Wow, I can’t believe I’ve gone 5 years writing this blog without posting about Sub Love… I think I’ve been subconsciously holding off just so I’d have something special to post on a rainy day. Well today looks pretty miserable out, so I guess now is as good a time as any!
Sub Love was a hardcore due consisting of of Jody (Way Out West) and Dan (DJ Die). Prior to this project, both members did 2 acid/breakbeat EPs with Jody’s brother under the name “Tru Funk”, but Sub Love was really where they started to shine. Though fitting quite comfortably into hardcore of the time, Sub Love seem to have a pretty distinct style from their first EP on. All the classic hardcore elements are there: rave stabs, breakbeats, catchy diva and hiphop vocal snippets… but there’s also a kind of chugging techno feel to a lot of the tunes, contrasted by excellent decidedly non-techno-esque music changeups and generally excellent melodies and song structure.
This track is probably one of their craziest. Aside from being a “personal favorite” (I probably say that about half the tunes I post here), I’d say that if I had to pick one track as an example of what I love about the “anything goes” nature of oldskool hardcore, It’d probably be this tune. Somehow it manages to move from moody intro into absolutely crazy buzzy belgian synths into a more traditional stabby breakbeat section into a nice piano hook section, and back again… all without breaking a sweat or sounding too disjointed. As with all their productions, the engineering is excellent and the tracks sound every bit as good as any coming out on labels like Shadow / Sub Base/ etc at the time.
Despite how much I like this track, it was still really difficult to pick which one to post off this EP, and I’m sure some people will reply how a different tune is the clear winner. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard every track off this EP in a major DJ mix from back in the day, even the “dj bonus”. Also, though this is one of my favorite EPs by them, I’d wager that the “Underground EP” is every bit as strong, and is similar in how each track is so high quality. The fact that both EPs only go for $5-20 these days means there’s no reason not to own them, even if they cost more the fact is you’re getting more “a sides” with each record than with 3-4 other EPs by lesser artists!
Aside from their own EPs, Sub Love also did a really choice Edge of Madness remix for Luna C, which is available on vinyl on a number of releases/reissues/comps as well as digitally on his Kniteforce Revolution store. In addition, Will from Sublogic Recordings ( one time writer for this blog in its earliest days, hopefully some time in the future as well?) did an excellent pair of releases a couple years ago featuring all unreleased Sub Love tunes from back then… definitely check both Part 1 and Part 2 of those. Though his webstore is defunct for now and the label isnt putting out new stuff fro the time being, Will still has copies of these 2 Sub Love releases on Sublogic for sale on discogs. Be sure to grab those, grab the originals, and big big respect to Sub Love for all the amazing tunes!
(track removed as it’s been rereleased through kniteforce)
Amazing tune, big fave of mine.
Their output throughout ’92 & early ’93 was absolute quality.
Both were legends of the south west free party scene & Universe raves.
Tuune! 🙂
Belgian synths eh? 😉 sweet!
This is Essential!