LISTEN UP :: Yo Yo Yo! It's FreQ Nasty Friday.

I first heard FreQ Nasty's music on a remix he and Switch did of the Santogold (aka Santigold) track Creator in 2007. More recently, I was steady bumping the bass-heavy FreQ Nasty vs. Bassnectar remix of Everybody for a few weeks straight. It seems as if, no matter how many times I play FreQ's music, I never get sick of it. I believe this can be almost entire;y attributed to the fact that the music he creates is a perfect blance, and mix, of heady Rasta (aka REAL DUB), Dubstep, and Electronic.

 
While digging a little deeper into FreQ Nasty's online presence, I found an extensive bio of the artrist on The Untz and thought it would be a nice addition to this post, for those of you who actually read the posts I write and enjoy knowing more about the artists you listen to, than if they prefer blunts or tequila.

Freq Nasty (also spelled as FreQ Nasty) is a glitch hop, breakbeat, dub, and electronica producer. Born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand, breakbeat pioneer Freq Nasty is widely-acknowledged by critics for consistently breaking boundaries with his music, from his classic breaks tunes such as "Boomin Back Atcha" and "Move Back," to remixes of pop icons like Fatboy Slim, Kelis and KRS-One. At the same time, Freq is receptive to all that surrounds him; for example, his move to London and immersion in its developing scenes in the 80s resulted in seminal releases on Botchit & Scarper. Forward thinking and progressive, his releases evidenced a sign of the fast-moving times.

These days, FreQ Nasty is staying one step ahead of the ongoing, hype-fueled evolution of electronic music with his contributions to the Futurestep sound. The recently released FABRICLIVE.42 mix album is evidence of this shapeshifting sound: with it, Freq takes on the bass heavy stomp of L-Vis 1990's UK take on Baltimore house, the blistering shatter of TRG, and several of his own storming productions, including Creator, a co-production with Switch on a Santogold tune released in 2007.

Freq is also well-known in the music scene for his social activism. In early 2008, Freq launched Giveback.net, a socially-conscious site featuring music campaigns, whereby musicians donate music in support of non-profit "action campaigns".The first campaign, in support of the Tibetan People's Uprising Movement, featured a collaboration with West Coast breaks artist, Bassnectar, Viva Tibet. The campaign successfully raised $8,000 in support of TPUM's March to Tibet earlier this year. His reasons for supporting the campaign, in his own words:

"It's time we as a music community reached out on a grassroots level and showed some love to those who need it, to whatever extent we feel able. Most of us don't vote, most of us see the news as something that happens to somebody else, and most of us have excess that the majority of the people we see on the news can only dream of. If we can help spread the idea that creating positive change in the world elsewhere is an investment in our own security and happiness then I'm a happy DJ."

Freq also collaborated with San Francisco-based Heavyweight Dub Champion, remixing the group's Snared tune, in support of The World Family's creation of an irrigation system in the village of Gara Dima, Ethiopia, and Michael Franti, remixing Franti's "The Future", in support of a Bay Area nonprofit to help create a music studio for at-risk youth. 

While perusing The Untz, I also stumbled upon a press release, dated January 25th and entitled, "FreQ Nasty at the Controls" (see below) announcing that FreQ Nasty's first release on Muti Music was set to drop the folllowing day. 

"Dread at the Controls" is the first track from FreQ in quite a while, and represents the future of futurestep, among others. FreQ Nasty has been at the forefront of several D&B genres, from garage and grime, to dubstep and now drumstep. Along with "Dread at the Controls", his track "Drum Play" shows off his ability to smash genres. In this case, it's Drumstep and Dancehall. A bombastic pair (what would you expect from the creator of "Boomin' Back Atcha"), Dread at the Controls is even more evidence that FreQ Nasty will always be a vanguard, and Muti Music keeps putting out the freshest sounds around.

FREQ NASTY'S LATEST TRACKS

THE UNTZ PODCAST EPISODE 49 :: FREQ NASTY

I will finally get the opportunity to see FreQ Nasty throw down on stage when the Monster of Bass Tour hits Chicago on March 8th.

If you live in the area, and don't have tickets to this event yet, get them NOW! I truly believe this tour will be one of the best to roll through ChiTown all year. In addition to FreQ Nasty, MartyParty and Opiuo, two of my favorite Electronic music-makers, are also on the Monsters of Bass bill. And if you don't understand why I'm so geeked on this ish, or why it is imperative that you score tickets to Monsters of Bass, watch the promo video below. Okayyy, get ya mind right...

The music that will be made by these MONSTERS OF BASS on March 8th is going to be so grimy...

I'll be showering the nassst off me for weeks 8 ) 

Bio: The Untz / Music: Soundcloud / Images: Clubtix & The Big Up Magazine