NIGHTSLUGS ALLSTARS VOL. 1 by V.A.

After a year of succesfull releases, here's an label overview, showing where it's been, and to where heading. Night Slugs Allstars is a series of compilation that will act as a cohesive guide to the label's distinctive yet multi-faceted sound.Volume 1 features core NS family members as well as new protagonists, and brand new material alongside some of the biggest tracks NS released in 2010. Lil Silva's own distinctive vocal hook drives the melodic "Golds 2 Get", and his enduring UK Funky anthem "Seasons" (NS004) makes an appearance as well. Kingdom's punishingly percussive "Bust Broke", originally appearing on the "That Mystic EP" (NS006), takes militant syncopation to the next level. Velour contribute "Booty Slammer", the porn-groove laden, synth-soaked stepper from their "The Velvet Collection" EP (NS007). Girl Unit's reigning masterpiece "Wut" (NS008) rounds off the album with a massive dose of crunk ecstasy. Of course it wouldn't be Night Slugs without the dubplate pressure, and there is plenty of new material on Allstars Volume 1 as well. Mosca's "Square One VIP" is a new twist on the label's first release, taking the track even further in an upfront Club direction. L-Vis 1990 collaborates with Deep Teknologi's T. Williams on their brutalist bassline-driven "Stand Up". Egyptrixx gives a glimpse of things to come with the cosmic techno of "Liberation Front", taken from his debut album. Girl Unit's futuristic club banger "IRL" gets twiseted into an acid grime ode to FWD>> circa '04. The stripped-back dub of the vinyl-only "Reclash" collaboration with Cubic Zirconia also has its debut. Allstars Volume 1 introduces two new producers to the NS fold. The first is Montreal native Jacques Greene, whose debut on the LuckyMe label is currently about to drop. Jacques gives "(Baby I Don't Know) What You Want", a driving contemporary acid house piece, awash with hypercolour synths that place it right at home in the Night Slugs stable. Second is London's Optimum, a long-time collaborator of Ikonika, and Hum&Buzz label boss, whose "Broken Embrace" is an overt homage to the Detroit school of soulful, robotic techno, but pumped full of sub-bass. - Bok Bok, Night Slugs co-captain, November 2010