Review: Everyone's talking and no-one is listening... Unless Chatta B is chewing your ear off with his militant breaks - because then we're all ears over here. Unleashing the ghosts of 93 with big sacks of sheesh and oh my gosh, each of these cuts hits hard with the neck-snap breaks and big hooky samples. 'Watch Out' sets the scene with energy, 'Real Badman Sound' goes full-on rudeboy, 'The Exit' is a big sing-along moment while 'Easy Take It Easy' sends us off into the sunset with mixed sentiments... The vocals are like a sweet rum punch while those rattling breaks on the rhythm are more like a tum punch. Talk to us.
Review: Certain names in dance music do well to predict the future - and Digital Pressure is one such name. Originally released on A Guy Called Gerald's label Juice Box in 1993, this phonkout beast of an EP came via the joint efforts of producers SDR and Subsonic aka Adrian Lloyd and Kelly Bowers. The twizzling melody and tunefully sawing breaks delays that kick this one off reflect the "digital pressures" of today perhaps more so than it did back then; 'Watch Dis Space' and 'Strictly Drug Related' make unique use (for jungle) of glitching phone chip stinger sounds, reminiscent of the twinkly "coin get" sound effects one might hear on carting about an old Watara games unit. If only handheld games consoles and uncommonly sighted mobile phones were the extent of our digital woes; now we've a heck of a lot more to worry about, and doesn't the further ironically named 'Back 2 Da Future' know it with its Twilight Zone topline and clunky robo-vox! Limited run of 350.
Review: "A record planned for almost 30 years is finally happening!" say the only notes with this new, one-sided and limited edition hand-stamped 12". It finds DJ Heartchore offering up two versions of the same track. 'In Love' is a classic hard techno banger with more energy than a classroom full of nine-year-olds after a crate of Monster energy drinks. It issuer rave fodder for main room deployment and also included is a 1994 Tool with a more old school feel but no less of an impact.
Review: Revered and uncompromising techno talent Dr Rubinstein's 'Rubi Acid Spa' is the subject of this superb new remix EP on Uppers & Downers. Dave NA kicks off with thrilling take on 'Extacid' that is riddled with 303 lines and snappy snares. 'Rubi's Acid Spa' (Yazzus Jacuzzi remix) is a quick and bubbly acid techno workout, Blind Observatory's Mitsubishi mix is a more emotive sound for once the rush has really kicked in and you're flying high at 5am and last of all is the brightly coloured melodic madness of 'Ravey Intro 2 (DJ Mell G remix).
Review: This new release, ACID Thing, from legendary acid house man EBY pays homage to the classic acid sound while infusing it with modern twists. It has been put together across three different coloured vinyl 12"s - this is the grey, white and black splattered vinyl version - to celebrate an impressive 40 years in the game on Foxbam Inc. One cut 'Acidanus' features MC Soph, who debuted on Acid Indigestion Pt4 at age eight and now returns at 25. The EP also includes a remix of 'Eggtrip' by renowned Belgian producer Outlander and a superbly bright, arresting acid opener in the form of 'Bun Da Acid.'
Review: To make it to 40 years in any job is a fine achievement, but to do it in the fast-paced world of electronic music is even more rare. But that is exactly what EBY has done - he has been turning out acid house jams for four full decades now and to celebrate the milestone has put together a special release on Foxbam Inc called "it's an ACID thing" and it comes in various different formats. This one is a black and grey splattered 12" limited to just 100 copies. It features the ragga vocals and crushing beats of 'Bun Da Acid', the brilliantly gurgling 303 lines and ice-cold drums of 'Acidanus" (feat Soap MC) and the darker and more moody vibes of 'Eggtrip'. An Outlander Eggs & Shells remix shuts down in style.
Review: In 2019, Vinyl Fanatiks launched with the debut of the Ellis Dee Project series across two parts. Fast forward five years, and the label is back with Part 3, which is a real monster of a release that's well worth the wait. 'Don't Stop Rocking' is raved-up, jungle-inspired, hardcore breakbeat fun with drilling basslines and yelping vocal sounds and some playful breakdowns and curious melodies. The remix of 'Dance Factor' on the flip from Rennie Pilgrim is another all out assault with rave horns and unrelenting drum pressure. Incidentally, his first-ever remix was of Ellis Dee, so this is a nice circular moment.
Review: 'Wow War Tonight' is a cover by Amano Airi and Himegami Shano, originally performed by H Jungle with T. The lively track served as the ending theme for the anime D4DJ First Mix. Tetsuya Komuro and in addition to solo versions by Amano Airi and Himegami Shano, a special version featuring Call of Artemis was included in their debut album in 2023. This 7" features a playful Two Million mix and a Karaoke version of the original. It's lively and unique, to say the least.
