Music / Clubs
Introducing Levelz
As much as we like to fly the Bristol flag, it’s hard to argue with Manchester as the second city in British music. From Joy Division and 808 State to Gnod, Lonelady, Andy Stott and Illum Sphere, the northern giant is a powerhouse of musical industry.
While its most celebrated exports are acid house and indie rock, Manchester’s also played an often-overlooked role in the development of UK soundsystem music, with ‘80s mavericks Ruthless Rap Assassins and present-day troublemakers Virus Syndicate among its unsung heroes.
Levelz are a new generation in that proud lineage, a fourteen-strong bass squad with all kinds of strength in depth. Memorably described as “Wu-Tang meets the Happy Mondays”, Levelz are what happens when artists who share a city and a mindset put aside genre restrictions to form a united front.
Criss-crossing jungle, garage, hip-hop, dancehall, grime and electronica, the collective’s skillset spans the spectrum of soundsystem music. The project teams established names (Chimpo, Biome, Chunky, Dub Phizix) with relative unknowns, and teenagers with forty year old veterans.
In December Levelz holed up in an Anglesey mansion to record their first mixtape, and while we’re still waiting to hear the result it’s fair to assume we’re excited. Catch them at The Black Swan as part of their first national tour.
The Blast x Psyched x Durkle Disco present LVLZ BRISTOL at The Black Swan on Sunday, May 3. Register your interest here.
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