Customer Reviews

Pressure Point

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4 star:		(1)
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Self-described as "two blokes twisting knobs," the Freestylers return with another hard-hitting set, mixing break beats, techno, and reggae with an old school hip-hop sensibility. Pressure Point is also heavily layered with featured MCs and vocalists, most notably Tenor Fly, Navigator, and Petra.

It's a good listen from start to finish, but one is sure to single out favorites --- the most infectious being Phenomenon One, London Sound, Weekend Song, and the surprising down-tempo dub-ish track Signs.

Pressure Point will probably not be considered as unique as the Freestyler's debut We Rock Hard nor will it illicit the same novel excitement, but that should not detract from its worthiness. Body-moving beats and undeniable energy make listening to Pressure Point a satisfying habit.

This album is highly recommended, though if you're new to the Freestylers, start with We Rock Hard.

"Pressure Point", the second proper album from UK electro/big beat/ragga collective Freestylers, is significantly more balanced than "We Rock Hard", their debut offering, and benefits greatly from this fact.

Where "We Rock Hard" had a few anthems - featuring appearances from Tenor Fly, MC Navigator and Definition of Sound - and the rest of the album essentially as instrumental workouts which, although they worked well as club tracks, fell down as listening, "Pressure Point" has learned from this mistake. Here, Tenor Fly has four appearances ("Weekend Song", "London Sound", "Phenomenon One" and "Signs" with Spanner Banner"), and Navigator clocks in with three ("Bad Boy Love", "Get Down Massive" and "Rumours of War"). As well as this, female vocals are provided by Petra and Valerie M - both of whom hold up their end of the bargain very well - and a surprising freestyle from Justin Warfield sets off "Broadcast Channels".

Thus, "Pressure Point" has many more vocal offerings than its predecessor. This is a considerable advantage as many of "We Rock Hard"'s instrumentals seemed tailor-made for a vocalist, and yet none were forthcoming. On "Pressure Point", the instrumentals are as high quality as they ever have been, they just happen to have vocals over them as well.

And what vocals! Navigator's tongue seemed elastic enough on his "We Rock Hard" tracks, but the interval between Freestylers albums has seen him grow considerably as an artist. His razor-sharp narrative skills are demonstrated on "Bad Boy Love" and then come "Get Down Massive" and "Rumours of War". "Get Down Massive" is clearly one of the prospective anthems from the disc - Navigator flows like an old hand over this party-oriented track, blending just enough hip-hop into his ragga style. He then follows up with a spell-binding performance on the reflective "Rumours of War", he is almost two different performers during the track - the singer of smooth contemporary reggae and the acid-tongued DJ. Somehow he is capable of bringing the trick off, and the album is much the stronger for it.

Tenor Fly is also back with a vengeance. My one criticism of his role on "We Rock Hard" was that he might have been slightly under-utilised. Certainly there is no chance of that being true here. "London Sound" and "Phenomenon One" are incredible performances of what we've all known he's capable of producing, while "Weekend Song" sees him much looser than normal, a great benefit to the track. His performance on "Signs" is worthy of considerable plaudits as well. Performing the "ruff" role to Spanner Banner (Pliers' brother, for those for whom that means anything)'s smooth, Tenor delivers a highly conscious performance and one with distinguishable lyrics - a rarity in contemporary reggae.

The backing tracks and instrumentals, as previously mentioned, are top notch as we have come to expect from the Freestylers. Of particular note are the appearances of "This or That" (the Black Sheep classic) in "Phenomenon One" and "Armagideon Time" as the riddim for "Signs". These samplings demonstrate that not only are the Freestylers conscious of their roots in the electro scene - roots often given nods to with vocoder vocals at the most unexpected times - but also those in the broader spectrum of hip-hop or reggae.

Overall, a very strong outing indeed by a group to watch in the future. This album may turn out, over time, to be a "poppier" version of the Freestylers sound - containing as it does so many vocalists - as opposed to the more break-heavy "We Rock Hard". Regardless, both albums are worthy inclusions in anyone's collection - this one in particular.

