Hello : IGUBU

Destination Oslo for our latest free download release…

It’s been a little while since our last free download, but the wait is always worth it. Hold onto something firm and grip tightly as there’s an avalanche incoming.

W e   s a i d   A V A L A N C H E !

 

 

The track, which is yours in return of a follow on Soundcloud and your email address, comes courtesy of Glitchgirl and Igubu. A new name with a deep past, Igubu hails from Oslo but has spent time in many different places over the years and has amassed an impressive five languages to his skill set.

That’s not all. He speaks many other musical languages from extreme metal to hip-hop via techno.

“He goes heavy and he shows no mercy, I really like that. He shows a genuine style,” says Glitchgirl of Igubu’s work. “Man is a powerhouse. The atmosphere he gives in his music is really cold. I like that.”

Glitchgirl met Igubu (real name Ian Presi) when she headlined SkankinOslo last year. “He should have headlined it instead of me,” she laughs. “He played this set which I think was mainly all of his own bangers. I was like, ‘Wah! This is the heaviest producer!’”

Inspired and connected, she sent Igubu a WIP for potential collaboration and A V A L A N C H E is the result. “He did his own thing completely by scratch from what I sent him,” Glitchy explains. “It sounds organic and textured at the same time. I really dig his stuff. I’m happy with how it turned out. It has a bit of me, and a lot of him.”

For a bit more Glitchgirl please check this video interview we did with her earlier this year. Now time for a lot of Igubu. Grab the tune, grab a pew and continue gripping onto something as you get acquainted…. 

 

 

Are you in Norway now or Portugal?

I’m back in Norway now, I have been since the covid times. I was doing a masters degree in mixed media arts in Portugal, it was the best decision in my life. I met so many inspiring people and made so many good friends.

Where else can I find your art? What other mediums?

I mostly do design and 3D work for my own projects but for my masters I focused on sculptures. I wish I had a workshop and space, you know? It cost a lot more to make art like that than it does to make beats on your laptop!

Yeah which is a real shame as that excludes so many people

Exactly. Art definitely has a pay wall. In Portugal the prices are much cheaper in Norway but it was still costly even then.

And just straight up expensive full stop in Norway, right?

Yeah! It’s extremely difficult. Renting a space is expensive. Getting soundsystems is, too. There is little government support and they don’t prioritise electronic music in their cultural funds.

 

 

Sounds familiar. You’re super proud of Norway’s creativity aren’t you? Definitely get that vibe in your Cutting Edge mix series.

I am very proud. It’s been a big thing for me. In Oslo we mostly have techno producers so for me it was essential to bridge the gap between the techno people and D&B people but also to play the productions of my friends in my sets.

The line between techno and D&B is being torn down right now, right? Techno is getting harder and faster. 4×4 beats in D&B

Yeah totally. I was having a conversation with an engineer at an event this weekend and he said he wished techno was faster. I said ‘funny you should say that!’

Hahah. Hold my beer!

Some techno purists don’t like it going over a certain speed but for me I love it. It’s the sound of a train coming towards you.

 

I once wrote about Finland electronic music and Resound said about how the environment and long dark spells have such a strong influence on its native music. Is this something you can relate to?

In a very significant way, yes. We are definitely very isolated. When I started making D&B I would take elements from the original style but was always very mindful to include my own influences in there. Like black metal and certain sonics. This is such an exciting and freeing form of expression. It’s important to carve out a sound that fits me. I just put together things I like that complement my style. I’m into texture more than arrangement or popularity. I love the hidden gem characteristic of music.

Me too! So Igubu productions are relatively revcent but you’re not. I think your previous alias was Plunda Phonikz right?

Yes it was. I was making a lot of hip-hop beats and before that I was making black metal for many years. I was doing production and playing in several bands. I have a lot of background in extreme metal here.

Oh there’s some really controversial stories regarding extreme metal in Norway in the 90s, right? Church burning and all that, no?

Ah it was a lot of media sensationalism I think. What we had was a bunch of kids playing dungeons and dragons. All music nerds just like you or me. Then a few serious people made a few silly mistakes and it gets blown up out of proportion. We used to rehearse in the same place as many of the big extreme metal bands and met them or toured with them and they’re always the nicest people. Mystique is a big factor for extreme metal.

Haha yeah. People involved in extreme music are always super chill. What was the name of your band?

One of the main ones was called Causing The Exile. We started with a mix of deathcore and death metal and playing very fast. At first a lot of the old bands would stand there and look at us with their arms crossed like ‘oh these guys are just masturbating over their guitars’ but people got used to it. We ended up taking things quite far; we were in Norwegian Metal Hammer and played some big festivals. It was a lot of fun.

Sick! So all these reference points in mind, it’s no surprise you and Glitchgirl linked up! She’s similarly eclectic.

Yeah she’s cool. She came over here to play, we met and then she messaged me about doing a tune together. The night was Skanking Oslo and I’m their sound engineer so we met when she was booked. She had an awesome attitude and liked my music when she heard it and eventually we started sending stems back and forth and A V A L A N C H E was born.

 

 

It sounds like its name! Like the train analogy you mention

Yeah that’s right. It was cool to test out some interesting sounds and use rhythms you don’t find in drum & bass very often. So I enjoyed making the track a lot. It was interesting to collaborate with Alicia, too. At the time I hadn’t had much experience collaborating with other artists electronically.

Why is that?

Because we’re so isolated here, I guess. But since working with Alicia I have been inspired to work with other artists and also some people outside of the D&B spectrum which I think is very important to keep things fresh and exciting.

What comes next from you now after Avalanche?

I’ve been dialing the sound which I’ve been envisioning in my music and I feel it’s reaching a point where I wanted it to be. There’s a lot of influence from black metal. I’m waiting for the winter to kick in and inspire me. The next confirmed release is a VA from Norwegian D&B producers which is coming out from Next Level in Bergen. I heard some of it recently and was like ‘holy shit!’ I hope it inspires the new generation.

When? Sounds dope!

Hopefully December but you know how these things go. So keep an eye out. Can I give some shoutouts to some Norwegian D&B artists?

Hell yeah!

Okay so there’s Acta Pon It, Avile, Progeny, Subphex. If you’re into breakcore then you have Ars Dada who’s the breakcore sensei here. There’s some cool new generation artist like Kaslex, Difee and Fjell. Please include some links so people can hear their music because it’s really good!

 

 

So is yours! Igubu is a double sided drum, right?

That’s correct. I am obsessed with languages. I speak five.

Wow!

I call it environment damage, because I’ve moved around so much! Plus Xhosa is such a cool language and I loved the meaning of it, it seemed like a good name for me.

 

Download Glitchgirl x IGUBU – A V A L A N C H E 

 

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