Pinch interview by Simon Hampson

Dubstep has been sweeping the world for the last couple of years. After it broke free from its roots in Croydon, London, it has taken on the world and thrust a whole host of young producers into the limelight. But in each place that dubstep takes root it combines with other influences on that local level. It shifts, morphs and adapts to its environment – sometimes combining with techno, sometimes with drum n bass scenes, and sometimes with dub/reggae crews.

But this effect hasn’ just been happening in far flung locations away from London. In Bristol – a city associated with trip hop and drum n bass during the 1990s – DJ Pinch, 29 year-old Robert Ellis, has been consistently building a unique take on the sound.

Bristol, Pinch’s home for the last nine years, is England’s sixth largest city. It is set in the south-west of England, amongst rolling hills and by the rivers Avon and Frome, and is a truly beautiful city. It is a bustling, but tranquil outpost of the English dubstep sound. Most importantly, it has had the space to grow and absorb the dubstep template whilst maintaining an individual identity.

Through artists and organisers like Pinch (and he is both – very much associating himself with the DIY ethic by putting out his records and organising shows), Peverelist (who owns Rooted Records) and others, the Bristol scene has based itself more on the influence of minimal techno than anything else. There is a sense of space in the productions coming out of the city that isn’ found elsewhere.

“I think so,” agrees Pinch on the line from Bristol, “more so because of the people different places attract – it creates different cultural norms. I wasn’t born in Bristol but I feel more at home here than anywhere else I’ve lived before.”

Pinch was born in Scotland and lived there until he was six, after that his family moved to Newport in south Wales (where his father was from). He moved to Bristol at 18 and has been there for over nine years, enjoying the relaxed vibe of the city. After getting recognised around town for creating some thrilling dj sets of minimal, garage, and grime, Pinch started to incorporate some dubstep plates. But it was the experience of seeing Kode 9 at the monthly night FWD>> in London that really turned his head. From there on it was pure dubstep.

In 2005 he founded Tectonic Records with the moto, “If ur chest ain’ rattlin, it ain’ happnin!”. Tectonic has had a massive few years – Pinch put out its first four releases in 2005 (all 12”s), including his debut release, five more in 2006 (four of which were 10”s) plus a compilation CD, and in 2007 put out a total of 11 records (including the two versions of Underwater Dancehall and the 12” with two vocals from that record). It is a label that has gone from strength to strength, created its own sound and has maximum respect around the world.

Pinch’ own productions have pursued a similar trajectory – following the Tectonic release, he released three 12”s on Mike Paradinas’ Planet Mu in 2006. These tunes, especially the sublime “Qawwali’, broke Pinch’ sound to the world and introduced him as a major talent in the dubstep scene. The space that living in Bristol gives Pinch turned into a positive thing.

“My music tends to have a lighter edge than a lot of the Croydon sounds,” he reflects, “probably for the reason that living in Bristol is far more chilled than Croydon. To be fair though – any dubstep producer worth their salt has a very original and different sound to their music – you can always tell a Skream beat, a Benga beat, a Loefah beat, a Coki beat, a Mala beat, a Distance beat etc etc – they just have a unique character. I love all the Basic Channel/early Berlin sounds and that has played an influence on me – but I think it’s important to be inspired by your influences rather than imitate them.”

Following “Qawwali’, it would be more than 12 months before another Pinch release. Rumours started to emerge of a full length record with MCs. People were a little confused. But Pinch believed a CD that you take home and listen to at home is a different proposition than a 12” to be dropped in a club. Enter “Underwater Dancehall’ (the title inspired by a feeling Pinch had at a DMZ night).

“I’ve been working on the beats over the last 12 to 18 months generally (except Brighter Day – which was written in 2004 as ‘Qawwali’ and reworked for this release), and I picked out the 10 tracks from about 20 potentials. The period of time around the creation of the LP was a very significant time for me as it was the time when my dad passed away – and the period leading up to this, and several months after.”

“Underwater Dancehall’ was a massive undertaking and it asked Pinch’ followers to move their ears in a new direction. Hearing “Qawwali’ reworked as “Brighter Day’ with Juakali’ vocal sent shivers down my spine. I’m still drawn to the atmospherics in Pinch’ tracks – “Airlock’, “Widescreen’ and “Lazarus’ as instrumentals all tie it together for me – but he has pulled off the concept incredibly well. The key seems to have been simplicity. “I wrote the tracks before giving them to the vocalists,” he said, “then made a few changes to the instrumentals to fit the vocal flow.”

“It’s great to be touring and be busy with good things. A true Brit will always find things to moan about though – not having enough spare time, being tired from all the travel, being away from the studio for too long.. etc. But yeah, grumbles aside, things are pretty good – I never thought I’d be touring the world DJing and its wicked to be in that position!”

Underwater Dancehall is out now through Tectonic.