The clock is ticking… We are now less than two weeks away from the release of our brand new compilation! 40 upfront tracks, including 10 exclusives, representing all styles and sounds!
Two weeks ago we touched bass with Sigma to discuss their whopping quad of contributions to Drum&BassArena 2012. Last week we called up Hamilton and thanked him for his submission Rich Kids. This week we call up Stray & Halogenix to learn the origin of their exclusive delivery… Rude Industry.
“It’s actually the first track we did with each other! We did it about a year or so ago I think…” Stray ponders.
“It took us about a year or so to hook up,” explains Halogenix. “The first day we got together we spent six hours in the studio then finished it off about a week later. It wrote itself really. We’d been speaking for a while before then so we knew we were compatible… It was just all very natural.”
We know what you’re thinking… Why the devil haven’t they released it until now? The chilling atmospheres, pneumatic production, sneaky amen snippets on the fills and shattering rim-shots: Any label with half a mind would snap this up. But they didn’t want any label. And they both know only fools rush in…
“It’s useful having stuff sitting around and not just flinging it out,” says Stray. “It’s good to have a bank of stuff you can use. And when we started talking to Sabre we thought we’d hold on to it for a bit. When Risky hit me up it was a perfect opportunity. We’re really happy it’s got a good home.”
A regular rotator on The Risky’s podcasts, you’ll be able to get your hands on the full version on April 15. In the meantime, here’s the first time it was aired on D&BTV Live, 18 months ago!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jACWzzcrbU0
Clearly for Stray and Halogenix, timing is everything… If you want to be in it for the duration, you need to play the long game. Something both of them insist when tackled for a tip for budding songsmiths.
“You got to be patient!” exclaims Stray. “Only send your tracks out to the people you really respect, don’t just send them out to everyone. Be selective. If they’re not interested, go back to the drawing board because you’re not doing it right yet.”
Stray and Halogenix’s choice of label was Critical… Their weighty but sparse sound fits Kasra’s imprint like your favourite pair of trainers. More proof of this perfect fit – if you really need it – can be found on Oblique, their super-soulful collaboration with Sabre and Frank Carter III – a track that’s still on large demand and also features on Drum&BassArena 2012!
Just as Sabre told us last month, they confirmed there’s more to come from the trio in the future. And, of course, plenty more material from Stray and Halogenix, both individually and together. Look out for Poison on Warm Communications before the summer plus some intense Halogenix graft on Horizon’s big 50th.
In the meantime, you can catch them playing b2b at Fabric on April 20.
Tune in next week as we complete our Drum&BassArena 2012 series of features with Optiv & BTK who deliver yet another one of the 40 concentrated bangers delivered directly on Drum&BassArena 2012…. Available on April 15th (download) and April 16th (CD)
Watch out for the launch party at XOYO, London, April 13th featuring Brookes Brothers, Phace & Misanthrop, Break, Total Science, Interface and Lowqui.