Sublime Frequencies

RBMA Culture Clash feat. Trojan, Soul ll Soul, Metalheadz and DMZ

Like all good matches, the post-clash analysis of RBMA's Culture Clash on February 17th at Camden's Roundhouse was deeply divided, as opinions flew around the net about who deserved what, who destroyed who, and who was robbed. But as with the finest cup finals and derbies, it matters not who won or lost, but how you played the game: and there were some sublime frequencies during the night.

The players lined up: Soul II Soul, Metalheadz, Digital Mystikz, and Trojan Sound System. While the stage was set for some ego-ruckus, it was sound and selection that were the real winners of the day, as all four systems cut lines through four decades of UK bass culture. Trojan kept it nicest, pulling out gems from the vaults like Ken Boothe's Everything I Own, with Supa4 bringing some vocal honey to the dubs, and Ashley Beedle stepping in for Earl Gateshead. Soul II Soul and Jazzie B also brought the vocals, with MC Chickaboo keeping the laydeez in the loop, and Jazzie dropping everything from that White Stripes / Public Enemy mash-up to Omar's bruk latin classic 'It's So', stepping down from the decks with a Cutty Ranks special of 'Back To Life' reverberating round the hall.

The burgeoning Metalheadz crew, packing in Storm, Andy C, Caspa, MC Justyce, and plenty others with Goldie at the helm, hardly let the pace drop for a second. Again, playing a wide selection with a full frequency sound, from Pulp Fiction to Total Confusion to Hyph Mngo, Metalheadz brought the same energy that clubs like Rage bubbled with all those years ago. But it was Digital Mystikz who properly stepped into the soundmens shoes. Mala, Coki, and MC Pokes brought a heavy system and weighty platters, knocking the crowd with tunes like Coki's Burning, Mala's Alicia version, and Roots Manuva's league-of-its-own soundclash bomb Witness (1 Hope).

This is the potted version though. Four distinct rounds, with four distinct systems, all vying for the championship, makes for compulsive listening. In the end, whether it's the crowd or the impeccable Don Letts as adjudicator, who decide who won, it's really up to you to make up your own mind. Breathing new life into a bygone tradition, the clash deserves a re-incarnation for a new decade. RBMA Radio recorded each round, so listen to each one yourself, and judge who should be crowned the champion sound... Let the clashes begin!

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