Are pure Garage sounds still being made?

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
I got into dubstep and grime without being into UKG (listening to lots of US hiphop and some electronic stuff instead), so as a consequence im pretty ignorant of the Garage scene past and present. People seem to think the golden age was maybe 5 years ago, but are people still pushing a 'purer' garage sound? I have really no idea...
 

borderpolice

Well-known member
viktorvaughn said:
I got into dubstep and grime without being into UKG (listening to lots of US hiphop and some electronic stuff instead), so as a consequence im pretty ignorant of the Garage scene past and present. People seem to think the golden age was maybe 5 years ago, but are people still pushing a 'purer' garage sound? I have really no idea...

golden age was late 90s in my opinion. there must be some garage producers still out there, for the garage pirates do play new stuff, but mostly it's oldies. and the garage raves in east london are purely nostalgic as far as i can see.

i adore UKG, i wish there was much more out there!
 
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jay-s

Active member
viktorvaughn said:
I got into dubstep and grime without being into UKG (listening to lots of US hiphop and some electronic stuff instead), so as a consequence im pretty ignorant of the Garage scene past and present. People seem to think the golden age was maybe 5 years ago, but are people still pushing a 'purer' garage sound? I have really no idea...
of course there are. garage proper was pretty dead 3 years ago or so, but it got better. some of the producers form back in the day are still around, mj cole is still active and the wideboys release new records regularly and even sunhip and ed case released a few new tracks. it's mostly new producers who are pushing that sound now, though - delinquent, duncan powell, qualifide, dezz jones, paleface etc. there are numerous r'n'b booties as well usually relased under an alias. sales are rather poor though, even though some of the records are not any worse than the music from the golden age. i suppose it's not really fashionable anymore.
 

matt b

Indexing all opinion
jay-s said:
i suppose it's not really fashionable anymore.

its still pretty big oop north, though mainly 4x4 stuff. well that's what i hear booming from vauxhall novas when the stereo isn't drowned out by the exhaust noise.
 

Gabba Flamenco Crossover

High Sierra Skullfuck
The happy side of UKG has crossed over into funky house a bit - west london as it's spiritual home. Lots of bars & clubs play this sound cos it's honest good-time music, but as Jay-S says it's not fashionable any more (was good time 4/4 garage ever fashionable?).
 

jay-s

Active member
matt b said:
its still pretty big oop north, though mainly 4x4 stuff. well that's what i hear booming from vauxhall novas when the stereo isn't drowned out by the exhaust noise.
i wasn't even aware of the northern scene until 2 years ago. basically speed garage never died there even during the reign of 2 step. there is now a firm link between some london producers and promoters and their northern counterparts and most releases now feature "up north" mixes alongside 4x4 or 2 step originals.

it should be noted that mcs are starting to return to garage proper. jamaka b is featured on a speed garage track by dezz jones and in my opinion it works really well. there are a few other tracks as well, most of them are not out yet.
 

viktorvaughn

Well-known member
Oh yeah, i remember working in this horrible bar two years ago often frequented by football hooligans and all they played was speed garage. Most of it seemed pretty awful as far as remember. Kind of answered my own question there!
 

jay-s

Active member
viktorvaughn said:
Oh yeah, i remember working in this horrible bar two years ago often frequented by football hooligans and all they played was speed garage. Most of it seemed pretty awful as far as remember. Kind of answered my own question there!
i agree most of the new speed garage (aka bassline house) is, well, awful. london producers have a different take on it, though, and their tracks are better.

i'd prefer more 2 step, especially since the few 2 step tracks that get released usually get a good reaction. "ghetto queen" by delinquent was played even in grime sets from what i gather.
 

borderpolice

Well-known member
not sure if that's indicative of anything, but i went to buy a UK garage Sample CD the other day, cos i'd like to get my hands dirty and produce some. but to no avail, i couldnt get any. seems like there's little demand.

anyway, i'd be interesting to hear where UK garage's unique sound comes from ... and don't say "Todd the God", i mean in terms of intrumentation, arrangement, basically the muso stuff!
 

boosted

Active member
Check the latest releases on Stereohype Recordings, available now from http://www.stereohyperecordings.com/ or the usual online specialty shops like Uptown, Juno, Chemical, etc.

