The UK breaks , bass n rave supergroup / boy band are back ! Maybe I’ll give it less of the boy band bantz as a vengabus-esque vehicle for a cheap laugh (Editors Note -glad you said that Scoops as your whole comedy repertoire is cheaper than a Poundland sale) but Supergroup, as a less used taxonomical descriptor. is spot on with little room for argument imho and I’m going to tell you why! For those that are coming into contact for the first time with WKC (as us scenesters call them) they are the sometimes side project of exceptionally well regarded, “proper underground”, producers Obsidian Wave , Skin Teeth , Rawtrachs and recently joined for this release, new member, Phil Microcosm . Coming at ya like a workwear clad , 808 tweaking, 2024 version of the Travelling Wilburys if only they’d spent their youth at rave ground zero The Sanctuary in Milton Keynes instead of listening to BB King or Robert Johnson; and where Robert allegedly sold his soul to the devil at the proverbial crossroads WKC did the modern day musical diabolical equivalent of putting down a weekly payment on a MC 505 at the local Cash Converters. WKC are the real deal y’all hear me.
Now onto their fourth release since vol 1 came out in May 2023, they are definitely in the instant handover the cash and download without even a flinch of a test listen bracket . After you’ve treated your lugholes and your hand built Maplins tube amps to this latest release do check out their back catalog and particularly one of my go to tunes in recent years, Isleworth Massive
Their new EP , the surprisingly titled (sic) Volume 4 ,is a four tracker with some lovely cover art by band member Skin Teeth , check out his art insta here as well illustration nerds, he is an enviable talent both musically and with the pens n paints.
Kicking it off with tuneo numero uno, Shed Life is a nice fast paced breakbeat hardcore number, hoovers, samples, bass and a reach for the lasers break down to give the dancer a quick breather halfway through. Next up it’s Room 2, a heavier affair all together , tuff distorted drums giving an industrial techno edge to the track, a dark chugger. This is classic WKC at work, mixing up the vibes and bringing you forward thinking sounds each and every time. Rainstorm, track number three, takes us back once again to a 92 dance floor and I think at the time of writing, my track of the EP. You just know blog boss the Glowkid is going to love the best of the Prodigy vibes this tune radiates. I can’t wait to inflict this one on the airwaves in my next mix show. I was initially somewhat disappointed that the final track of the EP entitled Mandy, wasn’t a breakbeat bootleg of the Barry Manilow Banger of the same name , previously famously covered by Homer Simpson and now by the WKC crew . However, we are treated to another slower paced heavy number for the headz with lovely filtering, layering and sound design that must have maxed out an Ableton cpu meter surely? So much of this tune is in the shadows it’s one to listen too again and again on a good set of headphones to get it all. It takes a certain level of musical confidence and skill to put some of your best work far back in the mix and let the listener discover it. Just brilliant.
To conclude, if you don’t get onto this relase asap please delete your login passwords to this blog and drop your ipod mini off at your local recycling centre. Thank you for your cooperation.
Until next time dear breakbeat’rz – John Bass Scoops.
