For any of you guys that know me, I am a big lover of music. I spend a large chunk of my life listening to it. In the shower, on my way to work, and even whole evenings just spent indulging in it. The question that I could never quite answer though is: what kind of music are you into? I usually answer this question with the same facial expression of a deer in the headlights followed by a “a bit of everything really”. A lackluster answer that usually elicits of a response of a) “you can’t really listen to everything” and b) “can you expand?” This blog is an attempt to help bring people closer towards my ever progressing musical journey. I hope you’ll enjoy this blog as much as I enjoy working on it.
What you will find here is a complete spectrum of genres. Look away now if you’re looking for a particular sound, this isn’t the place for you. My musical tastes are reflective of the journey I have been on, one with variance and diversity. From bluetoothing grime tunes on my high school playground with the once ubiquitous blackberry curves to getting gassed when a hot F64, Fire in The Booth or watching Channel U (RIP) on Sky in my local barbershop— grime was everywhere. “Did you listen to that diss track from Lowkey”, “Can you believe Chipmunk was the number one MTV seed”, these are facets of conversation that you would probably catch in a London high school playground in 2005-2010. If you wanted to find out which artist was big, a trip to the back of the top deck of a bus in London during the school run would answer your question as you would be met with some boys blaring the latest grime tunes from their tinny phone speakers. It was this setting which acted almost like a forum for us kids. Debates would range from deep questions on whether newly turned mainstream grime artists were genre pushers or sell outs: “Chipmunks moist now doing all this pop stuff, he used to be sick”, to more juvenile and light-hearted piss taking of MCs: “Have you seen the music video to Skepta’s ‘all over the house?! he’s fallen off’ (ironic that)”. A hilarious watch that I would link but the only remaining links are from X rated sites…
UK bass music in the form of UK funky, garage and grime was a talking point and for a long time, everyone at my school listened to it, all my friends listened to it and I was blissfully unaware that other forms of music existed. That was until I started listening to Drum and Bass whilst at sixth form. Introduced to the genre by my friend who was a hardcore drum and bass fan, I learnt to appreciate very early on Ram record classics like body rock and the first ever jungle track. Having been given a solid grounding and appreciation of the history and make up of Drum and Bass, a move towards contemporary drum and bass was only natural. The day I turned 18 marked a serious change in the way I expressed my admiration for the genre. Gone were the days of going to dodgy as hell squat raves and free parties playing mostly psy-trance in some industrial setting in Brent Cross with the overhanging risk of the police shutting it down (whatever happened to them?) I could now enjoy Fabric Fridays, a pariah for all drum and bass heads around London. Many a Critical, Ram, and Metalheadz nights and memories were had there.
I don’t listen to either UK bass, grime music or drum and bass as much as I used to but the genres still have a special place in my heart. It’s what I grew up in my teen years listening to. The music I listened to back then set up the bassline to the music I rotate around now: electronic, hip hop, r&b house, techno and world music.
Below I will link various musical projects/ blogs that friends of mine have undertaken or are involved with. Do check them out!
Benjy Hollis, Demi Douzaine d’Huîtres (house, techno)
Mantas, Animaux (techno)
Katie Williams, Petite Beats (electronic, house)
Loaded Sounds 
