Review: It's the age-old argument that's kept croaky old junglists up past their bedtime for years: does VIP stand for 'this mix is strictly for very important people' or does it stand for 'variation in production'? In truth, it can mean either, depending on who made the VIP and who they intended it for. But now at least we know Eatbrain's stance on the matter as they ask some of their biggest VIP producers to go back over a seminal label release of theirs and give it a good overhaul, update and go-faster stripes for 2020. The results speak for themselves; the added grit and funk on L 33's 'Mafia', Jade's emotional dynamics on 'TV Says' and the complete subversion of 'Need' by Zombie Cats and Abis are just three examples of how very important these variations are. And they're made for you: the true VIPs.
Review: The Hungarian Neurofunk outpost that is Eatbrain are back with their latest satanic offering and no, it's not a goat or a small, innocent child. Instead, it's a six-track EP from regular Burr Oak and his sound is even bigger than we remember. 'Twinkle Toes' is that track and it's four minutes of snarling basses and twisting sub-lines which burst out the stocks with ferocious speed, underpinned by the frenetic sounds of neurofunk drum work. 'Rubber' is another highlight, it's pitched-up synths fill the top of the range in a lovely contrast with its subsequent diving, mutated low end. Another top release from the Eatbrain crew.
Review: Eatbrain are stepping into darker territory over on the Hungarian Eatbrain imprint with their Negative Thoughts EP, a release that brings in elements of the Neurofunk sound within the context of nightmares, that feeling of sleep without your eyes closed, the creeping sense that you need to drift off but the foreboding feeling that unconsciousness is out of your reach. 'Shinkjuko' is a highlight, with a deeply rolling and fluctuating bassline that injects both funkiness and heaviness in equal measure, an impact topped off with some wicked synth work. Shout out to the teddy bear crew!
Review: Eatbrain are a Hungarian neurofunk institution of instantly recognisable proportions, a household name in the world of big basslines and one of the main labels holding up the banner for the growing central and eastern European obsession with the subgenre. Even for Eatbrain, this release is exceptionally strong and the diversity within shows the broad church that neurofunk has become. 'Sweetface is the more archetypal of the bunch, a pummelling roller that moves and sways with engineered precision. 'Ability' holds up the sky with Coppa on vocals over an incredibly unique percussive structure that works undeniably well. What a wicked release.
Joe Ford & Shrike - "Face Dancer" - (4:37) 174 BPM
Kutlo - "Short Wire" - (4:10) 172 BPM
Liveon - "Basso Ostinato" - (4:22) 172 BPM
Psynchro - "Neogen" - (5:50) 170 BPM
Review: Eatbrain return with more flesh-gobbling bruisers in the form of this massive V/A album Divergence II. Following where the inaugural collection left us back in March 2018, once again it's an epic rollcall of Eatbrain artists and friends with no boundaries in terms of subgenre or expectation. Highlights include the slippery kicks and technoid funk of Zombie Cats "Lost", the ravey-style pitched up vocals and A.M.C style energy of the drop on Catastrophe's "Pretender" the insane VIP level-p of Tobax's "Burning" and Burr Oak's schizoid riot "Orbit".... But these are just the tip of the brain-eating iceberg. Jade's label remains bang on-point as ever.
Review: Nais has been doing the rounds in the Neurofunk world for a little while now and he's making his first full-length appearance on Eatbrain alongside Nuklear and Teddy Killerz. This release is predictably huge, with plenty of jump-up influences creeping in to its stylistic make-up and the combination of various strands of dancefloor heinousness is pretty banging. 'Selecta' is a tumbling, jagged roller than rests on a heavyweight drum line, it moves with a constant feeling of effortlessness and there's an addictive feeling of fluidity to the arrangement that seeps through into your unconscious. Great work.
Review: Joe Ford marches into battle with his first full arsenal since last year's debut album Colours In Sound. Now looking more at home that he has in years on Eatbrain, it's a return to the heavier, gnarlier, rougher sound we first fell in love with him for all those years ago. "War March" commences the skirmish with twisted paranoid harmonics, "Lumbering Beast" brings in the firepower as a heads down roll turns into something much more destructive on the second drop while "The End" shells every corner of the earth with gritty bass cannonballs. Finally "Urgency" slams down the finale hammer with an almost psy-like sense of next-lev neuro. Abstraction complete; this is some of Joe Ford's finest stuff in years.
Review: Teddy Killerz are the cute, furry-faced bastions of horror and they've teamed up with the Eatbrain crew for this full-throttle display of dastardly sound design, monstrous bass construction and downright disgusting choonage. 'Vibe' is our favourite of the two, with a drum line that's constantly shifting and morphing across different patterns and punchy synth stabs, it's sharp on all edges and fiercely no-nonsense. The rest of the tines pack even more energy and it's what we've come to expect from all parties involved in this sick little single.
Review: Eatbrain are the Hungarian purveyors of big beats and badass basses, the moody crew in the corner who are intimidating with all their talk of death and destruction. That's exactly what's present on this EP which features four remixes of State of Mind from SoM themselves, IHR, Synergy and Mob Tactics. IHR's remix of Highlander is the standout tune, with a hype-inducing build that explodes into a blustering array of tangled bass and tendrils of percussive force with hints of acid in the synths and a sharp edge to the overall sound. Amazing tune.
