Review: It's time to take the acid-breaks fusion to a whole new level here as DAWL lands on Craigie Knowes for four tracks of electronic mastery, kicking off with the moogy arpeggios and crunchy breakbeat drumwork of 'Let's Go'. Following this we then move into the more nostalgic padwork and rolling percussive switchups of 'Drop It', before we head down a super old-school road on the bubbling bass tones of 'Heavyweight'. Finally we finish this one up with a dash of additional spice as 'Overdub' wades into view, slowing the tempo into a more timedancey episode, driven by it's unusual percussive expanses and acidic synth patterns.
Review: It's the summer! It's time to fire up the BBQ and spend sunny weekend afternoons in the garden... which means it's also a good time to be releasing laidback but still party-oriented lo-fi hip-hop grooves. Enter Alexander Norman and Dynamite MC, who've come up with 'Flamingo' - think the cream of the Bay Area lo-fi scene trying their hand at something along the lines of Jazzy Jeff's classic 'Summertime' and you're somewhere in the ballpark. Remixes come from Beatvandals, who up the tempo slightly, and Kenny Beeper, who serves up a more electro-fied rub, while an instrumental completes the package.
Review: ONEPUF are back at it again, bringing us yet another super tasty breaks inspired original as they employ the talents of Private caller for two super crunchy original creations. We kick off with a look at 'Let Me Know' which combines an organ driven, reverby introduction with lethal 808 drones and shimmering vocal scatters on its breakdown. On the flip side, the tempo is dramatically decreased to allow the hardcore influences of 'Want Me' to shine through in serious style, with scatty chord stutters and subtle breakbeat lines shimmering away, bringing a touch of nostalgia to this wicked two track selection.
Review: Double Bubble here return for another fantastic offering, linking up with the legendary Breakbeat Paradise Recordings imprint, who continue to champion the future sounds of breaks on this incredible 2019 run. We kick off with the smooth horn riffs and vocal harmonies of the A-side 'Ridiculous', which is chased up in style by the more heavy hitting 4x4 drum marches and vocal call and response of 'Show Me'. We are also gifted a pair of absolutely top notch remixes for this one as we first hear Gramophone refix 'Ridiculous' with some funkadelic themes, before Rory Hoy brings out the breaksy power on his tasty overhaul of 'Show Me'.
Review: Some two years after Kellam Matthews launched his rave-era inspired Frendzone label with a limited vinyl release, the imprint's first EP - a split affair featuring cuts from Octo Octa and Ames Henry - has finally been made available as a digital download. That's something of a bonus for digital DJs, because all four tracks are superb. Octo Octa offers up the poignant pianos, spacey electronics and hip-house breakbeats of "Move On (Frendzone Remix)", as well as the pitched-down jungle breaks, ethereal vocal samples and enveloping chords of "Daylight". Ames Henry takes a slightly different approach with his two contributions, first dishing up the ultra-deep late night house stomp of "Trust Me On This" before reaching for crispy two-step drums, rumbling bass and dubbed-out electronics on EP highlight "Working In Noir".
Review: Whistle crew! Horn crew! Stamina crew! Insomniax's Freshold continues his heartfelt homage to the Sanctuary with the second part of this authentic foundation celebration. "How Does This Feel" is the pure essence of rave, kicking us off on a true early 90s tip with detuned synths and a hook that nods its cap to the Prodigy and Orbital. "London Soul" flips the focus to a more formative time in drum & bass and the influence of Good Looking. Done from the heart and hitting with 2019 production values, Freshold is killing it with these Saxon Street EPs.
Review: Funky grooves and swanky drums and heavy bass, what more could you want from a new school breakbeat original eh? That's exactly what you are in store for here as Slynk and Mr Stabalina join forces with powerful aftershocks on their brand new weekend-ready original 'Keep The Party Jumping'. We are greeted with a barrage of bolshy drum punches, kickstarting the vibrant rhythms that lay within, and when layered with ferocious reese bass up-risings and catchy synth melodies, cause quite the ruckus in the dance!
Review: Should you want to turn your place into a swinging cantina let Beatnik City's first release of The Latin Leaks be your soundtrack, and slam those tequila's to "Uhh! Ahh". There's some sampled Wu Tang thrown in among a clamour of drums in "Shimmy Cumbia", while tempos are lowered in "Lift Ma Soul". For some electro-swing vibes check out "Golden Boy" and get tropical on "Real Smooth". Consider your next fiesta sorted!
Review: Three very serviceable contemporary funk bullets here, lovingly put together by Bristolian funk and hip-hop producer X-Ray Ted. 'Mirror Ballin'' places a jaunty little funk guitar riff front and centre, augmenting it with a wordless chant and numerous other vocal snips that are scattered liberally across the track in an 80s hip-hop kinda style. 'Get Into It' gets even busier with the sampler as it throws bites from seemingly every "get up" or "get on up" vocal ever recorded into the mix, while finally 'Never Gonna Let 'Em Say' plays us out on a rawer, sleazier funk tip, with more of a 'live' feel and less of the hip-hop production tricks.
