Songwriter/performer Samantha James has spent the past three years honing her estimable skills as a modern-day singer/songwriter within the dance/electronic/soul genre. Her sultry style, vocal cadences, and international rhythms are largely influenced by such artists as Sade, Basia, Amel Larrieux, Bebel Gilberto and Morcheeba. On her debut album 'Rise' for San Francisco based indie label Om Records, Samantha teamed up with producer and co-writer Sebastian Arocha Morton-AKA ROCAsound (Sting, Vikter Duplaix, Fischerspooner, Fila Brazilia and Rick James for the classic finale' of the hit film Little Miss Sunshine.) A native of Los Angeles' Topanga Canyon where she currently resides, James is the grand daughter of Emmy Award-winning composer/conductor David Rose. James' lyrics resonate with the pain of lost relationships and joy of loving connections. " "Samantha has a unique and strong sense of style as a both a songwriter and performer", enthuses Arocha Morton. "Talented, beautiful, passionate, and dedicated... Samantha James is the real thing-as both recording artist and stage performer. She is a welcome and beautiful new face in the world of dance-electronic music."

http://www.om-records.com/artists/72-samantha-james

Los Angeles based People Under The Stairs, Double K and Thes One are the most successful fully independent hip hop duo in the history of Hip-Hop. Since their initial full length release in 1998, People Under The Stairs have performed more than a thousand sold out shows, festivals and world tours spanning 6 continents and 40 countries. With a strong DIY ethic, “The P”, as they are referred to by their fans, have self managed, produced and engineered 7 full-length albums and countless singles and side projects. The musical sensibility punctuating their unique brand of hip-hop has not only earned them the title “The Steely Dan of Rap Music” but consistent critical acclaim and numerous appearances on the Billboard Charts. Their illustrious career includes an appearance on The Simpson’s 20th Anniversary Special, a John Peele Session at Abbey Road, and groundbreaking performances at key festivals such as Glastonbury, Coachella and Bonaroo, the last of which was noted by SPIN magazine as “Simply the best performance of Friday… Period”. As part of their 10 year Anniversary World Tour in 2009, People Under The Stairs travelled to new continents with sold out shows in China, Brazil and South Africa and continue to tour through 2010 as they work on their 8th Studio album. As they declared at the closing of their main stage set at the Outside Lands Festival, “We’re the P, the ethnic Beastie Boys – and we aren’t done. We’re gonna’ keep bringing this party, this party rockin’ hip-hop to you when you need it. We’ll be there.”
http://www.om-records.com/artists/26-people-under-the-stairs

It is the brainchild of Lorin Ashton, and it exists as an open‐sourced musical project that is as diverse as it is heavy, as raw as it is meticulous, and as fierce as it is imaginary.

Bassnectar combines sound and force with weight while spanning the spectrum of sonic style, covering every genre imaginable, and smashing it all into a collision of wobbling, perverted basslines, hypnotic hide‐and‐seek adventures, and pretty much anything that strikes his fancy. He calls the end product "omnitempo maximalism," which basically means no rules, no limitations, and no hesitation in fusing the familiar with the strange or the classic with the cutting edge.

Whether remixing, collaborating, writing, DJing, performing live or working on constant social networking, Bassnectar's music is the lure and social impact is the very sincere intention. According to Ashton, "we are so blessed, and so deeply fortunate to be alive and awake right now...it's a basic truth, but it's very powerful. I think privilege confers responsibility, and Bassnectar is a reflection of that opportunity to give back; the motion of my cells bouncing back at the world."

Idealistic? Maybe. But with wall‐to‐wall shows night after night in city after city, with endless music being concocted and pumped out of the labs by a growing legion of collaborators and bass‐scientists, and with an ever‐growing fan base of loyal bass‐freaks on the loose, maybe idealism isn't all that bad...
http://www.om-records.com/artists/43-bassnectar

Amp Live: Reconnecting hip-hop with its electrofunk/Afrofuturist roots.

Like Marty McFly with an MPC and a DeLorean on 22s, Amp Live brings the perfect beat back in the name of science, elevating hip-hop out of its creative doldrums and restoring innovation to the genre. Murder at the Discotech revisits the interstellar aural landscapes of seminal inspirations like Kraftwerk, Jonzun Crew, Soulsonic Force, Gary Numan, Mantronix and ManParrish, yet updates the electrofunk template with contributions from some of the West Coast hip-hop underground’s freshest talent.

Besides producing all five of Zion-I’s critically-acclaimed studio albums, Amp Live’s official remix credits include Linkin Park, Radiohead, Tapes ‘n Tapes, Jamie Lidell, MGMT, Jealous Girls, Tokyo Police Club, and Why? Murder at the Discotech is the sequel to Amp’s 2005 solo debut Electrowonderland: the Drum and Bass Sessions, which explored the electro style that’s been a part of Zion-I’s repertoire ever since their first single, 1999’s “Inner Light.”

Three years in the making, Amp says Murder at the Discotech is aimed at both Zion-I fans “and new ones, if they want to come along.” The album wears its ‘80s influences on its cybernetic sleeve, yet it’s more than just retro-futuristic nostalgia. This is the next generation of electrofunk; Amp Live is the man-machine with a (mostly) human soul, rocking the dancefloor at warp speed and setting his photon torpedoes to funkitize entire galaxies.
http://www.om-records.com/artists/618-amp-live

Greenskeepers are a band that are forever changing in form and sound. At the inception of the Greenskeepers in 1999, the name represented James Curd and Nick Maurer. James Curd and Nick Maurer grew up skateboarding together in Chicago. When Curd began establishing himself as a talented and up and coming DJ, he invited Maurer to join and work with him in his studio. The two gained wide success despite their limited resources, courtesy of Curd's creativity on the MPC and Maurer's unique voice and clever song writing abilities.

