I’ll spare you the cliche post that’s been done on nearly every other blog anyone’s ever started about why I haven’t updated in 6 months.  The important thing is that, at the urging of one of the half-dozen or so of you who might actually care about what I have to say here, I’m writing for the first time since moving to Brooklyn.

I suppose it’s only natural to, as one gets older, experience a decrease in interest in music.  I mean, I know people who haven’t heard a new artist they like since graduating from high school.  Nevertheless, I find my occasionally flagging passion for music distressing at times, whether the change emanates from me or from the music.

Which is why it’s nice to find something completely fresh, like this “purple” sound, that I actually give a shit about.  2009 seems to be the year that dubstep broke in the U.S., but honestly, most of what I hear just bores me to tears.  Purple, which sounds like the mutant offspring of dubstep, 3-6 Mafia, and early nineties g-funk, all stuttering hi-hats, squealing synth lines, and window-rattling bass, is definitely not boring.  The product of a small, but incredibly prolific, scene in Bristol, UK, purple (so named because it apparently sounds…purple – I dunno, I’ve never really gotten the whole synaesthesia thing) is most prominently represented by the insanely talented 19 year old Joker, whose Purple Wow Sound mix was my first taste of the style when it was released back in January.  Other notables include D.C. transplant Ginz, frequent Joker collaborator and the DJ behind a recent podcast for Data Transmission that hasn’t left my headphones in weeks, and Guido, whose forthcoming single “Beautiful Complication” feels like, for the moment at least, my favorite track of the year.

Some highlights below, followed by links to the mixes mentioned above…

Ginz podcast for Data Transmission

01. Ginz & Kool Money Kwame – Oreo – Dub
02. Gemmy – BK 2 the Future – Punch Drunk
03. General Midi Feat Foreign Beggars – 4 Million Ways (Ginz’s Purple Interpretation)
04. Adam Freeland – Do You (Joker Remix)
05. Joker – City Hopper – Dub
06. The Body Snatchers – The Good Stank – Dub
07. Joker – Output 1 & 2 – Dub
08. Guido – Beautiful Complication – Punch Drunk Forthcoming
09. Ginz & Kool Money Kwame – Wet-Wipe Riddim – Dub
10. Ginz & Joker – Re-Up VS Tempa T – Kapsize
11. Joker & Ginz – Purple City – Kapsize
12. Zero 7 – Everything Up (Zizou) GInz & Joker Remix – Atlantic
13. Example – Watch the Sun Come up (Joker & Ginz Remix) – Ministry of Sound Forthcoming
14. The Heavy – How you like me Now? (Joker Remix) – Ninja Tune
15. Basement Jaxx – Raindrops (Joker & Ginz Remix) – XL
16. Joker & Ginz – Stash – Hyperdub Forthcoming
17. The Body Snatchers – I Llke What I See (Joker Remix) – Passenger
18. Noah D – Seeeriousnesss – Dub

Joker – Purple Wow Sound

1 Heny g – Delayed style
2 Silkie – 7-1
3 Joker & ginz – purple city
4 Joker – psychedelic runway
5 Joker – Gullybrook plain
6 Joker -Digidesign
7 Guido – Tango 140
8 Gemmy – Espaniola (SOMETHING LIKE THAT )
9 Gemmy – The box remix no.2
10 Gemmy – BT Tower
11 Gemmy -Back 2 the future 2012
12 Gemmy- ……..
13 Joker – Do it
14 Joker – Early morning
15 Benga – Buzzin
16 RSD – Naked mario kart
17 Skream – Unknown
18 Silkie – Weird piano
19 Quest – The unknown
20 Rude kid – Are you ready (instrumental)
21 Maniac – Three crows
22 Joker & Rustie -Play doe
23 Joker -Untitled