A.P., Josh Inc., MK303 & Tassid – Skuxx003 (Skuxx)

All your favourite Acid producers have tucked away their 303s for this Skuxx release. First A.P attacks Tassid’s awesome Raw ‘n’ Dirty on the remix. The original is a beast of a track, a coachload of screaming, terrified cheerleaders hurtling towards a cliff edge as the driver clutches at his chest and slumps dead to the wheel. Cleverly, A.P saves the cheerleaders. He even has the cheerleaders celebrating at the precipice as he reforms the tune into a bouncy party centrepiece. And it’s a cracker.

Meanwhile, Paranoia by Josh Inc. is a bit of a Marmite track, which is all I’ll say about that. Next, things get real filthy for MK303’s Section 6. Industrial-revolution era beats, metal-on-metal sparking: the man like Matt Knight lays down some extra-special powerage here, and the ‘section 6’ vocal gives it a focus, although it never quite develops as much as you wish it would. Lastly, Wretch is another hard-assed torture-chamber tune from the ever-dependable Tassid. It’s hard, it’s filthy, it sounds like demented tramps playing with operating-theatre equipment and it has a series of late-period breaks that keep the energy levels high.

Get it from: 909

A.P. & Josh Inc. – Impact UK 003

A.P. is taking no prisoners on Distort the Dancefloor. This is a tune that reminds you this is the guy who brought you High in Chicago, Ride It and Off Ya Box and he’s continuing to innovate. No acid – this is a pure techno track from A.P. – but the sound is tough. It has a repeating metallic motif that floats in and out of the kick and, like Cuttin’ It, his collaboration with Josh Inc. to be found elsewhere on the EP, has a subversive, disruptive feel which gives it a unique and distinctive sound. It’s a fecking winnah.

Pump It Up, the other A.P. solo track, is a more funk-driven hip-hop influenced tune, like he had some ideas left over from his rework of Tassid’s Raw N Dirty . Meanwhile, the other EP highlight is Piston 69, by A.P. and Josh Inc. which again uses distortion to superb effect and has a tremendous, long break prior to a hurricane-like finale.

Get it from: 909

Benji303, Nesbit, Owen Acid & Dixie – AER 005.2 (Audio Eargasm)

Benji303’s tracks are usually marked by a healthy respect for Acid Techno’s beginnings, and though I’ve always liked the results I sometimes felt they lacked the kind of heaviness you’d want for a here-and-now 303 throwdown. Here, though, his old skool custodianship is employed to phatter-than-usual effect, producing what for me is his best tune yet, in Crunch. Likewise, Jared Blyth, aka Nesbit, is on a roll. Bitta Rough brims with confidence, featuring the kind of brooding riff that lurks in shadows in alleyways, building beautifully, speeding up, slowing down, and an acid line, like a psychotic dog, twisting at its feet.

Meanwhile Fuck Regretamine by Owen Acid & Dixie is a blast. The drums roll, and the acid has a great old-skool arcade feel. (Which reminds me, I never got round to reviewing Soitiz 004, which is unforgiveable because it’s a cracking release, with Owen Acid’s Swift Assault a total highlight.) Back to Audio Eargasm 005.2 and Step 3 rounds out the EP with two acid lines, once low and growling, one high and persistent, and a drop at around the 4.30 mark that’s an absolute beaut.

Get it from: Audio Eargasm at Bandcamp

Jamie C – SUF Projects 015 (SUF Projects)

Jamie C’s Shitbag is a monster tune, one of my favourites in recent years, but I have to admit I wasn’t too fond of the follow up, SUF Projects 010, which felt a wee bit ponderous by comparison. Now, after a stonking remix of Chemical Generation for Acid Test, he’s back with a gleaming newie on SUF Projects and is once more fleet of foot and nimble of finger, producing a bit of a bloody classic in the process. The A-side, Bakers Butchers is where it’s at for me, with two, maybe three acid lines blasting away so sharp they might as well be wielding flick knives, and a filmic vocal sample that should get all you sci-fi acid heads moist with desire. More to the point, it rocks like a bastard. Totally essential.

Get it from:  909
Jamie C Soundcloud