RSD (Rob Smith, Smith and Mighty UK)
RSD, perhaps better known as Bristol bass and drum music stalwart Rob Smith (one half of respected production duo Smith and Mighty), has been pushing bass heavy rhythms for more than two decades.
Under the moniker RSD, Rob Smith produces fresh, innovative bass music that simultaneously pays dues to his deep soundsystem roots while pushing things ever forward. He remains firmly at the forefront of Bristol's endlessly inventive music scene.
With a staggering discography and a range of projects encompassing dub, drum and bass, 2-step and dubstep, Rob Smith has has his finger squarely on the bass-pulse. From his musical beginnings playing guitar in local roots reggae band Restriction, Rob's music has always had a strong dub aesthetic. Forming the, now legendary, production duo Smith and Mighty with collaborator Ray Mighty in 1987, the pair's early releases on the Three Stripe label were influential in laying the groundwork for both the trip hop and jungle scenes for which Bristol would become renowned. A period of chart success and major label involvement in the early nineties was followed by a return to their underground roots for Smith and Mighty. During this time they worked with Peter D. Rose to release groundbreaking music on their More Rockers imprint. Rob Smith also went on to collaborate with local roots reggae producers Henry & Louis. This fruitful relationship culminated in 2001 with the release of the fantastic, yet criminally overlooked ‘Time Will Tell’ LP.
Smith and Mighty's addictive 2002 jump-up vocal cut "B-line fi blow" featuring Niji 40 may still be firmly lodged in many listeners' brains.
Rob Smith has found a new home in 2009, as RSD, comfortably adapting to the rolling, sub-heavy rhythms of dubstep. With releases on respected labels including Punch Drunk, Earwax and Tectonic, RSD's sound is typified by impossibly heavy soundsystem-testing sub-lines and junglist dub breaks. The irresistible energy of tunes such as 2007's infectious breaky roller "Pretty Bright Lights", 2008's bubbling summer-vibed "Speakerbox" and the speaker destroying dread-fuelled stepper "Jahway" has rapidly cemented them as anthems.
An experienced, effortless and exhilirating DJ and selector, RSD's New Zealand shows are not to be missed.
www.myspace.com/dubrockers
Strictly138 is pleased to also welcome the mighty OoGuN back to Wellington...
OoGuN (Drunk Elephant Sound, Dubstep Alliance AK)
photo by Caroline Boreham
OoGuN relocated from London late in 2006 and has fast become one of NZ’s top dubstep DJ/Producers - as anyone who has witnessed his live DJ sets will attest. Packing fresh dubplates from 6Blocc, DZ, Babylon System, RSD, Clouds, Mungo's Hi Fi, Roommate, Antiserum and others as well as exclusive OoGuN productions, remixes and the freshest NZ dubs - OoGuN will celebrating the imminent launch of his Drunk Elephant Sound Aotearoa record label. Prepare to be trampled!
Drunk Elephant Sound is a 100% Aotearoa owned and operated dubstep label.
Drunk Elephant was set up by Auckland based producer and DJ OoGuN, initially as a home for his dubstep productions. However, as dubstep grows in NZ, with increasing numbers of homegrown producers picking up the sound, Drunk Elephant’s mission is to find and encourage NZ dubstep producers by releasing their tunes. OoGuN’s weekly radio show (the Drunk Elephant Soundsystem Base Fm 107.3 Sundays 8-10pm) has been instrumental in gathering and broadcasting locally made dubstep music from producers such as PVans, Dutty Ranks, LQue and JRed, FrostyBoy, Joint Forces and of course OoGuN’s own productions. In the first phase, Drunk Elephant functioned purely as an online, digital label. However in 2009, the label is being launched as a full entity with planned vinyl releases.
www.myspace.com/drunkelephantsound
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