BBC Radio 6 Getting to Know Bondax

An interesting insight into youngsters Adam and George's more unusual musical influences on Edith Bowman's 'Getting to Know' feature.

BBC Radio 6 Getting to Know Bondax

Summer Breeze - The Isley Brothers

One of the highlights of my summer was hearing this as Bondax's last tune on the We Own Boat Party at Hideout in Croatia. Happy daaayyyyysssss. So as summer 2013 draws to a sad but inevitable close, give this a blast and have a bit of a wallow in how bloody fantastic summer was and how it will all be a little bit shitter now that it's September.

Izzy Bizu - White Tiger

'White Tiger' by 19 year old Izzy Bizu is quite a dramatic change from all previous, bass-heavy tracks featured on our blog, but her voice is so beautiful and listenable, I had to give it a quick mention. With so many female solo singers knocking about these days, you have to have a significant degree of originality about your voice to really do well and race ahead of the others - a la Adele, Amy Winehouse et cetera. On the basis of her debut single, the piano-accompanied, upbeat 'White Tiger', I say Izzy Bizu is one to watch.

BANKS - Waiting Game (prod. by SOHN)

Incredibly haunting vocals and bass on this new track by fast rising vocal talent, BANKS. A very unique, dark and eerie song, which I both love and feel slightly scared of at the same time (particularly when watching the accompanying video). Now, eagerly await an inevitably great remix!

Bondax - Giving It All (Joe Goddard Remix)

Bondax's new track has already received the remix treatement from both Friend Within and Kiwi Juice. Enter the legendary Joe Goddard - third time lucky, as they say. He speeds it up, strips back the vocals, and allows the track to build for much longer than the original. Another successful venture by Mr. Goddard.

Ella Fitzgerald - Blue Skies (Maya Jane Coles remix)

This is incredible. I haven't heard much from Maya Jane Coles lately that has really wow-ed me, but hearing this remix of Ella Fitzgerald has reminded me of how talented she is. I found the contrast of retro and modern produces something that is really memorable and stands in contrast to the incessant sampling of more contemporary R&B samples i.e. Brandy, Cassie, Aaligh etc, in a lot of house tracks at the moment. Beautiful!

Green Velvet - Bigger Than Prince (Hot Since 82)

Hot Since 82 has remixed the Green Velvet track 'Bigger Than Prince' from earlier this year. The Leeds producer ups the tempo and adds a bouncing beat, the result being a sexy, dark remix of this already infectious house song. Reminds me of the moment at around 5am in a festival tent, when the atmosphere tends to take a darker turn.

FKA Twigs - Water Me

Slightly different to the usual vein of this blog, this song is co-produced by Arca (who teamed up with Kanye to produce a number of his tracks on the album 'Yeezus'). The video is one of the creepiest I've ever seen (avoid if you have a fear of dolls/anime), and is perfectly paired with the eerie, haunting nature of the song itself.

Maribou State - 'All Time Favourites' Minimix

I can only apologise for allowing this one to pass me by until today. Brought to you by my absolute favourite producing duo of the day - Maribou State - I have no excuses to offer for having only just stumbled across this 10 minute minimix of pure brilliance. The pair have been experiencing burgeoning, much-deserved success and recognition since 2011, with their most recent releases including 'Scarlett Groove' and 'Tongue'.

The first time I listened to this minimix, I did so without glancing at the set list, and could not believe the number of songs which would undoubtedly feature in my list of all time top songs ever (I always knew Maribou State and I were KINDRED SPIRTIS): Dawn Penn, Daughter, Jai Paul, Floating Points and Kelis to name but a few. I feel this minimix showcases Maribou State's sheer skill and bredth of musical influence. A personal favourite moment was hearing the vocals from one my fave song of the past year Rhye's 'Open', appearing over The Weeknd track - a beauty!

Bristol In:Motion 2013 line-ups released

Holy crap, the Bristol In:Motion 2013 line-ups are out and I may as well say goodbye to my degree now. Over the past few years I've learnt that Motion will never let me down with its expertly curated line-ups and unique, vibrant, cavernous venue which doubles as a skate park by day. This year they've managed to out do themselves with their autumn season that will see nights going from 27th September to their epic New Year's party and will guarantee my presence most weekends.