Many moons later, Share, Curd, and Maurer joined forces with the bass playing cowboy Coban Rudish who had performed with Share in a funk band in college, to work on the second Greenskeepers album "Pleetch," so named after an equipment malfunction coined the phrase. It was around this time that word of the Keepers Green crossed the ears of San Francisco indie Om Records, who ended up licensing the album from Classic for U.S. distribution. After licensing three of the tunes from the album to the hit show Grey's Anatomy, as well as locking down the Greenskeepers' remix of the Pixar/Disney classic "The Incredibles" theme song, Om decided to pursue signing the group for worldwide distribution of their third album "Polo Club." Recorded as a LIVE band from beginning to end, "Polo Club" stands as the first Greenskeepers release completed by all four members together in one place at one time. Already receiving praises for the songs "15 Minutes" and "Polo Club," this album sets the record straight and signals only the beginning for these four maniacal young men from Chicago.

Ben Chijioke aka Ty is one of UK Black music's true innovators and popularisers. And with his third album, "Closer," this critically-acclaimed MC and producer is set to hit the mainstream. He has worked with the likes of Tony Allen, Terri Walker, Natasha Williams, Scratch Perverts, Afro Reggae and Estelle and has featured on more albums and singles than could easily be listed. Kiss DJ Shortee Blitz started out in a group with him. He has been invited to share the mic with luminaries such as Talib Kweli, De La Soul and Platinum Pied Pipers. He has been namechecked by Lily Allen and has performed with Damon Albarn. He has been nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize, has won numerous Hip Hop Awards, has even presented awards at the Nigerian Music Awards in Lagos and also in Azerbajian and Latvia. He has taken his vision of hip hop culture into prisons and schools and has acted as a spokesman for his musical culture in the studios of Newsnight. {BRITSH COUNCIL}

With a truly memorable live show, Ty has toured all over the world, everywhere from Morocco to the USA and has established a fanbase wherever he goes. In particular, his reputation has grown in the States to such an extent that he can claim the likes of Platinum Pied Pipers amongst his admirers and all his American guests on the record (including De La Soul, Speech from Arrested Development and Bahamadia) are personal friends and associates of the Vauxhall-based musician.

At last, with "Closer," Ty feels he is coming ever nearer to what he was aiming at all along - hip hop that is as moving, funny, thoughtful and clever as the great Black music of the sixties and seventies. "For me it's become about the music and the lyrics becoming one. About expressing myself and trying to sink into the music. Spoken word helped me to focus on the lyrics becoming part of the music. It's not just about Ty rapping over a beat anymore."
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/ty

Rodney Smith aka ‘Roots Manuva’ made his recorded debut in 1994 as part of IQ Procedure through Suburban Base's short-lived hip hop imprint Bluntly Speaking Vinyl. He debuted as Roots Manuva the same year on Blak Twang's 'Queen's Head' single, before releasing his own single, 'Next Type of Motion' the following year through the same label, the hugely influential Sound of Money. 1996 saw the release of his collaborations with Skitz ('Where My Mind Is At'/'Blessed Be the Manner') on 23 Skidoo's Ronin label. The release of 'Feva' on Tony Vegas's Wayward imprint followed in 1997. This was also the year that saw the first releases from Big Dada, a collaboration between Coldcut's Ninja Tune label and hip hop journalist Will Ashon. Ashon had tipped Smith as the 'Most Likely To...' back in '95 and soon came knocking asking for a single. Roots replied that he was tired of making one-off singles and would only sign to do an album. In 1998 he joined the label and the following year released his fiercesome debut, 'Brand New Second Hand'. From an initial 3000 records put into the shops 'BNSH' has now sold over 50,000 copies in the UK. It also made the first dents in the wall of complacency and indifference which has often greeted home-grown Black music in this country, with The Times declaring that "his is the voice of urban Britain, encompassing dub, ragga, funk and hip hop as it sweeps from crumbling street corners to ganja-filled dancehalls, setting gritty narratives against all manner of warped beats." Manuva was rewarded for his breakthrough with a MOBO as Best Hip Hop Act that year. As if to demonstrate the broad appeal of his style, he also featured on Leftfield's 'Dusted' from their 'Rhythm & Stealth' album.

Big things were now expected of Smith and he delivered with 'Run Come Save Me', the record which gained him a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize and which has currently almost 100,000 copies in the UK. More importantly, it spawned the all-time classic 'Witness' (voted the greatest UK hip hop tune of all time by the readers of Hip Hop Connection) on an album that ran from the broad, swaggering pop of 'Dreamy Days' to the dark, odd meditation of 'Evil Rabbit'. It is also the record which led the Guardian newspaper, to proclaim Manuva fifth in their '40 Best Bands In Britain' feature, proclaiming that "his influence is incalculable and he opened the doors for the Streets, Dizzee Rascal et al."
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/roots-manuva

Known internationally as a curator amongst the worldʼs most cutting edge DJs, producers, and musical movements Wesley Pentz (better known as DIPLO) has experienced a variety of successes. The last few years have been spent running through the club circuit and having chart-topping hits with refreshing irreverence.

