“Since we have been back from our last Taiwan tour,” said Diccon Mayfield of the Supermilkmen, which play tomorrow at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, in Jhonghe City, Taipei County, “we have played with the likes of Calvin Harris, Rusko, Crystal Fighters, SubFocus, DJ Yoda and also played at Mixmag’s summer jam at the legendary Egg Club.” Not bad for a DJ duo who had barely played together live before landing on these shores in March.
Since playing at Bliss and the now defunct Rise at DV8, Mayfield and Joseph Shells’ stars have been in the ascendancy. “We have been geeking out in the studio producing for Killa Kela, who is one of the world’s top beatboxers and huge right now, as well as Bashy, who is up there with Dizzee Rascal in Europe at the moment,” said Mayfield. “One of the most exciting things for us was getting to number one twice on Hype Machine’s hot play list above people like Chemical Brothers and Jay Z.”
They arrived here yesterday on the first leg of a nine-day tour of Asia.
Supermilkmen’s first major EP, entitled Dancefloor Liquor, comes out in October and features Bashy, said Mayfield.
One of many parties tomorrow up north, the Four Points’ lineup includes Marcus Aurelius, vDub and Mr Blends on the ones and twos, plus Babble-on and Shaman from THC (Taipei Hip-hop Crew, H中P在台北) on the mic.
Supermilkmen vs the Fantastic Four, tomorrow at Four Points by Sheraton Hotel (福朋喜來登飯店), 631, Jhongjheng Rd, Jhonghe City, Taipei County (台北縣中和市中正路631號). Admission is NT$700 before 11pm and NT$800 after, includes a drink. There is a shuttle bus from Jingan MRT Station (景安捷運站) between 9pm and 11pm. Visit www.supermilkmen.com for other gigs in Taiwan.
Perhaps the edgiest named of nights to hit Taipei, Hard as Fuck at China White is hosted by Bobby Bonestorm, Edify and Anti-Hero, playing a mixture of Baltimore club and electro, plus the genre of the moment, dubstep, whose two-step heavy bass line has been blowing up the airwaves.
“A common refrain I heard in the earlier days of dubstep [often from my own lips],” says Bonestorm, “was ‘I have been waiting for this sound for a long time.’”
“Dubstep has deep roots and can be traced back to Jamaica and the mobile sound system,” says Bonestorm. “It was the communal convergence around amplified bass where music was driven beyond a solely aural experience and became [a] physical force.”
From there it evolved from the dub music of the 1970s with Lee “Scratch” Perry and then became part of the 1980s post-punk bands such as The Clash and The Police.
“The mid 1990s are where I start to see the coils of modern dubstep start to writhe and unwind,” continues Bonestorm. “This awakening can be witnessed in the early industrial dub fusions of Mark Stewart, Tackhead Sound System, Techno Animal [aka J.K. Flesh and The Bug], and Scorn, a true pioneer.”
As with many a style, “it has evolved ... moving in innumerable different trajectories such as techno bass, wonky, funky, aquacrunk, West Coast style and bangers,” says Bonestorm.
To sample Bonestorm’s wares, a mix is available for download from www.waakao.com/en/music/djs/193-bobby-bonestorm-busted-dome-mixtape-dubstep.
For hard, heavy and extremely current tracks, China White will be big and bassy tomorrow.
Hard as Fuck at China White, 2F, 97-101, Dunhua S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路二段97-101號2樓) tomorrow from 11pm until 5am. Admission is NT$300 on the door and includes a drink.
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