Blog

Blog #1

The future snowsports generation, their sounds of the mountain? It all starts now!

Après. In English some fine folk translate this as the time where you lose your mind on the mountains. The ‘scheisse’ often hits the fan and all sense of control and demeanour disappears down the valley (often with your other ski.) These moments are totally and utterly glorious.

Whether it be a week trip with a uni club, a get away with mates or a flat out season, après is a ritual. A ritual that has a selection of practices and can be practiced in its most renowned fashion (losing thy scheisse to EDM & champagne showers), the off piste version (unique, characterful and a hint of chilled), or kicked and stripped back (super chilled, seasonnaires know it well). We know these times well but not many know it better than Wasteland Ski, a purveyor of the good times and the sort of people we would follow down a black run at the end of the day.

So being big ol’ fans of après and using music to enrich our experiences we thought, hey, let’s share the love and make our own mixes, let’s hook up DJ’s with listeners, let’s make it free, let’s make it for après. “Hey DJ’s, can you make us a mix that would sum up your perfect après?” “Hells to the yeah” they responded and so our company began. Although company is a loose term, more an official term that companies house has applied to us, but surely we are having way too much fun to be a company we thought, well yes until our clothing range went flying around the mountains so we upped our game and got rolling with the good times. Now almost a year on, 15,000 mix plays in 130+ countries, 1000+ free downloads later and it’s time to drop our latest avenue, we’ve taken the first exit at the good times roundabout and heading straight down fun street, it’s time for ‘Future Sound’.

Future Sound is a collaboration between us and our good friends at Wasteland Ski. We know that student DJ’s are where it’s at, finger on the pulse and head in the clouds and all that, student DJ’s know what’s coming next as they live and breathe it now, so the Future Sound pulsates from their oversized speakers. We want that sound. We want to party it in, we want to bathe in it, roll around it and call it our friend, but most of all we want to après to it. We want to make it a soundtrack from bus to bar and piste to apartment.

So now we stand proud at the top of the mountain, arms spread wide and rustic horn in hand, this is our call to the DJ’s to give us the sound of the future, a 30-minute mix is your slot and it’s their time to shine. Students and listeners, our monthly 1hr DJ mixes of course continue and we encourage you to indulge in the 14 pieces of musical art that await your ears as free to listen and download mixes.

Thousands of skiers and boarders will shred the mountains this winter and many of these will have thee beats loaded to their playlists ready, we hope you join them and enjoy the creations of Future Sound.

Blog #2

Après with Brookes Snow

Welcome to Blog #2 for Future Sound. Now we’ve brought you up to speed on who we are and what we’re about, we’re getting out there and chatting with committees to get the inside scoop on their apres habits!

To kick things off, we caught up with a couple of the colourful Brookes Snow committee and did a little digging in to what makes them tick! Check out what their President (Alex Biffen) & VP (Malin Johnsen) had to say below.

How many trips have you been on with your club?

[Committee] – Five (Biff) & three (Malin)

[Future Sound] – Jeez that’s a serious amount of uni student based apres madness then. Props for making it this far, especially you biff!

From those where has been your favourite Après venue?

[Committee] – Between KK’s in St Anton & Bar 360 in VT

[Future Sound] – 2 solid venues for sure. We’re definitely no strangers to the madness that takes place in Bar 360 on a weekly basis during the season. Over half our team have it on good authority that it’s banging from December right through til April. I only advice toward the end of the season would get liberal with the sun cream when you’re there as it’s super easy to get caught out!

What's been the most ridiculous thing you've seen going down on Après?

[Committee] – Once got naked on the table at apres and got a shout out from Afrojack during his set ‘wow, this guy is crazy’

[Future Sound] – That rings a bell to several the Wasteland crew. In fact, we’re pretty sure there’s photographic and video evidence of it flying around on the internet somewhere…

If you could host your own Après themed party anywhere in the world where would it be?

[Committee] – The JHB (Brookes Library) would be ace especially the Forum (same size as Motion in Bristol) would be incredible kitted out and everyone from Brookes attending. .

