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Rocstar
Browse the latest digital releases on Rocstar
Played by: Native From Paris
Review: Rocstar Recordings is a multi-genre record label, started many moons ago by Lee Potter (aka big beat legend Cut La Roc) and Marco Distefano. Next up on the label there is some 'French Touch' vibes from the ascendant Native From Paris, who gets some seriously bouncy bass going over some chopped-up pop vocals on the lush and bittersweet "New Way", while the label boss (the aforementioned La Roc) injects more groove into it and accentuates those irresistible pop elements on his respectful remix up next. Also features a handy radio edit.
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ROCST 163DA
10 Apr 20
Minimal/Tech House
10 Apr 20
Minimal/Tech House
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: Undeniably, there are tonnes upon tonnes of worthy labels experimenting with breakbeat sounds, out there in the digital game. However, only a handful are truly positioned to break barriers and bend trends, such as the unstoppable Rocstar label! For their first EP of 2018, the productive imprint has called upon Jimi Needles and Chaz Thorogood to cause some havoc on our charts. One on drums and the other on vocals and synth work, their only use of breakbeat is to create movement for the angelic, cinematic sounds that engulf each and every track on here. Even "Back Home", which is similar to High Contrast or Alix Perez's strain of d&b, contains something non-dance to its genetic makeup, making up a magnificent collection of tunes for both breaks and non-breaks aficionados. Good music for the good souls out there!
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ROCST 162DA
12 Jan 18
Breakbeat
12 Jan 18
Breakbeat
Review: Safety first: Dannywav returns to Rocstar with another collective of multi-tempo party pieces. First he's donkey punching us with two-step slaps on the dizzying turbo-UKF of "Safe" (complete with venom bars from Leon Rhymes), next he's getting all low-slung and heavy with the cowbell in a way that's reminiscent of early Dub Pistols. If that's not enough to keep you under house arrest, he's also provided more skippy, vocal-twisting UKG in the form of "Vish" and concludes nihilistic dark dancehall stepper on "What's The Bleedin' Point". It's an ironic question; with beats like these, there's always a point.
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ROCST 160DA
27 Oct 17
Breakbeat
27 Oct 17
Breakbeat
Review: After a magnificently timed stint on Bongo Tronic, an appearance which saw Sir-Vere release his first album to date, the producer returns to the Rocstar imprint with a load of breakbeat bruisers that will no doubt appeal across the entire underground spectrum. "Rebirth" is the tune in question, and it sounds to us like a magnificent return to an early 2000's 'big beat' kind of vibe, twisted blended up with a punkiness not too dissimilar from The Fall. The remix comes from Stevie Vega, who delivers a more straight-laced tech-house version with plenty of progressive flex, and is followed by an essential instrumental cut of the original. Recommended!
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ROCST 158DA
14 Apr 17
Breakbeat
14 Apr 17
Breakbeat
Review: If ever there were a Great British Bass Off, master baker Cakeboy would win hands down. Here he presents two new layers of musical sponge, gelled together with some top musical cream and jam. "Weapons" mixes old skool synths with manic ADHD breaks and build-ups. "Rockin'" lays the subby icing on good and thick over scattershot breakbeats, cowbells and frenzied crunchy funk. The timer's rung, the cake's cooled down, time to get stuck in.
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ROCST 156DA
13 Jan 17
Breakbeat
13 Jan 17
Breakbeat
Danny.Wav feat Too Many T'S
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: The Rocstar label have been going strong for a good while now, never tired of splurging out on everything to do with UK dance music; from garage, to grime and breakbeat, these heads like to bill up and spark those smoking joints. They got newcomer Danny.Wav this time around, a young bass-slinger who has no problem in laying down some absolute nastiness in "Hold it Down", his debut as a producer, and a monster hybrid tune. The instrumental mix is big, and and heavy - a perfect DJ weapon - whereas "Woi!" mashes shit up and lays down a speed-garage banger like we haven't heard in donkey's years
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ROCST 155DA
28 Oct 16
Breakbeat
28 Oct 16
Breakbeat
Review: Captain Flatcap is a three-piece act, (Chris Rotherham, Tom Rotherham and Matt Woods), who perform the most unique fusion of electro-swing, dubstep and ska, all fully live btw, that you're ever likely to hear. Propelled by the hypey rhythms of his band mates, Chris is a whirling dervish of flutes, beads and flat caps. Here he's helped out by Great Scott who delivers an edgy rap over a chunky, funk break beat. Instrumentals and clean versions also help round this cheeky melodic package.
