Kode9
Encyclopedia
Kode9 is a London
-based electronic music
artist, DJ, and owner of the Hyperdub
record label. An MC, The Spaceape, is a frequent collaborator. Initially inspired by what he calls the "hardcore continuum", he also draws on dub reggae, and was one of the founding members of the early dubstep scene (which he views as a continuation of developments originally stemming from UK Hardcore). He appeared on the Grime compilation on Rephlex, and released two full-length albums: Memories of the Future and Black Sun (both featuring the Spaceape) on his own label Hyperdub
. Kode9 has a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Warwick
and has published a book, Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear.
artists, Kode9 comes from a musical background of oldschool jungle
, drum and bass
, and 2-step garage
; he has mentioned his first encounter with jungle, in Edinburgh
, as being "the most important musical event of my life". Other genres that are common influences in his work include Dub Reggae, Dancehall
, and Indian music
(such as in the tabla
part and toasting on the song "Kingstown").
A move to Warwick
and collaboration with the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit at University of Warwick
studying rave culture, cybernetics
, postmodernism
and afrofuturism
later led to a memetic philosophy regarding music, which he has spoken about at length in interviews. In the late nineties, Kode9 moved to London
, and established a name as a disk jockey in clubs such as FWD>>.
That same year, Kode9 founded Hyperdub
records; the first release was Sine of the Dub, a collaboration between Kode9 and Daddy Gee, which was a minimal, loose cover version
of Prince
's "Sign "O" the Times". Kode9 treated the vocals to fit his idea of their delivery by "a man on his deathbed". Subsequent releases established the label as an important and influential label within the dubstep genre. Hyperdub have since released records such as Burial's self-titled
debut album, which The Wire
magazine named their number one album of 2006.
Goodman has a Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Warwick
and has also worked in academia. As of 2006 he was working at the University of East London
as a lecturer in media production, and course tutor for a master's program in sonic culture and taught several musicians, DJ's such as Pixel 82 & Shem Booth-Spain sound/music theory and production. In December 2009, his Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear, a book exploring the uses of acoustic force and how it affects whole populations was published by MIT Press
. The book also explores how sound can be deployed to set moods of dread and fear, how sound can be used as torture, as a weapon and as a threat.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-based electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
artist, DJ, and owner of the Hyperdub
Hyperdub
Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9 Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9...
record label. An MC, The Spaceape, is a frequent collaborator. Initially inspired by what he calls the "hardcore continuum", he also draws on dub reggae, and was one of the founding members of the early dubstep scene (which he views as a continuation of developments originally stemming from UK Hardcore). He appeared on the Grime compilation on Rephlex, and released two full-length albums: Memories of the Future and Black Sun (both featuring the Spaceape) on his own label Hyperdub
Hyperdub
Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9 Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9...
. Kode9 has a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
and has published a book, Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear.
Early career
Like many dubstepDubstep
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
artists, Kode9 comes from a musical background of oldschool jungle
Oldschool jungle
Jungle is a genre of electronic music that incorporates influences from genres including breakbeat hardcore, and reggae/dub/dancehall. There is debate as to whether jungle is a separate genre from drum and bass as many use the terms interchangeably...
, drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
, and 2-step garage
2-step garage
2-step garage, or simply 2-step, is a typically English style of modern electronic dance music, and a relatively popular subgenre of UK garage.A transcription of this article is available as a PDF file.-Characteristics:...
; he has mentioned his first encounter with jungle, in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, as being "the most important musical event of my life". Other genres that are common influences in his work include Dub Reggae, Dancehall
Dancehall
Dancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
, and Indian music
Music of India
The music of India includes multiple varieties of folk, popular, pop, classical music and R&B. India's classical music tradition, including Carnatic and Hindustani music, has a history spanning millennia and developed over several eras. It remains fundamental to the lives of Indians today as...
(such as in the tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
part and toasting on the song "Kingstown").
A move to Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
and collaboration with the Cybernetic Culture Research Unit at University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
studying rave culture, cybernetics
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
, postmodernism
Postmodernism
Postmodernism is a philosophical movement evolved in reaction to modernism, the tendency in contemporary culture to accept only objective truth and to be inherently suspicious towards a global cultural narrative or meta-narrative. Postmodernist thought is an intentional departure from the...
and afrofuturism
Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism is an emergent literary and cultural aesthetic that combines elements of science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, Afrocentricity, and magic realism with non-Western cosmologies in order to critique not only the present-day dilemmas of people of color, but also to revise,...
later led to a memetic philosophy regarding music, which he has spoken about at length in interviews. In the late nineties, Kode9 moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and established a name as a disk jockey in clubs such as FWD>>.
Current work
In 2004, Kode9 appeared on the second Grime compilation on Rephlex records. Journalist Derek Walmsley described Kode9's track "Ping":That same year, Kode9 founded Hyperdub
Hyperdub
Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9 Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9...
records; the first release was Sine of the Dub, a collaboration between Kode9 and Daddy Gee, which was a minimal, loose cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
's "Sign "O" the Times". Kode9 treated the vocals to fit his idea of their delivery by "a man on his deathbed". Subsequent releases established the label as an important and influential label within the dubstep genre. Hyperdub have since released records such as Burial's self-titled
Burial (Burial album)
Burial is the eponymous debut album by the dubstep producer Burial. It was released in 2006 on Kode9's Hyperdub records to critical acclaim, including being named "Album of the Year" by The Wire magazine...
debut album, which The Wire
The Wire (magazine)
The Wire is a British avant garde music magazine, founded in 1982 by jazz promoter Anthony Wood and journalist Chrissie Murray. The magazine initially concentrated on contemporary jazz and improvised music, but branched out in the early 1990s to various types of experimental music...
magazine named their number one album of 2006.
Goodman has a Ph.D in philosophy from the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
and has also worked in academia. As of 2006 he was working at the University of East London
University of East London
The University of East London is a university located in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, based at two campuses in Stratford and Docklands areas...
as a lecturer in media production, and course tutor for a master's program in sonic culture and taught several musicians, DJ's such as Pixel 82 & Shem Booth-Spain sound/music theory and production. In December 2009, his Sonic Warfare: Sound, Affect, and the Ecology of Fear, a book exploring the uses of acoustic force and how it affects whole populations was published by MIT Press
MIT Press
The MIT Press is a university press affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts .-History:...
. The book also explores how sound can be deployed to set moods of dread and fear, how sound can be used as torture, as a weapon and as a threat.
Studio albums
- Memories of the Future - HyperdubHyperdubHyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9 Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9...
- 2006 (with The Spaceape) - Black Sun - HyperdubHyperdubHyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9 Hyperdub is a London-based record label, founded and run by Steve Goodman, aka Kode9.Artists who have released on Hyperdub include label owner Kode9...
- 2011 (with The Spaceape)