Crate Diggin’: Cause & Affect

The Birmingham based, Dirtybird signed duo, Cause & Affect, are playing in Room Two at Roska Presents this very night and again in the 2:31 takeover of Room Three on 11th October. Ahead of their appearances we pinged them a few introductory questions and asked them if they wouldn't mind picking out a few highlights from their record bags so we could provide a better idea of what people can expect from their sets. Laced with a unique bass heavy slant, their selections seem like the perfect fusion between heavy low end and dancefloor 4x4, the absolute perfect prospect for a FABRICLIVE appearance... Hi guys. What you doing? Easy, its midnight and we are in the studio finishing off some remixes, and doing this interview. How does the production partnership work? Who does what? We share the load, one programs the audio/synthesis while the other jams out finding a melody, then we swap back and forth tweaking as we go along . What was it that made you want to devote hours of computer time to producing? How did you get hooked in the first place? We always said from a young age we didn't want to be doing anything in life we didn't find fun and in this day and age you can create the opportunity for yourself to become almost anything. We decided nothing made us happier than sitting in a studio - or bedroom as it was back then – and making music. It has no limit; the possibilities are endless which I think is also good for the brain as it puts your creativity to a whole new level instead of been stuck in a job that limits your way of thinking and imagination to what is required. What’s the scene like for the music you play in Birmingham? Do you think the area affects the music you make? Birmingham is firing right now!! The Rainbow in particular, the event 2:31 / 10:31 have brought so much variety and forward thinking music to the second city. For years it’s been mainly bass influenced in all areas from speed garage to drum & bass. We would definitely agree where your from shapes the sound you are creating. When we were making music in Ibiza it was so chilled out and melodic and we completely blame the surroundings, but back in Birmingham, we would go out listening to DJ Hazard all night on a big rig so we were hardly going to go home and make jazz music. This could explain why we are so bass heavy. What were the sorts of things you grew up listening to? Reggae, rock, garage, dnb, speed garage, hip hop, disco… all sorts as long as it’s got that something about it. You've had releases on a bunch of labels already but what else is coming up for you this year? We have another Dirtybird EP coming up very soon and a whole heap of stuff we want to keep under wraps for the time being, you'll just have to keep your eyes peeled. Can you tell us a bit about the tracks you picked for us below? Is there a theme running through them? The first track, ‘Don't Like To Do That,’ was picked up by Claude Von Stroke early this year and it gained us a lot of respect and still continues to go down well to this day ‘Follow The Step (Kink Beat Mix)’ is a perfect mix of happy and dark. The drums and that 808 sound so heavy on a system. Justin Martin & Ardalan’s ‘Wheelgunner’ is just straight up gritty! We’ve never seen this fail to rock a dance floor. The perfect track to lift people up. ‘Who Dat’, has proved to be somewhat of a secret weapon, it just sends people crazy… Crazy P’s ‘Heartbreaker’ is such a good track. It’s one of those ones that get you thinking. We find it rare these days that music goes to deeper places than just your ears. Imagine driving around the mountains in ibiza listening to this… Epic!