- UK hardcore has been threaded into West Norwood Cassette Library's revivalist DNA since at least 2011's "Get Lifted." That might explain why, though he was excluded from Sneaker Social Club's recent remix bonanza, he insists on having his say on a hardcore classic. His VIP of The Brothers Grimm's "Exodus (The Lion Awakes)" draws from the South Londoner's favoured hard-swung house template. He throws geometric breakbeat syncopations on top and adds flecks of sampled voice and dial tone synth. Like the rest of the EP, it's an entertaining, if not stunning, retooling of a classic style.
WNCL's angle on hardcore isn't so many degrees off Luke Vibert's. Not in terms of production style—WNCL prefers rough-and-ready to Vibert's polish—but in his humour and his extensive use of samples. Sometimes this EP ventures deep into the tangled intertextual webs of late 20th century music. "(Everytime You Touch Me) I Get Hype" seems to cut another early '90s hardcore record, DJ Clarkee's "I Get Hype," with bits of Charlie Rich's 1975 country ballad "Everytime You Touch Me I Get High" and Ultramagnetic MCs' 1992 hip-hop track "Poppa Large." The latter track itself sampled James Brown and Prince and, in '96, formed the spine of a techstep banger, E.P.S. & 2-Vibe's "Hype The Funk." The rest of the EP is more Google-resistant. "Theme To Street Knowledge" (OK, the "Straight Outta Compton" sample is obvious) might be the weak spot, its stiffer beat and plasticky bass growls halfway redeemed by an amen rinse-out. Finally, "Feeling Too Big To Dance" ups the tempo for a 150-BPM rampage of reggae skanks and crazy-paving rave chords.
TracklistA1 (Everytime You Touch Me) I Get Hype
A2 Theme To Street Knowledge
B1 The Brothers Grimm - Exodus (The Lion Awakes) (WNCL VIP)
B2 Feeling Too Big To Dance