Cable

"One of the most individual, accomplished, hilarious and unforgettable hours I have had this year", is how one critic recently described a Josh Widdicombe performance and we can't wait to sample his quirky observations and West Country wit. After highly regarded performances on Live At The Apollo and being hailed as 'comedy's fastest rising star' we're proud to have Josh on board for the launch of Laughing Boy at Relay alongside stand-up buddies Charlie Baker, Lloyd Langford and Pat Cahill. We called Josh up for 10 quick fire questions and he opened us up to a world of hash browns and laughing at Bobby Davro with his trousers down.

1. When I grew up I always wanted to be a...
Musician - in all honesty that is true of 80% of stand ups!


2. You wouldn't expect it, but sometimes I listen to...
The Auteurs, much underrated/completely forgotten britpop also-rans.


3. My signature dance move is...
Going home if the night reaches that stage.


4. My favourite YouTube video at the moment is...
Just type in Bobby Davro Stocks.

Bobby Davro in stocks, with his pants down...



5. My next gig is...
Always something to fill me with fear.



6. After I finish my set you will find me...
If you look, but I try to keep a low profile.


7. My perfect hangover breakfast is...
Built around hash browns, everything else is just making up the numbers.


8. If I get a weekend off I like to...
Drink heavily with people I don't get to see enough.

9. I love...
Reluctantly.


10. I fear...
Love.

Catch Josh doing his stand-up thang alongside Charlie Baker at the Laughing Boy Comedy Club from 7pm on Wednesday 22nd February.

It's that time again folks! DJMag's yearly round up of the hottest clubs on the planet. Last year we achieved a not to be sniffed at 73rd placing... not too shabby considering we're not yet 3 years old… but let’s face it, we can do better! This has been our most dynamic year yet, firmly establishing Cable as one of London’s true underground clubs and we continue in our mission to make your clubbing experience the best it can possibly be. We opened our VIP 'attic', tweaked the sound system to within an inch of its life and threw open the doors to our shiny new sister venue 'Relay'.

Our line ups have touched on a vast array of sounds from the deepest house to fiercest techno, cutting-edge dub through to gnarly beats and bass. We partied hard with Friction’s Shogun Audio, got grimy with the Butterz crew, saw James Ruskin‘s Blueprint evolve from techno label into fully fledged rave and Berlin’s Ostgut Ton outfit came to town with raucous results. So too did bass badmen the Stanton Warriors who brought their Stanton Sessions thang and beatsmith David Rodigan graced Cable's turntables! Truly a year to remember.

Friction getting fiendish at Cable


David Rodigan tearing the dance floor apart



2012 promises even more: quality events week-in week-out starting with our Bass driven Fridays courtesy of the Ergh, Basslaced, Get Darker and Idiosynphonic crews and our very own We Fear Silence shindigs will be treating you all to up-front Drum & Bass, House, Dub and Techno; we've got it all.

We know we deserve to be further up that list this year so if you've enjoyed a night beneath our lights and in amongst our beats - get clicking!

Voting couldn't be easier either as it's all done through Facebook. Click the DJ Mag logo below for instructions. Thanks!

Southampton’s own Royal-T has had an intense couple of years since getting his first tracks played and supported on Elijah & Skilliam’s Rinse FM show, and has since gone on to have released on the Butterz label and become a mainstay for them. His seminal hits such ‘Orangeade’ and his work with the likes of P.Money, Yasmin and Katy B have solidified his place in the wave of new Grime producers. His style is both upfront and refined which has allowed him to carve out his niche within the scene as his club ready tracks have shown that Grime producers don’t have to imitate Dubstep to keep the dancefloor interested. We got a chance to speak with the rising start as he discussed collaborations and his vision for his career. He’s also recorded a mix full of his best tracks and remixes from 2011 so let that be a mere taster of what’s to come when he plays at We Fear Silence present Butterz & Hardrive on 24th March.



So Royal-T 2011 was a big year for Butterz as a collective, but what were your individual highlights?

A lot of big things happened last year to count but remixing for big artists was definitely a privilege and working with non-Grime tracks was cool. I had my first gig abroad which led to me playing in places like Prague, Amsterdam and eventually touring Australia and all around the UK. I featured on a Boy Better Know release which was a big moment too because before I started producing I was a huge fan.

You mention a big moment featuring on a Boy Better Know release what kind of other dreams do you have as a Grime producer that you think you can make happen in 2012?

There's still artists involved in the scene I want to work so that would be a step I’d want to take. But Grime as a genre, I’d eventually like to take to festivals and more nights alongside DJs from other genres to represent and cement it back into the clubs. I've said it many times before but I want people to view Grime for its sound again and not the image that people from outside the scene think it is, I think that's vital in the genre's progression.



You released the Orangeade EP last year, now what can we expect from your new stuff? Has the touring influenced your music at all?

