Here’s a pretty underrated track in my opinion. I can understand why it’s not heavily sought after, since it’s not exactly a massive catchy anthem or anything. Still, the programming is pretty crazy in this – quite a few interesting changeups etc. I definitely prefer this EP to The Timelike EP on Big Giant, and there’s a copy of this EP currently selling for 3 quid, so someone nab it! I should mention the other track on this has some pretty dodgy clanging beats, but that adds to the madness and I’m sure is actually a plus (or at least not a deal-breaker) for some listeners Timelike – Forever
It’s been a while since I posted something proper rare, so here’s a hard-to-find one-sided EP by Dillinja and Clarky. Dillinja needs no introduction, Clarky is actually one member of Defender who I posted a track by a few days ago.. “Dark Science” does what it says on the label, and is a solid slice of 93 darkcore. The other track on this EP is absolutely mental rave stab madness with crazy beats that get off time in points and drop right on that thin line between glorious low fi hardcore craziness and outright poor poor production… normally given the choice between these 2 tracks I’d post the crazier one, but I figure I’ll give you the more palatable one and save the madness for anyone who bothers to track down this EP
Xenophobia was a project featuring Grant Nelson (aka Wishdokta) and 2 other producers. The MC’ing (by MC Scallywag of Spiral Tribe) isn’t my favorite, but fits the track given how “live” this tune sound. Regardless of that, this tune is fucking CRAZY. I command you to press play and jump around / bob your head like mad….. DO IT NOW! Xenophobia – Project 250
I can’t believe I’ve gone this long without posting anything on Rabbit City, as it’s a choice label run by Gordon Edge (of “Compnded” fame) and Colin Faver of Kiss FM. Aside from putting out a bunch of FMM EPs, Rabbit City also released the Digital Domain EP (that “I need relief” track, bound to be familiar to any oldskool fans), one of the first Aphex Twin records, and Blow “Cutter”. Unlike labels which transitioned towards jungle, after hardcore’s heyday Rabbit City moved more towards hard techno/trance, which makes sense since their early releases also had a strong techno vibe.
As for Force Mass Motion, their first 4 or so EPs on Rabbit City are all excellent and pretty essential, stompin technoey stuff jumping between serious hardcore and some great proto-happy hardcore bits. This track is exemplary of that, managing to (somewhat uncomfortably) position what is perhaps one of THE most extreme/”end-of-the-world” style rave riffs ever next to a much more melodic/happy section. I’ve definitely heard a different version of this track with an extended intro using the “jack of diamonds” sample, a sample which I can’t definitively place but which I think maybe be from either Scanners or Ghostbusters? Either way it’s some sort of ESP test scene using
playing cards. Force Mass Motion – Jack of Diamonds
Here’s two of my personal favorites… when it comes to fast, crazy, choppy 92-94 hardcore/jungle, Mole The Dipper is one of the best. If I had to compare his tracks to anyone else, the closest I could get would be Bizzy B… however they definitely have their own sound. “Eye of the Dinosaur” is a monster of a tune: sick ultra-lowfi breaks that careen along at a hellishly fast pace, pitching up and down and with new layers coming in and dropping out… all culminating in some giant end-of-the-world orchestra stabs straight out of 91! The remix ups the ante by just chopping the hell out of EVERYTHING in site, not really adding any new elements but instead running the original through a blender.
Both of these releases go for nothing nowadays- plenty of copies for 5 pounds each or less in the case of the remix EP. If you like crazy fast choppy jungle, there’s really no excuses not to have these (as well as the other Mole The Dipper EPs) Mole The Dipper – Eye of the Dinosaur
Here’s one of the most twisted tunes I’ve posted up here… a dark and deep 93 amen track with tons of changes ups and samples, not to mention a time signature change partway through the song. It’s also the first release on Back 2 Basics, which ended up putting out much more friendly tunes like the remix of the “The Way”. Great track, if anyone knows any other 92-93 tunes this strange, leave them in the comments and I’ll try to post them up if I have them. Outa Intelligence – Tales from the Unexpected
Here’s a nice track I picked up in Bristol last November. It’s a tune I’d heard long ago, forgotten about, then remembered the second the needle hit the wax upon hearing it in a store. Really nasty low fi hardcore madness. The production isn’t the sharpest (though the bass is pretty nice), but who cares when a track is this crazy??!!! Definitely one for the heads and about as far from a “modern set friendly throwback anthem” as you can get.
