Having rounded off 2018 in style with his debut EP for the mighty Metalheadz, Fanu the beat manipulator opens 2019 with a bang. Marking the return of Straight Up Breakbeat - the 1st jungle / drum’n’bass label out of Finland established 1996 - Fanu delivers two majestic pieces of music.
12-bit sits nicely at 155 BPM mark, sounding fresh and vintage at the same time. Smooth pads coupled with drum patterns only a select few can construct.
The double A-side steps into jazzier mode but makes sure not to fake the funk. Tight beats and a half-tempo surprise at the end.
SUBB1996 – an offshoot of STRAIGHT UP BREAKBEAT – re-imagines the golden era of early & mid 90’s jungle. Kicking things off with a balanced 4 track EP by up & coming AEON FOUR.
Aeon Four is a Jungle Breakbeat duo based in Turku, the original rave capital of Finland. A sonic fortress made of bass, breaks, bleeps and vibes, they aim to bring together all types of bass-heavy, breakbeat-driven music with no strict genre boundaries.
Brothers Matti & Heikki have recently released a string of releases on hardcore-flavoured UK labels such as Boomsha & Raveskool. On PURE WHITE EP they’ve found the perfect blend of rave & early jungle influences with a contemporary twist. Ranging from the uplifting PURE WHITE & soulful WITHER to the classic jungle of HURT & RESPECT theirs is a modern take on the original sound.
"New Age" is one of those tracks that get requested year after year - or in this case decade after decade! With origins in 2008 and played by every big name of the scene it has earned an undisputed anthem status and it’s the most wanted dub in the extensive Loxy & Resound catalogue.
"Stone Cold" on the double A-side is equally exciting. Vintage production from 2009 it combines Resound's trademark metallic funk with some dark vibes & haunting vocals.
Digital only "Forgot Why Mix" flips the script & sounds more contemporary now than ever, highlighting Resound as one of the most innovative producers out there. Vinyl mastered and cut by Beau at Ten Eight Seven Mastering. Pressed at Record Industry.
a1. Loxy & Resound - New Age
b1. Loxy & Resound - Stone Cold
Digital Exclusive: Loxy & Resound - Stone Cold (Forgot Why Mix)
With sinister, hypnotic drum patterns and otherworldly effects Resound has built a career spanning three decades, appearing on seminal labels such as Metalheadz, R&S, Exit, Renegade Hardware, and 31 Records. He now returns to Straight Up Breakbeat with the solo EP "HIDDEN".
While the title track builds tension & anticipation on a hard hitting break, full tearout vibes are unleashed on ‘Deus (Esc remix)’, a vinyl exclusive teaser to the massive remix package for his Rhytual project in 2022. On the flip, ‘Sapiens’ creates a dark & menacing groove at bassbin shaking frequencies and the EP rounds up with cool arctic sounds of ‘Monomial’.
Support from: Loxy, Dead Man's Chest, Krust, Flight, Djinn, Gremlinz and many more.
It's exactly one year since Aeon Four made their debut on vinyl with the still in-demand "Pure White EP". Their follow-up on Straight Up Breakbeat SUBB1996 series is another four track EP of explorations into the original jungle sound but with a modern twist.
High energy vocals of "Silence", the heavy rolling "Babylon", deep excursions of "Essence" and the original junglism of "Lion Awakes" make this another essential Aeon Four release.
All tracks hand crafted in Turku, the original rave capital of Finland. Early support from
Nearly 20 years since his first official release, Fanu's output keeps on reaching new heights. Hip hop releases under the FatGyver alias and recent excursions into deep house underline his versatility while last year's Legacy EP on Metalheadz was another showcase of his unique & timeless approach to drum & bass.
On ‘Truth & Lies’, his 3rd EP for Straight Up Breakbeat the journey continues with rough & dark techstep on the title track (co-produced by Infader) and ‘Famen’, a nod to the late 90s melodic styles on ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ and explorations in modern d&b on ‘Mental Aerobics’.
Dj Support includes: Loxy, Grooverider, Flight, J:Kenzo, John Rolodex, Stunna +more
Exploring a path darker than before and their most ambitious work yet, 'Tremor' combines beautifully crafted breakbeat to sounds of the past, present & future. From the serious tearout vibes of 'Reflector Dub' to fierce breaks explosion of the title track and 'Intercept' all the way to the calming end of 'Hold Water' TREMOR EP is a captivating collection of modern day jungle.
