Tessela on 14Tracks Compilation

Tessela's 'Let Up' (2nddrop 018) appears on the Boomkat compilation series '14Tracks.com'. The flip to 'Darlene, Please' features on their latest compilation ClunQ FunQ, also featuring 2nd Drop friends and previous label mates, Pearson Sound and Untold.

Buy the compilation here:
http://boomkat.com/downloads/522227-various-14-tracks-14-tracks-clunq-funq

Buy the vinyl and get the MP3 free on Surus here:
http://www.surus.co.uk/2nd-drop-records/darlene-please-/-let-up-16504.aspx

South London Ordnance in FACT Magazine

FACT Magazine have reviewed South London Ordnance's forthcoming on 2nd Drop Records.
See the lowdown below:


Alot of folks are trying to turn a light on South London Ordnance, but the young producer insists on clinging to the shadows.

Mary Anne Hobbs has been evangelising about South London Ordnance for a while, and his tunes have crept up in sets from Mosca, Dark Sky and Tessela. Despite the hubbub, he’s been cagey with his biography: we know he’s in his mid twenties, and has been turning out productions for around 18 months. 2nd Drop Records have nabbed the producer for his first 12″ release, titled ‘Sanctuary’/'Roofy’, and it’s a fine calling card.
The most interesting facet of South London Ordnance’s work is his unusual approach to texture. The drum work on ‘Sanctuary’ is spartan, and the snares are as aggressive as any gully grime track. This bare-bones undercarriage is, however, complimented by a thick sound palette: bass, synth and muffled recicative blur into one clotted blend of sound. The beat skips from Funky syncopation to 4/4 thud. South London Ordnance does ‘dank’ better than most, and there are all sorts of subtle developments at work throughout the track. Make no bones about it: South London Ordnance is mapping out some interesting territory.

‘Sanctuary’/'Roofy’  are due on May 14.

Keep an eye on our Surus page for limited TPs and full release. If you buy the vinyl from Surus, receive the MP3 absolutely FREE: http://www.surus.co.uk/2nd-drop-records/

Read the original article here: http://www.factmag.com/2012/04/19/south-london-ordnance-sanctuary/

2nd Drop 019: South London Ordnance 'Sanctuary / Roofy'

 



The constant carousel like shift of unreleased tracks on his Soundcloud and sporadic Twitter sessions, South London Ordnance relishes his clandestine, shady persona, keen to allow his craft to act as spokesman instead. Following early support from electronic music’s matriarch Mary Anne Hobbs, a marauding mixtape for Glasgow’s LuckyMe earlier this year and big support from Mosca, Hackman, Dark Sky and Tessela, the amount of hype surrounding this South London (obviously) based beatsmith has been ridiculous. And we’re very pleased to say this is his debut release, and a killer 12” to pop his recording cherry!
Sanctuary hurtles along from the off: a tight key line precedes a subversive and deviously grimey sub line, powerfully cajoled by an off kilter horn and a banshee-like wailing vocal which drives the track along. The influences on this track constantly migrate between house, techno and garage, be it the ricochet snares, grime-esque basslines or swing that’s pervades every beat. This is very much his sound.
This release’s artwork was curated by South London Ordnance himself, after finding Boya Latumahina's Tumblr whilst browsing the internet. This very talented graphic designer, illustrator and photographer showcases a kaleidoscope of geometric shapes and psychedelic influences for this 12” artwork in all its Technicolor glory. Check the rest of her work out here: http://www.zipporalux.com/

A: Sanctuary
AA: Roofy

Released by: 2nd Drop Records
Release/catalogue number: 2NDRP12019
Release date: May 14, 2012
ISRC: GB-VFF-08-00038

DjRum Resident Advisor mix

Listen to DjRum's Resident Advisor mix here and / or download in iTunes, read the great interview, plus some exclusive news about his forthcoming projects with 2nd Drop Records:
http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=307

A soundtrack to an imaginary film.

What marks out Felix Manuel from the hundreds of other UK bass producers that have emerged in the last few years? At the very least we can say with some certainty that few have created an EP as good as Mountains. The 2010 four-tracker for 2nd Drop Records displayed a startling knack for sample manipulation, stringing out hip-hop, dubstep, techno and gabba to form a rich and cinematic whole. Gabba? Yes, gabba. As part of the Yardcore crew on Sub.fm, Manuel became schooled in the quickest of club genres—breakcore, ghettotech, drum & bass—and continues to dabble with tear-out styles during his far-reaching DJ sets. Jazz is a further touchstone of Manuel's sound, particularly (or perhaps specifically) in terms of his recorded output. His 12-inches for On The Edge and Smokin' Sessions to the aforementioned 2nd Drop, have all been based on judicious samples, although Manuel is just as likely to borrow from classical music or an overlooked soundtrack.

