Cut La Roc At Juno Download

Review: Having reached their twenty fifth release last year with Myagi & The Root Sellers' "Rock One," Westway Records continue to push things forward with the release of "Electric Forces Funk" by breaks superstar, Cut La Roc.

Run by Barry Ashworth, Carl Loben and Billy Borez, Westway is committed to driving the scene forward with every release. Although the label touches on varying styles, their output focuses mainly on electro and breaks. More important in terms of fitting in with the label is attitude. Named in reference to 70s punk outfit, The Clash, Westway is founded on a raw, punkish attitude of exuberance.

As such, "Electric Forces Funk" feels right at home here, boldly announcing itself amid an array of noises and FXs. Built around a robotic vocal that repeatedly asks "can you feel Electric Forces Funk?" this futuristic, mechanical techno fiend takes on a future sci-fi feel from the outset. Squelchy FX, sirens and synths from outer space combine in this full throttled, high octane tech monster. Even the breakdowns sound like vicious and dangerous machines, intent on killing the remaining humans. Not laying low for long, the tune springs back into action ferociously, covered in a whirlwind of huge beats and glitchy techno sounds.

The Drum Monkeys' remix is up next. Much like the original but with an even filthier bassline, this is thick wad of tech-funk for the big rooms. 601?s remix ignites big breaks and electro interludes with the kind of string-like synths that used to litter 90s house. Finishing the release is the Sneaky remix. More atmospheric and dramatic then the rest, the Supercharged resident delivers a no frills, driving rework. Once again proving that both Cut La Rock and Westway are still pioneering a sound, "Electric Forces Funk" stands as a top release.

Review: Back with his third album, Big Beat pioneer Lee "Cut La Roc" Potter has created a kaleidoscopic set of songs that make his early days on Skint suddenly seem like a very long time ago. As someone who grew up on hip-hop, it's maybe not surprising to hear so many influences at work at one time. There are plenty of B-Boy references, most notably on "Come Get Some" which features an amazing guest spot from MC Donald D, as well as a choice sample from Big Daddy Kane's "Warm It Up Kane". There's also the use of classic UBB tune Pussyfooter on the schizoid party-banger Jump Up & Down.

But surprisingly, there are a host of other styles on show here as well. Pop gets a look in on For The Kids, which uses a Robbie Williams chorus as a hook in between raps from The 6th Letter. Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol even makes an appearance on Mishka, with La Roc making a soundbed of sampled strings for the singer to let loose on. A pair of songs with vocalist Alex Larke also showcases some unexpected influences. Don't Stop seems pleasantly indebted to The Rolling Stones, while their other collaboration Candy Man is a slow and sentimental piano-led ballad.

There's still a lot of jump-up club tunes that fans would expect from a Cut La Roc album, like the awesome Nightlife Love and Hey Girl which features a great performance from Ragga MC Lion D. But it's refreshing to hear a DJ produce an album that takes them out of their comfort zone, especially when it works as well as Larger Than Life.

Review: An impromptu single from breaks meister CLR, joined by UK rhymer Coppa for the subtle yet very cool "Riot In The Club". You might expect a tune with "Riot" in the title to be a cavalcade of noise, but the duo keep things nicely on the down-low, with rounded, subby basslines and a simple breaks drumset forming the backbone for Coppa to flesh out with his rhymes. And what rhymes they are - if you know of another tune that name checks Elmer Fudd, Dawson's Creek and Nigella Lawson in the same verse, we'd love to hear it!

Review: Exclusive to Juno Download, Rocstar main man and nu-funk breaks king Cut La Rock slams it on this cheeky one-off single. Running at a hip-hop tempo and sporting a tight, old-skool loop featuring plenty of Eastern percussion, CLR offers up the beat to two UK MC's - Coppa and Native Sun - who both kick unique verses with killer lines in each. Don't ask us to pick a favourite, they're both pretty tight spitters who both marry their flow to the beat perfectly here.

Review: The second single from Cut La Roc's Larger Than Life album sees a host of talent get under the bonnet and tinker around with this effortlessly cool collaboration. With the original crammed full of poppy hooks and Fangs' addictive vocals, Superfrank transplants the vocal onto a sophisticated nu-soul beat, full of harps and 60's drums. His instrumental is a joy that really shows off his studio smarts. Nitenoise by contrast turns "Deathstar" into a breakbeat rinseout complete with acres of bass. Fog's Sledgehammer mix takes things even dirtier, brilliantly using whispered layers of the vocal over a devastating LFO-riding breakdown. Fat Dad and Udy also compensate for the original's more laidback feel by pumping their mixes full of high octane electro fuel.