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ROCST 153DA
16 Sep 16
Breakbeat
16 Sep 16
Breakbeat
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: Cut La Roc's Rocstar label is showing no signs of mellowing with age, and the blistering "This Is Heaven", a new collaboration with Sir-Vere proves this. With a flaming skull on the cover and furious beats contained within, this seven-minute sizzler marries punky mayhem with a subtle melodic undertone (is that a snippet of Autobahn tucked away in there somewhere?). On the digital flipside "Lips" is less raucous, instead revolving around a squelchy electronic bassline for some Apollo 440 style action.
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ROCST 148DA
01 Apr 16
Breakbeat
01 Apr 16
Breakbeat
Cakeboy & Ashley Slater - "Walking In The Rain" (feat Scarlett Quinn - Cakeboy vs Kitten & The Hip) - (4:30) 120 BPM 
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: Every bass fan's favourite gateau blaster returns with four firing slices of fondant funk and fury; Both "On" and "Jib Jab" take us right back to the turn of the century big beat/breakbeat conversation, the former with bone-snapping acid stomps, the latter with stuttering funk a la JDS. "Walking In The Rain" brings us back to the future by way of sleazy mid-tempo glitch funkery and a sexy vocal from Scarlett Quinn. Finally "Supercell" takes us deep into the heart of 2007 when Plump DJs and Ils were ruling; rolling, suitably twisted and fuelled with detailed FX and samples. Hotter than a spiced cherry sponge baked by Mary Berry herself.
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ROCST 147DA
18 Dec 15
Breakbeat
18 Dec 15
Breakbeat
Review: Having recently remixed Great Scott's Indie Rock & Jager Bombs hit, Superfrank now sees the 'hip-hop white boys' from Burton return the favour by appearing on his Calm Down Baby single. Not only that but they are joined by the mighty Lindy Layton of Beats International fame too, resulting in a super catchy big-beat-pop sing-a-long that rock every indie disco from one end of the country to the other.
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ROCST 146DA
16 Oct 15
Breakbeat
16 Oct 15
Breakbeat
Ginger Shinobi feat Jonjo
Played by: Jimi Needles
Review: This London DJ didn't leave his club roots behind when he left the capital for a new life Indonesia, oh no. He just took the party with him and to prove it, he presents us with his latest commercial banger, "Blow The Snow". It's got urban-tinged basslines, electro-house beats and also features an un-ironic 2 Unlimited-style rap by Jonjo, what's not to love?
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ROCST 144DA
09 Oct 15
Funky/Club House
09 Oct 15
Funky/Club House
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: Regularly found mesmerising festival audiences from here to Timbuktu, Drum Machine are bandleader Aid Todd's 30-strong rhythm collective. This is their first release in a while and they (thankfully) haven't mellowed - "Charlie Watt?" putting the eponymous Rolling Stone to shame with nearly five minutes of percussive bombast. Red Lawrie looks to the theme from '90s TV show, The Word, for remix inspiration and Cut La Roc gets dirty with heavy bass and jungle rhythms. Wakeem Coderro's jackin' and spacey "Back In The Day" house mix is the best track here.
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ROCST 143DA
04 Sep 15
Breakbeat
04 Sep 15
Breakbeat
Great Scott feat Jimi Needles
Review: More great stuff by Cut La Roc's label dealing in finely sliced breaks. Great Scott AKA Young Criss and Jaws throw down some sick lyricism debating the moribund reality of nine to five working life over some funky jazzed beats, cut to perfection by Jimi Needles. "Day Job" appears in its entirety, a radio friendly edit and finally an instrumental focusing nicely on Needle's beatsmith antics.
