DONGA: Please introduce yourself?

I’m Dom, I run 877 Records based in Brighton

What’s behind the name of the label?

The name is actually the last 3 digits of my phone number which may seem strange but actually relates back to my formative days listening to pirate radio and that was how they shouted u out when u txted the studio. ‘Hold tight the 877 in Brixton’ for example

Why do you release on vinyl?

Because I want to be part of creating physical records. There can be an emotional attachment to a piece of vinyl that I haven’t been able to experience by merely having a digital file.  I’m not a vinyl purist though, I just think it’s nice to have the choice where possible.

Do you play vinyl when you dj?

Yes and no. If I have something on vinyl I will play it on vinyl, if not, i’ll play an mp3. The music comes first and i’ll play it however I can.

Can you remember the first record you ever bought?

Er, umm, yes! It was ‘Ice Ice Baby’ by Vanilla Ice on 7”.

Where did you get it?

Probably Woolworths or Our Price.

Showing your age there! Still, a credible choice ;)

You’re shipwrecked on a desert island. What’s on the stereo?

(After some thought) There’s 2. ‘Leige & Leaf’ by Fairport Convention & Sizzla ‘Reggae Max Volume One’.

That’s triggered a memory. I encountered ‘Leige & Leaf’ as a child flicking through my unrelated uncle’s record collection. He always seemed a bit odd but looking back now I realise he was a stoner.

Can you describe why you like it?

Not easily. I guess if you look at the mood and lyrical themes although in a folk context they are often dark stories relating to death, crime, injustice.  There probably is a subconscious link or similarity between this and the electronic music I like but its hard to put into words.

So would I be right in assuming the Sizzla album is hardcore dancehall?

No you would be wrong. (Embarassed author) It’s a collection of his more melodic rootsy stuff and while there’s definitely still toughness there it’s some of the most heartfelt music i’ve heard.

Wow. 

It can be really hard to reconcile the two sides of Sizzla. The almost cartoon-violence and intolerance on the one hand with this Sizzla who can convey a real sense of being caring and sensitive.

I’m intrigued. Will seek this out.

Coming back to the topic, what are your aims with 877?

To release music I like and I hope that other people like.

Fair enough. Is there an underlying remit to the overall sound when you sign something?

I guess inevitably as my own musical background has been within underground dance music that I gravitate towards that. Bass features a fair bit haha. I look for tracks that I can imagine working on the dancefloor.

I can imagine dancefloors when i listen your releases. Big body responses from me!

Good!

How did you get into dance music and culture?

I can answer this specifically. A good friend went on holiday to a Greek island or some place and came back with a garage mixtape. It was the more commercial stuff and myself and my friend Unlikely really got into it, but almost in an ironic way. I then taped a darker set i heard on a pirate and that was it. That one tape completely changed my musical outlook!!

Do you know which producer’s tracks were dropped in the mix?

Narrows, Wookie, Zinc, MJ Cole – a really good cross-section going from the darker dubs across to the more musically creative guys.

Proper in other words. Nice story.

(It is at this point that i realise there is no clear direction, form or structure to my interview technique. This is perhaps not helpful.)

Please tell us about your next release.

The next release is 2 tracks by Pasteman & Tanka. They sent the tracks in as a demo that grabbed me straight away. They were exactly what I was looking for at that point.

As a DJ, my reaction was this is proper high quality straight in the bag stuff – a versatile record that will have both sides played out, one side in more house sets and the other when you wanna smack down some phat electro beats. Having played it out in a reasonable London venue I can say this works a treat. It’s a thumbs up from me. 

Do you feel you are a part of a Brighton scene? I’m often asked about the Brighton scene these days. What are your thoughts if any?

So far, although 877 is based in Brighton, I don’t think it’s had a significant impact on how I’ve been developing the label. Opportunities to work with other people locally haven’t often presented themselves. The main exception to this is yourself and Well Rounded.

