Tags: Breakbeat House

Review: Efficient Space's latest essential release sees Andras and Instant Peterson take a trawl through the darker, lesser-visited corners of Australian electronic music. According to the label, the pair lifted material from "local 12" singles, CD-Rs and the archives of community radio station 3RRR FM". Highlights come thick and fast throughout, from the acid-flecked, "Nude Photo" style Detroit fun of FSOM's "Resist The Beat" and chiming, trumpet-laden bliss of Ian Eccles-Smith's "The Slaughtering Eye", to the jaunty, mid-90s New York style bounce of Blimp's "Yellowgold" and the ultra-deep ambient techno pulse of Tetrphnm's "Track 11". Check, too, the enveloping dreaminess of Screensaver's drifting ambient closer, and the jazzy dancefloor depth of Inner Harmomy's "Da Lub Club".

Review: It's testament to the enduring quality and far-sighted nature of Future Sound of London's iconic 1991 single 'Papua New Guinea' that it keeps being 'rediscovered' by new generations of DJs. It has been a while, though, since any new reworks dropped - hence this 'Rebooted' edition. L Major kicks things off with a suitably cosmic, psychedelic and slow-building proto-jungle style offering, before Nishiesque flits between passages of hot-stepping, synth-laden d&b and slo-mo 4/4 chug. House heroes Soul Central reach for vintage hip-house breakbeats, ambient electronics and the original version's most life-affirming elements (the bassline, twinkling synth melodies and heady vocal samples), while Dee Montero re-casts the cut as a proggy, tribal-tinged tech-house roller.

Review: DJ/producer Philip Lauer from Frankfurt has teamed up with Berlin vocalist Dena to create a modern take on Julie Stapleton's soulful house classic, containing multiple versions. Lauer's Hotel Lauer EP on Especial in 2016 cemented his position in the scene, with albums for Permanent Vacation and Running Back. Dena, born in Bulgaria and raised in Berlin, has released electronic dance-pop stylings on Kitsune Music and K7. The EP features a Club Mix, a Demo Mix, a deep tech remix by DJ Slyngshot, and a drifting Balearic version for late summer nights and dawn.

Review: Jumpin' & Pumpin' looks back into the seminal archives of The Future Sound of London here to reissue their fantastic The Pulse EP from 2008 which also featured tunes from Manchester pair Indo Tribe. It is they who start with 'Bring In The Pulse' which features some Happy Mondays hallelujahs, mad rave whistles and bristling electronic breaks. 'In The Mind Of A Child' (First Born mix) is then a bouncy techno cut with more visceral synth and acid lines and The Future Sound Of London kick off the flipside with 'Hardhead' (Frothin' At The Mouth mix) which is an assault of breaks, congas, whistles and rave signifiers. 'Pulse State' (831 AM mix) is that perfect tune to zone out to on a late night drive on the motorway.

Review: Given that he cut his teeth as a DJ and producer in San Francisco during the early 90s, DJ Spun is in a perfect position to educate us on the city's breakbeat-driven 'rave' sound - a hybrid and hyper-local affair that blended the Bay Area's psychedelic sounds and loved-up ethos with elements of acid, hip-hop, hip-house, deep house and British breakbeat hardcore. The Beat By DJ Spun Volume 1 does a great job of highlighting largely lesser-known, breakbeat-powered cuts produced in the city between 1988 and '94. For proof, check out the dreamy, mid-tempo wonder of Single Cell Orchestra's 'Transmit Liberation', the funk-fuelled hedonism of Triple M's 'Prisoner of Passion (Funky Dub Mix)', the deep and dubby breaks of 'Based (Not So Free Mix)' by DJ Emma, and the sparse-and-squelchy post hip-house shuffle of Spins Inc's 'The New Frontier'.

