Having smashed stages worldwide wide via the all-conquering behemoth that is ‘Godzilla Dub’, South-East London’s finest, Ash aka ZeroFG, explores an oft-overlooked but (for certain Pineapple lovers) absolutely foundational sub-genre of UK Bass… Breakstep.
If tunes such as Zinc’ 138 Trek’, Darqwan ‘Said The Spider’ or Jameson ‘Urban Hero’ still get you going behind the decks - and believe me, they still get people shocking out on the floor - this updated take on the oft-overlooked early-2000s genre is essential weaponry in your set.
Btw, in case you’re wondering ‘what on earth IS Breakstep? Well here goes… Emerging in the early 2000s, and perhaps peaking in terms of popularity with Zinc’s classic ‘138 Trek’, Breakstep or Breakbeat Garage took elements from sounds such as Jungle, Garage, the emerging Grime scene, and the ruder end of Breakbeat to create a sound that was (in our humble opinion), an essential mix of rolling drums, bass pressure and UK attitude. For a while, these tunes were popping up in sets from range of DJs as diverse as Slimzee and J Da Flex, to Bugs In The Attic and Dubchild, but while a choice Bingo Beats 12” has always been a cheeky weapon for those that know, it’s not a sound that’s really seen much of a critical re-evaluation - possibly because it was quickly swept away by the incoming dubstep / halftime innovations - although artists such as Slaughter Mob and Search & Destroy were a key part of that crossover, and created music that remains some of my favourite from that era.
The Elemental EP started life as a collection of WIPs on ZeroFGs Instagram, and when I heard them, I had to instantly reach out to make sure I wasn’t mishearing things, and this was in fact the work of someone who also appreciated this era of dance music. We’ve since spent way too much time on WhatsApp comparing notes over rare Shimano 12”s and DJ Hype remixes, but what is dance music for, if not encouraging nerds to flaunt their obsessions in a safe environment???
Linking up with producers from the UK underground, Japan, and beyond, the London vocalist and DJ showcases a wide range of garage bangers. Bandcamp New & Notable Jun 2, 2021