[Future Sound] – We love how you could have gone with anywhere on the planet and you went straight in with a Library rave. Brookes through’n’through! We hear you on Motion though having witnessed the UBSC crew tear that place a new one with help from Cirque du Soul a couple weeks back!

With that in mind, who would be your DJ/Band/Artist of choice, and who would you get to MC?

[Committee] – Craig david Ft JME.

[Future Sound] – No mincing of your words here but to be honest, enough said.

What advice would you give to others about to experience après for the first time?

[Committee] – Take a hip flask, golf ball and throw your best shapes.

[Future Sound] – We’ll pretend we didn’t hear the first, always abide by the second and live by the third.

Who is more fun on après, snowboarders or skiers?

[Committee] – Skiers hands down.

[Future Sound] – Not even a pause! Tell your board captain they are welcome to party with us if they feel left out.

You are the après DJ, you have one final tune to drop, what is it?

[Committee] – Earth Wind and Fire – September – because who doesn’t like disco.

[Future Sound] – Take. A. Bow.

What resort(s) is your club hitting this year?

[Committee] – We are off to Les Arcs 1800 for our Christmas trip and then Pas De La Casa for Easter trip.

[Future Sound] – Oh nice! So you’ve got the banging vistas and serious sound system that is L’Arpette to look forward to in Les Arcs. We eagerly await to watch those scenes unfold! As for Pas at Easter, it’s shaping up to be a sick season over there and we’ve heard rumblings of new apres venues in the works too. Music to our ears!

And finally, if you could hit up après with only one other uni club who would you go with?

[Committee] – Would be tough choice – between UWE, MMUFS, Leeds Snowriders or NUSSC. They are all such a good crack.

Blog 3

Welcome to Blog #3 for Future Sound. Last time around we were talking to the Brookes Snow guys, this time we’re swapping stories with a couple of Leeds Snowriders Committee. As a club that runs both a christmas trip and a mega Easter trip, they are certainly a proactive bunch. Here’s what their President (Luke Bowen) & VP (Emma Winterson) had to say below.

[Committee] -

LB: 8

EW: 4

[Future Sound] – Woah, it’s safe to safe you guys have enough apres experience under your belts then!

[Committee] -

LB: Bar 360 (See photo)

EW: Bar 360

[Future Sound] – As a club whose traditional Easter pilgrimage finds you in Val Thorens every year this comes as no surprise! Luke, it’s possible we’ve never seen a happier man. We sorely hope this is one for the show-your-kids-you-used-to-be-a-legend photo album.

[Committee] –

LB: Seeing So Solid Crew perform at apres was pretty weird

EW: It’s not often that I remember apres

[Future Sound] – Yup we bet that wasn’t a sentence you thought you could ever say until the mad minds behind Rise Festival made it so! As for you Emma, we’d suggest downloading a brain training app? That or maybe hold back on being such an apres LEGEND. Your call…

[Committee] –

LB: Great question, thank you. Laax. Laax needs apres.

EW: Tignes because I love Tignes.

[Future Sound] – You’re welcome Luke. 2 very solid answers by all accounts. Laax is possibly one of the most gangster resorts we’ve had the pleasure of spending time in but there’s no doubt it’s missing a little something at the end of each day! As for Tignes, we hear you Emma. It’s got a certain character you know?!

[Committee] -

LB: Jamie Thomson (Triple Cooked) or Metallica. Emma can MC if her sh*t chat improves.

EW: Sunset Sons/ bands like that who tour the Alps all winter. So good. Luke can MC.

[Future Sound] – Brave to accent the likes of Metallica with the risk of shit chat from Emma, but we reckon they’d drown her out if things got bad… Also Luke, it’s kinda awkward that you’ve hung Emma out to dry like that when she’s just straight up put you on the bill ha!

[Committee] –

LB & EW: Go with an open mind. Remember where you put your skis/ board. Hit the flugels. Neck those 1080s. Get on a table and get naked. Play spin the bottle with strangers. Make sure you know your limits though- the ski home is always interesting (especially if you can’t remember where you’ve put your skis).

