First of all, I must admit that by growing up in DJ Icey's notorious club milieu of Orlando, Florida, I got hooked on my first "rave" or "acid" dance tracks at one of the original warehouse clubs turned above-ground. Therefore, I usually get sweaty palms with the excitement of ANY techno release, moreso when it is one from the premier Breaks-mixers in the world. When I launched into this particular Y4K release the vibe already felt right, even though the pressure for success was stout. For its ongoing Y4K series of breakbeat recordings, Distinct'ive Records has assembled only the finest and purest of "Nu Breaks" style deejays to convey the appropriate two-step breakbeats, chilling effects, smooth flow and machine percussion than define this sub genre of electronica. After following the whole Y4K series since its inception as Y3K, I believe that this issue may well "deliver the goods" of the most well-rounded & wholesome selection of nu breaks featured in the entire series.
One key is that DJ Icey picks absolutely the best tracks to launch his breaks ship, ones full of ascending energy, twisting rhythms and upbeat female-driven vocals. Every once in a while he may throw in a dullard just for the sake of keeping up the rhythm, but this is rare. Most of them carry the kind of squalor and squeal that propels his roller coaster ride through the ups and downs that breakbeat characterizes. I have come to realize that artists like ILS, Hyper, Hybrid, and Icey carefully select and masterfully perform the breaks as they should be – evolving toward the simple but hardline structure that makes the basic beats so catchy. I believe it is not necessary to pound a 4-4 beat into someone's skull to appreciate the music's creator and message. DJ Icey demonstrates the secret that house has taught breaks – utilizing the bass machine as an instrument for powerful delivery of dance tracks. As for Icey's beatmixing on this release, he is quite proficient as it is only after the fact that I realize he's done the deed. I think seamless would just ring trite in his case, being the King of the Funky Breaks and all…
Some of my favorite numbers on this release include the lovely stylings of Icey's chosen female vocalists and remixers. Atomic Hooligan's version of "Loving You" is wonderfully hi-speed, even more so than the former ILS original. However, the sweetest gift on the entire album is the Drumattic Twins, with "Feelin' Kinda Strange" (remix), whose saccharin-sweet and gently whiny vocals could send any guy with half a heart chills up and down his spine... "Lately I've been feelin' kinda strange -- my senses are on… fire!!" The stutter stepping and vocal manipulations twist to escalate to an all time level of club confusion and blessed out groove! I listened to it repeatedly, probably at least forty times, and never once got tired of its groove. If you have ever seen him spin live, it is whimsical to visualize Icey's physical stage comedy kick in as he would "air punch" each ascending or accentuated sexy vocal hits in perfect syncopation. He's mesmerizing live, because as opposed to an Oakenfold type, mocking the audience as a meager object, Icey makes his fans feel like they are in on the joke. He does this by continuing to outdo himself with his own references to the music he loves – which he, like many of us, grew up with.
Other delights are "The Ride," featuring an aggressive bit of subliminal fun in the message, "on and on." "Everybody Get Up" by Transformer Man has the right raucous tones to get you on your feet and provides a hyper transition into one of DJ Icey's new numbers, "San Pedro." This one made the phone ring (literally), as a sampled rap phrase takes a casual stroll alongside a fierce up tempo jazzy background. Its minimalism reflects the genius of how Icey can nail the break right on the head. My next fav is "All Your Love" by Deekline & Wizard, which juxtaposes a traditional wispy tribulation with a hard driving synth and scratch typical of an Aquasky vs. Masterblaster lick.
This forthcoming Y4K CD/album release by DJ Icey not only takes one on "bumpy rrride" after suggesting a few pleasant listens, but also supports an implicit continuity in the breaks scene. He has managed to tie some loose ends together, bringing in the rough with the gentle, and making one product out of it. This is definitely an album to keep you up all night – keeping the groove going on strong. Not for the faint of heart-breaks.
