MIXES

Yes yes! 
Up next for the series we have none other than Low End Activist. His 140/breaks and grime influenced sound has seen him release some outstanding records over the last few years, on the likes of Sneaker Social Club and Seagrave. Very happy to bring the Berlin-based DJ and Producer to the pod!
We caught up with him for a chat below >> 

AM: Hey hey! What have you been up to recently? 

Holed up for years now! =/

Can't complain though tbh, i'm able to put food on the table, got a roof over our head.
Things are starting to open up here in Berlin, although cases are going up again!
Roll on the summer basically.

AM: We absolutely love the records you’ve been putting out over the last few years. Can you tell us about the inspiration for your latest EP on SCC, and the set up you use?

Yeah sure, the album was finished this time last year! but record production is loooong as we all know. I think i've written nearly 3 albums worth of tracks since lol
A lot of the source samples are taken from old news footage reporting on the riots on the estate I grew up on in Oxford, Blackbird Leys. Even sampling car screeches from the 'hotters' footage.
Shouts to Cando for the treasure trove of old tracks/ recordings from past local young Grime MCs doing bits at the time - 2G/ SFT + crew. There's a bunch of diff beat flexes on there, all spanning various decades of the continuum, but no straight up Breakbeat bits for a change, that was a challenge I set myself and you might hear some exhumed rave/ soundsystem ghosts of the past!
I went back to a lot of equipment I haven't used in a while, The Korg Triton, my beloved EMU E6400, some pedals but honestly it's 80% sample based and in the box. All tracks were expertly mixed down by my good friend Josh (FFT) - which is why I can confidently say it sounds great!
The whole album is a love letter to home, my love/ hate relationship with the place hence the title - Hostile Utopia, it touches on a misspent youth and nails home once again the message of the class divide that continues to choke the city of it's culture.

AM: The mix is really wicked, and spans through seems of different sounds and genres. Where and how did you record the mix? Any theme behind it too? 

1st run was recorded at home on my 1210's and shitty old CDJ800's and a few edits done in Ableton. No real theme tbh, starts slow, picks up the pace a bit. I knew I wanted to start with that Muzikon recording (which I sampled heavily on my first Sneaker 12") into the actual Courtney Melody 'Stop It' record,  and the rest was built it around a few tracks I defo wanted to include 'Space Afrika ft. Blackhaine' that 2min old Pepe Bradock jam, Shackleton's 'Naked', Lukid 'Hair of the Dog' and an unreleased Sneaker bit from Mantra.

AM: Whats next for you?

The album is out June 12th and I need to figure out what to do with all these other new tunes! will most likely just continue to self-release I reckon? we'll see.
Few gigs on the horizon here in Berlin, possible trip to Milan, Gottwood Festival in June. Are thing going back to normal? I hope so!
Thanks for having me! =)

AM Podcast #64 - Low End Activist

Low End Activist captures a sound that is not so much dark as it is low-lit, amplifying raw emotion over melancholy, ferocity over aggression.

https://www.factmag.com/2022/05/09/fact-mix-858-low-end-activist/

Fact Mixes 

Fact Mix 858: Low End Activist

Tracklist + Q&A: https://bit.ly/3DD3WAP

Sonic tug-of-war: @lowendactivist is telling stories of social division through exploratory bass

"It's a mixed bag of peripheral grime, techno, scuzzy UKG and some unreleased label bits. 23 tracks packed into an hour! Most tracks are sitting in the mix for no longer than a few mins - perfectly suited for the distracted listener!"

Tracklist + Q&A

Impact: Low End Activist

Shut Up and Dance ‘Derek Went Mad’ – Derek Went Mad [Shut Up and Dance Records]
DJ Rap ‘Divine Rhythm’ – Divine Rhythm [Stealth Sonic Recordings]
DJ Seduction ‘Hardcore Heaven’ – Hardcore Heaven / You and Me [Not on Label]
Zero B ‘Lock Up’ – Lock Up [Not on Label]
Tronikhouse ‘Uptempo’ – Faces & Phases [KMS]
Nebula II ‘Seance’ – Seance Atheama [Reinforced]
The House Crew ‘The Theme’ – The Theme / Euphoria [Production House]
Blame ‘Music Takes You’ – Music Takes You [Moving Shadow]
MC Jay J & DJ Devious D ‘Time Of Our Lives’ – Time Of Our Lives / Drive Ya’ Crazy [Awesome]
Nookie ‘Pedro Pulls an Essex Sort’ – The Love Is… EP [Absolute Groove]
DJ Splix ‘Nasty Rhythm’ – Nasty Rhythm [Elicit]
Top Buzz ‘Worldwide Epidemic’ – The First Taste EP [Fantazia]
D-Livin ‘Why’ – Why [D-Livin]
Sons of a Loop Da Loop Era & The Scratchedelic Experience ‘Peace & Loveism’ – Peace & Loveism [Suburban Base]
Rufige Kru ‘Dark Rider’ – Dettra Ep [Reinforced]
Skanna ‘Untitled’ – ??? [Skanna]
The Anthill Mob ‘Black Rushin’ – Antology [Anthill]
Tango & Ratty ‘Tales From The Darkside’ – Tales From The Darkside [Tango & Ratty]
Omni Trio ‘Feel Good (95 mix)’ – The Deepest Cut Vol.1 [Moving Shadow]

UK Hardcore mix for Peak Oil's Dublab Radio Show - 22.03.24

Ravers Hour mix for BBC 6 Music

Mix/ words
https://www.hhv-mag.com/feature/guest-mix-low-end-activist/?lang=en

Space Afrika - sd/tl (Sferic)
NHK - Fu2 (PAN)
Beneath - Seeus (Berceuse Heroique)
Tribe of Colin - Paradise Lost (Honest Jon's)
WEN - Rain (Ninja Tune)
MOBBS - Doves (Promesses)
Kelman Duran - Dancehall, Audubon Ballroom (Scorpio Red)
Shelley Parker - Masonry Pier (Hessle Audio)
Andrea - Got To Forget (Daphne)
Yally - U-Eff-O (Diagonal)
Monolake - Invisible (Monolake / Imbalance Computer Music)
SnP 500 - Splean Addition (Doo Solution)
Diptera - Silver (Mana)
Demdike Stare - Cracked (Modern Love)
Millie - Path To Hell (Redemption Mix) (Daphne)
Mint - Phonogram (Profan)
Hanz - Reducer (Tri-Angle Records)
Equiknoxx - Flagged Up (Mark Ernestus Remix) (DDS)
Blackdown & Dusk - Crackle Blues (Burial Remix) (Keysound)
NY Graffiti - New Mask (Early Mix) (Peace Athem)
Carrier - Carpathian (Tender Spirits)
Xyn Cabal - Nowei (The Death of Rave) 
Double Helix - LDN (Keysound)
Novelist - Always Been This Way (Self-Release)

HHV Mix 035 - March 25

Josi Devil with Low End Activist - 11 March 2025

A full-throttle excursion through grime, garage, rave and beyond.

Read more: https://hyponik.com/mixes/hyp-416-low-end-activist/

@lowendactivist

Hyp 416: Low End Activist

Cold cuts of mutant grime and dubby UK rave pressure

✉️ - lowendactivist@gmail.com

bookings - brendan@rhythmicculture.com