Review: New State have the honour and privilege of unveiling this extremely hard hitting original collection from the living legends: Stanton Warriors, with their new album project 'Dance Floor'. The album from start to finish gives an excellent showcase of what is going in bass music worldwide, with a selection of originals from their in house label: Punks and more. From listening through, our highlights have to include the subtle, techy flavours of Foundry's 'About Your Love' remix, featuring Lily Mckenzie, along with the punchy collaboration with Taiki Nulight entitled 'Beat Up' and of course Left/Right's spooky rethink of the title track 'Rise'.
Review: "Back & Forth" is the collaboration between Chi-town legend DJ Sneak and Miami booty-bass hero Jesse Perez. It is a dope hip-hop jam that features vocals from KE and reminiscent of the '90s with its broken drum beat and spoken word lyrics. Sneak himself says that he wanted to create 'a street smart dance floor track with powerful latino sounds and all the right ingredients for a club banger'. Young Brazilian talent DJ Lukke is first to remix it, co-produced alongside Blakkat aka Mark Bell goes for a bass-heavy reggaeton influenced bounce while the legendary Ricardo Villalobos goes deep into the afterhours with his hypnotic minimalist rendition that is as idiosyncratic as ever,
Review: A little funk sensibility can be the best of remedies to sooth your winter chills, and this new 20-track compilation from JalapeNo is the perfect remedy. The imprint has it down when it comes to releasing contemporary soul-dance, and peeps like the Ephemerals, Basement Freaks, and Izo Fitzroy are all revelations in of themselves. Just to give you a little flavour of this steaming hotpot of sounds and grooves, there's a little tribal disco slaying on Soopasoul's "Hustlin'", vintage Motown soul with The Allergies and "Since Youave Been Gone", and contemporary r&b vibes through the vocal talent of Alexia Coley and her "Jekyll & Hyde" tune. There's something in here for all walks of life, so be sure to flick through this baby to find your kink.
Review: Chopshop mark the completion of their first decade in the game with this 17-track compilation of funk n' breaks nuggets from the label vaults. Groove Armada and Situation both feature, but generally the emphasis is on less well-known names, who serve up a mixture of cheeky bootlegs, re-edits and original material. Dave Gerrard samples the Average White Band on 'Drop The Pieces' and George Kelly & DJ S's 'Movin' To The Groovin' takes Wild Cherry to the breakbeat party, but the majority of the tracks draw on less obvious sources of inspiration, with standouts including the big beat/lounge-y vibes of Senior Citizens' 'What A Body' and the ghetto disco groove of Appo's 'Getaway'.
Review: By the power of Greyskool, scalpel fiends Dave Gerrard and Rob Bairstow pop up on Masterworks Music with the follow-up to their 2015 debut, Inside The Box. They begin with a cheeky curveball: a punchy and floor-friendly re-imagining of Gino Latino's 1988 Euro-house hit "Welcome". "Room Full of Strangers" is a fine scalpel work of Candi Staton's superb, mid-tempo disco anthem "Nights On Broadway" - this time with a little extra low-end chug - while "Something Shady" is a fine rework of Labi Siffre's "I Got The..." that subtly gives it a little more dancefloor oomph. Finally, they make a play for "end of night edit of the year" with a tastily looped-up rearrangement of Stephanie Mills' super-sweet "Wha'cha Gonna Do With My Lovin".
Review: Within the modern breakbeat scene, there a few labels that are able to hold their heads as high as Breakbeat Paradise, who have remained incredibly consistent over the last few years, delivering heavyweight EP's left right and centre. Next up for them we see the return of Pecoe, who delivers some serious heat here, kicking off with the wicked sampling routines of 'Splash Of Funk'. Next, the groovy indie inspired switch ups of 'Like An Animal' and the catchy horn routines of 'For The Renegade Master'. We then finish up with the heavyweight drum designs and the spicy guitar licks of 'Nothing But A Party', seeing out a wicked selection.
Still Here (Fred V & Grafix remix) - (4:14) 130 BPM
Still Here (Vanilla Ace remix) - (6:55) 124 BPM
Still Here (Rektchordz remix) - (6:31) 125 BPM
Still Here (Mafia Kiss remix) - (5:01) 130 BPM
Still Here (Stantons Shambhala mix) - (5:07) 128 BPM
Review: One of the Stanton Warriors' most iconic and romantic tunes to date: 12 years old and "Still Here" remains one of bass music's finest torch songs. Right now, though, that torch is been amplified into an entire volcano of freshness courtesy of an array of talent artists: Fred V & Grafix add some seriously euphoric D&B theatre, Vanilla Ace updates the original's lingering keys and rolling groove with a thumping house arrangement, Rektchordz get lively on a naughty tech house tip while Mafia Kiss subverts the groove on a deeper twist with various subtle references to the original along the way. Finally the Stantons themselves lay down the previously dubplate-only Shambhala festival version. Can you feel it?
Under The Lights (instrumental mix) - (5:27) 127 BPM
Review: A powerhouse tag team of full bass proportions; Punks bossmen Stanton Warriors and Four40 founders Hybrid Theory collide for a truly royal broken beat rumble. Solid beat swagger, groaning less-is-more bass, a nagging riff and soaring uplift in the synth and vocal hooks, this smacks hard and memorably with the sharp signature of both acts involved. Comes complete with an instrumental for the deeper heads.
