Alta Baixa

My kind of rave

The smiley face. It was first used in the UK as symbol of the Acid House movement, and later was also adopted by the first Hardcore Ravers. What does it mean? It's simply a representation of what people should feel (and even look like) in a party. A smile. It's simple and universal. Not a revolutionary idea by itself, but it's still a powerful image when used in the context of Rave music. The essence of Rave should always be about happiness!

But let's not be entirely naive about this concept. Let's not forget that, associated with this Rave culture and symbology we have a long tradition of drug usage. Even before House music, Disco culture was already associated with the usage of MDMA. Later on, just like in LSD influenced Psychadelic age of the 60's, MDMA was responsible for a Second Summer of Love.

Other than drug usage, and free love, the 60's psych culture has a lot of similarities with acid-house/rave thing. I will focus on a very specific one: The music in both ages was the result of a contrast between hard and soft, butch and femme, ying and yang.

There was a balance.

I think that's the reason why even after all these decades, music from both periods is still relevant for most of the contemporary youth sub-cultures. Both ages represent an ideal moment, musically and culturally, that was highly influential for subsequent movements, and whose creations are still regarded as Classic.

Neither of the two ages lasted very long. Both cultures would soon ramify. The ramifications, as it would be expected, didn't have the same balanced attitude towards music. As always happens, the ramifications would only focus on a specific side of the original idea, and thus, losing the original balance. Some of the new music would be too heavy, some of it too soft. Some of it too sophisticated, some of it too simple.

In the UK, Acid-House from Chicago grew to become a incredibly influential musical form, and would later on form the basis of the UK Rave culture. Unlike Acid-House, this new music was no longer based on a Four-to-the-floor template, it was based on funk breaks. Thus it was called Breakbeat, the bastard child of House. The harder, most extreme forms of this music were to be called Hardcore Breakbeat, and it represented the beginning of a new age for UK music.

Just like in the US, where there is a continuum that stretches from Blues to Hip Hop (and beyond), in the UK they now had their own musical tradition, rooted in both the US electronic music, and the already existing UK Soundsystem Culture (that derived from the music brought to Europe by Caribbean immigrants).

Like in the 60's, this music was the result of a cultural crossroad. As such, it contained a lot of different elements, often in the same track. The production style was always sample based (unlike what happened in US House and Techno scenes). In that aspect, UK Rave was closer to Hip Hop.




Some of the seminal tracks of this genre, like this one by The House Crew, featured a cut-up style, as if the track was a DJ Mix by itself. The same elements would go back and fourth. The energy of these tracks came from the fact that this music was both hard/heavy and mellow/soft. On these tracks that dichotomy was extremly clear. Some parts were based on Piano samples, and featured mellow soulful vocals. Other parts rescued the darkness of the Acid-house, but taken to psychadelic extremes. These music was effective on the dancefloor because it would provide the Ravers with emotial extremes. Sometimes it felt like a kick and a punch. Other times it felt like kisses and hugs.

Balance.

The UK Rave culture, from 1993 on, would be essentially divided in two sides: The darker side would develop into Jungle music. The other side would develop into Happy Hardcore. The balance had been lost.

That said, however, don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to state that music from 1992 was better than music made afterwards. But when it comes to pure Rave and party, I still believe that in many ways, and in it's essential values, original Rave music is superior.

Then again, I believe this is unavoidable. Times must change.

That kind of balance is always hard to mantain. I believe that, while times may change, they are also cyclic. And I believe that after that moment in 1992, we stilll had ocasional, short lived, periods that were in many aspects similar to the Second Summer of Love. I believe that the genetic code of Rave music still contains all the necessary elements to revive that moment.

The proof, I believe, it's visible in the suceeding rave forms that appeared from 1992 onward.

I personally cannot speak for the Jungle and Drum & Bass times, since I did not experience those in first hand. Nor can I speak for UK Garage/2-Step times either. Even dubstep, since I caught it in a age where it was almost passing. I can probably speak for UK Funky one day, but it's still too soon.

The only thing that always lasts it's the music. The records. I can speak for those that I have heard from past times.

I still think that the best music of those genres is the one that, just like the original Hardcore, has a balance between the lightness and darkness. The best Drum & Bass it's the one that it's both sophisticated and primal (see Goldie and the Metalheadz). The best UK Garage in the one that oscilates beween the rainy darkness and almost kitchy R&B samples (see Wookie). The best Dubstep is, undoubetly the one that carries a mighty punch (even if a wobble synth) and then carries you into soul land (see Mala and the DMZ). A more current example would be what the guys at Night Slugs are releasing (see Jam City).













