becoming real Solar Dream/Neon Decay (7-track CD, £4.95)

“Forward-thinking techno-savvy music…Exploitive, intelligent, groundbreaking.” Loud & Quiet “Experimenting with rhythm and shifting tempo, Becoming Real is post-dubstep and then some, a mesmerising collision of bass, drag and juke…It’s time to let this creative mind warp your thoughts.” Clash “An intricate tapestry of beats interwoven on top of each other, creating something that is at once totally abstract and bewilderingly intriguing.” iDJ “Frosty atmospherics and stabbing keys make for ice cold dubstep innovation.” The Independent “Becoming Real… makes idiosyncratic mutant soul music, full of wild colour and weird texture.” FACT Magazine “Becoming Real songs sound like they're undergoing a miraculous metamorphosis, as though they've awoken from uneasy dreams to find themselves transformed into something monstrous and amazing.” NME Becoming Real is the moniker of ethereal artist and producer, Toby Ridler. A somewhat elusive entity, who takes influence from the stark sonic palette of grime, footwork and European techno and shifts it into sinister soundscapes which are as equally alien as they are recognisable to the listener. After his recent release with Dam Mantle on GETME, Becoming Real gears up for the release of his mini-album ‘Solar Dreams / Neon Decay’, preluding that will ‘Snow, Drift Love’ a free download available from March 2012. ‘Snow, Drift Love’ is an exciting blend of UK garage, funk and techno teamed with Becoming Real’s instantly recognisable chromatic basslines and chopped vocals. Becoming Real first started making music in the forgotten suburbs of South London in 2010, forging his own mesmerising take on first wave grime. This quickly caught the imagination of various corners of the music world and before long there were sold out 12” vinyl releases through Tough Love Records, Not Even, RAMP Recordings and also his own Cold War Industries label. After support slots with Mount Kimbie and Salem among others, Becoming Real finished 2011 by landing the main support slot on the SBTRKT tour which was unquestionably the hottest support of the year. Becoming Real’s mini album which promises to be an amalgamation of all his work to date combined with a broader, warmer sound and some exciting vocal collaborations, sets him up for a very exciting future.