Zomby photograph by Sidney Lo

If you have been here on the Bloglin for a Serious Saturday in the past then you know this is a column I use to feature videos from a multitude of (usually) Electronic based artists.  Starting with this installment of Serious Saturdays (#33) I will be switching the format to profile one Electronic artist each week in an effort to entice you into opening your ears to some new sounds.

Some of the features will profile the multitude of artists Мишка sponsors or collaborates with, but will not limited to just that. Case in point…Today’s artist is one that I purely admire and wanted to give some Bloglin space to.

—–

When I first discovered Zomby it was some time ago when he was dwelling in tropical house and other forms of jackin’ stuff. Truthfully these tracks did not resonate with me and got lost in the pack amongst the many other artists  spearheading that sound.

I had also unfortunately heard all sorts of horror stories from other promoters about no-show bookings and just a poor working attitude in general, which provided for laughs and then some bias. As a result I slept on his debut album Where Were You In ’92, released on Werk Discs at the end of 2008. It wasn’t until my good friend and all around taste-maker, Congorock slipped me this album that Zomby not only got on my radar, he stuck!

On Where Were You In ’92, Zomby goes back in time and produces some classic UK hardcore inspired tracks straight from 1991. The twist is that he makes it all sound very contemporary by mixing in a lot of sub/low end frequencies typical of grime and dubstep along with the big vocal samples, piano melodies and “hands in the air” feel synonymous with classic UK Hardcore.

Another interesting side note is that all of the tracks are about half the length of a typical UK Hardcore track, making for a quicker, intense and more enjoyable listen as an album. The 6 minute looped tracks that are a staple of UK Hardcore are definitely a thing of the past. They can be harder for DJs to play out and are too lengthy and repetitive for casual listening at home. Zomby strips that away and makes UK Hardcore at a more palatable speed and cuts their length in half; he also slows down, faster 90s pre-jungle breaks into quasi Baltimore breaks. All of these characteristics make “Where were you in ’92″, instantly, a modern classic.

The most captivating characteristic of the original UK Hardcore/Rave tracks is the simplicity and intensity of the sounds produced. These tracks are structured with fewer sounds overlapping that allow each one’s raw energy to really come through the bass line.

Check out Zomby’s interview with XLR8R magazine where he lists his top ten rave tunes and if you need to continue your high, download his Back To ’92 Mix with Werk Discs for Dazed & Confused Magazine.

- Shark