Yazzus - Steel City Dance Discs Volume 21

  • Arena-sized bangers that cover all eras of UK dance music.
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  • Yazzus delivered one of her recent self-released EPs—to mark her birthday—with a note that promised "two mature bangers as I continue to ascend for another year." Her prediction is coming true: the ascent continues with her first full-fledged vinyl release, coming on Newcastle, Australia label Steel City Dance Discs. If you're not familiar with Yazzus, one of the most exciting DJs in a crowded London scene, her work hangs on the most brightest and most energetic aspects of UK dance music, with a vibrant outlook and a sense of humour to go with it. (Sample track title: "ALL I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY IS 26 DONKS.") On Steel City Dance Discs Volume 21, she swerves from precocious edits into original tracks that pair hummable melodies with Chemical Brothers-sized rhythm sections. The EP is chunky, with huge, muscular drum sounds, though it's also lithe and agile: opener "Sleazy" and its rambunctious acid basslines has an unstoppable momentum, like a bulldozer knocking through wall after wall with impunity. Her basslines tend to be squelchy and acidic—like on "Beef Lo Mein," an arena-ready track with whiffs of peak-era '90s big beat—and they can reference several eras of UK dance music at once. Take "Generation X," which combines a vintage UK hardcore sound palette with the tonnes-heavy breakbeat techno of today. The only respite comes with "Gas Money," a dreamy yet still brisk Detroit diversion with athletic hat-snare work and vamping Detroit chords that recall Kenny Larkin at his most musical. Whether it's writing melodies or mixing down drums, Yazzus does everything big. It's an irrepressible approach that makes her dance music almost universally appealing—just put on "Sleazy" and hear for yourself. You can't fight that feeling.
  • Tracklist
      01. Sleazy 02. Generation X 03. Gas Money 04. Beef Lo Mein
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