SILKIE & QUEST

The ninth mix in Tempa's legendary Dubstep Allstars series, the series that immortalised the genre's name Mixed by Silkie and Quest, long established dubstep DJ's and producers; with releases on DEEP MEDi, Antisocial Enter - tainment, Skream's 'Disfigured Dubz', Soul Jazz, and Butterz 24-track mix, includes a number of exclusive dubs from Swindle and Silkie, previews of Quest's forthcoming DEEP MEDi material, a VIP mix of Mala's 'Eyez' exclusive to this mix, and Silkie's remixes of Skream and Katy B.

Where does dubstep find itself in 2012? It's a question that Tempa's scene-defining Dubstep Allstars mix CD series has always asked, right since the genre's inception and Hatcha's first instalment back in 2004. Each volume has returned new answers; capturing its own snapshot of a specific side of the sound. The truth, as the series so far has proved, is that dubstep has always been in a state of flux.

And so for Dubstep Allstars: Vol.09 Silkie and Quest waste no time in providing yet another fresh set of answers. Their sound is a hybrid vision: as core members of the Antisocial Entertainment collective, they have over the past few years honed a sound as soulful as it is sub-heavy, seeping grime, jazz, funk and electro into the equation. These aspects to Silkie's music "came from a desire to emulate the music I loved - garage and 90s R&B," he explains. "I feel a compulsion to add the jazz and the soul to the music, and find it harder to leave it out."

Like many of the series' earlier editions, the duo draw the music on Dubstep Allstars: Vol.09's tracks from a small pool of close-knit producers who share a similar attitude. As well as their own music, chief among their contributors is Swindle. It's his 'If I Was A Superhero' that opens the CD, electrifying the mix to life. From there the energy swiftly ramps up, passing through Quest's bounding 'The Seafront' and Swindle's electro-shocked beast 'Belfast' before delving into deeper territory with Quest's slinky 'Somewhere'. Later, the dread ramps up to staggering intensity with Mala's 'Eyez VIP' (a track exclusive to this mix) and the intense pressure of Quest's 'Overcome'. Throughout, the duo's mixing mirrors the swift responsiveness of their club sets - sometimes wild and unruly, sometimes softer and more languid.

All these threads culminate in the mix's closing 20 minutes in a devastating run of tracks, with Silkie's remixes of Skream and Katy B drawing finally into Quest's rootsy 'Stand', completing the circle and harking back to the genre's origins. It's an appropriate note to end on, remaining respectful of the travels of dubstep past, but always with an eye towards the next step. "We were keen for all the people who know the sound to get something new, and people just hearing the sound to get some history," agrees Silkie of their ideas behind the mix. "It represents the vibe we like and will continue to push into the future."