This Saturday the Nurtured Beatz X In Reach party down at Plan B – Brixton is showcasing the latest release on NBR – ‘The Brand New World LP’. We thought it was only right to see whats been going on within the nurtured HQ ahead of the launch 😉
If you haven’t already checked the heat coming from the Nurtured Beatz camp then I strongly suggest you do! Their forthcoming release “The Brand New World LP” is about to drop and certainly isn’t one to miss.
Re-launched in 2013 (as a label alongside the event) by drum and bass veterans Sam Kalm and Spindall, Nurtured’s latest release presents an insight into the very best the deep and dark side of drum and bass has to offer, featuring long-standing and established artists such as Genotype and Verb whilst also introducing us to the fresh, up and coming sounds of artists such as Hyroglifics, Paragon and Mystic State.
With tracks ranging from the dark, militant and minimal to the more rolling and even techy side of drum and bass, this LP covers a wide spectrum and has something to please even the most particular of palettes and with such a plethora of artists featured, it’s a real pleasure to note that each track from the LP bares the trademark Nurtured Beatz sound, giving a nod to the old school flavours whilst pushing it forward. For me, the stand out tracks have to be Indoors by Mauoq, Circle of Sound by Kolectiv & Incognito, Withdraw by Hyroglifics and Detractors by Paragon, each one coming at drum and bass from a different angle and demonstrating a wealth of talent.
With over 30 years combined experience within the drum and bass scene the team at Nurtured Beatz were only ever going to promote the finest the scene has to offer, and in order to find out a little bit more about their up and coming release we caught up with Sam Kalm and Spindall to discuss all things Nurtured!
Hi guys, thanks for joining us! Firstly, for those that aren’t familiar with Nurtured Beatz, can you tell us a bit about the label’s history?
Spindall: Hi guys. Nurtured Beatz was formed as a party originally back in 2008 by myself which I ran on and off until around 2011.
When Sam and I started making tunes together, the idea of starting a label came up and I suggested using the Nurtured Beatz name and re-launching it as a label and event together in partnership. Sam was the perfect person to speak to about this as he had history within the field, especially as we were receiving a lot of tracks from other artists that weren’t necessarily getting the light they deserved, so the label was the next step.
We set it up in 2012 and our first release came out in March 2013 by Genotype called “The Good Turned Ugly EP”
Kalm: Our second release was from myself and Carera but it was Craig’s (Spindall) request for the tracks that really got the whole vision of the label forming. Myself and some mates (including Carera) started our group Kolectiv around that time or just after, so Nurtured is part of the evolution of us as artists also.
So, despite the Nurtured Beatz parties starting in 2008, the label is a relatively new venture. Can you tell us a bit about the ethos behind it? Do you look to push a particular sound or does it simply come down to whether you’re both feeling that particular beat?
Kalm: Nurtured Beatz is a platform for the new generation and the old, equally. Veterans and new producers make up the roster, each artist bringing qualities which make up the labels sound, passion is key.
Spindall: We tend to cater for the deeper side of the scene with a dark edge. We’re also looking for fresh exciting artists and don’t just jump on what the “in” thing is, we just do us. When it comes to choosing material it’s down to whether we’re feeling the track and would play it ourselves in a set. I trust Sam’s judgement and vice versa (I think, haha).
You mentioned the artists featured on the label all bringing individual qualities, is the name of your release, The Brand New World LP, a representation of the recent emergence in the more minimal and experimental sound within drum and bass?
Spindall: The LP is far from minimal, there are some real banger’s in there from Genotype, Paragon, Kolectiv, Incognito etc. It’s pretty full cycle and caters for all things on this side of the scene, whether it’s a techy roller e.g. Genotype – The Strums, or something on the minimal tip like Mystic State – Street Talk, or a retro-esc roller like Paragon – Detractors, there’s something there for everybody. The Brand New world name (after one of the tracks) fitted as it’s a brand new venture for us and we’re a brand new label so it made sense.