In 2004, Pentz released his debut album as Diplo called, "Florida." It received praise and accolades in the underground community. The music embodied on this album led to an introduction via an A&R man at XL Records to M.I.A. In 2004, he partnered with M.I.A. for the mixtape "Piracy Funds Terrorism." Pentzʼs cultural impact had started to snowball. Together they worked on her first album "Arular" and much of her second "Kala," including the 2008 mega-hit “Paper Planes,” which reached No. 3 in the U.S. Charts and earned him a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year. His production credits have evolved since to include Santigold, Lilʼ Jon and Missy Elliot, while remixing works by Beck, Radiohead, Britney Spears and countless others. In 2009 Pentz teamed with frequent collaborator Dave Taylor (aka Switch) to release the futuristic dancehall album "Guns Donʼt Kill People... Lazers Do," under the guise of Major Laze -- a Jamaican militant at war with an evil army of zombies, mummies, and vampires.

Through a widespread assortment of releases and artistsʼ works – from cumbia
to dubstep to punk and beyond – Diplo has shown dynamic range with interests that span far beyond any singular culture or musical realm, standing as a working model for the truly 21st Century artist.
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/roots-manuva
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/diplo

One of the true originals of the grime scene - both as an MC and a producer - Jammer (also known as The Murkle Man) began in the 187 Crew, where he worked as a producer with MCs D Double E and Hyper and the group later amalgamated into Nasty Crew, whose orginal members only consisted of Marcus Nasty, Stormin, and Sharkey Major. Jammer was a recognised figure within the group, producing hits such as 'Take You Out', before eventually leaving due to crew disgreements.

In the first quarter of 2008, it was revealed that Jammer had signed to Dirtee Stank Records, Dizzee Rascal's label that has also signed the Newham Generals. More recently, Jammer has signed a three album contract with Big Dada.

After a series of acclaimed mixtapes, Jammer's first single 'Party Animal' was released in January 2010, with his first full album 'Jahmanji' following in June of the same year.
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/jammer
http://www.grimepedia.co.uk/wiki/Jammer

A lot of things have happened since a young Andy Carthy started answering to the name Mr Scruff, making a name for himself under the shadow of Manchester's mid 90s club scene. Releasing three critically acclaimed albums, selling over half a million records worldwide and playing countless tours and club events has cemented his now legendary DJ status; this is a DJ that can sell out the 1600 capacity London KoKo armed only with his records, some turntables and a few spare packets of teabags.

As a DJ, Mr. Scruff plays across the board, including Soul, Funk, Hip Hop, Jazz, Reggae, Dubstep, Latin, African, Ska, Disco, House, Funk, Breaks, Soundtracks & loads more. As a producer, Scruff makes music that draws on these influences, with a large dose of cheek & good humour.
http://www.mrscruff.com/
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/mr-scruff

Blockhead grew up in downtown New York City. The son of an artist, early on he found his passion was for music. A fan of a whole range of sounds, especially hip-hop, Blockhead steadily built a tremendous collection of tapes and later CDs from innumerable artists. After a brief stint as a rapper, he realized his calling was behind the boards and not on the mic, and from there he began to produce beats.

Since making that decision, he's been kept pretty busy. Blockhead produced 9 tracks on Aesop Rock's critically acclaimed album 'Labor Days'. Additionally, he produced half the tracks on Aesop's follow up EP, 'Daylight'. Blockhead has also been working with other indie giants such as Slug of Atmosphere, Murs, Mike Ladd and SA Smash. He also found time to complete a break beat album entitled 'Blockhead's Broke Beats', with 10 hard hitting instrumental tracks, which was released on Mush Records, the US home of cLOUDDEAD.

And just to prove that he ain't all about art-rap, Blockhead produced 2 tracks on the newly crowned Skribble Jam Battle Champ, MacLethal's full-length album. Oh, and the guy does comedy, too. He's a member of the Party Fun Action Committee who's hip-hop/comedy debut album was recently released on the legendary Def Jux. And what was the other thing? Oh yeah, exquisite, emotional instrumental hip hop on the one and only Ninja Tune...
http://ninjatune.net/artist/blockhead

About The Bug: Beats, Bombs, Bass, Weapons, Congestion, Space, Concussion and Seduction.  Past: Techno Animal, God, Ice, The Sidewinder, , Experimental Audio Research, 16/17, Pathological Records, 'Macro Dub Infection', 'Jazz Satellites' and 'Isolationism'

Present: King Midas Sound, Ladybug, Pressure, Razor X Productions, BASH Label/Club

Future: Warrior Queen Album/Label, Dalek in Dub, Zonal, Curse of the Golden Vampire
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/the-bug

Drawing from a wide range of tropical riddims and urban electro, the power of Montreal-based DJ/producer Poirier's bass blasts through any flimsy attempt to classify his music. Pinpointing the bits and pieces of dancehall beats, soca energy and electronic intensity is futile in the face of Poirier's dance-driven creativity and air-horn worthy excitement. Signed to Ninja Tune, this is a man who just understands what works in the dance.

Poirier is constantly evolving. Landscapes of vibrant drums lead to pulsating, pitch-shifting, and infectious bass and synth patterns. He tears through new genres constantly, leaving a trail of packed, chaotic dancefloors in his wake. 

Although based in Montreal, Poirier is also always moving — in just the past few years he has been invited to virtually every continent. Poirier on the bill equals a sure fire jam, so it's no surprise that he's shared the stage with Modeselektor, Diplo, Kode9, Amon Tobin and Toddla T, as well as taken SXSW, Fabric London, Australia's Big Day Out, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and Mexico's Cervantino Festival by storm.

