Jesus, Mo & Gandhi
(DJ KOMBINATE) -Exposed to the powerful sounds of Kraftwerk and Public Enemy as a yoot, Kombinate was lucky enough to be brought up in the middle of London's East End, within perfect firing distance of the best that pirate radio had to offer. Still not a teenager, he gained a first hand knowledge of underground music through his older brother's extensive record collection and recording studio. An early interest in Jungle and Hardcore blossomed into a consuming love for mixing by the time he was leaving school. Introduced to musicians in the game who had worked with the likes of Leftfield and Massive Attack, he had access to the use of hardware and software that fuelled his desire and interest even further. After spending time travelling to places such as Brazil and being influenced by the underground scenes there, it was his ambition to get some play time in the clubs for himself. Since then he has performed at some of the most reputable venues in the world, from the Caribbean to New Zealand. In late 2006 after being on tour, Kombinate decided to move into action and start an event called Socialism, that would take place every 2 months in London. The idea behind the name was due to an irony that he had noticed in Britain at the time, not just politically, but across the board. He fellt he had something different to offer and was only pushed forward by the people around him. In the November 2007 edition of Knowledge Magazine, Socialism was awarded Flyer of the Issue. This was in no small part due to the dedication and patience of Steve, at Filthy Media, the design kings of Brighton. Around the same time Socialism itself expanded into Europe for a sell-out crowd at 'Deflux presents Socialism' Part 1, a massive rave at Holland's notorious Dooornroosje, in Nijmegen. After a lengthy spell at the trendy Inigo Bar in Clapham, Socialism now takes place at Shoredich's well known night-spot Herbal, London E2, a club and crowd that is second to none. With residents such as the Peoples' Champion Shabba D - big up the Goonas - and regular appearances from the likes of Phantasy, Remadee, Kane, Topcat and Tenor Fly, Socialism has been able to define and capture its sound and place in the scene that Kombinate was hoping for in the beginning. He has also been rinsin on his regular slot on Futuredrumz Radio for the last 2 years with a wealth of MC's - big up the FDZ gang - with his almost historical vinyl collection of not only d&b but electronica in general, he is able to create a sense of story-telling in his sets that is hard to imagine. Whether it be the earliest jungle at only 160bpm or the hardest new beats at over 184, his range and musical finesse can be awe inspiring to even the most demanding of Friday night crowds. Evidence of this can be heard on one of his many online mixes, one of which has had over 35 million downloads since release, with 40,000 downloading at any one time, consistently way ahead of household names like Timbaland and Madonna in terms of torrent downloads at no charge. In 2008 Kombinate joined forces with talented vocalist Irie MC, and began smashing up raves in Barcelona and Madrid. They now hold residencies in both these locations and many more worldwide.