Artist: Lady Packa
Title: Funk Soul Now/Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000
Label: V.I.M. [V.I.M.BREAKS051]
Release Date: Early April 2010
Tracklisting:
01. Funk Soul Now (Original Mix)
02. Funk Soul Now (Rektchordz Remix)
03. Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (Original Mix)
04. Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (RuN RiOT Remix)

It’s been a while since my last review, but I’m back with a vengeance. Although the two original tunes on this release are just so-so, the RuN RiOT and Rektchordz remixes are absolute stormers. See details below…

Funk Soul Now (Original Mix)
This is Packa’s signature techy breaks through and through. Dark, deep, and rolling with some proggy synth stabs coming in midway through, “Funk Soul Now’ in fact belies its title. A short but eerie breakdown that builds quickly into the track’s dénouement–probably the neatest-sounding part of the track.

Funk Soul Now (Rektchordz Remix)
In keeping with the original’s theme, the Rektchordz remix is tech-breaks all the way. The buzzing bass stabs and thick breakbeat stand in artful contrast with the eerie synths and atmospherics of the original. This is less in-your-face compared to other Rektchordz tracks I’ve heard, but the bass alone should do wonders on the dancefloor in the wee hours of the night.

Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (Original Mix)
The flip of Packa’s single maintains the dark mood established in “Funk Soul Now,” but this time it’s more straightforward 4/4. The Elise 5000 vocals are—shall we say?—provocative, as is the synth pad that sweeps in and out. Though we could do without the sparse and somewhat random vocals, the aforementioned pads are probably the best part of the track.

Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (RuN RiOT Remix)
Tom RuN RiOT’s take on “Pretty Bop” is more aggressive, as you might have guessed. Is it 4/4? Is it breaks? It’s kinda hard to pin down—like most RuN RiOT tunes. Regardless, distorted bass accompanies the original track’s rolling percussion, and the vocals are used sparingly (thank you!). Between the reworked drums and squeaky synths added over the original pads, we feel a dash of funkiness here. DJs: the intro and outro are super-short, as per RuN RiOT’s modus operandi, so be prepared to mix quickly, setup a loop, or make your own edit!

Artist: Lady Packa
Title: Sara’s Night/Solar Attack
Label: V.I.M. [VI.M.BREAKS040]
Release Date: Mid-December 2009
Tracklisting:
01. Sara’s Night (Original Mix)
02. Sara’s Night (Maelstrom Old Skool Breaks Remix)
03. Sara’s Night (Maelstrom Dubstep Remix)
04. Solar Attack (Original Mix)
05. Solar Attack (Digital Breaks Foundation Remix)

The V.I.M. crew is up to their fortieth release, this time featuring Spain’s best female breakster, Lady Packa, along with solid remixes by Maelstrom and Digital Breaks Foundation.

Sara’s Night (Original Mix)
Tech-breaks is the name of the game on the original, layering Packa’s signature tight drum break, a swirling bass loop and synth lines that flare into a barrage of bleeps. Short vocal snippets are sprinkled throughout the track, culminating in a heavily processed sample during the breakdown (“please take me higher”). Think Beaucoup Fish-era Underworld meets Flack.su–a tasty combination if there ever was one–and you’ll get where this track is headed.

Sara’s Night (Maelstrom Old Skool Breaks Remix)
When they said “Old Skool Breaks,” they weren’t kidding. France’s Maelstrom brings us his own contribution to what I call the old skool breaks revitalization movement, recently championed by the likes of Future Funk Squad, Elite Force, Meat Katie and Peo De Pitte. Retaining little from the original save for the vocal samples, Maelstrom’s interpretation instead features a percussion-driven breakbeat and snarling bass reminiscent of turn-of-the-century Bushwacka! and Ils tunes. Old skool is coming back in a big way, and not just for nostalgia’s sake. This remix put a big, stupid grin on my face.

Sara’s Night (Maelstrom Dubstep Remix)
I’m slowly but surely getting into dubstep as a genre, though I’d still consider myself a newbie. The same qualities that make our Frenchman’s “Old Skool Breaks” reworking outstanding are present in this version. Added to the mix, however, is an eerie synth pad that adds another dimension of darkness. Though a bit on the sleepier side of the genre, this remix is still likable and could fit well into a range of settings.

Solar Attack (Original Mix)
While equally dancefloor-friendly as the flip side, this next outing by Lady Packa takes a slightly different approach. Rapid bass stabs and a beat that switches back and forth between four-to-the-floor and breaks give “Solar Attack” a definitive proggy, techy feel. A pressure-valve hi hat followed by a flurry of drum rolls and twisted, robotic synth pads drive a rather futuristic breakdown–probably my favorite part of the track.

Solar Attack (Digital Breaks Foundation Mix)
The Digital Breaks Foundation’s interpretation of “Solar Attack” switches gears a bit, dropping the tempo to around 120 BPM. The bass stabs and vocal samples are left as-is, supported by a beefier breakbeat–complete with organic snares and a serious kick–and some original synth patches. It’s got a dubbier feel compared to the original mix, but at the same time maintaining the same mechanical vibe. This one’s perfect for the backroom, or any mid-tempo prog-breaks set, for that matter.