Kylo / Levity

Levity was born April 1981 In Manchester and grew up in Chorlton. From a young age there were signs of a musical interest, and a need to know how things worked.
With two older brothers, and one younger sister, there was never a quiet moment at home. Around 1989, aged 8 he was listening to music his eldest brother was into, bands like Joy Division, and Happy Mondays. Although at a young age, he began to learn about music, and was very aware of the Madchester era.
Move forward to 1993. Following in his brothers footsteps, he loved the emerging Jungle sound and fast paced Mc-ing, nothing heard like it before. Raiding his tape collections whilst he was out, he use to listen to anything til he found things he liked. At the time names like Starlite, Fantazia, Awol, The Edge didn't mean too much, but he knew he liked somethings he'd been hearing. By 1994 he was listening to it all. Jungle, and Hardcore when it had breaks. In 1995 at the age of 14 Levity knew he wanted to be a Jungle DJ.
Levity didn't know anyone else with decks when he started, the closest he'd come to using any before were In record shops at the listening posts. As a kid, he made regular visits to Manchester to add to his ever growing tape collection. In 1995, he bought his first Amazon tape pack from the basement of Eastern Bloc, Manchester. Visits to The Spin Inn on Brown Street, before the Manchester bombing, led him to meet and talk to Sappo, who's words have stuck with him since.
The first hifi he owned had a turntable on the top, and it could be played at the same time as tape. He would learn the basics of beat matching by mixing a record into the tape, and manually trying to hold the speed as it obviously had no pitch control. He learnt the structure of the music and started buying vinyl whilst still in school. Once he left school for work in 1997, he spent his first wage on a pair of turntables.
Working in Manchester City Centre, Levity was in the record shops every day he was at work, and most days he was not. He had his ideas set in his head, he'd been thinking about them for years already. He didn't want to come Into the scene until he felt he could mix as tight as the best. He didn't miss a day of mixing for three and a half years, up to and over eight hours a day of practice. The plan was In motion.
Knowing the bar structure, he would use the maths of the music to double drop tunes that if mixed correctly, couldn't double drop. Adding or taking away the extra bars in tracks at the beginning of the mix enabled him to create mixes which he deemed his own, at the time he wasn't aware of any DJ who did this.
He deliberately mixed in bad conditions, deliberately adding reverb to his monitors to learn the best way to compensate a delay. He used an eq in his set up to mix with different frequencies. He used to turn a deck off and roll it around with his finger as closely in time as he could to the other deck playing. He would also do this backwards. He only used the pitch in the mix, feeling that using your hands to compensate was a sloppy way of doing things. He'd thought about these hands on ideas at the age of 14 and felt that these methods of teaching himself about the music and dj-ing would be the best way to progress his ability. He would practice throwing tunes straight into the mix from the very start and getting them in time just with the pitch control until it took a matter of seconds. He soon mastered riding the pitch, and although right handed, his left arm gained the speed and skill on the platter and the cross fader.
Move forward to 1998 and Levity started giving out his mix tapes, sending them to various organisations and giving them out in Manchester's record stores. His style was born from how he wanted a DJ to mix, from his, a raver's point of view. With a combination of chopping, double dropping, eq work, fades, beat juggling and three deck mixing, whilst also using acapellas, instrumental's and hip hop sample records, It wasn't long before he was making a name for being as tight as a drum, with a completely unique style of his own, mirrored by none.
Move forward to 2002 and he was introduced to a musician who worked with budding artists in a youth centre in Moss Side. After visits to the centre, he gained the opportunity of playing at Manchester's yearly city centre music event, Castlefield's G Percussion festival, this particular year coinciding with the closing ceremonies of the Commonwealth Games. Although he had played various things as an up coming DJ, this gave him his first taste of real loudness, and after finishing he received a standing ovation from the daytime crowd.
In May 2004 Levity held his first club night in Manchester. After joining Nwdnb.co.uk the previous year, he began meeting more and more people involved in the local scene. Through a mutual friend he grew up with, he was introduced to Platoon's Mc Vybe, and later met with Mc Skeez & Mr Brown who were all last minute additions to the line up, showcasing for the first time in Manchester. The intention was to carry on with regular club nights, but learning from the first event, he realised how much more he wanted to do and decided to wait whilst working on the whole project from home.
Later in 2004, he was assaulted by Greater Manchester Police after being stopped in the early hours. A case of the wrong suspect meant he met with deliberate rough treatment in which his arm was broken above the elbow, with his bone being completely snapped. Due to the position of the break, his arm became instantly unmovable, and needed a ten inch metal plate attached to his bone for it to heal. The plans of club nights were abandoned and DJ-ing was wiped out.
The end of 2004 saw Levity attend physio therapy to be able to move his arm again. It took five months to be able to straighten his arm from the right angle position it had set itself in. In a state of disarray, after feeling his Dj-ing was over before it had begun, he got back on the decks and went back to training his arm, even to the very basics of being able to cue up with it again. Although he soon picked up mixing again, his style was not in it. Gone were his trademark tricks which he'd learnt with his left arm, and it was at this point he contemplated giving up, feeling he couldn't catch up with the point he was already at before the incident.
In 2005 Levity received the opportunity of playing at Manchester's Platoon, run by Mr Brown. Brown had faith and on the 8th April, Levity played one of his best live sets to date. The event was reviewed in July's Issue of Knowledge magazine, with his set being described as cracking. This was enough recognition for him to realise he still had the abilities, although somewhat rusty. In the following months he made every effort to get his arm back to the speed it once was on both the crossfader and platter.
In 2006 Levity went from strength to strength, with several successful sets under his belt, both in Manchester & Liverpool at some of the biggest events in the North-West including, Platoon, Metropolis and Illusions to name some.
2007 sees Levity's BasslineJunkies Promotional Campaign restart and gain recognition from the Manchester faithful and further beyond. Levity himself continues to grace the decks wherever he is requested to, with anything from Old Skool Jungle to present day Drum & Bass, you can expect to find Levity playing regularly in his home town of Manchester.

