Introducing: BASHER & his debut album, Transmission

Basher's affiliation with one of our resident drum and bass label, RAM, goes all the way back to 2006 when, much like an up-and-coming producers' dream, he received a phone call in the middle of the night from head honcho Andy C who was interested in signing what our ears would later recognise as the dirty stabs and wah-wah wobble of Basher’s 'Leachcraft'. In the years following that phone call, the London producer has continued to hone his talents, showcasing his beats on RAM's sister label Frequency. However with only a handful of choice cuts being released during that period, it wasn't until earlier this year that Basher's name and production skills took center stage, fully cementing his presence in the drum and bass scene. The pièce de résistance rightfully attracting so much attention - it seems everybody in d&b from those corageous ravers to DJs to bloggers is talking about Basher right now - is his debut longplayer 'Transmission.' With this album also marking Basher's debut release on RAM, a full celebration is in order and Room Three here at this Friday's immense RAM Records takeover will be hosting the 'Transmission' launch party. But before we get our glad rags on we thought it only right to meet the main man of the moment, so we sent one of our roving reporters to catch up with Basher for a get-to-know-you session: Before getting involved with production, you started DJing from a young age - did you really start when you were 12? What were you listening to at the time and do you think these sounds were responsible for where you are musically today? Absolutely, I was indeed 12 years old when I got my first set of decks and began mixing old skool hardcore in my bedroom. I was listening to a lot of pirate radio at the time and I was also a big fan of The Prodigy. I remember really wanting decks so I could mix records like I was hearing on the radio but I also wanted a synthesizer keyboard so I could try and be like my idol Liam Howlett. Honestly, it could have gone either way really, but the choice was made for me when the local Del Boy from round my way came knocking on the door with a Soundlab DLP1 turntable, that, when paired with the turntable from my dad’s old Technics hi-fi and an amp that I found in a skip formed my first DJ set up and I started shopping for records. It was a natural progression from hardcore to jungle music over the years as the music was at similar tempos and often used similar elements in the drums so that definitely had a direct impact in where I am musically today. What made you then decide to start making music, and how easy was the transition from being behind the decks to being in the studio? Around 1999 - 2000 there was a lot of music production titles for the various games consoles. Playstation had brought one out called Music2000 and for the first time I was able to get a sense of how a track was made. I instantly became hooked on the game, spending hours producing and editing tracks and I even cut my first dubplate from it! This continued for a year or so but I soon realised the limitations of Music2000 and hearing the likes of Bad Company and Ed Rush & Optical's technical tracks I was looking to take my music production to the next level. I used some cash that my nan left me to buy a PC, Cubase and an Akai S3000 sampler and began the long process of learning how to use it all. The decks accumulated some serious dust over those years! Was there a specific track or artist which had a big influence on you in terms of pursuing a career in d&b? I can say without any question of a doubt RAM Records has been the biggest inspiration to me from day one. The desire to be a part of that label or even just hear RAM crew playing one of my tracks has been the driving force behind my evolution into drum and bass and continues to drive me as strong as ever. Now that your debut album 'Transmission' has been released and been so well received by both fans and DJs, how are you feeling? I feel an immense sense of accomplishment! I have fulfilled my number one ambition. Just to get the attention of the RAM camp is overwhelming enough to me, so the fact the feedback has been universally great throughout the scene has truly blown me away. I’ve been walking round with a smile on my face for a few months now and if you ask the people that know me best, that is quite a rare occurrence! How did work on the LP start - did it come together naturally or had you planned to produce an album? I sent some demos to RAM in late 2010 and they really seemed to like what I was doing, then at the start of 2011 they asked me how I felt about doing an album for them and of course I was keen to get going right away. The deadline I was given was tight but I got on a roll and I was able to complete the whole thing within a month. 'Transmission' showcases your versatility as a d&b producer, you dabble in several different styles of drum and bass, but it’s still the Basher sound resonates throughout each track. For someone who may not be too familiar with your back catalogue of releases, can you describe your trademark sound? It’s probably a boring answer, but like most producers I've built up a stockpile of favourite synths, plug-ins and studio techniques over the years. That's what makes each track still sound like a Basher production, even if the vibe is totally different from tune to tune. Do you have any favourite tracks from the album? The title track ‘Transmission’ is by far my favourite track on there, reason being it has everything I love in a good d&b track and done in such a simple way; vibes, classic break, catchy deep bass riff and a spaceman sample. What more do you need? Will you be dropping it at your album launch here on Friday ? What else can we expect from your set? Of course! My set is dominated by tracks from the album right now. You can be sure to expect a good mixture of flavours right across the spectrum with high energy mixing and serious vibes. fabric is my favourite venue on the planet so I always make sure I step up my game just that little bit more when having the honour performing there. Catch Basher launching his 'Transmission' album in Room Three at RAM on Friday. Info and tickets here.