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ROCST 142DA
24 Jul 15
Breakbeat
24 Jul 15
Breakbeat
Review: Jimi Needle nails that Kater Blau after-hours vibe with two cuts of dirty electro jazz business. But any other tech-house theme park in the world could surely benefit from these versions too and we'll tell you why. The original on the A-side will work the dancefloor nicely indeed and there's more in store on the B-side with the Bonus Beats version clearing the way for its stomping drum beat and providing an ever useful DJ-tool. You can just imagine them all running down and jumping into the River Spree to cool down after this one!
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ROCST 141DA
24 May 15
Breakbeat
24 May 15
Breakbeat
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: Mr No Hands releases are about as frequent as solar eclipses, but when they do occur, they're always special. Sharp beats, samples so deeply dug he's got grazed knuckles and an overall sense of stately funk; each cut is a stone cold party popper. From the slo-mo bass scuffs and general sense of doom on "Prison Breaks" to the trippy harmonics, off-beat oddities and awesome Latin sample sizzles of "Top Trumps", MNH remains in a league of his own. It's just a shame that league only plays games once every 18 or so months. Play on repeat.
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ROCST 139DA
03 May 15
Breakbeat
03 May 15
Breakbeat
Review: Ben Sims reignites his dormant Symbolism imprint for 2015. Last active in 2006, Symbolism is about music with real mood and will continue to impart Sims' vision of techno through releases from newcomers and established acts alike. The first release comes from D_Func and includes an edit from Sims himself.
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ROCST 138DA
12 Apr 15
Breakbeat
12 Apr 15
Breakbeat
Review: Captain Flatcap : excellent name, excellent style. "Bonklet" featuring Dutty Moonshine unveils some truly inspired and eccentric beats to get those booties shaking first up. There's a definite feel of festivals about the entire release and the dizzying combination of breakbeat, retro video game soundtracks and ludicrous synth-brass wouldn't seem out of place in theme tune of an after school program from 1996, and it's one hell of a ride. Combine that with a can of your favourite juice and somebody to dance with and you've got yourself a party.
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ROCST 133DA
08 Feb 15
Breakbeat
08 Feb 15
Breakbeat
Review: Beat veteran Cut La Roc takes us deep into the bleeps. Driven by an arresting hook and a swinging tribal house rhythm, it's Cutty at his most commanding. Remix-wise GALACTUS gets old school with massive hooky detuned synths and a party vibe that's so out of control the police will arrive any minute, while Cakeboy invites a distorted gritty saw-like bassline to the shindig. Drop this and balls will spin in every direction.
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ROCST129DA
16 Nov 14
Funky/Club House
16 Nov 14
Funky/Club House
Review: Ready for some serious ragga beats? Here we go...One track, three versions, one message. Audioheed and Skilf are badmen. Producing some of the most nuts hybrid dubstep out there, coming direct from the centre of everywhere (okay, Bedford, UK). Set to tear down venues across the country, "Bad Man" is the type of track that makes a night.
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ROCST 125DA
20 Jul 14
Dirty Dubstep/Trap/Grime
20 Jul 14
Dirty Dubstep/Trap/Grime
Review: A 30-strong rhythm commission headed up by one Aid Todd, Drum Machine are a tub-thumping collective that are often spotted frothing up festival frenzies across the UK. Here we find Rocstar capturing them at their most DJ friendly with a creative tool that will drive any crowd wild. Those looking for a little more than raw drum power will enjoy the star-gazing, almost prog-like remix from Aid himself. Or indeed the chop-slapping house twist from Sonny Wharton and Mango Trasher. Looking for something a lot more pumping and trance-tinged? Head for Syrum's remix and you'll be more than satisfied. Like the majority of Rocstar releases, this is genuinely unique.
