Various Artists
Mixpak Pressure: Volume One

 

Riddims are the very foundation of dance music, and Mixpak Records has become known for having some of the hottest in the game, from house and soca beats to dancehall and rap anthems. Starting this August, the Brooklyn-based label will pay homage to the beat with a series of riddim collections known as Mixpak Pressure. For the first few rounds, we enlist the freshest producers – both well-known and up-and-coming names – to deliver interpretations of subgenres that have influenced the Mixpak sound.

The label will gather the best of these beats into compilations ready for DJs to bang in their sets, vocalists to vibe over or casual listeners to get deep into a style or sound.

The first installment, Mixpak Pressure: Volume One, is a collection entirely inspired by Southern rap instrumentals. Playing off crunk, screw and other offshoots, this compilation taps into the current interest in all things Dirty South, while putting a modern spin on the sound. Unencumbered by a full vocal, producers are able to strip down and flip the script, while exploring the trunk-rattling bass and scattershot snare rolls that characterize the sound. The resulting tracks can be used in a variety of sets from dubstep to downtempo, and the moods here span the spectrum from mellow to straight-out crazy.

Australia’s Lucid turns out the anthemic trance-driven “Transet,” pairing well with a hard-knocking piece called “Trunkin” by Philly’s Krueger and Matt Shadetek’s massive “The Machines”. The Bay and NYC meet up on Dark Ages’ old-skool hardcore-inspired “Amnesia Houz,” while UK grime producer Mr. Mitch gets simply ruffneck with horror house vocal play on “Badman Wheel.” Elsewhere, Mele, Sam Tiba, Sleepyhead, Strange VIP and ¡El Cucuy! go wild and drop it down low. Crank this one loud and mix it up.