No Pain In Pop

Swinging Jaw: Joker

“Recently there’s a certain key that I’m stuck in that I’ll make tunes with. It’s that sound that just sounds purple.”

Joker feature; Dazed&Confused Vol. 2; 72. Just below a No Pain In Pop portrait.

Bristol’s Purple Prince returns to his Kapsize stable after a brief stint away with ‘Digidesign’. KAP003 (ft. ‘Do It’ and ‘Psychedelic Runway’), out April 6.



MP3: Joker - KAP003 (Demo)


He’s been labelled as everything from G-Funk to dubstep, but no tag quite suits Joker. There is, however, a specific shade Bristol’s latest king of the dancefloor picks out in his music. “Purple. That’s how I would describe it,” he says. “There’s a certain key I’m stuck in. It’s the key that sounds purple.”

He’s quick to dismiss any diagnosis of synaesthesia, but by constantly referencing the colour, and rolling with fellow west country tykes Gemmy and Guido as The Purple Trilogy, Joker’s struck up the sort of relationship with the violet hue that would put Prince to shame. Strange as it sounds, have a listen and you’ll see what he means.

The 19-year-old grew up on the outskirts of Bristol and was an avid bike thief and games console enthusiast until the flood of jungle and UK garage he was listening to took its toll. After beginning to produce his own tunes following a trip to his cousin’s studio, Joker was soon swept up in the bass scene of his native city.

Cemented into the dubstep fraternity, following a string of releases via Plastician’s Earwax, Pinch’s Terrorhythm and Kode9’s Hyperdub, Joker is currently the hottest property going. But recent productions have favoured a more mellow approach in comparison to the volatile grime blare of ‘Hollybrook Park’ or his previous collaboration with Glasgow’s prince of crippled crunk, Rustie. Although he was only a toddler when Dr Dre’s classic ‘Deep Cover’ landed in 1992, ‘Digidesign’ and ‘Purple City’ are instead closer to G-Funk and its lecherous west coast synths.

Of all his influences, one stands above the rest: The Neptunes and their ubiquitous R&B skronk. With same knack of being bold whilst also astute as Virginia’s premier producers, Joker’s mutant post-rave histrionics are that of the Bristol hotshot truly in his own unique purple patch.

Tags: joker, kapsize

3 Comments to Swinging Jaw: Joker

1. 

   Yeah, Joker is extremely interesting. I hope there’s an LP soon.
nic on March 27th, 2009
2. 

   joker said on grimeforum that he’s working on a long player
rj on March 28th, 2009
3. 

   wicked.. for now, we got that purple wow mix and the new kapsize single… awesome stuff
nic on April 24th, 2009

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