Review: Dance Music From Planet Earth is a new sub-label from Ransom Note that kicks off with a heritage compilation, Dream The Dream. It looks back in great detail at UK Techno, House and Breakbeat 1990-1994 with Richard Sen as the man in control. He was a DJ back in those days, playing the most epic raves around Europe and taking some of the photos which now form the artwork for this collection. His obsessive record collecting from those days is reflected here across a series of sometimes obscure but always brilliant UK tunes for the worlds of ambient, techno, tribal house, breakbeat and early trance.

Review: Real-deal 90s ethereal breaks from the electronic music duo Way Out West. First released in 1997, this was not their best-known outing: only when this Bristolian duo was later joined by singer Omi (Emma Everett) did this happen, and this Deconstruction debut had only seen their instrumental incarnation so far. Nevertheless, this is a distinctly of-its-time record, offering blinding, game soundtrack-informed fusions of chillout flourishment with ascendant breaks-phoria and only vaguely touching on the theme of the wild West, ironically separate from the electronic music enthusiast's main imaginary. The record's non-breaksy moments are well worth noting too, with the slidden guitars of 'Earth' and chattering dub atmospherics of 'Dancehall Tornado' serving as the two most out-there numbers.

Review: The Cosmic Soup label did some mighty fine work in bringing Howard Dodd's work as Doc Bozique and Anoesis back into ear shot. Dodd released a fair clutch of wiggy, trance-inflected house and techno back in the wild old days of the mid-90s, and so it's no surprise to hear his music finding new relevance at a time when that sound is so warmly received on dancefloors all over the place. This release for German label Spray pulls together a few different bits from 1994, ranging from 'Heavy Water' and 'Diact' from The Anoesis EP to 'Trouble Down Groove' from Eight Day Music. Bringing the relevance with the current zeitgeist in no uncertain times, we're also treated to a remix courtesy of a scene leader in this field, D. Tiffany.

Review: All-round powerhouse Ransom Note - label, promoter and publication - are veterans on the scene, having promoted nearly every facet of the dance music scene since the early 2010s. This new compilation hears the Ransom Note core outfit team up with Richard Sen, an equally battle-scarred DJ and producer active since the late 80s. The project is Sen's tribute to the UK rave scene of the early 1990s, featuring rare and obscure tracks by artists not normally cited among nostalgists: Centuras, Bandulu, Strontium 90, Orr-Some, Biff'um Baff'um Boys, Epoch 90, Mind Over Rhythm, Dream Frequency, As One and UVX. Techno, house, breakbeat, acid and hardcore collide to synthesise a sonic zeitgeist, which occupied a brief but spectacular four-year period in dance music's early golden decade.

Review: Utah Saints, the debut album from the British electronic duo, was originally released in the U.S., followed by a UK release in 1993. This album played a pivotal role in establishing the band as household names in the burgeoning techno scene, reaching number ten on the UK Albums Chart. The singles 'Something Good', 'I Want You' and 'What Can You Do for Me' showed the band's crossover appeal, with 'Something Good becoming a staple on college radio in America. A standout on the album, 'Something Good', prominently samples Kate Bush's 'Cloudbusting', lending it a nostalgic yet fresh vibe. Released as a single in May 1992, it soared to number four on the UK Singles Chart and captured attention on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart as well. The song also gained prominence during the BBC's coverage of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The album is full of great techno and dance music. This vinyl reissue features striking new artwork that beautifully balances modern aesthetics with a classic feel, ensuring it appeals to both new listeners and longtime fans. Utah Saints remains a defining work of its time, reflecting the innovative spirit of early 90s electronic music.

Review: Lol Hammond is a former member of Spiral Tribe and early live techno act The Drum Club who now makes music on his own as Wah Wah Planet. Back in 1990 is when he penned this fantastic five track Balearic house EP alongside Russell Crone and with female vocal contributions from Lucy Sian. It very much lay out an early blueprint for UK street soul and the opener on the A-side 'Jewel' explores a romantic theme with hooky pop lyrics. Things get more left of centre on the 'Love FXU' with three trips into a smoother sound world perfect for sun kissed island dancing and with influences ranging from early breakbeat and trip hop to elements of dancehall music.

