Completely infected by his energy and passion for bass, we caught up with Cape Town-based drum ’n bass DJ – Niskerone – to chat about his love for the music and the respect he has for other local DJ’s. Length: 08:00
 
Mark’s beats can really only be appreciated 100% when one sees him play live – which is why we headed to The Assembly and The Waiting Room to witness his d ‘n b up close.

From Cape Town to Jo’burg and London to Barcelona – Niskerone’s live sets move small and large crowds alike. The guy who started the now-famous It Came from the Jungle parties, Mark Stevens has shared the stage with top artists including David Guetta, Rusko, Boys Noize, Steve Aoki and many others.

Niskerone - 5FM Mix for DJ Fresh (December 2011)

Niskerone - DRS Virus Switzerland Studio Mix (2010)

one small seed in conjunction with Olmeca Editión Black Tequila present a new edition to one small seed magazine: The Elektronic Dialogues; offering our readers an intimate showcase of the diversity in our local and international electronic music scene. In Issue 24 – our latest issue in stores now! – we brings you Blush n Bass and Felix Laband, and to follow is the full interview with Felix Laband.

1977 was the year that electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk released Trans-Europe Express. And the year that Felix Laband was born. Like his German counterparts, the Kwa-Zulu Natal-born electronic producer/artist employs a distinctive sound that fuels his X Generation. Bringing in classical music, jazz and old TV recordings, his hauntingly nostalgic soundscape is a minimalist mish-mash laced with themes of politics, pornography and pop culture. Laband takes a break from working on his new album deaf safari after a six-year hiatus and shares some fuel with one small seed.

Who is DJ Snakehips? Are you still playing gigs as Felix?
DJ Snakehips is just an opportunity for me to play anything I want instead of my own material. I am really into all sorts of music, especially crazy band music from the ‘50s and ‘60s and the music I grew up on: the dark stuff from the ‘80s. I also love kwaito and jazz and ‘60s French big beat and modern classical music. And all the Talking Heads-era music. I don’t just listen to electronic music.

Tell me about your new work.
It’s an honest attempt to try and capture the world we live in and expose it in all its beauty and flaws. In my previous work, I tried to create a world that was very far from reality. I wanted to create a space wherein the listener could disappear and find a piece of their own imagination. I didn’t want to dictate the listener’s experience. I wanted to be the LSD and they could have their own trip. But with this album, I wanted to express my feelings about things as I am generally very disturbed by contemporary society and need to comment now.

Describe your sound and style.
My sound is a mix of electronics and raw natural sounds with lots of juxtaposed samples that I’ve been recording over the years. Politicians, preachers, talk show hosts, porn stars. This album returns to some more traditional ‘80s style verse and chorus arrangements. My love of kwaito and local house is also a strong influence and this album will feature vocals for the first time. There’s some beautiful music and some in-your-face reality that may not please everybody.

How do you represent politics in your music and visuals?
For the last six years, I’ve been keeping a visual diary of my experiences in South Africa. The mass media today has eaten our souls and left us a blind, frivolous generation. We are spoonfed all these crap ‘reality’ shows and vulgar celebrities… and we swallow. Americans seem completely hoodwinked about the evil things they do, like invading countries for oil, and South Africans praise corrupt politicians who lead them Pied Piper-style to their own destruction. Pornography is a huge part of our society and two mouse clicks away, but is never spoken of. This new media bill is the beginning of the End, but all we care about is Paris Hilton. My art helps me to express all the things I want to comment on that my music can’t express. I will soon start working very closely with the two different media.

How has the ‘Scene’ changed over the last ten years?
I think the scene today is about to get very exciting because everybody is able to produce music now and there are so many kids doing so. The competition will be fierce and the truly talented will win the battle. Hopefully people will stop putting up with shit.

What is success to you?
A couple of things. Firstly, it is about being able to live comfortably doing what I love, being able to travel and meet other artists that inspire me. And secondly, it’s about leaving behind music that has the power to change people’s lives, help them identify who they are and inspire them to be creative with integrity and passion.

