Breakbeat Recommendations June 2013

Review: Hamburg-based trio Basement Freaks has always been a reliable source of goodtime funk. Here, they continue their explorations into 21st century funk with their third full-length, Funk from the Trunk. While previous excursions have been rooted in breaks, the 14 tracks here are largely based around the sort of fuzzy, kaleidoscopic '80s funk once popularized by Prince and Parliament/Funkadelic. Into this pot they through straight-up funk and disco influences, along with the noughties wobble of ghetto funk and more than a nod towards '70 block party grooves. The result is an album that oozes party-friendly fun from start the finish, and more than a little radio-friendly poppiness.

Review: Crazy collection of beats, breaks and samples of many classic tunes all mixed together for your pleasure! Based around the "Battle Breaks" DJ tools... Will appeal to every DJ who likes to add a bit of fun into their set!

Review: Taken from his four track digital debut for the London mega-label, "Distant Shores" is a rushy, star-gazing tingler that builds beautifully with strings and unashamed euphoria. A classic tear-jerk technique showcased by Nu:Tone, High Contrast, Danny Byrd and London Elektricity (to name but a few), when emphatic D&B is done with this level of full-bodied cinematic glory, it really can't be faulted. "Solar" is equally impressive; armed with a much beefier saw tooth bass but just as much vibrancy and feel good vibes, this is going to see a lot of action at the festivals this summer.