Will Phillips and One Dark Martian - Will One Take Over? E.P. Tracklist:
A1: In Love With You
A2: Ignoring Me
A1: It Doesnt Have To Be
A2: The Reason
Release Date: February 2006 Catalogue Number: SH003

Streetz Vol. 2 Tracklist:
A1: So Sick - Ne-Yo (Tables Turn Mix)
A2: Sweet Tribute - S! Ft. Mega MC
B1: When You Tell Me - Vault
B2: All Night - Damian Marley (T.S. Heritage Mix)
Release Date: February 2006 Catalogue Number: SZ002
 

jay-s

Active member
viktorvaughn said:
Are there any cd compilations or something for the lazy listener to get an into to this stuff?
there was a separate cd for new garage on the last pure garage compilation by ez, and there was a dvd grime, garage & bassline (not just garage obviously) but otherwise i don't think there are any compilations. there are many mixes online, though, and you can get mix cds in specialist shops. in this regard it's not really much different from dubstep as far as i can tell.
 

borderpolice

Well-known member
what are the main garage clubs/raves in london at the moment?

i go to copyright from time to time, which can be good, but it's
hit and miss in the sense of being unfathomably empty at times
and packed at others.
 

Ulala

Awkward Woodward
Bumping (and flexing, ha) an old thread but it has the most appropriate title. Just seen this whilst looking online for something else:

http://www.ministryofsound.com/shop/product/music/34154/the-sound-of-uk-garage/

34154___selected.jpg


Inexplicably, a brand new Ministry-branded UKG compilation. So is the sound (and the term) gaining traction again? Looking at the tracklisting (see link above) reveals that a big chunk of this is new, recently-made garage. (There are some classics, too, but that's pretty standard for Ministry comps.) It certainly isn't 'future garage' - I hesitate to call it 'past garage' (though I seem to have done so anyway, curses) but it is pretty much a 'reboot' (ugh, sorry) of the original 2-step and 4/4 sound of the late 90s.

This pleases me greatly, and having listened to most of it (there's a listening widget on the Ministry site), I'm quite excited. I'd heard a few of Mike Delinquent's mixes in this style but there are plenty of others on here that are good - and most of them from returning originators. There's an excellent Wideboys remix, a really pretty Wookie one, and of course Dem 2 are back and, it seems, just as good as before.

(Although it's just Dem 1 now, according to this blurb: http://www.fabriclondon.com/blog/view/audio-dem-2-fabriclive-x-urban-nerds-mix The mix in that link is ace, too, the jittery Dem 2 style is still abundant and he even manages to make the new Sugababes single sound great (by mangling their vocals as per the Dem 2 usual).)

Also (also), there's a 'best of Locked On' night at my local boozer tonight with Ramsey & Fen. (Shacklewell Arms in Dalston if you fancy it, free admission too.) So as I said earlier, is garage back? If Ministry deem it viable to release and licence a comp like this then the signs are encouraging. I'd really like to think it was - much as I love funky, and some future garage, neither quite has the allure of 'proper' garage. I dunno, though, perhaps this just another facet of retromania (cf. Simon Reynolds) and I should be getting excited about something else? Either way, the sun's out, I've got the Club Asylum mix of K-Ci and Jojo on, and I'm off to see Ramsey and Fen later. Life is grand.
 

Ulala

Awkward Woodward
A further listen reveals there is quite a lot of pony on there, too, but that's more the fault of the original tracks rather than the garage remixes. I mean, trying to make Example sound good is a tricky task, innit.

Also, I should say I was looking for Dem 2 stuff in the first place and that led me to the Ministry comp. I'm not in the habit of browsing Ministry Of Sound.

@Blackdown (if you're watching) - I'd love to see a Dem 2 (Dem 1, whatever) interview on your blog. I would have thought he'd be amenable if he's trying to make a go of things again...
 
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Ulala

Awkward Woodward
Cheers for those, Sectionfive, but do you have any thoughts on the matter? Is garage making a comeback or what? As far as I can tell, Dem 2 has been off-radar for what, 6/7 years, so is the comeback now part of a wider thing signified by Ministry releasing that comp?

I'm delighted to be recommended new tunes, of course, but I'm just as keen to see what people make of this (apparent) revival.
 
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