Well having met you during what I consider the healthy period of dubstep (2005-07/8) it’s been interesting to keep in touch with each other as new things have developed. And it’s been nice getting a bit more of an insight. Here’s to future things.

Download - Below the Line Mixtape #4: Dom (877 Records)

877 Records:    soundcloud.com/877records    //   877records.com

1. Pete Rock - U Are What U Are/The Crop Intro 
2. Jeru The Damaja - Jungle Music 
3. Black Moon - Ack Like You Want It 
4. Mad Skillz - The Nod Factor 
5. Capital Tax - The Masha 
6. Gang Starr - Flip The Script (Remix/Minor Adjustment Mix) 
7. Slick Rick - Lick The Balls 
8. Mad Skillz - Lick The Balls 
9. MF Grimm - Gingerbread Man 
10. Shyheim - On And On 
11. Ed O.G. - I Got To Have It 
12. Miles Tackett - Vood Gibrations 
13. Edan - Rapperfection 
14. The Alkaholiks - Make Room 
15. Kurious - Uptown Shit 
16. Nas - Halftime 
17. MF DOOM & Nas - One Love 
18. Nine - Whutcha Want 
19. Pete Rock - Hop, Skip & Jump

Classic east coast vibes in this mix from Ralphonze. He dropped it in my inbox last night and I'm on my fourth listen. Classic boom-bap stylings.

-FM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bYPyHNI-bw

Jeremy Underground Paris' East Coast house inspired imprint is relatively unknown; probably due to the exclusivity which comes from being a vinyl-only label. I heard Mele playing this tune at Fabric, located the ID from his boiler room mix and it's been a favourite ever since. The simple kick snare intro establishes it as a 4/4 house classic, with sexy vocals and quirky piano chords completing the formula. By the time the track is in full swing, the dance floor should be packed and grooving.

-Lauren Reni

http://youtu.be/DeEgtIdbmyM

Leaving the old school classics for something abit newer this week. No point in listening to this if you've not got half decent speakers, serious chest-rattling bassline!

S-X using that Wooo riddim sample to full effect again in this one. Personally I prefer this to Wooo Riddim but that might just be because there was a period of about 6 months where you couldn't escape the Wooo. If you want this in high quality, pretty sure he gave it out for free a year or so ago in a pack that also featured another banger, Bricks

Was a dubplate for ages, it's been out a few weeks now and it still bangs hard.

A Tri-Angle Records focus by Ferndown Mistake.

In my eyes they are one of the most consistent labels around right now, sitting smartly alongside Hyperdub and R&S Record's recent revival. Tri-Angle, like many great labels, has an aesthetic that links all of their releases together, rather than a single genre. This is translated through their stunning artwork:

To give you a proper overview of the Tri-Angle sound it is only right we take a brief look at some of their releases. The veins of Tri-Angle are coursing with a love for R'n'B starlets, drones, melancholia and haunting reverbs. Right from the off this is demonstrated with their free mixtape "Let Me Shine For You". A six track ep re-interpreting Lindsey Lohan songs. Released during her stint in Jail and with no 'Free Lindsey' agenda, this ep features tracks from the likes of Laurel Halo, Babe Rainbow and Oneohtrix Point Never. My personal pick is Autre Ne Veut's - 'Bossy'. A demented eighties pop track. Be warned the vocals are love or hate.

This release was swiftly followed up by Balam Acab's - See Birds. It was here where my attention was caught. See Birds opening tracks, See Birds (Moon) and Regret Making mistakes, are pieces of blissed out digi-dub, perfect for chilling out in the sunshine and is succeeded by further 'Big Boy' being my pick here as it sets the tone for his later album Wander/Wonder. 

