In The Mix: Hackman

MONTH IN DUBSTEP & BASS: MARCH 2010
REVIEWS: PAGE 1 | PAGE 2 | PAGE 3
RECORD OF THE MONTH
INTERVIEW: KYLE HALL | IN THE MIX: HACKMANHackman is one of the exploding Funky movement’s best and brightest producers, rising fast and unleashing unstoppable rhythm after unstoppable rhythm. Profiled by the venerable and influential Blackdown in 2009 and one of FACT Magazine’s “10 Producers to Watch in 2010,” Hackman is no stranger to hype even so early in his career. But it’s not all just hype, and if anything, the hyperbole is warranted. Hackman makes music in line with other prominent Funky producers, but his productions have a certain sheen and a peculiarly humid quality that make them unmistakable. His impressive grasp of bass (see the absolutely crushing basslines in “Bodies” and “Surround” off of his EP for Well Rounded, reviewed here) betrays his initial foray into dubstep, and it lends his music a power both more nuanced and more visceral than many of his contemporaries.

Being huge fans of Hackman, we asked him if he’d be interested in making a mix for us, and he so generously agreed; this is the wonderful result. Hackman gives us a near-hour of ultra-smooth house music, some of the finest the UK has on offer right now, all mixed beautifully and seamlessly. Quite honestly it’s one of the best mixes we’ve heard in a while, if we might be so brash.

Featuring a good mix of already-released tracks, forthcoming releases, and dubs, it’s a nice overview of the kind of sound Hackman is cultivating as well as some of his contemporaries. We get a sneak peak of a few new tracks from the man himself, most notably his incredible remix of Kowton’s “Lookin’ At You,” as well as his new release “More Than Ever” out soon on RAMP sub-label PTN. He even finds room for some surprises, including the elusive Joe on Hessle Audio, and Sully’s massive 2step banger “In Some Pattern,” which we’re <a=”http://beatsperminute.com/2010/01/27/the-month-in-dubstep-january-2010/”>already on record as loving quite a bit.

We asked Hackman a few questions about his mix:

onethirtybpm: How did you make this mix?

Hackman: Being a student, not being able to cut dubs, and still saving for a second CDJ, I had to do this mix using Ableton.

onethirtybpm: Any particular inspiration or concept behind the selection of the tracks, how did you choose them?

Hackman: I just wanted to touch on all the genres i’m feeling at the moment, from Deep House to 2 Step to UK Funky. Also wanted to include some tracks from more underground producers, such as Kowton, Double Helix, and Jera.

onethirtybpm: What have you got happening this year after your EP on Well Rounded?

Hackman: I have a 4 track EP coming out on PTN [RAMP sub-label], and another EP coming out on Shifting Peaks, including a Brackles Remix. Also have a few remixes coming out as well.

onethirtybpm: What releases are you looking forward to?

Hackman: So much good stuff coming out soon, too many to name!

In addition to all the releases mentioned above, Hackman has an exclusive track (“Pistol In Your Pocket”) on the Fabric Elevator Music compilation released in January, which I called “lushly funky” and “a natural progression on the stilted piano-house style of Untold’s recent work” back in that month — definitely worth checking out.

Tracklist
Kowton – Basic Music Knowledge (Idle Hands)
Manuel Tur & Dplay – Mild Pitch (Drum Poet Community)
Jera – Left Out In the Cold (Dub)
Martinez – Day By Day (Moon Harbour Recordings)
Mosca – Square One (Julio Bashmore Remix) (Night Slugs)
Kowton – Lookin’ At You (Hackman Remix) (Dub)
DJ MA1 – High Definition (Karnival Music)
Double Helix – Know Yourself (Dub)
Joe – Rut (Hessle)
Hackman – No More (Dub)
C.R.S.T – Red Eye (Dub)
Bok Bok – Citizens Dub (Blunted Robots)
Hackman – Bodies (Well Rounded Records)
Hackman – More Than Ever (PTN/Ramp)
Sully – In Some Pattern (Keysound)
Jamie Grind – If U Want (Infrasonics)
Double Helix – On A Pirate Tip (Dub)
Donga & Blake – Grown Up (Well Rounded Records)

Download Hackman In The Mix for beatsperminute.com

MONTH IN DUBSTEP & BASS: MARCH 2010
REVIEWS: PAGE 1 | PAGE 2 | PAGE 3
RECORD OF THE MONTH
INTERVIEW: KYLE HALL | IN THE MIX: HACKMAN