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ROCST124DA
06 Jul 14
Funky/Club House
06 Jul 14
Funky/Club House
Cut La Roc feat Sally Bloomer
Played by: Jimi Needles
Review: Rocstar bossman Cut La Roc doesn't release new music half as much as he should, but when he does, attention needs to be paid. "Let's Spend The Night Together" is a steamy, sexy jam that's as dirty as it is suggestive. Sally Bloomer's sultry tones work perfectly over the jacking, mangled horn bass and juicy subs. Also included is a stripped back instrumental dub version named "Bugle". Naked and raw, it carries the same naughty nocturnal message as the original with vocal-free prowess. Solid.
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ROCST 123DA
22 Jun 14
Funky/Club House
22 Jun 14
Funky/Club House
Review: Swing and soul ambassadors Captain Flatcap can be found in live three-piece form and solo DJ form. Right here they're clearly operating as a tight unit as an array of organic instruments fly at us from every angle, weaving and bobbing amid treacle-thick cheeky bass. "Bonklet" is a madcap jam with fellow swing sizzlers Dutty Moonshine, all leads and counter leads overlapping with mischief. "Enhancement", meanwhile, plays the soothing counter as we're soothed by flutes and massaged by harpsichord melodies. Deeper into the EP we're chop-slapped by raw swing skanks and savage bass licks on "Blaze Up" and shin-kicked by the gypsy insanity of the accordion-charged "On Your Bike". Tasty.
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ROCST 122DA
15 Jun 14
Breakbeat
15 Jun 14
Breakbeat
Played by: Barrio Katz, Cat in the Hat, Boogieburg, Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Sammy Senior, Dusty Tonez, Radical Mixtape, Bart&Baker, Relative Dimensions
Review: Party-upstarts Dutty Moonshine push the 'next level' button with their debut album Rum Runners. If you've seen them annihilate a club or festival in the past you'll already know what to expect... Full-frontal, full-flavoured audio carnage. Fusing aspects of swing over a walloping electro 4/4, it's an unrelenting brew that's ultimately unique. Highlights include the spatters of jazz piano and arresting vocals on "Bang Bang Boom", the molten rave motifs of the slamming breakbeat jam "Steazy Hangover" and the mischievous bump n' shuffle of "Showbiz". Genuinely one-of-a-kind, Dutty Moonshine are rapidly establishing themselves as an unstoppable force in dance music right now. Go on...Pull a moony today!
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ROCST 121DA
08 Jun 14
Breakbeat
08 Jun 14
Breakbeat
Cakeboy feat Frances Law
Review: Crumbs! Cakeboy remains as sweet as ever with this first new track since his impressive album Gateau Blaster. Teaming up with the rather raunchy, emphatic sounding Frances Law, the pair have cooked up a gritty, growling breakbeat groove that's super-charged with sexy prowess. Remix-wise Dutty Moonshine get wild on a slap-happy 140 flex while Sirkus Sirkuz lay down a more subtle 4/4 vibe that - thanks to some very distinctive detuned synth work and Beltram-flavoured strings - builds into a timeless techno monster. Do not delay: Cause some "Damage" today!
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ROCST 120DA
11 May 14
Breakbeat
11 May 14
Breakbeat
Played by: Clairvo (MustBeat), Mooqee, Johnnypluse, Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Radical Mixtape, WBBL, Crashgroove
Review: One of the funk and breaks scene's most enduring, influential players, Cut La Roc reminds us what's important in life: going to church on a Sunday morning and giving it up for the big bearded man above. Prayers don't come much funkier; with big soul elements oozing out of every element, it's an instant ticket to party heaven. Remix-wise we're spoilt for choice: Herbgrinder ups the gnarly bass factor, Roast Beatz adds a sprinkle of ghetto attitude to his blend while Fonkyson fuses the mix with lazer-strutting synths and shades of subtle slap bass. Cut La Roc has smashed it on this one. If only all sermons were this funky.
