West Dance Stage
Realisation had hit home that it was going to be a very wet Festival...at a crucial time Subgiant did a great job of lifting peoples hearts and minds - Thankyou! 'Jack the Buiscuit' was thumping & jumping (despite our wellies), 'Dubstorm' sounded great and the sampling bits were BANG ON! Very aptly a real crowd pleaser was 'FILTHY' everyone in the house loved it...a real welly stomper. Dan was ferocious on the decks with some outrageously good mixing and scratching, Olly kept the dub tight as a drum with the bass & all the sampling (and trippiness) was absolutely mental. Tushars drumming was ace, very tight with fantastic electro sounds and various multitudes of effects (how do they do that)!?
We were all on a real buzz when you first came on stage and off our trolleys
by the time you finished your set!
We all loved it!
We have summed it up in one word for you
Subgiant at Glastonbury mudfest 2007?
.....'FANFILTHYTASTIC' !!!
Subgiant @ Slinky Halloween Ball - The Opera House - Oct 27, 2006
Subgiant Live Review by Malc Burgin
It was never going to be easy. Introducing the assembled horde of Slinky Kids to their unique blend of tranced-out breakbeat dub could have been considered enough of a challenge but, considering that this was the last Slinky night at the Opera House and the fact that they had to follow Slinky favourite, Graham Gold, you would be forgiven to think that Subgiant have set themselves up for a fairly hefty fall. This perception is reinforced in that, no sooner has the revered DJ left the decks, the dancefloor empties faster than a bottle of Jack Daniels at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!
Possibly out of concern for the physical and mental health of drummer Tushar, the band decides not to try and follow where Gold has left off and instead opts to "bring the crowd down" to begin with before embarking on the inexorable slide to the kind of storming crescendo that has been blowing festival crowds into blissed-out bass oblivion all summer.
From the brooding set opener and title track from their second LP, 'Global Control', it becomes glaringly apparent that the gamble is not only going to pay off but is also going to provide some sort of dancefloor coup…
Before long the Subgiant faithful are outnumbered on the dancefloor becoming islands in a sea of day-glo outfits and various freakish Halloween disguises and despite it's reduced BPM count, the heavy dub groove of 'Method' insinuates itself into the hips of the crowd.
Of course, they're never going to please everyone and during 'Nursery Rhymes' a figure who can only be described as one of the four dustmen of the Apocalypse lurches out of the mayhem and states somewhat surprisingly that "at least the DJ's will be back on soon"…
In a beautiful display of synchronicity, the eccentrically (and disturbingly) named stormer 'Jack the Biscuit' kicks things into top gear and the smell of fresh baked humble pie drifts across the venue as the Devil's own refuse collectors get caught up in beats that are suddenly causing havoc in their cerebrum. (Un)Fortunately, much the rest of the set is lost in a whirl of writhing bodies and wild grins, twisted turntable tricknology and basslines that can only be measured on the richter scale and, as Tushar cranks up the tempo to the searing peak of 'Valley of Sith' Slinky has discovered, however fleetingly, a devastating new sound.
So, as the bass fades away to rumble around the darkest recesses like distant thunder and the new converts roar their appreciation, Olly, Tushar and Dan leave the stage and return Slinky to the skilled hands of the DJs having once again overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to deliver a blinding set of future classics in fine style!
Global Control is out now on Blissfields Records. www.subgiant.co.uk
www.ilikemusic.com/dance/Subgiant_Slinky_Halloween_Ball_Opera_House_review-3205
by Scott Williams, efestivals
"...Next up the boys destined for future headliners and on the cusp of taking the festival scene by storm the mighty (if still relatively new) Subgiant! I still don’t know their tunes yet but I know I couldn’t resist a bop to their dub-electro roots rhythms. They totally blow the crowd away and before long the crowd is doubling, then trebling, then quadrupling as people rush into dance to their infectious groove of samples, scratched and re-scratched over and through the live percussion and pounding tight chops of the bass.
