Review:
A stellar partnership for this latest volume in Bombstrikes' series of funk 'n' breaks party weapons, which came about after Ali B called in on Nick Thayer during a recent Australian tour. The pair fuse together a wild set of influences and sounds, as on opener "Music" which evokes Cypress Hill, Jay Z and classic '60s soul whilst still staying true to their block-rocking breaks sound. "NE Way" dips into a riff made famous by Dillinger and pimps it out gloriously with heavy drums while "Back To You" samples a line from one of De La Soul's classics and adds a Moog-ish bassline and all manner of funky sampled breaks.
Review:
By now, we should all know what to expect from bootleg specialists Bombstrikes - tried-and-tested mash-ups underpinned by floor-friendly breakbeats. This latest instalment comes from rising breaks star Badboe, who offers two soul-flecked groovers. Both are slightly less hectic and full-throttle than previous Bombstrikes releases, but that's no bad thing. "Shine Like A Halo" fuses a bouncing, midtempo break with wobbly (but surprisingly subtle) bass, the obligatory hip-hop samples and a dash "Son of a Preacher Man". "Masterpiece", meanwhile, takes a similarly soulful approach, contrasting Jurassic 5 raps with sweet soul vocal snatches at a dancefloor hip-hop tempo. The most cultured Bombstrikes release for some time - and that's a compliment.
Review:
Oh! It's the one like Badboe back to cause some havoc on our charts this week, and his return comes in the shape of three tasty floor bruisers that'll no doubt appeal across the board. First up, "Get Your Boogie On" manages to balance a sweet r&b vocal with crankin, Ice Cube-style rapping under a rolling, electro sort of groove. Prosper features on both of the following two tunes; "How Funk Is Your Chicken" is a vintage cruiser, all flashy hip-hop breaks and 80s vocalism, while "Gimme What You Got" takes the tempo right down to true hip-hop levels, sounding a little like the Black Eyes Peas back when they were on form. Yessah!
Review:
The latest in Bomb Strikes' series of party-smashing bootlegs and breaks sees Denmark's Badboe chop it up with France's Prosper over these two new cuts. The Fatback Band's "Gotta Learn How To Dance" acts as the basis for "Too Hot To Handle", with some hyped bass added to the funk as well as acapella cuts from Method Man amongst others. "Rock The Beat" sees the duo going for a full-on soulful vocal treatment, complete with some energetic filtering, while Mooqee and Beatvandals's accompanying remix throws on some Jackson 5 magic into the mix too.
Review:
Last year Mooqee & Beatvandals celebrated the tenth anniversary of their Bombstrikes label. Here they maintain that momentum with a four-track party-friendly package from Basement Freaks. "Ladies Look Pretty" is a swaggering opener - all military rolls, hip-hop stabs and lairy chants. Elsewhere "Funkin' It Up" is beefed up 80s electro-rap at its finest, "Make It Clap" is an infectious Mexican/tropical trap hybrid and "Jamrock Bass" is moody reggaeton/bass jam.
Review:
After the immediate success of his high profile collaboration with Dynamite MC, Bazza Ranks returns with another box of breakbeat goodness on "That Stuff" in collaboration with Imagine This. This one if for the singalong fans, combining funky breakbeat riffs with catchy lyricism to great effect.,On remix duty The Allergies rework the track with some soulful backing, whilst WBBL throw together a complete dubstep infused electro refurb.
Review:
This batch of Beatvandals floor fillers initially surfaced 7 years ago on wax and has been long deleted on the format. It finally gets a digital release as a 3 track download which gathers the vocals and rhythms of the first lady of freaked out hip hop, a certain infamous rock band who just called it quits, the Bussa Bus and even a Toots tried & trusted classic all to be reworked with Beatvandals mash up treatment .It ultimately delivers a fun release that is basically a no brainer for a packed dancefloor.
Review:
Two masters of bootleg-style, hip-hop/funk mash ups team up for this latest instalment in Bombstrikes' series of party rocking tuneage. A Skillz and Beatvandals play a blinder on "Sunshine" - speeding up Roy Ayres' bonafide classic "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" with a tight beat layered underneath and chopped up respectfully. "Slapdance" however sees the pair take the beat from NERD's debut single "Lapdance" and cover it in well-crafted acapella cuts to make it a heavy-hitting floor filler.
