HIP HOP SOUL BISCUITS Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Fri 10 Jun
After a few months off, Soul Biscuits makes its return this fortnight, tying in its re-launch with an album launch party for resident Nasty P and KFM stable-mate Dave Jack. Live airings of these Edinburgh artists’ wares will be supported by regular residents Gino, Profisee and BABES, promising another night of quality home-grown talent.
‘That’s what the whole Soul Biscuits thing was about, just trying to get folk that are doing stuff and keep promoting them,’ says DJ and producer Nasty P of the club’s unwavering focus on local talent. ‘One of the reasons we started the night was because a lot of the clubs in Edinburgh at the minute are really good - they’re putting their necks out, getting good guests and stuff - but I think a lot of the time it’s one of those things where
This issue: Moodyr tann
promotion that'
you take that big guest away and the club isn’t really there.’
‘l’d be interested in getting guests so long as someone that’s doing something here is influenced from it and know that they’re going to want to do something afterwards, rather than saying “Oh, check so-and-so” and that’s it.’
Not content to inspire and encourage the ranks of Edinburgh’s hip hop scene, Soul Biscuits could be seen as more of a call to arms. ‘l’m trying to get other folk involved, just to send me their mixtapes and stuff just so I can try and put other folk on as well,’ explains Nasty P. ‘One of the good things about the night is that it has always had a good atmosphere in there, and that’s all we want; just to get a really vibrant atmosphere, so you can be proud of your city too, because everything’s going to be coming out of there, just to be proud of where you’re from.’ (Mark Edmundson)
Through his mid 90$ label KDJ Records and more recently Mahogani Music, Moodymann has produced some of the true, soulful masterpieces of electronic music (not least ‘Sunday Morning’ and ‘Shades of Jae’) as exhibited on the seminal collection A Silent Introduction. Now considered something of a Detroit bigwig, he has ties to the likes of Theo Parrish and draws from the vast array of talent in the city for his engaging and experimental works. What’s his story?
Well his real name's Kenny Dixon Jnr. but due to his strong position on personal about all we know. To say he's media shy doesn't really tell the whole st0ry: he has shunned interviews and photographs throughout his career on a matter of principle.
Don’t tell me, he lets his music do the talking?
He certainly does. In the region of 15 years knocking out techno and tech-house that engages; the soul and the cranium and draws from the whole spectrum of 'hlack' music. his distinctive blend of low-slung bass lines. experimental drum loops and classic soul. jazz and disco samples has espoused dance music as
arttorm as well as dancetloor fodder.
So what’s he got for us this time?
No stranger to Glasgow's Traxx (with two DJ sets under his belt in recent years). this time he's debuting something of a Motor City super-group. The live six-piece outfit includes Detroit producers and Rotating Assembly members Andres and Piranha alongside basSist Paul Randolph and acclaimed vocalists Sky Covington and Roberta Sweet. (Mark Edmundson)
I Traxx at Sui) Club. Glasgow. Sun I 2 Jun.
Name Erol Alkan
Who? Founder of Trash. for eight and a half years a dependable mainstay of the London scene - not bad going for a Monday night affair. Away from his local, Alkan is branching out with a string of dates under his own steam, and has a new mix album. A Bugged Out Mix By. . . , to promote. 0n Trash 'I think the fact that we still enjoy doing it accounts for its enduring popularity. It's still a positive experience for everyone who comes through the doors; we've not become a parody or a caricature of ourselves. The only guideline I set myself is to just make the club as exciting as possible.’ On new music ‘Lately I've been excited by people like Long Blondes. Mystery Jets, I mean. going back a couple of years we were the first peOpIe to play Bloc Party. We champion as many new bands as we can. because there's a much higher concentration of good young bands out there than I can ever remember.’
On his solo set ‘Trash is so scene-specific I won‘t tour it outside of London. so what I‘ll be playing in Scotland is a lot more like the Bugged Out album. Basically, I try to play more electronic music than I do in Trash. almost solely electronic in fact. You know, when l w0uld make mix tapes back in 1990. the Stone Roses and Renegade Soundwave would sit next to each other. I've never pigeonholed myself as an "indie kid" or a “dance kid". and Trash is viewed as such an indie scene club that it’s nice to do something different away from it.‘ (David Pollock)
I Erol Alkan p/ays Bio-Rhythm with Mylo, Honeycomb. Edinburgh. Fri' IO Jun; Death Disco WIth Twitch, Arches, Glasgow, Sat 7 7 Jun.
El Ki JUN 2005) THE LIST 37