Remixes are part of Poirier's powerful repertoire, and he knows just how to pick apart a song and put it back together bigger and heavier than before. Tracks by Gotan Project, Tommie Sunshine, Pole, Bassnectar and Yoav have all been given the Poirier treatment, garnering him attention from publications such as the Independent, the London Telegraph, Pitchfork, the New Yorker, the Wire and XLR8R.

Giving the massive what it wants, yet providing a musical education in what it needs, Poirier is a producer and DJ who has no boundaries except, perhaps, the rule that it's gotta have bass, and it's got to bounce. With this philosophy, Poirier will keep the dance rammed.
http://ninjatune.net/us/artist/poirier

Bart van der Meer, AKA Bart B More, has quickly become one of the brightest new stars in the international electronic music scene. He has consistently been crafting dancefloor destroyers that have received massive support from prominent DJ’s around the world.

Bart first gained exposure as a promising newcomer to the Dutch scene. Combining his love for beat-driven, looped techno music with big room house and electro, he has been crafting a refreshingly new cross-over sound. After his first few years of spinning in Holland, he unleashed “So It Goes” and a remix of Sandy Rivera’s “Freak,” both of which gained extensive international support while being crowned Pete Tong’s Essential New Tunes.

Bart B More has also demonstrated a natural ability for creating incredible remixes. Examples include Chocolate Puma’s “Touch Me” (Beatport nr. 1), MC Flipside “In The Zone” (Beatport top 5) Drop The Lime’s “Sex Sax” (Beatport Top 15), Crookers feat. Kelis’ “No Security” and Ron Carroll’s “Walking Down The Street.” Besides these official remixes, Bart enjoys working with big records and giving them his own twist, resulting in successful bootlegs of Lily Allen, The Editors, Daft Punk, etc.

What makes Bart’s live sets special is his capacity for diversity, blending together a plethora of different styles and genres into his main-room sound. In the past 3 years Bart has performed at numerous shows around the world, and has amassed a rather impressive resume. A few highlights of the past year of touring include Electric Daisy Carnival - LA, Nocturnal Festival - LA, Trouble & Bass - NY & Miami, Institubes Festival - Paris, Forma T - Bruxelles, Beyond Wonderland - LA, Mad Decent - Miami, Sunrise Festival Poland, Super You & Me, Mysteryland - Holland, INOX Festival France, and RAUW -Amsterdam.

With upcoming releases, remixes, and worldwide support from the likes of Laidback, Luke, Diplo, Crookers, Switch, A-Trak, Tiesto, and Boys Noize, we can safely say that Bart B More is not one to ignore.
http://bartbmore.com/page/bio

With a little help from production duo Crookers – Rapper and singer Kid Cudi unleashed the hip-house masterpiece Day ‘N’ Nite. Lyrically angst-filled and insomnia inspired, the debut single oscillates between hypnotic, stripped back electro and unashamedly deranged, rave-style breakbeats complete with wonky bassline. The result is a overwhelmingly catchy anthem that’s already causing high-scoring Richter Scale damage in clubs and winning over fans all day and all night long. The original track’s sparse and minimal production has been invigorated by Italian duo Crookers’ addition of warped electro synths, noisy rave-influenced sounds, a dash of old skool and a monstrous bassline.

The track’s distinctive sound transcends genres and quickly became a massive anthem internationally. Whether it’s an urban, dance or a straight up pop night, Day ‘N’ Nite is certain to get the party started!
http://www.ministryofsound.com/shop/product/music/17551/day-n-nite-12-vinyl/

The Hoxton Whores are Britain’s electronic-musical equivalent to the Union Jack. Having toured extensively through the UK, Europe and far corners beyond, they unequivocally boast an energetic, positive and responsive progressive dance sound, which has seen them collaborate and remix an A-Z of the world’s best working with the likes of Deep Dish, Robbie Rivera, Faithless, Moloko, Danny Howells and Leftfield & many more. Over the past decade they’ve owned the Beatport charts and embarked on a round trip to stamp the world with their WhoreHouse sound rocking dancefloors worldwide with their consistent and massive studio output.

Last year was one of the Hoxtons biggest and busiest years yet with the re-launch of their WhoreHouse Label featuring new original material with Robbie Rivera and Bass Kleph and a string of high profile releases to match. A relentless schedule sees DJ tours reaching Brazil, Argentina, Canada, Australia, Asia, Dubai, South Africa and everywhere in between with big releases lined up on Missspelt/Toolroom, Subliminal, Ministry of Sound, CR2, Stealth, Phonetic, We Play and more.. 2011 sees the Hoxtons take it up a level release wise with some mammoth projects in the pipeline already stirring interest from the majors...
http://www.myspace.com/hoxtonwhores

With a glittering career that includes worldwide number one hits, packed arenas, throbbing dance floors, A-list collaborations, a raft of international awards and a debut artist album ‘Output’ that hit over 60 countries worldwide, it’s been a year that has cemented Fedde le Grand‘s reputation as one of the most forward-thinking, in-demand, creative forces in global music.

Put your hands up for Detroit hit No 1 in the UK, Spain, Russia, Finland and Bulgaria; won Best Underground House Track and Best Breaks/Electro Track at the IMDA 2007, Club Banger Of The Year at the 6th Annual Club Awards in Miami 2008 and secured Fedde the fiercely fought over Best Breakthrough Solo Artist gong at the IMDA 2007.

