One of my proudest achievements on the blog this year, or any year for that matter, is the release of GruffWuff; a 19 track compilation of new, previously unreleased and exclusive recordings from some of my very favourite acts over the past 5 years of blogging.
It was a truly fantastic way to mark 5 years of BarryGruff and I am incredibly grateful to everyone involved and the overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic response. As 2015 draws to a close, I have enlisted help from people who made the compilation what it was, to chat about their favourite moments and sounds from year, and up next is Seth Mowshowitz, from Fold.
Leeds based Trip Hop / Breakbeat / Hip-Hop outfit Fold have the propensity for producing the magnificent. The inventive and experimental quartet pride themselves on live production, ceating incredible music while blending their enviable creativity with a social consciousness. In a similar sort of vein to Public Service Broadcasting, spoken word samples are set to real drums, bass, guitar and a blend of triggered samples, together they combine for an utterly stunning sound of funk, groove, urgency and cool. Long-standing BarryGruff favourites, Fold are one of the most unique and exciting acts around.
Before we take a look at his 2015 sound selections, you should check out Fold’s superb self-titled debut album, and their GruffWuff inclusion, ‘That’s It’ – of which you can download here for FREE.
What was your personal high point of this year, musical and/or otherwise?
Our debut album launch at the Brudenell Social Club on October 21 without a doubt. Launching the album after such a long time to our biggest & most enthusiastic home crowd, having an amazing three piece horn section on stage with us for the first time ever, my wife dancing in the front row, so many friends & family in the audience, me rapping on stage for the first time ever, solid support from regional press beforehand, the best feedback we’ve had from a gig, people asking us to sign records – it was an incomparable night for us.
Favourite album of 2015?
It says a lot about me that I discovered a huge amount of music in 2015 but very little of it was actually made or released in the year 2015. In fact, most of it was released in 1970’s. I’m still working my way through the music that I love the most which is, without a doubt, FUNK music. I’ve not been very thorough with my explorations in the past as I’m forever preoccupied with my own music. In light of all that I’d be lying if I said that my favourite album discovery of 2015 was anything other than War’s Platinum Jazz double LP from 1976. I still don’t understand how it is possible that Blue Note Records’ first platinum selling album and arguably War’s finest LP could have escaped my notice all these years. It is even hard to admit it.
All that aside however, if I had to choose an album from 2015 that I discovered in 2015 it would undoubtedly be Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly. Kendrick impressed the hell out of me because his language puts forward a solid, timely case for the true state of Black in White America today in all its complexity. It is a landmark album in the spirit of all the socially conscious funk giants that I hold in such high esteem.
Favourite new act discovered in 2015?
You know what? I hadn’t listened to any Kendrick Lamar before 2015 (I am late to every party) so for me he was a new act.
Favourite song?
‘King Kunta’ by Kendrick Lamar.
What are you plans for the new year? What can we expect from you?
Are you kidding? We finally got our first album out so we’re now eagerly writing the next one. Although I can’t guarantee a complete new album before the end of 2016 that is the goal and at the very least there will certainly be an EP and some singles. The sound is moving forward. We will also be touring more – most likely March / April – and we are determined to get on stage at a few UK festivals over the summer. Our next gig will be at The Library (Club 360) on January 30 representing Leeds as part of Independent Venue Week.