Touching Bass: Lord Of The Mics 4 – Return of the Mic

Back when VGA camera phones were still all the rage, grime was in its relative musical element. By 2004, many had loosened the shackles on the early term, eskibeat, and instead accepted grime as the conclusive phrase to describe this inner city sound.

By Errol Anderson | Music | Tuesday, 18 December 2012 at 1:12 pm

Touching Bass: Starkey

Starkey’s industrious melodies and grimy tendencies have rightfully led to the coinage of the term ’street bass’. Originally from Philadelphia, the DJ and producer has also experienced life in London, picking up traces of grime and garage along the way. We caught up to discuss sci-fi films, Mike Skinner and America’s cult-like grime following.

By Errol Anderson | Arts, Music | Thursday, 13 December 2012 at 1:31 pm

Diplo’s ’son’ Dillon Francis on working with Dizzee Rascal and why he loves mums

His dreamy green eyes have made Dillon Francis one of the most lusted-after DJs in the tumblrsphere. He is best known for having dual mentors in the form of electronic megastars Diplo and Skrillex.

By Emma Gritt | Music, Notebook | Thursday, 29 November 2012 at 5:22 pm

Launchpad Records are taking off

Back in 2004, following the release of Wiley’s debut album Treddin’ on Thin Ice and Dizzee Rascal’s semi-seminal Boy in Da Corner the previous year, a young grime fan named George Quann-Barnett (www.twitter.com/qu_nn) wrote a handwritten letter to XL Records asking if there was any way he could be involved in working for the label.

By PaulGibbins | Arts, Music | Friday, 2 November 2012 at 12:16 pm

DJ Fresh: I’ve never been so excited about making music

“I wouldn’t say I’m going for my third consecutive number one,” says Dan, “It’s dangerous to become too concerned with chart positions as there are so many factors that govern how well something does in the charts.”

Dan, better known as DJ Fresh, answers my first question astutely. In the last eleven months, he has made history twice, with two number ones, taking both dubstep and drum’n'bass to the coveted top spot in the UK music charts.

By Sam Moir | Arts, Music | Thursday, 24 May 2012 at 9:15 am

Caught & Social: Voluntary helpers take centre stage

Daily gossip from the world of celeb

By Luke Wilkins | Notebook | Thursday, 14 July 2011 at 11:57 am

Caught & social: Factor in Kelly, Olly, Tulisa and Gary

Daily gossip from the world of celeb

By Luke Blackall | Notebook | Thursday, 2 June 2011 at 11:22 am

1 in 5 young people unemployed: how has it come to this?

Figures released today reveal that overall unemployment has fallen to 2.46 million, but the most worrying statistic is the jobless rate for young people reaching 20%.

By Laura Davis | Notebook | Wednesday, 18 May 2011 at 4:44 pm

The now completely contradictory Mercury Prize

Yesterday came the announcement of the final shortlist for the 19th Mercury Prize, but have the organisers and mysteriously faceless judges finally smacked the last nail in an already tightly secured coffin?
If you weren’t already bored of the annual run through of “up and coming”, painfully cool, “next big thing” contenders, this year it seems the [...]

By Gareth Vipers | Arts | Wednesday, 21 July 2010 at 12:26 pm