Fanu returns to Straight Up Breakbeat for another EP packed with a variety of beats.
"Timetravels" kicks things off with a beautiful blend of classic amen trickery and majestic organ sounds. Timeless piece of music!
"Mystic Woods" is his tribute to a proper drum & bass classic from '96 - for those who know!
"Borderline Offensive" is Fanu at his nastiest with rounds of fierce breakbeat fire all over, while the hard jazz of "Permanent Vacation" (digital release only) bridges the gap between the styles.
Written, produced, mixed & mastered by Fanu. Vinyl master & cut by Beau @ Ten Eight Seven Mastering. Limited vinyl release of 300 copies.
It's not often we say amazing, but there really are no other words for the response received for ESC & MINERAL's 'Satellite EP'!! The long-standing production duo has found a way of combining many different vibes into one stone cold EP and the results are stunning.
SATELLITE kicks off the proceedings with a sound that could have grown out from that certain basement on Hoxton Square. Fresh & updated to 2020s, this one’s for the original headz.
AURAL DESTINATION First surfacing on Loxy's seminal Applied Science Division mix late 2021, Mineral's atmospheric breakbeat is blended with a fat bassline - giving the track a classic end of the night vibe.
VORTEX A tech stepper from outer space, channeling the vibes of ‘97/’98.
PHASES OF CHARON Esc digs deep into the vaults of No U Turn & co. with a menacing dark workout.
Support from Mantra, Dead Man’s Chest, Loxy, Flight, J:Kenzo, Sun People, Jay Cunning, Basic Rhythm, LTJ Bukem, Gremlinz, Resound etc.; airplay on BBC, Rinse FM, SWU.FM; Metalheadz, Vision Podcasts & more Mastered by Fanu & cut for vinyl by Beau @ Ten Eight Seven
Straight Up Breakbeat rounds up the first full year of operation with a special compilation YEAR ZERO. Featuring the best in modern jungle and forward-looking drum & bass the album features brand new tracks by FANU, OUT OF FUEL, INFADER & DDOG together with 2019 label highlights by RESOUND, AEON FOUR, ESC, HMR and more. The album is preceded by a vinyl EP and a set of digital singles.
A celebration of our primal connection to rhythm and dance woven deep into the fabric of our collective subconscious. No less.
Rhytual is an evolution in the career of the Finnish artist Ilpo Kärkkäinen (also known as Resound) . The project, rooted in live performance, sees him transform the moody sonics he’s known from in his drum’n’bass work into something completely new. Refusing to be defined by traditional genre boundaries, Rhytual is about hypnotic soundscapes that move you deep into a dreamy world of abstraction, myth and wonder.
“Rhytual grew out of necessity,” says Ilpo. “ After more than 20 years of making electronic music I had come to a point in my life and career where I wanted to create something even more personal, important and meaningful.”
“I’m deeply intrigued by the nature of reality. Myth and science. Nature and technology. Ancient history and distant future. How we can see it’s all connected, yet so much remains a mystery.”
“Rhytual is a platform to push my craft to the next level and do something larger with it. It allows me to learn and explore, but also to focus on the essential and condense my art.”
Live performance is central to Rhytual. Ilpo performs with the same hardware setup he also uses to create the music: an analog drum machine, a synthesiser and a sampler. The live show is raw, powerful and hypnotizing. A unique moment in the river of time – like a shamanic journey, shared between everyone in the space and never again to be repeated the same.
“Music allows us to come together and step into an altered reality. It is a healing experience. That is sacred. That is Rhytual.”
NORTHSIDE documents the formative years of jungle / drum & bass scene in Finland. Complemented by extensive sleeve notes exploring the country’s earliest DJs, producers and clubs, NORTHSIDE is an intriguing look into how far the music has travelled from the UK and at the same time represents Finland's own sound, energy and character that remains distinctive to this day.
The double vinyl features sought after classics by Fanu ("Two Drummers"), Resound ("Ghetto Funk") and Muffler ("It's The Way", originally scheduled as SUBB 003). The spotlight is also on unsung pioneers like Samuel & Nasley, Breakwater Crew and Champagne while dubstep don Tes La Rok dusts off his d&b moniker Dice for a fresh rework of his early '00s favourite.
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