For the last near month Cape Town’s drum n bass stalwart Hyphen has been on holiday in England. He may be relaxing in the rain but that doesn’t mean his passion for drum n bass has worn off. Whilst on holiday he’s attended numerous gigs around London both for drum n bass and other bass music. BCTC caught up with him to hear about his experiences and what to expect, because of those experiences, at the next Pressure which is this Saturday night:
BCTC: You’re currently in London, England the home of drum n bass. What gigs have you managed to take in whilst on holiday?
Hyphen: I went to a Ram night at Fabric with most of the Ram Records crew, Andy C and some super cool stuff happening in rooms 2 & 3. Big up’s to Cutline for the guest list hookup 😉
Then I went to a new Trap night in Dalston and an amazing party at Hidden that the Ingredients people put on with Xtrah & Commix. I also managed to check out some bass music at Vibe Bar near Brick Lane, Shoreditch area.
BCTC: Tell us about some of the video clips you took?
Hyphen: These videos were taken at Fabric featuring Andy C as well as Xtrah and his MC at Hidden in South London. What was weird was that I was pretty much the only personal filming at both parties. People were less interested in documenting the night and more concerned with having a good time at that moment. Also, paranoia levels were off the charts with staff wearing “Is your phone safe?” t-shirts and posters everywhere warning you that cell phone thieves were in operation around London clubs.
BCTC: How does the drum n bass scene differ in England to South Africa?
Hyphen: Well it’s hard to comment as I can’t judge the scene on only going to a couple gigs, however, I found the crowd a lot more educated about the music, This is what I try to do with my radio show in South Africa. In England, the audience. definitely goes to specific places for specific things . For example, there were loads of randoms and tourists at Fabric but the Ingredients night there were just locals supporting a certain sound.
BCTC: Are the line ups very diverse overseas or do DJs of similar sub genres play together?
Hyphen: The lineups from room to room are diverse , but generally there will be a theme running that is constant .
BCTC: Are our local DJs up to scratch compared to the international DJs in terms of music selection?
Hyphen: Oh ya. DJ culture is alive and well and we’ve got a wealth of talent bursting at the seams . Cape Town is a lil stuck on DJ culture though where as in the UK 98% of the acts on the lineups were prolific producers .
BCTC: What advice can you give to the South African audience about nurturing drum n bass in South Africa?
Hyphen: Listen to my radio show 😉 Support the artists you like; investigate artists you might like . Vote with your feet , ask questions , be vocal .
BCTC: How can drum n Bass have longevity in Cape Town?
Hyphen: It has longevity! People have been doing DnB in this town for 15+ years. What it does need is a bunch of passionate people who are willing to put their necks on the line for the music they love . Leave the politics in Parliament .
BCTC: Pressure is this weekend. What can the Cape Town audience expect this month?
Hyphen: Best sound , best visuals , best music . TehSynes is making his debut and Niskerone returns!
We’ve got the full spectrum of DnB covered: from me doing my thing, to TehSynes touching on some angles that only he does, not forgetting Niskerone showing us why he’s one of the best DJs on the continent and Rudeone bringing home the late night vibes like only he can .
Catch Pressure this Saturday night at Mercury Live. Tickets are available for R45 pre sold through Webtickets.co.za or at the door for R50 before 10pm and R60 there after. Check out a snippet of Commix at Hidden that Hyphen took:
