Loadstar (duo)

Last updated

Loadstar
Also known asXample & Lomax
Origin Bristol, England
Genres
Years active2009–2020
Labels RAM Records
Members Gavin "Xample" Harris
Nick "Lomax" Hill
Website loadstar-music.com

Loadstar were a music production duo from Bristol, United Kingdom. They produced mainly drum and bass, while also working in other genres such as dubstep and electro. The duo consisted of Gavin "Xample" Harris and Nick "Lomax" Hill. They previously produced under the alias Xample & Lomax. [1]

Contents

Career

2007–2009: Record deal and formation

The two artists met while Bristol-born Xample was studying sociology at Liverpool University. Lomax was one-third of the production trio Holdtight at the time. Xample booked Holdtight for a drum and bass event, and Lomax moved to Bristol shortly afterwards. Xample sent some tracks to Andy C via instant message, and soon afterwards was signed to his label RAM Records. The duo's first release was the track "The Latter" which was released on 28 May 2007. It featured as a B-side to Xample's track "Lowdown" and was released on RAM Records. [2] Their second collaboration was "Contra" (released as a single on 2 February 2009). [3] Throughout 2009 they shared studio space and began to release more material together.

2010: Formation of Loadstar

On 26 April 2010, they released a single on RAM titled "Remember / Rushin Dragon". [4] [5] On 27 September 2010, they released their first song under the Loadstar alias: "Link to the Past / Rapidas". To tie in with the song title they looked through old rave tape packs and computer game cassettes until they found an old E-mu sampler. The old interface took a long time to load each sample and displayed a spinning star while loading. Hence the moniker "Loadstar" was born.

2010–2011: Commercial breakthrough

During late 2010, the duo also started producing for Hadouken!, starting with their singles "Mecha Love" and "Oxygen". On 14 November 2010, their remix of Example's "Two Lives" was released as their first Loadstar remix. In 2011 collaborations became more frequent, including remixes for Breakage, Chase & Status and Jess Mills. They received airplay from major radio stations such as BBC Radio 1, and were asked by Annie Mac to create a mashup of Jessie J's "Price Tag". [6] On 28 March 2011, they released the second Loadstar single, titled "Space Between / BLVD". "Space Between" was their first track to have an official music video. [7] On 24 July 2011, their track "Kaoss" was released as part of RAM 100, the label's hundredth release. [8] They went on to release the single "Berlin / Hit the Ground" and a remix of Ed Sheeran's "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" in 2011.

2012–2013: Every Weekend and Future Perfect

2012 saw a redesign of Loadstar's image: they created a new logo and began to gain recognition from a wider audience. The duo remixed "Tommy's Theme" by Noisia which appeared on the special edition of their album Split the Atom, re-released by mau5trap. They produced "Parasite", the lead single from Hadouken!'s third studio album Every Weekend . It was released as a free download on 11 April 2012, [9] and the song was later released alongside remixes on 19 May. [10] They also produced the majority of tracks on Every Weekend , including the album's fifth single "Levitate" which was co-produced by Noisia. On 8 May, they released a free two-track single titled "Second Skin / Terror Drone". [11] On 8 July, they released their first extended play titled "Passenger / Bomber", alongside a remix of "Passenger" by Culprate. [12] In September, they released a remix of Excision's "Sleepless", as part of his mau5trap remix album X Rated: The Remixes. [13] In November, they released a remix of Rudimental's single Not Giving In featuring John Newman and Alex Clare. They released a remix of The Good Natured's song "5-HT" as a free download in December. Their most popular release to date, "Black and White" featuring Benny Banks, was released on 9 December 2012. The official video has accumulated over one million YouTube views. [14] [15] It was later announced that this was to be the first single from their debut album.

It was announced in February that the duo would be releasing their debut album, titled Future Perfect , on 5 May 2013. However, this was later delayed to 26 May. [16] On 8 February, they released the track "Drowning" from the album as a free download. On 21 April 2013, "Refuse to Love / Flight" featuring uncredited vocals from Takura was released as the album's second single. [17] On 9 May 2013, they announced the fifteen-track standard edition album track list. It includes guest appearances from Scrufizzer, Takura, Jakes, Benny Banks, Jenn D, Hadouken! and Lloyd Yates. The deluxe edition of the album features seven extra tracks. [18] On 7 June 2014, "Give It To Me" appeared in the pilot episode of American crime drama Power .

