Martial Law

A Ninja Tune Special on RBMA Radio

Many labels might think of taking a sabbatical after the kind of double decade celebrations that Ninja Tune went through in 2010. While their retrospective didn't do much looking backwards, it'd still be understandable to feel pleased with a job well done, pat themselves on the back, and take a bit of a breather. Besides, how do you follow up a year that saw twenty bonus releases, countless events and weekenders all across the UK and Europe, the US, Japan, Turkey, as well as a dedicated festival in Paris? Still… ninjas don't rest, and their roster and release schedule still remains one of the busiest and most productive.

This is partly due to Ninja Tune's loyalty to their artists and their long-term view, but also down to the fact that many artists are hitting their creative stride and show no signs of slowing down. Amon Tobin, who some may remember from his 'Bricolage' LP back in 1997, is still making all kinds of twists and surprises fourteen years later with his latest album 'ISAM'. The live shows sees Amon combining his specifically-designed Haken-Continuum-manipulated sounds with state-of-the-art shape-shifting 3-D graphics. Our Fireside Chat with Amon goes some way to finding out what makes this mercurial electronic producer tick.

Another long term artist that has consistently set the bar high is Jay Swinscoe and his group the Cinematic Orchestra, whose debut 'Motion' defined the end of a century for many forward-looking jazz lovers. From their film soundtracks like 'Man With A Movie Camera', to collaborations with peerless singer Fontella Bass, to projects with the London Metropolitan Orchestra, they always rise to the big occasion. Jay talks us through the highlights of a truly remarkable musical career in a special Cinematic Orchestra show.

It's not all old guard though, and Ninja Tune sure know how to pick the cream of the upcoming crop. Toddla T's mix of house, grime, dancehall and hip hop on his album 'Watch Me Dance' was one of the defining sounds of the summer of 2011, and he took it everywhere, including Paris' Nouveau Casino. Eskmo is another producer whose sound is at the forefront of those defining today's dance floors, and his combination of found sound, field recordings, and low-slung beats has taken him around the world, as well as landing at Seattle's Decibel Festival, where RBMA Radio caught his recent live show. RBMA participant turned studio team player Dorian Concept is also no slouch in the live arena. His EP 'Her Tears Taste Like Pears' saw his unique take on rampant bass harmonics become a much sought-after commodity in the dark recesses of many a ravers mind, including those getting down at last years Academy in Madrid. Montreal native Poirier, another Academy alumnus, also knows how to warm up the dance with his twist on tropical rhythms and throbbing subs.

These live shows are just the tip of the poisoned throwing star. Downbeat producer Bonobo and Academy soulstress Andreya Triana know how to swell a crowd, bringing their take on hazy grooves to crowds at the Elysée Montmartre in Paris and several sessions in London. Veterans of the game Mr Scruff and Daedelus keep flipping the script with their shows - Scruff stretching out in one of his epic five hour sets, which sees him seamlessly handpicking gems from almost every genre, while Daedelus crams almost as much into one solitary hour, with a memorable set for Brainfeeder's Fabric takeover. Speaking of cramming it all in, another Ninja Tune marathon man, Luke Vibert, also has a lot going on under the hood. From his wide range of styles and pseudonyms to his bottomless collection of breaks, few producers embody the Ninja Tune ethos of improvised surprise as well as Luke. His Fireside Chat reveals almost as many questions as it does answers, and we wouldn't want it any other way. If the soundtrack of the next chapter ever needed a custodian, who better than Ninja Tune to hold the keys.

Martial Law
A Ninja Tune Special on RBMA Radio

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