How’s it been getting back into music after your break?
That break was very important to me as everything exploded when I was quite young and it has given me the opportunity to really think about who I am and what it is that I want to do creatively. I started reading more and that has inspired me on a more political level. But I have also found that the older I get, the more critical I am of my work and it has been really hard for me to finish deaf safari. But playing again has definitely helped with my confidence as the reception has generally been great so far.

What are your plans?
I’m playing quite a lot in the near future. Just watch the press. After I release the album, I plan to tour Europe for a while. I would also love to work with Professor or L’vovo Derrango.

What was it like to come from a small town in Kwa-Zulu Natal and achieve local and international recognition in the electro music industry?
I always knew that this would be my life, so it has felt very natural.

‘Click HERE for a preview of the latest issue of one small seed, Issue 24 “Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound”

Artwork: Felix La Band

one small seed in conjunction with Olmeca Editión Black Tequila present a new edition to one small seed magazine: The Electronic Dialogues; offering our readers an intimate showcase of the diversity in our local and international electronic music scene. In Issue 24 – our latest issue in stores now! – we brings you Blush n Bass and Felix Laband, and to follow is the full interview with the Blush n Bass duo: Taryn Pickett and Candice Heynes.

Candice Heyns and Taryn Pickett sit outside the Waiting Room on Cape Town’s Long Street, armed with glasses of wine and trading stories of the night before. They make up the duo Blush n Bass, well known for its hard-hitting and somewhat rare mix of indie and electro that features some of the latest sounds from the UK electro scene.

The duo first teamed up after Candice skipped off on a romantic weekend away instead of planning a set for her gig at Sapphire – so she nervously asked Taryn to play a few tracks with her. ‘The rest is history,’ she explains. ‘People just seemed to like it and from that day we started getting booked.’

The duo first teamed up after Candice skipped off on a romantic weekend away instead of planning a set for her gig at Sapphire – so she nervously asked Taryn to play a few tracks with her. ‘The rest is history,’ she explains. ‘People just seemed to like it and from that day we started getting booked.’

Two girls playing hard electro music stand out in a music scene where most female DJs favour more progressive house and techno. Opening for the Capetonian electronic Producer/DJ HAEZER in 2010 saw their sound evolve and move away from pretty vocals and softer electro tracks to a harder in-your-face style. Their addiction to downloaded music and Taryn’s yearly sojourns in London lets them ‘stay ahead of the scene – setting the pace instead of following it.’ And the best part of playing in a pair? ‘Drinking tequilas together instead of standing there by ourselves.’ Candice laughs.

Not what you’d expect from two women that look like they’ve just walked off a photo shoot. They are quick to dispel any perception that sexuality adds to their appeal. Candice explains: ‘We definitely try and downplay the whole sexy thing. We see ourselves as the same as any guy DJ. If they see a difference, we just don’t really respond or react to it. For example, we dressed up as nuns for Halloween instead of people who were probably dressed up as nurses.’

‘And not sexy nuns,’ Taryn adds.

Rocking the Daisies set 2011 by Blush N Bass

The two feed off each other’s and the crowd’s energy, preferring spontaneous sets over planned ones. ‘It’s so much more fun,’ Taryn explains. Their repertoire also includes individual tracks mixed under their separate names, Candice Heyns and Miss Pickett, with Taryn favouring tech house, deep house and industrial sound and Candice, who grew up on electro, mixing with a constant four-by-four beat and beautiful vocals.

As if headlining festivals in South Africa and north of the Limpopo weren’t enough, they host a monthly Blush n Bass show on 2oceansVibe radio, with Candice, who first caught the radio bug after a 5fm Radio interview, playing a weekly show solo for the rest of the month. The music is an eclectic mix, from lounge music to trip–hop, indie and electro.

While they plan on keeping Blush n Bass going, they’re also looking to expand internationally and do more mash–ups and remixes of tracks. They’d also like to start producing their own music. Candice confirms the plan: ‘To get our music out there. We don’t just want to play other people’s music all the time.’

