(Global Underground/Shock)

From the label that provides compilation after compilation of the freshest house and breaks, from the biggest names the world over, comes their first artist album. With the weight of the GU name on their back, Pako & Frederik have laughed in the face of expectation and delivered.

For a series that opened in the realms of progressive house, Global Underground has come a long way, with their sound evolving, big names through to today’s compilations dominated by house, trance and breaks. Atlantic Breakers delivers elements of all these and then some. It is essentially a breaks album, however through its many layers it delivers so much deeper, and could in itself have been a GU compilation as the sounds blend fluently to the point where you almost forget it is an artist album.

There are down tempo breaks with melodic string sections looped throughout the background, as well as Hip Hop influences. The opener, O – Group, is for me the album’s peak. There are disco touches on Nosty Youth, and subtle broken beats and deeper bass burbles (is that a word) on Timeflex. The album progresses and, funnily enough, the last track I would describe as progressive with a plodding build up, reaching a peak synonymous with that sound.

Any one who is a fan of the GU series will be more than happy with this debut artist offering from one of the worlds most consistent and long serving compilation labels. Admittedly it isn’t going to be everybody’s cup of tea, some may even find it a tad dull. However not all music needs to move me to a dancefloor for me to appreciate it, and this is one of those releases – down tempo yet dope.