Music
Tuesday, 01 September 2009 07:09
Written by Berwin Song

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Free the Wax presents three months of booms, bleeps and boops

Hidden away from the bright lights and bling of Los Angeles, The Low End Theory club has been leading a quiet revolution in hip-hop production, spearheaded by a Cali-based community of like-minded beat aficionados who gather for weekly experiments in boom-baps, bleeps and boops.

Thanks to the efforts and musical tastes of local promoters Free the Wax (who celebrate their first year anniversary this month at the Shelter on Sep 18), Shanghai has already had a good taste of the Low End, with gigs from Nosaj Thing, Free the Robots, Daedelus and other associated acts over the past year.

But starting this month, we’re about to get something even more special.

Perhaps the most celebrated figure to emerge from the Low End Theory has been Flying Lotus, whose musical exploits have led the way for a new instrumental future for hip-hop, taking up the thread where producers like J Dilla and Madlib left off. Now, with his own record label, Brainfeeder, Lotus has continued to cultivate new artists and help spread the new sound across the globe. Together with Free the Wax, Brainfeeder is presenting a three-month festival in China, kicking off with a collaborative live performance featuring digital beat-maker Samiyam (who has a penchant for sampling anything from Nintendo games to industrial droning) and live improvised graffiti illustrations from Hong Kong-based hip-hop artist Illord Tha Ques (from the international LCP United crew, and known for his portraits of RZA, Madvillain and the extended Brainfeeder family).

The festival will continue with GaslampKiller (Low End Theory’s resident DJ) in November and Flying Lotus himself in December. As the folks from Free the Wax say: “This is Brainfeeder: in with the new and out with the old, a celebration of everything cool and creative. So what about you… in or out?”

Samiyam and Illord Tha Ques perform at MoCA’s Art Lab Kathleen's 5 on Sep 11. RMB50.

Gig update (9/1): Due to a change in management at MoCA's Art Lab, The Samiyam/Ques show has been moved to Kathleen's 5. Same time: 9pm, Saturday, Sep 11. Tickets are still RMB50, but will also include one free Vedett Beer. Thanks guys! For more info, call 6327 0591

I am Samiyam
Interview courtesy of Free the Wax

How would you describe your music?
It sounds like a bag of jagged and sometimes clashing feelings attached to a concrete object being smashed through a large window.

What’s the weirdest sound you’ve sampled?
Once I sampled a zombie getting its head smashed from an old Italian horror movie. I thought it would sound dope as a clap/snare!

What are your favorite Nintendo games to sample?
I’ve actually only sampled a few of those games. I think some people are under the impression that I use way more sounds from Nintendo games than I actually do. But a lot of my favorite NES music is from Megaman games. That stuff is really dope. It’s like 8-bit metal!

Do you look for a particular sound texture when you first start composing?
I often start with the drums when I'm working. I wouldn't really say there's a certain kind of sound I'm trying to create. I just work off of how I feel. Sometimes I'll start with a sample and other times I'll just start playing a bassline or something off one of my synths. It's hard for me to say what makes my sound. I have always looked for and listened to music that spoke to me personally. Sometimes it's a hit song from the radio and sometimes it's some obscure record I just happen to come upon. I made music for about 2 or 3 years before I really felt like I was consistently able to make stuff that sounded like the music in my head.

How do you feel about performing with Ques in Shanghai?
I’m really looking forward to performing with Ques. I think he’s a really dope artist. I think it’s going to be great. It’s been really cool the few times Ques has done live art at shows I’ve gone to or played at.

What equipment do you use?
My setup consists of some records, a couple small synthesizers, the Roland SP303 and SP404 digital samplers. The SPs are the most important part of my set up. Every sound, whether I’m sampling stuff or making my own sounds, goes into the SP. I’ll most likely be using the 404 in Shanghai.

You’ve got a project with Flying Lotus, right?
We’ve completed a FLYamSAM EP. We have plans to release it this year on Brainfeeder. It has some of our favorite stuff that we’ve made together. I had been collaborating with him for more than a year before I moved to LA [in 2008]. I took the recordings he sent to me, sampled them and arranged them to my own liking.

So what’s next?
I’m looking forward to releasing more music, collaborating with more people and doing more shows. I’m also working on a full-length album to hopefully release this year!

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