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Rating: Some time ago, I read in what is perhaps the most famous Italian music magazine that a good review is written without using superlatives. Well, I'll disregard this unwritten rule.
The Outlook Festival 2009 takes place in Croatia for the second consecutive year. The location this year is the discoteca Aquarius in Novalja, Pag Island, specifically on the beautiful Zrce beach.
To get there from Rome, I take the train to Ancona and then a ferry to Zadar.
The journey is overnight, with a few visits to the bar, a cigarette on the deck and some chatter here and there. This is how I come across a trio from Pescara also headed to the festival.
What are you doing, what are you listening to? In the end, it turns out that the oldest of the three, my age, is none other than C.U.B.A. Cabbal, a legendary representative of the Italian underground hip-hop scene (are you familiar with Costa Nostra? Lou X, DJ Disastro, or the rap-metal project similar to Rage Against The Machine known as Sistema Informativo Massificato?). He tells me that lately he also lends his rhymes to Drum'N'Bass and Dubstep DJs and that he and his two buddies decided to make a detour to the festival in a land he already knows quite well. I think he played here during wartime.
Well then, we say goodbye and see each other around.
Upon arrival, I am overwhelmed with fatigue; the trip took almost a day, and I couldn't sleep a bit on the boat. I sleep for an hour, but I'm eager to dive into this three-day event dedicated to low frequencies, so I take the shuttle from town to the beach and off I go! I arrive just as Headhunter is about to finish playing. I liked his latest work "Nomad," but it's a kind of dubstep I prefer to listen to at home rather than in a club. After him, Sukh Knight takes the stage, the bass volume rises, a few hits like "Rock Tha Bells" by Jakes or "Saxon" by Chase'N'Status (the one sampling the opening riff of "Fade To Black" by Metallica) are played, and the not-so-crowded audience starts to warm up. The duo knows what they're doing and uses their hour wisely, delivering a high-energy set.
At this point, a guy, around forty-five, approaches me, pointing at my Joy Division t-shirt and tells me about how he saw them in 1979 in London..... Lucky guy! I think and focus back on the music.
I've been here for just over an hour, and already it's time for one of my favorite DJs: Stenchman. Of course, he shows up wearing his trademark mask, this time not a full one, allowing his flowing hair to sway, not to mention, the gentleman is quite hefty. Rumor has it that the guy who makes masks for Slipknot also makes his.
He immediately goes hard, playing some of his classics and other great hard-dubstep tracks. At times, the rhythms seem derived from hard-tek, and aside from the last two tracks which were a bit too frivolous, satisfaction is guaranteed. I forgot to mention, he plays with Pioneer CD players. Walsh takes his place, whom I listen to a little; he plays pretty powerfully, but the night is long, so I go for a stroll outside where there is a stage dedicated to dub and reggae, have a beer and get some fresh air. In reality, there's too much air, thanks to a fierce bora wind that can knock the glass out of your hand, and, besides, reggae and dub bore me to death.
I go back inside as N-Type arrives; I'm curious, he's a heavyweight, but I don't know him well, let's see what he does...... Meanwhile, the room has filled up, and after just a few minutes, people are in delirium. Our big guy offers an extremely fierce dubstep, with basslines as distorted as possible, and with each break, he starts with more vigor than before. I don't recognize many tracks, so I'll open a parenthesis here: the kids present, mostly all English, make me envious... They know them all, they hum along to the parts with lyrics, and during breaks, you see them ready to explode perfectly in time, each has their skanking style (skanking: a definition of the typical dubstep dance, although initially, the term was used for reggae and dub dancing...). Again, I'm envious but at the same time ecstatic, I've never heard anything like it, the impact rivals the best brutal-death bands around, which, it must be said, is also favored by a monstrous system.
I'm already exhausted when the much-hyped Martyn arrives. For the Dutchman, I could make a similar argument to what I said earlier about Headhunter, but let me critique a bit. I saw him this year at Sonar, and his techno-minimal infused sounds really bored me to death. Today everything sounds a bit better, but I fall asleep anyway. Overrated.
I wake up when 2562 takes the decks. Same with potatoes, if I want to listen to some minimal, I prefer Trentemoller or Apparat or Ellen Allien, albeit in small doses and occasionally. Well, it's time for another legend: Distance. The sound takes on that industrial tone typical of his productions, even if he tries to be as "danceable" as possible. I had heard that live he sometimes presents some drone-doom treats like Khanate, but nothing of the sort. Too bad for the constant "rewinds," as if we were at a reggae dancehall, they break the rhythm too much, and the gentleman could have let us dance a bit more fluidly.
Now it should be Hatcha's turn, and indeed he steps up to the decks, but not alone; he's accompanied by the star Benga, who was theoretically supposed to take over afterward. Hatcha moves on coordinates similar to those of N-Type, always seeking maximum saturation and shows he knows what he's doing with the mixer and the turntables with nice overlays and perfect sync. Notable look, bare chest, and a thick gold chain thicker than a finger. Benga's contribution is minimal, I don't know how many tracks he selected, but very few, although, to be honest, he pleasantly surprised me by playing very powerfully with his old tracks remixed to make them much more incisive. Of course, a bit from "Night" couldn't be missed.
