AS WE ENTER Vinilo y CD

Review: Heads will know 'As We Enter' as the name of the Breakage tune that set the stage for many more things halftime to come - not to mention a Damian Marley & Nas song released around the same time - so we're more than pleased to learn that one next-gen producer has taken on the name as an alias. However, something in the aura of this release tells us this artist is no debutante; 'Lover To Lover' brings wubbing Reesebound rollage and summery fluting funk together in quick step, with complementary numbers 'So Gone', 'Come Again' and 'Shifting Gears' flaunting a respect for the many different facets of drum & bass, from techstep to early jump-up. This one gets more and more sinister as it progresses; despite the cover, whatever's entered the room feels more elephant than pigeon.

Review: 'As We Enter' is the first single from Nas and Damian Marley's collaborative album Distant Relatives and whether or not that influenced the also of this drum & bass producer we do not know. Musically there is little in common as this new EP shows - it is a hardcore mix of jostling amen breaks designed to be heard loud. 'Surrender' is backed with smeared pads that bring the soul and devastating low end bass, while 'Breezin' is a hyperactive sound that darts about all over the place. There is all out vocal wildness on 'Take Me' and last of all come more monstrous breakbeats and raved up synths on 'The Force.'