‘Click HERE for a preview of the latest issue of one small seed, Issue 24 “Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound”

Issue 24 of one small seed asks you to ‘Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound’. Music, motion, words and colour – looking beyond the obvious, our latest issue brings a union of the senses. To follow is an all-inclusive preview of the new issue: a full breakdown of content that resonates with inspiration. Hold on tight…

The human story is told in the language of pop culture. Coca Cola designed Santa Claus and Hugo Boss the uniforms for the Order of the Death’s Head. Jimi played The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock and the Devil went down to Georgia. David Byrne wore a big suit and Princess Leia that bikini. We couldn’t handle the truth, needed a bigger boat and loved the smell of napalm in the morning. Assorted male models shot JFK, RFK and JR, then Biggy Smalls, Tupac and the Sheriff. And something made Andy Warhol’s Marilyns smile. Maybe it was the hand up the Mona Lisa’s skirt. (Gustav Swart)

This issue’s theme of ‘Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound’ led us to some odd doors as we sought artists that bridged the divide between the visual and the aural.  An interview with legendary album artist Storm Thorgerson – referred to some as the 6^th member of Pink Floyd – allowed us to revisit the aesthetics of the ’70s, while 21^st Century poster designer Dan Khulken tells us about making posters for bands like Black Keys and The National. Issue 24 is a 30 000-plus words visual explosion, and one such visually exploding artist we spoke to is the infamous Gonzo illustrator and Hunter S Thompson’s partner-in-grime, Ralph Steadman. Another artist that tore through the ’70s and still doing what he does best is Horace Panter – the bass player of The Specials. In this issue, Panter gives us a candid account of his life in music and his life as an artist, from playing with The Clash to his time working as a white van man, he shares memories of his life on a road less traveled.

Our fashion spread this issue comes direct from Tokyo, Japan. Creating a 3D-like effect, reminiscent of Nintendo games and early Star Wars films, Japanese designer Kunihiko Morinaga created his Low Resolution collection around the 8-bit inspired colorful square blocks. Mari Sarai’s lewd black and white nudes feature as this issue’s photography section, her subjects including celebs like Gavin Rossdale’s daughter Daisy Lowe and model Janice Dickinson. We have a feast for the ears in the form of interviews with Kenya’s globe conquering Just a Band and the revolutionary American poet Abiodun Oyewole – the man who robbed the KKK and worked with legendary Jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron on his famous song ‘The Revolution will not be Televised’.

Ever tasted the letter ‘f’? Or smelled the colour blue? Well, some people have! One of our main features this issue is on Synesthesia – the condition that lets people see sound as colour – and trace its path through the methods and madness of some of the brightest stars in the human firmament. Click HERE for a preview of the feature. On the local frontier, we sit down with singer/song writer/actress Sannie Fox, electronic trio Digital Rockit and all four members from Cape Town band iScreamStix. Olmeca Editión Black Tequila joins us in showcasing electronic DJs/Producers, with this issue bringing Blush n Bass and Felix Laband to the party.  We watched architecture dance slowly to visible music in our architecture feature, looking at structures like The Sum of Days, NY; Stillspotting, NY; the Jewish Museum, Berlin; Jetty Square and more.

Ending with the beginning, our cover for Issue 24 is devoted to one of the street artist/videographer Mr Brainwash’s tongue-in-cheek creations. This issue features a six-page interview with the artist, who talked to us from his L.A. home about money, art and Andy Warhol. Showcasing at 34FineArt Gallery in Woodstock, Cape Town is an exclusive selection of Mr Brainwash’s latest artwork, including issue 24’s ‘Madonna’ silk screen on paper with spray paint.

Right, without further ado… Here’s the breakdown for Issue 24 “Listen to my Colour and Look at my Sound”.

FEATURES

American Civil Rights Icon

Abiodun Oyewole: Grand, High Wizard

Founder member of The Last Poets talks about verse, Gil Scott-Heron and robbing the KKK. Click HERE to read our blog ‘The Revolution will not be Televised’ and find out more about the legendary Gil Scott-Heron: a spoken word poet, jazz genius and close friend to Abiodun Oyewole.

