Juno Recommends Breakbeat: August 2023

Review: Last year, and to mark the passing of a quarter of a century since the release of their rather colossal album The Fat of the Land, the Prodigy commissioned a swathe of new reworks of key cuts from the popular set. Now those remixes - or at least their favourites - have made it onto silver vinyl. The headline attraction is undoubtedly Andy C's revision of 'Firestarter', which retains many elements of the original (including the snarling guitars, twisted vocals and mind-mangling sounds), while adding a touch more d&b swing and a suitably sizable wobble bassline. Elsewhere, Mefjus joins forces with Camo & Crooked for a frankly nightmare-inducing rush through 'Breathe' - think thrash techno, and you're close - while Rene LaVice lays down a wobble-meets-jump-up revision of 'Mindfields' that's as gargantuan as it is brain-melting.

Review: Tongue-in-cheek breakbeat badman DJ Absolutely Shit is back with more tunes that show he really isn't. This new EP on Laser is another one primed and ready for maximum dancefloor impact right from the off. First up is 'Close Your Eyes,' a barrage of breaks and jittery percussion with added bleeps and chopped-up vocals. 'Breaktalo Dark' then layers up metallic drums and rugged bass with a retro-future synth edge. 'My Desire' has old school rap attitude over an electro-tinged rhythm and last of all 'Pee Pee Soaked Heck Hole' is another accomplished rhythmic workout.

Review: Maimi troupe Imbue continue their free-spirited sonic spree, this time on Re:Face. As always, it's a very fluid affair; washing our souls with their delicate fusion of live instrumentation, analogue wizardry and hypnotic groovemanship. Over four tracks we explore their full palette. Electro feels inform the opening track 'Boy With Apple' while the title track 'Overlook' bumps with more of an essence of funky house. Meanwhile on the B it's all-out funk affair. 'Model 29' is a party waiting to happen while 'Dawn' shrouds us in a big old cosmic cloak. Bottoms up.

Review: Barcelona-based producer Sanandreas offers an intriguing take on dreamatic dance music with the 'Lun' EP, indulging emotions few dance music producers dare to tread these days. The title track, for example, opts for a two-tone lilt backed up by breaks and FM bass knocks, which are rapidly and generatively varied across the track's skeleton body. Things crow effortlessly breaksier on follower-uppers 'The Core' and 'Reminiscence (Blunt Mix)', while a full stooping in beatless heaven-ambience is heard on the ensuing 'Sunrise Mix'. An overall impressive EP, Sanandreas succeeds in recalling the astral oeuvre of mid-90s psych-breaks, but with a modern twist.