Let Me Think About It followed, setting club-land on fire and stamping Fedde’s name all over the global music charts. There was nobody anywhere that fell short of Fedde’s magic – including Grammy Award-winning Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.am, international electronic godfather Fatboy Slim and Madonna – need we go on?
http://www.feddelegrand.com/biography

Ida Corr first conquered dancefloors and charts all over the world with her single "Let Me Think About It", remixed by Fedde Le Grand. The single became one of the most successful singles by a Danish artist in history. Since the worldwide success of "Let Me Think About It", Ida has been constantly on the go, playing at exclusive clubs worldwide.
http://www.idacorr.net/about_bio.php

It was around the age of 11 when making beats won out over video games to become Oh No’s most obsessive pastime. Over the years, as the Cali-bred b-boy honed his skills of rhyming and producing, it became obvious that – like his brother Madlib (iconic hip-hop maestro), his father Otis Jackson (cult ’70s soul singer) and his uncle Jon Faddis (renowned jazz trumpeter) – Oh No would go on to pursue the family business of music.

Oh No debuted as a producer and MC in his own right with The Disrupt, his 2004 full-length on Stones Throw Records. With recent beat production on the albums of fellow Oxnard, CA-based MCs Wildchild, MED and new signee Roc ‘C’, Oh No has probably logged more beats on Stones Throw releases than anyone else besides Madlib. In recent years, Oh No has carved out a funky style related, but distinct, to that of his famed sibling, as magazines like XXL, The Source and URB have all attested.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/ohno

Known as Los Angeles' "Ambassador of Boogie Funk," Dãm-Funk represents the citizens of the Funkmosphere. Headquartered in the Leimert Park section of L.A., Dãm (pronounced: 'Dame' as in Damon) spent the last few years cultivating a musical renaissance rooted in the early-'80s styles known as Boogie, Modern Soul and Electro-Funk.

As a DJ/selector, Dãm attracts the most discerning Boogie Funk afficionados within driving distance of his storied Monday-night Funkmosphere parties. But it's not just collectors at the bar toasting to the melodic sounds. Anyone who grooves to the likes of Slave, Aurra, early Prince, Prelude Records and the like, will get a dose of those groups' unknown contemporaries – more obscure but equally Funk-worthy.

The next phase of the Ambassador's mission is his debut album Toeachizown: continuing the classic West Coast tradition into today's scene with Dãm's own original "Modern-Funk" compositions. By plugging in his arsenal of vintage synths and drum machines, Dãm channels the galactic harmonies of his inspiration into his own brand of new boogie. Stones Throw Records' like-minded honcho Peanut Butter Wolf brought Dãm on to the team to glide into the future with his unique, synth and bass-driven vibe. It's a promising new chapter for Southern Cali space funk.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/damfunk

The ‘Godfather of Soul’ James Brown first discovered Tony Cook in 1973, playing at a block party for the WRDW-AM radio station he owned in his childhood hometown of Augusta, Georgia. Cook was still in high school at the time, but stayed on stayed in Brown’s sights til the early part of 1976, when Brown began to retool the J.B.s and brought Cook aboard as his new drummer. Cook would hold this position off and on for the next thirty years until Brown’s death on Christmas Day in 2006.

As work with the J.B.s slowed in the disco era, Cook moved to London and went independent, scoring a deal in 1981 with Osceola Records and producing the first Tony Cook and the Party People singles. The next year, he began working with the Halfmoon label, releasing the seminal “On the Floor” and “On the Floor (Rock-It)” mixes by WBLS-FM DJs Timmy Regisford and Boyd Jarvis.

“On the Floor” found Cook successfully merging funk and disco, although that was not the original intent. The drummer-turned-producer was admittedly trying to score a hit, and to do so, chose to ride the other emerging genre of the day. “‘On the Floor’ was a rap record at first,” he reveals. “Regisford and Jarvis took the master and re-recorded a few things, added a few things. Then, we didn’t know what to call it, but it definitely wasn’t a rap record anymore. It had more of a dance kind of thing going through it. And it had a little bit of techno to it. When we released it in 1984, the phrase ‘garage’ came out, then ‘house’ came out, and someone called it ‘The Granddaddy of all House Records’, so we knew we had something different and new.”

“I first became aware of Tony through the song ‘On the Floor’,” says Chris “Peanut Butter Wolf” Manak. Manak is the founder of Stones Throw Records, home of Cook’s Back to Reality anthology, a collection of rare and unreleased funk, boogie, and proto-rap from the immediate post-disco era. “I found the record in NYC about seven or eight years ago and started playing it in my DJ sets. It sounded like the missing link between funk and house music. For being released in 1984, to me, it seemed like the first house record. I loved playing it.”

The Back to Reality selections were originally recorded as side projects during Cook’s work for Halfmoon. These offerings remain as fresh today as when they were originally recorded. The songs symbolize independence and a willingness to adapt, and having been on hold for so many years, are a timely addition to the present boogie and post-disco resurgence. “It’s bringing me back to where I left off in the early ’80s,” Cook muses, “and I feel fortunate to have had the chance to be a part of that era.” Nearly thirty years later, he is finally getting back to his reality.