Review:
Bristol's Scott Hendy aka Boca 45 steps forward on the Bomb Strikes imprint with a fantastic new compilation composed of 29 previous classics, unreleased dynamite sticks and a selection of exclusive new music. What a way to summarize the Boca 45 sound, as the release, specifically crafted by the man himself rolls effortlessly through 20 years of funk, breakbeat, hip hop and whatever else fits the situation! The two new records are entitled 'Hand Of God' and 'The Bear Pit' which pays homage to the infamous Bristol underground location. Overall, this is a fantastic collection and a must purchase for any Boca 45 fan!
Review:
Old Rummy returns to the Bomb Strikes stable with three more essential party jams. "Work Signs" takes Justin Timberlake back to the early '70s on a Parliament-charged funk train, the epic sample session "Funky Vibrations" flips us back to the early '90s with a focus on the De Le Soul's "Roller Skating Jam". Finally we get lively with a muscular big beat jam that features the distinctive vocal tones of DJ Kool Marva Whitney's evergreen horn hook from "Unwind Yourself". Show us a sign!
Review:
Beer-breathed breaks baron Tom Booze lays down two more cheeky bootleg blends. "Never Knew" goes back in time, kidnaps Fatman Scoop and brings him kicking, screaming and chanting into the future; taking Fatman's classic remix of Faith Evans, it's an instant bass-caked showdown. And if you think that's funky then check "Get Off Yo Ass": blending Funkadelic's outrageously funky "Get Off Your Ass And Jam" with Tom Browne's "Funkin For Jamaica", KRS-One vocal chants and a ridiculously ugly bassline, he's created an absolute party monster. You best do as the Boozy one says: Get off your butts... and get down to this!
Review:
Canadian nu-funk upstart Bryx returns to Bomb Strikes after a brief hiatus with four more floor-shredding slammers. First up is a daring twist on Portishead. Taking the original's haunting undertones and ripping them into pieces with searing bass, it's a bold move but one that pays off. Elsewhere we get itchy and scratchy to the sawtooth heavy "Pop That", we get psychedelic and soulful on "Check It" and end on a raucous bass-ravaged high with "The Fool". Four big bass blasters, one cheeky release, Bryx is back and he's not taking any prisoners.
Review:
The Bomb Strikes label project have really solidified their position throughout 2018 as one of the leading forces across the breakbeat expanse, consistently supplying their fans with high profile fire. Their latest release alongside Bryx is a perfect example of that as we kick off with the super groovy tearout electronic riffs of the title track 'This Is It'. From here, the project strips back a tad as the more smoothened grinding bass leads and unpredictable beat scratches of 'Up In The Place' take the lead, followed by the dubstep inspired bass jolts and drum punches of 'Heads Up' alongside Audiowrx which finishes the project up.
Review:
And now time for some Canadian country glitch. Bryx's beats are so rich yet so spacious there's heaps of groove and space for fellow countryman Corb's vocals and guitar strums. The result is a hoe down that hits so hard you'll either take up line dancing or be incompetent of walking in a straight line for the rest of the night. Either way; total party carnage delivered a truly unique way.
Review:
Its mash-up central on the Here We Come EP, and just in time for the Christmas party season too! The tunes contained on this single ain't gonna win Ivor Novello awards, they will, however, have you wearing clip-on antlers and swinging from the rafters having drunk too much punch. The title track fuses a Duran Duran (or James Brown?) guitar lick, big beats, and the Fugees. Elsewhere "Bring That Beat Back" is a bouncy Missy Elliott rework and "Bounce With Me" takes a De La Soul classic and give it a tropcial/baile hype-up. Party dynamite!
Review:
Breakbeat specialists Dubra and Arteo return to launch some aerial strikes on the Bomb Strikes imprint, and it sounds like these two have been busy chopping samples away on those machines! "Milk" adds a little milkshake from Kelis' timeless hip-hop mashup, the pair adding in more beat power to the equation, and this is followed swiftly by the moreold-school, siren-ready rave experiment by the name of "Bubble Baby". Last but certainly not least, "She Goes" goes for something a little more exotic thanks to a little injection of Eastern melodies to its outlook.
Review:
The latest in Bombstrikes' series of mash-ups and breaks-driven party bootlegs sees accomplished remixer and turntablist Featurecast drop a pair of bulletproof bangers. "Stomp" sees The Game's "Break Him Off" a cappella going up against Red Hot Chilli Peppers' "Can't Stop", with a little help from The Chemical Brothers along the way. "One More" on the flipside rocks Chic's venerable classic "My Forbidden Lover" while adding a cappella loops of Public Enemy's Chuck D over the top. Guaranteed funtimes.