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ROCST117DA
09 Mar 14
Breakbeat
09 Mar 14
Breakbeat
Played by: Spinforth, Clairvo (MustBeat), Frankee More, Mr Bristow, Roast Beatz, Chudy, Juno Recommends Breakbeat, Rory Hoy, Jimi Needles, Dusty Tonez, Radical Mixtape, F-Block, WBBL, Crashgroove
Review: Vibes don't get much funkier or floor-focused than those currently being conjured by Oxford duo Dutty Moonshine. Returning to the "Rauchestra" title they launched with in 2012, this EP sees them expanding and developing their sound with next-level confidence. "No Doubt" is a bumping, grinding low-down funk bubbler peppered with well-known samples and hype-inspiring vocals, "Real Thing" wriggles and giggles with unique flute and flamenco fusion while the Cut La Roc collabo "Keep The Crowd" hype whips up the tempo and whisks us back to the heady days of big beat with elephantine party glee. Elsewhere we're treated to two remixes of "Get Busy": Ettore Baiunco provides a stomping 4/4 version with a well-chiselled spiky hook and Diabeateaze cook up a fantastic two-step twist that's sprung with tight horn stabs and jazzy keys. Like we said; vibes don't get much funkier.
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ROCST 116DA
19 Jan 14
Breakbeat
19 Jan 14
Breakbeat
Review: His third album in as many decades, Unique 3's influence and clout in electronic music is still wholly relevant, forward-thinking and commendably genre-smashing as it was when he unleashed "The Theme" in 1990. 17 tracks wide, the whole album weighs in at almost two hours with each track tickling a different corner of dance music's underbelly. From the stunning Orbtialesque opener "Broke My Dream" to the slippery subby D&B skips of "Daddy Ain't Around" via the lush acid house bubbles and rushy synth washes of "SIP 9", we're switched and flipped from style to style with due consistency and clarity. Other highlights include the dreamy breakbeat wobbles and ripples of "Alteratio", the chop-slapping big room house of "Memories Inside My Head" and the epic mesmerisation of the 11 minute finale "Flam Flam". Picture perfect.
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ROCST 115DA
05 Jan 14
Breakbeat
05 Jan 14
Breakbeat
Review: Music is rife with repetition. It thrives off it, from sampling to homages to pastiche. But we guarantee you have never heard anything like this. It's Shakespeare's Othello told in a UK hip-hop narrative. No, really. What's more, it genuinely works; while charged at rate of verbal knots, bardman Charlie D's lyrical approach is clear and emphatic, enveloping you into the tragic tale with true storyteller skills. The beats, meanwhile, flicker and faze with the right balance of poignancy and bass. Genuinely unique.
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ROCST114DA
24 Nov 13
Breakbeat
24 Nov 13
Breakbeat
Review: A fondant funkster. A Battenberg badboy. A cupcake crusader - whatever you want to call him, Cakeboy is one of the sweetest things to happen in the breaks world for a long, long time. Baked with precision, his debut album is tasty to the very last crumb. Ranging from the gritty rolls and old school stabs of "Come & Get It" to the mechanical tripletty skankage of "Glam Sandwich" via the mind-bending bass warps and acid mentalism of "Gettin' Carried Away", each cut on this impressive album is cooked with dedicated dancefloor dynamism. Tuck in today.
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ROCST 113DA
03 Nov 13
Breakbeat
03 Nov 13
Breakbeat
Review: Having appeared on William Breakspear's album last summer, Credit To The Nation bolster their return again with this spiked out slammer from Cornish firestarter Cakeboy. Running amok with an electro-charged riff, Cakey's provided the ideal bed for CTTN's rapid-fire conscious spittage. Not feeling the vocal? Jump on the instrumental version "Funkin Marvellous". Tasty!
