Music for robots that move like jelly

(From left) Timmy Schumacher, Bex Riley and Chris Chetland.

When Timmy Schumacher rings Chris Chetland he knows that Chetland - otherwise known as Baitercell - will be in the recording studio. "He's always in the studio," says Schumacher, whose turntable techniques make up one-third of local breaks outfit Baitercell & Schumacher.

Chetland is one of the country's most in-demand music producers yet Schumacher reckons this makes Chetland the perfect person to be in a band with.

"He knows how to get tracks sounding really, really big and he's invested his life in learning how to do that and I've invested the last 14 or 15 years into DJ-ing and knowing what works on the [dance] floor. So we work well together I think."

Big is important when it comes to breaks - especially Baitercell & Schumacher's thumping brand of it.

"Our sound is a very, very big sound. It's very, very bass heavy. It's a little bit rocky, but very catchy. We've still got that underground sound but we appeal to a wide audience. We just rock really, really hard and that's the main thing behind our sound."

The pair, along with singer Bex Riley, play Summadayze today at North Harbour Stadium. Dubbed Australasia's biggest one-day dance festival, it features American hip-hop legends De La Soul, the Queen of hard house, Lisa Lashes, and local acts Misfits Of Science, Fast Crew and Rob Salmon.

So what is breaks? Imagine a robot that moves like jelly. That's what you'll look like when you're dancing to it. It's mechanical yet funky.

Schumacher describes the genre in two ways: "First of all I cite some obvious artists like Fatboy Slim, or Chemical Brothers, or Crystal Method. But to someone who's a little more dance savvy I'd say it's basically open-minded music for the dancefloor that doesn't revolve around one beat. It involves a break beat, like a rock beat or an electro rhythm or something."

Unlike its close cousin drum'n'bass, breaks has potential to be more popular because it has a catchiness and tunefulness that often gets lost in drum'n'bass. And Baitercell & Schumacher are not scared to flaunt their love of a good tune.

"Me and Chris actually don't mind the pop sensitivities. We love writing vocals and working with vocalists and MCs and we don't just want to make dance tracks - that's the beautiful thing really." 

Their debut album, Wall Of Bass Technique, was meant to be released last year but was put on hold. "But," says Schumacher, "it got to the point where we realised it's make or break time and we have to get this album out by March or April."

Last year their debut 12-inch, What's Down Low, was one of the biggest-selling breaks tracks in the world.

Its success inspired US label, Zone Records - run by the king of the funky breaks, DJ Icey - to release Baitercell & Schumacher's second 12-inch, Lay It Down. "I emailed him and said, 'Hey, we did this track What's Down Low'. And he said, 'Sweet, send Lay It Down to me'.

"All it takes is one good track," says Schumacher. 

On stage

*Who: Baitercell & Schumacher

*What: Summadayze Festival

*When: Today from 4pm until 3am

*Where: North Harbour Stadium, Albany

*Releases: What's Down Low (12-inch), Lay It Down (12-inch)

*Album: Wall of Bass Technique (due March or April)

 

Festival

*What: Summadayze

*When: Today from 4pm to 5am tomorrow

*Where: North Harbour Stadium, Albany

*Tickets: $85

Summadayze Schedule

Outdoor Stage

(hip-hop)

4pm Manuel Bundy, Lazrus, Justn FX, Word Perfect
5.30pm Peter James
7pm Misfits of Science
7.30pm DJ Sir Vere
8pm Dei Hamo
8.30pm DJ Sir Vere
9.20pm Fast Crew
10pm De La Soul

ASB Bank Main Room
(house/electroclash/mash up)

4pm Jolyon
5.30pm Grant Marshall
7pm Havoc
8pm 2 Many DJs
10pm Sam Hill
11pm Tim Deluxe
1am Greg Churchill

Davenport's Room
(Breaks)

4pm Nick D
5pm Randomplay
6pm Baitercell & Schumacher
8pm Cut La Roc
10pm Deadley Avenger
11.30pm 1 Meat Katie
1am Lee Coombs

President's Room
(hard house)

6pm Delegate
7pm Jason Ng
8pm Justin Sane
9pm Terry Wizz
10pm Nick Collings
12pm Lisa Lashes
2am Cracker

North Harbour Room
(funky house/electro)

6pm Simon Paul
7pm Mark Emerson
8.30pm Gavin S
9.30pm Rob Salmon
11pm Paul Dean
12pm Angela Fisken
1.30pm Tim Richards

Referee's Lounge
(deep house)

6pm Ed
7.30pm Karn
8.30pm Ange
9.30pm Soane
11.30pm Miguel Migs
1.30pm Randall
Munro