Lorin's Top Ten from 2001

(in no particular order) Lee Coombs - Future Sound of Retro

[Finger Lickin']

Huge. Huge! HUGE!! An excellent blend of thundering tribal breaks, almost sexually stimulating bass, an emotionaly melodic hook, and a gorgeous, haunting female vocal sample. When the bass drops towards the beginning, this dancefloor splits into moshpit central. Not to sound cheesy, but the “vibe" of this song is SO inspirational and energetic that is *literally* almost induces the urge to cry. Coomb’s entire full length release is totally unstoppable. Second Protocol - Raize the Noyze

[O2 Recordings]

This is absolutely the most slamming breakstep tune in my arsenal at the moment. A full-on frantic onslaught of surging distorted bass, a thumping breakbeat quantized to a heavy shuffle, and an enormous foghorn sample. Very powerful builds and explosions guaranteed to make them scrrrrrrrrrrrrream! Bassnectar & Sayr - Float 12"

[Colourforms]

Craig (Sayr) and I are releasing this in early 2002 on OM Record's new breaks/2 step sub-label called Colourforms. The original version is an energetic blend of bassheavy breaks and bouncy 2 step, featuring an epic chorus of tribal chanting, as well as some beautiful synth riffs. Very effective at any time of the night. The remix is a wild mixture of garage and tribal house, with a 4/4 kick and ultra-low bass. The unanimous highlight is the dancehall breakdown about halfway through. Horsepower Productions - Vigilante

[Tempa]

Superduper deep 2 step. Superb bass and song flow, and a prefect use of dreamy synth noises and tight drum programming. This song works great in the deeper hours of a set, and rolls along through a number of killer melodic changes. HPP is one of my favorite producers of quality, shuffly 2 step beats. Hardwire - Burn it Up

[Kingsize]

An oldy-but-goody, this bigbeat tune (for lack of a better word) works time and time again to mash-it-up in terms of tempo and funk. Somewhere between 100 and 115 bpms, it serves perfectly to trick the feet and the heads of dancers when I am moving from slo breaks to uptempo stuff, or vice versa. Some fella keeps chanting “Jump a little higher" and the boogie factor is in FULL effect. Love it! Dub Marines - Cayo La Luna

[TCR]

A wicked, HARD-hitting tune that keeps people pumping their pelvi and singing along. I love the fact that there is no “Wah-Wah" bass here, (although there are some amazingly percussive “nu-school" type synth hooks) just smooth and powerful low end, totally in sync with the kick drum. Very uplifting mood, and works equally well at peak hour or in the morning for a sunrise set. Mixes perfectly with “Float." Cakeboy - Bovine Beats

[Sonic Tonic]

UNGH! Yes, that’s right: UNGH! Talk about mosh pits. Who is Cakeboy? I fear that I have been overlooking one of my favorite producers or something. This track is obliteratingly and psychedelically FULL-ON. Includes some of the sickest flicks and tricks since Si Begg, and a very cooky vocal interlude before the main drop - a totally unexpected dreamy interlude and THE BASS THE BASS THE BASS! The flipside is uber-sick as well. Toxteth Renegades - The Rhythm Track

[Airdog]

This is the sound I crave. It seems so obvious, but few are doing it quite as tightly and wickedly as Toxteth Renegades. A very jumpy, dark-but-sexy breaksteppish tune with heaving bass and a punishingly jiggy groove. I cannot stop playing this song (5 times last week) and don’t see a viable excuse to relent in the near future. I also edited a version of this track pitched down to about 120 bpms and it is SO HOT mixed out of deep house, lemme tell ya’….. Bolz Bolz - Take a Walk (Si Begg remix)

[Longhaul]

Holy BASS-HOUSE, Batman! Uh, Mr. Begg, we need to have a little talk, my friend. You are just WAY TOO ahead of things and this track proves it nasty NASTY NASTY and, dare I say even PULVERIZING? Yes I dare, and even if I didn't, I have no choice. The track is the most slammin 4/4 floor-pounder on the market at the moment. Thank you, doctor Begg. Sensei - I'm The Only One (Stabilizer remix)

[Functional Breaks]

Feels so good. Stabilizer is just stylin’ things out lately track after track I am addicted, and this one most of all. Ultra lush synths and very groovy bass mixed with very driving breaks and the ultimate sunrise attitude. I inject this track regularly. Ratpack - Clipper

[Free Radical Sounds]

This is an unbrrrrreakable 2 step/garage track off of the equally unbreakable full length compilation Garage Dubs. A super catchy “rasta" MC busts out lyrical percussion over a very skippy, funky low end and works great with the drums. Contains some old school samples that drive you right back into the day and puts a smile on everyone's face. Highly recommended .