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ROCST 109DA
15 Sep 13
Breakbeat
15 Sep 13
Breakbeat
Played by: Rory Hoy
Review: Burlesque bass anyone? Sound Assembly deliver a sound that instantly conjures up sensations of festival frenzies and late night naughtiness. With a spiralling bassline that winds further and further up, there's a sense of mischief across both the vocal version and the dub. Elsewhere we find "Freak Me", a swing-swizzled slab of speed garage, all trumpet toots and big warble bass. Quintessential Rocstar; you can't fail to cause commotions with these.
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ROCST 108DA
18 Aug 13
Funky/Club House
18 Aug 13
Funky/Club House
Review: Also available as a stomping electro original, here we find Rocstar's head honcho Cut La Roc adding an elephantine riddim switch for added party pressure. Maintaining the tight balance of gritty hookage and dreamy melody, La Roc's beat dynamics give the track a robust, roof-raising appeal. Like all the best remixes, this complements the original while taking it to a whole new dimension. Keep on giving? Keep on dancing more like...
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ROCST 104DA
14 Jul 13
Electro House
14 Jul 13
Electro House
Review: Treading a fine line between floaty, huggy musicality and a beefy, heads-down gritty hook science, "Keep On Giving" celebrates the very best of both electro worlds. But coming from an erstwhile member of the Japanese Popstars, would you expect anything less? This truly is a perfect grand finale or emotional mood changer. Handle with care!
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ROCST 105DA
14 Jul 13
Breakbeat
14 Jul 13
Breakbeat
Review: The Beatmonkeys are largely known for their breakbeat releases but here we find them getting much more dark and carnal. With a voodoo stomp and harrowed vocals from Andy Cargill it's an introspective track that gives more on every listen. Remix-wise TMM take things on a more organic, psychedelic, Trentemoller-style trip, Cakeboy gives it an electro breakbeat shoeing and Unique 3 whisks you back to electro's original icy roots. Do yourself a favour: check "Some Time" out some time...
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ROCST 102DA
16 Jun 13
Breakbeat
16 Jun 13
Breakbeat
Played by: Juno Recommends Breakbeat
Review: The new bad boys of swing, Dutty Moonshine return to Rocstar with a slamming slice of retro-future fusion. Swaggering with a heavy rag-time hook and some of the funkiest basslines you'll hear this side of the asylum, it switches from a sludgy glitch to a firing triplet-based D&B shock-out with chaotic results. Beat 3 trips things out heady bass warps and slow, stumbling beats while William Breakspear takes the title literally with a fluid, wet electro body popping workout. Instant festival vibes.
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ROCST 99DA
14 Jun 13
Breakbeat
14 Jun 13
Breakbeat
Review: Ably hyped by Kissy Sell Out and various vibe merchants on the BBC, Neoclassical Champion Rockers steps up to Rocstar and gets introduced by the label boss Cut La Roc. Rocking with an off-kilter, spiky electro hook, and all manner of spooky glitches and stabs, we twist and turn from 4/4 to halfstep before breaking into a catchy vocal hook that's not dissimilar to Eddy Temple Morris's Losers material. A great label debut.
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ROCST 101DA
09 Jun 13
Breakbeat
09 Jun 13
Breakbeat
Review: These leading lights in the UK hip-hop scene follow up recent offering 'The King" with this new one-track bomb (surely a teaser for a new album?). Again released on regular collaborator Cut La Roc's Rocstar label, "The Fallout" is another example of The Sixth Letter's fine ability to fuse beats, rhymes and hard rockin' guitar licks like no other. Also included is a dirty version if you're feeling that way inclined or an instrumental version if you're not.
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ROCST 100DA
02 Jun 13
Breakbeat
02 Jun 13
Breakbeat
Played by: Ez Icarus
Review: Few producers can boast a name as cool as Cakeboy. It's actually his real name, too; we know a funny story about him looking like an eclair when he was born. We don't have time for such frivolous anecdotes though. Not when the beats are as creamy as "Skyrider": Cakey's original bubbles between low-swung nu-funk and a more melodic, organic, star-gazing groove while JFB adds a glitchy halfstep hybrid with plenty of bass. Both are, as another big player in the cake game might say, exceedingly good.