Yeah playing out has just made me more aware of what people like in the clubs and how I should cater to that. Not in a sense where I'm selling myself out by making Dubstep orientated stuff or anything like that but just in a way I’d enjoy if I was to hear it in a club. Sound wise just stuff that's a lot more polished and as crazy as before. Everything on the Orangeade EP is about two years old now so I’ve had a lot of time to really test myself. Doing all the remixes in 2011 helped out a lot so I could experiment and see what works and what doesn't.

Your set at the last Butterz & Hardrive night at Cable was one of the most well received, what are you going to bring to it this time?

A lot of unexpected stuff just to keep it moving and fun like always. I'm gonna go in with some new one-away bootlegs and catch people off guard again.

You were a newcomer in 2010 now going into 2012 you have firmly established yourself, do you now feel the pressure to deliver more this year than you did last year?

It would be easy to think that way but I’ve learned so much I’m just taking the last two years as like a dress rehearsal for the bigger things to come. I used 2011 to build up the artillery for 2012 and it's gonna stay that way, would be stupid not to.

So now that you aren't the newcomer, who are the people we have to be listening for in 2012?

Preditah had a huge 2011 and he's bound to bring a lot more fire in 2012 along with Faze Miyake. I know that J Beatz is waiting in the wings with some of his material. Also a guy called OH91 from Bristol, he produces some sick stuff.



What about MC-wise, you hardly do any vocal tracks. Will that change this year?

It might do, I feel like a lot of MCs are scared of my tunes because of its club style, which is fine and up to them because I’m not really aiming to cater to them. I've found that the ones that do well over my tunes are the ones who can actually hold it up on a set and in a club. I'm happy with working with the guys I’ve worked with before really. When vocal tracks do get done though I want it to be with singers too. I suppose I’m just being strict, there's plenty of producers that make big MC orientated tracks but my eyes are focused in a different direction, it's up to the MCs if they want to join me or not.

What other kind of stuff are you listening to at the moment, what impact is that having on your production or is that completely independent?

I been listening back to loads of N*E*R*D again lately. That is all I’d listen to for a while when I was younger. Also, a lot of Alicia Keys for some reason. My listening habits go in circles sometimes, especially with old stuff. I listen to The Streets all the time. Thinking about it, a lot of my iTunes purchases lately have been old school hip hop like Common and stuff. Some stuff I listen to might influence my production sometimes because I find I don't really listen to a lot of current Grime, that's why my stuff sounds a lot different to everyone else. While everyone is trying to make the next ‘Spartan’ I’m on the other side making some other shit.



2011 has seen a lot more Grime acts from outside of London breaking the scene, what advice would you give to someone?

Be persistent and confident in your craft. We're at a time where your music is more easily heard so use it to your advantage, accept criticism and build upon it. If you have faith in yourself and your ability then there shouldn't be reason why you're not willing to make sure everybody know this.

What have we got to look out for coming from you in the near future?

Right now I’m working on a solo project for release very soon. I've taken a backseat remix wise and have focused on this for a while. More will become clear soon.

Royal-T will be playing alongside JME, Terror Danjah, Elijah & Skilliam, Swindle, Champion and more at We Fear Silence present Butterz & Hardrive on 24th March.

Their name may be a phrase commonly associated with deadbeats but Waifs & Strays are no slouches. Bristolian duo Amos Nelson & Rich Beanland’s debut track ‘3am’ was snapped up by Leftroom and received support from the likes of Laurent Garnier, DJ T, Anja Schneider and Jamie Jones - and 2011 was equally a big year for them where they churned out a string of hits like ‘Yeah Yeah’, ‘What You Want’ and ‘Heartbreak’. 2012 will inevitably continue in the same vein for them so we thought we would have a quick chat about production, Bristol and plans for the year ahead.

How did your sound evolve last year? What were you feeling most, musically?

I think a lot of our tunes are quite different, so I don’t think we evolved so much, but definitely learned a lot about getting tunes sounding right for club sound systems, how certain sounds are going to be interpreted on a big system etc. Basically I think our sounds and productions just got tighter all round, which is something that only comes with time spent in the studio. In terms of what we were feeling most, I think the two stand-out people for us have to be Maceo Plex and Eats Everything. They both have had an amazing 12 months and have totally brought something new along with their productions.



How do you work as duo when DJing?

We both do it all! We have strengths and weaknesses but there isn’t one thing that a particular person does. This is a good thing as it can happen that only one of us can go to DJ or that only one of us works on a particular tune, and so we are both comfortable that the end result is going to be the same.

How important is Bristol on your sound?

I don’t think it’s massively important on the sound exactly, but being in Bristol is definitely inspiring on a daily basis. To us, it’s the best city in the world and over the last two years it’s really stepped its game up on so many levels, which in turn has inspired us to do the same.

