Anyone with respect for 70s disco/funk cult movies, the wizardry of Sly and the Family Stone, Derrick May's philosophy on dance music, rolling breaks and future soul might just develop an obsessive taste for the sound of Substax.

The Substax squadron comprises the audio duo of Nick Farrands and Jason Johnston, vocalist and songwriter Claudia Gunn and video artist Janine Randerson. SUBSTAX release their debut album thru Sugarlicks this week in NZ... and they are also shooting a video for first single Starfish this Sunday at MiC - if anyone wants to be in a music vid for them please come along at 12 noon...Anyone with respect for 70s disco/funk cult movies, the wizardry of Sly and the Family Stone, Derrick May's philosophy on dance music, rolling breaks and future soul might just develop an obsessive taste for the sound of Substax.

The Substax squadron comprises the audio duo of Nick Farrands and Jason Johnston, vocalist and songwriter Claudia Gunn and video artist Janine Randerson. SUBSTAX release their debut album thru Sugarlicks this week in NZ... and they are also shooting a video for first single Starfish this Sunday at MiC - if anyone wants to be in a music vid for them please come along at 12 noon...Substax formed in London eight years ago. Their work includes multi-media installations, film, television and radio work, collaborations with Timmy Schumacher and now a debut album.

The album sound incorporates deep production and drums with spacey electro synths and vocals, with tempos ranging from uptempo breaks to moody downtempo slices of electronic soul.

The band is dedicated to a sound that adds and cuts the fat in all the right places.

Breakbeat is a result of dancefloor fusion sitting somewhere between hip-hop, house and drum 'n' bass - it is punk in attitude and urban in essence.

Nick Farrands sums up " I think the reason breaks as a genre is what I am drawn to is because of the fusion - fusion is always the thing that takes music forward."

Remix Magazine (Sept 03) describes the sound as 'seductive' and rates the act amongst the most promising New Zealand breaks act alongside Minuit and Timmy Schumacher. The review of the Kog compilation Return of the Booomshwack states that the "prospect of - Substax - releasing their own album - promises that the best is yet to come"

The album features collaborations with Lara Van Osenbruggen aka Souljah Sist*r on 'Starfish', London MC Stephen Rhodes aka MC Ster on 'Make Noize' and 'Latin Tonic', Nick Conner with trumpet and flugelhorn on 'Headlights' and Hawkes Bay Mum Katrina Holmberg on vocals on the deep breaks of 'Sky Rhodes' 2005.
Lara is an up and coming Auckland DJ/producer/MC who turned heads in the Auckland finals of Heineken's Thirst competition this year. She features with some old school MC action on the semi sexual semi politically themed breakbeat soul track 'Starfish'. A forthcoming video for Starfish will be directed by Auckland's Mike Lonsdale who has directed the recent Neil/Tim Finn clip as well as a back catalogue of award winning work. MC Ster is based in London and has worked with the Big Dada label. He is a name to watch in the vein of Roots Manuva. Substax recorded the vocals for 'Make Noise' and 'Latin Tonic' during his visit to NZ in February this year.

The album will also features short films from longtime collaborator video artist Janine Randerson. These encompass excerpts from Substax live shows and offer a visual window into the truly eclectic world of Substax. The album will be toured with a full video rig later in the year.

Jeff Neems, Waikato Times July 15 2004 gives the 'She Dubs Me' vinyl remix EP 5 stars - "Scratch N Sniff is brilliantly redone by Timmy Schumacher and Substax, the result a heavy-duty breakbeat workout which would make Freq Nasty or Adam Freeland quake in their boots. Cranked on a large PA, this particular remix would blow the freakin roof off." This remix was nominated for best NZ remix at the 2004 B-net awards.

Substax are noted for their multi media collaborations with Janine Randerson involving live performance, as at Interdigitate (Ak03) and soundtrack design for shows such as 15 Minute Wait (MIC - Auckland, Wellington) and Sky Views (CCP, Melbourne).

RADIO
Scratch n' Sniff remix
Substax versus Timmy Schumacher
No 1 nationwide on the B-Net in July 2006

Beats Slow
Airplay across the wider B-Net from Oct 2003

Bubble D
No. 2 nationwide on the B-Net in August 2003

Step
Airplay across the wider B-Net from Jan to April 2003. BFM Top Ten - March 2003

Teleporter Trouble
An electro-breakbeat space odyssey, another flipped collaboration
with Timmy Schumacher - reached no. 3 on the BFM Top Ten - Dec 2002.

Round Feel
Peaked at number one on the BFM Top Ten during April 2002.

Interstate Pimp
Received 7 months cult radio support on BFM from Nov 2001
Featured on an ad for George FM
Licensed to advertising agency Generator Bates for use on a web site promoting the Bikini Carwash Club.
Played to a crowd of 4,000 during Schumacher's 2002 Chemical Brothers support slot.

Sugarlicks is proud to announce the debut release the highly regarded Auckland electronic soul crew Substax.