" Ultimate respect and love to my mother, the strongest and most creative woman I know, who has given me all that I need in life, and so much more that I only now begin to realise. Much love to my younger sister who jacked my first Mickey Finn tape back off me because she lost her copy all those years ago. Much love to my eldest brother who gave me the band insights of Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays at the age of 8+ to name just a few. Much love to my other brother Damian, the main reason I got into this Jungle. All the years of blasting tapes paid off. Those tapes I raided from you over the years before I even bought tape packs got me into this music! A big shout to all my boyz, much love for you!
Thank you for all the extreme support from everyone who has ever known me, from all of the people I have ever met growing up in my beloved home of South Manchester. All the people that I have chilled with over the years already, there's too many, way too many!! Thank you to the people I know across the UK and even the continents, spreading the word about my aims and passing my mixes. All those chilling in my bedroom when I began this dream, those who witnessed me learn my trade, you understand, the stories are golden now!
A massive shout to everybody I have ever been introduced to in the whole North-West UK Drum & Bass Scene, or have met in life in any way at all, it's been an absolute pleasure! Maximum respect to a few guardian angels in the North-West who guide me through the dark times, keeping me on my path. Endless appreciation and love to those who watched me grow up with this music and remember about that kid Junglist from all those years ago! A thought goes out to the golden days, and those who I know who lost their path in life for whatever reason. Those who lost their faith and gave up true unreserved friendship, and those that I have known and chilled with who are no longer in this sometimes cruel world. "

April 12th - The Day Of Social Awareness

Those born on April 12th seem always to have their antennae out, sensing the public mood. Their social talents are impressive, not necessarily in terms of relating to individuals but rather in understanding, defining, and exemplifying in their own conduct the best of their society. Unquestionably April 12 people love to be the centre of attention, but for those who are highly successful or prominent the attention garnered is often tied in with benefiting people who’s hopes and dreams they personify.

A big problem for April 12 people is defining themselves as individuals. Since they are often preoccupied with group or social matters, it may be difficult for them to get to know themselves at a deep level. Because of this lack of self-understanding, less highly developed April 12 people can get into a great deal of trouble, not only social but also financial and legal. More highly developed April12 people recognise the dangers posed by such a lack of awareness and will seek to overcome this deficiency.

Whether they write, speak or simply act as the spokesperson for colleagues, friends or family, April 12 people are never happier than when they are putting forward their point of view, communicating with their fellow human beings who, hopefully, are listening. It is indeed tragic to see an April 12 person speaking to a mostly disinterested audience. It follows that they must choose as their friends and mates individuals who are not only good listeners but also share their concerns.

Many April 12 people have what amounts to an insatiable interest in current events and for some, commenting on the state of affairs can be equally important to them. Consequently, the danger exists that they will become judgemental or victims of the judgement of others. For this reason, it is very important that they pull back lifes busy course and find a quiet place where they can objectively examine not only their observations but also their own inner processes.

In the private sphere those born on this day must avoid reacting rashly, particularly in anger, to the acts of loved ones. To retain their equilibrium, they should learn acceptance and objectivity; otherwise, they can drive themselves crazy with their inability to leave things alone. A saving grace of April 12 people however is a fine sense of humour. The capacity to laugh at themselves once in a while goes far in softening their harsher side.

April 12 people never want to be far from where things are happening. Whether they live in the city or the country, they may be found in group activities of all kinds. The most highly advance April 12 people will invariably be called upon by others to negotiate, mediate or simply discuss deals from horse trading to plea bargaining, and to bring opponents to the table. Often they are experts in the rules of game, law or social conventions and are sought out for their advice.