The runnings are well large this month, so we’ve divided this column into two bite-sized sections, so you can absorb all the bassy nutrients!

Events
Hey world, better check those last minute British Airways and Virgin flights to London–you’ll wanna be there this Friday, August 17. That’s when FWD and Rinse FM present The Sound of Urban London at The End, with N-Type, Hatcha vs. Benga, Appleblim, Chef, Scientist, Headhunter vs. D1, Kode 9, and emcees like Mighty Mo, Flo Dan, Riko, Double D, and Crazy D. To quote N-Type, “It’s a sick bad bwoy line-up.” 

The Ruffnek Diskotek crew.

Also in the UK, Bristol’s Ruffnek Diskotek celebrates its second anniversary Friday, September 7 (at The Croft, Stokes Croft, Bristol) in style with appearances by Hatcha, Monkey Steak, Octopussy and Lady Yolanda, Shanti Sound, plus resident DJs, Dub Boy, Forensics, Henry Heatwave, Star Delta, and more.

Dub War leads East Coast US dubstep club pressure. August 18 sees its “dubstep history” event feature ragga-electronic producer David Last and Houston, TX’s DJ Southern join residents Joe Nice, Dave Q, and emcee Juakali. 

On the West Coast, S.F. has it locked with weekly/biweekly events like BrapDem, Wednesdays at The Transfer Bar, Argon Dubstep, Sundays at Club Six, NarcoHz, monthly Fridays at Underground SF, and Grime City, monthly Fridays at Anu. The crazy thing is most of these events are free or $5. That’s value (and more drink money), my friend. 

Luke Envoy

Bigger upcoming Bay events include: Sept 5–A Brapdem one-off with Tempa Recordings/Rinse FM’s DJ Youngsta at Shine on Mission Street. On Sept 7, get Freaky with Luke Envoy and MRK1, and on Sept 14, with Headhunter (Hench Recordings) at NarcoHz. SF steps lively in September! 

Down south in L.A., a sleeping dubstep Godzilla has come alive, in the form of a growing number of weekly and monthly events. Check JAM (at Charlie O’s, 501 S Spring St.), August 31, featuring respected producer Timeblind and DJs Pawn and Mike Haggar alongside residents Staypuft, Ricky Def, Kidlogic, and MC LD.

Also in Los Angeles, established event Smog celebrates a year of dubstep, Saturday, September 1 (at The Echo, 1822 W. Sunset), with the UK’s Youngsta, Argon’s Matty G and Nick Argon, plus the Smog Crew’s back-to-back mixologists: Knife Dreams & Dlx, DJ Unit & Emu, Subcode & Showguns, and emcees like Kemst & Bypass. Nuff’ niceness from a veteran crew down deh so. 

Releases
Here’s XLR8R’s big beats ‘pon road–new tunes in the shops that we can’t get enough of: Skream + Cluekid “Sandsnake” (Disfigured Dubs), Uncle Sam + Tes La Rok “Round The World Girls“ (Argon), Distance Vs Skream “Political Warfare” (Chestplate), Coki “Red Eye” (Big Apple), and Djunya “Uprising” (Mode).

Skream

Speaking of the kid-wonder, Mr. “What’s up planet Earth” Skream, Cultured Recordings links actual blood brothers Hijak and Skream on their latest 12-inch “Retro,” backed with “Wake Up” (available end of August). According to our sources, both tracks have been “tearing it up on dubplate for the past few months” and mashing up heads on Dubstepforum.

Slit Jockey Records presents El Carnicero’s “The Butcher EP,” a six-track, digital-only release available Monday, August 14, with tunes like “Next Kingdom (featuring Warrior Queen),” “Northgate Riddim (featuring Tiny Bee),” and “Mosquito Riddim (featuring Faction G– Starkey remix).” Sounds like some bouncy-bass jump off!

My man Cyrus of Random Trio tipped us off about Random trio Productions’ third release in shops now, “Red Rum” by Cyrus, and “Vengeance” by Omen. Gwaan ya dutty soldiers!

Speaking of murky bizzle, Rottun Recordings aims to represent the dark side of dubstep. They’ve apparently have 19 tunes available in MP3 format now, from names like Innasekt, Threnody, Tyrant, Sully, Lone Wolf, RUF, RAkoon, Goldfinger, Stenchman, and Excision. Excision “No Escape” and Innasekt’s “Bug Powdah” share sides on the label’s first vinyl offering.

Bay Area Dubstep Volume 01

The Bay Area Dubstep Volume 01 comp is available now at Addictech. You can preview high-quality clips there and can save money if you purchase the entire package. A year in the making, the release contains 14 unmixed, DJ-friendly tracks by San Francisco Bay Area dubstep and grime figures like Djunya, JuJu, and D Program, the twisted tech-dub of Eskmo and The Antiserum, and rootical stylings courtesy of Matty G and Roommate. Local night Grime City, Friday, August 17, will feature BADS compilers DJ Ripple and The Antiserum.

Finally, some crucial linkage: Sub FM, Bare Files, BM Soho, Dubstepforum, Blackdown, Rinse FM, Get Darker, Dubstep FM, Streamizm. Oi! And check back next month for some underground radio listings we couldn’t fit in this month. Keep stepping.