Down Low Music Showcase - Convextion (Live), $tinkworx (Live), Voltaic (Live) and Martin McKay (RubaDub) and Jackmaster (Point.One/Wireblock/Seismic/Numbers), Club 69, Paisley, Mar 10
Introspective soundscapes meet a rawer take on underground-dance
| 11 Apr 2007
Club 69 is playing host next weekend, yet again, to some kick-ass technotronica, and this time we're being given accomplished Detroit soundsmith Convextion. Although Convextion's only had a handful of releases since his 1995 debut on Detroit's Matrix label, he's become a by-word for cerebral, passionate, and fantastically textured music amongst techno's upper-echelons; garnering fans such as Derrick May, Kenny Larkin, Danny Tenaglia and Swayzak. The evolution of his sound reflects an early infatuation with such great sonic architects as the Cocteau Twins, Joy Division and early 4AD artists as well as his later Detroit discoveries; the beauty of Derrick May's strings, Virgo's basslines, the Burrell Brothers' grooves, Juan Atkins' Deep Space vistas, not to mention the relentless pulses and mesmerizing echoes of Basic Channel (the latter helping to truly crystallise the Convextion sound). Long awaited and long overdue, last year's debut album of the same name was a collection of his most essential tracks from the previous decade. Initially limited to 500 copies, it has since earned a repress thanks to the popularity of its introspective soundscapes.
Supporting are Texan $tinkworx and Scottish Voltaic, with Martin McKay spinning a few first. $tinkworx, a.k.a. JT Stewart, grew up in upstate New York. The son of a major record collector and dealer, music was a constant in the Stewart home, with local college radio stations and their healthy dose of pop, hip-hop and esoteric electronic proving an influence. It eventually moved him to begin producing his own electronic music, helped by the gift of a vintage Roland JX8P synthesizer from his parents. In 96 he began sending them to his favourite labels, resulting in strong support and recording offers from Morgan Geist's Environ label and the Russ Gabrial-run, Ferox, though prevailing circumstances delayed the full-release of $tinkworx material.
Three years later, JT and good friend Minto George joined forces to produce what turned out to be the first $tinkworx 7", on their Down Low Music label. Danny Wolfers (aka Legowelt) became a fan and helped arrange the release of older $tinkworx material on the famed Dutch Bunker label. The subsequent $tinkworx remix on Down Low followed, as did a further Bunker production, and together with his earlier work, it created a buzz among the underground dance music community and resulted in several 1000 sales. Later material was released on the Amsterdam-based Rush Hour and the affiliated Delsin Records, as well as EMI sub-label Regal/New Religion, with more in the pipeline for Eskimo sub-label, Suicide, the French label Karat, Legowelt's Strange Life label, Luke Eargoggle's Stilleben label, and not to mention Down Low Music!
The $tinkworx sound is poised somewhere between house, techno, disco and funk; a somewhat 'raw' take on underground-dance, influenced by the music of JT's childhood; blues, jazz, afro-pop, American pop and hip-hop to the classic electronic output of Chicago, Europe and Detroit - the latter of which acted as his greatest musical inspiration. [Colin Chapman and Dalai Dahmer]
Supporting are Texan $tinkworx and Scottish Voltaic, with Martin McKay spinning a few first. $tinkworx, a.k.a. JT Stewart, grew up in upstate New York. The son of a major record collector and dealer, music was a constant in the Stewart home, with local college radio stations and their healthy dose of pop, hip-hop and esoteric electronic proving an influence. It eventually moved him to begin producing his own electronic music, helped by the gift of a vintage Roland JX8P synthesizer from his parents. In 96 he began sending them to his favourite labels, resulting in strong support and recording offers from Morgan Geist's Environ label and the Russ Gabrial-run, Ferox, though prevailing circumstances delayed the full-release of $tinkworx material.
Three years later, JT and good friend Minto George joined forces to produce what turned out to be the first $tinkworx 7", on their Down Low Music label. Danny Wolfers (aka Legowelt) became a fan and helped arrange the release of older $tinkworx material on the famed Dutch Bunker label. The subsequent $tinkworx remix on Down Low followed, as did a further Bunker production, and together with his earlier work, it created a buzz among the underground dance music community and resulted in several 1000 sales. Later material was released on the Amsterdam-based Rush Hour and the affiliated Delsin Records, as well as EMI sub-label Regal/New Religion, with more in the pipeline for Eskimo sub-label, Suicide, the French label Karat, Legowelt's Strange Life label, Luke Eargoggle's Stilleben label, and not to mention Down Low Music!
The $tinkworx sound is poised somewhere between house, techno, disco and funk; a somewhat 'raw' take on underground-dance, influenced by the music of JT's childhood; blues, jazz, afro-pop, American pop and hip-hop to the classic electronic output of Chicago, Europe and Detroit - the latter of which acted as his greatest musical inspiration. [Colin Chapman and Dalai Dahmer]
Club 69, New Sneddon St, Paisley. 11pm-late, £10+bf, and a bus leaves MacSorley's Bar at 11pm sharp! Email info@rubadub.co.uk to reserve your space. Tickets available from Rubadub Records 0141 221 9650 or online from www.northsouthdivide.com.
http://www.downlowmusic.org