Tuesday Dec 20th ..... DIGITAL in The War Room

[The Dowlz]

presents...

For the first time in Seattle in over 4 years...


DIGITAL
Timeless, Function, L Plates, Phantom Audio - U.K.
Best known for his ability to rinse out the "old skool beatz" and "dubby basslines", Digital has made a career of mashing up the old with the new, forging his own futuristic soundclash vibe in the process. Drawing heavily upon the sounds of classic dub / reggae music, no other contemporary drum & bass artist can lay claim to fully exploring Jamaican sound-system culture as effectively as Digital has. He is responsable for D&B anthems "Deadline", "Gateman", "Phantom Force", and "Waterhouse Dub" as well as some of D&B's biggest labels such as Timeless, L-Plates, Function and Phantom Audio. Digital is a true cornerstone in drum and bass music and he doesnt come around often. This is a night not to be missed!


THE DOWLZ - Kaos Theory

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DOC SCHMIKYL - Onset

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THE SPECIALIST - Kaos Theory




@ the WAR ROOM
722 E. Pike st. (E Pike & Harvard st.)

21+ w/ID
3 bars!
9pm - 2am

www.thewarroomseattle.com
www.kaostheorydnb.com

Flyer bidness...

[The Dowlz]

Here is a Digital interview/special feature from Knowledge Magazine a few years ago....



Digital
That's exactly what the 29 year-old producer, DJ, and label manager, Steve Carr (aka Digital) has been doing for the past eight years. Best known for his ability to rinse out the "old skool beatz" and "dubby basslines", Digital has made a career of mashing up the old with the new, forging his own futuristic soundclash vibe in the process. Drawing heavily upon the sounds of classic dub / reggae music, no other contemporary drum & bass artist can lay claim to fully exploring Jamaican sound-system culture as effectively as Digital has. With an emphasis on rhythm over melody and an equal emphasis on the off-beat, it's no secret that the Jamaican music scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s is the direct cultural predecessor to the early jungle-breakbeat sound. More specifically, however, it was the emergence of dub music that seems to have influenced Digital's creations the most.

A style of music cooked up in the early 1970s at King Tubby's infamous Waterhouse studio in Kingston, Jamaica, a "dub" was originally nothing more than an extended "version" of a song stripped of its vocal track so the "deejays" could MC over the rhythm. It wasn't long until these new versions of songs became more popular than the originals and the post-production techniques and effects employed came to characterise this new sub-genre of music called dub. Using the mixing board as an instrument and adding numerous electronic effects, the new versions of the songs often had an eerie, surreal sound to them. Tubby would physically hit the spring reverb unit to create a thunderclap echo or he would put a brief frequency test tone on deep echo, even adding in sound effects like sirens and gunshots to spice up the tune.

"I've had these records around me my whole life," Digital explains. "My dad's been playing reggae and dub for almost forty years and my brother was an early, early hip-hop boy. So I had reggae, dub and hip-hop around me ever since I was born and that's my first music, you know? That's why I'm so into those records and playing around with that music and trying to piece things together. When I was five years old, I used to stand on a stool to play with my dad's sound-system. Even then I knew what I wanted to do. When I was a bit older I used to work at a building site as a labourer and I smashed my finger and got a bit of compensation. That's when I first started getting speakers and amplifiers to add on to my dad's stereo you know, build up the sound-system."

Around 1991, when "all this rave business crept in" to the Ipswich area, Digital started hiring out his sound-system to various promoters throwing raves in the area.

"That's really when I was first exposed to the scene and to the music. I remember when I first heard those reggae basslines and hip-hop samples back in the early days of jungle, I was like, 'Wow', you know? I wanted some. I actually thought about producing for three or four years before I actually began to do anything. I used to sit in people's studio's as much as I could and learn from them just by watching. It didn't matter what kind of music it was, I used to sit in at studios where they were doing reggae and some others where they were working on weird electronic jazz, just whatever. I used to just sit there and learn as much as I could."

In 1994, Digital would team up with Danny C under the alias of Authorised Riddim and release the techy Amen-driven 'Split Personality' for Certificate 18. It wasn't too long until fellow Ipswich resident Photek helped Digital sort out his own home studio and get a grasp on the finer intricacies of engineering. The result was the smooth and ambient 'Touch Me' released in 1995, and it's smashing follow-up 'Spacefunk', both released on Timeless.