2013–2016: RAMLife - Loadstar

In 2013, the duo produced grime and UK rap songs for Dot Rotten, Benny Banks and Scrufizzer. They also produced P Money's 2013 single "Round the Clock", the title track from his EP on Rinse. "Bomber" was featured in Gran Turismo 6 in 2013. The first single after Future Perfect, entitled "Stepped Outside" / "Under Pressure", was released on 6 April 2014. On 17 April, "Stepped Outside" was added to BBC Radio 1Xtra's C-list [19] and it rose to their B-list on 24 April, [20] staying in rotation for the following week. [21] The song features uncredited vocals from Caan. On 13 July 2014, Dot Rotten released his second studio album Interview for free download, which included the Loadstar production "Determination".

On 18 August 2014, RAM Records launched RAMLife, a series of albums containing the very best of recent RAM Records releases and other songs from other labels and artists with an hour long continuous mix from the featured artist. The first instalment was presented by Loadstar including some of their most popular tracks.

The duo's next single, "Native" / "Once Again", was released on 28 August 2015, over a year later from their RAMLife album and features uncredited vocals on "Native" from Danny Shah. On 1 December Loadstar was a song titled "Keeping Me High" featuring the Scottish indie band Prides. The following single, "Lifeline" / "Switch", was released on 5 February 2016. "Lifeline" features uncredited vocals from Cleo Tighe of The Six. The second single of 2016 titled "Red Rock" / "On The Wheels", this was released on 24 June. their final song of 2016 was titled "Change the Channel" / "Encarta", and was released on 14 October. All these singles were non-album singles.

2017–2020: I Need the Night

On 20 January 2017, the duo released "I Need the Night" as the lead single from their forthcoming second studio album of the same name. The album's second single, "Diamonds", features vocals from Takura, and was released 23 March 2017. Its third single, "Give Yourself", was released on 21 July 2017.

On 2 July, Loadstar also released a single entitled "Ring Ring" in collaboration with UK rap artist and former Section Boyz member Reeko Squeeze.

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

YearSongLabelRelease UK Physical
Singles
[22] 		UK Indie
[22]
2009"Contra" (as Xample & Lomax) RAM Records Non-album singles656
"Remember" / "Rushin Dragon" (as Xample & Lomax)71–
2010"Link to the Past" / "Rapidas"
–
–
"Space Between" / "BLVD"
2011"Berlin" / "Hit the Ground"
2012"Second Skin" / "Terror Drone" Future Perfect
"Passenger" / "Bomber"
"Black & White" (featuring Benny Banks)
2013"Refuse to Love"
2014"Stepped Outside" / "Under Pressure"Non-album singles
2015"Native" / "Once Again"
2016"Lifeline" / "Switch"
"Red Rock" / "On The Wheels"
"Change The Channel" / "Encarta"
2017"I Need the Night" / "Guerrilla"I Need the Night
"Diamonds" (featuring Takura)
"Ring Ring" (Reeko Squeeze vs. Loadstar)Self-releasedNon-album single
"Give Yourself"RAM RecordsI Need the Night
"Run Down (Control)"

Other appearances

YearSongAlbumLabel
2011"Kaoss"RAM 100 RAM Records
2015"Dune"RAMsterdam Drum & Bass 2015

Remixes

YearSongArtist
2010"Two Lives" Example
2011"Fighting Fire" Breakage featuring Jess Mills
"Blind Faith" Chase & Status featuring Liam Bailey
"Price Tag" Jessie J featuring B.o.B
"The Shield and the Sword" Clare Maguire
"Illmerica" Wolfgang Gartner
"Live For What I'd Die For" Jess Mills
"You Need Me, I Don't Need You" Ed Sheeran
2012"Tommy's Theme" Noisia
"Sleepless" Excision
"New York" Angel Haze
"Not Giving In" Rudimental featuring John Newman & Alex Clare
"5-HT" The Good Natured
"You're the One" Charli XCX
"Lose It"Jenn D
2013"Lifted" Naughty Boy featuring Emeli Sandé
"Losing You" (VIP)Loadstar featuring Jenn D
"Warrior" (VIP)Loadstar featuring Jakes
2015"Under Pressure" (VIP)Loadstar
"House Every Weekend" David Zowie
2016"Bike Engine" Jacob Plant & Stylo G
2017"I Don't Know"GotSome featuring Lisa Kekaula
2018"Light Up" Hybrid

Production credits

YearTitleArtistAlbum
2010"Mecha Love" Hadouken! Every Weekend
"Oxygen"
2012"Parasite"
2013"Levitate" (additional production by Noisia)
"As One"
"Stop Time"
"The Comedown"
"Round the Clock" P Money Round the Clock EP
2014"Determination" Dot Rotten Interview
"For a Minute" M.O Non-album singles
"Dance on My Own"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Gooch</span> British drum and bass, dubstep and electro house producer and DJ

Jonathan Barry Gooch, more commonly known by his stage names Feed Me,Spor and seventh stitch, is a British drum and bass, dubstep and electro house producer and DJ. He is currently managed by Three Six Zero Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hadouken! (band)</span> British dance-punk band

Hadouken! were a British dance-punk band formed in London in 2006 by singer, songwriter and producer James Smith and synth player Alice Spooner along with guitarist Daniel "Pilau" Rice, bassist Christopher Purcell and drummer Nick Rice. The band took its name from the special attack of the same name from the Street Fighter video game series. It was in Leeds that Hadouken! began their own record label, Surface Noise Records.