Its a question, either this record or the gorrilaz. They are playing for that same party fan base, this fits perfectly into frat party atmosphere. The thing that differentiates this from that other record is that while you can sit and listen to the gorillaz, this record makes you want to get up and dance. With the seventh track "calling" the urgency of the invitation to rumpshaking is undeniable and inevitable. You make space, move a couch, find a girl/guy, and then dance like its going out of style. But thats not all, this is cleaning your room without the certain chemical substance music (starts with a m, coffee ultra we will call it) Thers even a song that your hook-singing passenger can sing in the car with 'told you so'. Its the next logical step from norman cook, you can say that its uniteresting, but its damn good. These tracks woudnt be strangers in a fatboy slim set, but theres that ultra modern feeling, the breaks continuissly try to invade the record, but it becomes an accent that keeps the volume on 12. I reccomend this record just becuase this one fills that 2 pm party music slot in my repetoire, when not a lot else does.

Freestylers' second album, released in 2001. Breakbeat sound had changed until that time. The influence of 2 Step / UK Garage increased and what most of the tracks now fit into is Nu Skool Breaks - a genre that is a fusion of Breakbeat, Techno and Trance, and also picks some bassline elements from Drum'n'Bass (just like 2 Step!). The old crew consisted of Tenor Fly and MC Navigator is also here once again to bless da mics. The album begins with "Intro" which has some beautiful strings, and continues with "Now Is The Time" with the sound that sends shivers up & down your spine altogether with trembling basslines. "London Sound" with Tenor Fly doing his proper bizness is a club-rockin crowd mover and if you're on the dancefloor you got to get loose on this one; huge and mad breakbeat with ragga synths - they made an anthem just like "Dancehall Vibes" on We Rock Hard album. "Told You So", a nice track with Petra, was released as a single which is an OK move since it has that potential of a radio-friendly hit and this is where Freestylers went more "commercial". "Bad Boy Love" besides Navigator's toasting has a ragga chorus floating in the soundscape which gives a special rave feel to it, and you can notice the UK Garage influence in the beat. Nu Skool Breaks are in full effect in "Bass Odyssey" - acidic basslines become uplifting synths in the hook creating the "hands in the air" moment, and in "Blowin Ya Brains" - heavy acid bassline that really blows ya mind combined with Ultramagnetic MC's "I'm a rip ya brain out" sample. "Calling" with vocals by Valerie M, is another attempt to make a hit but strictly on a club level while "Phenomenon One" welcomes more ragga toasting by Tenor Fly. Justin Warfield is back now as Cardinal on "Broadcast Channels" - track that is relied on Electro beat - and delivers us some fresh rhymes and makes this a perfect Dance song. Tenor Fly on "Weekend Song" puts a smile on your face with "If Friday is a pay-day that means it's a Rave-day", the track itself is more down tempo with cheerful melodies in it. Navigator gets his turn at "Get Down Massive" and "Rumours Of War". The first one is a dancefloor killer with Navigator's relentless "Get Down Massive On De Dancefloor, Yes Navigator Bussin Hardcore" and has again that uplifting ragga chorus. The second one has awesome opening melody and Navigator's singing (!) chorus, he does it just as it should be done. The closing track "Signs" is a beautiful, soothing, more Dub-Reggae oriented tune with singing by Tenor Fly and Spanner Banner. A great album from the beginning all thru the end concerning production, all vocalists (Tenor Fly, Navigator, Justin Warfield, Petra Jean Phillipson and Valerie M), lyrics, sounds and concept.

The album is as tuff as a "We Rock Hard". Real hard underground b-boy breaks. If you are a B-boY you'll definetlly like it. I just cant sit and listen to it. It makes me move every time I play it. We have been dancin for it non stop yesterday while training. MUCH PROPS TO FREESTYLERS!!! They blowed my head 1nce again.
SLON "BGKILLAZ"

The album is as tuff as a "We Rock Hard". Real hard underground b-boy breaks. If you are a B-boY you'll definetlly like it. I just cant sit and listen to it. It makes me move every time I play it. We have been dancin for it non stop yesterday while training. MUCH PROPS TO FREESTYLERS!!! They blowed my head 1nce again.

While the Freestylers rocked hard with their debut album in 1999, the same old samples and grooves just doesn't cut it two years later. It seems as the guys didn't notice the scene went on and the still chewing on the tried and buyed oldschool hiphop-breakz. Half the Pressure Point album could have been well written in 1999, you won't tell the difference. There are some promising tracks like Now Is The Time, Calling or Blowin Ya Brainz kicking a hole in the woofer, but in overall the new stuff fails on too much subjects, mostly the ever recurring samples from the album We Rock Hard. The Freestylers ran out of money for new effects and sample CDs. Too bad.