Defiant Photographer

Mari Sarai’s Girls on Film

Black-and-white nudes that stare right back and you and challenge the Gaze. Check out a video interview we found with Mari Sarai by visiting onesmallseed.tv HERE.

Aural architecture

Echo Chamber: The Sound of Space

Our investigation of sound and concrete spans the globe and classic art movies. First we took Manhattan, then we took Berlin. Click HERE and visit onesmallseed.tv to watch the video titled Berlin: Die Sinfonie der GroBstadt, which showcases a selection of abstract visual content that portrays the ‘life’ of a city.

Cape Town-based breakout band

iScreamStix: It ain’t Sorbet

A big scoop of local talent

Kenyan Globetrotters

Just an Interview with Just a Band

Meet the voice of East Africa’s ‘superhero’ Makmande. He may not exist but he sure kicks ass

Cross-sensory Exploration

Neuromagic: The Harmony of Synesthesia

We dive into the magical world inhabited by synesthetes: individuals who see, hear, feel, smell and even taste colour. Such people include legends of our time, like Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, Marilyn Monroe and Vladimir Nabokov to name a few. Click HERE for a preview of the feature and then visit one small seed TV to see a video about this unique condition

Genre-busting rocker

Sannie Fox: Rage with the Machine

This star of stage and screen proves that you don’t have to be a fatbottomed girl to make the rocking world go round.

Gonzo illustrator

Ralph Steadman: Another Freak in the Freak Kingdom

We can’t stop here. It’s bat country

Controversial Pop Artist

Mr Brainwash: Laughing all the Way to the Banksy

We got a call from the man who calls himself ‘Banksy’s biggest piece of art’. We’ve uploaded a snippet of the interview featured in the magazine, simply click HERE and see if you can make out who Mr Brainwash really is…

Jozi Beats

Digital Rockit: The Neon Gods they Made

Local veterans of the electronic scene look forward and back

Classic Album Art

Storm Thorgerson: Dark Side of the Tunes

We get under the covers with the man who designed for bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Muse and machineri.

Troubadour’s Poster Boy

Dan Kuhlken: Dreaming of Electric Sheep

The National, The Black Keys, Red Hot Chilli Peppers… just some of the bands that LA-based design team DKNG have worked for

Musical contrasts

eleKTRONIK Dialogues

A new department brought to you in conjunction with Olmeca Editión Black Tequila dedicated to showcasing the best and brightest musical talent.

Ska rocker and painter

Horace Panter: If Music is your Special Thing

The bass player of The Specials went from fame to obscurity and back again

Avant-garde Fashion

Kunihiko Morinaga: Pretty in Pixels

Chic couture meets the chunky pixels of 8-bit arcade games on the catwalk. Check out our interview with Morinaga in the latest issue, and if you’re thirsty for more information on pixel fashion then check out our blog HERE.

DEPARTMENTS

IN STORE

Products for your eyes, hands, and mind…

BOOK REVIEWS

Get the critique on books that will read you.

SELECTED CREATIVES

We reveal the winners for Selected Creatives 06, a showcase of the very best uploaded to onesmallseed.net. Click HERE to check out who made the cut, voted by you on the one small seed network.

FILM REVIEWS

This issue we check out Mike Cahill’s Another Earth; Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar, Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, Tarsem Singh’s Immortals, Lars von Trier’s Melancholia and Paula Van der Oest’s Black Butterflies.

MUSIC REVIEWS

We dissect the beats that are supposed to move your feet.

NOW SHOWING

Issue 24 showcases some of the most gripping videos we found in 2011, including Influencers; Jeff Staple; Earth time-lapse view from Space; Press Pause Play; Morpho Towers: Two Standing Spirals; Brain Eno’s Imaginary Landscapes and Berlin Die Sinfonie Der Grosstadt, a fascinating video that sheds light on the discourse of aural architecture. Click HERE to watch these awesome videos.

THE LAST WORD

We leave this to South African writer duo Headline Payoff and illustration by Mark Venter.