Back in stock: Breakbeat

Review: Howard Dodd (Tongue, Anoesis, Oxidation, Doc Bozique) takes control on the third Anoesis release on Cosmic Soup. Supercade is one that's been long anticipated by fans of their well designed breakbeat sounds and their first since 1995's Blood & Sweat on D*Fusion. As such there is a hint of 90s post rave magic to the 11 cuts here, all with cosmic intent and deep grooves - tunes that have you lost in a reverie on the heart of the dance floor but with your gaze turned skyward. Essential stuff.

Review: The Distorsion camp offers up its first sampler as a way of teasing you with the sort of quality sounds and artists it has on its roster. First up is a three-way collab between Citybox, Hankook & Orebeat whose 'Dangerous Changes' is an intense breakbeat workout for the peak time. Orebeat & Alex Clubbers keep the energy levels high and inject early 00s video-game style synths, Orebeat & Citybox keep it dark and raw with 'Gangsta' and Orebeat & JottaFrank laced up their thrilling breaks with acid lines and sleazy vocals on "Noche De Paris.' This is potent stuff for strobe-lit floors.

Review: Handsonwax top up their esteemed repertoire with another four tracks added to their anonymous white labels series. 'Volume 3' continues the elusive label's preference for cheesy breaks lent to classic dance music motifs, leading the charge with a whomping breakstep version of Max Romeo's 'Chase The Devil', followed by a blissful dub techno excursion. The B-side rerubs Moodymann to delicious ends, while the star of the bunch reworks a rework; that is, Herbert's snappy version of Louie Austen's 'Hoping', except this time it's lent a swath of extra soulful house ornamentations.

Review: Matt Cutler has made many great records as Lone, with recent album Always Inside Your Head being particularly impressive. This similarly laudable EP offers fresh, alternative takes on album tracks. The headline attraction is arguably SHERELLE's B-side opening take on 'Visited By Astronauts', a wonderfully dancefloor-centric fusion of pulsing ambient chords, bittersweet lead lines and skewed D&B beats. Predictably, Cutler hits the spot on each of his three reworks too. The 'Mouth of God Part 2' version of 'Nautical Aerials' is a rush-inducing slab of colourful breakbeat dreaminess - sunrise-ready for sure - while the 'One Thirty Mix' of 'InLove2' adds ambient techno style acid motifs and stirring pads to an extra-percussive house beat. Throw in a terrifically meditative ambient mix of 'Echo Paths' and you have a great all-round EP.

Review: London's Thomas Wall aka ShadowScience, bringing a fresh fusion of deep atmospheres and futuristic breaks. Across four tracks, Wall builds haunting soundscapes with relentless, precise rhythms, making this an ideal soundtrack for late-night journeys. The EP delivers immersive basslines and meticulous production that draws listeners into its dark, cinematic world. With its brooding textures and tight, relentless energy, Wall's debut as ShadowScience promises much for those who seek the hypnotic allure of late hours and shadowy, intense spaces.

Review: Munich based producer Bryan Mueller aka Skee Mask presents his latest album titled Pool, via local imprint Ilian Tape which follows up his LP Compro which came out three years ago. There's an extensive collection of sonic experiments on offer on this one, such as opening cut 'Nvivo' which goes down an IDM route, to the glassy eyed rave euphoria of 'LFO', the intelligent drum and bass reductions of 'Rio Dub' and UK influenced steppers like 'Crossection'.

Review: Classy dancefloor-slaying action on 10" vinyl no less from West Norwood Cassette Library, combining a thumping four to the floor beat with nifty percussion, a fairly well known snippet of hip-hop vocal and ravey stabs. The results are as hard to resist as they are to classify, except to say it leaves absolutely zero prisoners. "This one had been previously doing the rounds as a 'dubplate only' exclusive," WNCS told us, "cut especially for the Futurepastzine tenth anniversary bash just on the cusp of lockdown ... so it seemed only appropriate to ask FPZ head honcho and fellow Cassette Librarian, Rawtrachs, to attend to remix duty." So flip it over for that equally excellent reworking from Rawtrachs and stand well back - we predict not only a riot, but an awful lot of spilt beer too.

Review: The Winston Brothers return with two fresh cuts on their latest 7" single, marking their first release since 2022's Drift. On the A-side, 'Straight Shooter' lives up to its name, a raw funk jam that could kickstart a b-boy battle. Funky guitar riffs, punchy horns, and tight drum breaks propel the track forward, its energy intense and unfiltered, thanks to an all-analogue recording on a Fostex 8-track. On the flip, 'Island Travel' takes a more laid-back turn. It's a hypnotic Afrobeat number, with dreamy flute work from Kimo Eiserbeck, blending ethno-funk with spiritual jazz vibes. It's cinematic, atmospheric, and offers a perfect contrast to the edgier A-side.

Review: X-Ray Ted's 'Talkin' EP' finally hits vinyl, a format perfectly suited for its timeless classic vibe. On the A-side, 'Talkin' weaves strings, horns, and guitar riffs over rolling beats and bass, topped with soulful vocals. On the flip, 'So Much' exudes infectious energy, blending vocal refrains, guitars, and horns for a soulful groove. These tracks offer a glimpse into X-Ray Ted's upcoming debut album, showcasing his talent for blending old-school sounds with a modern twist. Limited to a run of 7"s on Bombstrikes, these vinyl grooves exude sunshine vibes and feel-good warmth, destined to fly off shelves.

Review: Pressure Dome's Yussh gets busy with her debut EP on Wisdom Teeth. Flexing fully across four tracks, her signature fusion of breakbeat, bass, jungle and club hits the spot in true Bristol brutalist fashion. 'Look Mum No Hands' eases us in with a dreamy, spacious halftime trip while the recent single 'Same Same' continues to keep the subtle sense of chill with its floating chords and slinky percussion. Elsewhere 'Close Fall' sounds like it could have come from the desk of Kid Drama and dBridge's Autonomic HQ while 'Self Conscious' closes on a deep space cosmic jungle/techno hybrid. No hands, no fear.