Various Artists - Tech: Funk (U&A Recordings vol. 1)

Call it my personal wet dream reviewing this, right? Exactly! U&A is by far my favourite label because of the quality of talent it places on its pedestals. In a way of showcasing this talent, label head Elite Force has gotten local Brisbane duo (who, by my word, are the best duo coming out of the city right now) The Loops of Fury to pick and choose the originals and remixes that the label has released over the past year, in an effort to really show the masses how much this crew of people kicks ass. Think of U&A as the Avengers from the Marvel comic series and you’ve got an idea of how epic this mix compilation is; entitled, Tech: Funk (U&A Recordings Vol.1).

The mix opens with the Dustbowl’s Tipton, showing off the eclectic style the label so often supports. The minimalistic, dark and edgy vibe, complimented by big builds and great electro undertones is a great way to bring about the coming tracks, as Tipton moves into Zodiac Cartel’s landmark electro/fidget number Klappyn, dropping in its marching band builds and it’s great big dirty lead synth zipping in and out of the glitched vocals and added drum rolls. We follow through with Lee Mortimer’s appropriately dirty remix of Rektchordz’ super debut on U&A These Girls.

What follows are a string of tracks from Elite Force, remixed by some massive names. Miles Dyson slams down his epic re-rub of Melodic Hypnotic, with its crunchy lead thrown over particularly chunky kicks, moving into even more harder electro territory with Dopamine’s remix of Force’s Ghetto Fabulous, with its groove-tastic bassline slipped under some huge beats before we hear the call of Zodiac Cartel with their remix of Used & Abused, with the Cartel’s super-wonk bassline working perfectly with the glitched vocals and it’s subtle use of sirens.

And what’s a mix without a big of plugging of your own tunes, as the Loops drop the DJ Dan & Mike Balance remix of their fantastic debut single (Under the new LoF banner) Flick a Switch, a remix which roars the word power as much as Jeremy Clarkson does when he hears the roar of his Ford GT. We come back to hear Meat Katie’s deep, bassline driven remix of Rektchordz These Girls and pushing into the Loops of Fury’s own Boys Noize influenced mix of their own thumper Gotta Hold It. We also hear the newest Zodiac Cartel tune Sweet Control, dropping a sweet and bubbly electro lead supported by piledriving rhythms and one of the coolest breakdowns I’ve heard in a long time (Showing off Zod’s recent dubstep listening preferences).

As we march to the end of the mix, the eclectic nature of U&A rears its head again as we move from destructive electro to the minimalistic and stripped back sounds of Mike Hulme’s remix of Zodiac Cartel’s We Don’t Play That, a number that really shows off how promising this guy is and a pick to keep a very very close eye on. We close the party with Melbourne electro master Butter Party working his squeaky and downright dirty touch on Force’s No Turning Back, before we close with Hyperion’s remix of Force’s Peyote Road, with a remix that has massive builds, a killer lead and some superb synth work, making it a track for the ages.

At the end of the day, Loops of Fury show off that they not only know how to produce some of the most killer tunes in the dance today, but they know how to stitch them together in a mix. With this compilation we are given a glimpse to the eclectic nature that Elite Force so desperately pursues, and it certainly pays off, with a mix where you’ll wonder what comes next, and what exactly the label has in store for us in the coming months. The mix not only puts the talent of U&A on display, but it also epitomises the absolute quality this label outputs from month to month and year to year. An absolute must buy.