Review:
Switching up formats from their trusted Bombstrikes mash-up series to this new Into Battle set of releases, this label still have the freshest breaks-led bootlegs on tap, as evidenced by this split release from Featurecast and Pimpsoul. While Featurecast's "Stick 'Em Up" takes a Lenny Kravitz classic as its sample source, adding a slew of hip-hop acapellas into the mix for good measure, Pimpsoul does a mighty treatment with a Nirvana acapella on the heavy-rumblin' "The One".
Review:
Originally released on Freshly Squeezed, erstwhile Soul Of Man partner (and awesome graphic artist) Jem Stone teamed up with Foxy Cheex to give us the steamy, sultry "Lick The Spoon" exactly a year ago. Now updated in remix-form, both Funkanomics and Rory Hoy give it a brand new wardrobe... The former goes deep into nu funk mode with a sleazy groove and grizzly bass textures while the latter gets jiggy on a skank-wise big beat format. Party time in both directions, once you've licked this spoon clean you'll be raiding the cutlery draw.
Review:
Bomb Strikes introduce new producer Gaddy to the game. Straight outta Houston with a fresh new take on the glitch sound, each of these three originals shuffles and shakes with raw mid-tempo charm. "Jonesing" is a stark, angular jam that's designed purely for early night strutting and "Dope Dank Dip Nops" takes a familiar flute refrain and develops a dramatic, slightly icy groove around it. The jewel in this party-slapping crown, however, is "My Attitude Is All Funked Up". With a bassline that's so funky it could make Bootsy blush, it oozes character from every cut and splutter. Watch out for Gaddy - debuts as well executed as this don't come along every day.
Review:
Having previously impressed through collaborations with Bomb Strikes boss Mooqee, Herbgrinder returns to the party-hearty imprint with a three-track assault of bassbin-bothering badness. Opener "The Nod" takes ghetto funk and gives it a colossal kick in the nuts, layering hip-hop vocal samples and occasional p-funk synth squiggles over a gigantic wobble bassline. "The Snake" offers more of the same, adding more talkbox and electrofunk synths for even greater P-funk flavour. As for "The Rumble", it slows the pace, allowing the winding synths and late night electronics to ride roughshod over a typically boisterous, bass-heavy groove.
Review:
Another vital release from the Bombstrikes crew as Canadian mash-up star J Roc fuses a sack full of tunes on this new EP - led by "Nickelodeon", which samples jaunty '50s tune "Music Music Music" by Teresa Brewer and blends it with a hip-hop sensibility. Bombstrikes boss Mooqee joins J Roc on the club-rocking electro swinging "Better Things", while Sam Cooke's "Shake" gets a radical D&B overhaul.
Review:
Steeze sees Bomb Strikes deliver another dynamite-fuelled beat workout from J Roc The label has been on fire as of late and they're certainly packing the punches, ranging from hip-hop to broken beat to all things crunchy, they've established a name for themselves within the sample-heavy domain. "So Much Steeze" mixes elements of dubstep together with classic rap battle-style vocals, whilst "Keep It Gansta" is funkier and more melodic with its total beat mash-up. Finally, "Piano Skank" brings the tropical heat over and rounds up this fun, booty-shaking EP for the imprint.
Review:
The title track to Kenny Beeper's Crown Jewel's EP is a good taste of what's to come. Infectious, flute-based funk rolles down into hip-hop influenced movement that's eclectic yet solid. 'Funky Party People' takes things in a more distinctly funk direction, composed of 80s-esque synths that'll almost force you to get moving, tinged with an acid house influence that injects an element of edge - just ridiculously happy. Finally, 'Let's Get It', which has a mellow, subtle introduction that doesn't stop it from quickly becoming a riot with yet more heavy-weight synths that'll delight the outspoken. A banging finish to an especially good release.
Review:
Bomb Strikes are back with another belter as Kibosh steps forward with this ferocious two tracker. We begin with the delicious grooves of the title track 'Spinning Wheel' which combines squelching bass instrumentation with classic soul sampling with fantastic results. Then we are blessed with the glitched out arrangement of 'Pep Squad' with folds funk.
Review:
Krafty Kuts means exactly that - a certainty that you will purchase a couple of tunes that will get those heads turning and saying "hey mate, what's this!?". The dude returns to Bomb Strikes with nothing but vibes, launching a funky attack with the sample-heavy, mash-up-ready flow of "Back To Flow", an instant body-shaker of the highest calibre. "Get So Ill" is similarly seductive from the get-go, except that old-school boogie and electro are the main ingredient here, bursting through the place with a almighty funkiness. Yes, dawg.
