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March 2002 Reviews:
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This Month's Reviews are written by Spex (INSOMNIAC)
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EYE D - ‘Wireless’/’Uniform’ (Piruh Recs)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
This one is coming straight out of the mind of ‘Eye D’. 1st up
‘Wireless’, this is a techy number (dare I say it? ‘Tech Step’), from
the off, the beats build up every bar. This leads to the heavy riff on
the breakdown which gives the track a sound like some of the ‘Renegade
Hardware’ material. Taking you to the other side is ‘Uniform’, once
again this has an eerie atmosphere, tight drums, taking you to the
nasty, nasty riff! This would fit somewhere in between ‘Technical Itch’
and most of the ‘Renegade Hardware’ movement!
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RATING: N/A
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HERB LF feat. SIZZLA - ‘Taking Over’(DanceHall Bass mix)/Taking
Over(Jungle mix) - (Jungle Warrior Records).
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REVIEW BY: Spex
Sizzla is an mc full of energy and this release sees him in a Jungle
fashion! The first version has elements that would fit into an original
reggae production, especially the sounds from the synth. This version
also has a little acoustic guitar and at the end you catch a little bit
of ‘Amen Break’. The 2nd mix is a full on ‘Amen’ assault, I guess you
could say carrying on from the 1st version. The intro. has a string
section with a rolling 2 step drum pattern a little chat from ‘Sizzla’.
Then boom! The assault begins and his raucous vocal style adds to the
tearout session!
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RATING: N/A
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NOISE FACTORY - ‘Can You Feel It/Rolling With Me‘ -(3LionsNo. 3)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
The 3 Lions crew unleash another slice of urban jungle music, this time
from one of the originals ? ‘Noise Factory’. ‘Can U Feel It’ is a
Jungle
killa to get the ladies to shack out! Using a female vocal to intro.,
the track breaks down into vibes before dropping into a filtered ‘Amen’
rinse out session, along with that, ‘3 Lion’ trademark, a dirty jungle
bassline! On the flip ‘Rolling With Me’, uses a snippet of a ragga
vocal
and riff creating some old skool jungle ting! As ever brought up to
date
with 2002 technology. The dancehall lick is the vibe that will bring
the
people back to the dance. ‘3 Lions’ getting HOT this year!
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RATING: N/A
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VARIOUS ARTIST - ‘Slow Motion EP’ (Slow Motion Recs)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
Here we go with the ‘Slow Motion’ double 12” EP. Alpha Omega gets away
from his previous production of the old hardcore sounds with a smoothed
out vocal cut, ‘Cherish’. Remixed by trio DJ Brockie, DJ Kane and Ed
Solo, the lighter elements in the track (the vocal and strings), battle
with the acidic filtered bass and eerie atmospherics! To the second
side
and the second track, ‘You Know’ from Snypa and T-lite. Again this has
an eerie vibe to it, which builds into the type of tune you just get ya
head down and step to! Next up, Gambit and T-Lite with ‘Like It’,
flipped by, ‘Bouncy Castle’ from Haste and THC. ‘Like It’ is a subtle
track with a bounce in the rhythm section and gets fuller towards the
end, with a little bit a female persuasion. The last track, ‘Bouncy
Castle’, kicks off with a bit of a Detroit-esque riff, bleeps and some
snappy beats. All this leads to the bass drop and the track rolls out.
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RATING: N/A
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WHITNEY/BUJU BANTON - ‘My Dub Is Your Dub’/’Champion’ -(White).
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REVIEW BY: Spex
Yet another Banton, ‘Champion’, jungle remix! Compared to the version
on
‘Rude Bwoy Plastic’ this version is more of a steppa and has less of
the
lyrics in the production. But you can flip this one and reach for the
naughty little ‘Whitney Houston’ , ‘My Love, Is Your Love’. The lyrics
on this one have been twisted to ‘My Dub, Is Your Dub” and will no
doubt
get the lighters going for the rewind! When the beats finally come in
they are the killer ‘Amen Break’, this maybe one to win the soundclash
with!
P>
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RATING:N/A
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SAPPO - ‘ ???/Original’ (Global Thang No.32)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
Sappo returns once again the DJ Hypes’ ‘True Playaz’ off shoot ‘Global
Thang Records’, this time ‘Sappo’ brings two tracks with different
vibes. Track one is a very sparse roller with an old 2 step drum
pattern, teasing strings and halfway through a female vocal drops in.
(The voice of India from Masters At Work maybe?). From start to finish
the track is simply best described as a minimal roller, 6am biz! The
second side, ‘Original’ is a dubby number with ragga vocals calling’
out
‘Original bad boy style’ then another answering ‘Now here comes
original’. This all leads to James Brown grunts, light filtered
keyboard
action and a phat bassline. Rolling’ out to the end!
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RATING: N/A
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BONAFIDE - “Super 2 Bad” / “Wicked Elements” (Frontline)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
Step up Bonafide aka Pascal with another Frontline Recordings, here we
get 2 rollers for the dancefloor. Side one is a James Brown sampled,
using the vocal hook, ‘1,2,3, hit me!’ along with a JB Horn riff. The
bassline is a wobbler and the drums bring the old skool feel to it. One
for the jump up! Flippin this one to side 2 and you get a tune that’s a
bit tougher. Ragga samples mentasm, hoover and buzz bass all battle
against the dirty beats! Only for those who can take the pace!
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RATING: N/A
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VARIOUS ARTIST - “Go Global” (Hard Leaders LP)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
The follow up to the ‘Fire’ compilation from Hard Leaders is a journey
around the world with some of the top flight producers out of the
Drum’n’Bass Arena! The regulars are here, as you’d expect, Lemon D and
Capone (Dillinjah) along with A Sides (EastSide Recordings) and Total
Science (CIA/Advanced) who all bring their own particular blend of
Drum’n’Bass to the battle. Joining them are some of the future stars of
the arena including, Parameter II and DJ Surreal, Manifest, DJ
RuffStuff
and Eljay and from Canada Andy B. As we come to expect with Hard
Leaders, this album has the exclusive cuts to feed the biggest appitite
of any Junglist! From the 1st cut which is a classic moment for Lemon
D,
(‘Manhattan Melody’) to the last drop. This is gonna be in all D’n’B
headz collection.
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RATING: N/A
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DJ ZINC - ‘Pick One/Heavy and Rolling’ - (Global Thang No.31)
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REVIEW BY: Spex
The record label Global Thang is on its 31st release, for this we have
the beat scientist, DJ Zinc. The first track up is ‘Pick One’, this
kicks off with a spaced out intro with the the voice saying pick one.
The horns and beats dragf you in deep and when the bassline bounces in
there’s no going back! Flippin the script we have ‘Heavy and Rolling’is
on the same kind of vibe but has the bassline droppin in heavy, then
droppin out and back in again. Beats design for the floor.
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RATING: N/A
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