Review: Eatbrain is the Hungarian Neurofunk institution that keeps on giving, with regular releases that dive deep into the presumably hellish landscapes that characterise the minds of their artists. Blackish intent is the name of the game and blackish music is the result, with Tobax in this one combining the technical prowess of the Hungarian crew with the rough-and-tumble readiness of British jump-up. The title track is a good example, with a flurry of energy seeping from every corner of what is a banging dancefloor destroyer. Big tunes here from Tobax.
Review: Smooth is the Slovenian maestro who burst onto the scene a few years ago with his dancefloor approach to D&B, and ever since then he's been regularly popping up on lineups, compilations and an assortment of labels, including Viper and Technique. Now, though, he's stepping into darker territory over on the Hungarian Eatbrain imprint with his Inside EP, a release that brings in elements of the Neurofunk sound but doesn't stray too far away Smooth's previous haunts. 'Monster Inside' is a highlight, with a deeply rolling and fluctuating bassline that injects both funkiness and heaviness in equal measure, an impact topped off with some wicked synth work. Yes Lukas!
Review: Akov was nominated last year for best newcomer in the D&BA awards and for good reason. Having learnt to produce music on the most basic of set-ups, it's all the more impressive that he's one of the most accomplished producers in the realm of sound design and techy construction. U Want It combines his normal Neurofunk sound with something a bit more synthy and spacious, a blending of styles that displays Akov's ability to diversify. The title track is classic Eatbrain, with Multiplex over the top spitting away and Akov below throwing down the gauntlet of pummelling dancefloor music. But it's the Sun and Moon mixes of 'Blind' that have got us excited, especially the latter, with its Camo & Krooked esque approach to the arrangement and infectious sense of movement. Big, big release.
Review: Agressor Bunx are two men who seriously know how to produce a Neurofunk track and they've proven this time and time again, with lots of very successful Eps and an absolutely insane debut album. They're back on regular home Eatbrain for this next four-tracker, all of which absolutely slap in every kind of way. Huge basses, intense build ups, punchy drums, broken sonics and an all-round sense of perverse energy - neuro doesn't get better than this.
Review: The Hungarian Neurofunk outpost that is Eatbrain are back with their latest satanic offering and no, it's not a goat or a small, innocent child. Instead, it's a three-track EP from regular Eatbrain staple A-Cray and his sound is even bigger than we remember. 'Lasers and Stuff' is that track and it's four minutes of snarling basses and twisting sub-lines which burst out the stocks with ferocious speed, underpinned by the frenetic sounds of neurofunk drum work. 'Proxy'' is another highlight, it's pitched-up synths fill the top of the range in a lovely contrast with its subsequent diving, mutated low end. Another top release from the Eatbrain crew.
Review: Eatbrain is the Hungarian Neurofunk institution that just keeps on giving, the Central European bass place which prioritises naughty music over everything else. Well, their 2018 album is here from a selection of the artists in their orbit and its everything you'd expect from Jade and the crew. The first cut - 'Mafia' by L 33 - has been out for a little while but has rightfully been re-visited here, its Jump-Up-Neurofunk fusion landing exceptionally well with serious dancefloor implications. There are too many sick tracks on this release to cover them all here, but KOLT's 'Harpy' and 'Pararampam' from Agressor Bunx are two more absolutely ridiculous bits of production. Well worth a look.
Review: Eatbrain are a Hungarian neurofunk institution of instantly recognisable proportions, a household name in the world of big basslines and one of the main labels holding up the banner for the growing central and eastern European obsession with the subgenre. Even for Eatbrain, this release is exceptionally strong and the diversity within shows the broad church that neurofunk has become. 'Ninja Scroll' is the more archetypal of the bunch, a pummelling roller that moves and sways with engineered precision. 'Shapeshifter' is a knock-down of a halftime number, with harsh snapping drums and a Noisia-esque bassline. 'Faded' holds up the rear with Pastry Maker on vocals over an incredibly unique percussive structure that works undeniably well.
Review: The Hungarian Neurofunk outpost that is Eatbrain are back with their latest satanic offering and no, it's not a goat or a small, innocent child. Instead, it's a three-track EP from regular Eatbrain staples Gancher & Ruin and their sound is even bigger than we remember, the release also including a feature from label founder Jade. 'Reflection' is that track and it's four minutes of snarling basses and twisting sub-lines which burst out the stocks with ferocious speed, underpinned by the frenetic sounds of neurofunk drum work. 'Unlimited' is another highlight, it's pitched-up synths fill the top of the range in a lovely contrast with its subsequent diving, mutated low end. Another top release from the Eatbrain crew.
Review: Eatbrain have steadily become one of the biggest powerhouses in neurofunk, their Budapest home making them perfectly placed to serve both sides of Europe's increasingly insatiable appetite for D&B that tries to put you in the hospital. This time, Rido has brought Joe Ford, Counterstrike and Jade on board for a collaborative endeavour which combines Rido's stylistic agro with several of D&B's most renowned bass merchants. 'Blueprint' featuring Joe Ford is an especially potent cut, high-octane energy drips from every sinew and its ability to get you gassed is classically Joe Ford. One for the heads.
