- Lately, Central Processing Unit has been moving in an unexpected direction: straight for the dance floor. Sure, the label's mystical mix of IDM and electro was always danceable, but then CPU remade some old bleep tracks and now founder Chris Smith has taken it upon himself to rebuild the skeletons of four classic 808 tunes. It's the first in a new series of releases "cut loud and ready for battle," in the label's words.
This one is strictly for the DJs. You literally don't get anything other than beats. But boy, do they sound good, and 808 fetishists will love the clear and unfettered tones here. There are classic patterns from tracks like Mantronix's "Needle To The Groove" and Man Parrish's "Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop)," which means you can play out some of the most infectious parts of rinsed-out classics without actually playing them. Best of all is the B2, cut from Cybotron's "Clear," whose drum track sounds like reinforced steel compared to the original. It rounds off a niche release that should find a dedicated set of fans, not unlike the rest of CPU's discography.
TracklistA1 The Soul
A2 Needle To The Groove
B1 Don't Stop
B2 Clear