Noise Factory (group)

Noise Factory
GenresBreakbeat hardcore, jungle
Years active1991–1994
Labels3rd Party, Ibiza, Kemet, XL Recordings
Past membersJames Stephens
Terry Turner
Kevin Mulqueen

Noise Factory were a British breakbeat hardcore and jungle group from Tottenham, North London active in the early 1990s. The group is credited as being pivotal in the transition between hardcore and jungle music.

History

In 1991 James Stephens and Neil Dunkley, who shared a studio together at the time, became acquainted with Paul Ibiza of Ibiza Records. They visited him at his flat in north London to help him set up his newly acquired Akai 950 sampler an Atari ST computer running Cubase and various other pieces of studio equipment. After a few sessions of creating beats and experimenting with samples at Paul Ibizas studio Stephens decided on the name 'Noise Factory' bringing in Kevin Mulqueen and Terry Turner to form the group along with Dunkley. Paul Ibiza then invited Noise Factory to release tracks on his Ibiza Records label, as he was an established name in the rave scene at that time. Noise Factory released their first track, "Box Bass" in 1991. The track featured a reggae sub-bass, which was almost unheard of at the time.[1][2][3][4]

After releasing various tracks on the Ibiza label Stephens, Turner and Mulqueen set up their own label “3rd Party Records” in early 1992. They also had one release on Tam Tam records in late 1991/early 1992 titled “behold the jungle/we can”. At this point Neil Dunkley had left the group but later went on to set up his own label Redskins records.

Stephens would later go on to help set up “Kemet records” with Mark Ranger known as ‘Mark X’ sometime in 1992-93.

Noise Factory opened the 3rd Party label with the EP "My Mind" featuring its title track, “Be Free", and "Breakage #1" which would be pivotal in the early development of jungle and would be later remixed by the group several times.[2] The group would continue to release singles such as "the fire", which sampled Fleetwood Mac's "Sara".[5][6]

“Be Free” was licensed to XL records in 1992 and was featured on a four track EP titled “fourplay” vol 1 alongside three other artists.

Noise factory’s own studio from 1991-93 was mainly based in Stephens flat on the Nightingale estate in east London. This estate was also home to two of the biggest jungle and drum and bass pirate radio stations at the time Weekend rush 92.3 and Defection 89.4. Noise factory would sometimes give Defection 89.4 early releases of their tracks. Terry Tee (Turner) would occasionally guest DJ on the station and Chatta B would MC on the station at times.

In 1993, The Capsule EP was released. The track "Breakage #4" became a huge hit with DJs, who according to Vice "played it to death".[7] The track was up to 20 BPM faster than other tracks at the time, and would prove to be an important record in the transition from hardcore to jungle.[5][8] Noise Factory proceeded to release several 12" singles that would set a blueprint for the emerging scene.[2][9] Additionally, a side project known as Straight from the Bedroom was launched, releasing records from not only themselves, but also other up-and-coming jungle producers.[10]

A final collaboration between Stephens and Turner would be on "Dreams", released on Kemet Records' "Revelation Part 2" EP. Stephens would maintain a solo career under the name Family of Intelligence.[2][5]

Noise Factory was briefly revived in 2002, releasing two singles for Three Lions Recordings.[11] Additionally, Terry Tee had resurrected the Straight From the Bedroom side-project in the 2000s to carry nu skool jungle bootlegs.[10]

Members

  • James Stephens
  • Terry (Tee) Turner
  • Kevin Mulqueen

Neil Dunkley (on some early Noise Factory Ibiza releases uncredited) Anthony Patterson (aka MC Chatta B uncredited on some 3rd party releases)

Selected discography

  • "Box Bass / Recession Time" (1991)
  • "Who Are You / The Dungeon" (1991)
  • "Noise Factory / Warehouse Music" (1991)
  • "The Buzz / Imperative" (1991)
  • "Loving You / Jungle Techno" (1991)
  • "Feel the Music / To the Top" (1991)
  • "Set Me Free / Bring Forward the Noise" (1992)
  • "We Have It / Warning" (1992)
  • "Urban Music" (1992)
  • "Behold the Jungle / We Can" (1992)
  • "My Mind / Be Free" (1992)
  • "The Fire / Skin Teeth" (1992)
  • Alienation EP (1992)
  • The Capsule EP (Breakage#4 / Futuroid / Survival)" (1992)
  • Year of the Ladies EP (1993)
  • A New Something EP (1993)
  • "Generation X" (1993)
  • "Can You Feel the Rush / Run Come Follow Me" (1993)
  • "The Future" (1994)

References

  1. ^ McQuaid, Ian. "Gone To A Rave #51: Paul Ibiza Gets Real". Ransom Note. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d McQuaid, Ian. "Gone To A Rave #41: Kemet & 3rd Party". Ransom Note. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  3. ^ Hubzin, Ivica (15 July 2014). "Q&A: Digital Niyabinghi". DJ Mag. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ Deadman, Alex (2 December 2016). "An Interview With Paul Ibiza on the Birth of Jungle". We Love Jungle (Interview). Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference DrumNbass was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Reynolds, Simon (19 June 2013). Generation Ecstasy: Into the World of Techno and Rave Culture. Routledge. pp. 137–138. ISBN 978-1136783166.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Jenkins, Dave (6 April 2012). "Rep Your Roots #1: Jungle". Drum and Bass Arena. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Simon (4 July 2013). "4: The Second Wave of Rave". Energy Flash: A Journey Through Rave Music and Dance Culture. Faber & Faber. ISBN 978-0571289141.
  10. ^ a b "Straight From The Bedroom". Here Come the Drums (Podcast). Podplay. 10 February 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Noise Factory: Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 25 April 2021.

Further reading

  • James, Martin (3 April 2020). "1: All'a the Junglists". State of Bass: The Origins of Jungle/Drum & Bass. Velocity Press. ISBN 9781913231026.
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