--bio by Ronnie Reese
http://www.stonesthrow.com/tonycook

For years Guilty Simpson has been a rock on the Detroit hip-hop circuit alongside those such as J Dilla, Slum Village, Eminem (whom Guilty still calls “Marshall”) & D12, Obie Trice, Proof, Phat Kat and Black Milk. A member of the Almighty Dreadnaughtz crew, Guilty emerged as a sound to be reckoned with after linking with producer Dilla in 2001. In the midst of recording an album’s worth of material on the MC – including the recently released duet “Take Notice” off of Dilla’s heralded Ruff Draft album – Dilla gave Simpson his first appearance on disc with “Strapped” (from 2003’s Jaylib album).

It’s taken years, but finally Simpson’s full-length solo debut, Ode to the Ghetto, brings him worldwide, chronicling a life led in the rough-hewn city that birthed him.

Featuring an all-star cast of producers normally reserved for those signed to six-figure deals (J Dilla, Madlib, Denaun Porter of D-12), Ode to the Ghetto marks an evolution, incorporating a more topical and thought-provoking persona in addition to the extra-savage braggadocio Simpson is known for. “I want to make the consumer care about the music again,” the 31-year-old explains.

Guilty’s testosterone-charged, inner city themes possess of a sense of humor at times so side-splitting, it only proves how serious he really is. This rapper was raised on the field of battle and he has more to say than just how fresh he is and how fresh “they” are not. As a matter of fact, he’s found that he’s here to remind the hip-hop world – currently captivated with that manufactured freshness – that life in the ghetto is real.

The evidence shows excessive use of double entendres, too much flavor on public grounds, microphone assault, and verbal harassment of an officer of the law. On the counts of freshness AND realness: The Court of Hip-Hop finds Mr. Simpson to be Guilty.



-- Bio by Ronnie Reese.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/guiltysimpson

Peanut Butter Wolf, before making his name as a DJ and Producer and before founding Stones Throw Records, was programming drums for a one-man punk rock/disco army known as Baron Zen. Known, that is, to almost no one, because Baron Zen did not play shows, did not release records, rejected all forms of publicity, and above all, rejected the boundaries separating hip-hop, disco, punk rock, and pop.

Sweet Steve is the man behind Baron Zen. His recording career as Baron Zen lasted from 1988 to 1992, the best of which is collected on this album – his first and only. He was ahead of his time in the ‘80s, but the times have been threatening to catch up with him. Baron Zen today sounds like the missing link between PIL and DFA ... or suburban punk rock garage bands of the 80s and the DJ culture of today ... or The Dead Milkmen if they had been hip-hop b-boys.

Baron Zen is DIY music that wears its pop influence on its sleeve: covers of Joy Division, Gap Band, Katrina and the Waves, and high-energy disco classic “When I Hear Music” by Debbie Deb play along side Sweet Steve’s originals, many of which are odes to Steve’s frustration of being a hip-hop & disco DJ stuck in suburbia.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/baronzen

Mr. Pants is a purveyor par excellence of that unmistakable “fresh beat”: 80’s Soul, Electro Boogie, Early Rap, New Wave, & Post-Punk Disco, all of which can be found on Welcome where James plays drums, keys, guitar and sings.

From a radio perspective, what format does this fall under - this new style that Pants has invented? Do you play it on the groove alongside the likes of Skyy, Cameo, or even Pharrell (listen to ‘KA$H’)? Or do you play it in the underground alongside the up-to-the-minute electro pulse of Egyptian Lover, Cybotron and even Too $hort? The answer, of course, is both! There’s enough Pants to fit any style.
http://www.stonesthrow.com/jamespants jamespants.com

Logistics grew up on a self prescribed musical diet, equal parts guitar based compositions from bands such as Rage Against The Machine and down tempo efforts from labels like Mo' Wax. After having scooped Best Album at the 1xtra Bass awards for his debut album, Logistics dropped his second long player Reality Checkpoint. Rammed full of genre bending goodness it was heralded as a glimpse of the future with dubstep and electronica influences fusing together with the anthemic Logistics sound.

It's Logistics’s influence that has been picked up by the major DJs in the scene such as Fabio and Grooverider, Andy C and Friction, and his anthemic creations have contributed greatly to the modern Hospital sound.
http://www.hospitalrecords.com/artists/logistics/

Formerly a duo and now just a one man band, fronted by Jon Stanley, Cyantific originally met at high school and were gathered up into the Hospital fold, after a tip off from High Contrast no less. A series of 12"s, remixes and compilation appearances helped to build their diehard underground fanbase.

Recognised in march 2007 when Cyantific scooped the highly prized Best Breakthrough DJ award from BBC 1Xtra - It was apparent that Jon has some serious skills, and he's on a mission to spread the gospel according to Cyantific far and wide.

In a Strangely blurred area of South West London on Google maps, there are reports of tech, funk and breaks well above normal levels. In regular djing trips outside of the compound, Cyantific has leaked more and more space age material. If you don't know by now, hold tight, the truth is out there, and it's coming to a dancefloor near you!
http://www.hospitalrecords.com/artists/cyantific/

Spread love!

Since signing to Hospital Records, Nu:Tone has come through the ranks to become one of the most highly respected producers in the scene, with everyone from LTJ Bukem to Dillinja busting his tunes. Nu:Tone's remix's are always guaranteed to please - whether it's the retro soul of his Spread Love anthem or the junglist wobble of his "Strictly Social" Re-rub.

His debut album Brave Nu World dropped in 2005 with all of the Drum & Bass' hierarchy supporting it. DJs Norman Jay M.B.E and Tom Middleton also made Nu:Tone a favourite of their eclectic sets. Off the back of this success Nu:Tone has taken his DJing all over the world spreading Hospital love from the USA to Asia to Australia. Somehow he has also found the time to remix Alice Russell, Quantic and produce a track for Jenna G.

