“I feel blessed to have grown up in a city with such a rich musical history”

Bristol is crammed full of independent record labels, all offering something unique and important to the ever-changing music scene in the city.

Phuture Shock Musik is no different.

Founded in 2010 by Josiah Hartley, the label’s main focus is house and broken beat music (“broken beat or “bruk”, as it is also known, is a diverse style of  electronic music that came about in the late 90’s, and spawned out of the jungle/D&B scene”).

However, it can’t be pigeonholed into one genre. “As the label has grown over the years we’ve explored even more sounds beyond dance music, such as future soul, nu jazz, experimental electronic, down-tempo and much more,” Josiah tells Bristol24/7.

“I think it’s safe to say we cover a bit of everything, making it a bit harder to pin the label down to one single genre  or sound – which for me, is the best way forward.”

Josiah founded the label after hearing the “funky sound coming out of London” as well as the DIY attitude to the music and seeing the faces behind the music; “It wasn’t every day that you’d see a thriving, new house music scene, come about in the UK that was primarily young, black and working class – all of which I could relate to,” he tells us.

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“When you’re seeing all these new  producers such as Apple, Fuzzy Logik and Fingaprint, perhaps without any business or  industry experience, but starting up their own independent labels, and putting out their own  music on wax, you think to yourself, ‘maybe this isn’t as complicated as I thought it would  be?’”

The label has worked with over 20 artists so far, and counting. What does Josiah look for when agreeing to work with artists? “Firstly and for the most part, I have to be ‘feeling’ the music. It’s got to have a good groove,  solid rhythm with detail, a sense of musicality and an emotive or soulful quality that moves you or makes you feel something at the very least.

“I also have to sense that you’re in it for  the right reasons, for the culture and the love of music first. If any reward or perks happens to come along the way then that’s a blessing.”

With so much going on in Bristol, Josiah confirms that there is certainly an appetite for the music the label is putting out; “I do think there’s a stronger appetite for some of our more house-orientated releases we’ve put out. Such as Sean  McCabe & Karmasound’s ‘A New Day’ EP which was received pretty well,” he tells us.

Brussels native Rosie from the Block will be is one the linup for this weekend

“Eleven or twelve years ago that might not have been  the case because there was once a time when ‘house’ was like a filthy word in Bristol. Musically, there’s something for everyone in Bristol; whether it’s live music, dance music or everything else in between”

Taking place on September 18 is a new event called ‘Jus’Move’ which is being put on by local producer/DJ Red Rack’em. It will be the second session with Josiah playing alongside Phuture Shock Musik’s most recent signing –  Rosie From The Block aka Roselie as well as jazz dance connoisseur Marc Nicholson from the Jazz Quarterly sessions in Swindon.

Starting at 3pm and ending at 10pm, it will be a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It’s also a family friendly event, under 16’s are welcome for free as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

What can we expect from the event? “It’s a big nod to the legendary jazz dance club event ‘Talkin’ Loud and Saying Something’, that was held at Dingwalls, and put on by Gilles Peterson and Patrick Forge. So you can expect to hear everything from up-tempo jazz dance, fusion, house, broken beat, Brazilian, Latin, afrobeat, and then some.”

Bristol is lucky to have such a fusion of music all in one place at Phuture Shock Musik.

Keep up to date with what the label is doing via their Facebook and Instagram.

You can buy tickets for the event at Strange Brew via Headfirst.

All photos: courtesy of Josiah Hartley

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