The Prototypes is a British drum and bass project by producer Nick White. Until May 2023, it was a duo alongside fellow producer Chris Garvey. Founded in Brighton, England, in the late 2000s, by 2010 they had released their first singles on labels such as Formation Records and Viper Recordings, and from 2011 to 2013 were signed to Shogun Audio. They have released a number of EPs, and have received radio and live PA support from DJs such as Matrix & Futurebound. Signing exclusively to Viper Recordings in 2014, in the following months the duo released a number of promo singles for a debut album. Their resulting single, "Pale Blue Dot" ranked as Beatport's second top selling drum and bass track of the year. The track was also nominated for Best Track at the Drum & Bass Arena Awards, with The Prototypes also nominated for Best Producer, Best Music Video, and Best DJ.

Noisia was a Dutch electronic music trio from Groningen, Netherlands. The trio was composed of Nik Roos, Martijn van Sonderen, and Thijs de Vlieger. Their music spanned several genres, including drum and bass, dubstep, breakbeat, and house. They released music on labels such as Skrillex's Owsla, deadmau5's mau5trap, and Jay-Z's Roc Nation. Noisia collaborated with Foreign Beggars on the supergroup project I Am Legion, releasing a self-titled album on 2 September 2013. They also worked under the pseudonym Nightwatch, contributing to projects with artists like Alexis Jordan, Hadouken!, Wiley, and Wretch 32. Their production work on Hadouken!'s album, For the Masses, resulted in a number 19 placement on the UK Albums Chart.

Dirtyphonics is a French electronic music band from Paris, consisting of members Charly Barranger and Julien "PitchIn" Corrales. Their music style is based on dubstep, drum and bass, and drumstep.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Promises (Andain song)</span> 2011 single by Andain

"Promises" is the third single from Andain, and remarks a comeback after eight years since their previous release. It's also the first promotional single taken from the duo's debut album, You Once Told Me.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flashing Lights (Chase & Status and Sub Focus song)</span> 2011 single by Chase & Status and Sub Focus featuring Takura

"Flashing Lights" is a single performed by British drum and bass duo Chase & Status, featuring production from fellow producer and label mate Sub Focus and vocals from Takura Tendayi. The single was released as a digital download on 18 November 2011 and serves as the seventh overall, fifth official and final single from Chase & Status' second studio album No More Idols.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W&W</span> Dutch DJ duo

W&W is a Dutch DJ and record production duo composed of Willem van Hanegem Jr. and Wardt van der Harst. They began their careers by producing trance music, before venturing into big room house and other forms of EDM.

KOAN Sound is an English electronic music production duo from Bristol, consisting of Will Weeks and Jim Bastow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel 42 (instrumental)</span> 2013 single by Deadmau5 and Wolfgang Gartner

"Channel 42" is a song by Canadian electronic music producer Deadmau5 and American DJ Wolfgang Gartner. It was released as the fourth single from Deadmau5's sixth studio album, Album Title Goes Here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trampoline (Tinie Tempah song)</span> 2013 single by Tinie Tempah featuring 2 Chainz

"Trampoline" is the lead single from British Nigerian rapper Tinie Tempah's second studio album, Demonstration (2013). Released on 4 August 2013, the song features an additional rap verse from American rapper 2 Chainz. It debuted at number three in UK Singles Chart on 11 August 2013.

<i>The Uprising</i> (album) 2012 studio album by Foreign Beggars

The Uprising is the fourth studio album by English hip hop group Foreign Beggars. It was released on 1 October 2012 through mau5trap. Most of the mixing was done by Wez Clarke.

<i>Future Perfect</i> (Loadstar album) 2013 studio album by Loadstar

Future Perfect is the debut studio album by British production duo Loadstar. The album was released on 26 May 2013 through RAM Records. Loadstar appeared on DJ Target and MistaJam's BBC Radio 1Xtra shows to promote the album. They also hosted an Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1. The album charted at number 168 on the UK Albums Chart and also on the dance and indie charts.

Mark Wilkinson, better known by his stage name Wilkinson, is an English record producer, DJ and remixer from Hammersmith, England. He has released music on RAM Records and Hospital Records, as well as Virgin EMI. His 2013 single "Afterglow" with vocals by Becky Hill reached number 8 on the UK Singles Chart on 20 October 2013.

