Juno Recommends Breakbeat May 2021

Review: Cologne's Johannes Kolter made his name as DJOKO, but his most recent outing under that alias for Talman Records also included a pair of tracks credited to Kolter. It's that artistic alias he's chosen to use on this single, which introduces the world to debutant imprint PILOT. It's an EP that's well worth checking out, not least for deliciously bass-heavy opener 'Went Too Far', a weighty, stab-happy and sample-heavy affair that recalls the occasional electro tracks made by early blepe & bass and hardcore producers. Garage-influenced breakbeat workout 'Get Into It' is another funk-fuelled treat, while jungle-influenced breaks shuffler 'Selectoor'[sic] is a bass-heavy beast. The German successfully rounds off a fine EP via 'Illumination', which reminded us a little of Orbital's most melodious early moments.

Review: DJ Absolutely Shit put out a first EP in 2017 that now fetches eye watering amounts on Discogs. That was apparently a reissue of some old music found in storage, but now comes a first proper release that is just as irresistible. 'A Night at Shelly's' was first put out on that white label teaser, but by now is a bona fide banger. The 90s pianos over an elastic bassline, then the explosions of funky breaks, just hit different. There's a jazzy beatdown next to that on the a-side, then trance laced breakbeat joy on 'Chop Up The Tories' and last but not least, a real pinger in the form of 'Bang Into Breakbeach.'

Review: UK rave veterans Altern 8 hadn't put out new music in over 25 years. And then they dropped new single 'Hard Crew', which has been a staple of their live sets in recent times. The original is a bristling big beat tune with crashing drums and a snaking, filthy baseline. Things get more dreamy and leggy on the Denham Audio remix before two further versions head into hardcore and then jungle territory. A percentage of the profits of this release goes to the WeAreViable campaign which hopes to help the arts and events industries survive the pandemic.

Review: Belgian producer Maximilien Vincent knows how to serve up superbly downtempo ambient acid tracks that bathe you in glorious sound. Tinged with a little 90s nostalgia but never overbearingly so, he is back now with more of his soothing sounds on the Furthur Electronix label. Slow Motion Race kicks off with a vocal that could be from a Pet Shop Boys record and a beat that sounds very Moby. 'Summer Rains' then soars on a celestial breakbeat with more distant acid textures and 'Ambivalent' dips its toe into a more dark jungle sound but stuffed with sonic details for the mind.

Review: Skuum calls for total exhaustion on Strictly Strictly with his infernal Blue Nespresso EP. Side A is a triple overdose of heavy bass and well-distributed breakbeats, putting a ban on any attempt to rest. On side B, Luz1e kills it with her heretic Electro interpretation of FORZA while Shedbug takes the E R A V E to another level of pure Hands-Upness. Strictly no eye kept dry on this one.