"Straight away I was getting a buzz from producing. The first track me and Danny C did, Bukem and Fabio were playing it and I was like, 'Aaaahhhh this is it! It's happening.' After that, things like 'Touch Me' and 'Spacefunk' did really really well for me, so I was sort of thrown in to the whole game straight away. It was a bit of a shock really and it's amazing how those tunes still go down today."

Soon labels like Metalheadz, Moving Shadow, Creative Source and Photek Productions were clamouring for Digital's creations until the two-step tech-step movement nearly sealed its domination of the scene in 1998. Although Digital would go quiet, his long-time friendship with fellow producer Duncan Busto (aka Spirit), was about to develop into a proper artistic and business relationship that would result in a genre-defining imprint.

"That really was a major turning point for me. The music wasn't too much to our liking at the time and me and Spirit really didn't know what to do with ourselves. We were just sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, waiting to see what would happen next really. Finally we were like, 'Fuck it, let's do a label for ourselves and enjoy that.'"

The Phantom Audio label was borne and their first tune, 'Phantom Force' caused such a huge stir in the scene that Digital seemed to catch a second wind and went at it full bore.



Digital
"It was an odd time for me because people were saying, 'Digital is a new artist' and I didn't like that much. I had a bit of a fit over it really. So I thought to myself, let me just drum it into people's heads for a couple of years so in another couple of years they won't be saying, 'Digital's pretty good for a new artist.' They're not going to mistake me for a new artist anymore, now are they?"

Definitely not. With nearly 50 released tunes to his credit in the past two years, Digital has definitely hammered home his point and carved out a corner of the scene all to himself. Preparing to unleash his highly anticipated full-length 'Dubzilla' LP, Digital truly has taken the world by storm with his "big" sound and unique vision, touring constantly throughout the UK and Europe as well as the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

"I like my sound big and heavy," he explains with a grin. "Big breaks, big basslines, big dub. That's the whole Dubzilla vibe." A quick look at the artwork for the album and it's easy to see what he's talking about: a big monster of a beast is silhouetted on the cover of the album with a woofer built right into its chest and its tail a jack plug. "Basically you plug him in and he'll destroy anything within a 200-mile radius with pure bass."

The album has already been causing quite a stir with numerous VIP DJs busting it out every chance they get. From the deep, chest-trembling skankers on through to the trance-inducing, congo-laced floor-killers, Digital is definitely in top form and shows no sign of letting up any time soon. Ragga vocal snippets stutter-punch their way on through and the old skool dub-vibe continues to crush them skulls with ease.

"The album is basically composed of what I define as the main core elements of drum & bass: percussion, bassline, nice grooves, dynamic rhythms, that's what it's all about. Breaks and beats. Deep, smooth bits. Hard, ruff stuff. It's all in there and it was definitely a lot more work than I thought it would be."

With a hectic touring schedule and plans to kick-start a weekly in Ipswich on the horizon, 2002 will also see the launch of the Timeless Music Group consisting of four labels: Timeless, Function, L Plates, and Science Fiction (Sonic & Silver's imprint). Co-managing the labels alongside his long-time business partner Brillo, Digital admits his focus at the moment is on the L-Plates imprint.

"I'm concentrating on L-Plates a bit because I really enjoy looking at new artists as well as checking in on the old-school people who used to do brilliant work and are starting to come back again. That really interests me and that's really what the label is all about, showcasing new-school artists like Baron and Eljay & Ruffstuff alongside old-school producers like Genotype."

It sounds like loads of work and responsibility but Digital promises that there's no need to worry about him neglecting his own tunes in the coming year.

"I'm a day-to-day sort of person so I don't stress as much as people imagine. I don't think, 'Oh shit, I've got to do this, I've got to do that', I take it one day at a time and I think that's why I can just sit in the studio and make loads of tunes. When I get in there I don't think about yesterday or tomorrow, I just get in my zone and forget about everything except the bit I'm working on. It's the only way I know how to do things."

Keep doing what you're doing. We wouldn't have it any other way.