[Future Sound] – Couldn’t have put it better ourselves! Finding where you left your kit is key, but being able to safely use it to get home is paramount. Everything in between is fair game we’d say!

[Committee] -

LB: The most fun person I’ve ever known at apres is Sam Judd and he is a skier. Love you buddy.

EW: skiers. Obvs.

[Future Sound] – Luke, this isn’t the Radio 1 breakfast show you can’t just give shout outs like that. However on this occasion we’ll let it slide. Sam Judd, you owe Bowen a beer. Seems like skiers are getting a lot of the love today then!

[Committee] -

LB: Darude Sandstorm

EW: Fleetwood Mac: Go Your Own Way/ Everywhere.

[Future Sound] – 2 very different directions but both with equal merit! Luke, we’ve heard there’s an esteemed member of the UBSC committee who does a pretty mean rendition of Sandstorm on the recorder. You may want to hit him up, we’re fairly sure you are familiar with one another… Emma, can we come sing our hearts out at your next apres please?!

[Committee] -

LB & EW: Pas de la Casa in December and Val Thorens in March

[Future Sound] – A Snowriders first to start the season and a family favourite to finish. Sounds like a solid season to us guys!!

[Committee] -

LB: Newcastle or MMUFs. Or Edinburgh. Or Bangor.

EW: Newcastle. Or Edinburgh. They’re pretty fit.

[Future Sound] – Well we can see what drives Emma’s decision making!

Shout out to Luke & Emma for giving us the low down on how the LS crew go about their business. Sit tight for Blog 4 when we braved posing some questions to Bangor Snow committee…

[Future Sound] – We’re not sure it’s safe to have you all in one place outside the sanctuary of Edinburgh for once weekend a year!

Blog 4

Welcome to Blog #4 for Future Sound. We know having had 2 lovely catch ups with the likes of Brookes and Leeds, going in search of Bangor was a risky move. Not least so whilst cruising their facebook group’s photo library looking for something suitable to pinch as a headline image. Thankfully though we came out the other side of that process fairly scar free, mentally or otherwise! Here’s what Ed Green & George Gates from the 2016-17 Committee had to tell us…

[Committee] -

George: 8

Ed: 5

[Future Sound] – Dayum. Seems to be a theme that all you committee lot have done serious time with the club!

[Committee] -

Ed: La Folie Douce in Tignes/Val D.

George: Folie/Pano.

[Future Sound] – Folie favourites all round then though we’ve gotta hand it to George for the Pano shout out too. He’s really covering all bases there. If you’re reading this and have yet to experience the world that is Panoramic Bar in Les Deux Alpes, put it on the list and call us when you get there.

[Committee] –

George: Having a naked off with some other uni at rise 2014.

Ed: Somebody getting golf balled from across the dance floor, hella good shot.

[Future Sound] – George, we’re not really sure how you go about having a “naked-off” considering well… once you are naked, there’s no way of being more naked. Knowing Bangor Snow’s rep as we do though, we’re sure you found a way… As for the long range golf ball Ed, it’s rare but massively underrated for sure!

[Committee] –

George: Folie in Tignes.

Ed: Yeah second that.

[Future Sound] – We’re beginning to see a theme here gents! Keeping it traditional though

[Committee] -

Ed: Either Patrick Nazemi or the Weaver bros. Can’t beat a little MC from Olly Parker.

George: Harambros – they don’t need no MC

[Future Sound] – Ed, how’s about we let Olly decide who to front for? Could be interesting… As far as the Harambros go George, we’ll leave a link here for people who don’t know. God save them all.

[Committee] –

George: Get drunk and naked, then more naked long arm a pint on someone’s shoulders while your naked – après complete, go home for a napres.

Ed: Same as that but bring some gloves.

[Future Sound] – Speechless.

[Committee] -

George: Skiers

Ed: Boarders

[Future Sound] – The first committee to go 50:50 on this one! No doubt the boarders will take this as a win though and we don’t blame them.

[Committee] -

Ed: Opus – Eric Prydz (Four tet remix)

George: And the beat goes on (Purple disco machine remix)

[Future Sound] – No mistaking the vibe that you guys go in with. Big selections.

