Coming from the musical melting pot that is the city of Bristol our first B2B on the Transmit Sessions is mixed by Peaman & Hicha – producers from the Subslags camp.
Over the course of 30 minutes homage is paid to the roots of Dubstep as well as stepping into new bass music territory. We are introduced to the sounds that bring their diverse styles together, featuring Mala, Clouds, Lorca & Throwing Snow.
They also took time out to tell us all about the Bristol music scene, The Subslags music collective and their plans for future world domination.
Give us some insight into the names you have chosen for yourselves – How did they come about?
Hicha: It sounded nice and i saw it on the back of a rice box it’s actually true.
Pea: I’m mixed race and my brother and sisters all have light skin so when i was born my mum thought i looked like a little indian man so she nicknamed me Mr. Patel which then got shortened to Mr. P, then P man etc.
You come under the Subslags collective. Tell us about them, who are they and what do they represent?
Pea: Subslags is fundamentally a group of people I grew up making bass music with who are still working together today. It’s made up of various DJ’s Producers and MC’s currently working in Bristol and London. Hicha joined later and brought a new dynamic to the group in terms of his more experimental sound.
Peaman comes from a Grime and Dubstep template, Hicha with a more experimental and ambient soundscape. How did you two end up working and mixing together? Do you have any projects planned for the future?
Pea: We knew each other through the group and decided to collaborate. We have a few tracks in the making and are in the process of setting up a small Vinyl based label here in Bristol called Obsidian records. watch this space!
Bristol obviously has a rich musical heritage with artists like Pinch and Phaeleh and more recently Kahn making big waves in the wider scene. Nowadays it seems everyone in Bristol is DJ’ing or producing on some level. With such a busy scene does it become harder to make an impression? What are the pro’s and cons?
Hicha: I don’t know if its a harder scene to make an impression in as I don’t have any experience of other scenes, however it is very busy and exciting to be part of and living in this city has a huge influence on my music. Its quite a small city so I think its easy to meet people its also a very diverse city, musically and culturally. I feel theres no real formula and this allows me to do what I want to do, I don’t feel restricted and I can just do my own thing and still get recognition for it.
Pea: I’ve been raised in the Bristol music scene and draw a heavy influence from the city’s cultural history and it’s significance in the emergence of ‘bass music’ culture which is now a global phenomenon. Smith & Mighty and Massive attack paved the way for all the guys my generation now look up to including Peverelist, Guido, and all the people at the frontline of Bristols sound system movement. With so many influential people making moves it’s no wonder there are so many youngers stepping up and trying to blow the clubs up with their own sound. I just reckon its a great thing to be a part of aside from all the competition.
What’s your game plan for a debut release? We know a lot of artists are deciding to release their own material. Are you eyeing up labels or do you think independent is best?
Currently our only plans for a release will be through our label Obsidian but we are both aspiring to release all over the city. The independent record label is something we are both passionate about so it only seems right that we run our own. There’s a number of seriously under rated artists making brilliant stuff in Bristol and beyond, who we feel deserve a platform on which they can stand to help them reach a wider audience.
Finally, what’s the largest animal you could collectively throw over a crossbar?
Probably a German Shepard.