Poisonous Birds demolish the wall between electronic and rock music
Having surprised us last year with a new, refined sound in their Big Water and Dirty Water EPs, experimental electronic rock duo Poisonous Birds are ready to bring us their first major headline show, coming to The Louisiana this January via their own Be Softly imprint. Although their writing process has shifted further into electronic …
Rider Shafique: ‘I don’t think I have the choice not to be political’
Gloucester-based MC Rider Shafique has been influencing the local music scene for over a decade, getting his first taste of the road with Sony Music-signed electronic act Pressure Drop, after being introduced to the group by his cousin – who also had ties with S’Express and Galliano – and another close friend from Gloucester, Martin …
RSD, Pinch, Laid Blak, Zion Train and dozens more drop a 30-track charity album to help Bristol’s homeless
Bristol titan Rob Smith is a true originator of the Bristol Sound, originally putting Bristol on the map in the mid 90s with Smith & Mighty, and continuing to influence the scene today under his dubstep moniker RSD. This Christmas he’s put his well-earned industry clout to good use, pulling together friends and connections from across …
Save Trinity Centre – how you can help in under two minutes
Bristol was recently hit with the gutting news that Trinity Centre is the latest local music venue under threat from residential developments. Fortunately in this case, there is still time to halt these plans in their tracks and protect Trinity’s future as a music venue. Developers have put forward plans for 12 new flats …
Bristol cleans up at DJ Mag’s Best of British awards
DJ Mag’s Best of British Awards took place at EGG London last night and Bristol headed in strong, with at least one nomination in every category. The results are in and, as always, Bristol proved it can punch well above its weight in the industry. Alfresco Disco scooped Best Club Event. Launching in 2005, the …
Giggs and Rudimental announced for NASS 2019
NASS is the first (near) Bristol summer festival to lift the lid on their lineup, announcing their Friday and Saturday night headliners, plus a generous handful of other major hitters set to play across the four-day festival at Royal Bath & West Showground next July. UK rap giant Giggs takes Friday’s headline slot, with relentlessly …
Chikaya on ‘cosmic trap’ and her stunning Descend EP
Bristol-based vocalist Chiyaka dropped her stunning Descend EP this summer. The six-track EP creates a unique depth of space with floating ballads that Chikaya calls ‘cosmic trap’. It’s been receiving love from Bristol and beyond, with instagram support from Tricky and getting the top spot on Jamz Supernova’s Top 5 EPs on Radio 1Xtra. Working …
PREMIER // True Strays unveil new dirty rock n roll track, Lay Down Let Go
Bristol-based blues-loving rock n rollers True Strays are closing a 14-date UK tour in celebration of their latest single Lay Down Let Go this weekend, with a live launch party at Mothers’ Ruin. Nitelife is delighted to premier the new single ahead of official release tomorrow. Though True Strays’ influences range from Muddy Waters to Queens …
10 questions with J.Sparrow
Leeds-based producer Ryan Wild AKA J.Sparrow (formerly Jack Sparrow) creates deeply atmospheric dubstep with intelligent forays across the spectrum of sound system music, from techno to reggae. He’s also one half of jazz-inflected dubstep project Author, with Submotion’s Orchestra’s Dom Howard AKA Ruckspin. J.Sparrow’s excellent debut album Circadian, released on Pinch’s Tectonic in 2010, gave …
INTERVIEW // Enter the unsettling universe of Kojey Radical
‘You don’t want the truth, then why you ask me?’ rasps 360-degree artist Kojey Radical’s If Only, the first single release since his incredible 2017 album In God’s Body. With an astonishing gift for music, poetry, visual arts and fashion, the unsigned, MOBO-nominated artist is one of the most exciting talents to enter the British …