That latter source is particularly pertinent here: in approaching RA.307 Manuel set-out to compose a "soundtrack to a movie that's not been made," freeing himself from playing to an imagined dance floor in favour of creating an atmosphere through tracks by Chris Watson, Herbie Hancock, Untold, Marcel Dettmann and plenty of his own matertial.

What have you been up to recently?

Working hard and moving house. My record collection is a total mess, but on the plus side it now has a room to itself. I can't wait to get it sorted.

How and where was the mix recorded?

I started by recording a live mix in Ableton Live at my flat in south London. I then spent a couple of weeks chopping it about and adding extra samples: remixing it and adding field recording atmospheres and film samples. I wanted the post-production to really add value. I needed to be doing things that would not be possible in a live setup, like remixing folk tunes into techno and working to an obsessive level of detail.

Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?

It's the soundtrack to a movie that's not been made. I wanted it to set the scene for my own productions rather than showcase how I DJ at a dance. Sound design and incidental music for TV and film is a big influence on me in my productions. Taking this approach freed me up. It allowed me to do a lot of things I'd never get away with on a dance floor, both technically and in the selection.

Mixing for a podcast is totally different to mixing live in front of a crowd. You have the opportunity to create something timeless. It's not about reacting to a place and time and an atmosphere; it's about creating an atmosphere from scratch. If you focus on pulling out all the latest dubplates to come across as cutting edge as possible you end up sounding very "now." I wanted this mix to stay on people's iPods for as long as possible and to linger in the mind. I hope that including tracks from as far back as the '60s, right up to future releases will help. Hopefully I'm playing people something they haven't heard before in a way they've not heard before.

You have a background in DJing breakcore and generally up-tempo styles of club music. Have you given much thought as to why your productions to date have ended up so comparatively relaxed?

My productions are based more around a process than an aim. I've learned to really go with the flow when I'm producing. When I'm in my studio at home I'm in a relaxed setting so I guess it's not so surprising. It wasn't until I let all of my influences into my productions that I started to really get somewhere with them. You can hear a breakcore influence in the Mountains EP I think. The idea for the fast 4x4 kick section in "Mountains Pt.2" came from gabba. I was particularly thinking about the drop in "Way of the Homeboy Pt.2" by Hellfish and Producer.

You appear to favour a sample-based approach to making music. What are some of your preferred genres/time periods to draw upon?

Jazz is my main source. I guess I mainly stick to 1966-76...a little later for European stuff. I've been collecting jazz records for like ten years, I'm really proud of my collection. Classical music and soundtracks are also important starting points for a lot of the ambient and dub sound design in my music. I try to use synths as little as possible but it can be really hard to stick only to samples. I paint myself into a corner. Sometimes I just can't find a source for what's in my head. More natural, acoustic sounds have always appealed to me. Up until I got into techno my main focus in electronic music was always hip-hop, trip-hop and jungle.

Do you get a chance to play any of your own material out?

I always try to get one or two of my own tunes in there. It's annoying that I can't test out new stuff when I'm playing all vinyl. That's something I'm working on: a setup where I play all vinyl apart from a few "live" elements from a laptop. I might have that together by the summer.

What are you up to next?

I've got an LP in the making. Very excited about that. Nearly there, but I've got lots to do still. My next 12-inch is coming very soon, and there's a remix 12-inch on its way too. One track from that's in this mix.

Urban Nerds' Rattus Rattus Top 5 Trap Magazine

Our good friends Rattus Rattus from Urban Nerds featured Tessela's 'Darlene, Please' in his Hot 5 in this months Trap Magazine. If you haven't bought this release yet, buy the vinyl here and get the mp3 free at Surus: http://www.surus.co.uk/2nd-drop-records/darlene-please-/-let-up-16504.aspx

South London Ordnance at FWD>> tonight!

Catch 2nd Drop Records' very own South London Ordnance at the legendary FWD>>, Plastic People tonight:

Check http://www.ilovefwd.com/ for details
£7 Entry
Plastic People
147-149 Curtain Road
London
EC2 3QE

Check the soundcloud here: http://soundcloud.com/south-london-ordnance

LV and Tigran Hamasyan 'Explode' live at Maida Vale

Listen to LV and Tigran Hamasyan's (featuring Zaki Ibrahim) live version of 'Explode' recorded at Maida Vale studios for Gilles Petersons' last BBC Radio 1 Show.



 Buy the original version vinyl and digital here from Surus: http://www.surus.co.uk/2nd-drop-records/explode-13656.aspx

In the words of the great man himself,  Gilles: "That is abit special".

DjRum in Guestlist Magazine

DjRum featured in a great article in Guestlist magazine, read below or click the link:
http://guestlist.net/newspaper/108/march-april-2012/

South London Ordnance DJ Mag March Top 10

South London Ordnance had his Top 10 tunes of March in the most recent copy of DJ Mag, which features our new Tessela 12" and the forthcoming DjRum remix by Pedestrian.