Nero 'Promises'

I love dubstep tag-team Nero. Like really, really love them.

A friend of mine started working with the duo recently and confirms that they're great lads. Which leaves me all the more heartbroken to have had marriage proposals refused and my underwear returned, still used, in the post. 

I managed to sneak onto the list for Chase & Status at Roundhouse for the iTunes festival which, according to the Gravity Skank survey, seems the only way of getting in these days - competition tickets are like gold dust, whereas the guestlist queue stretched way back up to where that glorious Banksy used to be. Corporate, much?

Having been to the Chase & Status album launch many moons ago and listened to 'No More Idols' a gazillion times, and, being familiar with the typical lethargy of a Roundhouse crowd, I thought I knew what to expect.

But badda bing! I was totally blown away. It seems the boys have taken a leaf out of the Chemical Brothers bible and invested in some cracking production. And Nero, oh, lights of my life, how you looked so handsome atop those massive speakers. If only that injunction didn't keep me at least 50 metres away at all times.

I jest. In seriousness those boys smashed it: I've never seen Roundhouse go so nuts. And I've gotten so used to dance music being treated as an underground phenomenon that it's good to see live performances being turned up to the max, a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

So to celebrate, let's look at their latest video, for the anthem 'Promises'. The superb production on this tells a story somewhere between Big Brother and Brave New World.

The album, 'Welcome Reality', is due out tomorrow and I'm so excited about hearing it I might just wet myself.   

Chase & Status album launch

Last Thursday I returned to a venue close to my heart, Kentish Town Forum, for the Chase & Status album launch party.

The gig was set up as part of the Q Awards, a rather bizarrely matched series of events to count down to the annual music prizegiving. (I say bizarrely matched because Q magazine is aimed at an older, mainstream market, whereas the music of Chase & Status is more commonly found on the iPods of hip young things with a Mixmag subscription.)

The launch party for 'No More Idols' was a packed, lively affair. There was much dancing, much singing along, and even a bit of crowd surfing. This is what I call The Pendulum Effect, where the habits of the rock scene have crept into drum & bass parties. Ten years ago, if you'd elbowed your neighbour while moshing on the dancefloor, or lobbed a pint of beer across the crowd, you'd have been given a slap on the wrists pretty quick. It just wasn't acceptible then. So imagine my surprise at seeing a mini wall of death form in the centre of the Forum.

Chase & Status are awesome producers and, having toured with chart toppers like Prodigy and Dizzee Rascal, aim high with their live production standards. This event featured lighting effects and visuals to rival any Chemical Brothers gig and even a rather natty drum kit on stage.

The music of Chase & Status - who have truly nailed the D&B, dubstep and breakbeat scenes - is crisp, anthemic and accessible, and I don't mean that in the patronising sense. The duo performed only a handful of tracks from their new album, but enough to show that it will feature a hefty dose of catchy vocals and infectious basslines. The rest of the shindig was devoted to bangers from their incredible first album, 'More Than Alot'.

MC Rage joined them on stage, doing his usual hype-man routine of bigging up London. More than a lot. The show also featured a number of guests including grime bod Tempah T.

Film it, rudebwoy

My producer friend Bruno, in his insatiable quest to keep me amused at work, has shared this hilarious link:


On a similar tip, the whole world (including Chase & Status) have been tweeting this video to grime artist Skepta. Check out the skates at the end - brilliant: