Naphta Interview in Knowledge

Releases #3

Only a year or so late with this. It's had a relatively positive reception so far though. The first of many (we hope):

Ruff Revival’s manifesto is simple: to liven up the dance by offering the best in raw bass-driven tunes for the floor. Jungle, garage, and dubstep vibes get mashed up together on each release, with the emphasis on fun, rudeness, rhythms, and bass experimentation.

Sharing the same space, different styles get the chance to interact and reach new audiences, all the while delving back to the roots of hardcore UK dance music at its experimental and unselfconscious best.


RR002 - Naphta: Fully Loaded/El-B's Soundclash Relick
Kicking off with a heavyweight double-header, RR002 opens proceedings with the superlative Amen stormer ‘Fully Loaded’, Naphta’s first Jungle outing since his critically-acclaimed album ‘Long Time Burning’ two years back. This one throbs with militant intensity...watch out for the massive twist-up in the finale!

Burning up the flip, the legendary El-B (aka Ghost) delivers a killer remix of Naphta’s anthem ‘Soundclash 1’ that swings with panache between 2 step and dubstep, rolling out a hypnotically brutal bassline under pounding conga beats...

"...Dancehall chaos is already built in to the DNA of this plate: a deadly persuasive amalgam readied for multiple rewind situations. Naphta's 'Fully loaded' side restores muscular memories of Jet Star B-sides, Shut Up and Dance , Production House, Ibiza ...Spin Inn, blues... Potential BadBoy, Genaside II, G Double E and so many more spring to mind during this simply irresistible rinsing!

A Soundboy's dream! Recommended!." - Sounds of the Universe

"...Fully Loaded' follows from the onslaught of his brilliant 'Long Time Burning' album with a proper amen rinse-off, done in a ruffneck rudeboy style associated with Krome and Time or early DJ Hype, rather than Shitmat. On the flip Ghost takes his turn at 'Soundclash 1' following Grievous Angel's mix also out this week, producing a heavy 'Relick' version with the gangsta samples still intact, but pushed into a hard-swinging stepper with shades of his seminal classics. Big, bad and heavy!." - Boomkat

"...Quality assured drum n' bass from Naphta with a ruff, Roddigan-esque hook. On the flipside, proto-dubstep producer, Ghost aka El-B, slows the frenetic tempo of 'Soundclash 1' and adds a little low-end wobble to his 2-step version." - Bleep

Also available from Red Eye, Juno, Chemical and BM Soho.

Ruff revival Myspace

Releases #2

As previously mentioned here, Naphta's latest album was launched a couple of weeks ago. It's a 2 x 12" limited edition vinyl LP available exclusively from Road Records, City Discs, or direct from D1. Below is the Q + A session that took place after the launch (which consisted solely of the record being played at 100 people - no video or interpretative dance or anything!) which I filmed on my I-phone at a whim, so apologies for the poor quality of the video and the drunken ramblings of other attendees. The session was hosted by Bernard Clarke from Lyric FM who also did a special on the LP on his Nova show, and whom we've bigged up here in the past.


Needless to say, its a very accomplished LP that explores the old mans penchant for sample based collages and soundscapes and adds some heavy political overtones, but it is also a radical departure from his D+B & jungle based output - If you want to hear the music itself, check out the D1 site for previews.

Releases #1

It's been a busy time for weareie related releases recently. First of all - Naphta's Long Time Burning album got a full re-release a while back courtesy of the nice people at Baked Goods and is now available pretty much everywhere. Here it is at the listening post in the Rough Trade east store:It can also now be got in the US via Forced Exposure, and is in all the major web stores: Boomkat, Redeye, Sounds of the Universe, HB-Direct etc...

Digikal on The Fly

Excellent Steelie & Cleevie video from JA TV circa 1988. Features some amazing live riddim building from the duo. Who said digital dancehall doesn't require 'musicianship'?