Review:
Lack Jemmon steps out of Breakbeat Paradise and lands firmly on the Bomb Strikes with, ironically, a three-pack of utter bombs for the dancefloor! The breaks and electro blender kicks off with the grizzly bass of "Forbidden Pleasure", recalling the dirtier side of bro-step, and that's followed by the even gnarlier sub-tones of the bubbling "Spirits". "Loops Of Prime" heads out into the ether, coming through with all sorts of spaced-out bass flavours from the deepest, darkest corners of the sci-fi kingdom. Bangers.
Review:
Bomb Strikes boss Mooqee doesn't pretend to be interested in deeper, stranger or more alternative sounds. He's interested in smashing any party into tiny little pieces, getting punters going with life-affirming breakbeat funk and misty-eyed rave revivalism. There's much of the latter on this two-track EP, which opens with a thunderous fusion of wobble bass, gnarled electronics, Orbital-ish synths and a gargantuan piano riff - all, of course, riding a bustling breakbreat rhythm. Despite its' title, "Discothing" offers much of the same, with vocoder vocal hits joining snappy beats and fuzzy electronics on another tried-and-tested dancefloor smasher.
Review:
More party antics from Mooqee as this latest in the Bombstrikes series of funky mash-ups takes in KRS-One jammin' with Bob Marley on "Supacat Police", while acapellas from Tupac's "California Love" and Stetasonic's "Talking All That Jazz" butt heads with each other over a flute-led hip-hop beat on "Jazz Talkin". The "Mustapha Dance" instrumental mix of The Clash's "Rock The Casbah" also gets a good seeing to on closing track "Hypnotic".
Review:
Back with more essential breaks and party-flavoured cuts, London's Mooqee drops the 8th volume of his series for his Bombstrikes label. Working together bits from Wreckx-N-Effect's "Rumpshaker" and a host of other classic accapellas, "Polar Crunk" is a slow, bassy funk-meets-crunk joy, while the more uptempo "Rippin Up" mixes a nu-funk backing with some classic UBB cuts and some old-skool focused accapellas.
Review:
Typically party-storming stuff from Mooqee and his Bomb Strikes label, with this episode of his Bombstrikes series hitting home nicely with "Funk Machine Man" blending DJ Shadow's "Organ Donor", Nas's "Made You Look" and some smart juggling of James Brown's intros all balanced together just right. With a dub and a clean edit also available, as well as "Are You Gonna" - a blend of Lenny Kravitz, Kelly Charles and The Prodigy - this is party fodder of the highest calibre.
Review:
For the 20th instalment of the happy-go-lucky Bomb Strikes bootleg series, label regulars Moquee and Pimpsoul join forces. Those who've enjoyed their previous work will no doubt be salivating already - or at least dribbling profusely. "Keep Pounding" is typical of their cheeky, party-hearty style, turning shuffling classic "The Beat Goes On" into a snappy, stepping, glitch-laden breaks banger. "Let It Pop", meanwhile, wobbles and raves in all the right places, lacing a familiar hip-hop vocal over a typically pounding backdrop. Closer "Do It" sits somewhere between the two tracks, cutting up Chic's "Le Freak" and adding a silly, rectum-slackening bassline to propel things forward.
Review:
Mooque teams up with Pimpsoul on "Feeling Good", with soulful, uplifting vocals courtesy of Bianca Gerald. It's party vibes all the way here, with parping synths, pumping beats and catchy melodies a-plenty. The Tantrum Desire remix is a predictably rambunctious affair, full of synth screeching mayhem, gritty bass and Flux Pavillion style bellows and beeps. Other remixes in the package include the Rory Lyons tweak, which is buckets of fun with simmering bass and soaring strings, and a re-lick from Herbgrinder, who strips back the vocal and adds a funky swing to the original.
Review:
Mooqee's Bombstrikes series enters its fourth instalment, this time with a little help from Utah Saints and Bombstrikes co-head, Beatvandals. Together, they brilliantly rearrange Sly and the Family Stone's "Thank You" into an entirely new jam on "See Mice Elf", with a plethora of vocal cuts thrown into this party hip-hop melange (including bits of Skee Lo's "I Wish"). "Drilla" again takes choice loops from MJ's "Thriller" and works it into something intense, funky and very cool.
Review:
The Bomb Strikes series has successfully carved out a niche for itself by providing impressively incendiary mash-ups - the sort that almost guarantee hands-aloft anarchy on dancefloors. On this latest instalment, regular mash-up merchants Moquee and Beat Vandals join forces for two more party-hearty assaults. A-Side "Player" is arguably the pick, fusing elements of Chicago's "Street Player" with oft-used breaks and excerpts from a familiar R&B vocal. Up next, "Shooting" is a messier sounding - but no less playable - mash-up of Roots Manuva's "Witness", hip-hop acapellas and faithfully big beats. Job done... as usual.
