Bristol has long been hailed the second city of dubstep and the rapidly evolving bass music scene. This is almost always put down to vague notions of musical heritage or suggestions that 'there's something in the water', but there is a point when you have to credit the individuals who have given the city its reputation. One such individual is Kidkut, DJ, producer and owner of the Immerse imprint.

The Immerse label has been responsible for some of the most forward-thinking and exciting bass music to come out since the imprint's inception back in 2006. Pushing the deeper side of the bass music spectrum, the label has been responsible for top-notch releases from the like of Forsaken, Kontext and TRG.

We are also starting to see the fruits of Kidkut's time spent in the studio, with his first releases starting to emerge. With his brilliant debut release on Applepips out now and plenty more to come, we caught up with him and got an exclusive mix.

Hi, can you please introduce yourself?

My name's Adam Jackson, I DJ and produce under the guise of Kidkut.  I just had my debut release on Apple Pips and have bits forthcoming on Well Rounded and my own Immerse imprint, which I have run since 2006.

As for my background, I was first introduced to underground music around 1992 with the heady days of Dreamscape, Fantazia etc, I used to live in Milton Keynes at that point. One of my mate's brothers used to blag us in to the Sanctuary, I was only 13.

Got my first set of decks in 1996, moved to Bristol in 1998 for university and never left the place.

What impelled you to start the label?

I used to run a night called Noir around 2004, which was a drumfunk and dubstep night. I was in touch with a lot of producers/DJs and there was a lot of music I was playing that wasn't getting out there as there wasn't really that much of a scene for either. I had always wanted to run my own record label and it just seemed a natural progression considering all the other bits I was involved in.

What were your primary motives when starting it? Did you have an exact idea of where you wanted to take Immerse?

Like I said, my reasons for starting were to help people I was involved with musically to get their music out there and it was also an ambition of mine to run a record label.  

I didn't have to exact an idea to begin with; I never wanted to stay with one particular genre as that wouldn't reflect what I listen to and play.  I did have lots of things I wanted to try out and there are many times when I have changed my mind about directions to go after taking advice from other people within the Bristol scene.

Reinforced are a big inspiration, I guess if I can have even the slightest impact on underground music that they did I would really feel like I had achieved something. They don't get enough credit / mention.

What would you say is the label's musical manifesto, as it were?

I don't like to subscribe to manifestos per say, that would give the impression there's a plan and there certainly isn't.  What I put out is a reflection of what I'm feeling / playing probably six months previous. I tend to gravitate towards music that's trying to do something different, whether that's a completely new sound or a new spin on something already established.  

We end up putting out a lot of debuts, this hasn't been intentional, I judge music on the merit of the content. I would like to think that the people who buy our music trust that when they listen to an Immerse release, it's going to be different to what's out there, but still the same high standard, even if they have no idea who has made it.  I think I might take that a step further at something point and do a series of anonymous releases.

How – if at all – do you think the label has morphed from what you originally set out to do with it?

It's been a very organic growth, as my taste in music has expanded so has the label's. I'm listening to a lot of music by C B Funk and Floating Points at the moment, I would love to get a release from both of those guys (the whole Eglo camp is very talented).  I try to embrace new things, for instance when we started out no one was doing digital really, where now it's another medium for us to reach people (not everyone is a DJ) although our core will always be vinyl.  I don't think I'll continue with the label when vinyl is no more (if that ever happens), it wouldn't be the same for me.

How was the musical landscape different when you began? Is that something that the label has had to adjust to?

I think the main difference or shift in thinking is that people seem more open to multiple genres on the same night / records / label.  That's something I've pursued anyway but the change in attitude has certainly given me new ideas on what I think can work.  

Of late the vinyl market has been very challenging, I think over the next twelve months you will see a lot of labels disappearing because I feel the market is at saturation point.  I think this is a good thing though because the people who haven't compromised and who have come with a sound that they genuinely believe in will come through ok.

Do you think that there is anything fundamental to an Immerse release? Something that ties together everything on the label?

Any music on the label will sit in and around breakbeat and sub culture, which is also a little nod to an old record shop in Bristol.  I think the diversity of our sound is what defines the label although that is somewhat hard to quantify.

What forthcoming projects / releases do you have in the pipeline?

I've just finished a project with Arkist (Vanilla Imitate), which has been getting a lot of love so need to sort out what we are doing with that.  There's a release coming for Well Rounded in autumn, dunno what genre you would call it but it's around 130.  I've just moved house and got myself an Arp Odyssey so going to be spend the next few months getting used to my new studio and toys!

Can you tell us a little bit about the mix you have laid down for us?

With the mix I've included some forthcoming Immerse bits and a mixture of other bits and pieces that I'm feeling at the moment.  

Download Kidkut's mix
 
Tracklisting

1. Arkist - I Couldn't Possibly (forthcoming Immerse)
2. Trickski - The Warm Up [C.B Funk rmx] (Delusions of Grandeur)
3. Kay Suzuki - Music [Atjazz rmx] (Round in Motion)
4. El Txef A - She Kissed Me First (forthcoming Hypercolour)
5. October - Computer Zecht Nein (forthcoming Caravan)
6. Hint - At The Dance (TruThoughts)
7. KiNK - e79 (Ovum)
8. Tiga - Gentle Giants [Martyn's Heaven mix] (unreleased)
9. Burial - Forgive (Hyperdub)
10. Falty DL - My Friends will Always Say (Planet Mu)
11. Pinch - 136 trek (Punch Drunk)
12. Bok Bok - Dance Report (unreleased)
13. Manaboo - Sb Massive (forthcoming Immerse)

Kidkut + Gatekeeper - Code Red by kidkut

Related Links:

• Kontext Releases Debut LP On Immerse
• Laid Blak Release Bristol Love Single
• Incyde Guest Mix
• Pinch Video and Interview
• Dubstep Label Screwloose Launches

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