The breaks scene is a huge underground community which draws thousands to events every week, while its records sell in buckets and it even boasts its own Breakspoil Awards. Exeter-based Functional has been at the forefront of the movement, which mutated out of the early 90s big beat explosion, for 10 years and is marking the occasion with a discount compilation of highlights.
The set goes back to the start with Spoon Wizard’s Shoe Monkey then works its way through highlights from names including Dreadzone, Tayo Vs Precision Cuts, Slide, DJ Killer and Tom Real, who compiled it. The formula is simple: funky breakbeats underpinned by meaty bass grunts, gnarly synth riffs and maybe some party-rocking a cappella rap for extra crowd incitement. Functional recognised the power of the original funk long ago, so their tracks are shot with the spirit of the groove which sprang from the JBs rhythm section, beefed up and shot through with a potent mix of dubwise mixology and wired energy. One of the standouts is scene veteran Rennie Pilgrem’s mix of Will White’s Digital Funk, a mighty knees-up based on George Clinton’s Testify. They have every right to celebrate and already have the soundtrack to a dynamite party.
