Back catalogue: Breakbeat

Review: Aussie larrikin DJ WHPRSNPR is back on his very own Nerang Recordings with a motley crew of upstarts on this one. Fittingly titled Freaky Friends 2, it features DJ Swagger with some off-kilter UK bass on 'Hotice Water' and Low Tape with the NSFW booty bass of 'So Delicious' on the A side, followed over on the flip by Ole Mic Odd's sci-fi electro funk jam 'In The House' and Berlin's Nasty King Krule doing his best Dopplereffekt impression on 'Stop Talkin Boy' among others.

Review: Little is known about Needlework, save for the fact that this new fifth installment to their eponymous breaks series reissues two lesser-known (but no less beloved) breakbeat classics for the present day. DJ Mink's b-boy minimalizer 'Hey Hey Can U Relate' (indeed we can) appears on the A-side in the utmost quality - showing off the precision sharpness of its core break and vocal shouts - while legendary b-boy crew Tuff Crew hear their flauting, noiry instrumental version of their track 'Soul Food' get added to the B.

Review: Self-proclaimed "queer Antifa" operative Neu Verboten has a hard-to-pigeonhole style all of his own, where filthy techno bass and raw rave stabs rub shoulders with intense EBM electronics, clanking industrial sounds and heavy, pitch-black techno beats. It's a hugely enjoyable sound all told and one he successfully showcases on the 18th volume in Libertine Records' Traditions series. Our picks of a very strong bunch include the heart-racing intensity of electro-EBM fusion number 'It Doesn't Have To Be This Way', the sub-heavy electro-bleep shuffle of 'If They Arrive (Part 1)' and the brain-melting, body-popping madness of 'Global Warming'.

Review: After a productive couple of years dropping releases on BORDE and Physical Education, Sasha Nevolin heralds the start of a new label OCV with this sophisticated EP of trancey house gear. 'Dukalis Is On Duty' kicks the EP off with richly rendered synths speaking their own space age language around the solid thrust of the drums, while Banditos takes things into mellow, pad-soaked pastures driven by a light, rolling breakbeat. 'Biathlonist' takes a pause in strictly beatless, ambient, and then 'Chaotic Mood' plunges deeper into backroom techno for the chillest of souls. 'Grey Sky' completes the package with a dreamy electro diversion sporting a soupcon of acid.

Review: The sixth UFOs outing is another intergalactic adventure in sonic form and this time at the buttons it's New Balaance, a Mexican artist at the heart of a new wave. Space Jungle though is an apt title for this EP, which kicks off with some stylish breaks and nimble basslines overlaid with lush cosmic arps. 'Space Jungle' (feat Parallax Modulators brings a more pensive mood thanks to the sustained chords and deeper grooves, but subtle acid and chattery perc bring it to life. 'Grantourismo' is a lively and dynamic cut with more swirling synth work while 'Redemption' closes down this quartet of excellent explorations with a mix of 90s prog, techno and breakbeats all imbued with plenty of colour.

Review: It's an Irish affair for Apartment, an all-Celtic lineup for an eclectic house four-track off the beaten path. Ireland has been accumulating an unseen electronic scene, with breakcore and jungle artists like Harmful Logic and DJ Kuroneko being just an example of the counter-culture innovation that's gaining traction. Here we see a combination of breakbeat-infused house and deep tech, with a deliberate Porter Robinson-esque nostalgia imbued within. We start off with 'Sanyo Shinkansen', a groove as efficient as its namesake with rolling guitars against a wind section that imitates train signals intermittently. Swiftly following is something more forward-looking, the glitchy beat on 'Green Spot Boogie' conjuring the breeziness of the aforementioned Robinson's 'Wind Tempos' and its stuttered synths. Tracks three and four are the secret weapons, Irish producers ELLLL and Lumigraph crafting dark, moody industrial cuts and synthy, atmospheric electronica respectively (Think Machine Girl's 'Neon White' OST). It's a bold and strong four-track showcasing some extreme talent.

Review: Mahres welcomes back Nein Niemals for Geometrie Fermee, a fourth EP which this time finds him showcasing his love of breaks. 'Get Out Of My Head' is a lively opener with old school rave energy and chopped up vocals while 'Chemical Lobotomy' has a deeper feel but no less energy. 'Diagnostic & Statistical Manual' is an ambient interlude with a real sense of tension then 'Lost In A Box' picks up the pace again with thrilling drum breaks that are lively and nimble and 'Neuroleptic 23mg' closes with a slow, dark crawl. Mixing and co-production on this one has come from Chris Key, with some nice fresh art too. This 12" is limited to just 200 copies, so do not sleep.

Review: London-based label Telum recently launched the offshoot label Aurum, that's into its second release which comes from Rominimal hero Nu Zau. On the A-side, you've got the groovy broken beat microhouse of 'Break Me' which is totally made for getting weird at the after hours, while over on the flip he goes for a couple more tunes which are more straight ahead. First up is the heady minimal funk of 'Everytime' which gets the job done in typically lean and subtle fashion, followed by the emotive Sunday morning sunrise vibes of 'R U Ready'. Tip!