Marjan - "Desert Of Heart" (Ramtin Niazi rework) (4:35)
Artoush - "The Curse" (Ramtin Niazi rework) (4:22)
Review: Today's Youth is a collection of Ramtin Niazi's reworkings of some of Iran's best loved songs. Here the Iranian artist - and key component part of such storied Persian rave music groups as Ben & Jerry, Kahkli Cru and 1000PA - breathes fresh, shape-cut life into the music of Googoosh, Kourosh Yaghmaei, Marjan and Artoush, refitting them for the abandoned warehouse rave. This is a real eclectic record, taking after well-established dance styles like speed garage, jungle, and dembow, but each track is nonetheless arranged with a gauche left hand, so gauche as to abstract each one from its stylistic reference point enough to sound lytic: unmoored from any total obligation to their origins, be they Iranian or Western European.
Review: Oi oi, gun fingers and glow sticks at the ready for this one, which is a jungle, d&b and hardcore fusion that throws it back to the good old days. 'Feel The Magic' has it all and then some with blistering amen breaks and killer vocal stabs, 'Wheel Up' keeps on the pressure with more irresistibly funky breaks, spin backs and prying synth tone and 'Come Inside' hypnotises with a mystic flute lead before the devastating drums drop once more. 'Breakage #6' shuts down with another lively rhythm that will turn any 'floor into a rave den.
Noise Factory - "Can You Feel The Rush" (The Power mix) (4:54)
TDK - "Baby Plane" (5:05)
TDK - "Illusion Of Balance" (4:54)
TDK - "Bonus Beat" (5:06)
Review: Throwback proto-jungle glitz from Noise Factory reissued by Kemet Music, the revolving-door ragga jungle collective mainly owned and operated by label owner Mark X. Just as it was with its original release on the label in 1993, we hear Noise Factory's original 'Can You Feel The Rush' - first surfacing on Ibiza Records that same year - followed by three stonkers from DJ, producer and emcee TDK. This is an EP that overflows with legitness, its liquid tsunamic runovers of energetic vibe pouring forth from NF's 'Power Mix' as well as the subsequent key-mapped demon choir hellscape, 'Baby Plane'. All tunes here bear that raw, much coveted yet never quite totally replicable rasp sound, endemic to the early-to-mid 90s. Feathers don't get ruffled as much as they do get ruffed, on the closers 'Illusion Of Balance' and 'Bonus Beat'.
Review: Parade's 'Parade 004' bursts with high-energy, classic breakbeat vibes, perfectly crafted for fans of rave anthems. Side-1 kicks off with 'Austria', a high-octane track that fuses uplifting piano riffs with a driving beat, embodying peak 90s rave energy. It's the kind of track that fills a dancefloor, blending nostalgia with fresh, invigorating production. Side-2 dives deeper with 'Heartbeat' and 'Higher', both loaded with feel-good, jungle-tinged piano lines that bring a pure, euphoric lift. These tracks capture the essence of breakbeat's roots, while infusing it with a modern twist that keeps things exciting. Parade manages to be both a celebration of breakbeat's legacy and a re-energised take for today's dance sceneiideal for anyone looking to relive or discover that classic sound.
Review: The Time Is Now to welcome bass legend Samurai Breaks to your ears; the artist's latest record 'Turbo Diesel' is a splittingly fast garage come bassline EP, one boldly unafraid of the upper ranges of the proverbial tempo fader. Described as "another cut of face-melting goodness" by the Shall Not Fade sister label, the likes of 'Exercise Riddim' and 'Wheel Up' bring raw and confident rave sampleage to a brisk doubletime 150-odd BPM, while B-siders 'Turbo Diesel' and 'Supa Wobbly Shedda' hear a seamless mix into juke-footed drum & bass come bassline. We're ordered to "pop the trunk" amid siren blares on the former track, not long before we're bundled into the back and taken on an earnapped ride, the latter track indeed shedding any prior inhibitions we'd harboured.
Review: Brian Dougans and Garry Cobain, the masterminds behind Future Sound of London, return with The Pulse EP Vol 3, a reissue of their classic work under various aliases on the Jumpin' & Pumpin' label. This highly anticipated 12" features tracks that showcase their 90s techno brilliance. Side-1 opens with Smart Systems' 'Tingler' (Four By Four mix), a dark, sinister track that channels Beltram's 'hover' sound into a hardcore rave anthem. Indo Tribe's 'Owl' (I Can See You mix) follows, hailed by fans as one of the greatest breakbeat hardcore tracks ever made, a retro-classic loaded with chunky, energetic beats and an unforgettable sample. Side-2 kicks off with Indo Tribe's 'Bite The Bullet Baby' (Jacques Reynoix mix), another gem that blends early 90s rave energy with a unique edge. The real highlight, however, is Yage's 'Calcium' (Elementary mix), which first appeared on Future Sound of London's Accelerator album. Even today, it sounds transcendental and timeless, its melodic piano lines and otherworldly ambiance continuing to win over listeners. This EP is a vital piece of underground rave history and an essential listen for fans of early techno and breakbeat hardcore.
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