DJ and selector Selassie TBC is the co-founder of London label @patternsounds, which champions an eclectic mix of beats, rap, soul and everything in between.
A perfect intro to the sound curated by Selassie and the Patterns Sounds team is exemplified in their first compilation release entitled Slip Slow Vol.1 over on their bandcamp. Be sure to check that one out for a full taste of what the label serves up.
As well as his own venture as label owner and DJ – Selassie is also one half of @brownswood@futurebubblers team. The concept is an expansion of @gillespeterson‘s Brownswood label, whereby Future Bubblers acts as a talent discovery platform in collaboration with Arts Council England, with a strong focus on making in-roads for up and coming artists into new areas, geographically and musically across England.
It’s no doubt that Selassie is one of the most exciting forces of a new generation of collector/DJ’s and curators within the UK right now. With an ever curious ear and passionate dedication to his mission to unearth and support some of the best up-and-coming talent through his own label and Future Bubblers.
Keep your ears and eyes peeled… make sure you give him a follow & tune in to his NTS show to get your ears on some fresh tracks from the UK’s hottest Bubblers & beyond.
Each week we will be taking a dip into the crates and minds of some of the digging scenes most prolific collectors.
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DIGGR: What were your earliest musical influences?
SELASSIE: “Music that would be round my house as a child, a lot of Highlife, Afrobeat, Rap, R&B and Soul played by my family. But most of all Choice FM. I listened to Choice FM religiously. Any moment of the day I could. On the way to school, on the way back, when I got home.
Jenny Francis with her late night show honestly had a big hand in carving out my music taste. She’d go from the newest and exclusive Rap to “The Slow Down Zone”, was too good.”
D: First record purchase and where you bought it?
S: “I can’t actually remember, but it was either Luther Vandross – Never too Much or Crustation – Purple (Ummah Remix). I think Luther may have been the first physical record, from a record shop in Manchester and Purple was the first from online, but I cant remember which came first.
Purple Ummah Remix though is one of my favourite tracks ever. Dilla on the remix. One of those tracks I wish I made, and takes me back to a really nice time in my journey of musical discovery.”
D: You’ve just been dumped… what’s on the turntable?
S: “If I was being soppy:
The Controllers – Stay OR Children of Zeus – Hard Work But mi nuh do dem tings, so would be: Babyfather – Meditation“
D: One record that sums up your happiest memories and where does it take you back to?
S: “Omar S – It’s Money in the D
This track takes back to a time of pure bliss. I lived in Manchester at the time and had recently been introduced to this particular type of Deep House and Detroit House and was making my way though the scene, listening to and collecting everything within that realm. This track always seemed to be played at the right moment, whether I was out or was at a house party or after party. It was always the right time. Always hit so right and made me feel free.
Life then was simple and only really about musical discovery and self discovery.
D: Your most unexpected connection made through records?
S: ” As kid growing up in London in the early 2000s, Grime was of course was a massive part of my life, identity at the time, and musical journey. One of the cornerstone records from that moment was Treble Clef – Ghetto Kyote.
I was following him on Facebook and I saw him post one day in like 2013 that he’d just found 10 or so Ghetto Kyote records in his mums garage and was gonna put them on sale for £50 each. I bugged out, £50 was a lot for me those times as I was in Uni. I thought I gotta sacrifice a meal or a night out as I can’t miss getting this holy grail record. I copped it, when I bought it I wrote a note saying how much this track was a massive part of my childhood and what it meant to me and my friends.
He wrote a proper nice message back on a piece of paper, and a nice little message on the record too. Was a real nice moment. £50 200% well spent. People have shouted me since trying to buy it off me…Over my dead body. And even then, still a no.”
