808state* – Invader

Did the old 'accidently play on 33' when it is a 45. On 33 Invader actually sounds almost contemporary; ultra-dark, slow and gritty techno. Almost industrial. Spooky. It actually was a disappointment to realize it should be 45.

That said, the b-side mixes are really well done, no need to drop to 33 here. Mix One is quite fast techno, that might not be out of place on a label like Hydraulix, Moniod, Intec, and their ilk. The second mix is softer, but still quick and driving. Like some Kalkbrenner tracks I've heard. Neither has the sort of features that date them too much, and could easily sneak into a set.

Bellboy, despite its prolific output, has never really seemed to get the plaudits it deserves. The fact that none of the records seem to be wanted by more than 5 people is testament to this. All I can say is that if you choose to ignore this label, then you're missing out on gems such as this.

The original mix is a pretty sub-standard attempt at drum & bass, while Vegas Soul Mix Two is ok but unremarkable. Vegas Soul Mix One on the other hand, is superb. Tough drums, the kind that fill a room on a big system, pound away throughout while a dark atmospherics run through the rest of the track. It always feels like its building and that's what I love about it - you can easily lose yourself in it and for me, that's what the best music lets you do.

808 State have never been the ones to really sit on their laurels; so with their <I>Invader</I> single, they go full-on aggressive, with some rough breaks laid under an acidic line -- a rhythm-oriented track, definitely. “Full Nelson” has more keyboard work, as well as a vocal sample that sounds like a tribal call-to-arms. The Vegas Soul remix of “Invader” takes the track into a techno setting that fast and tech-inflected. A striking single, to be sure.