Mandarinebeats Interview 006: Mensah

Mensah - fast developing, open minded, good sounded, wide spreading and supported by many people artist from Bristol. His first appearance on Dubstep scene is connected with his "Sahara / Not A Shy Gyal" release on Lo Dubs Label in September of 2009. Since this not full year, he is being nominated as "Best new producer" at Dubstepforum\Junodownload awards, sighed on H.E.N.C.H. label, took part in many, was invited to BBC Radio One Extr1 on MistaJam Show as a guest and also he gave a mount of other guestmixes and interviews for different sites, blogs & radio shows. And here is he on Mandarine_Beats again, and on this time he answered on some of my questions according his music. First was his exclusive guestmix, link on which you can see below.


-What's the weather like today in Bristol?

Sun is blazing and the girls look HOT!!!

- You were nominated for "Best new producer" at Dubstepforum\Junodownload awards, what do feel about this?

It was nice to be recognized but this is not why i make music. There was alot of talent in the category so i guess i felt blessed to be included.

-One of your tracks is called "Stapleton Road" and I know it's the most dangerous street in Bristol. Why did you call it so? Maybe something connects you to this street?

Hahaha, It's not as bad as the press portrayed it to be but it's significance is that it's the main road in my area. As a kid thats where we hung out alot of the time and i felt that the tune reminded me of those times. It doe's have it's dark sides to it but it is one of those places that truly feel like home.

-You will play in Moscow 29|05|10, what do you expect from your visit to Russia? Do you know your Saint-Petersburg date? Maybe you'll perform somewhere else in Russia?

Yeah i can't wait for Moscow...unfortunately my visa starts on the 29th so i can't do the St Petersburg gig :-( But next time it will hopefully be a longer stay with more dates.


-What about your future releases? What, when and where will it be released?

I have a tune called 'Pulse 80's' which is out now as part of the H.E.N.C.H. mixtape project and my EP 'Untitled Future Funk' will be out on H.E.N.C.H. 3rd May 2010 so look out for that one. And 2 more 12" on HENCH before the end of the year.

- I've never heard remixes made by you. Why don’t you make it? What do you think about remixes on your tracks?

I have remixes that i have done coming out now. One is a tune called 'Nightmare' by Badness ft Skepta and Lil Nasty which will be out on No Hats No Hoods on the 12th April 2010. The other is a remix of Baby D's 'Let Me Be Your Fantasy' which has no release date so keep your eyes peeled. (Both of them you can listen in his guestmix at MistaJam show: MB add) There are a few more I have done that will be coming out this year as well. As far as my tracks being remixed I am in the process of picking artists that i would like to let remix my music.

- What style of music do you concern yourself to mostly?
And how did you come to this style? Was it a long way or just on the spot decision?

I don't think I have one sound....it's varied because I like to keep things fresh and it depends on what mood I'm in at the time. I like melody and so i try to incorporate that into my music.

- How do you see future development of dubstep\fusion\grime\garage music scene? And what do you think about so massive interest to dubstep? Does it hurt the movement or develop?

I don't know really to be honest. I think that the music will go in different directions...it kind of has already. As long as people keep doing new things it will stay strong.

Mandarine_Beats Exclusive 001: Mensah by Mandarine_Beats on Mixcloud

And at the end, here are some usefull links for you:

-Mensah Myspace
-Mensah Twitter
-Mensah YouTube Channel.

And as for bonus:

-Mensah Guestmix on MistaJam Show
-Mensah first appearance on my blog, including full biography

Mensah guestmix for BBC Radio 1extra

This shy guy just blow my mind with his guest mix!!!!
Such a massive tunes! Mix includes purple and aggressive dubstep tunes, some exclusives, and i hope he'll send me a tracklist soon!

Mensah guestmix for BBC Radio 1extra

Tracklist:

01.Mensah - Digital Dreamer
02.Gemmy - Back To The Future (tease)
03.Mensah - 1986 Was The Future
04.Mensah vs Jakes - Pulse 80's V.I.P vs Rhythm
05.Major Lazer - Pon De Floor (Skandal Remix)
06.DJ Zinc - Killa Sound (Skream Remix)
07.Mensah - Stapleton Road
08.L-Wiz - Tvångströjjan
09.Mensah - Untitled Future Funk
10.Sukh Knight & P Money - Slang Like This
11.Skream - Filth (tease)
12.Badness - Nightmare (Mensah Remix) (feat. Skepta & Lil Nastie)
13.Rude Kid - Electric
14.Subscape - Midnight
15.Nero - Innocence
16.Baby D - Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Mensah Remix)
17.MC Jakes - Warface 2010
18.Redlight - Robot Chopsticks
19.Mensah - Acid Dub

Mandarinebeats.com Exclusive 001: Mensah

Visit Bristol and mention the name Mensah, the chances are that someones going to know the man we’re talking about. Having become involved in the Bristol music scene at an early age, there’s no surprise that he epitomizes the great things associated with the city’s music – positive, progressive and different.

