Meet Walton...

Walton Showcase Mix

DOWNLOAD it here>>>

1. Josh H - Every Day (Walton Remix) [Wicked Bass]
2. Walton - Upside Down
3. Walton - Untitled
4. Walton - Sao Paulo [On The Brink]
5. Walton - Rio [On The Brink]
6. Walton - Miami Blues (IGrade Remix) [X147 Records]
7. DJ Mondie - Pull Up Dat (Walton Remix)
8. Walton - Steppin In
9. Walton - Sweet Sensi [X147 Records]
10. Walton - Shuffle Riddim
11. Walton - Untitled
12. Walton - Sideways Strings [X147 Records]
13. DJ Eastwood - U Aint Ready (Walton Remix)
14. Royal T - Orangeade (Walton Remix)
15. Menta - Snake Charmer (Walton Remix)
16. Walton - Love Hangover


DJ Eastwood - U Aint Ready (Walton 130 Edit) by Walton.

Steppin In/Untitled by Walton.

X147001 Walton - Miami Blues EP (Forthcoming X147 Records) by Walton.
Sweet Sensi by Walton.


Walton interview

Blackdown: can you introduce yourself, who are you, where are you from etc?

Walton: I'm 19, I live in South Manchester, I'm studying music production at a sound school in Manchester called SSR.

B: When did you begin producing and why did you start?

W: I first started playin' around with some production software in a music lesson back in high school, cant remember the name but you basically just threw a load of loops together so you never really got the sound you really wanted, I started to enjoy the weekly music lesson so i started to have a look around at other software that producers were using, I got hold of a copy of fruity loops and started making more complex beats that the stuff I was use to in the music lessons. Then I moved onto reason and logic, made a couple grime kinda beats, started playin around with dubstep sounds, and mid last year I started going for the UK funky sound and that's were I am now.

B: Who inspired you to start producing and who inspires you now?

W: I use to be into bassline, and I heard "Night" by Benga and Coki on one of the mix CDs, that was when I first started getting into dubstep and playing around with music so I guess they are a bit of a inspiration to me and I'm still feeling the music there putting out there now. Also people like Zed Bias, El-B, old school garage stuff. Lil Silva, Ill Blu and Champion are doing a lot in the funky scene right now, always feelin' there stuff. and then music from back in the day, soulful hip hop stuff.

B: What releases have you got coming out?

W: I've got the "Miami Blues EP" coming on Rossi B's new label (X147 Records) which should be out sometime next month, I've got a remix coming out on Wicked Bass which I did for Josh H, and just the other day I sorted out a release for Rio/Sao Paulo on On The Brink Records which is gonna be a Brazilian style funky EP with a couple of remixes on there from other artists. I'm also looking at starting a label up myself soon, got some tunes that I'm holdin' down which are being vocalled by some pretty big names, not saying anything yet because nothing is definite but they have both agreed and are in the writing process.

B: Grime is 140bpm MC music for watching and UK funky is 130bpm DJ music for dancing to... or so they're perceived. Why are you keen to mix them together?

W: With the grimey/funky thing I've got going on, I just like to try make the kind of tunes that I could imagine people skankin out to with those grimey basslines, I've got a couple more wobblas in mind the same kinda style as "Sweet Sensi," and I'm looking to sample some old grime beats and get some big sounds going. I also try to do chilled tunes as well and keep the balance.

B: You say you "used to be into bassline," how come you're not feeling that sound so much right now? I ask because being based in Manchester, you're a lot geographically closer to bassline than UK funky...

W: I dunno, I guess its dieing a bit, the only people that really seem to be pushin' it at the moment are guys like Burgaboy, TRC and DJ Q, maybe a few others. I was feelin' the "OO AA EE" EP TRC released on Butterz, but then I heard the funky kinda remix by Royal T and I thought it was alot better, probably because the funky stuff is more bouncy. I still listen to some of the older bassline stuff from time to time, but UK funky stuff is more appealing to me nowadays I think you can experiment with it a bit more as its not just a 4x4 beat.

B: Is UK funky catching on in Manchester? We played some there last year on the bill with Roska, LVis and Oneman and people seemed a bit baffled, asked the promoter "where the dubstep was..."

W: Yeh I think its a bit more underground in Manchester and there arn't really many people producing it round here, the Funky nights tend to be more low key and at smaller venues. I think quite a lot of promoters stick the words 'dubstep/funky/grime' on the flyers and a lot of people that aren't really into underground music see the word dubstep and go down there expecting there to be tonnes of dubstep to be played and are a bit disappointed when it isn't. It is catching on though I think, there were a few big nights at the warehouse project last year where there were some quite big funky names and i think the response was pretty good!

B: How do you feel when you produce, what are you thinking of?

W: When I'm producing, I will either have a melody already in my head which I will then go and put down and then build up around it, or if there's nothing there and i just feel like producing somthing I will just got straight to the computer and usually start with a drum beat or go looking around for samples to get some ideas rolling.

B: Apart from us, what other DJs are playing your beats?

W: You guys and Brackles are the main supporters so I tend to just hold my stuff down to you two, use have been supporting my stuff since mid last year so I would rather just keep the exclusive tunes for you unless other people come and ask. Rossi B has also got quite a big list of contacts for the "Miami Blues" EP promo so will hopefully be getting a lot of support on that. I think Elijah and Skilliam have been playing the remix I did of Royal Ts orangeade to. I've got a next new tune for you after this as well, proper grimey stuff...