From a empirical point of view, I think it's fair to conclude that this might be a sucessful formula. The best rave music should always have this very same tension.

The essence of Rave is somewhere between the agressive punch and the loveable kiss.

Infestus

Infestus featured on RBMA blog!

This is big news for us! The good people at RBMA have made an article about our latest podcast, a live recording of Infestus' live act with Fidbek of Nave Mãe at Boom Festival. This is what they had to say:

"London alumnus Infestus has been busy prepping his live show, which he debuted at Portugal's Boom Festival back in August, on the edge of the picturesque Idanha-a-Nova Lake. Lisbon's Circus Maximus crew bring you the podcast via Mixcloud, with value-added narratives from Fidbek on the mic, as well as a quick video taster of the beach rave. Boom!"

Check the original article here. Thanks guys!

Octa Push release Baluba EP

The bass brothers, Octa Push have just released "Baluba EP", on Henrique Amaro's label/project, "Optimus Discos". It's a six track EP of the fastest, grittiest and heaviest Afro-Garage!

With the exception of the fifth track (which features MC Zulu), all the tracks are original and previously unreleased. The fourth track also features our boy Infestus playing keyboards.

The EP is available physically in a limited CD edition in Portugal. It's also available as a free download at the Optimus Discos website: http://www.optimusdiscos.com/discos/baluba

Go check it!

Circus Maximus Podcast 009 - Infestus feat. Fidbek (Live-act)

Circus Maximus Podcast 009 - Infestus feat. Fidbek (Live-act)
Recorded Live at Groovy Beach, Boom Festival 2010

Personnel:
Infestus - Keyboards, Sequencer, Sampler, Mixer, Effects
Fidbek - MC, Vocals

Tracklist:
All tracks written and produced by Infestus.
01. "Chiado Metropolis"
02. "A12"
03. "Ponte Vasco da Gama"
04. "Alcântara-Mar Future Ravers"
05. "Odivelas Dub"
06. "Loures Riddim"
07. "Aveiro Hi-tech"
08. "Aspirina"
09. "Telheiras 1994"
10. "Oporto City"
11. "Eu e Tu (Ela)"

This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.

http://facebook.com/infestusmusic
http://www.myspace.com/fidbekmatozoo

Cover design by Wag.

Also available on:

SoMany Artist's Showcase!

SOMANY ARTISTS SHOWCASE from somany videos on Vimeo.

Our friends at Somany Artists had a showcase party very recently. Our boy Infestus was part of it. This is the video report!

Rastrocast 002 - Live w/ Infestus @ Gare

Rastrocast 002 - Live W/ Infestus @ Gare by Rastronaut on Mixcloud

Our boy Rastronaut has his very own podcast series that has just released its second episode.

This time around he offers us a recording of his back-to-back dj set with Infestus at Gare, in Oporto, warming up the crowd for the amazing set by the one, the only, Mala from DMZ.

Download it here

Cover art by Love What You Do

Tracklist:

Supra1 - Ghoster
Endgames - Ecstasy (Jam City Refix)
Velour - Kick It Till It Breaks
Braiden - The Alps
Machinedrum - Carry The Weight (Bok Bok Remix)
Ikonika - Shouldn't Be Here
Sentinels - Maji
Zinc - Nexx
Dark Sky - Leave
Dorian Concept - Her Tears Taste Like Pears
Zomby - Fuck Mixing, Let's Dance
Surkin - Kid Gloves
Scratcha DVA - Schizophrenic
High Powered Boys - Highway
High Powered Boys - Hoes Get Down
Hot City - Another Girl
The Qemists Feat. Jenna G - Hurt Less (Hot City's Cheer Point Dub)
Unknown Artist - Unknown Track
Corvo Mukulu - Cesária Sweat
Mr Mageeka - Different Lekstrix (L-Vis 1990 Remix)
Poirier - Marathon
Zinc - My DJ Feat. Benga & Ms Dynamite
Roulet - Dongo
Roulet - Leg & Ligament

Enjoy!

Infestus feat. Fidbek - Live at Boom Festival 2010

This is a promotional video of Infestus performing his first ever live-act, featuring Fidbek on vocal duties. The upcoming podcast episode will feature the recorded audio material of this performance. Hold tight!

Recorded Live @ Boom Festival, 19/08/2010, Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal.

Written & Performed by Infestus
Vocals by Fidbek
Camera by Cristina & Sandrine
Editing by JP
Graphics by Tokyo'clock Studio
Logo Design by Wag