Audio: Artwork - FABRICLIVE Promo Mix

If you trace the roots of dubstep right back, you’ll always end up in one area, Croydon. An uncharismatic place itself it was home to a record shop called Big Apple, an outlet that was one of the major catalysts in the sculpting of the sound. It acted as a hub and a hangout for producers. Names like Loefah, Mala, Coki, Blackdown and Kode9 would stop by and trawl through the walls adorned with the latest dark garage records and kids (as they were then) like Skream and Benga would often be found there, either lacing Hatcha and the other staff members with their latest unclassifiable productions or working upstairs in the Big Apple studio with a dude called Artwork. “I had a recording studio above the shop and started the Big Apple record label with John Kennedy and DJ Hatcha,” Artwork told the Guardian late last year. “We were the first label to sign Skream and Benga when they were just 15 years old alongside Digital Mystikz (DMZ), Mala, Coki and Loefah. These artists made some of the first dubstep records.” “Around this time Hatcha, who also worked at Big Apple, was championing this sound at a London club night called FWD>>,We were all making records for Hatcha to spin and meeting in the record shop to discuss the sound we were making. It was a bit like a bass university. And through Benga, Skream, Oris Jay, Plastician, Chef, LB, Kode 9, N Type and Benny Ill, the dubstep sound was brought to life.” Skip forward to modern day and you’ll find the trio of Artwork, Skream and Benga out on the road, touring the world and pushing the sound that began in their local area as far as possible under the banner of Magnetic Man. Having released their self titled debut album, they’ve just spent their summer on the road, taking what started as a collaborative Ableton project funded by the Arts Council, out to millions of people at festivals around the globe. Speaking to Martin Clark at the time of the Magnetic Man album release, when the three chaps from Croydon had just signed themselves a deal with a major label Artwork enthused: “It’s good because we were there, at. The. Very. Start. It started from Big Apple records, and we were all there. And it’s just moved along and moved along until now, this is fantastic because it can take it to everyone now.” It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by our FABRICLIVE lineup on the 11th November. Artwork’s bandmates Skream and Benga are taking over the whole club, packing all three rooms with their talented friends and some of their favourite musicians and DJs. Artwork will be performing in Room Two, spinning alongside the inimitable selector, David Rodigan, Toddla T and Redlight’s Roller Express, Russia’s Proxy and Rinse FM’s Monki. Ahead of the event and just before he had to run out of the door to catch what must be one of a hundred and one flights he’s taken this year, Artwork put together this 30 minute selection to promote the night and display the kind of selection you can expect from him on the night. Those who locked into his recent Boiler Room set will know what to expect as he digs deep with his selection jumping from disco to techno to dubstep and grime... Download: Artwork - FABRICLIVE Promo Mix No tracklist available.