Our podcast this week comes from one of the most interesting Scottish producers in the field of dubstep: Glasgow's Ali Jackson a.k.a.
Gravious.
Socialised by diverse styles of electronic music, from ambient to drum'n bass, Jackson got hooked on the sounds of the emerging dubstep scene at the start of the millennium and took to producing his own music shortly thereafter.
One of Jackson earliest supporters was
Hotflush Recordings label boss
Scuba, who released Gravious' first single, '
Wormsign / Monolith', on his label back in 2006.
Hotflush released another Gravious single the following year, '
Fall / Winter Sun', as well as the track '
Temple Ball', which appeared on a split single alongside tracks by Benga and Marlow. Despite having been one of the first tracks Ali Jackson had recorded, 'Temple Ball' perfectly highlighted Jackson's unique take on dubstep, juxtaposing percussive subbass breaks with oriental orchestras that could have well served as the soundtrack to a Hong Kong kung-fu flick.
Gravious' subsequent '
Futurist EP' for
Highpoint Lowlife further refined his musical approach. Detroit-style pads and funked-up synth chords lent tracks like '
Jupiter Jazz' and '
World Of Tomorrow' an airy, almost weightless feel. Yet Gravious also knows how to evoke more sinister moods, as evident on '
Vultures', a track built from a menacing bassline and tribal chants.
Just released this week via fresh Southern UK imprint
Saigon Recordings, Gravious' '
Junction City EP' is yet another highpoint in his explorations of dubstep's melodic possibilities. Its eponymous opener skilfully employs syncopated glissandi, while its closing track '
Wu Shin' once again uses oriental tonal scales.
