Hospital Records returns to Beijing

The unique, soulful and accessible sound of UK-based Hospital Records is set to make its fourth visit to the capital on Thursday, October 18 with performances by DJ Nu:tone and MC Wrec at Vics. Drum ‘n’ bass fans have anxiously awaited the dynamic duo, and the Syndicate, Beijing’s drum ‘n’ bass crew responsible for the party, has had more specific requests for Nu:tone than any other DJ.

“Drum ‘n’ bass music is my life,” states Nu:tone, aka Dan Gresham, the classically-trained production and DJ mastermind. “There is so much you can do as a producer within the stylistic conventions of drum ‘n’ bass music, and so much yet to be done.” Drum ‘n’ bass music allows for a multitude of flavors as long as the essential elements–accelerated breakbeats and heavy basslines–remain intact. The past few years have seen many an innovative twist on the drum ‘n’ bass formula, with reggae, funk, hip hop, metal and soul elements rearing their pretty heads to please dance floors.

“I hope what I’m know for is playing music from across the board; anything from the soulful side to the heavy, hands-in-the-air stuff,” Nu:Tone says. “I enjoy building up the vibes and also taking it down, switching directions.”

Nu:tone was first drawn to drum ‘n’ bass music after hearing the Bristol, England based crews like Roni Size and Reprazent sampling the soul and funk music that had soundtracked his youth. “When I was 13 or 14 I got into soul and funk music and spent nearly 10 years digging in crates to find interesting records. Once I heard drum ‘n’ bass music sampling these songs I had heard in their original context, it blew me away, with so much range from high to low, sub bass frequencies.” This led Nu:tone to create his own soulful and incomparable style, with remix and artist albums–a relative rarity in the short-attention-span dance music world.

On the mic October 18 is renowned crowd controller MC Wrec, who deserves credit for being one of the first drum ‘n’ bass MCs to venture to Beijing in 2003. His third trip to Beijing will display his timing, humor and precise vocality as a counterpoint to Nu:tone.

For drum ‘n’ bass veterans, this is a big event. For drum ‘n’ bass novices, it should prove an interesting intro.