The events that particularly caught my eye include Subsoul, Trouble Vision Presents, Just Jack Halloween Freak Boutique, Future Boogie and Annie Mac Presents. Mostly I'd be revisiting old faves like Redlight, Scuba, Soul Clap, Eats Everything, Jackmaster, Maxxi Soundsystem and of course the absolute nutcase that is Justin Martin, but there's a whole bunch in there who I haven't seen yet and would probably do illegal things to be able to attend such as Shadow Child, Maribou State, Dusky, Will Saul and Cyril Hahn.

This autumn Motion has undoubtedly turned itself into a bloody treasure trove of electronic music, and with AMP tickets already sold out after only 3 days of being on sale I'd nab some quick if I were you.

Click here for full line-ups and tickets

Lost - Leftwing & Kody

Released yesterday this deep house banger from duo Leftwing & Kody will no doubt be HUGE on the club scene. Vibes similar to that of Bicep and Dusky and a soulful vocal sample and bassline that'll make you wanna get up and move. Get ready for some bass face. 

Someone - Applebottom

I've been a bit disillusioned with Bristolian Applebottom's past couple of tracks since the brilliance of 'Let You' and 'All Nite' but he has well and truly reignited my love for his productions with 'Someone', an enthralling house track with looped, hooky vocals.

Mano Le Tough

I first got my ears on Mano Le Tough aka Irishman Niall Mannion at the Jack Music Agency Launch at Bristol in June and boy oh boy was I pleasantly surprised. He prefers to refer to his genre of atmospheric house as 'cool songs' or 'folkal house' which totally makes sense after listening to a single track. My favourites are 'Changing Days' and his remix of Batongo's 'Aguirre' but this live set from Warung Beach Club in Brazil will take you on an eclectic musical journey you won't let go of in a hurry.

Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

One moment which I can partially recall from the hazy memories I have of this year's Farr Festival, is SOMEONE playing this on Friday night. In 1998, Stardust was formed for a one off musical collaboration. Comprising of Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe and Benjamin Diamond, Stardust successfully embedded 'Music Sounds Better With You' in the minds of millions - and 15 years on, it stills sounds just as good!

Laura Mvula - SHE (MJ Cole Remix)

British soul singer-songwriter Laura Mvula was nominated for the BBC Sound of 2013 and released her debut album in March of this year. In characteristic MJ Cole style, this remix transforms the mellow original into a summery, uplifting track perfect for time spent in the glorious weather that we seem to have seen the last of here in Blighty.

Paul Woolford - Untitled [HFT030]

THIS is the song of my summer 2013. Hearing this is Eats Everything's set was the absolute stand-out moment from my trip to Farr Festival in Herefordshire last weekend. Released on Hotflush, 'Untitled' is definitely made with the dance-floor in mind. And festivals. And Ibizan sunrises. And so on and so forth.

The Hype ft. Eliza Doolittle - Wookie

Having featured on Disclosure's smash hit 'You & Me' it seems that Eliza Doolittle is stepping further into the realm of garage and bass infused house music by teaming up with 2-step master Wookie in this sensual and infectious track.

BANKS - Warm Water (Snakehips Remix)

This is seriously addictive. The mysterious London duo Snakehips has given BANKS' 'Warm Water' a revamp, the result being an indie house remix that I've had on repeat since first hearing. Far from distracting from BANKS' vocal talents, Snakehips allow her hypnotizying vocals to shine through over a smooth electronic backing.

1 More Night - Skanky

The more I hear from Skanky, the more I fall in love with him. Another perfectly blended house and garage infusion with a more than obvious nod to the 90s.

Girls Love Beyonce (SBRTKT edit) - Drake

SBTRKT has been a bit M.I.A on releasing new tracks since his debut album stunned everyone with its originality and beauty back in 2011. But he's given us something new to get our teeth into with Drake's totally reworked ode to Beyonce in this glitchy, chilled and textured edit.