It's supposed to be a bit of drum'n'bass now, but I'm too tired and head to bed. The best t-shirt seen today is worn by a guy I believe is Croatian: His Hero Is Gone, a historic American hardcore band that disbanded about a decade ago.
M.V.P.: N-Type
The next afternoon, I show up just in time to hear Hatcha's second performance, who opted for elegance today, wearing a white vest. Same story as yesterday; he manages to absolutely rile up the crowd. It feels like being run over by a truck speeding full throttle. He even indulges in a bit of romance and plays one of the current hits, with lighters in the air in the room as if it were "Stairway To Heaven", namely "In For The Kill" remixed by Skream, although I suspect someone tinkered with it, making the sound heavier. Halfway through the set, I went up onto the console stage and spied a bit on his work. Strange thing, all the vinyl looked the same with a white center and the track title written in pen. They weren't all his productions, he also played tracks by Benga, Distance, and others, all on those records seemingly prepared just for him. At the end of the show, he hands out a mix CD from a Kiss FM live. I grab a copy and thank him.
It's Steppa's turn who, due to some dropouts, I think, performs a very long set, about two hours. I didn't know him well either, I expected him to play dubstep, but instead, he delivers a set of original drum'n'bass that decisively counters those who believe the genre is already played out. The room is packed, and everyone is bouncing to infernal rhythms and devastating basses. I'm of a certain age, but I couldn't resist paying homage to so much vitality. Fun and enjoyable.
Help! N-Type is back and it's another battering. His selection is different from yesterday's, but the impact is the same. Another parenthesis, I attended this festival last year, and this winter, thanks to the Viral crew, I was practically having a dubstep night once a week, even with big names like Rusko, MRK1, Terrafonix, LD, Silkie. Well, I wanted to say, it seems to me that from a year ago, the dubstep sound has evolved, taking more heavy characteristics and somehow even personalizing, always indebted to the sounds of dub, drum'n'bass, certain techno, hip-hop, but the process of metabolizing the main influences is at a very advanced stage; in short, I think one can increasingly less speak of a derived sound...
It's time for one of the founding fathers of these sounds: Mala, accompanied by his faithful squire, MC Sgt Pokes. Apart from being a DJ and producer, his figure also stands out for the messages conveyed in his tracks and his MC's rhymes. One could define him as the critical conscience of the movement, combining mysticism and political commitment with his interest in Liberation Theology (a philosophical thought born in Brazil that combines Christianity and Marxism, with one of its main proponents being Paulo Freire, a famous pedagogue).
Let's move on to the music. His sound is strongly influenced by dub, but perhaps, regarding the previously mentioned evolution of dubstep, he also proposes a vibrant and powerful set, alternating his classic dubbing anthems with harder tracks, splendid "Dubstet Warz"! What struck me in particular was the last track of the selection, a true example of sonic wickedness, about which unfortunately I can't give you any information since I couldn't get close to the console. Respect!
Now it's Loefah's turn, another member of Digital Mystikz. He was supposed to play this spring in Rome, again thanks to the gentlemen of Viral, but at the last moment, everything fell through. Well, I think, now I make up for it. And indeed, it's a great listen, his set is very personal, the beat slows down, but the slaps thicken. He, too, clearly has a dub background, but the reinterpretation he makes of those sounds is original and highly effective; industrial echoes can be heard, as a testament that the remix of "3RD Choice" by Vex'd made about three years ago wasn't an accident. I'm tired, I spend most of the time moving around sitting on the backrest of a little sofa next to the console, giving vent to my indomitable metalhead side with continuous headbanging that leaves me with aching neck muscles for days.
At this point, I listen to about twenty minutes of Youngsta (great name!) and am struck, but I'm too exhausted, and after looking at the schedule and seeing that he'll be playing the next day too, I decide to head home and postpone this auditory experience to tomorrow.
Open a parenthesis. The look at the schedule was made possible because I asked a guy to let me see his for a moment since this year's organizers, those chickens!, were selling the schedule along with a lanyard to wear around the neck for about six euros!!!
Best t-shirt of the day worn by an English guy with long hair: Metallica, Master of Puppets, the one with the cemetery, of course without sleeves.
M.V.P.: tie Hatcha and N-Type.
Sunday. Last day, tomorrow there will be a follow-up, but I'll talk about that later.
In the indoor room, someone is playing some grime that doesn't convince me, so I step outside and catch the end of the concert of Zion Train. As I've repeated many times, I don't like dub, but they are an institution, oh my what a dreadful word!, so I chug beer and listen. Their DJ closes the live with a jungle track on which the two horns, trumpet and sax, play around a bit.
