ADSR Mix 013: Higgs Boson

Feb. 13. 2015

Our journey continues, in bringing you underground sounds from around the globe.  This Friday the 13th we are greeted with a bit of dark and dirty dnb from London town UK.  Not to date the man, but having been to regular nights since the seminal Blue Note days, Higgs knows a thing or two about the genre.  So toss on the headphones, power up the speakers, and warm up the subs as Higgs Boson takes you on trip of classic and modern dnb for over an hour. 

How does one get to be known as the Higgs Boson?
I heard it years ago on a particle physics lecture and thought, ‘I’ll have that’. It was not a good choice though; far too many pissed MCs butchered it (Hoggs Bison mate? What’s that?). Since it was all over the news it’s been smooth sailing though so I’m pleased I stuck with it. Laziness can pay off.

Talk to us a little bit about growing up in London throughout the 90s.  The drum & bass scene must have been quite mad!
I took it for granted at the time but I guess they were pretty pivotal times for the D&B scene. There seemed to be a stream of constant innovation in the music and you could go to great nights most days of the week, especially mid-week.

Top 5 oldskool tunes?
I can’t do lists. There were a lot of great tunes out there. Dig and you shall find gold.

Do you still hold much nostalgia for this period, or do you think we’ve moved onto greener pastures?
I’m not a fan of nostalgia and it’s hard to be objective, I guess time will tell. That said, I think that clubs are shittier than ever. I find the idea of VIP areas and big name DJs phoning in preplanned sets abhorrent. It’s making clubbing less fun which is really the point of clubbing as I see it.

What did the average party look like around this time?  Music, styles, promotion?
Much the same as now but things are a bit more professional which can be good, can be bad. The main thing I miss was calling sound systems’ phone lines at about 10pm to get the location of the parties for that night from an answering machine. Someone should bring that back. 

Any particular clubs, nights, or events that stick out for you in particular?
Metalheadz at Blue Note was amazing the few times that I went there. The best nights for me were always the squat parties though. I loved the low key, DIY feel of it and they had the best atmosphere.  

Now… You’ve been teaching ESL for a number of years in countries around the world.  Why do you think ESL teaching is so hot right now for the modern drum & bass producer?
Is it? That’s excellent. I guess it’s a lot more appealing than working in a shitty shop or office. You’re essentially freelancing most of the time so it affords a lot of freedom. I’ve been at it for 10 years now and it’s been very kind to me. Long may it continue.

You’ve been producing quite a bit yourself the last few years… how’re things going?
I was lucky to have a few good mates put me on the right track early on; that saved me a lot of pissing around. My motivation is to make tunes that are good enough to use in my sets. I’m not there yet but time I’ve enjoyed wasting is never wasted time. 

How would you explain drum & bass to someone who has never listened to the genre before?
The struggle between art and science. 

Take us through the mix you have for us
This is a pretty dark and moody one but I made an effort to keep it reined in; something you can enjoy at home with a beer and a smoke. I did it just after watching Fincher’s Zodiac and I was really taken with the sense of diffuse anxiety in that movie. The transitions between tracks are generally quite long which is a style of mixing I’ve always liked for D&B. Hope you enjoy it.

Higgs Boson
ADSR mix
1:07
1.    The Key by Vroom
2.    Sixth Sense by Bredren & Tom Small
3.    Outta Time by DLR
4.    Wings by Wings
5.    Riotous by Source Direct
6.    Deadly Deep Subs Remix by Dillinja
7.    Double Vision by Matrix
8.    Genie Method by Sabre & Safire
9.    The Gully by Mako ft. Sine
10.    Time Frame by Dom & Optical
11.    Dark Skies by Optical
12.    Climate by Matrix & Fierce
13.    Web of Sin by Source Direct
14.    Future Unknown by Krust
15.    Arq by SB81
16.    Manslaughter (The Rider Proto) by Rufige Kru
17.    Musicbox by Emperor
18.    Backstab by Qbig & Zenith B