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Buyer Rating: 100.0% positive (18 ratings)

John Rocca - Southern Freeze (Part II) - 08-Nov-09 12:56 PM
Having been part of legendary Brit-funk group Freeez in the early-mid 80s, Rocca largely fell out of the spotlight until his releases as Midi Rain in the 90s.

However, during the late 80s, Rocca was spending time writing and putting out productions and experimentations on his own Cobra imprint, joining up the missing musical dots between the Freeez and Midi Rain sounds.

Southern Freeze Pt II is basically a mix-up of Freeez classics IOU and Southern Freeez but in a what would best be described as a synth-pop, acid house and hi-nrg fusion. This creates a sound that in its day was equally at home with the dayglo ravers at clubs like Shoom, or amongst the sweaty bodies of gay men at nights such as Heaven.

Roccas Revenge is the dub, stripped back to the bare bones, and mostly a percussive work-out, with occasional filtered edits of IOU and Southern Freeez to keep up the momentum.

Internal Affairs - In My Soul - 16-Aug-09 06:35 AM
Its been written a number of times that Marc Mac and Dego (aka 4 Hero), along with Goldie (aka Metalheadz) wrote the blueprint for drumnbass. This record must surely be regarded as one of the critical tunes that paved the way for the development of the sound. Floating about as early as late summer of 93, this EP was, and still is incredibly ahead of its time - two years before Inner City Life, one year before Parallel Universe.

The lead track In My Soul with its twisting vocal refrain, lush drops, and bending sounds. Find A Way is more a nod to the classic hardcore sound that had precursed this release, with its stabby sounds, grinding breakbeat, and screeching vocal, but at the same time still retains an air of sophistication of the music to come.

On the flip, Hands To Heaven, is a mellower, laid-back affair, with its at times pitch-shifting break, lush synth washes, as well as all manner of other sounds and vocal samples. Finally, Shinin Down On Me, is my stand-out track, starting off quite dark and menacing, with more pitch-shifting breaks crunching away. However, as it progresses, a lush synth sound and You take my breath away female vocal and the most subtle of twisting mentasm sounds really give it a laid-back vibe. And not forgetting the most sublime of drops about a third into the track, where the title vocal is layered over the most uplifting chord riff.

Essential.

East Connection - We're Ready - 17-Jun-09 12:25 PM
Early 2002 saw the first tracks being laid down which would eventually become known as Grime. Tracks such as Were Ready and More Fire Crews Oi were examples of that transitional phase between UK Garage and the Grime sound - London pirate stations such as Rinse FM and Deja Vu (where the East Connection crew themselves hosted a show) being the first to really push this sound.

Whereas Oi might have broken through commercially, along with Dizzee Rascals all-time anthem I Luv U, East Connections Were Ready was somewhat overlooked in comparison. Despite this, the original vocal version of Were Ready is a fantastically energetic piece of UK Garage-into-early Grime, with its solid rap verses interspersed with an alternating drum pattern and nice bassline stabs and sweeps.

Touchdown - Ease Your Mind '89 - 13-Feb-09 02:28 PM
One of my favourite slabs of early 80s Brit-funk gets the 89 house treatment by former group member Steve Vincent (who shortly after recorded the huge "Dirty Cash" under the guise Adventures of Stevie V).

The 89 remix of "Ease Your Mind" replaces the laid-back strolling groove of the original and its casually delivered male vocal, with a much faster percussive drum workout, acid-house style squelches, and powerful female vocal. Top this off with a decent piano line and the end result is worthy of being considered an anthem.

Sadly, however, it has somewhat fallen through the net of time and remains to this day a much underplayed and mostly unknown classic.

Jay Bharadia - The Yeti Cave - 07-Feb-09 05:17 AM
Imagine DJ Shadow, Boards of Canada, Mr Scruff and LFO in a soundclash and the result will be something like Jay Bharadias "The Yeti Cave". But, its far from an ackward and cluttered mish-mash of genres and sounds, but a well structured deep and emotional album which you really can play from start to finish and chill out to.

Like many, it was airplay of the single "Snowy Day" that first drew my attention to the artist - with its exciting and innovative mix of dub basslines, solid hip-hop break, flamenco guitar and French MC Solaar-style rap. The album does not dissapoint with its breaking of boundaries in every track.

Bharadia appears to be incredibly underrated and yet easily up there with the likes of the aforementioned artists.

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