Hackurr's Music Blog

  Released on Future Retro London in December 2023, prolific jungle producer Phineus II's first solo release on the label is regarded by many fans and fellow producers as a modern jungle classic - filled with samples, tough breaks and the distinctive edge that many rave releases of the early 90s had. Spread over two 12" vinyl and eight tracks is a sonic journey through the mind of one of the underground's most loved and respected producers. Recorded over the span of a decade in his home somewhere in England, every track captures the distinctly different and interesting style he is able to capture in his music and this album demonstrates that brilliantly thanks to heavy tracks such as the seminal E Takes Me (a track recorded when he went under the name "Squatski) and heavy rollers such as Selector Sayz (my personal favourite on the album, however it sure is hard to pick!) All of the tracks on this album were sequenced, recorded and mixed using classic hardware that man...

  Released on Brighton based label Savona in early 2017 and classic Hong Kong label Neoncity in April 2019, Fibre's only compilation album to date comprising of various singles has since been regarded as a future funk classic and is heavily praised for its unique sound, production style and eclectic, interesting ideas. This album is how I came across the Romanian producer's work a few years ago while looking for new things to bump - and since then it has been a staple in my listening for a variety of different reasons, all of which will be explained in this review. Throughout the twelve tracks featured, Fibre is able to demonstrate with ease his instantly recognizable style of production, complete with dominating melodies and exciting yet wistfully nostalgic ideas, pieced together with hard hitting beats and an irresistible club-fueled nature. This is predominantly evidenced throughout tracks such as "Don't Stop" and "My Lady" (respectively tracks one an...

NOTE: Hey, everyone! I've been busy for a little while (and still am) so I apologize for the lack of reviews lately. Here's an older one for now while I stock up on new ideas. :) Released in October 2023 commercially via Bandcamp, this selection of singles spans multiple genres with ease, full of breaks, hip hop mashups and PlayStation game inspired rave music.  The compilation opens with Far Away, a synthesizer led jungle track which with its high energy beats and rave stabs creates a fantastic track which to me feels designated for clubs and raves.  Track two of the compilation California Bomberman is a rave/hiphop mashup combining the opening to critically acclaimed PlayStation game Bomberman World and 2Pac's hit single from 1995 "California Love". Both tracks work extremely well together and when combined create a very dreamy rave track which ticks all of the boxes for textbook rave music.  Samples are a common theme throughout the rest of the compilation, wit...

  Released on legendary netlabel KEATS//COLLECTIVE on May 31st 2013, Saint Pepsi's seventh solo album has since been retrospectively critically acclaimed in the vaporwave / future funk scene and generally regarded as one of the defining long players in helping vaporwave evolve significantly. Before this release, Saint Pepsi had been putting out vaporwave albums all of which oozed a chilled, experimental and interesting nature. Examples of this include Triumph International (released in December 2012) and Studio 54 (released in March 2013) These excursions into sample based work would ultimately prove to become a basis for Hit Vibes along with numerous disco, funk and city pop records. Combined together, this creates an incredible listening experience filled with joy, funk and just the right amount of downtime with chilled tracks sprinkled in too. The album opens with a string of disco infused, party ready tracks (Hit Vibes, Have Faith, Better and Cherry Pepsi) which echo the produc...