Review:
A pair of collaborations between two of Bombstrikes' leading lights, this pair of cut 'n' paste mash-ups sees Mooquee and Beatvandals marry the Jackson 5 with Kool Keith over a driven bassline on "Back Up", while an Al Green-esque '70s soul sample acts as the basis of "Rock Y'all" - with a weight of acapella shots and hefty drums thrown into the mix on this rollercoaster ride.
Review:
Hey, you're looking hungry - fancy a slice of carnival pie? Go on, have two. We'll never tell! And neither will Mooque and Herbgrinder, the men behind this ridiculously funky booty buster. Sounding somewhere between Fatboy Slim and Riva Starr, "Shake Your Rumpah" does everything you'd expect it to. And more! Elsewhere on this release we find "Sound Around Town", an intricate blend of emotive pianos, an old school P-funk style bass riff and whole lotta fun. If your party people aren't vibing after you've dropped this joint, they are truly dead inside.
Review:
Although label boss Mooqee is perfectly capable of striking us with party bombs, he occasionally recruits his pal Herbgrinder to help smash those dancefloors. "Sound Around Town" was one of those thrilling jams, and here we now see it revived through a string of new mixes. First up Funkanomics fuse the incessant organ riffs with tight skippy beats and arpeggiated basslines, Beatvandals UK take us on funky drummer trip to the late 80s and Mooqee himself steps up for a sizzling VIP mix that's full of tough beats, cut up samples and a subtle dubby undercurrent.
Review:
Will Nina Simone's original ever stop lending itself to contemporary twists? We really hope not. Mooquee and Pimpsoul's take is a fine example: bold strings strike back and forth with gusto as Bianca belts out the sing-along vocals with both respect to the originator and her own originality, it's a guaranteed party piece. Remix action is high, too. The funk version almost trumps the lead track with its low-swung bassline and free-spirited bellows of sax. Looking for something with a little more pep? Look no further than Nappy Riddem's rump-ruffling take. Rolling with a solid breakbeat and some fantastic live drum crescendos, this tickles parts of the dancefloor the other versions can't quite hit. Oh, and there's an instrumental and an acapella too.
Review:
Sometimes it pays to be a label boss, like for example here, on this latest Bomb Strikes comp where head honcho Mooqee has decided to hand himself the reigns. Manning the decks for nearly an hour, he whips up a frenzy of party breaks delirium over the course of 24 tracks. The tracks are supplied individually too, with highlights including the tropical trap-house of "Ladies Look Pretty" by Basement Freaks, the furious electro-bass mash-up "Get Got (VIP mix)" by Nick Thayer & A Skillz and the strompingly retro electro-funk of "How We Do This" by Tom Booze.
Review:
Mooqee's label Bombstrikes is doing all right for itself. So much so in fact that they've reached that milestone - a label's first compilation album. Here Mooqee has selected 25 sizzling bangers new and old that do it for him, and hopefully will do it for you too. Highlights include the compressed electro steamroller that is "Back To School", the crunch synth funky freakout of "Come On Bounce" and the devastating bass that's eaten all the pies of "Let's Do It Right Now". Heavy!
Review:
An interesting development for Bomb Strikes.; usually found touting killer bootlegs and unofficial remixes, Neon Steve's EP is 100 per cent original. And 100 per cent funky! "Feeling" features the distinctive vocal work of NY chanteuse Charlotte Dobre. Wriggling with a slinky post-dubstep breakbeat it's got equal measures of sexy sonic sophistication and true bass grit. And if it's grit you're after, you can't go wrong with the Zulu-fronted "Kill Em With The Vibes". Rocking and shocking on a grinding tropical flex, it's a party piece with the power of a hundred carnivals. For added versatility and flavour, "The Sideshow" ends the release on a cheeky, low-swung nu-funk flex. We're definitely "Feeling" this EP!
Review:
Bomb Strikes ain't playing around these days. Once an irregular outlet for cheeky party nuggets, now a serious mover and shaker in the nu-funk movement, their output has been exemplary of late - and Neon Steve's leading from the front. Following his Feeling EP, a set of sizzling originals, comes these two tonked up bass gems. "Tell Me Who" takes an old George Thoroughgood rock n' roll ditty about having chimneys made of human skull and gives it a luscious low-end seeing to while "I Got Tha Faith" blends Led Zepp with Depeche Mode. The result? Inspired. Two bombs of the rudest distinction.
