The launch party is being held at Jazz Café. Three live acts (Color Climax, The Abdominal Showmen, Ghost) plus MC’s, b-boys Ill Boogs and 3 killer DJs, Natural Self, Rob Life and Skeg. This is what Hugo told me about Rob the other day, “he’s probably the best DJ I know and is under represented, much more versatile than just funk and hip hop!”

I think that’s the brilliance of what Breakin’ Bread do, at times it’s funk, hip hop, breaks and then it’s all of those styles and more.

We know about Natural Self/Keno1 & The Hermit/Ghost, after an intro Color Climax gets down with some acid-Latin funk with ‘Batidas Latinas’. Huge tune with great organ climax and they can do cool jazzy beats, see ‘Jigsaw’ for some flute’n’bass. Ill Boogs’ ‘Gypsy Rock’ is neither gypsy nor rock but get your funky breaks down to this.

Ghost has worked with a variety of rappers. Yungun and Conspicuous feature on ‘Vices Verses’ with has some particularly good lyrics. Very UK but ‘Flip It’ goes old skool head nod and ‘Basic Instinct’ is one of the best tracks of last year featuring LA’s underground hero, Abstract Rude.

If you’ve not got to grips with the master baker, Natuaral Self (aka Keno1) this album will get you after his back-catalogue. ‘Heavy, Heavy’ is a monster of drums and horn, like James Brown in Ethiopia. After just watching African Soul Rebels in action, it’s hard to believe ‘To The Sun’ is straight out of Brighton and not Africa itself.

As titles go, Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop is one of the longest, but it’s one of the most accurate descriptions of what’s in the tin/plastic case/mp3 player. The artwork is great, the music is brilliant and as there’s not one duff track, it’s a fine showcase of what the UK has to offer.

The club that Skeg and Rob Life started in 1998 has come a long way and it’s good to see they still support the club scene as they can be found regularly at The Social in the heart of London’s West End. Well worth checking out.

Reviewed; Various — Dirtybeatbreakinfunkandhiphop (Breakin’ Bread) Cat. No. BNB030 CD Release date: 19th February 2007
Tracklisting
01. DJ IQ ‘Intro’
02. Color Climax ‘Batidas Latinas’
03. Keno 1 & The Hermit ‘Heavy Heavy’
04. Ghost/Kashmere/DPF ‘Flip It’
05. Beats In Progress/Kashmere/DPF ‘Trouble’
06. Ill Boogs ‘Gypsy Rock’
07. Ghost/Abstract Rude ‘Basic Instinct’ (Remix)
08. Natural Self ‘To The Sun’ (Remix)
09. The Abdominal Showmen ‘Organic’
10. Tom Caruana ‘The Kraken’ (Skit)
11. Tom Caruana / Arch Co ‘It’s Arch’
12. Boogaloo-Lotari vs Smooth ‘Sweat Side’
13. Ghost/Yungun/Conspicuous ‘Vices Verses’
14. Color Climax ‘Jigsaw’
15. Cappo/Zero Theory ‘Last Remaining’
16. Darwin & The Phoenyx ‘Crooked Fabric’
17. Natural Self ‘Foundation pt 2’

Links:
www.breakinbread.org
DIRTY, BEATBREAKIN FUNK AND HIP HOP
www.myspace/breakinbreadrecordlabel
Performing live from 8.30pm: Color Climax, The Abdominal Showmen, Ghost + MC’s Verb T & Kashmere, Ill Boogs (B-boy showcase) DJ’s: Rob Life, Natural Self and Skeg
Breakin Bread’s monthly West End Session.www.thesocial.com Little Portland St, W1 — First Friday Of Every Month “The crew drop funk, hip hop and anything else related in a relaxed atmosphere. Skeg and Rob Life will be DJing. 7pm — Midnight Free entry all night!”