New release from the Passenger label This Way Up is a project that looks to be one of the most exciting in the breakbeat genre this year. It features 14 brand-spanking new tracks (and 5 older ones) commissioned by Aquasky especially for the album. This Way Up also features unreleased tunes from some of the scene’s leading producers including Tom Real & The Rogue Element, Klaus Hill, Dopamine, Kid Blue, Rob Le Pitch, and it’s UK drum n’ bass producer Friction’s first foray into breaks, taking care of mixing duties for the CD.

Being a patriotic Australian, it’s great to see so many countrymen scoring berths on this compilation. Scrambler from Nick Thayer and Micah kicks the disc off in fine dark rolling style. Flapjack from Dopamine, one of the most prolific producers in the business right now, is an early highlight with a great vibe that chops and changes styles. Phetsta is known for his drum n’ bass cuts, but here he also changes tack with the bleepy Four:Eight:Three.

The first half of the disc is very strong with swift mixing from Friction and a cute introduction by Acafool. Backdraft appears briefly with Popcorn VIP and also Tom Real & Rogue Element’s Machine. The original version of Gutterpump from Noisia is here too. Control Freak from Aquasky & Friction feat. Spyda is a massive pulsing track which you are sure to hear more of this summer, if you haven’t rinsed it enough already.

The second half of the album continues a strong groove with Klaus Hill’s suitably ravey Gurnface and the commercial and playful Aquasky & Acafool’s Have a Good Time. The party funky old school breaks feel of Rico Tubbs’ Intoxicated is a bouncy number.

Disc 2 features all 14 new tracks in an unmixed format just waiting for bedroom DJs to drop into their own party set. This package is strong from the get-go and will be a mix you’ll love to load up and just press play. It is a good indication of where breakbeat is in 2007 and showcases Passenger as a leading label in the genre.