Well-known for quality releases on their Dnaudio imprint, Silent Witness & Break turn out a mesmerizing remix for downtempo artist Sholto. This track manages to maintain a perfect balance of melody and dancefloor aesthetics, with organ harmonics and running beats snugly wrapped in a tight bassline to create a richly textured rollout.
Slk Feat. Wonderkid Hype Hype
Superproducer Sticky conspires with Northwest London crew SLK to blow up the dance! The SLK MCs bang out lyrics full of grunts and yelps like they‘re having a blast trying to keep up with Sticky‘s merry-go-round organs and itchy beats. Keep your ears pricked for the Wonder remix signed to Ministry Of Sound.
Low Deep Str8 Flush
Low Deep pastes together plucked strings from MJ Cole, a cut-up vocal from Kanye West, rugged jungle drums, and a surprising hardcore piano to make a two-tracker that stands equally well as MC backing and history lesson. It‘s like a megamix of all the sounds that influence UK garage-yet this record manages to be both cohesive and compelling.
TTC Batards Sensibles
Forget what you heard about Snoop and Lil‘ Skateboard P‘s “Drop It Like It‘s Hot”: Parisian weirdo thugs TTC have come with the beat of the year on “Dans Le Club,” and several of the other tracks on Batards Sensibles could be in the running as well. Since I‘ve retained precious little from college French classes, you get no explanation of the lyrics. It‘s probably just as well since you‘re likely asking yourself why the hell you need a rap album that you can‘t understand. The beats, that‘s why.
Out Hud One Night to Leave
Out Hud returns after what seems like an age, and a very welcome return it is. The album version of this sees dual female lead vocals but this 12″ mix is a very different beast. The first three minutes are what can only be described as demented before it breaks down into a gorgeously languid seven-minute percussive space disco groove with 21st century production twists. Killer.
Konono No. 1 Lubuaku
From Kinshasa, Congo, this lot has been going for 25 years and they build all their own instruments. This is just about the punkest, most primal, trance-inducing music I have ever heard. The fact that this was recorded straight from the mixing desk live in Holland only adds to the rawness. Mindblowing!
Morane Let Me Out (No, There‘s Nobody In the Cellar)
This has been out for a while but has been criminally overlooked. Perlon is usually associated with microhouse but this is something else entirely. I‘m going to call this emo disco-it‘s got a morose singer, disjointed guitars, damaged disco strings, synthetic horns, and a big 4/4 beat. Where this fits in is anyone‘s guess but I think it‘s a work of genius.
B.L.I.M. The Sound In My Head
B.L.I.M. has been creating great tracks since way back and hasn‘t let us down this time either with this bit of technobreaks on his track label. It‘s pretty damn dark and stomping with super stripped-back beats and a bassline that just rumbles and rumbles and drives people insane (in a good way).
La Liga What You Want
Although not one of Lot49‘s strongest releases, “What You Want” is still a worthy contender. It‘s not gonna win any awards for originality but its mix of clean-but-live-sounding drums and chugging synthlines has found a place in our hearts. Not a peak-time moment, but not all tracks have to be.
The Prodigy Spitfire (Future Funk Squad Remix)
The original “Spitfire” is one of the standout tracks on the excellent new Prodigy album and has been lovingly twisted here by Future Funk Squad into an acid-vibed Evil Nine favorite. With an insistent and blipy synth line, Eastern vocals, and huge guitar drops it‘s been spinning round our heads for ages. Please stop now.
