Star of the year: Mumdance
London producer blending grime, techno and experimentalism
If you were told that the most hyped grime tune of 2014 was made in 120 minutes, would you believe it? According to Mumdance, the London-based producer behind 'Take Time' alongside fresh-faced MC Novelist, "We put that track together in about two hours".
Out on Rinse, it's just one of many standouts of Jack Adams' year, his best in a career that saw him release on Diplo's Mad Decent early on. "I've made a mistake, haven't I? Most people start underground, go poppy and make a load of money," he laughs. "I've started poppy and gone more underground."
Since collaborating with Brodinski on 2009's 'Eurostarr' and releasing the 'Mum Decent' EP the year after, the 30-year-old's productions have seen him cover wobbly grime, space-age cyber cuts with Logos and experimental techno with Pinch.
"My previous sound didn't excite my soul any more," he explains. If this year's output is anything to go by, his soul's excitement levels are back in the red. As well as the 'Take Time' EP, he's released the 'Springtime' EP, the Pinch collab 'Turbo Mitzi'/'Whiplash', a mix with Pinch and launched the Different Circles label with Logos. That's on top of being an integral artist for London grime party Boxed, two guest slots on Radio 1 and getting his own show on Rinse FM.
"I've found the direction I want to take," he says. And with the '1 Sec' EP with Novelist planned for XL, 2015's looking good. He might even get your mum dancing.
Mumdance's highlights of 2014
'Take Time' (Rinse) Hyperactive grime banger featuring Novelist, the genre's next big MC
'Springtime' (Unknown To The Unknown) Spacey, pumping and just plain freaky, it was a sign of things to come early in the year
Radio 1's Dance Radio week Mumdance featured in a four-hour session in July which included Jackmaster, Bok Bok and Funkineven