Gravious AKA Ali Jackson is an up-and-coming dubstep producer based in Glasgow, Scotland. With 4 releases under his belt through the Hotflush record label – on both the main label and the Scuba sub label – and a warm reception from critics and punters alike, he is currently taking a live show out on the road. Drawing on his influences in electronica as well as dubstep, Gravious’ productions adopt the heavy bass and strong percussive elements of dubstep but then adding shimmery, melodic synths and highs into the mix. ITM gets to the bottom of Gravious…

Glasgow is pretty far North of London! How did you get into dubstep?

More by chance than anything really! I got a digital radio in 2003/2004, and stumbled upon the radio shows of Jay Da Flex and Femme Fatale on the BBC 1Xtra station. I suppose they were mostly playing dark garage and broken beat back then, and I didn’t like all of it, but the basslines and switched up beats really drew me in… I didn’t have an internet connection at the time, and was well beyond the range of RinseFM, so I was just picking up a lot of stuff off their shows. Then Jay Da Flex started dropping some early DMZ bits, and I was hooked – Horror Show by Loefah in particular!

Around then I also found out about dubplate.net, which had a forum where all the producers posted up, and where I could download sets and Rinse shows (at the library!). I’d been producing for a few years before then, so it seemed natural that I’d make stuff influenced by what I was listening to. I made my first decent dubstep-ish tunes in about 2005, and in 2006 Hotflush signed up a few of mine on the back of a mix competition on dubstepforum.com, and so on from there!

I noticed in your bio that you are inspired by a wide range of artists, leaning towards electronica and experimental. How do you think that influences your productions and DJ sets?

Yeah, my background – if you can call it that – is in rock, then drum n’ bass and electronica I suppose. Those are still types of music I love, and don’t shy away from in terms of producing. Even when I try to make a straight ‘dubsteppy’ track I still end up putting in some other weird sounds almost reflexively – I can’t help myself!

I think it keeps my interest up when I’m producing to bring in lots of my electronica influences, especially when it comes to melody, and it stops me worrying too much about whether a track ‘fits’ into any sub-genre. On the plus side, it probably means that my sets are a bit more varied and dynamic than some, although possibly not causing as much dance floor destruction. I get tired of listening to one sound all night, and I think (hope!) I reflect that whenever I play out.

You played a laptop-based set in 2007 at the Triptych music festival. How was that? Is it something that you plan to continue?

It was great! So great that the majority of the gigs I have played since then have been using the same setup – a laptop, a controller and a midi keyboard. I think I’ve only played about half a dozen DJ sets since then, and all the rest were laptop/live. I’ll be bringing the kit over to Oz, so anyone that makes it down to the Sydney or Melbourne shows can catch my live set. Harking back to the last question, the live set also allows me to play a set that feels more continuous than DJing – as I have control over each separate element of each track – which is something I grew accustomed to from a lot of electronica stuff, like Future Sound of London. The only thing I don’t like about doing it is that it’s all my own tunes, so if the crowd aren’t reacting, I can’t just draw for the latest Skream/Benga 12”...

Tell us what Australian audiences can expect from you?

The unexpected! No, not really. They can expect a set that touches on a lot of influences, from dub-electronica influenced bleeps to dark garage swing via halfstep – with some weighty sub always lurking below! There are a few mixtapes up on my MySpace which give you a flavour, although they are more chilled than my live set. They can also expect me to have a jolly good time, utter random Scottish phrases, and probably swill a few tinnies with them whilst having a dance to the other DJs.

What have you got planned for 2009 and into the future?

Alas, future planning has never been my strongpoint… However, I have a few things planned for the year. Firstly, I have an EP coming out on the rather excellent Highpoint Lowlife label, which should see the light of day quite soon. I also have a few gigs lined up – the next confirmed one after my Australian jaunt is 9th May in the Netherlands. Throughout the year I plan to dedicate much more time to producing, and I also have another few releases in the pipeline – watch this space.

Gravious tour dates:

Friday 3rd April – Void, Phoenix Bar, Sydney
Saturday 4th April – Too Much, Brown Alley, Melbourne