BUMPS OF THE MONTH

Rip It Up, Issue 225, 1 May 1996, Page 27

BUMPS OF THE MONTH

VARIOUS ARTISTS Ninja Cuts: The Joy of Dex (Ninja Tunes/Flying In) ' ■

This is a double album split into two parts across two CDs, part one is called Flexistentialism, and part two (a bonus CD for nonvinyl junkies only) Scratchmological Waxploitation. It’s also subtitled ‘The Joy of Dex — 24 uncompromising positions to improve your stealth’. Let’s cut to the"chase then, shall we? It’s good. Damn good, like a. ninja — ' dangerous to 'your, health. Flexistentialism is a tasty collection of counter culture chameleons, sliding across genres with stealth-like audacity. Using the ancient weapon of the Jedi ninjas, the fabled crossfader,’the’Ninja silently dissolves musical boundaries, revealing a lost universe, where gravity no longer applies; and the primary method of communication is timeless — I call it, funk funk. Big up, 2 Player, Ashley Beedle, Wagon Christ, Coldcut,. London Funk Allstars,' 9 Lazy 9, Kruder & Dorfmeister, DJ Food. May the force be with you. L funk is in good hands. Funk’s very much.

VARIOUS ARTISTS LTJ Bukem Presents Logical Progression (Good Looking Records)

Pure drum ’n’ bass as you’d expect from the don, LTJ Bukem; one of the most respected artists and in-demand DJs in the UK jungle scene right now. Bukem runs Good Looking Records, one of the pioneer labels of atmospheric drum ,'n’ bass. Aquatic drum ‘n’. bass (as opposed to the ‘jump up’ style of jungle) is characterised by deep strings, trancey breakbeats, and deep, steady basslines. Highlights here include ‘Bringing Me Down’, by Aquarius and Tayla, a masterpiece of rolling breaks, synth washes, and a haunting vocal that puts shivers down my spine. ‘The One and Only’; by PFM, is again a heart wrenching, emotional bomb of a tune, fuelled by a vocal that tears at your very soul. Don’t underestimate the power of this music to take you away. If you're still unconvinced by the whole jungle thing, buy the double CD, and lock yourself away in a cosy, mood enhancing environment. You’ll thank me in the morning.

T-POWER ‘Police State' (SOUR)

This is the first in a series of two 12s from T-Power, and it’s totally the cutting edge of futurescape drum ’n‘, bass," or (here’s a new one for ya) tech-step. ‘Police State’ is a 14-minute anthem of a tune. It starts with a nice mellow, uplifting breakbeat, that just hums along, until you hit a three-minute long ambient break, before the beat kicks back in. Then there’s a sample from George Lucas’s first film, THX-1138, which goes something like: ‘lf you feel you are not properly sedated, call 341-2111 for assistance I Failure to do so will result in prosecution for criminal drug evasion.’ Then suddenly the tightest, most bad ass bassline from hell hits, and you’re sucked down an endless vortex of the most twisted drum ’n’ bass this side of the next Star Wars project ’(here's hoping). Mind blowing.

UNITONE HIFI Rewound and Rerubbed (Incoming)

This is top dub geezer Stinky Jim’s outfit, who you will remember were responsible for the excellent Wickedness Increased; album last year. Anyway, this is a collection of remixes of various tracks off the album. Being the smooth talking, self-promot-ing, friendly type of guy he is, Jim has managed to pull together a top line-up of hydroponically inclined beatheads from around the world to rewind,’ rerub and reroll the’next spliff, and they somehow got around to some top class remixes as well. Rockers HiFi, New York's Spectre, trip-hop porno starsTunki Porcini, Digidub and lots more chart the unknown territory between organic reggae and the more sinister world of digital electronica. It’s a place where phat beats roam free across lush pastures of bass, and with a cup of tea and bit of puff, all seems right in the world.

ANDY PICKERING (DJB)