After the success of UK Hardcore in the early 1990s, the scene splintered off into other variants after some time. The two main divergent genres were Drum and Bass and Happy Hardcore. There were other variants of course, and this EP is proof of one of the variants of this explosion in different genres after the original scene melted away. It is technically Gabber, or Hardcore to be fair, which is hard, pounding EDM. This is an EP designed to be a taste of this shoot off of music. Without any further hesitation, let’s hear this music and see what it sounds like.

Up & Down (Ballz) – Original Mix has got to be a joke title for a track. It begins with cut-up and looped vocals, pounding 4/4 beats and sounds really quite cool. This quickly launches into a pounding and interesting EDM tune that is more Hardcore than anything. Think of something along the lines of Hocus Pocus’s Here’s Johnny and you are very much there. It breaks down into an Ambient styled section, which is really weird and different. A good listening experience, this is somewhat quirky, but pounding 4/4 beat based fun. It has a gritty and hard edge to the music at hand and is really a niche sort of thing to listen to. It’s a bit too cheesy and fast to be seriously danceable music, but it sounds great regardless. A great simple, catchy and different listen, if you like harder EDM, then this is perfect for you. In the second half are some liquid sounding melodies, which make this tune sound very different indeed. A really awesome tune, this is headbanging, catchy and very different overall. This is obviously a fairly niche recording, but for the sake of it, it is quite good. Towards the end are pounding EDM 4/4 beats, reoccurring textures and sounds that are quite spacey. An interesting and amazing listen, worth it if you are up for the challenge. Not bad for a subgenre of music that isn’t really mainstream at all.

Up & Down (Ballz) – Buzzy Goes BZRK Mix begins with some interesting patch-based sounds before the vocal sample enters and this tune gets going underway. It’s not a thrilling listen as much as other forms of music are, sadly. Some dramatic drum rolls enter, and this launches into Gabber central. This is weird music, but on some levels, it is quite good. Just to note that Hardstyle was primarily derived from Gabber and Trance music in an unique way. This music is fairly headache inducing, it just comes across as a piece of music that is a real niche, and quite cheesy. It breaks down into a melodic section with some interesting progressions here, but still, it is not worth your time overall. There has been better EDM made in the history of music that sounds worth more of your time than this. There is a gradual fade in of percussion, followed by cut-up vocals returning and this mix resuming into Gabber Hardcore territory. This isn’t fantastic, and although it is a good musical effort, it is far away from being a great musical effort. It is super cheesy and weird. Still, the music present on this EP is a good way to test if you like really hard EDM of sorts. Most people will not like this, although it is good for what it is. It just comes across as way too cheesy to really be appreciated. Anyway, it begins to wrap up towards the six minute mark and eventually finishes abruptly. Very weird.

Do It Right begins with some cut-up Amen breakbeats, some vocal sampled in the background and sounds quite good, for the most part. It’s a take on of the older UK Hardcore scene sonically here and is actually relatively catchy. A pounding, interesting and cool listening experience, this music makes a lot of sense if you have ever dropped Ecstasy before. A good tune with some clever sounds and samples throughout, this is a joyous romp through post-UK Hardcore sounds. The sped-up vocals here are really awesome, along with the pounding 4/4 beats and weird melodies. This is the sort of music you must hear if you are going to play Pac Man or similar video games with your gamer friends, it matches that situation perfectly. Regardless, a very cool tune that made some futuristic sounds back in 1997 that quite simply, worked. A looped vocal sample in the second half is quite nice, followed quickly by an array of sounds, textures and changes throughout. This track is quite good and worth your ears. A good array of sonic audio terrorism, if you are up for it.

Land Of Promises begins with snare drum hits, which sound unoriginal and boring. Some sampled vocals are here from an older Acid House tune, and this tune launches into an okay listening experience. It’s not the best nor most original tune out there. Soon enough, some looped melodies enter that sound actually quite good and energetic. This continues on for some time, sounding really hard, pulsating and energetic. This obviously isn’t the greatest EP ever out there, but some people who enjoy niche EDM music will love it. A powerful, driven and weird tune, this is fairly minimal sounding for Hardcore EDM. It is an interesting and somewhat lacking musical listening experience. In the second half, the pounding 4/4 beats and an array of textures may sound okay to some, but aren’t the most dramatic nor best example of such a thing. In any case, this EP is okay, but by no means fantastic. Regardless, the music here is fairly interesting listening in retrospect. It concludes with some excellent cut-up beats and textures that sound quite good. Like taking three Ecstasy pills and some lines of Speed, this is quite a head rush. It ends after six minutes in length.

To be honest, this is not a great EP. It is neither interesting, listenable nor valuable. There are much better examples of Hardcore EDM out there. Therefore, should you listen to this EP? Probably not, it’s very much junk and proves that most EDM based musical trends are a waste of time. Still, if you like harder EDM this may be your thing musically. All the same, this could have been a bit better for what it is.

Underwhelming.

6/10