Around there, I run into C.U.B.A. and we chat for a moment. He tells me that the day before they attended the boat party (yes, there's even a little boat with sound touring the islands) and at one point he dared to step up to the microphone, introducing himself as an Italian MC. To which he was "cordially" told: "This is a UK party". Well, I say goodbye and head back inside.
I arrive with RSD at the decks; there's little dubstep, it's more digital dub than anything. My Sicilian friend, who always tells me "Si pazzu ppa musica", would probably have liked it. Besides, under the RSD alias hides none other than Rob Smith, a member of the Smith & Mighty duo in the nineties, authors of a very respectable DJ Kicks, which if I'm not mistaken the Sicilian might own.
In any case, I listen for about twenty minutes and take another stroll outside.
I wait for Youngsta to arrive and back inside.
The day before I wasn't wrong, he's got skills.
He seems to have started DJing at 12, another to be listed among the long list of dubstep prodigies, see Benga and Skream, above all. He plays a dubstep that no one else has proposed in these three days. Very slow, dark, hypnotic, mind-numbing (is that the right word?), I make my own movies, and I think back to many years ago when I discovered Melvins with their "Bullhead" or Eye Hate God with "Take As Needed For Pain". He probably never listened to such things, and maybe the comparison is a bit far-fetched, but one of my old obsessions is that certain dubstep atmospheres and sounds are close to those of sludge-core, doom, drone, and even death.
Back to us. His hour passes as if nothing, so deep is the immersion in this mantra that the twenty-year-old Londoner offers us.
It's not over. It's Kromestar's turn, I have high expectations for him but must say they were partially disappointed. Mind you, our man showed up in a hoodie and sunglasses, and obviously, we were in the dark and with unbearable heat, offers an hour of excellent music, venturing into drum'n'bass as well. But given the level of the proposals thus far reached, he stands a step below.
Thus begins Oris Jay, his set is the most varied of the whole festival. He tries everything, dubstep, drum'n'bass, grime, minimal techno dubbed. I didn't know him, and I don't think I'll delve into his music any further. I decide to go get another beer, and I must say that, regarding food and drink supply, they organized everything excellently: there are many snack bars, and you never have to queue. Paraphrasing another friend of mine: these English guys are strong!
I prepare for two more climax moments. The first is Joker's set. I had already seen him this year at Sonar, where he was by far the best in the space dedicated to Marie Anne Hobbs. He doesn't disappoint; initially, he doesn't thrill, but he doesn't disappoint. His set is a good crescendo with the final part focused on his solo productions and those with his buddy Jakes.
Let's open a chapter on drugs. I have always wondered what these young dubsteppers do to endure all these hours of dancing like madmen. Coke? MDMA? Speed? Maybe. Probably yes, but nitrous oxide is definitely popular.
Let's take a step back; I was sitting on the usual backrest of a small couch when beneath me, two very colorful and smiling young girls sat down. They place a backpack on the table and pull out a bag with balloons, inflate a couple with a small canister, and then inhale the contents. Shortly after, there’s a continuous come and go of people with money in hand, getting a balloon from these young pushers, and after inhaling it, they leave with big smiles.
Ah, old age! I was not expecting this.
It's getting late, and it's time for the moment I may have awaited the most. Plastician takes control. Short guy with a basketball shirt featuring his name on the back, immediately shows he's great. He uses vinyl processed by Traktor and performs great transitions, tracks running parallel for long stretches, and above all, which is what sincerely interests me the most, a great selection. Much better than what he offered some time ago with the acclaimed mix on Rinse, which, however, remains a great record.
The finale rocks, not so much for power but for quality. First, a remix of a Dizzie Rascal track, the original should be on his debut album "Boy In Da Corner," a record to which the current grime scene owes much, then "Intensive Snare," a collaboration between Skepta and Plastician, or rather Plastikman, in this case. Finally, he ends, as I think he's been doing for some time now, with his "Japan".
I'm exhausted, and I decide that for this year, it's enough, and head home.
Best t-shirt: I'll go with two, one worn by one of those guys from Pescara, black with the slogan "jungle riot," and the other by a Serbian guy with the back that reads: "...Because life is too important to be taken seriously."
M.V.P.: tie Youngsta and Plastician.
Footnote: In three days, no one played "Where's My Money", and I am surprised; apparently, I've fallen behind.
The festival ticket granted access to these three evenings, but two days before it all started, the official website finally posted the schedule, and I find out they would also play on Thursday and Monday for free! At that, I get pissed; I've already planned to arrive Friday morning and thus miss one of my favorite DJs, namely Bar 9, who plays only on Thursday, and also Pinch, who certainly deserves to be listened to with more attention and in a better situation compared to when I heard him at Dissonanze two years ago. On Monday, the schedule delays significantly, someone starts playing only around 4 PM, and I have to catch the bus to the port, so I listen to a couple of tracks, and then I leave.
The ferry departs at 10 PM, and I hope, this time, to get some sleep.
After over 20 hours, I'm back home, exhausted and satisfied.
Make more noise!!!!!
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