Review: Two techno giants come together as DJ Rush makes his debut appearance with Adam Beyer on Drumcode. The title track features the Chicago native's ponderous vocals set to an insistent, pumping rhythm, scatter gun percussion and a booming bass. "Control" is a more visceral affair: inspired by Rush's exploration of Schranz, its drums are gritty and the use of dramatic, chiming bells and a darker vocal lend it a real sense of urgency. "Take Me There" has an ominous edge, with pounding drums and a dramatic filter sweeping through the arrangement, while Rush's remix of the title track resounds to relentless kicks and a menacing low end.
Review: Label boss Adam Beyer teams up with DJ Rush for the Chicago legend's debut on Drumcode. The duo know each other from the 90s European techno circuit, and you can hear flashes from that period on the title track, with Rush's rumbling vocals underpinned by a hypnotic drum track. "Control" is more grainy, as the revered duo deliver a pulsating bass that unfolds over heavy kicks, and again Rush's ominous vocal tones play out over the arrangement. "Take Me There" is typical of the Drumcode big room sound, with a sawtooth riff and surging chords set to a pounding groove, while Rush's own bass heavy take on the title track completing this heavyweight package.
Review: It's hard to believe that Gary Beck's techno has been around for a decade, and helping him to blow out the candles is a star-studded line up. First up is Chicago legend DJ Rush collaborating with the label owner to deliver the stomping ghetto techno of "Talkers". Sunčica Bari?ić aka Insolate delivers a more European-focused sound on the atmospheric, tone-laden "He Said, She Said". Changing focus again, Slam's version of JX-216's "Xingu" is a visceral peak-time affair that resounds to discordant riffs, while on Mark Broom's "Red Line", an insistent organ and firing percussion, similar to Floorplan's style, is audible. Hopefully it's the first of many birthday celebrations.
Review: Like his own 6 foot 6 inches demeanour, this release from DJ Rush is an imposing affair. It moves from the high-paced, clap-heavy ghetto techno of "In the Bag" into the grimy acid and deranged vocal narrative on the title track about a female acquaintance who is on 'crack cocaine' and 'looks like a lollipop". "Droppin' Things" sees Rush deliver a tribal roller that sounds more inspired by UK techno than his hometown, while "Slide on By" is a synapse-melting acid affair, pitched at a high tempo. "Bits & Pieces" sees the Chicago producer take the intensity level down again, albeit with a steely rhythm, while "Pay Attention to the Bass" is classic Rush, a rolling visceral groove featuring freaked out vocals.
Review: He's back! The Chicago techno and hard house legend returns on his notorious Kne Deep imprint with a new full length effort. The man who brought such legendary titles over the last couple decades such as "Motherucking Bass", "Freaks On Hubbard" and "Look'n Like A Woman" still pulls off his jackin' and relentless style as good as ever here and takes no prisoners! Getting straight down to business on the gusty and stompin' "That's What I'm Talkin' About" featuring his hilarious trademark vocals, there's two versions of the sick "Round Midnight" but we were more concerned with the "Rush Acid dub"(after all, he is from the Windy City!), while tracks like "Dirty Boy" and "Feeling Sexy" showcase his ever enduring knack for charming track titles; not mention a singular techno sound that influenced a generation of dancers and producers. He once famously said "Take more for what I am, or don't take me at all!" and we're certainly with the former. Isaiah Major: respect for doing it your way.?
Review: Given the rise in popularity of Dance Mania-inspired ghetto-house and ghetto-tech releases over the last couple of years, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would put together a compilation celebrating the label's greatest moments. That it was Strut that did it with Dance Mania Hardcore Traxx: Dance Mania Records 1986-1997 was something of a comfort; Quinton Scott's crate-digging imprint does these kind of history-driven compilations so well. Dance Mania: Ghetto Madness is a second trawl through the archives of the label and features some fifteen cuts of little-known or hard-to-find tracks from the likes of DJ Funk, Paul Johnson, DJ Rush, Jammin' Gerald and Wax Master Maurice (whose bizarre but brilliant "Bounce That Body" is a highlight).