In my eyes one of the best albums of 2011 Wander/Wonder is all about the little nuggets of sound that keep the listeners attention. The washes of white noise, bird song and water drops make this the perfect album for escaping all the stresses going on in life. Each tracks progression giving the album a real sense of nature. Tracks start off small with tiny bits of sound  before slowly filling up the frequency spectrum before dying down back to tiny sounds, much like how plants grow and die over the seasons. 

oOoOO came next with 'oOoOO' and he recently released followed this up with 'Our Loving Is Hurting Us'. 'oOoOO' is five tracks of MPC style beats combined with amazing vocals and synth work. I'm all about the arpeggio in the first half 'Sedsumting' however it cuts through the mix beautifully before the tracks a turn into the sinister. 'Our Love is Hurting Us' is the follow up to 'oOoOO'. Immediately noticeable upon first listen is the amount of space on this ep compared to his last. Gone are the bright synth pads of the first ep. Instead the focus is on the vocals and the drum work. I don't wanna say too much about it yet as I haven't really had time to properly take it in and everyday I seem to pick a new favourite track.

Much of what is released on Tri-Angle are songs that need to experienced in a setting where the music will wash over you. Be that sat at home with your headphones on or loud over a pa. Holy Other's EP, With U, is no exception to this rule. It is incredibly simple music but incredibly emotive. The EP leaves you with a feelings of warmth and calm. It is music that desires your attention.

When it comes to the next release I wanna look at there are two things you need to know. He's worked with artists such as Lil B, The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky and his beats are off the fucking chain. Clams Casino fuses ethereal vocals, trap beats and bitcrushing on the Rainforest EP. Each track evokes images of sprawling landscapes from flowing english fields and woodland on 'Waterfalls' to sweltering mirages in the desert on 'Natural'

So who is left? How about How To Dress Well. I'm gonna say something a little controversial here. I really went off this album to begin with. I'd heard 'Ready For The World' and was expecting something very different to what I got. Suffice to say it sat unloved on the shelf for a while. However I've recently revisited while I've been writing my dissertation and it is fucking great. It sounds like some old rnb album that's been chewed up and spat out by the wonkiest tape machine ever, and sounds fucking sick for it. If the crunch of the album get's all a bit too much though, I highly recommend picking up the How To Dress Well ep 'Just Once', out on Yourstru.ly, as it features Orchestral Versions of three of the tracks found on the album as well as a new track in the form of 'Suicide Dream 3'

Continuing on the RnB tip is AlunaGeorge - 'You Know You Like It'. Three tracks of smooth Cassie-eqse vocals over quirky beats. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face. I always head straight for 'Put Up Your Hands' for its saccharine sweet pitched up vocals before checking out the rest. This one will be stuck in your head for a while.

So we're almost closing up now. There's not much left to discuss. But we couldn't go without mentioning the awesome 'Kings and Them' EP from Evian Christ. I'm not gonna say much more than it's a collection of beats utilising pitched down vocals from Tyga, Baby Bashy and others all culled from his Youtube channel and released for free over at their website. Grab it, listen and love it. (http://tri-anglerecords.com/)

Tri-angle have recently signed Haxan Cloak, Howse and Vessel so expect new bits from them soon, there's the forthcoming 12" from Tr-Angle head honcho Lie due imminently and finally, watch out for the for the Tri-Angle showcases hitting Manchester and Glasgow this month, as well as Holy Other in London.

www.tri-anglerecords.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Tri-Angle-Records

twitter.com/trianglerecords

-----------------Bonus----------------

I couldn't do this article without linking you up with a couple of bits that have been given away by the artists mentioned.

 Firstly Holy Other - We Over. Originally released on what is now the defunct Transparent records. We Over is a right bobby dazzler. Follow the buy it now link to grab it for free

Also make sure you grab Clams Casino's instrumental ep featuring this one :http://www.mediafire.com/?rj1opi3oa3r8l24

One last thing in case it wasn't already clear Clams Casino is God...

http://soundcloud.com/losing-suki/last-magpie-no-more-stories-ep

I first heard this beautiful tune on Maya Jane Coles' DJ Kicks mix. I was blown away by the atmospheric vibe created by those haunting vocals which flow over a garage-inspired beat, standing out from the housier 4/4 tracks on the mix.