Totally in their thing the sampling, percussion, scratching and bass chops are layered tight and gloriously delicious to those in an any kind of altered state after the night before. It’s like delicious psy-trance ice cream poured in through your ears! Everyone around me is loving it, and I’ve only seen this sort of reaction once before – as Ozric Tentacles broke onto the scene! Testament to how good they are is that afterwards in the merchandising stall, there’s not enough copies of their CD and the guy next to me blags the copy I’m about to buy! Least the Levellers were able to hear them as they’re next door signing breasts and stuff! Breakthrough band of the weekend - indeedy – future headliners and huge in the future? Abso-Sub-ing-lutely!..."
www.efestivals.co.uk/festivals/beautifuldays/2006/reviews-sundayoverview.shtml
by Jo Irving, BBC
"...Storming onto the main stage were the brilliant three-piece Subgiant. This group had everyone up on their feet..."
by Kevin Lockyer, efestivals.co.uk
...But by far the high point on Saturday were Subgiant. I’ve seen these guys a few times now, and they’ve been good, but on Saturday night they were immense. Out of somewhere they managed to conjure dirty propulsive rhythms that Underworld at their best would have died for. They chain these massive rhythms to a set of decks, live drumming and bass apparently played by Lemmy in dub. An awesome set....
Good things come in threes, or er, fives. I’ve been listening to Subgiant since their great first CD “Growth”, and I’ve seen them a fair few times too. But Friday’s performance (supporting Hijera & The Infadels) by the electro trio was by far the best to date - and the shortest! Just five tracks on a three-band night. This was the tightest most electrifying pentych they’ve exhibited yet. Olly lit the blue touch paper igniting drummer Tushar into action. With the engine now running Dan scratched it up a gear on the decks. Olly picks up the bass and they’re off!
A wave of excitement rolls across the audience. The sampling, percussion, scratching and bass playing was in perfect synchronicity. Naked bungee jumping off the Itchen Bridge might induce the same adrenalin rush, but somehow I doubt it! All three were at their best tonight. Bobbing heads turning to each other mouthing “Who is this?”, massive grins over their faces. And so, more converts are recruited. Although filling the 30-minute slot to the max it seemed to be over way too soon leaving the crowd wanting & shouting for more. The other bands played great sets, but, sorry guys, I couldn’t help thinking the line up could have been reversed. If you haven’t already, get your hands on the Subgiant CDs, you’ll love them, but to really understand them, you need to get yourself out to their next gig.
I wait with baited breath for their third CD.
Wobbly
Imagine that Edgar Froese had been born in Southampton and that Tangerine Dream were the Bader Meinhof gang. Mix in a little Orb & Future Sound of London and ladies and gentleman I give you Subgiant. Subgiant is a fusion of trance and bass so deep you’ll need to have speakers sturdier than the Kursk to cope with them. Subgiant’s a good name because much of what the band do is gigantic and sub-sonic. You feel as much as hear what they do. Perhaps unusually for a band so immersed in ‘beats, bleeps & beeps, effects, subsonic dub bass, ambience echoes and general audio trippery’, but Subgiant still maintain that the live environment is where their sound makes the most sense. In the band’s own words: “Subgiant is about sound, it's about being on stage and feeling that push of energy from the PA, it's about the cavernous depth of a bassline.” How very rock & roll, except they’re not of course, even though they claim that they’re the trance you can listen to without ruining your appetite for guitars. With an incept date of 2000, the original four members slimmed down to two; Olly on samplers, synthesisers, electronics, guitar and bass, and Dan on decks, scratching, effects and samplers. “Advances in Twig Technology”, the band’s 12 track debut cd was released in May and hints at the aural collage the band manufactures, but even the guys seem to feel that it only paints half the picture. If the live show is better than the recorded, they’re well worth checking out. Just make sure your fillings are firmly attached.
