Freebutt, 16th July

A rare mid-week treat for a lucky few Brightonians as Brooklyn’s DJ/rupture (AKA Jace Clayton) and MC Jahdan dropped in for a blisteringly tight bassline lesson at the recently improved Freebutt. Part of new manager Andy’s drive to feature more live music from the hip-hop family tree, the vibe was set in motion by the vital, driving roots of Kings HiFi, albeit to a smattering of attendees.

As the headliners took to the stage, the audience numbers had begun to swell, but the intimate feel ended up defining the night, reflecting the minimal nature of dubstep’s ever-evolving permutations. They call it “New York Tropical”, but these guys have clearly been influenced by the throbbing London scene where it all began.

Anyone expecting a set as wildly eclectic as Rupture‘s Wire-approved DJ mixes was to be disappointed, and while its fair to say they would have benefited from a larger ‘end of the week’ crowd, even the initiated got a serious insight into some of the freshest sounds dub-inflected bass culture has to offer.

Cuts such as ‘Nice Green’ (one guess what that one’s about!), the latest menacing Matt Shadetek co-production from the newly released ‘We Are Raiders’ EP on Dutty Artz set the pace, and with Jahdan’s infectious energy on the mic things got nice and sweaty with XYZ leading the skanking charge down the front. The momentum continued to build with Rupture displaying some flawless technical moves alongside the delay-drenched vocals, and despite a foreshortened set, the crowd seemed contented, enthusiastically calling for more as the last beat dropped.

Speaking to both guys post-gig, I got the impression that they really care about the music they make and they stood by the stage amiably, chatting to anyone that wanted a word. Unlike some of their shadier peers (Burial, I’m looking at you) the Dutty crew displayed a charmingly human side that got a good few mix CDs sold and many more word of mouth recommendations guaranteed. To be perfectly honest, that’s probably the best way it could be.

Words by Jody White
Photographs by Paul Mulley