For the past 8 years Distinctive Breaks has been a leader in all thinks broken. With such legendary artists as Hybrid, Dub Pistols, Way Out West, and up-and-comers like Freq Nasty and Christian J on there roster, Distinctive Breaks is on the forefront of breakbeats.
The newest CD release from them is nothing short of brilliant. The aptly named Past Lessons, Future Theories is a journey through the label's history of break beats and progressive house. It includes tracks from Hybrid, Dave London & Filthy Rich, Lennie D Ice, Christian J, Meat Katie, Saeed & Palash and remixes from John Creamer & Stephane K, Paul Woolford, Soul of Man, and Koma and Bones. Starting out this two-disc set is the Dub Pistols' hard-pounding track "Architect." Its echoing vocals and flanged loops tie in with the traditional UK breakbeat bassline to give it an old school feel. Lennie D Ice drops his classic track "We Are Ie" with Hybrid on the knobtwisting details. This righteous track has a flowing melody along with some ragga-styled bass and drums.
Up next are two guys that made their mark on the breaks scene by appealing to the funky breaks market. Dave London & Filthy Rich break out the Florida-inspired track "Twisted." The deep bass and driving loops bring this intense track to life. Further into the first disc Hybrid brings in their first of two tracks in the form of "Higher Than A Skyscraper." The Twitch & Sweet mix gives the instantly recognizable Hybrid sound a new direction complete with police sirens. Up next is the Soul Of Man remix of the Dub Pistols song "Problem Is." This song has a funked-up bassline leading into a massive breakdown that's sure to bring any party to its feet. The second Hybrid track is the orginal mix of the classic song "We Are In Control." It tones down the disc and gives the dancers a moment of rest. Coming up on the end is the awesome Way Out West song "Intensify." Nick Warren and crew lend the remixing duties to PMT.
The incredible vocals are married to a pounding bassline and even the sound of a dog barking. Rounding out the first disc is Christian J and Meat Katie with their massive track "Cusp." The bleeps and the funky percussion make it easy to see why every breaks DJ has played this song at one time or another. The only downfall to the disc is that "Cusp" is cut off at the two-minute mark before the song even really gets to unfold properly.
Popping in the second disc, Distinctive Breaks unveils what house music sounds like when done by their rules. First up is the ever-popular Hybrid featuring Peter Hook (of New Order and Revenge). "True to Form" still retains the broken bassline that made Hybrid famous but adds the intriguing vocals of Peter Hook. This track opens the door for the electrohouse sounds of Paul Woolford. He takes care of the remix duties on the Wesley Clarke track "It'll Be Okay." The big drum sounds are infused with some laser sounds and filtered vocals.
No wonder this man is a hot commodity in house world right now. Futher in, Paul Bosco explains why "Love Is A Drug." The vocal sample is reminiscent of a Moby track but with a more progressive feel. Progressive champions Saeed & Palash show their face at the midpoint of the second cd. This Washington D.C. duo have been heavy hitters for a long time and this track is a prime representation. The Latin-flavored vocals are laid over top of a steel drum loop that could make anyone get up and shake their booty. John Creamer and Stephane K line up two remixes back to back on the Dub Pistols "Problem Is" and the Susana track "Storm." These two tracks show the versatility of this remixing pair. "Problem Is" has an extremely dark feel with some pixie dust thrown into the mix to lighten it up just a bit. Then "Storm" has a more commercial sound with full vocals and a friendly bassline.
Finishing off this impressive compilation is Dub Pistols song "6am." This is aptly named in that 6 a.m. is when you should listen to it. It is downtempo with some sultry horns and a mellow flute melody. A truly beautiful way to round out a lesson in Distinctive Breaks. This is a class that I would gladly take again, and again, and again..