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ROCST 94DA
20 Jan 13
Breakbeat
20 Jan 13
Breakbeat
Cut La Roc feat Coppa
Review: As Rocstar head honcho, Cut La Roc has championed the spectrum of breakbeat styles with open-eared enthusiasm and nary a care for fly-by-night trends. Practicing his preach on every release; you never know what you're going to get from old Roccy, but you're guaranteed it's going to rock. "Roll The Dice" is no exception as it tips a nod to Get Physical's early days and classic UK house with stabs that you may well recognise from "Fly Life". Spine-tingler AND party banger, Cutty's nailed it once again.
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ROCST 91DA
05 Nov 12
Breakbeat
05 Nov 12
Breakbeat
Review: The sixth letter in the alphabet is F. Which is quite convenient, really; The Sixth Letter are flipping great. Fun, too. Natural and organic but tight as hell, this is raw UK hip-hop delivered with equal measures of fury and funk. "The King" begins with an acoustic guitar groove that grows and develops on such a scale there's a heavier, rockier, more distorted second part. Throw in the instrumentals and some fine remixes from band member Fletch and Hero Number 7 and you've got yourself a fupping amazing EP.
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ROCST 90DA
21 Oct 12
Breakbeat
21 Oct 12
Breakbeat
Review: Although now based in Colchester, Cut La Roc (aka Lee Potter) originally hails from Brighton where, in the heady days of the '90s, he held a four-year residency at the Big Beat Boutique. He's still going strong; often recording with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and releasing solo albums (his most recent being Larger Than Life). This latest release on his own Rocstar Recordings sees Potter team up with The Sixth Letter & Kimberley Kennedy for a summery jam that recalls the hazy party tunes like "I Wish" by Skee-Lo.
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ROCST 88DA
02 Sep 12
Breakbeat
02 Sep 12
Breakbeat
Review: Neatly hyped by his "Avatar" single at the start of the month, Rocstar's new funker-in-residence William Breakspear brings the noise on his debut LP. And what noise it is! Sitting comfortably somewhere between raw funk, hip-hop and dancefloor-driven nu-funk, Billy boy delivers in every way; even with the pun-fuelled title. With 10 sterling tracks on board, we can't list them all, but here are a few hot tips... "Mountain Fort" is a wonderfully trippy slice of deep dub, "Innovation" is a screaming slab of concentrated party fusion that features back-in-the-day legends Credit To The Nation, "Brave New World" drives us to the most darkened corners of the dance with a bashment rhythm and well textured bass tones while "Man Up" celebrates all things carnival. That's four tracks; have a buzz on the other six yourselves!
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ROCST 85 DA
20 May 12
Breakbeat
20 May 12
Breakbeat
Cut La Roc feat Tricky Micky
Played by: Mo-Matic
Review: Cut La Roc and Tricky Micky's tongues are so far in their cheeks right here, they're almost doing rude things to themselves. Spitting sharp, snide commentary on the faults, foibles and funk-ups of his life, Tricky's lyrics are so rude they'd make Gordon Ramsay run away crying to his mum. More British than The Queen having a cup of tea in the boot of a Mini, about a million times funnier and a billion times funkier, this is a great example of unique UK party hip-hop. Just for added japes, they've thrown in a radio edit and, in case you can't relate to Micky's messed up diatribe, there's a great instrumental on board too.
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ROCST 84 DA
14 May 12
Breakbeat
14 May 12
Breakbeat
Review: There are two things you need to survive in life - music and puns. Sheer, unashamed, silly puns. Willy's got both; his chucklesome name giving birth to the forthcoming album title Bardcore. We approve. You'll have to wait until later in the month for that, in the meantime chow down on this fine album track. Featuring the syrup-toned legend from Freak Power, Ashley Slater, "Avatar" is a dreamy, squelchy nu funk nugget with instant heart-melt potential. Prime material timed perfectly for any sunshine sets you've got coming up, it's complemented by a deeply trippy rub from Jazz-Magz Avatari and a soulful D&B flex via Slim Blue.