Kalm: It’s a brand new era for the Nurtured family, we’re not “just” an event anymore, we’re now a label with a healthy roster and the LP is a snapshot of that point in time, which is a very good thing to see for us.
We definitely agree with you Spindall, the LP has a distinct yet diverse sound it due to the vast range of artists you’ve featured, in fact, it would seem that Nurtured Beatz is very much a platform to give up and coming artists the exposure they deserve. With this in mind, can you tell us a bit your thought process while collating the tracks for the LP?
Spindall: That’s what we’re all about and that’s what i’ve tried to reflect on my radio shows throughout the years, i’ve always liked to find new artists and stay fresh. We’re not just about the up and coming artists though, there are some veterans in there too such as Genotype, who everyone knows has been around almost 20 years (longer than the youngest artists on the LP, Mystic state have been alive! haha) Verb who’s also been around for years and also Kalm himself had big releases in the late 90’s early 2000’s so it’s a nice blend of fresh talent and scene veterans. Picking the tracks was hard as we had a pool of around 22 originally but we wanted it to reflect all the styles & sounds that the label is pushing and cater for everybody and take the listener on a journey, not just one style.
Although you mentioned that Nurtured Beatz isn’t just about the youngsters, I have to admit that one of my favourite releases has to be The Resolve by Kyrist, an incredibly talented, young producer from London, and with a track from Hyroglifics also featured on the LP it would seem you both have a real knack for finding fresh, underground artists. Do you have any others stored away at Nurtured Beatz HQ?
Spindall : Yes, Kyrist is amazing and has a very bright future ahead of her, she’s a wicked producer and her head is firmly in place, we love her beats, the same can be said for ‘Gliffy expect big things from him too! And yes we do indeed, a guy called Interline who’s just turned 19 has an EP coming out with us very soon, he’s another amazing talent with a bright future ahead of him, loving his stuff. Also Mystic State are 19 and are writing more material for us (Street Talk is on the LP by them of course).
Kalm: Interline is coming with the pressure for sure! I think artists like Verb and Mauoq are rolling out sick beats also, new or older generation people who work on their skills and have passion for the genre can come through. Mauoq is more than double interlines age but I role both dubs back to back because they bring the pressure and their tunes fit equally in sets.
While we’re on the subject of the older generation, the LP is due to drop in all good download stores but with you both being certified drum and bass veterans do you have any future plans to release on vinyl in the future?
Spindall: We would love to, especially with vinyl making a comeback again, it’s what I started DJ’ing with and would love to put out some actual records, I don’t want to make any promises but if the label continues to grow then we will, definitely.
Kalm: We’re gonna try for sure!
It’s fair to say that over the years you’ve both heavily contributed to the UK drum and scene. With that in mind, what is your opinion on the current progression within the scene?
Spindall: I think it’s stronger than ever! More and more kids are starting to make records younger and younger and their techniques are always improving, this can only be a good thing as it means there’s a future line of DJs/producers to keep it going another 20 years.
Kalm: Loads of stuff out, loads of diversity. Quality needs to be cultivated as ever, plenty of throw away stuff, but thankfully the good stuff doesn’t get lost which is promising.
Touching briefly upon the Nurtured Beatz parties we mentioned earlier, you’ve recently hosted a number of events at Plan B, do you have any up and coming nights and if so, who can we expect to see playing?
Spindall : As you know we are now in partnership with In-Reach and the next event is on May 10th Plan B basement Brixton. This is the official album launch night with most of the artists involved on the LP playing b2b,
- Genotype & Verb
- Kalm & Spindall
- Kolectiv & Staunch
- Dexta & Mauoq
- Hyroglifics & Medika
- Nick EP & Spectrum – (In-Reach)
Kalm: Be there!
And lastly, what can we expect from the future of Nurtured Beatz?
Spindall: We aim to continue putting out good music, true to our values. There’s a heap of good stuff coming from Dexa & Mauoq, Interline, Mystic State, Kolectiv, ourselves and more. Also the events will continue throughout the year, the next one is a summer jam in August so watch this space!
Kalm: www.facebook.com/nurtured.beatz for updates. Peace!