Truly amazing matches can just keep on giving. You only need to look at Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga to know that when a couple of kindred spirits start knocking ideas back and forth, the results can be beautiful and fruitful. This is undoubtedly the case with Jus Now. When Bristol based drum and bass man Sam Interface met Trini producer and percussionist LazaBeam, the two Riddim fanatics began to cultivate a whirlwind of underground-meets-the-carnival excellence.When we reached out to the pair of them, ahead of their appearance at Bristol's Love Saves the Day, we were hoping for a chat and maybe some music. We were bowled over when they came through with an exclusive track and a free music bundle including features from Beenie Man, Trinidad James and an exclusive remix of My Nu Leng - Masterplan. Oh, and a comprehensive guide to Bristol VS Trinidad and Tobago. That's right, three in one people. So take a listen to the straight soca-punch below, scroll further for your free download, and even further to be guided through the best of Clifton or the Caribbean.
Sam Interface: Brandon Hill park is the oldest park space in Bristol and a lovely spot to go in the summer. Climb to the top of the Cabot tower for amazing views of the whole city.
LazaBeam: Point Radix, an estate on a Plateau located on the south eastern coast of Trinidad. Incredible. There are hawks, a secluded beach, a bamboo forest and hummingbirds flying around.Best place to go for a swim?
S: It's a bit pricey but if you've got a little bit of cash to burn in Bristol there aren't many better places than the Clifton Lido. It has a 25 metre outdoor heated pool with a hot tub, spa treatments, sauna and an amazing poolside restaurant…flossy!
L: Nylon Pool in Tobago. It's a couple miles out from the coast but on top of a mountain of coral sand that allows groups of travellers to converge in glass bottomed boats and wade in waist deep water. Sometimes we throw parties there with speakers stacked on the boats.Best place to buy records?
S: Idle Hands in Stokes Croft is Bristol's last surviving Independent record store, it's also one of the best spots in the country for buying the freshest underground sounds on wax.
L: Crosby's Records is the last bastion of the golden era of Calypso. If you want good vintage Soca and Calypso, or any Trini music on vinyl, you need to go there.Best night out?
S: Who Cares is on the first Wednesday of the month at the 300 capacity Crofters Rights. The line up is always a surprise but the residents list includes us, Addison Groove, Appleblim, My Nu Leng, Pinch and Woz. I'm obviously biased because I am involved in the night but I think it is probably one of the best mid week club nights in the world!
L: Liming, any night during Carnival season (liming means going out). We have these parties called 'Fetes' which are like concerts with all the big Soca singers and bands playing. In the last month before Carnival they are every single night of the week. Even office workers go but still make it into work the next day.Signature drink?
S: The Pipe & Slippers have a famous signature cocktail known as "The Pipe Dream". It contains about 5 different Rums and is topped off with a lime boat filled with Absinthe! They are so deadly that they wont serve you more than 2 in one sitting!
L: Swampi. Our friend Kes introduced us to this a while back. This is THE official Jus Now, non hangover, crispiest rum drink of the century: a good dose of Trini rum (preferably Angostura Single Barrel), a healthy scoop of ice, club soda to the top and a splash of Coke.Favourite artist to have come out of Bristol/T&T?
S: I'm just gonna go with Massive Attack for the simple reason that I think "Unfinished Sympathy" is one of the greatest pieces of pop music ever created, I must have heard it thousands of times and it still never fails, it's perfect.
L: Check out the master of Soca, Lord Shorty who eventually morphed himself into Ras Shorty I.Best drunk food?
S: Yoyo burger on Clifton Triangle is an amazing late night Burger spot. They serve burgers with everything from traditional chicken or beef, right through to lobster or ostrich!
L: I used to date a girl once that swore by eating a palm full of pepper sauce to sober up. It works, and we love our pepper in Trinidad. It's a religion.Best Carnival?
S: St Paul's Carnival is pure mayhem. Huge Soundsystems on every corner with something for everyone; Reggae, Dancehall, House, Garage, Dubstep or Jungle. Jerk chicken, Red Stripe and rum punch everywhere. What more could you want?
L: In 1881 the Canboulay Riots occurred in our capital Port of Spain there was a retaliation against the English cracking down on certain aspects of the Carnival, which had first been celebrated by newly freed slaves. Being a music and dance mad society from inception, the descendants of those slaves burned Port of Spain down, fought the British Army, won and celebrated wildly in the streets. Thus was born the modern Caribbean Carnival, right here in Trinidad and Tobago. Nowadays what's become modern Trini Carnival has been exported globally by Trinidadian migrants. Trini's are professional Carnival people.You can catch Jus Now at Love Saves the Day on the 23rd and the 24th of May. Tickets are still available here.Jus Now are on Facebook and Souncloud.Angus Harrison is on Twitter.