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ROCST 83DA
29 Apr 12
Breakbeat
29 Apr 12
Breakbeat
Review: What we have here is a rather resplendent head nod to Cut La Roc's early days as the big beat DJ du jour. With hip-hop sensibilities and a penchant for the groove, while others swashbuckled, he strutted. This emotive, string-drenched hip-hop cut would've sounded just as good back then as it does now. Timeless, perfectly arranged, soulful and coated with some decent rhymes, it's not dissimilar to that poignant-but-funky-but-sad-but-happy hip-hop that Ugly Duckling do really well. For kicks he's thrown in the instrumental, making this a great battle tool for some hip-hop trickery -the type of trickery Cutty became known for in the first place.
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ROCST 82DA
22 Apr 12
Breakbeat
22 Apr 12
Breakbeat
Review: As old Grandpappy Juno tells all the staff on their first day, 'always pack a hardhat'. At first you haven't got the foggiest what he's on about... Then a cut like "Favela" crashes through the speakers, and it hits you like a slo-mo hardcore techno brick. Softened slightly by tingling rave rushes, this is hardhat-level electro at its grittiest. Rough Draft's remix, on the other hand, needs no safety headwear. In fact his funkified dubstep version is so slinky and sprightly you could jump around to this in that cracking birthday suit of yours and fear no real danger whatsoever. Hoi! finishes the set with a remix and while it's back to a hardhat level of electro energy and oomph, you can wear it at a jaunty angle as the basslines are much squidgier.
from $1.89
ROCST 81DA
08 Apr 12
Electro House
08 Apr 12
Electro House
Played by: Rebel Sketchy
Review: A very pleasing step away from his usual punchy, bassy breaks sound as Cut La Roc embraces all things deep and house-shaped on the slow-burning "That Man Is Dirty". With an epic rising filter bringing up some hugely funky vocal stabs over a jacking house beat, CLR keeps his hard-hitting sonics in place but wraps them around a much more subtle and tense arrangement - something that's made even more obvious on the accompanying (and very essential) dub included on the single.
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ROCST 78DA
19 Feb 12
Breakbeat
19 Feb 12
Breakbeat
Review: Canadian bass and breaks newcomer Van Tek marks his debut for Cut La Roc's Rocstar label with three excellent mid-tempo wobblers on this tasty EP. "106 Miles" keeps the funk firmly in place despite the techy sheen, "In The Name of Spain" adds a chunky bassline to some bashment acapella action and "Partial Nudity" swings in nicely with a hip-hop aesthetic, a cheeky Family Guy sample and plenty of lovely liquid bass.
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ROCST 79DA
12 Feb 12
Breakbeat
12 Feb 12
Breakbeat
Houseplayerz feat Tricky Micky
Review: The alias of producer Stuart Green, Houseplayaz has steadily built up a following on the house/electro/breaks scene, enjoying big support from Seb Fontaine, Dave Spoon and the Plump DJs to name but a few. Cut La Roc's Rocstar label is the latest to get on board, releasing the summery pop-trance of "Yes Man" which features a hook-laden vocal from Tricky Micky. Look out for the build 'n' drop-filled "extended' version too for a more club-friendly rework.
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ROCST77DA
27 Nov 11
Breakbeat
27 Nov 11
Breakbeat
Review: Firstly, what an album title! Secondly, we're glad to see UK hip-hop, rock and breaks trio The Sixth Letter doing so well - with their debut album out this week on Cut La Roc's Rocstar label. From the Led Zep-recalling opener "Fly Or Die", it's pretty clear the listener is in for a big, brash and dynamic album. The boys don't disappoint - mixing the intense lyrical insights of "Glass" with soulful and sunny choruses ("Over And Out") and hot foot funk ("Gaffer"). A perfect marriage of beats, rhymes and guitars.
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ROCST 75 DA
30 Oct 11
Breakbeat
30 Oct 11
Breakbeat