Sexual Healing (Marving Gaye cover) - Hot 8 Brass Band

Had never come across this before and it was actually released way back in 2007, but Jackmaster playing this as his last track at the Numbers Pool Party at Hideout with the sun on our backs and Coronas in hand was probably one of the most euphoric moments of my life to date. An absolutely beaut jazzy brass band cover of Marvin Gaye's classic.

Taking Over - Joe Goddard

Joe Goddard needs little introduction. One half of Two Bears, the better half of Hot Chip and co-founder of Greco-Roman, the man has many accolades to his name. 'Taking Over' - the 4 track EP - is his first solo release since 'Gabriel' in 2011. Although not the most ostentatious track on the EP, 'Taking Over' is the standout for me - a sort of electronic ballad, with soft vocals layered over guitar melodies.

Right Here (Hot Since 82 Remix) - Rudimental

Hot Since 82 aka Leeds boy Daley Padley gives Rudimental's 'Right Here' a serious reworking lending it his trademark dark and mysterious deep house feel with one of those large builds and drops that make the crowd go ooossshhhh.

True ft. Yasmin - Drums of Death

Another Black Butter beauty, London based producer Colin Bailey has smashed it with this infectious, sexy, summer house track flavoured with Yasmin's R&B-esque vocals. One for the charts and the underground alike.

Everything ft. Karin Park (Blond:ish Remix) - Maya Jane Coles

Canadian gal pals Anastacia and Vivie-Ann aka Blond:ish have turned Maya Jane Coles' 'Everything' from her debut album Comfort into a darker, moodier, more enigmatic edit.

Shadow Child

Shadow Child, real name Simon Neale, has been dominating alotta air time on my ipod recently. Having moved on from 'Dave Spoon' to break the creative boundaries associated with the name, Shadow Child's bass heavy tech house has been tearing up dancefloors all over the shop. This new project burst on the scene with the Dirtybird release 'String Thing' in early 2012 and has gone on to prove the change of name was no mistake. The uplifting trademark sound born of Shadow Child is instantly recognisable and annoyingly infectious in tracks like '23' feat. Tymer, his remix of 'Annie's Song' and obviously the huge Hot Natured remix of 'Reverse Skydiving'. Most recently and possibly my favourite to date is the euphoric remix of Movement's 'Feel Real' with stripped down and seductive vocals complemented perfectly with the aforementioned distinguishable, deep bassline which has cemented him in the proud place of my new obsession. I salute you Shadow Child/Simon/Dave.

No Diggity (Bondax Edit) - Blackstreet

Bondax have done it again with this rework of Blackstreet's notorious anthem 'No Diggity' giving it the house treatment with a funky beat, heavier bass and cosmic synths.

On & On (TCTS Remix) - Snakehips

Hailing from Manchester, Sam O'Neill aka TCTS first caught my attention, and that of a plethora of Radio 1 DJs, at the end of 2012 with his old school, bassy and highly infectious house track '1997' which dropped on Bondax's JustUs label. Since then I've come to covet anything produced by this seriously talented Northerner, particularly appreciating his penchant for soulful and catchy vocal samples. Most recently his remix of London duo Snakehip's synthy, silky and soulful 'On & On' has been stuck on repeat for days. Whilst the original is a beaut by itself, TCTS ups the tempo, chops up the vocals and lends it a funkier, housier feel.

Fucked Up (Huxley Remix) - Joel Compass

Huxley aka Michael Dodman first saw success as a young garage producer but has been making waves on the house scene in the past couple of years after a shift to heftier, bassy house music. Here he remixes Black Butter's new boy Joel Compass stamping it with his UK garage influenced house vibes and using those unbelievably hooky vocals.

Dusky

Oh godddddddddd I actually can't get enough of London based Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman with their bass-heavy, ambient, soulful, jackin deep house grooves. It began for me with their remix of Justin Martin's 'Don't Go' and continued with an unhealthy obsession with the vocal-heavy and atmospheric 'Nobody Else' on Will Saul's label Aus. Along came a string of addictive, chunky house tracks such as 'Vanishing Point' and 'Truth Capital T' and then, they brought out the big guns with their remix of Close (aka Will Saul's) 'My Way'. In true Dusky style, the boys add an incomprehensible amount of depth to this already stellar track making it more dance-floor friendly with heavier and more hypnotic instrumentation.