In the 90s, when the Spiral Tribe sound system was travelling Europe trying to throw parties in the most difficult conditions, their members also managed to whack out soundtracks for these events. The original releases suffered from poor pressing and limited distribution so now, with a new generation of ravers wondering how to deal with inflated prices on e-bay, France’s Expressillon label – home to Spiral-related producers like Crystal Distortion and 69dB – have started Network 23 to re-present the tunes with a decent pressing. Crystal Distortion is the main protagonist on this maiden voyage, with the title track having already appeared on Rabbit City. ‘Out Of The Blue’ is lead cut – nosebleed hardcore like an amphetamine bulldozer nudging the 160bpm mark. From then it’s bottom-roasting sledgehammer action all round, but a welcome energy-packed alternative to toy-town happy hardcore. For those moments when you feel like dedicating a week to brain-cell annihilation!
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Kris Needs