Review: Giorgio Canepa is the longstanding Italian house pioneer behind the MBG alias, and someone who very much shaped the Italo sound of the nineties. This vital reissue of his Trance Wave Again EP shows why. Right from the first beat and trance-licked chord, it has you locked in to the punchy beats and organ bassline. It's old school but still thrilling stuff. 'Trance Shout' ups the energy levels slightly and then an unreleased 1993 mix layers in more Balearic chords that take you to some party on the Med under a hot sun.

Review: Reissued from Future Sound of Melbourne's iconic Melodia EP, originally released in 1992 with two additional bonus tracks, this meticulously remastered collection promises that same dancefloor excitement. Remixed by Damian Schwartz, the EP blends techno, rave house, and breakbeat piano anthems that evoke the golden era of electronic music with a contemporary twist. Founded in 1990 by Davide Carbone, Josh Abrahams, and Steve Robbins, FSOM's legacy resonates worldwide. 'Alien' kicks off the EP with upbeat 90s techno vibes, followed by the euphoric rave anthem 'Heaven.' 'Melodia' is a breakbeat piano banger, and 'Melodia 95, a fresh take on the classic, showcases FSOM's enduring innovation.

Review: Bassex Records emerged as a niche haven for electronica enthusiasts in the mid-90s, championing and, more importantly, blending genres like trance, breaks, acid and techno, the label's initial influence remained confined to the West Coast. However, as trancey breakbeats gained traction in Europe over the past 15 years, Bassex has ascended to cult status. Rebirth was label owner Mike Knapp and DJ Jason Blakemore (DJ Trance) and this compilation specifically gathers a few very desirable gems from three different releases by them and places them here. Bassex Selections is an important window into the label's enduring legacy and snapshot of the west coast scene circa 1994.

Review: Originally released on Stickman Records in 1997, this bass-driven house delight delivers glitching synth lines that recall Martin Bonds' Reel By Real project. It comes with a deep and soulful vocal that echoes the legendary Robert Owens and its silky tones perfectly complement the sensual pads. DJ Decent's Acid Mix injects squelchy 303s and a tough breakbeat that completely flips the original and Wamdue's remix takes a hypnotic turn that layers reversed strings and granular FX over a wobbly tech-house groove. A fine reissue that will still do plenty of damage in the club.

Review: A quarter of a century on, Chemical Brothers' second studio album returns to stores in expanded form. The original album remains the high watermark of the (now often derided) big beat movement - a bolshy, thrill-a-minute ride that races between funk-fuelled, break-heavy hits ('Block-Rockin' Beats'), rock-tinged heaviness (the title track), fuzz-fuelled post-techno hedonism ('Electrobank'), La Funk Mob-influenced trip-hop ('Piku'), heady ambience ('Loft in the K-Hole') and riffs on the Beatles' 'Tomorrow Never Knows' ('Setting Sun' with Noel Gallagher and the incredible 'My Private Psychedelic Reel'). The second disc on this bonus edition boasts a quintet of previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions, with our highlights including the opioid pulse of 'Cylinders' and the slamming techno breathlessness of 'It Doesn't Matter (alternate mix)'.

Review: 31 years have now passed since Smart E's gate-crashed the charts with their contribution to the (short-lived) 'toytown rave' movement, 'Sesame's Treet' - a rather silly (but, in its own way, joyous) breakbeat hardcore tune featuring snippets of the theme tune to 'Sesame Street'. Here the track gets the 2023 remix treatment. Fast flowing 'chap hop' rapper Professor Elemental stars on 'Sesame's Treet 2023', a funkier but no less celebratory re-imagining that retains core elements from the original mix (the raw rave stabs, the boisterous breaks and, yes, bits of that oh-so-familiar theme tune), while the HSI remix is an energetic, extra-percussive, sample-heavy take built around a deliciously wobbly bassline and saucer-eyed chords. The EP also features remastered 1992 album track 'Magnificent', a slightly darker but even more potent hardcore workout.