REVIEW - Sonic Deadline - Party Force [PF001 - New 12" Vinyl Release]

A1 - Remember The Good Times.
A2 - Taking My Heart.
AA1 - Teach Me.
AA2 - Get Live.

Sonic Deadline has been producing oldskool themed hardcore breaks on his Hard Boiled label, and ruff jungle on Beat Lab (under his Warped Science moniker) since 2006, so it's safe to say that he's a veteran breaks connoisseur with a definite pedigree. Recently Sonic Deadline announced a new label, Party Force to resurrect the 1994-1995 breakbeat, happy hardcore sound on vinyl. The first Party Force release is an uplifting, euphoria fest of a 4-tracker featuring energetic breaks, infectious piano melodies and obligatory chipmunked vocal effects.
 
As I was never really a huge follower of 'happy hardcore', being mainly into the darker strains of hardcore, jungle and drum & bass. I was well impressed at how Sonic Deadline effectively crafted this EP to avoid excessive dips into the realms of Stilton, which many happy hardcore tune back in the day fell guilty of (in my opinion at least!).
 
Opener, 'Remember The Good Times' sets the ball rolling with some spine-tingly, metallic sounding breaks and pianos before incorporating a rolling amen breakbeat accompanied with a pumping 4/4 beat. The midsection adds a gorgeous piano melody alongside classic 'Remember the good times. Don't you want some more' vox. A lush sounding, uplifting essential.
 
'Taking My Heart' adds more junglistic breaks to the formula, with a strong oldskool hardcore influence also -  1992 especially - "Knowledge", "Ruff'"and "Taking your heart" vocal samples. The beats are purely energetic, as are the pianos. Job done!
 
Up next is the more '95 influenced 'Teach Me' which adds a nice little sci-fi, 'Wheesh!' sound effect (which my description is totally ineffective in describing here!) to the rolling breaks and pianos. These are merged with euphoric helium-effected vocals "Why won't you teach me. Come to me. Come to me...." and a cheeky 'Mmmm drop!' sample from the Beastie Boys. Some proper happy hardcore stabs feature also to reinforce the happy vibe,
 
Concluding the EP is the closing tune 'Get Live', which sets the uplifting piano melody in overdrive  and adds a Nookie-ish synth stab to "I'm feeling this way and I want to stay" female vocals and track title, "Get live" shouts. There is a great jungle break to accompany the amens on 'Get Live' to give the breakbeat lovers a thrill.
 
An overall tribute to the glory days of pre-4/4 beat dominance in happy hardcore, and an essential purchase for anyone who has a fondness for euphoric and uplifting hardcore sounds.

http://www.discogs.com/Sonic-Deadline-Party-Force/release/5070450









The price for this lovely slab of oldskool euphoria is a paltry £6.50 which gives you no excuse not to grab a copy and support the label!

Purchase details taken courtesy of the Sonic Deadline 'Party Force' Back To The Oldskool thread;

Shipping.
UK: £3.50 first 4 records, + £0.50 each additional
Europe & Russia: £5.50 first record, + £1.50 each additional
Rest of the World: £8.00 first record, + £2.25 each additional

Paypal.
spearian@gmail.com

For those who like their jungle I've also got some copies of:
Warped Dynamics - Lord of the amens remix EP
Warped Dynamics - Volume 6 Sound for Champions/Free (smooth mix)
Going for £5 each.

I also have copies of:
Hardboiled 001 - Delta Force EP
Hardboiled 002 - Never mind the bollox EP
Hardboiled 004 - Battle for the past EP
Going for £6 each.