[Committee] -

George: L2A

Ed: Yeah man, crashing Rise again. See how it compares to their first year.

[Future Sound] – Sick to see you guys returning to Rise for round 2 with Bangor! After a year out to show The VT Takeover how it’s done we have no doubts you’ll be back in a big way for Rise 2016. The W.A.R arena has missed you we hear…

[Committee] -

George: Mmufs lol

Ed: Those pesky MMUFs.

[Future Sound] – We have every faith they’d be buzzin to get your invite in the post / via carrier pigeon. Actually, probably easier just to do it over FB.

Big up to Ed & George for sharing a touch of the Bangor Snow life with us. Gratefully they didn’t send us as naked photos to accompany this piece… Don’t get any ideas guys.

Blog 5

Welcome to Blog #5 for Future Sound. We came out the other side of chatting to Bangor with more questions than we went in with… but that was to be expected. This time around we’ve Ben McCullough and Ben Edwards (Seshwards) from Middlesex University Snowsports Club committee or MUSC as they more often go by. Having learned a lot about these guys during the renown Captains Trip back in October, we weren’t sure what to expect but knew to expect the bizarre if nothing else…

[Committee] -

Ben: 2 for myself

Seshwards: I still haven’t popped my cherry

[Future Sound] – Ready to complete the hatric then Ben. All we can say is look after Seshwards…that and it’s uncommon for students who’ve never attended a trip to make it on to committee so kudos for that!

[Committee] -

Ben: Folie… buy a couple of bottles of ‘champagne’ and act like you’re a baller for all of 2 mins

Seshwards: What is apres??

[Future Sound] – Folie has been a firm favourite for many. 2 minutes seems an odd time frame though bud? Somewhere between drinking it quietly in the VIP and going for F1 podium complete with a long arm. Seshwards, don’t act coy with us! You may never have been but we’re more than aware that you know… and when you know, you know… you know?

[Committee] –

Ben: witnessing Chris Mathias rain down money (with his face on) onto the masses below him

Seshwards: See above

[Future Sound] – For those of you reading this and wondering who Chris Mathias is, he is the current President of Bristol Snowsports (UBSC). Ben it’s a fine choice and seshwards, we’re caught between disappointment and relief that you didn’t just make something up…

[Committee] –

Seshwards: at my grandads wake next Tuesday, might lighten the mood? (you’re all invited)

Ben: I’m heading to the wake as well; my widowed grandad is joining me

[Future Sound] – Moving swiftly on… *facepalm*

[Committee] -

Seshwards: Chris Mathias

Ben: Chris Mathias’ recorder

[Future Sound] – 2 fine choices there gents. 100s of us witnessed the beauty of this combination at the Dryslope Champs earlier this year in Edinburgh and few would argue it was anything other than sensational and incredibly strange.

[Committee] –

Ben: Bring a champagne fund

Seshwards: Refer to question 2

[Future Sound] – We know what we’d get you for Christmas Ben, it’s bordering an obsession

[Committee] -

Ben: What is a snowboarder?

Seshwards: The ones with the two pieces of wood and the sticks

[Future Sound] – Firmly camp skier then guys. Although honestly, we’re starting to question how exactly Seshwards got the role and we’re not sure we want the answer…

[Committee] -

Ben: Mariah Carey – All I want for Christmas is You

Seshwards: The Sesh Prayer, set to the theme of the Titanic

[Future Sound] – Well it’s nothing if not very different to previous selections we’ve had. That would make for a head scratching finish to a season closing party

[Committee] -

Both: L2A, the home of Captains & Rise Festival

[Future Sound] – No strangers to the resort then! Even Seshwards will know his way around (the bars at least).

[Committee] -

Ben: Brookes (plus Chris Mathias… and Hope)

Seshwards: Table 2…shhh…

[Future Sound] – Between Brookes and UBSC you’ve got some very good party vibes. As for Seshwards, there’s more to life than the Captains Trip…..we think?!

Shout out to both the Bens for this installment. Short, sharp to the point and to quote them “all very PG, don’t worry”. Cheers guys, we were nervous!