There’s so much hype surrounding everything the trendsetters in dubstep do, that you’d be forgiven for thinking Magnetic Man’s new album would probably yield a few commercial singles and a few underground ‘bangers’. But three Man from Croydon, calling themselves the “coolest pop act” around, will deliver an eponymous album on Oct 4th that bucks trend altogether. If you’ve already seen their live show, then you know what I mean.
The other day at fabric, Rinse FM celebrated their long overdue licence accreditation and their headline act was the focus of everyone’s attention. Skream, Benga and Artwork took to the stage in room one (the one with the balcony) to showcase new material from their forthcoming LP and it felt more like a concert than any other club gig I’ve ever witnessed. They seemlessly streamed through unheard (and so far mostly un-leaked) material until reaching current smash I Need Air, at which point Benga kindly warned us of what was about to be played; there was also a fitting build up for stand out track Perfect Stranger (ft. Katy B). Their sound is complex, innovative and original; quite simply some of the best dubstep I’ve ever heard. Although I do fear that (eventually) listening to the album will never compare to hearing them playing it live…
Their stage set up was very simple: a laptop each, Artwork had a/the mixer (I think) and Benga had two mics, one for PA and one for autotuned vocal ad-libs with Benga standing stage right, Artwork centre and Skream quietly doing his thing on the left. There was a Hawtin-esque LED curtain in front of them with a foot gap in the middle, enough to spot their bobbing heads and obvious enjoyment.
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The other day at fabric, Rinse FM celebrated their long overdue licence accreditation and their headline act was the focus of everyone’s attention. Skream, Benga and Artwork took to the stage in room one (the one with the balcony) to showcase new material from their forthcoming LP and it felt more like a concert than any other club gig I’ve ever witnessed. They seemlessly streamed through unheard (and so far mostly un-leaked) material until reaching current smash I Need Air, at which point Benga kindly warned us of what was about to be played; there was also a fitting build up for stand out track Perfect Stranger (ft. Katy B). Their sound is complex, innovative and original; quite simply some of the best dubstep I’ve ever heard. Although I do fear that (eventually) listening to the album will never compare to hearing them playing it live…
Their stage set up was very simple: a laptop each, Artwork had a/the mixer (I think) and Benga had two mics, one for PA and one for autotuned vocal ad-libs with Benga standing stage right, Artwork centre and Skream quietly doing his thing on the left. There was a Hawtin-esque LED curtain in front of them with a foot gap in the middle, enough to spot their bobbing heads and obvious enjoyment.
Go check out their dates and make sure you see them over summer or on tour!
I took some pics, they’re crap – like the phone they were taken on – but hopefully it gives you an idea of how the space was used and its atmosphere.
This is a promotional video taken from their Myspace:
Rinse FM Presents Magnetic Man feat. Skream + Benga + Artwork from Rinse FM on Vimeo.