Review: The ever dependable Southpoint team have seemingly done it again here, as the dangerous duo of Negativ debut on the Brighton based platform for a scorching three track party. We kick off with a look at the title track 'Entropy', a grizzly rolling fireball, showcasing exactly what Negativ's sound is all about. Next up, we make way for 'Structure', which again rains down a barrage of breaksy fire and sizzling bass sounds, before we finish up the EP with a deeper composition in 'Aurora'. Don't be fooled however, as this blazing finale packs one hell of a punch!
Review: The latest from Sheffield based Chip Butty Records, is fat and throbbing, much like your arteries if you live by this imprints namesake. Introduction business as little known production outfit Foundry release their label debut, and what an entrance. 'Void' is seriously funky, it's pounding 4/4 beat is utterly infectious, the gaps are filled with mutated, twisting synths which will have you pulling all manner of faces. 'What' sees a soulful vocal upon its weighty bass although the track has a dark undertone, trust us when we tell you it'll get you moving. 'Treason' is the dirtiest track of the bunch, with its harrowing choral vox, warped sub, it's a little frightening. Dr Oscillator is on remix duties for 'Void' bringing it to more intense realms.
Review: Well, it look as if Bomb Strikes have caused a ruckus yet again here as they look set see out the year in style. This 6th edition of their now infamous 'Funk N' Beats' series sees them bring together a collection of twenty high powered insta-classics, all packed to the maximum with old school flavours, crunchy riffs and explosive grooves, perfect for chopping down any party. This project sees appearances from the likes of Smoove, Torpedo Boyz, Groove Armada, A.Skillz, Chrome, The Traffic and many many more, who all deliver the goods. This project also comes complete with a full continuous DJ Mix.
Review: Serious booty-fusion abounds on this new series from Booty Fruit. Badboe introduces Jeru The Damaja and Ini Kamoze to a disco bassline. Roast Beatz gives Grand Puba a sexy, sun-kissed facelift. El Bomba and Hidden Riddim go back to school on their Akai and get clever with a range of well-known samples and big old juicy bassline. Waggles finishes the set with the cheekiest addition that sees the Beastie Boys on a lounge lizard samba flex. Party insanity.
Review: The 80s electro force is strong in this one! Parisian producer serves up a retro-tastic cut featuring New York hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, whose "you are on my radar/I control your mind" vocal is alternately fed through a vocoder and served dry. The Original, Bonus Beats and Adesse mixes are pure nostalgia, Dimitri From Paris looks to Italo-disco and early Chicago house for inspiration on his remix, the Borussia Remix has a slightly more contemporary, footwork-y feel and Deen Abdelwahed's remix takes the track into more jagged indie-dance territory, like Nag Nag Nag had never closed.
Review: Client_03 appears to be a new act, but as Hope Repeater is out on Fracture & Neptune's label, it's clear that the quality level will be high. The title track is a hypnotic stepper that resounds to lithe rhythms and layered, atmospheric synths."1nce Again" sees Client_03 pick up the pace with a clanging metallic bass, while "Interest Reset" is an acid-led affair that rides a steel-plated rhythm. It's only on the title track that Client_03 reaches a drum'n'bass tempo, but by this stage the swirling acid and niggling rhythm will have mesmerised even the most exacting audience.
Review: Breakbeat is most definitely back on the up this year, and it is primarily down to the sheer consistency of artists such as Morlack who tireless push forward with new projects on such a regular basis. This latest album episode goes by the name of 'Bluff' and encapsulates everything we love about Morlack's sound, from the stunning instrumental sampling and punchy drum work of 'Colibri Shine' to the dipping grooves of 'Sex Me'. For us, the highlights here have to include both the excellent vocal slicing of '2Be In Family', and of course the horn-heavy riffs of the title track 'Bluff'. Excellent stuff from the breakbeat mastermind!
Review: It's no coincidence that Galaxy Lane has chosen this stage name because as Voyager 1 demonstrates, the shadowy producer specialises in esoteric electro. Issued on Lone Romantic, a Spanish label with immaculate pedigree thanks to previous releases from Freddy Fresh and Carl Finlow, this EP includes the high-paced, murky funk of "Landed". However, it really impresses when Galaxy Lane goes off the deep end and into the unknown. The aptly-named "Explore" is a wonderful spaced out piece of esoteric electronic music - led by blips and spacey synths, while "Take Off" resounds to growling robotics, speak and spell tones and a frazzled bass.
Review: It's time now to dive into some truly forward thinking compositions here as we take a first look at the first edition of 'Slam Jams' from various artists on the Holding Hands imprint. Yutaro Sugawara kicks us off with his super electronic imaginings in 'Warp', a subtle techno expanse which never stops evolving. Next comes Tape Fear with a fabulous fusion of spacey 808s, breaks and reesey tones, before Guava gets busy on a very atmospheric future garage creation. Finally, we finish this selection off with a more housey number from Breaka, combining euphoric chord structures and shattered vocal slices on 'Get Your Sweat On'.
