Make no mistake the Drumattic Twins are old school, in their early incarnation as Shades of Rhythm they ruled the land, and now under their well established moniker as the Drumattic  Twins they are very proud to present their sound in the form of ‘Hammer & Tongs’. A savvy  melange of breakbeats, soaring strings, electro roots, sprinklings of soul and rude basslines.

Kicking off we get treated to their recent dancefloor success ‘Don’t Be So Drumattic’ which certainly hit the spot with an eclectic barrage of DJs and resulted in some impressive chart positions, (Beatport Number 1, Buzz and Cool Cuts). Urgent strings set the pace for the kick/snare, squelch-athon, whilst the old school D-Shake strings play tribute to the boys’ rave roots. ‘Hyperspeed’ originally released in 2007 has become some what of a classic, a signature tune for the DT’s decks N’ FX shows. Pumping bass and concrete beats are the order of the day, laying the classic funk foundation for a delicious slice of early electro. Originally taken from ‘The Return Of Captain Rock’, Hyperspeed’s vocal sample has been smashing up dance floors in one guise or another over the past 20 years. The Drumattic Twins have added their own inimitable flavours to the mix, punishing bass and fizzing acidic leads prove that the ‘old school’ can also be ‘new school’ for another generation.

Next up is ‘Broken Planet’, laced with eastern charms it soon signals the alarm before descending into a sub frequency workout, heavy, heavy breaks. Next into position comes ‘Sound of The Drum’ which grabs the reigns like a jockey riding a winning stallion to the finishing line; a relentless one note bassline, gated synth and tongue in cheek, chopped up hip house vocal drives this tune all the way. As the energy drops down a gear, we are treated to ‘HeartBreaker’ with its N-Joi inspired keys that drift alongside the percussive beats and synth breakdown, resulting in nostalgia that induces misty eyed memories of the good old days.

What better timing than to be slapped in the face with ‘Back to the Old School’, a piano driven, hands in the air, explosive tribute to where it all began. A modern day twist with Bamboata influenced strings, vocoder vocals that take us to outer space and of course that throbbing galactic b.line, all executed to perfection.

Rather amusingly named ‘Deep Throat’ is a disco-esque departure from the more typical DT sound, keeping the funk firmly on the peddle ‘Deep Throat’ tickles and teases with its 70’s strings, P Funk bassline and beat rhythms. ‘Twister’ is another of the boys earlier success stories, featured on Playstation’s Pure Wipeout it has been a firm favourite with DT fans worldwide. Classic in it’s recipe, electro, breakbeats, acid and rave connotations throughout – compelling underground dancefloor material.

‘Under The Lights’ oozing with funk, confident like a classic and peaking on the vibeometer at plus 10, the uplifting string breakdown sooths the soul and makes us yearn for just one more E! ‘Pick me up Baby’ has ‘balearic’ smacked all over it. The laidback soothing vocals are soon engulfed by a mother of all basses as the strings fly high and Lanx is let loose with his masterful jazz keys. Leading neatly into ‘Soul Flower’, a piano/beat ensemble that grooves with confidence sets another mood for the album.

Now on the final straight we get the menacing ‘Fly Young Canaboids’. Sirens, live drums and a weaving synth take the listener on a trip into the depths of the mind of a drug user, hard, compelling and addictive! ‘Drum Thunder’ has orchestral stabs, a signature bassline that dances with the lead vocal ‘another jam’ before the ‘drum thunder catcher’ bursts into the proceedings with irresistible charm. An almighty breakdown twists the glitch to the max before propelling us back to the lead ‘drum thunder’ vocal. A potent slab of dramatic magic is unleashed. Until finally we arrive at the slower tempo of ‘Antique Vinyl’. A conceptual track that morphs from vibe to vibe, embracing a spectrum of sounds and influences and enlisting the vocal charms of Claire Gillgrass. So here it is, the latest in Finger Lickin’s award winning success, we give you theDrumattic Twins — ‘Hammer & Tongs’.