With only just a handful of releases, Australian DJ and producer, Hook N Sling (Anthony Maniscalco) has cemented himself in the up-and-coming producers elite. Originally a breaks producer, he has gone on to become an extremely important house producer. His biggest impact thus far has come from his chart topping remix of He Doesn’t Love You by rock queen Sarah McLeod on Ministry of Sound. After getting licensed by Renaissance, the ARIA dance chart topping single has been played by the likes of Deep Dish and Seb Fontaine, while it still made seriously dents in the pop charts here in Australia.

His collaboration with fellow breaks-turns-electro/house producer Kid Kenobi, The Bump, has featured in the record bags of Radio 1 bigwig Pete Tong, Renaissance main man James Zabiela as well as the likes of Mylo and Fedde Le Grand. Appearing on the biggest mix CDs in the world right now, Hook N Sling IS one of the hottest producers on the world stage.

Courtesy of James Zabiela lookalike Paul Arnold, Hook N Sling was given the reins to his first ever mix CD and the end product is nothing short of exceptional. Over 70 odd minutes of mind blowing breaks and electro house music, Anthony proves to the world that house and breaks has never been so closely aligned to each other.

As described by Inertia, the compilation is a “storming example of what this man is about – party rockin’, bottom heavy electro house. Alongside many of his own tracks & mixes are cuts from local producers Bass Kleph and Toby Neal. This mix will rival anything any other “brand name” dance labels will release this year.” Pretty hard to sum it up better than that really.

While the break-beat traditionalists will groan towards Hook N Sling’s new sound, the open-minded neutrals will revel in what can only be described as one of THE best albums of the year.

Opening the album with Torch, Hook delivers a devastating display of electro house with break influences. He follows this with two of his own remixes, firstly remixing Coup D’Etat by fellow Australian producer Bass Kleph, which is followed immaculately by the remix of Shake It Up, by breakbeat heavy weights the Stanton Warriors.

The set continues on at an electrifying pace and peaks early with the club land smash hit and my personal favourite piece of production work by Hook’, with his remix of Do You Really (Want My Love) by Toby Neal. Just in case you’ve been living under a rock for a year, this song has been destroying… and I mean destroying… dance floors nationwide. The anthem is definitely one of the highlights of what is a super-impressive debut mix CD.

The albums drifts along at the previously aforementioned pace with an unerring tempo and driving bass line. Catchy yet funky, driving yet uplifting, Hook manages the fine line with ease of dexterity. The next highlight of the set is through the heavyweight remix of his mammoth anthem The Bump by renowned Dutch producer Rene Amesz. An absolute colossal song that is doing damage in all four corners of the globe.

Not to be outdone is the following track, the AV Cheeky Dub of Take That by Jurgen Paape, which masterfully features the acapella of the Dub Pistols’ Rapture. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more funky (and catchy) tune than this one!

Having moved past halfway and starting to close in on the end, Hook takes us on a deep, dark, driving, progressive glimpse with a stinging selection of driving anthems. Close your eyes while moving through Track 11 to 14, and you could be forgiven for thinking you were at The End in London listening to an 8 hour journey by Layo & Bushwacka or a 5-hour ‘Harlem Nights’ set from Steve Lawler. These remaining tracks are the cherry on top for my liking. With a sinister driving bass line and tempo that cuts deep through the core of your body while always keeping to its house, electro and breakbeat roots, this final foray is a showpiece example as to why Hook’ will soon be one of, if not the greatest Australian export in the dance music community.

However we are not done yet and Anthony certainly leaves the best till last, with the deadly Deadmau5 mix of Untitled, by Jorgensen. This is the first time I have heard this song and hopefully not the last – one of the songs of the year! For those in the know, Deadmau5 is touring Australia soon so scour the ITM Whatson Section to find out where you can catch them play.

I seriously cannot praise this mix CD enough. What Hook has delivered throughout this set (that would no doubt transfer to the dance floor – and do some damage) easily encapsulates the level of prowess that we have seen from his producing studio. If this is an indication of what lays in store for Hook N Sling then watch this space, because Kid Kenobi may not be the greatest Aussie breakbeat performer anymore!