Back to '83

If like me you got into Hip Hop in the 80's, you'll probably appreciate how important the Streetsounds compilations were to the UK. It brought us not only the best in US Hip Hop talent but also amazing Electro as well.

I'll freely admit I was terrible at breaking' but I'd still polish up our crew vinyl floor mat and strike a B-Boy pose as other people bust out their hopping windmills, backspins and flares. Having a go was part of the attraction of Hip Hop for to be honest.

Eventually I took a backseat with the breaking as I took up other elements of the culture, which I'm sure broke the Rock Steady Rock and New York City Breakers hearts, lol. However I never lost my love for Electro and the Streetsounds ethos.

So I was well excited to hear from the man himself, Morgan Khan, that there was going to be a relaunch of the label starting with Nu-Electro Volume 1.

When this double CD dropped through my door it was like greeting an old friend but my reservations rose to its relevance to today's twatter/MP3/mass media exploitative world. I mean, 1983 was the first comp and seeing as most of today's identikit indie band, souljah boy ringtone rapper or goth-lite like emo loving kids have as much regard for 1983 as I did for 1963 I struggled to believe that this could be nothing more than a trip down memory lane.

As a quick aside for anyone reading this that was born after 1990, Electro is not House music, Electro is not cheesy pop. It's 808's, 303's, Jupiter 8's, DMX's, the odd 909 and a DX7 thrown in for good measure.

So anyway the CD is well mixed (by none other than the legendary Freddie Fresh) and contains some great new tracks that give more than a nod to the old school but maintain a creative and innovative take on the scene.

The first CD wanders into more Dancey/Minimalist stuff towards the end but starts off with two cracking tracks by the B-Boys and Egyptian Lover.

Now the 2nd CD is the best in my opinion as it has the real rolling hats, deep kicks and slapping snares you come to expect with some driving basslines to make you bust out the robotics. My only criticism is that it occasionally seems to veer into what is at best; hat-tipping and at worst; Pastiche. But i'm probably quibbling a bit.

So in short this CD is a welcome, long awaited return of the King.

Now where's my Puma Clydes?