- It's widely acknowledged—check pretty much any Pearson Sound or Addison Groove track for proof—that 2010 was the year when UK dance music rediscovered the 808. As you might expect, 2011 has turned out to be the year that an army of copycats threatened to make Roland a bad word, operating under the (mis)impression that downloading some 808 samples suddenly makes you Cybotron. You know the tracks I'm talking about: the kicks thump but don't bump, the hi-hats don't shuffle, and the snare rolls just don't roll.
Just the artist name (New York Transit Authority is actually a new alias of Bristol dubstepper Mensah) and title of "Off the Traxx" is enough to raise suspicions, but the reality is that this is one of the most accomplished tributes to '80s hip-hop and techno that the UK's produced in recent times. It's got a lot going on—two basslines at some points, and banks of different snares and hi-hats—but unless you pay close attention you'd never notice: the groove comes incredibly naturally, with a wicked balance between shuffling stop-start moments and tom rolls. Most obviously, it's got one hell of a catchy vocal, referencing classic Queens hip-hop group Black Sheep and, naturally, the New York subway system.
On the other side, Redlight dons an alias, Conqueror, for a slightly less successful endeavour into 808 house. Redlight's music always sounds great—there's apparently an enviable arsenal of outboard gear in his studio, and he's clearly got a top ear for frequencies—but it often lacks a bit of class; sleazy but in an unappealing way. On "Highest Order," it's the annoying vocal that gives the game away.
Tracklist A New York Transit Authority - Off The Traxx (Catch That Train)
B Conqueror - Conqueror