Digital
SIDEBARS:

Ten essential Digital tracks:

Authorised Riddim (w/Danny C) - Split Personality - Certificate 18 (1994)
Digital - Spacefunk - Timeless (1996)
Digital & Spirit - Phantom Force - Phantom Audio (1999)
Digital - Deadline - 31 Records (2000)
Digital - Natty Dred - Reinforced (2000)
Digital - Ras 78 - Function (2001)
Phantom Audio (w/Spirit) - Remote Control - Timeless (2000)
Digital & Spirit - Gateman - Phantom Audio (2001)
Digital - Waterhouse Dub - Function (2001)
Digital - Fool Bwoy - Sheebeen (2001)

Various artists speak about the man:

Juju (Phuturo Recordings/USA)
Although I've always been a dub head it took Digital's 'Fool Bwoy' to solidify and influence the use of dub aesthetics into my own production. Huge subs, layers of haunting vocals, off-rhythm percussion swings. In my opinion, 'Fool Bwoy' is an organic drum & bass masterpiece and definitely one of my all time favourite tunes due to the creepy subtlety in which all its components come in and move together. Bad, bad, bad!

Baron (L-Plates/Access)
Digital's sound is completely unique and I think if you looked round the drum & bass scene you'd be hard pressed to find more than a handful of people that are doing what Digital is, both style-wise and production-wise. It was obvious to me the first time I heard the original 'Spacefunk' back in the day that this was a producer whose music was all about a vibe and is seriously distinctive. In my eyes, he's one of the primary reasons that I've gotten as far as I have. He has definitely been supportive and motivated me to push myself as a producer.

Sonic & Silver (Sci-Fi/Infrared):
For us the tune that did it was 'Natty Dread' on Reinforced. Coming with his trademark originality and warrior-style b-line with no snare, it's a proper example of Digital doing something classically deep and truly dub. Just the way he just uses that dub element and mashes it up wid dem beats, it causes a riot every time. A dirty tune that's always in our box.

Simon 'Bassline' Smith (Technique)
It's got to be 'Deadline' for me because at the time everyone was being really technical with their tunes and then Digital just comes along with a tune that had a very simple construction but also had that all important element... a vibe!! Not to mention a heavy b-line!!

Polar (SubDigitals/Certificate 1
Digital's stuff has blown me away since the early days of the scene. I very often feel that producers try too hard to sound ruff and rugged and it ends up coming across as a bit forced. Very few artists have a more honest and true approach to the harder edge of drum & bass than Digital. My favourite track would have to be 'Phantom Force' by him & Spirit, it was one of the first tracks in years that reminded me of that great vibe from the Metalheadz Sunday Sessions at the Bluenote in the mid-90s.

Klute (Commercial Suicide)
It's impossible for me to think of just one Digital tune that has influenced me as his tunes have been doing it for me for a very long time. There's been so many times I've strolled into Music House to cut some dubs only to stumble across Steve cutting some insane new thing that he just finished the night before. He is a total individual - a complete inspiration, a walking definition of jungle.

Words: Chris Muniz
Photography: Cleveland Aaron




Here is some more biography .....

Digital aka Steve Carr is the primary musical moniker this Ipswich based producer is known exclusively for his "old skool beatz" and "dubby B-lines" but a short conversation and a little investigative listening indicate this is one producer likely to pull a few seriously weighty tricks out of the bag.

Steve Carr a.k.a. Digital has been involved in music all of his life, particularly reggae. Main influences being from his father having run a sound system for about thirty years. His musical tag & skills come from his knack at tampering with electronic equipment from the early age of fourteen. From about 1989 to 1991 Digital was busy "running around playing reggae" with sound systems, till the fateful period when "all this rave business crept in”. Around 1991 the scene started to grow heavily in Ipswich and the surroundings areas. Digital started hiring out his sound system to various promoters having raves in and around Ipswich, this is when he started checking out the scene and its music.

1991 was also the year Digital met Danny.C. The two eventually joined forces to produce ‘Split Personality’ for Certificate 18 under the guise of Authorized Riddim in '94. Steve got to know Rupert Parkes, best known as Photek, around town in Ipswich who helped him get underway on his own studio. His first solo release was ‘Touch Me’ on Timeless Recordings in 1995 but it was the phenomenal ‘Spacefunk'’ also on Timeless that really showcased his talents alongside tracks such as ‘Down Under’ on Metalheadz that put his name firmly on the map. To follow was a host of releases for likes of Moving Shadow, Photek Productions and Creative Source.

