Tag: Breaks

Categories
Festival Mixsets

Flangestock 2012

Once more, I find myself singing the praises of Flangestock, a small festival of friends held each year, somewhere in Suffolk.

To say we were blessed with the weather would be an understatement. Despite being a few weeks into September, the sun shone like it was mid-summer.  As the sun set on Saturday, the tent began to fill, as Ryu from Rockit Science performed a great warm up, teasing the crowd along to the point where The Plumps’ ‘Creepshow’ seemed a good starting point to me.

About the only part of my set I had planned was to lead with ‘Chariots Of Fire’ by Vangelis, seeing as how it was the year of London2012, but decided it might kill the crowd.  From then on, it was just a case of smacking them out and it went down really well.  So nice when people keep saying thank you for the set for hours after.

Following up on that night was Jung, who smashed it and the mighty collins303, who did another stellar trademark set full of 80’s love and vocals.  The crowd finished singing again.

Big love to all involved… the djs, the crowd and of course all those who helped organise, especially the one and only Emskina Flange.  What a host!

Here’s the recording of my set for your ears.  Until next year…?  Unless anyone else wants to book me. 😉

Download

Tracklist

Plump DJs – Creepshow [2004]
Kosheen – Catch (Decoder Vocal Remix) [2001]
Unknown – Orbootal [2003]
Stanton Warriors – Hope Time [2006]
Dopamine – Zoit [2005]
Ils – Music [2002]
Move Ya & Steve Lavers – Dopefreak [2004]
PMT – Gyromancer (Stanton Warriors Remix) [2005]
Karton – Spacetrip 82 (Beta Remix) [2009]
Freeland – We Want Your Soul [2003]
Koma & Bones – Questo E Sporco [2003]
Freestylers – Now Is The Time [2001]
The Breakfastaz – Kick It [2004]

And please ‘like’ shaman if you like. 🙂

Categories
Festival Mixsets Music Reviews

Smashed It!

So, here we have it. The first mix I’ve released since 2007 and it’s a live one!

I was lucky enough to be asked to play at Flangestock this year, a small festival/ party with a group of friends on a campsite in Suffolk, that’s now into its 5th year. In many ways, this year was the best so far. It’s so great to spend the weekend with friends, new and old, and there’s a really special vibe there.

This year, my only plan for the set was to rip yet more vinyl and create a crate in serato with tunes from 2006 and earlier, mostly breaks, all breakbeat. On the day, I decided to deliver some classic, huge tunes of breaks legend and the reaction was fantastic. This music just has so much more to offer than the modern sound, helped along by the fact that some of these tunes are favourites amongst a crowd that follows breaks.

There were a few problems along the way, such as a recurring fluffy needle on one deck, but overall it all went pretty well, considering I’d never practiced this set before. Some things worked, some things just got crowbarred in, but I can safely say I’ve never had a reaction to a set, like the one I got that night.

It was so rewarding, and my appreciation goes out to all those that came and danced and cheered, to the producers who made this fantastic music way back when and most importantly of all, to Emskina Flange, who asked me to play.

The tracklist is in the image above.

Download

Categories
Mixsets

Instant Party

This mix, given away for free with Mixmag in December 2001, really has stood the test of time.

Like many other people I know, it is so good that I have an empty CD case at home and, not being able to buy an original, someone was kind enough to provide an mp3 of the mix, which I’ve decided to make available to download here.

It’s a great mix, featuring 30+ tracks covering Hip-Hop, Funk, Breaks, Reggae and the name  is quite appropriate.  Put this on and the party won’t be far behind!

Tracklist

  1. Krafty Kuts – Intro
  2. J-Walk – Soul Vibration
  3. Jerry Beeks – Bronx Slang (LP Version)
  4. Biz Markie – Turn The Party Out
  5. Breakestra – Cramp Your Style
  6. Kid Creole And The Coconuts – Stool Pigeon
  7. Krafty Kuts – Ill Type Sound (Krafty’s Mixmag Party Mix)
  8. S.O.U.L. – Burning Spear
  9. Shakedown – Get Down (Club Version)
  10. Atari Boys – The Funk (Acappella)
  11. Stompa Phunk – The Crowd Seems To… (Burns Move Right Mix)
  12. Markus Nikolai – Bushes (Norman Cook Club Remix)
  13. Fatboy Slim – Star 69 (Acappella)
  14. Phil Kieran – Chunka Funk
  15. Disco Assassins – Hook You Up
  16. Freq Nasty – Amped
  17. Arc-En-Ciel – The Juice
  18. Meat Katie – Work Ya Body
  19. Humanoid Stakker – Humanoid 2001 (Krafty Kuts Remix)
  20. Sounds Of Vancouver – Take It (Krafty’s Dub Mix)
  21. Soul Of Man – Killa Brew (Killa Mix)
  22. Laidback – Wait For The Break
  23. Stanton Warriors – Da Antidote
  24. Krafty Kuts – Street Freakz
  25. Krafty Kuts – Get Funky
  26. Praga Khan – Injected With A Poison (Krafty Kuts Remix)
  27. Precision Cuts And Rickie – Whoop Whoop Always True
  28. Deejay Punk-Roc – Blow My Mind
  29. Krafty Kuts – Funky Ass Beats (Ed Solo’s Breakbeat Mix)
  30. Krafty Kuts – Lock The Hype
  31. Shimano – Dopestyle
  32. Jah Screechie – Walk And Skank

Download link

Categories
Reviews

Bennie Project

It’s been quite a while since I’ve heard something truly inspiring appear on the breaks scene.

So I was pretty stunned when I heard the sounds of Bennie Project on a release by Hungary’s Glack Audio. The VERS EP is a collection of tracks from a man called Teun Verstraaten, based in The Netherlands.

Three tracks on the EP have stayed in the box; V.E.R.S, Fleshwound and The Peep Show remix of Zora’s Domain, ultimately because they feature broken beats.

The tracks feature a lot of contrast, building from haunting electro sounds into heavy growling electro bass, more in keeping with tearout breaks. The beats skip and repeat, keeping the mind interested and the quality of production is high.

Here’s hoping there will be more of the same arriving in the pipeline, which will make Bennie Project a name to watch out for in the future breaks scene.

Look out for his remix of Trackbasse, by Xenon and The Weekenders too.

Categories
Mixsets

Lawgiverz – Live at Bass Plus!

 

Lawgiverz are an outstanding act.

Two DJ’s combine to showcase some of the most powerful glitchy bass and breaks you will hear, incorporating scratching, cuts and FX to create a devastating soundscape that can move you. Physically!

This mix was recorded live in March 2008 and put up for download by the people from Bass Plus!, but is, unfortunately, no longer available for your listening pleasure from the site.

So I’ve put it here for posterity, as it’s just brilliant.

In many ways this mix is different to what many expect from Lawgiverz, but it really shows that they are about more than heavy basslines. Over more than two hours, they traverse through a diverse selection of music, combining the driving heavy bass sounds with the more mellow, laidback glitch, dropping the tempo, building things up again. At times, you find yourself asking if you are still listening to the same set, as it chops and changes with ease, sweeping through styles and emotions.

Check it out for yourself. It really is a beautiful 2 and a half hours of live mixing and a rare glimpse of what a live set should be all about.

A true journey.

Download

Lawgiverz are residents at Trigger, in Birmingham, UK and you can buy their music from the Lawgiverz minisite at addictech.