On The Double

Hyperdub Special on RBMA Radio

It's almost hard to remember a time before Hyperdub, such has been the impact of Steve Goodman aka Kode9's label on the many mutant strains of bass music emerging in London since the turn of the millennium. Originally a website magazine back when that was considered hi-tech, Hyperdub was Kode9's way of creating a hub for junglists and bass heads the world over.

Little did Kode9 and Space Ape suspect, when they were pressing up their first 12", that Hyperdub would be cutting so influential a figure years later, but it certainly wasn't on their agenda. Contributing to the kaleidoscopic rumble that is London's hardcore continuum was the primary concern, and this loyalty to the cause is surely one of the contributing factors to the label's success. Of course another major factor was releases from low-key London producer Burial, whose two albums and 12"s were showered with critical acclaim, and in effect turned the media spotlight on the label. Fortunately though, as Mercury Music Prizes loomed, and tabloids and broadsheets alike clamored for stories that weren't there, Hyperdub's dedication to bass weight helped see them through, and strengthened Kode9's resolve to follow his instincts with future A&R decisions.

Even while all the hubbub was going on, Hyperdub had lined up a series of 12"s that tested even the most adventurous rave tastes. Ikonika broke through with the 'dying battery' sound of Please, and foretold of bold inventions. Darkstar brought plaintive vocoder lullabies to the stepper swing, while The Bug combined his stripped sonic minefield with the poetically-minded Roger Robinson to release dub-wise Wild Bunch inspired tunes under their King Midas Sound alias. Aside from a now-legendary Rinse FM session that saw Kode9 and Flying Lotus trade dubs and CD-Rs to join the dots across the Atlantic, Hyperdub released pace-setting 12"s from, Rustie, Zomby, LV, Joker and Cooly G, as well as academy fam like Samiyam, Cardopusher and Mark Pritchard & Om'mas Keith. The bass scattershot was well and truly fired, and the concept of a safe haven for artists to experiment in the low frequencies with free reign was welcomed with open ears.

Since then, the UK's bass climate has changed almost as often as the weather, with fearless selectors like Rinse FM's Braiden and sonically inventive producers like live duo Mount Kimbie and the one-man-remix-machine SBTRKT carrying the torch for the new sound. Meanwhile veterans of the oscillations like afro-warrior Benga and DMZ don Mala are producing some of their most mature and assured tunes yet. The original dark garage template has been updated to UK funky, as carnival-minded beat-makers like Brackles and Shortstuff scatter the breaks, and funky pioneer Roska juggles the kicks and snares to create future versions of old blueprints. In no small part we have Hyperdub to thank for reminding us that invention is one mother of a necessity. Welcome to the new new.

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