In 1998 Digital teamed up with friend & Producer Duncan Busto a.k.a. Spirit and set up Phantom Audio. It arose from the desire to have their own base where there was no set musical agenda. Their debut release, ‘Phantom Force’ has already found a prominent place in the sets of DJs as Grooverider, Fabio, Goldie, Storm, Randall, Andy C, Hype, Ed Rush and Optical alongside a whole host of others. ‘Phantom Force’ has caused a huge demand and has become one of the most played tracks of 1999, 2000 and is still receiving play to this day in 2004.

Digital & the Phantom Audio sound has formally made its mark in the drum and bass circle with the appearance of 'Crash' on the Renegade Hardware LP 'Armageddon', and reworks of Guardians Of Dalliance ‘Transient’ also Loxy & Ink’s ‘Airlock’. Featured on the Movement Perpetual Motion LP ‘One Ton’, ‘Eaze Off’ & ‘Remote Control’ + ‘Phantom Force’(P.Audio), the mighty Metalheadz Platinum Breakz LP Vol’s 1, 2 & 3 & the Legendary limited Edition Enforcers Vol’s 2 & 3 on Reinforced.

Digital was working non-stop throughout 2000/01 in & out of the studio launching the Function Label that released the almighty ‘Waterhouse Dub’, as well as delivering the massive D’n’B smash ‘Deadline’ for Doc Scott’s imprint 31 Records, also releasing singles on Creative Source, Reinforced, Chronic, Renegade Hardware & Hype’s imprint Global Thang. In mid-April 2002 Digital set-up the Timeless Music Group with long-time friend and business partner Brillo. Handling all forms of label management for 11 independent D&B labels, then went onto release his debut LP ‘Dubzilla’ on imprint label Function 10 tracks of pure D’n’B, 8 cuts in his own true imitable radicalized dub-fashion + 2 cuts from the Phantom Audio label partner Spirit. In mid November 2003 Digital & Brillo joined forces with investors to launch the L.O.A.D. Media distribution co that has a current roster of 30 labels: Timeless / Function / Salmonella Dub (dub conspiracy)(nz) / Good Looking & Looking Good (uk)/ Freak (uk) / Science Fiction /Uprising (nz) / Phantom Audio / Intasound / Cyanide (nz) /C4C & C4C Ltd… too name but a few!

This year 2004 we’ll see a string of new releases by Digital himself, check out the mighty "Ego" on Renegade Hardware, "Cheek / Square rock" on Function and the painstakingly beautiful reggae track "Get Away" on Ireland’s Bassbin. Lookout for forthcoming tracks on DJ Marky’s Innerground imprint & Bryan G’s Chronic label… in late 2004.

As well as the Production/A&R/Label Management Digital has been DJ’ing heavily for the past 7 years taking his sounds & styles all around the UK: Fabric (Prototype - London), The End (Renegade Hardware - London), Bar Rumba (Movement - London), World Dance (London), Birmingham, Brighton, Edinburgh & Glasgow (Scotland), Cardiff (Wales) & UK Festivals Homelands, Creamfields, Global Gathering, also Europe: Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Italy (resident events with the Red Bull Music Academy), Bulgaria, Hungary, Belgium & France.

Digital also featured at the following European festivals: Dance Valley, Amsterdam – 2001 & 2004, Impulz (Holland) 2002. Touching down in the USA, Puerto Rico the heading off to Japan also touring New Zealand in 2000 with DJ Storm (Metalheadz). Continuing to return and support Friends Salmonella Dub in 2003/04 with DJ support for their many tours throughout New Zealand also hooking up with them in the studio remixing tracks from their platinum selling LP projects ‘Outside the Dubplates (2002) & One Drop East (2003) then onto organizing to distribute and manage their product worldwide @ L.O.A.D. Media.

[The Dowlz]

Heres a link to check out..


www.timelessmusic.org

[Sonny Chiba]

Bumpin!!

[decypher]

Looks like a good show guys.

[dapimpstress]

Hell yeah!

With some DOPE local talent as well!!