Friday 18 October 2013

MTV IGGY: Virus Syndicate: The Grime Outsiders Who Always Win












By Joseph 'JP' Patterson

Name: Virus Syndicate

Where They’re From: Manchester, England

When They Started: 2001

Genre: Grime/"Electronic hip-hop"

For Fans Of: Foreign Beggars, Dope D.O.D.

Sounds Like: Mosh-pit music

In the ten-plus years that they’ve been active, Virus Syndicate have never forced their North of England grime on the genre’s birthplace of London. Instead, the Mancunian four-piece have successfully surfed their own wave, holding up their corner without the help or need for acceptance from the immediate scene’s big-wigs. And they have a handful of big-selling albums and EPs to show for it, too.

MK1, Nika D, Goldfinger and JSD’s sound leans on ragga, jungle, and dub a lot more than the grime average. But, because of that, they’ve been able to tap into the international dubstep and D&B markets; tearing down countless arena-sized raves around the world with their abrasive flows and ear-ringing, riot-worthy productions. Last year, in North America, the Brit-boys were finally exposed to the fruit of their labor.

"The moment that really made us think, 'Wow! We’ve actually achieved something,' was when we did our first headline show over in Los Angeles in 2012," Nika D tells MTV IGGY. "Having five hundred people so far away from home screaming our lyrics back at us was just incredible, and it’s an experience we will never forget."

Virus Syndicate recently opened up the doors of Midication Recordings; their very own label which they one day hope to transform into a fully-functioning multimedia company: studios, visuals, and the rest. However, the group’s main priority for the next six to twelve months is to "release a new batch of party-starting beats and bars, and head out on tour."

"We’re dropping our collaboration mixtape with Jaguar Skills before the end of the year and we’re hoping to release another Virus Syndicate album next year," adds Nika D. "Tour-wise, we have a tour of Switzerland in the bag for December, a UK tour for January 2014, a European tour for February and March, and we’re hoping do the States in April. We’re just excited about the future, man. The grind doesn’t stop!"



This also appeared over at MTV IGGY: H E R E