Juno Recommends Breakbeat: November 2022

Review: Dream Software launches with a first transmission from Jon Jones that takes you off into a cosmic paradise in the sky. It is the perfect post-rave comedown tackle, late-night sonic lullabies for electronic music lovers or a soundtrack to an imaginary interplanetary romance. The gently lilting rhythms and optimism chords of 'This Must Be The Place' kick off before 'Nor Heaven, Nor Hell' rides on twisted synths and fleshy bass that take you down the rabbit hole. 'Gateway' (Sunrise mix) is pure Castelmorton rave at sun-up sort of tackle. A fine first EP.

Review: First released 29 years ago and now something of an in-demand item online, Partners In Crime's debut single 'Tonight' is a fine example of post-bleep UK dance music that combines elements of different contemporaneous styles in a variety of attractive, warehouse-ready ways. As this reissue proves, the track has aged remarkably well and sounds particularly fresh in the current sonic environment. The sub-heavy, EP-opening 'Boneshaker Mix' combines bleeps, bass, breakbeats and gorgeously soft-touch deep house chords, while the 'U Ain't Saying Nothin Mix' draws a bit more influence from US deep house and New Jersey garage whilst retaining a shuffling breakbeat groove. Over on the flip 'Arabian Dreams' is a gently exotic chunk of head-nodding, post-street soul deepness available in two forms: the quietly bleepy 'Future Dawn Mix' and the reggae-influenced 'Rhythm & Bass' mix.

Review: Tokelau is a dependent territory of New Zealand in the southern Pacific Ocean which comprises the tropical coral atolls of Atafu, Nukunonu, and Fakaofo. It is also the name given to this new hand stamped, white label edit imprint. There is plenty of airiness to the whimsical synths and flutes of opener 'If I Ruled' as well as some rugged drum breaks. 'The Aliens' has more exquisite breaks, this time they go a bit deeper with swirling, filtered melodies hinting at the party to come. 'My Brother' is drenched in soulful and balmy pads and 'My Ride' gets more raw and kicking with some old school stabs. A very useful EP for DJs, to be sure.

Review: Ludwig AF 'Air - A Retrospective' was made over the course of the last eight years. It is, says the artist, a hugely personal collection of music that isn't officially a debut album but instead a lot back on what has been achieved so far. This is dreamscape music, techno with airiness in it an ambient synth design that soothes the mind, body and soul. Sometimes it is full-on new age, post-rave tackle doused in rushes of E-ed up emotions like on 'Sequoia' and at other times it is more quiet, reflective and introspective such as on the star-gazing 'Mycena Lux Coeli.' Whatever he is doing, the results are timeless.

Review: British producer Bufobufo takes the reins for the latest Art of Dark slab of wax and wears the rich musical heritage of his homeland proudly on his sleeve throughout. First up is a fusion of sub-bass and rave motifs, early techno drums and Castlemorten free party energy that will liven up any setting. 'Caracal' then serves up some crispy breaks with darker bass sounds and smart little samples to take things into the future. There is then some twitchy techno business on 'Pallas' and 'Jaguarundi' closes out with shadowy jungle moods. This is another timeless offering from Colin Chiddle's label.

Review: Wex publishes yet another banger, this time under their German sub-label day by day with a new offering of elegant electronica by Anderson Musik (aka Matt Anderson) who has just finished a brief stint across Europe playing some star-studded setlists in London and Barcelona. 'Go Go Gadget EP' is a chemical compound of acid house and techno, a spacious journey into the retro-futuristic mean streets. Side A features something light and easy in 'Synthesised Happiness', a song best described as sounding how a soda tastes, whilst side B dons a more industrial cloak, turning up the intensity - only slightly - on 'Bon Fire'. Make no mistake, 'Go Go Gadget' is a sugary treat across all four tracks - be prepared for the sourness though.

Review: Mineral Cuts shows their, erm, minerals with this confident sonic statement across four sides of vinyl. It calls upon a range of top producers to take you on a trip through the cosmos on a range of different moods and grooves. Oligo opens with lush ambient pads and delicate house drums with a sci-fi edge and later offers more twitchy techno with 'Parsec' and 'Tech 9-7'. There is a new and previously unheard 2021 remix of Lost Sector's 'Power Up' for those who like their breakbeats tinged with old school rave imagery and warped synths while Sonar Audio Research's 'The Aquarium' offer a more thoughtful closer.

Review: Austrian fracturist makes his debut on Control Freak with 'Solidify', a stark set of abstract club flavours. Wholly unclassifiable - as we've come to know and love from the man - each cut could sit in a number of selection ranges from techno to ghetto. 'What A Mess' is an upbeat stamp-about that's rather Photekian in its nature, 'Woodpecker' is a loose-limbed strut that flexes around the UK funky axis while 'Glyph' is a sparse sojourn into a 23rd century dub techno. Rounding up the EP we have the wonderfully wonky 'Mud' and a killer floor-burning remix from the label to sign out. Solid.

Review: 'Connection' feels more direct in emotion than some of The Maghreban's early works, sonically encapsulating an up-close and personal feel that reflects the personal qualities of the artist (Ayman Rostom), and his East African and Middle Eastern roots, more than anything else. I was becoming more comfortable with connection whilst making it, rather than keeping to myself.More driven by drum-machine loops, and the cinematic mysteries one can fit around it, it's also got features from rapper Nah Eeto and singer Abdullah Miniawy, painting a smokey, dark and modal-jazzy picture of (a haunted) house.

Review: Trouble Maker bossman whips up a little broken drum turbulence right here with 'Elsita's Dreamland'. A brazen fusion of electro, breaks and technoid feels, the title track hits with a little old school hardcore charm, thanks to its big booming tubular subs and rusty samples. Elsewhere 'Rugpull' hits with b-boy venom, all swagger in the breaks department and very stripped back, while 'Rage In The Cage' gets all bumpy, bashy and twisted. Remixes come from Ceil (contemporary bleep) and Roska's Bakongo's alias (deliciously minimal UK funky) Get out of our dreams and onto our turntables.

Review: The CCCP Edits label keeps on rolling out the jams and now we get a second offering of them in just a couple of months. The in-house team tackles a wide remit of sounds and adds their own spin - here we start with the kaleidoscopic colours of 'Sahar-Pesok' with its icy electro rhythms and serene sense of synth craft. 'Engineer Pohoj' is a darker bit of cyborg funk to jack the floor and 'Football' then flips the script with some big disco samples over broken beat rhythms that bring fun and originality in equal measure. 'V Shapke Profilja' closes out with some wonky bass and lush neon synth work for 5 am cruising.

Review: Serbia's Disco Fruit crew has been putting out lush sounds that take in funk, breaks and soul influences on top of their bread and butter disco grooves for years now. This time they welcome back a label regular, Loshmi, who has put out plenty of edits here before now. His new one 'Dark Night' is a 60s-tinged high speed spy theme with funky brass and bristling drums all overlaid with rock-styled vocal yelps. The instrumental on the flip is a more paired back but just as hustling groove.