Leeds-based producer Last Magpie is an exciting example of the sound of Losing Suki, -the 'little sister' of Hypercolour. It goes without saying that Maya has set the standard for their signature deep, crisp sound. Losing Suki is a promising continuation of Hypercolour's high quality productions, with releases from Huxley as well as Jack Dixon. 

Hackman and Tessela’s collaboration on Audio Culture has been on our wishlist for a while.  One of the reasons is that Hackman has a real knack for making bass: the depth, tone and body of the bass in tracks such as Close and Blacksnake display a real understanding of low-end engineering.  So him teaming up with the darker, techno edged Tessela was always going to end well. From the Jungle sounding, slow swung banger ‘Now I’ve Lost My Number 4’ to the frenetic techno feeling ‘Feel Like Loving Me’. We hope these tracks won't be the last collaborations from these two deftly capable and hugely exciting producers, but just in case they are make sure you cop this one. It's been flying out of the shops since it dropped on a ltd coloured 12" and on MP3 download.

Buy Vinyl 

'Now I've Lost My Number 4'

'Feel Like Loving You'

'Feel Like Loving You' (Presk Remix)

Deft is one of those names you can expect to hear a lot more of in the coming months: his new ‘Clotting’ EP has just dropped on Wot Not Records and his track ‘Loqux & Past’ is the opening track for Maya Jane Cole’s new DJ Kicks Mix. So it’s not surprising he’s just topped the 2000 followers mark on Soundcloud, hence the ‘2000’ EP.

‘Early’ is a Slo Mo House groover which sounds like the musical equivalent of a time lapse video showing snow melting, flowers growing and sleepy animals waking up after a cracking nap. Yes that’s pretty bloody cheesy but I dare you to have a listen and disagree: the vinyl-esque crackling sounds like ice thawing whilst the uplifting tones and dreamy synths are positively beaming with sunshine vibes.

‘Tunnel Vision’ is a few seasons darker; a sludgy house plodder the slow groove really gives space for deft to show off his trademark mastery of percussion.

Make sure you drop by his Soundcloud and say thank you… soundcloud.com/deft

Download: Deft '2000' EP

This week we’ve got a cracking Below the Line TV showcase lined up for you.

We shall be joined by none other than gen-u-ine US rapper MAD FLOWS, bringing his laid back Cali rap to Brighton and beaming it live to your laptop.

The talented and multi-faceted individual that is Mad Flows has rocked stages with Mobb Deep, the Pharcyde, The Pack and Tha Jacka; from packed clubs to huge festival stages he’s held it down across the board.

Originally hailing from the capitol of the Golden State (Sacramento, CA), this City of Trees lyricist now lays his head in “The City” (San Francisco, CA). Instantly recognizable by his dexterity and defining sound, he has been steadily growing a fan base and we’re pretty excited to have him come bless our little livestream.

WITNESS:

(he's the second one)

On the beats for his set will be SLXVE aka Simon Love. Brighton boy and beat loop fiend; he has been gaining a strong reputation for his selection and skills on the ol’ MPD.

Basically this is a combo you don’t wanna miss.

In support we’ve got the mighty J DEVIOUS who’s last mix for BTL has been one of the most listened to sets we’ve had and has been a personal favorite of ours. Koop seriously knows his beats and his mixing can’t be tested. Pure hip-hop heat

Of course no BTL drink-a-thon would be complete without MURDER HE WROTE, FERNDOWN MISTAKE and ALORS CORS in support injecting a nice slice of strictly amateur Bass Porn into the proceedings.

So don’t fuck about, 8 -11pm here on www.belowthelinetv.co.uk.    Nothing. Long.

Or of course if you’re in Brighton and want to come check this rather unique occurrence in person then swing by Life basement at said time, it’ll be all locked up but bang on the fire door and you might just be in luck…

Till then, check this:

http://madflows.com/

http://soundcloud.com/slxve

http://www.belowthelinetv.co.uk/article/146/jdevious-50-min-mix-on-btl-tv

Seen the title?

Yeah.

Download: Wiley- Step 1 (freestyle) vs. Preditah (192kbps)