When I first stumbled across Tessela’s tracks on soundcloud I felt a bit as though I’d just found a tenner or completed a level on Tomb Raider. I was partly excited because I felt ‘in the know’, his tracks were there for everyone to see but there was no trace of a planned release. A few months on and there is a release, a forthcoming EP on Shifting Peaks the tracks from which you can listen to here. Phosphorescent sythns tuck-in warm sub bass while sexy ebony voices call out from the corners of a long lost clubland; keeping the dancefloor ticking over and all the time reminding us that UK bass music is still fun. I caught up with Tessela aka Ed Russell to extract the basics and subsequently he sent me a new tune ‘Slugger’ – a track which truly validates my excitement about this 21 year old dj-producer. Oh yeah, he’s also done an incredible mix for us too.
When did you start making music?
I was in bands when I was younger but I sort of got fed up of making music with other people. I had my first set of decks when I was eleven, I used to steal records with sleeves I liked the look of from my brother and try and spin them in my room. I was about 15 when I first started dabbling with Reason and then on my 16th birthday my brother got me a legitimate copy of Reason.
What was your first record?
Probably one of my brother’s records, he use to dj a lot in his time and he had a big record collection. It was mainly his jungle and drum and bass that I started listening to when I was fifteen or sixteen which led me on to trying my hand producing drum and bass tunes when I was about eighteen.
How do you go about making a tune?
I use Cubase. Starting with drums, I’ll then try and get some base fitting into the drums and work backwards from there; adding in things that compliment the drops well. I’ve started to make my music from more samples than I use to; there’s a lot of really decent old school Rhodes samples and stuff like that, that you can’t really recreate with synthesis.
For me, these tunes are made for the rave rather than the bedroom, is this a statement you agree with?
Yeah, I would agree with that. However, I like to think that they could be listened to elsewhere. Generally I make music with the club in mind. Not too up in your face but still, um, rocking.
There are some elements that your tracks have in common; the dark sub-bass and the high sythns and tuned-down vocals. Would you say these elements are part of your sound?
I’m still finding my sound but, you’re right though; I have started to recognize these traits in my music. I always pack my tunes with bass but feel it’s right to counterbalance that with some more top endy stuff. And then, yeah; pitched down vocals. You know the really cheesy old techno? –Male pitched-down vocals. I wanted to get away from that but still use pitched down vocals. I found pitching down female 90′s rave vocals best, they always end up sounding like weird drunk old men. I love that sleazy sound.
You’ve got a forthcoming release on Shifting Peaks, how did that come about?
There was a thread that Hackman started about me on dubstep forum, Jerry from Shifting Peaks had seen the thread, heard my tunes and said he’d like to put out and EP. He wasn’t sure at first of which tracks to put out but I had a good idea in my mind of which ones I wanted to go out. If all goes to plan it should be out in the next month or so.
What’s your favourite thing about UK bass music at the moment?
The way it’s beginning to incorporate elements from other genres; putting a new spin on it. It’s sort of boundaryless. There’s some great stuff out at the moment and a lot of it seems to be very house influenced, which is great but I’m looking forward to some dirtier stuff coming back.
Please introduce your mix.
It’s a collection of new tracks and some I really like from the last six months or so. I always find when I’m listening to mixes that the best ones are able to balance the heavier stripped back tracks with the more subtle stuff, I hope I’ve managed to do that.
Scuba – Before (Deadboy Remix) (Hotflush Recordings)
Commix – Change (A Made Up Sound Remix) (Metalheadz)
Tessela & Bens – Crispin Close (Dub)
J Kenzo – Ruckus (Martin Kemp Remix) (Roska Kicks & Snares)
Martyn – Minluv (Ostgut Ton)
Mista Men – Dodge City (Dub)
Jamie Grind – A Night In Detroit (Dub)
Tessela – Frank (Dub)
Peverelist & Hyetal – The Hum (Punch Drunk)
Dark Sky – High Rise (Forthcoming Blunted Robots)
Tessela – You Give Me Something (Forthcoming Shifting Peaks)
Blacksmif – TLC (Dub)
Resketch – Hear Me (Dub)
Tessela – In Motion (Dub)
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Download here
Download Tessela’s ‘Push’ here
Tracklisting
Typical Hackman. Somehow the twenty-one your old producer manages to communicate his own sound in this 30 minutes of perfectly mixed pre-releases which all walk a tightrope between sexy nineties house, UK Funky, garage and dubstep. We’re really chuffed to have this mix from one of the UK’s most talked about young producers and it’s a sign of things to come for this mix series, watch this space.
