The Not 4 Human Consumption label are proper. There, nuff said ! End of review. Oh , they’ve got a new record out as well. Now we’re done, thanks.
I cant’ end the article there as Strictly Nu-Skool upper management will give me my marching orders sharpish, but to be honest, that brief first sentence sums things up really well.
Not 4 Human Consumption or N4HC for those that know (and if you don’t know get to know) are a label that do things a little differently to the majority. They don’t seem to want to sell you music as their main priority, they seem more focussed on consistently providing some of the best and free underground hardcore leaning music about. Building a solid reputation over several releases , predominantly via their free to DL option on their Sound cloud page , do check that out here.
Led by label head Robbie N4HC (I’ve got it on good authority that is his real surname so don’t start) going since early 2023 with their first release Pulse by Prayer. They have a stack of tracks available for you dear breakbeat hardcore jungilists, with tunes representing some of the best modern interpretations of the hardcore sound you’d hope to find. I came across them serendipitously via an extensive sound cloud algorithmic grail quest listening session, first intrigued more by the fact someone would have the imagination/audacity to call themselves 99 Nissan Patrol than the fact I’d accidently discovered a sonic gold mine of free tunes for my monthly Bass Scoops Radio show; and N4HC been on the show’s insta-play list ever since.
By keeping close the their Instagram page I got wind that something bigger was happening and despite Robbie resitting my highly intellectual and skilled advances to spill the beans (basically beggy message sent late at night offering cash up front) the word soon got out that not only was this going to be a rare paid for release but it was going to be the labels first outing on vinyl. After a good 2 years of propping up more than few budding hardcore dj’s collections I don’t think anyone can begrudge this foray into unabashed capitalism, plus those that were lucky to score a copy ( only 100 were pressed , limited to one per customer, sold out at time of writing this blog) now have some lovely tunes to spin at a legit all vinyl night that would fit perfectly with a set of classics drawn from 91 to 95.
So to the release itself, 6 tracks all told, more than a EP’s worth too. Leading off with a big name indeed, Tim Reaper who the cliché “needs no introduction” was made for. Tim is a production machine , a prolific force in the UK jungle scene and it is a literal blue-chip level endorsement of N4HC’s calibre that he has provided a track for their first vinyl releases. Alongside the talented Mr Reaper ( Future Retro London) are a mix of label veterans and N4HC newcomers. If you like this sound then well… you like this sound but imho there are no weak tunes on this release. Whilst writing this I’ve had it on repeat and it’s hard to say which one is “the one” as us esteemed music critics (middle-aged man with a macbook…) are prone to do. Each artist brings something different to the last and the label has put some time into programming this mini album to a very high standard. It is great to hear the aforementioned 99 Nissan Patrol (Bigtingrecordings) getting onto this, Cheff the Boy ( Duckland) , Bruk ( Exodus Records) and the currently super hot this summer for sure Gesture ( check his wicked release on blog favourite Torre, amongst others) alongside the delightfully new to me American artist Nic Baker from Philadelphia who comes with a lovely lovely lovely tune called Solstice.
Check it out at the link below, dear breakbeat’rz , well worth the investment for the digital’s alone and I’ll always lend you my wax for your vinyl only set at Rupture if you need it, as long as I get a plus 3 on the guest list.
Shout out Robbie N4HC each and every time.
A1. Tim Reaper - Stylistics
A2. Cheff The Boy - No Cure for Hardcore
A3. BRUK - Make Way
B1. 99 Nissan Patrol - Undercover
B2. Nic Baker - Solstice
B3. Gesture - TAO TRONIC
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