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Free music bundle available below.The pair will be heading to Bristol for Love Saves the Day at the end of this month, so ahead of that we asked them to compare the hilly city with LazaBeam's Caribbean home. Now you are soaking up those next level vibes, enjoy Sam Interface and LazaBeam's guide to Bristol vs Trinidad and Tobago.THUMP: Best place to watch the sun come up?
Sam Interface: Brandon Hill park is the oldest park space in Bristol and a lovely spot to go in the summer. Climb to the top of the Cabot tower for amazing views of the whole city.
LazaBeam: Point Radix, an estate on a Plateau located on the south eastern coast of Trinidad. Incredible. There are hawks, a secluded beach, a bamboo forest and hummingbirds flying around.Best place to go for a swim?
S: It's a bit pricey but if you've got a little bit of cash to burn in Bristol there aren't many better places than the Clifton Lido. It has a 25 metre outdoor heated pool with a hot tub, spa treatments, sauna and an amazing poolside restaurant…flossy!
L: Nylon Pool in Tobago. It's a couple miles out from the coast but on top of a mountain of coral sand that allows groups of travellers to converge in glass bottomed boats and wade in waist deep water. Sometimes we throw parties there with speakers stacked on the boats.
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S: Idle Hands in Stokes Croft is Bristol's last surviving Independent record store, it's also one of the best spots in the country for buying the freshest underground sounds on wax.
L: Crosby's Records is the last bastion of the golden era of Calypso. If you want good vintage Soca and Calypso, or any Trini music on vinyl, you need to go there.Best night out?
S: Who Cares is on the first Wednesday of the month at the 300 capacity Crofters Rights. The line up is always a surprise but the residents list includes us, Addison Groove, Appleblim, My Nu Leng, Pinch and Woz. I'm obviously biased because I am involved in the night but I think it is probably one of the best mid week club nights in the world!
L: Liming, any night during Carnival season (liming means going out). We have these parties called 'Fetes' which are like concerts with all the big Soca singers and bands playing. In the last month before Carnival they are every single night of the week. Even office workers go but still make it into work the next day.Signature drink?
S: The Pipe & Slippers have a famous signature cocktail known as "The Pipe Dream". It contains about 5 different Rums and is topped off with a lime boat filled with Absinthe! They are so deadly that they wont serve you more than 2 in one sitting!
L: Swampi. Our friend Kes introduced us to this a while back. This is THE official Jus Now, non hangover, crispiest rum drink of the century: a good dose of Trini rum (preferably Angostura Single Barrel), a healthy scoop of ice, club soda to the top and a splash of Coke.
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S: I'm just gonna go with Massive Attack for the simple reason that I think "Unfinished Sympathy" is one of the greatest pieces of pop music ever created, I must have heard it thousands of times and it still never fails, it's perfect.
L: Check out the master of Soca, Lord Shorty who eventually morphed himself into Ras Shorty I.Best drunk food?
S: Yoyo burger on Clifton Triangle is an amazing late night Burger spot. They serve burgers with everything from traditional chicken or beef, right through to lobster or ostrich!
L: I used to date a girl once that swore by eating a palm full of pepper sauce to sober up. It works, and we love our pepper in Trinidad. It's a religion.Best Carnival?
S: St Paul's Carnival is pure mayhem. Huge Soundsystems on every corner with something for everyone; Reggae, Dancehall, House, Garage, Dubstep or Jungle. Jerk chicken, Red Stripe and rum punch everywhere. What more could you want?
L: In 1881 the Canboulay Riots occurred in our capital Port of Spain there was a retaliation against the English cracking down on certain aspects of the Carnival, which had first been celebrated by newly freed slaves. Being a music and dance mad society from inception, the descendants of those slaves burned Port of Spain down, fought the British Army, won and celebrated wildly in the streets. Thus was born the modern Caribbean Carnival, right here in Trinidad and Tobago. Nowadays what's become modern Trini Carnival has been exported globally by Trinidadian migrants. Trini's are professional Carnival people.You can catch Jus Now at Love Saves the Day on the 23rd and the 24th of May. Tickets are still available here.Jus Now are on Facebook and Souncloud.Angus Harrison is on Twitter.