The label which released this put out one other record, an EP which I’m not such a fan of (though it’s more in demand than “feel the fear”). Mine the Rhythm – Feel the Fear
I mentioned in the comments section that I’d start posting some of my favorite tracks from that Easygroove mix… here’s one of my favorites, and one of the more pricey records I’ve ever bought. Demo + Poet’s PCP EP even gives Parliament Records releases a run for their money in terms of glorious rawness. The track featured in the Easygroove mix is the definite strongpoint, with the Nightmare on Elm Street samples and one of those riffs that’s so simple it can’t help but be absolutely brain-shredding.
This rip is more crackly than usual, but given the nature of this tune, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Also, all that wear and tear on the vinyl isn’t for nought: this copy was originally owned by DJ Lomas, a friend of Demo + Poet’s who also appeared on their only other record and who ran the legendary Tick Tock events in Swansea in addition to spinning at all the big UK events like Dreamscape, Fantazia, etc.
One of the strangest groups I’ve come across while looking for good oldskool stuff is WEIRD BEARD from Germany. Here’s my thoughts after getting a few of their records, on the strength of one track (which happened to be their least, erm, weird)
I just got Weird Works I – III a day ago, and I am still wracking my brain trying to understand what context this group could have existed in… what the producers were intending, what the target audience was, etc… it just doesn’t make any sense! Most of their songs literally sound like hardcore/jungle meets easy listening / instrumental yacht rock (no exaggeration). Lots of general midi sounding preset melodies, piano “solos” that sound like they were played by a 1st grader, midi guitar, etc. A few songs don’t even have breakbeats, but sound like they have sped up live drums. I could almost think Weird Beard had no connection with jungle/hardcore at all if they didn’t also have fast breakbeats and track titles like “raving on the beach” and “hardcore will never die” on occasion. During the most “normal” sections, they sound a bit like Biochip C’s “Biocalypse” material. But before you know it another piano solo or ridiculous general midi breakdown hits.
Overall, Weird Beard sounds like some sort of insane “outsider hardcore” which aliens dropped on the planet 14 years ago. Either that, or if some Riot Beats artists dropped really good acid and tried to make the jungle equivalent of Frank Zappa’s “Jazz From Hell”, but without the musical virtuosity of that album.
If anybody knows anything about this group, please let me know! I’d love to know more about it.
Here’s a great 92 white label which is reasonably well known, but I figured I’d post it anyway.
I’d heard a rumor that Aphrodite was involved with this, and confirmed today that it is indeed by Aphrodite & Claudio from Urban Shakedown… this makes sense because of some of the sounds in the track, not to mention the overall awesomely choppy amiga production. Specifically, the pitch down effect is one of my favorite sounds in a lot of Urban Shakedown / early Aphrodite Recordings tracks. Because of the low bitrate of the original sample, pitching it down ends up having an unintended bit-degrading effect at the same time which has yet to be reproduced in any new sequencer/vst effects I’ve heard… just hearing that tiny fraction of a sound instantly brings me back to the good old days of screamtracker / 8 bit samples / mod files.
The A1 and B1 tracks on this EP are the standouts, In particular A1 (posted below) has a great intro section with the beats and melody massively chopped up together before the track stabilizes. According to Aphrodite, he actually threw out a box or two of these EPs a couple years ago, not realizing that they were be in demand… Thankfully they still aren’t TOO expensive as far as obscure white labels go (currently 10-20 pounds on discogs), but I’m sure it’ll continue to go up in price over time.
Edit on Sept 25, 08:Here’s another track from the EP – some samples from the first tune, but combined with a crazy gated zipper/laser sound. Dope stuff. This track isn’t from a personal rip, so it probably sounds better than my rip of the first tune (my needles suck right now) Moonwalk – B1
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and I will remove them right away. 
