Weekend Weapons…Appleblim

Weekend Weapons…Appleblim

9 February, 2009 | 11.31AM

• Written by: Ryan Keeling
• Filed under: Music News: apple pips, appleblim

Our Weekend Weapons feature this week sees a long overdue representation of the dubstep scene in the form of Bristol’s Appleblim. 

Darling of both the dubstep and techno camps, Laurie ‘Appleblim’ Osbourne has found himself at the very epicenter of the creatively fertile middle ground between these musical kissing cousins. 

Most famed for his starring role alongside Shackleton in the running of, and releasing on, the now defunct Skull Disco imprint, the pair outputted an exemplary body of 10 next-level EPs that gleefully smashed their way out of any genre box they were placed in.

His ‘Circling’ release alongside fellow Bristol-based barrier-breaker Peverelist was named by the hugely influential Marcel Dettmann as one of his top 3 tracks of 2008 in our end of year coverage and further emphasized the intriguing sonic axis that has sprung up between Bristol and Berlin. 

Osborne’s own Apple Pips imprint is a mere four releases young, and yet has seen contributions from the likes of Martyn, Brendan Moeller, Jus Wan and T++, while the label’s next release takes a further step into the cross-pollination zone with a head-to-head between Ramadanman and Sven Weismann - the latter’s remix presents a perfect marriage between a house tempo and dubstep aesthetics.

This weekend saw Appleblim spin at The Croft in Bristol alongside Boxcutter and the ridiculously hot Mount Kimbie.

Here are his upfront three:

1. Shed - ‘Another Wedged Chicken’ (Martyn Remix) [Ostgut Ton]

The original was one of my favourite techno tunes of last year - so simple, but so effective.

It caused mayhem when I dropped it in Fabric’s main room when I played at Craig Richard’s Nothing Special night - it’s the combination of beautiful electro arpeggios and booming bass.

This remix a match made in heaven, really.

Martyn shows his versatility once again, rolling out a breaky bass-driven roller that I have been mixing up with UK funky tunes by Geeneus, Roska, Ramadanman and Greena.

Killer track forthcoming soon on a killer label!

2. 2nd II None - ‘Waterfalls’ (Peverelist Remix) [Heavy Artillery / A.R.M.Y.]

2nd II None is a grime/dubstep/bassline producer from Birmingham who used to make amazing grime that got caned by DJ Slimzee who was the original dubplate don of grime music - he had all the exclusives and best tunes.

You really should check the original of this tune, it’s this amazing half-steppy, breaky rhythm but with these beautiful descending delayed arpeggios (can you spot a theme here?!).

It came out on Rossi B’s A.R.M.Y. label in 2007 but it’s hard to get now - it’s a very ahead-of-its-time tune.

Peverelist takes those arpeggios and makes them even trippier, adds the sickest Detroit-y riffs, and turns in this epic gem.

You really have to hear the breakdown; a really dramatic tune to make people stop and gasp before skanking hard!

3. Hector & Bryant - ‘Tension’ (Al Tourettes and Appleblim Remix) [Phonica Records]

This was hooked up by the peeps at Phonica - a fine bunch!

Hector has been getting love from various camps, and I think Ricardo Villalobos has been supporting his tunes and Dinky has released some of his tracks.

The original is very tracky and deep minimal gear, so we tried to put in some off key rhythms and take the original riffs and twist them up and inject it with some skippy and steppiness.

Al Tourettes has some ace new tracks that I will be putting out on Apple Pips - proper future electro/dubstep/techno business, professional UK raver style!

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