‘Outta Limits’ – Quarterly Crate

Damo B's Quarterly Crate

HOT hits and picks from ‘Outta Limits Radio Show’ host Damo B

If you’ve yet to catch what is fast becoming a go to broadcast of some of the world’s finest sounds in electronic music, the ‘Outta Limits Radio Show’ is a weekly throw down courtesy of Damo B. A resident DJ at Manchester’s infamous Bohemian Grove parties, he’s also known for putting on the bi-monthly ‘Nothing but the truth’ sessions at Eastern Bloc Record Shop. 

There’s few people out there that dedicate their time and passion more boldly behind the mic, having rarely missed a slot since launching the show back in 2012 on Manchester’s Unity Radio 92.8 Fm.

You’ll find him broadcasting across the airwaves and over the internet every Thursday night. In that time, Damo has cultivated a loyal following and entertaining shows dedicated to the best of Techno, House and Electronica all up in the mix, as he puts it: ‘Nothing but the truth’.

As avid listeners ourselves, we know that works Damo tirelessly each and every day to sift through hundreds of promos to select the best: which is exactly why we asked him to start a new quarterly series, rounding up his top picks and hits that featured on the show over the last 3 months.

Here’s the latest set of tracks that made the draft:

Dylan Forbes – Kingston EP – Echocentric Records

Irish wonder kid Dylan Forbes drops a 4 tracker of razor sharp breaks, pumping acid lines alongside dreamy synths and cut up scratch samples and comes out with a corker! If I was pushed to pick a favourite it would be the booty bass shaker ‘Return 2 Return’ Heavy on the emotional content and female wails aplenty amidst the uber warm bass tones. Brock out!

Various Artists – First Impressions –  Alien Imprints

4 tracks of the real on this new offshoot label from Alien Recordings. Andy & Rob curate a 4 tracker featuring Peshka who construct a deep space rumbler in their track ‘Spacecraft’.  Paddy Thorne brings the deep space electro vibes with his track ‘Coll’, a real dreamy, bubbling bouncy affair, perfect set starter. Next up Marcos Coya & Cosmonaut’s ‘Ultimatum’ features spoken word vox samples over a cinematic backdrop and clunky technoish beats. All underpinned with a strong bassline and soaring lead. Nice! Leaving us with the Juno Lazermachine and the pick of the bunch (Just) for me with their super lively ‘Svetlana Savitskaya’. An uptempo EBM/Electro mash up and then some, play this and watch ’em go.

Bakked – North2id3 – Outban

Bakked hitting you where it hurts with his new outing on his own Outban imprint. Laying down 4 tracks solely aimed at the dancefloor, you’ll find intergalactic bleep melodies interwoven with sped up New Beat/Belgian techno kicks and snares. In fact, pitch these tracks down (Damo B’s Minus 6% club anyone?) and they remind you of the early R&S label output, which is no bad thing. Bakked even dons his ‘rave hat’ and goes all jump up jungle for one cut. ‘433’ Being the recommendation from me, with its ‘DJ Playin it’ Vox and killer bass line to ensure maximum impact.

DART – Hit And Run – Shall Not Fade Basement Tracks

Dublin Area Rapid Trax or DART for short appears (to me) outta nowhere and takes yer head clean off with his own brand of Techno. Club stompers featuring trance like melodies and breakdowns but without a whiff of cheese, even squeezing the odd breakbeat in too for added effect (Plugged Outro). It’s the title track “Hit and Run’ though that’s doing the damage for me though, head nodding beats and smile inducing bass meet thunderous claps and soaring string melodies, bigger than King Kong’s underpants!

Sync 24 & Radioactive Man – DownForce (Inc. Jensen Interceptor RMX) – Weapons Of Desire 014

OG mix cleverly splices breaks and kicks and a deeper than Atlantis zooming bass and fx to conjure up a real slice of dancefloor dynamite. Brilliantly arranged and produced from 2 stalwarts of the electro scene. Jensen Interceptor cranks up the bass to way past 11 and turns out a cut that’s so sick it’s poorly, play with caution- face melter. Certified Roy Cropper!

Litherland – Ida’s World – h21c 

2 original compositions from Joe Litherland and a remix from Hiver of the title track ‘Ida’s World’ drop on this new imprint from the north Devon district U.K. Joe must have studied the golden era of jungle/breakbeat hard, ‘coz he comes up with a jam that would not have sat out of place on any Moving Shadow release from 1994. Ethereal dream-like synths awash with machine gun breaks and sub-bass to make you wind your waist!  Hiver’s remix is a different beast but never once does it lose the magic of the original, real journey kinda vibe. Elsewhere on the vinyl release we find ‘Kaffalla breaks’  This jam rinses out a sax sample to full effect but with a slightly lower tempo, whistle fx and female moans take you sky high. WOAH!

Bobo  – Hope I Never Experience It – Pt. II – Gestalt Records

Manchester resident Bobo Molander sent that many tracks over to the Gestalt Record boys that they didn’t want to dismiss any of them. So, they did a 2 X 12 release of his music. Sometimes breaks, sometimes 4×4 and sometimes even UKG vibes… but always quality. Bobo fashions his music with emotion and a deep understanding, here on the second record it’s all about the ‘I’ Pt. II. With its chopped up breaks and clever edits alongside the clipped female vox sample that brings on the rush! Rude Bwoy Bizniss.

www.gestaltlabel.bandcamp.com

DAWL – Born Abstract – Childhhood Intelligence

Darren Woolard aka DAWL has been at the forefront of the ‘new wave of rave’ producers and labels. Alongside longtime sparring partner Sween, they run Tone Dropout. Here Dawl goes solo though for a 10 track album on the mighty Childhood Intelligence. Drawing from his history of being a Graffiti artist and a Hip Hop Aficionado, as well as the Bleep, Bass and Breaks era there’s something for everyone. Bookended by 2 Hip Hop beats and scratch workouts which include cut n paste style samples from graffiti documentaries amongst other B Boy flavaz this collection of tracks doesn’t disappoint. Highlights for me being the super deep bass tones and acid lines of ‘Recon’. The Bleeptastic ‘Vibrations’ with its awsome breakdown and ‘Tricky Disco-esque’ beats and then dirtiest sub you will hear this year on the mighty ‘Quantoum Jam’ Bo!

Corporeal Face – Somewhere Out there – Furthur Electronix

Tongue in cheek track names (Mike Bank’s Bus Pass) and expertly crafted breakbeat monsters (Just The Way To Be). This is a quality 4 tracker on Anil Lal’s F.E imprint, all cuts are deadly but it’s the ‘Just The Way To Be’ that is my weapon of choice.  Miami Bass undertones and ‘Just The Way To Be’ vocal stretched over the 1992 riffs that sit on top of a chugging b-line. WINNER!

Tapes Jamaican – Back At It – First Cut

Mr Brophy’s imprint again releases from the mystery Tapes Jamaican.  3 tracks of beautifully crafted machine music catering for different parts of the set/night.  Electro, Bleeps and Detroit-esque techno, take your pick.  Choice for me the title cut ‘Back At It’. As the insert says ‘Certified Roy Cropper!