<i>Lazers Not Included</i> 2013 studio album by Wilkinson

Lazers Not Included is the debut studio album by British drum and bass record producer Wilkinson. The album was released on 28 October 2013 through RAM Records under license to Virgin EMI. The album includes the singles "Tonight", "Need to Know", "Take You Higher", "Heartbeat", "Afterglow", "Too Close" and "Half Light". The album has peaked at number 46 on the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blk & Blu</span> 2014 single by Chase & Status featuring Ed Thomas

"Blk & Blu" is a song by British record production duo Chase & Status, featuring vocals from British singer Ed Thomas. It was released independently on 24 March 2014 as the fourth single from their third studio album Brand New Machine. However, the song charted prior to independent release and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 181 upon the album release, rising to number 48 after release. The Preditah remix premiered on DJ Target's BBC Radio 1 show on 8 February 2014, and the Calibre remix premiered on UKF Drum & Bass on 9 February 2014.

Lewis Shay Jankel, better known by his stage name Shift K3Y, is a British DJ, record producer, singer and songwriter, from London. He is best known for his 2014 singles "Touch", which peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart, and "I Know".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avaritia (instrumental)</span> 2014 single by Deadmau5

"Avaritia" is an instrumental song by Canadian electronic music producer Deadmau5. It was released as the lead single from his seventh studio album While(1<2) on 20 May 2014.

Nicholas Chiari, commonly known by his stage name Grabbitz, is an American electronic music producer, musician, composer, and DJ. He first gained attention in the EDM community with the song "Here with You Now", which was released on Monstercat in July 2014. He has collaborated with a variety of artists, including Savoy, Sullivan King, and Pegboard Nerds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spaceman (Hardwell song)</span> 2012 single by Hardwell

"Spaceman" is a single by Dutch DJ and record producer Hardwell. It was released for digital download on 23 January 2012. A second version called "Call Me a Spaceman" featuring vocals by Dutch singer Mitch Crown was released on 18 May 2012. Another vocal version was created in collaboration with Bright Lights. Despite Hardwell claiming that the latter was his favorite, his management decided to rather release "Call Me a Spaceman". Titled as "Mr. Spaceman" Bright Lights offered the track as a free download in late 2015. For "Spaceman"'s five-years anniversary he released the remastered Bright Lights version as "Mr. Spaceman ".

References

  1. ↑ "Xample & Lomax Discography at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Xample & Lomax - Lowdown / The Latter :: Ram Records :: RAMM65 at RollDaBeats". RollDaBeats. 28 May 2007.
  3. ↑ "Contra feat. Lomax / Keep Their Heads Ringing (RAM Records) :: Beatport". Beatport. 2 February 2009.
  4. ↑ "Xample & Lomax - Remember - YouTube". YouTube. 13 April 2010.
  5. ↑ "Remember / Rushin Dragon by Xample & Lomax mp3 download - Drum & Bass Arena Download". Drum & Bass Arena. 26 April 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  6. ↑ "Jessie J - Price Tag - Loadstar Mash Hit by Loadstar on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 13 February 2011.
  7. ↑ "Loadstar - Space Between (Official Video) - YouTube". YouTube. 20 February 2011.
  8. ↑ "RAM 100 (RAM Records) :: Beatport". Beatport. 24 July 2011.
  9. ↑ "Hadouken! - Parasite (FREE DOWNLOAD) by hadouken on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 11 April 2012.
  10. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Parasite (Remixes) by Hadouken!". iTunes. 19 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "SECOND SKIN by Loadstar on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. 4 May 2012.
  12. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Passenger / Bomber - EP by Loadstar". iTunes. 8 July 2012.
  13. ↑ "X Rated: The Remixes (mau5trap) :: Beatport". Beatport. 3 September 2012.
  14. ↑ "Loadstar - Black & White (Ft. Benny Banks) (Official Video) – YouTube". YouTube. 21 November 2012.
  15. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Black & White (Remixes) by Loadstar". iTunes. 9 December 2012. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Future Perfect by Loadstar". iTunes. 26 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "iTunes – Music – Refuse To Love (Remixes) / Flight – EP by Loadstar". iTunes. 21 April 2013. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Loadstar – We're pleased to be able to reveal the track list from..." Facebook. 9 May 2013.
  19. ↑ "Twitter / 1Xtra: Playlist update! New entries ..." Twitter. 17 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Twitter / 1Xtra: Playlist update! Newness ..." Twitter. 24 April 2014.
  21. ↑ "Twitter / 1Xtra: ** HOT OFF THE PRESS ** ..." Twitter. 1 May 2014.
  22. 1 2 "XAMPLE & LOMAX | Official Charts".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.