Any plans for a full length album at all?

Not right now, but maybe at some point in the future.

What is the most important thing to you when producing - groove and feeling or the technical aspects of a track?

It’s all about the groove and feeling, without that there’s nothing. You can be an amazing technical producer, but if you don’t have the feeling behind the music, it’s just going to sound cold and clinical. We like to be technical where we can, but it’s definitely about the feeling!



And what should the Connected crowd expect from you at Cable on 11th Feb? Do you know what you’re going to play ahead of time or do you take it as it comes?

We try to keep it interesting and not just keep it to one style of house music and also to put as much energy into the music as possible. We always prepare for gigs, but keep the actual set on the night pretty open depending on how the crowd are.

How often do you spend looking for new music and where? Do you switch up the contents of your record bag very often?

We both spend a few hours a week looking for music. Luckily we DJ on Traktor so can basically bring our whole record collection with us to all gigs, but we go through our current selection before each gig, so pretty much every week.

What else you got coming up/are you looking forward to?

We have our first gigs in the US which we are really looking forward to, plus loads of really cool gigs in the UK and Europe - 2012 is looking great so far!

Have you any plans or goals for 2012 musically?

Just to build on the work of 2011, continue to work with the labels we are with at the moment and try to carry on releasing music that people like!

Waifs & Strays will be playing alongside Krankbrothers, No Artificial Colours, Jesse James and more at Connected on 11th February.

Be prepared for the whole of Cable to tremble as the animated Kannamix launches his brand new ‘Angry Bear’ EP at Dub-All Or Nothing on 17th February. Known for tunes like the pulse-raising ‘Cherry Popper’ and the ear popping ‘Madness Descension’ the busy co-owner of label Gawa Records is most definitely one to watch out for. It was only right that we got a few words from the Frenchman as well as a mix ahead of his set so read on to find out about why he keeps a 50-year old vintage teddybear , the plans in store for him this year and why he counting on all the Dub-All or Nothing audience to change his mind on the English scene.



Where did the idea of the one-eyed teddy for the Kannamix logo come from for the Kannamix logo?

The one eyed teddy? Well it’s pretty embarrassing but I have a 50 year-old vintage Teddy Bear that my mother gave me when I was a kid and it’s never left me. It’s the only object I possess from my childhood and I really love bears so I just melted the two together and my housemate D.i.R and myself did the design.

You released ‘Cherry Popper’ last month - what was your inspiration behind the track?

Not sure…just apocalypse I guess, self loss. Sometimes it’s really hard for me to give names because all my tracks are from personal emotions, some of those I'd like to keep to myself!

What inspired you to start your own label and how did your partnership with Alan Waves come about?

Alan and I have been mates since we started production back in the day. When he offered me the chance to help out with his label I couldn't say no and now well….here I am haha, co-owner of GAWA !

What have you got in store for GAWA Recordings in 2012?

Trust me, you will not be disappointed. We've got a full release schedule until May already. All the artists’ we take on board are unique. I like to see us as the underdogs, music you don't expect to hear but always top quality. You can expect EPs from artists such as Duskdown, Sponge Bandits, Tarot, Murdaaa, Partyson, Mr Vandal, Geoff Bukk and many more.

What can fans expect from the Angry Bear EP?

Angriness….haha ! Hmmm well I made this EP when I came back from my tour in North America and a lot of that is in there as you can obviously understand from Arkansas Melody but also from the other tracks such as Skrewdivers and Public Good. I think this is my most complete "filth" EP but I've got another ready for after with an artist called V!xen. She's from Brooklyn and we've been working together quite a bit recently!

Any reasons behind your cheeky track titles?

As I said before all my track names relate to me but some tings I'd rather keep to myself!

What are the differences between the French scene and the English scene in your eyes?

I haven't had much chance to play a lot in the French scene but the events I played were off the hook in France, so far I've not been as impressed by a UK crowd, I'm counting on Cable to change that.

You released ‘Consensual Rape’ of Heavy Artillery records last year to critical acclaim - will we see any future releases with you from this label?

Well it seems like they are doing really good for themselves with a full release schedule and I have to take care of GAWA and develop. I usually get the same response from labels when I send demos which is "This is good but not our style". So I decided that unless someone huge decides to pick me up I'm sticking to my baby.

You co-produced a track with Arkasia any other future collaborations lined up?

It is not planned at the moment but Arkasia and I are pretty tight and we're playing two gigs together in the coming months including Cable of course.

Any track you can’t do a set without?

Hum…hard to tell. I don't prepare my sets but I usually find Hulk, Gangoon Dubz, 23 and I love playing out all the tunes by GAWA Artists. Many thanks to Dub-All-Or-Nothing Records and Cable. Can't wait…

Kannamix will be playing at Dub-All Or Nothing at Cable on 17th February alongside Arkasia, Trampa, Coven and more.