By Geoffrey Rowlands
Their UK chart-topping single, Nobody To Love, has been wrongly reported as the debut release from English dance music duo Sigma.
It is certainly their first number one. Rudeboy was Cameron Edwards and Joe ‘Wooz’ Lenzie’s previous biggest hit. This song reached number 56 last December. But the boys have released numerous other tracks during the eight years since they got together while students at Leeds University.
“We were both augmenting our student loans with DJ work,” Joe recalled. “Cameron also worked part-time in a record shop and was promoting local dance nights called Event Horizon. I used to be one of the DJs who warmed up the Event Horizon crowds before the star names took the stage.”
After gaining their university degrees, the boys relocated to London. For a time, they were joined by Cameron’s schoolfriend, Ben Mauerhoff. “It didn’t really work out for us as a trio,” Cameron remarked. “Wooz and I had formed a creative bond which was special to the two of us. It was probably best that Ben decided to leave.”
The boys founded their own dance music label, Life Recordings. They list the discovery of their first release on Life being the biggest-selling drum ‘n’ bass single of 2009 as the most rewarding thing of their career. “We put out a 12-inch of El Presidente and Something Special,” Joe stated. “It was amazing to have the record sell so well.
“But I guess we’ll have to change our answer now if we’re again asked about the most rewarding thing we’ve had. Going straight to number one on the mainstream chart is unbelievable. We can’t even say it’s a dream come true because we couldn’t imagine anything like this ever happening.”
Their success has been achieved with a drum ‘n’ bass version of Kanye West’s track, Bound 2. Taken from Kanye’s latest album, Yeezus, the original song peaked at number 12 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and number 55 in Britain.
“We initially did a bootleg remix of Bound2 and played it during our DJ sets in the clubs,” Cameron explained. “The response was so positive that we offered the track as a free download on our website last January.”
“We sent it to some dance music radio DJs and got tremendous support from them,” Joe added. “It created such a vibe that we asked permission to do a more complete reworking of the song. We re-did all the vocals and music ourselves so Nobody To Love is the end result of this.”
Getting such an enormous hit has not only delighted Cameron and Joe personally but provided ample reinforcement to their belief that UK drum ‘n’ bass is very much alive and well.
“People have suggested drum ‘n’ bass is losing popularity,” Cameron remarked. “We keep saying this is nonsense. Look at the big hits artists like Chase & Status, Sub Focus and Wilkinson have had over the last couple of years. We’ve now added to that number so we’re certain the drum ‘n’ bass scene is actually very strong.”
Having experienced such massive chart success, the boys are keen to enjoy some more. “We’re not sure what the next single will be or when it will be released,” Joe stated. “We’ve been busy doing remixes and producing tracks for Jess Glynne.”
“We’ve already got loads of our own new music,” Cameron added. “In terms of our next single, it’s a case of trying to make the right choice and then finding some time when we’ll be free to promote the song.”
IN BRIEF
Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey gave the first performance of her forthcoming single, West Coast, to a large, appreciative audience at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 13. Everyone else can now hear the song, which is scheduled for release on May 18 but is already available on iTunes, by visiting (no www.) lanadelrey.com/.
No official video is offered at the moment. However, a few seconds of black and white looped footage accompanies the track on Lana’s website so this may well be a scene from the finished video.
West Coast is the lead single from Lana’s third studio album, Ultraviolence. She has described the record as “beautiful and exquisite” but said it is darker than her previous work. As yet, no release date has been announced.
Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris is another of the artists who appeared at the Coachella Festival. Despite competition from Arcade Fire and Disclosure on other stages, Calvin’s performance drew the second-biggest crowd in Coachella history. It was only surpassed by the much anticipated concert in 2012 featuring Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg and a hologram of the late Tupac Shakur.
Calvin’s entire 56-minute set is available to hear and offered for free download at (no www.) soundcloud.com/ravefaced. It is just one of many complete performances from Coachella, the Ultra Music Festival and numerous other events which can be heard and downloaded for free at this webpage.
The video for Calvin’s latest single, Summer, is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebXbLfLACGM
Redlight
More free dance music is available from Bristol-born DJ/producer Redlight.
The free track, C.A.S.S.I.E., is the newly created lead posting at (no www.) soundcloud.com/redlight-uk. It is a club edit of R&B star Cassie’s 2006 hit, Me & U.
The next four postings on his SoundCloud page are the songs which make up Redlight’s recently released third EP, 36. Guest vocalists include Wu-Tang Clan star Raekwon plus lesser known singers Syron and Lotti.
Much more of his own music along with Redlight’s remixes of songs by other artists can be heard on his SoundCloud page. A few of these tracks are offered for free download.
Pitbull
Hip hop star Pitbull is perhaps a slightly unusual choice to perform the official 2014 FIFA World Cup theme song. Less surprising contributors are Jennifer Lopez and Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte who accompany him on We Are One (Ola Ola).
The three artists joined a throng of carnival-style revellers to shoot the official video in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Unfortunately, this is not yet available to view but a lyric video for the song can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8NpPVIWDAo.
We Are One (Ola Ola) is the lead single from One Love, One Rhythm: The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Album. The 14 tracks feature Brazilian and international artists such as Santana, Wyclef Jean, Avici, Sergio Mendes, Shakira, Baha Men and Ricky Martin.
The album will be released on May 12, one month before the tournament kicks off. The single is out now.
Coldplay
Many fans will have been saddened by the recent ‘uncoupling’ of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and his actress wife Gwyneth Paltrow.
Echoes of this breaking relationship can be heard in the lyrics of the band’s latest single, Magic. The newly issued track is taken from Coldplay’s sixth studio album, Ghost Stories, which is scheduled for release on May 16.
Directed by Jonas Akerlund, the video for Magic sees Chris portraying two roles. He plays Christophe, the besotted assistant of magicienne Cecile, played by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star Zhang Ziyi, and her violent magician husband Claude. It can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtb11P1FWnc
