving days and I am looking forward to working with Wayz on future projects.
This is my interview with the rather magnificent Milly from Airs and Graces Blog....who spun my incomprehensible ramblings into a fully blown profesh interview...have a gander!
Très Belle
Belle Moore-Benham is a singer hailing from t’norf, as she puts it, who’s music and fine self I was recently introduced to via the wonders of the web. I went to see her perform a couple of weeks back and was mesmorised by her spine tingling sound. It’s hard to narrow down her style as she’s worked with a lot of different people on a bredth of different tracks but one thing’s for sure, she’s incredibly sultry and soulful with a presence all of her own. Currently residing in the north side of London I met up with her to have a pint and get to know more about this incredibly talented lady.
When did you first discover you could sing?
I was 13 humming in the drama studio at school and my drama teacher said that I should do it more and forced me into singing in the school play!
You’re from up t’norf originally, how did a lovely lass like you end up in London town?
I’m from Huddersfield and ended up at uni in Leeds and wanted a change from t’norf so I moved myself down to London at 21. Lured by streets paved with gold and flowing crystal rivers, I thought I would give it a try! I then started a night called “Numbers” (we had Eric Lau/DjRags/Prose/Matman/2ndclass Citizen/2tall), started gigging and writing with Requiem, DJ 2tall and a producer called Guy Woods.
How would you describe your sound?
I think it is evolving from something more trip hop to a bigger, more soulful sound. I grew up singing northern soul and 70’s Motown classics, listening to Grunge and being steeped in the Hip-Hop scene so, I think they have infused my music with their own influences.
Who inspires you musically?
Phew! Where do I start…Stones Throw records, Nirvana, Radiohead, Uk Hip-Hop (Jehst, Foreign Beggars, Klashnekoff, Roots Manuva), Massive Attack, Cocteau Twins, Aretha Franklin, Gil Scott Heron, Billie Holiday, Spanky Wilson, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Fourtet, Max and Harvey, Heidi Vogel, Mos Def, Burial, Dubstep (Mala etc), Saul Williams, Dub (King Tubby), Bob Marley, Toots and the Maytals, Polar Bear, Meshell N’Deogeocello, Manu Chao, Toumani Diabete….God I could go on and on!
Is it true that a well-known major label approached you, decided you were the ‘Northern Joss Stone’ and then offered you the big time if they could change everything about you?
Yes. It was a really disheartening and depressing experience as I had just started out. I was frustrated at the superficial attitude and the lack of vision and creativity. Being told I would not be able to write my own stuff, that I would have to make physical changes to supposedly “succeed” left me feeling like I should just give up. Fortunately I didn’t but it certainly made me take some time off and re-evaluate.
I can see where they got that big idea from but I take it you politely declined the offer?
Absolutely! To lose being able to write, which is something that is a vital part of myself as an artist and also as a human being was not an option. I think it has made the journey slower but has made me grow in confidence, have experiences that I would have never have had.
We all know it’s tougher than ever out there at the moment. How are you finding carving out a space for yourself in the London music scene?
It is hard, as the ability of artists to earn a living out of the creative industries has only been truncated by the major label’s historical greed, the change in consumption of music and also in Internet music consumerism changing how we perceive the ‘album’. Consumer power is now immense and creating an album that has a concept is more difficult because people just want singles. On a live level every promoter wants something for nuttin!
What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a few new projects. I am getting my first EP together, trying to promote the ‘Cold Busted Compilation’ that I’m on, which is on the American label of the same name, I’m working on an all female project and my monthly night at Vibe Bar with the ‘Music is Life’ collective. I am also working on a Music project with young people from Newham and the Roundhouse.
Busy lady! A lot on the go for you in 2010 huh?
Yes! Oh I also have a gig Sunday 25th April in Camden at the Elixir Bar so come down and see for yourself…
This is one immensely talented and yet incredibly humble lady. When she’s not singing for her supper, Belle works on arts and community projects with young homeless people in Newham, East London. We’ve got a lot of time for Belle and very much look forward to hearing big things from her this year. Check out more of her music here
