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A rougher, tougher and, as a result, much better-than-average mix of
breakbeat tracks from London-based producer/djs The Freestylers. Currently riding through Australia and NZ as part of the Big Day Out 2005, The Freestylers hit unexpected chart success last year with the "Push Up" single, but don't let the poppy nature of that track or the cheesy
dancing-half-naked-down-Oxford-Street video fool you, these guys pack a
hardcore punch in their dj sets. Working with MCs Sirreal and Million Dan on this 23 track set, Matt & Aston Freestyler keep the sounds very much on the rough, hardcore end of the breakbeat spectrum, staying well clear of any of the trance leanings that spoil much of the genre (long-winded breakdowns, overly intricate programming, wispy meaningless vocals) or the funk or rock end of things, like the Stanton Warriors, Plump DJs or Adam Freeland (not that any of those guys spoil the scene, just the trance monkeys). It's all punch, punch, punch as tracks slam in and out of one another with a fierce velocity. In fact it's probably closer to a hard, Grooverider-esque drum&bass set, than say Adam Freeland's carefully programmed FabricLive effort from last year. Add in the macho vocal work of the two MCs and you've got a mix-CD that probably comes closest to capturing the what-the-hell-just-hit-me vortex of a breaks-driven Fabric dancefloor at 5am on a Saturday morning. It's impressive stuff and proof positive that there really is range and depth within the breaks genre. Recommended.
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