If the Tadpole Stage in Glastonbury's green fields had rafters, Subgiant would have shaken them during their Saturday night performance. As it's in a tent, they couldn't, but that didn't stop them from pounding out a brilliant performance.
The Tadpole is usually a relaxed place, full of people drinking tea and listening to acoustic guitars. Subgiant cranked up the volume, but held on to the laid-back atmosphere. The 'vibe' was perfect, and nobody wanted it to end - except the stage organisers who wouldn't allow a second encore.
The mix was good, the breakbeats were infectious and Dan's scratching was superb.
What Subgiant did on the Tadpole Stage could have been uprooted and taken to the Glade, the Other Stage or even the Pyramid.
Formed in 2000 as a four-piece, the electronics took over and Subgiant reduced to a duo. They've recently added live drums but the machines are still at the core of their huge dub sound.
Southampton based Subgiant have been around for a few years, working in a loosely
defined cross-over genre, mixing samples and decks with live guitars and bass.
It can be a dangerous area, because fans of dance and trance don't usually mix
with those who prefer guitar bands. Subgiant reckon the crowd goes wild, so
what's going on?
Well, they're good, that's what. The production on the CD is faultless and if
the same sound is delivered live then the crowd jolly well should go wild. Ambient
dub with sub-bass to test your speakers, driven by breakbeats and catchy melodies.
The analogue synths are very filtered, and the combination of crazy drums, warm strings, bleeps and dings would have been at home at the all night unofficial acid-house parties of pre dance tent Glastonbury. It must, surely, be programmed - but there's a feeling of improvisation. It's as if members of 808 State, the KLF and The Orb have somehow got together for a jamming session.
There is a new-age overtone, with lots of warm string pads and animal-like sounds. Some of the tracks, with the breakbeats removed, could be played in those shops which sell crystals and joss-sticks.
There's also a fairly constant layer of reggae.
Subgiant could probably add a bit of Country and Western if they wanted to - and they'd still be able to make it work.
If Arnie ever gets bored of politics and decides to make Terminator 4, he need look no further than Twig Technology for the soundtrack. Meanwhile, if the sun's rising on your local hippy festival and you find yourself queuing for a nut brownie in the wise-old-vegan's cafe, don't be surprised if you hear Olly and co on the stereo, or see them live on the stage.
See the full review here on BBCi Southampton
I've been looking forward to checking out subgiant live for some time now, their MP3's have played an important part of the soundtrack that keeps me sane during my 9-5.
Some tunes are kinda familiar to a few in the crowd, but for most this is a new experience. With a mix chilled out dubby beats and leftfield breakbeat, accompanied by well executed scratching, subgiant add something fresh and new to the local live music scene. Its just a shame that they're on far too early, before the small crowd has even had time to finish their first pints, because you get the feeling that they could easily get a warmed up joiners dancing. subgiant finish, the open minded crowd are impressed.
see the full review here on outofthevoid
The first track on subgiant's promo CD starts off with the kind of synth pad ambient intro you'd perhaps normally associate with The Orb or 'In Sides' era Orbital. However, in kicks one phat synth bassline and things start getting all chilled out D 'n' B. This is a wicked tune and well worth checking out.
The next tune again brings to mind The Orb, but again mutates into a very ambient D 'n B dub groove, with a slight house feel.
The third track is awesome. You'll absolutely mealt into THAT bassline. Great track and the least dancey number.
For all intents and purposes that's exactly what subgiant are. Instrumental, chilled out ambient workouts just right for the end of the night when the thumping breakbeats are starting to get too much.
It's very good.
It's a fat stomping groove that's probably meant to be a bit odd. The lead and bass parts are really mellow, almost like a music box, but this is all played along to a hectic, Prodigy style drum groove.
It'll make you want to start dancing again!
I can't wait to hear more.
you can buy twig technology online, in the 'merchandise' section.