After a short break creating a mini Nu:Tone, Dan has come back super strong. His stunning album Back Of Beyond was highly praised, with critics hailing it "Top Class" - Knowledge Mag, and DJmag describing the album as "The perfect marriage of accelerated junglist funk & cooled-out 70s melody". Cuts from the album such as Missing Link, Beliefs (with Pat Fulgoni) and System (featuring Natalie Williams) all ripping up the UKs dancefloors.
http://shop.hospitalrecords.com/artist/56

One of the very first artists to sign to the fledgling Hospital label - way back at the turn of the millennium, Danny Byrd's own inimitable take on soulful, vocal Drum and Bass has become a staple in the scene. His use of hip hop, house and R&B influences immediately began turning heads with his first Hospital outings.

Championing a revival of classic dance music sounds along with his own unique and forward thinking production the second Danny Byrd studio album "Rave Digger" was unleashed October 2010. The lead single "Ill Behaviour feat I-Kay" smashed it's way into the UK top 40, swiftly followed up by Radio One play listings for "We Can Have It All" and "Tonight". In 2011, the "Rave Digger - Special Edition" continues the Byrd domination!
http://www.hospitalrecords.com/artists/dannybyrd/

If he is not tweaking beats in his studio, Agent Alvin can be found on the DJ circuit having played support for many touring internationals, as well as headlining his own gigs and playing some of the biggest festivals in his native land. His sets run the full spectrum of Drum and Bass reflecting the diverse range of music he produces. From liquid to tech to jump up and back again, he guarantees dancefloor impact alongside musicality.

Demand for his productions is steadily rising, with tunes released on labels as diverse as the legendary Full Cycle, Klutes imprint Commercial Suicide, Gain, G2 and Resin Records. His tunes were receiving high rotation on the BBCs` Radio 1 by Grooverider, Annie Mac and Ras Kwame, and 1Xtra by Bailey, L Double and Sappo. As well as high radio play, DJ`s such as High Contrast, London Electricity, Roni Size, Pendulum, DJ Craze and countless others have been playing his music all over the world cementing him as a serious player in Drum and Bass.
http://www.muzic.net.nz/artists/333.html

One of the original hardcore pioneers, Blame has taken his music to new heights recently as his sound continues to evolve. In recent years Blame’s hard work and skills have gained him a steadily rising profile, as a producer, remixer and DJ. As well as running his own imprints 720 Degrees and Blame Music, Blame has released on the biggest labels in drum and bass, including Moving Shadow, Good Looking, Metalheadz and Hospital, and developed a reputation for consistently breaking boundaries with fresh and dynamic new music.
http://www.liquiddnb.com/artist/blame?quicktabs_tabs_artist_profile=0

With only a handful of releases under his belt, "Synth Geek" Rohan Walder, aka Randomer, is officially hot property and demand for his eclectic brand of bass-driven electronic dance music is rocketing sky high. With sounds emanating from drum & bass, dubstep, UK funky, garage, house and more, this is music that cannot be pigeon-holed.
http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/randomer/biography

Paul Smith and Jason Greenhalgh are two of the most prolific producers within the drum & bass movement, recording for a plethora of different labels under a range of monikers. The pair first met in 1987, both living on Blackbird Leys estate in Oxford, England and brought together through a mutual love of hip-hop. Distracted by the arrival of hardcore in the early nineties, record collecting was quickly followed by DJ’ing and eventually production.

In 1994, the pair started recording together, with “Got to Believe” the first in a series of records which pushed away from the fizzling darkside movement and more towards the epic string sections and rolling beats which started to appear on labels like Lucky Spin, Basement and Good Looking. After six years of recording singles for others, the pair established the CIA label in the closing months of 1997 with the help of Brillo from Timeless. The release of their Silent Reign EP for Goldie’s Metalheadz breathed a new lease of life into the project, and the pair achieved a further boost with a well-timed Bad Company remix of “Champion Sound” which conjured further interest in what they were doing at their own label. Their debut album Advance exposed a further field of interest, with downtempo experiments logged as a series of “Breaks” on the majority of their early EP’s extended to some superb deep house, this breadth taken a step further with their Skin Deep imprint which has forged broken beat to considerable acclaim. Their pioneering of a revival in old-school sounds and arrangements, together with Digital and Reinforced, dominated drum & bass throughout 2001.

At present Total Science are still as busy as ever realeasing tunes on various labels as well as running C.I.A recordings label and various offshoot labels.
http://www.liquiddnb.com/artist/total-science?quicktabs_tabs_artist_profile=0

DJ Matman is one of London's most prolific djs – his rare combination of world-class technical skills, mastery of multiple musical genres and an acute ability to read and rock a diverse range of audiences keeps him in constant high demand both in the UK and abroad.

Growing up in the musically rich city of Bristol, Matman sharpened his skills alongside his brother Dj Daredevil, and soon got his first break playing regular club sets aged 17. He went on to gain a wider reputation by entering various DJ contests, claiming the titles of UK DMC Supremacy champion, London DMC Champion, ITF World Finalist, and European Turntable Techniques Champion.

