Back in stock: Breakbeat

Review: Second time round for Masarima's 'Freak Like U', a sparkling 2020 tribute to post-Italo-disco proto-house, co-produced by Whodamanny and Mystic Jungle. This time round, the track has been reimagined by two stellar talents: West Coast electro stalwart Egyptian Lover and Sheffield-based bleep, hardcore and acid revivalist Luca Lozano. The former handles side A, delivering warming, dreamy, tactile and glassy-eyed electro takes (vocal and instrumental) that reinforce the track's mid 1980s inspiration. Lozano, meanwhile, opts for another kind of nostalgia altogether, first combining house tempo breaks with echo-laden elements of the original (and a couple of hazy new synth stabs) on the 'Breakbeat Guy remix', before layering up the beats on a rather lovely 'Tribal Workout Dub' featuring percussionist Karlos Moran.

Review: Hornsey Hardcore is but one outlet for the prolific cult legend Jerome Hill, but at least you know exactly what you're going to get from these records. Bringing the breakthrough sounds of 1992-1994 into the modern age, Hill manages to maintain the clattering roughness of the OG material while adding in the benefit of modern mixing to make these tracks smack you upside the head in ways the old stuff can only dream of. Just drop in on the manic roll of 'Asylum' and you'll hear all you need to as the off key orchestra stabs and 'Bombscare' break create a five-minute pile-up with enough samples about insanity send a suitably grubby rave into sheer bedlam.

Review: Without a doubt, one of the most anticipated reissue compilations of the year is this collection of Future Sound of London side projects. In 2007 this was a CD-only compilation of early 90s tracks as well as unreleased ones from the same age. As the lore of FSOL continues to grow over the past 30+ years, their side projects have gotten more and more attention from the people who love those early rave sounds. Now for the first time, a vinyl version of it with no less than a 3x12 to harness all this early 90s techno goodness. All the tracks are by Dougans and Cobain and the aliases are the same. This 2007 album however has a wealth of new material from the same time period as Earthbeat. It is amazing that one release like this by two producers can be such a prime example of the UK sound that changed dance music forever. If you want the 90s UK rave reissue of the year, here it is!

Review: Mystics Arts is young label from Belfast that welcomes vocal duo Black Bones aka the DJ and production duo of Aaron Black and Timmy Stewart. Both men have been at this for many years and bring considerable know how, studio chops and dance music understanding to an EP that is aimed square at the rave. It's all about hands in the air breakbeats, old school rave energy, lush chords that come on stronger than the rush of an E and are steeped in the culture of pirate radio, illegal parties and warehouse sessions. A timeless EP that will light up any dancefloor.

Review: Vinyl Fanatiks take it all the way back to 1993 with this reissued EP by Fruit & Veg. It has been fully remastered of the occasion and sounds as good now in terms of the fidelity, as well as the style, as it did 30+ years ago. 'Dark Enough?' is a nice heads-down and hardcore jungle roller with broad, menacing bass that booms out beneath the silky loops. Flip it over and '25%' again has some devastating amen breaks looped to infinity while more tripped melodies bring a darker rave edge to this one.