Purple Wow: Joker, Gemmy and Guido

In the last few years Joker has fast become of my favourite (post-)dubstep producers. This is mainly because he dosn't make straight dubstep, but what's been called 'purple wow' - a g-funk inspired sound that seems to have more in common with the Californian whomp of Mimosa and LA future-hop of Nosaj Thing than the rest of the UK scene. Lots of computer game type noises, heavy warm bass and g-funk high end, within the framework of a dubstep two-step beat.

DOWNLOAD: Joker – Purple Wow Sound Mix (Jan 2009) (Rick click and save as)

  Joker "TRON" + VIP Mix by Multiverse

He's not alone in digging this vein though, and is often cited alongside fellow young Bristol producers Guido and Gemmy as 'The Purple Trinity' (above left-right: Gemmy, Joker, Guido).

  Gemmy "Maroon Chant / Last 3 Digits" by Multiverse
(ignore Maroon Chant and go for Last 3 Digits)

DOWNLOAD: Gemmy – The 1987 Bounce

  Guido 'Orchestral Lab' by Punch Drunk Records

DOWNLOAD: Guido - Orchestral Lab (right click save as)

ALBUM REVIEW:
I picked up Orchestral Lab Guido's first single on Punch Drunk (Pervelist's Bristol label) a while ago, but I only recently bought his full length album Anidea and can thoroughly recommend it. It's a chilled out and organic album, lots of MIDI strings, guitar, piano and saxaphone interlinked with lush synths and bass. As such it has a laid back jazzy feel at times (Mad Sax, Take Me Higher). Apparently he's a jazz pianist so that might explain something. I've read somewhere else that he also grew up playing Final Fantasy VII, so that probably has a lot to answer in the computer game soundtrack type melodies (Woke up Early, Cat in the window, Tantalized). There's also more traditional feeling dubstep (Tango) and cinematic moody soundscapes (Shades of Blue). Meanwhile the two vocal tracks (Beautiful Complication feat Aarya and Way You Make Me Feel feat Yolanda) manage not to come across to hackneyed or cheesy. Kinda like wonky R&B, but good. So all in all it's a beautifully melodic multi-layered album, described elsewhere as incandescent, which I'd have to agree with.

If yo want a taster before you go out and buy, try these two mixtapes first. They're a bit more moody and  traditionally dubsteppy than the album, but the XLR8R one has plenty of choice cuts on there.

DOWNLOAD:
XLR8R Podcast 155: Guido (2010 mixtape)
FACT mix 108: Guido (2009 mixtape)