Since moving to London in 2005 Matman has earned himself residencies at London's hottest nightspots, from the exclusive celebrity hangouts Bungalow 8, The Box, and the Playboy Club to world famous concert venues such as Jazz Cafe and HMV Forum. He has performed at countless events across the globe, including parties for the likes of Wella, Bloomberg, the BAFTA awards, Absolut Vodka and the Gumball Rally, and shared the stage with legends such as De La Soul, Public Enemy, The Noisettes, DJ A-Trak, Estelle, Guru, Jazzy Jeff, DJ Premier, and many, many more. He is also a co-founder, DJ, podcaster and writer for Droppin' Science – London's freshest hip hop collective & monthly club night.

You can find more information on DJ Matman along with videos, gigs and mixes here:
www.djmatman.com
www.djmatman.blogspot.com
www.mixcloud.com/djmatman
www.youtube.com/user/djmatman
www.droppinscience.co.uk
http://twitter.com/djmatman

Daredevil is renowned for his jaw-dropping routines and his A-class technical ability. DJing since the age of 13, Daredevil first gained exposure on radio shows and at club nights in his hometown of Bristol. At the age of 19 he moved to London and began entering competitions, and swiftly made a name for himself as a contender on the battle scene. Daredevil is now a 3 times world finalist in DMC, I.T.F and the Allies All-Star Beatdown Championships, and has entered and won too many competitions to mention here!

Over the years DareDevil has also been honing and mastering his production skills to an impressive level, DareDevil has produced and worked with artists , Ralph Dog , Blaq Poet , Craig G , Neighbourhood (cuts), The Lightbulb Theives (cuts) ,Illiyun (cuts), Blazing Squad (cuts) , I see girls (Si@ Kord music) , Master Shortee , DJMatman , DJ Tigerstyle , Pheonix Da Ice Fire , Dr Syntax (cuts)’ and also currently working on a project with boston rapper Akrobatik together known as ‘Atlantic Coast’.
http://djdaredevil-djdaredevil.blogspot.com/
http://www.droppinscience.co.uk/
http://twitter.com/djdaredevil

Hailing from Germany and based in Hong Kong, Kid Fresh is known as one of the key tastemakers and most in-demand DJs in Asia’s club circuit. As a mastermind behind the monthly event series HYPE NASTY at Hong Kong’s superclub VOLAR, his night was awarded Hong Kong’s Best Club Night by Time Out magazine in 2009 and 2010. He is regularly booked to play every major club in Asia like M1NT (Shanghai), BED (Bangkok), ZOUK (Singapore), ENCORE (Manila) and PUNK (Beijing), played memorable sets at GREENHOUSE (New York City), FABRIC (London), WATERGATE (Berlin) and MOULIN ROUGE (Paris), and audially enhanced events for clients such as MOET & CHANDON, GIORGIO ARMANI, MTV, MOTOROLA, TECHNICS and SONY.

In early 2011, Kid Fresh released his mix album PEOPLE WANT SUGAR via DIPLO’s MAD DECENT label into the blogosphere and created an instant classic that scored praise by some of the biggest names in the industry.

He raised his first monument in 2003 as a scratch DJ and turntablist, being the first DJ since David Fascher (1991) to win a World Champion title for Germany. Between 2001 and 2004, he scored 3 Worldwide and 5 National DMC/ITF DJ Champion belts, being the first member and mastermind behind one of the world’s most successful turntablist crews LORDZ OF FITNESS as well as being one of the mentors (alongside DJ Q-BERT) of World Record Turntablist and 2007 DMC World Champion DJ RAFIK.

Jetting back and forth between Hong Kong, Beijing, Bangkok, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Paris, London and Berlin, Kid Fresh has shared bills and stages with the likes of LAURENT GARNIER, CARL COX, DIPLO/ MAJOR LAZER, A-TRAK, SINDEN, HOT CHIP, RATATAT, BEYONCE, LIL JON and STEVE AOKI to name but a few.

His vast musical knowledge and experience combined with the technical abilities and showmanship of a World Champion Turntablist creates highly unique and eclectic sets, always loaded with lots of bass, dynamics and energy, with styles ranging from house, tech-house and tropical to hip hop, dubstep and dancehall reggae.
http://djkidfresh.wordpress.com/
http://pimpinainteasyhk.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kidfresh1
http://soundcloud.com/kidfresh

Growing up listening to a whole palette of sounds ranging from soul, African, hip hop,and electronic music, this multifaceted producer and DJ brings a wide sound and scope to the music he presents.

Coming up along with DJ Enso, the two began deejaying in the SF Bay Area in their formative years. It was around this time that the two began to dabble in production with friend/ fellow musician and label co founder, Roche starting Solos Records which has served as an outlet for all of their music with vinyl, CD and digital releases as well as monthly podcasts..

In 2006, Yao released his debut work Plantain is Public on Solos to rave reviews locally and globally. Rooted in hip hop and electronic music, the project experimented and contorted its beats and rhythms into a truly honest stew of sound drawing from spices around the globe. After its release, Yao travelled through West Africa and the UK before relocating to Buenos Aires, Argentina where he linked up with a crew of like minded musicians and artists including Bersa Discos and ZZK Records. 

His original production, edits and unique remixes of the likes of Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Common, as well as New York based band Lemonade, have gained him fans and praise all over the map.

 Also, having shared the stage and billings with the likes of Diplo, Drop the Lime, Kode 9, Kid Fresh, Ghislain Poirier and many more this young man is always ready to rock to the party. Now based in Hong Kong, Yao who has traversed the world in search of the perfect beat is eager to spread the musical energy that emanates through his daily existence.
http://www.myspace.com/yaoser/
http://soundcloud.com/yaodoit
http://www.solosrecords.com/yao.html