Bristolian Drum and Bass legend Roni Size debuts an unheard mix of 'New Forms' to a sweaty Shoreditch basement.
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| Roni Size presents the 'New Forms' Re-Issue |
'New Forms' has changed everything. A bold and uncompromising remark to make about an album in its twentieth year. If the events organisers, Classic Album Sundays, need even prove this, using an £85,000 Audio Note sound system in a 200 capacity cellar is one way to go about it. Audio Note use highly conductive silver wires and previous US army valves in these amplifiers. For the human ear it is an outer-worldly sound that ought to be experienced. A live streaming service has made available over Facebook ensuring that every Drum and Bass fan can pitch in on the 'Brown Paper Bag' creator. As if you were in his front room, Roni embraces the conversation with the nights special guest, Boiler Room's music editor Gabriel Szatan.
Classic Album Sundays are tailored for dedicated fans of music, the purpose being to sit on a traditional school chair in silence for two hours to "close your eyes and refrain from speaking." But in a room of old skool ravers, this may be easier said than done. Size is immediately loaded with a mouthful of questions, mostly about the magnitude of 'New Forms'. He speaks of how in the last 5 years his D'n'B collective, Reprazent had reformed. It seems this was the catalyst for he calls a "Reinvention over the last 20 years." The crowd are sat on his every word, many have done so since 1994 from his roots in suburban Bristol. Refreshingly Size finds his music still challenging, describing this night as a "test to myself" to a sit down, in depth discussion.
Szatan continually asks about then and now, "Stepping out with two feet instead of sixteen others" as a solo artist. Importantly it is discussed how Roni has made the bridge between two different era's of electronic music. Drum and Bass for Size, is something totally sensual as demonstrated by his strong influences of jazz and previous collaborations with Breakbeat Era, Krust and Dynamite. He portrays himself as totally self-aware, artistically he realises where to fit in today. Surprisingly, Size makes nods to Noisia and Sub Focus for their live productions despite the commercial aspects of their music, perhaps it's a sign that Size can't keep in his "own bubble" whilst electronic music continues to perplex us.
The exclusive re-issue of 'New Forms' in vinyl form is passed around; the contents of which his team feel as a visual and sonic experience, is unparalleled. It is described as "A parachute jump; you jump out you're floating down and hoping that that cord is gonna pull and the parachute will open, when it opens and you touch the floor you just want to do it all over again." this is a personal journey for Size rather than his once very collaborative career.
The most important statement was the emphasis of Drum n Bass needing a "Superstar". This year has brought about a strong DnB revival, with the likes of Goldie, Fabio and Grooverider, Dillinja and more making strong festival comebacks, but it is easy to agree with Size that we don't have a new figurehead for the genre.
The night ultimately pushes the boundaries of how to listen to music. There is no skip button, the audience are thrown into the Drum and Bass deep end with time to talk with Roni up close. It is recommended that you listen to the evidence, but the re-issue of 'New Forms' falls nothing short of an innovative masterpiece. Bass spits harshly from the Audio Note system, instruments and sound samples go on new divergents. The triumphant 'Share The Fall' and oriental-esque 'Mad Cat' benefit most heavily from the set-up. Classic Album Sundays prove that intellectual music is still thriving. If anything, Size is crying to compete with a new D'n'B rule-breaker, whilst he searches un-explored avenues. The exclusive release of 'New Forms' re-issue is November 10th.
Read BackstageOnly's interview with Roni below where his recent 'New Forms' live performances in Bristol and at Arcadia are discussed. A video capturing the play-out on Audio Note is also featured below.
Roni, you talked about the show you did at the Bristol Downs recently. If you had to go back to Bristol now and tell us about which places hold real sentimental value to you if you had to perform your dream show there, where would it be? where has it been in the past?
"Yeah you know it's always nerve-racking performing in Bristol because your mum's always there and your kids are always there and they all know who you are you can't be out there pretending to be like some rockstar because your mum's on the side of the stage! I've performed in so many places in Bristol like Queens Square, obviously The Downs, Ashton Court, just all over. But everyone knows it's all about St Pauls Carnival, and St Pauls Carnival is the most amazing and spiritual place to ever go and play because you play to the realness, THE REAL, it's where I learn everything. It's like Notting Hill Carnival but it's smaller, I'd say it's better! because it's Bristol and it's really compact; you walk along and you can hear all these different baselines and drums and everything. You know it's fantastic. So I'd love to be able to do a live show at St Paul's Carnival one day that'd be great, I'd be happy to do that. I'm not sure how it would go down but I'd be happy to do it. St Pauls carnival, that holds a special place in my heart."
Playing Arcadia is a unique experience for any artist. Locked in a small pod above the crowd, how did this compare to other performances?
"Playing in Bristol is always good and being up in that pod you don't really know what's going on outside of it, you see the videos on Youtube and you see all the fire and all the flames and you realise you're part of something special. It's a great machine, I played with it in Thailand, we did a show in Glastonbury with it on the Sunday night so the spider is great! Arcadia have been really good to me."
Can you control the bursts of fire?
"No theres a whole team who have to have a lot of regulations around it. It's crazy."
The fire really peps you up doesn't it, whether you're an artist or in the crowd...
"Well when you're in the actual pod you feel like you're in a toilet or something or a cubical! but when you watch back the videos you realise you're part of something special."
So do you have any plans to do anything in Bristol in the next couple of months?
"No, my next gig is going to be at Hospitality in the Park in London which is going to be a great event, come and get involved!"
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