Growing up listening to his Mum’s dub and reggae collection, his first taste of UK underground music was when he started going to the under-18 nights called Jungle Book at the tender age of 11, he witnessed the late and great Steve ‘Hyper’ D MCing for Nicky Blackmarket but it was the garage scene that really kindled Mensah’s first love of electronic music when he heard stalwarts such as Wookie and the Heartless Crew's DJ Fonti at the age of 13.

DJing at various nights in Bristol, and getting tired of spinning other people’s tunes, the natural progression for Mensah was to start creating the music that he had such a passion for. Starting a production course at a local Music College, he was taught by none other than Danny Byrd and was classmates with other Bristol producers, Chasing Shadows, Gemmy, Forsaken and Superisk.

Subsequently he landing a job in a Bristol music specialist store and in time he was able to build a studio. Having the likes of Roni Size, Portishead and Massive Attack passing by the shop only fuelled the desire to up his game in the production suite. This all paid off when his collaboration with dnb producer, Mutt, featured on Mutt’s album ‘Treading Water’ IN 2008, followed up with Mensah’s first solo release, ‘Sahara / Not A Shy Gyal‘, on Lo Dubs in 2009.

With aspirations of never wanting to make the same tune twice or wanting to be typecast into one genre, Mensah looks set to push whatever sound he decides to take forward. Sometimes dubstep, sometimes purple, sometimes rave – the idea is to evolve his sound naturally. And with tunes forthcoming on reputable label, Hench, he is definitely a name to earmark to achieve big things in the future…


Mensah's 45 minute mix exclusive mix

Tracklist:

01. J@kes - RHYTHM (Mensah special)
02. Mensah - Sahara
03. Mensah - Dipstep
04. Mensah & Dread MC - Skyunken
05. Mensah - Pulse 80'S
06. Mensah - Warrior
07. Mensah & Eddie K - Steady as she goes
08. Mensah - Rock city
09. Mensah - Real talk
10. Mensah - Pop da crunk
11. Mensah & Eddie K - Gods of Mars
12. Mensah - Insane murder
13. Mensah - Untilted
14. Mensah - Shy Gial
15. Mensah - Untilted riddim track
16. Mensah - Untilted future funk
17. Mensah - Hollywood lovers
18. Mensah - Into the darkness
19. Mensah - Stapleton road
20. Mensah - Computer loving
21. Mensah - Acid dub
22. Joker - Psychedelik runaway (Mensah remix)
23. Mensah & DJ Die - Transco

Mandarine_Beats Exclusive 001: Mensah by Mandarine_Beats on Mixcloud

-Contacts:
-Mensah space
-Mensah twitter

-Bonus: 
-Ladyhawke - Back Of The Van (Mensah remix)
-Mensah - Insane Murder

Mensah is one of Bristol best kept secrets with forthcoming release's comming on H.E.N.C.H (J@KES' label). The following tracks are to be released on H.E.N.C.H late 2009 and early 2010. Also Noah D is doing a rmx of 'Shy Gyal' at the moment!!

'Rock City' (big leads, steppers style drums and guitar's which were played by GINZ)
'Acid Dub' (a rave throwback with a 140bpm twist)
'Pulse 80's' (a homage to Musical Mob's - Pulse X)
'Untitled Future Funk' (a futuristic piece of purple wonk!!)
'Stapleton Road' (a gritty and quite frankly "gully" tune)

He is also working on a 12" with Eddie K ('Steady As She Goes' and 'God Of Mars') possibly for release on H.E.N.C.H and has a 12" coming on M4 records a label that has seen the like of Gemmy, Wedge and Gatekeeper. the tracks are called
'Into The Darkness' and 'Warrior'. All can be heard on the mix that he has provided.

If you are intrested in his works you can buy his "Sahara / Not A Shy Gyal" 12" at Chemical-records.


Русскую версию смотрим на Dubstepper.ru!!!