Whoever you blame for the war in Ukraine, one thing’s for certain – it wasn’t started by the average person on the street who, like in any other country on earth, just wants to get on with their life with the minimum of fuss and never-mind dick-swinging hawk politicians, psychopathic paramilitaries and the kind of international financial and corporate chicanery that threatens whole regimes. Label Mind The Wax realise this, and have launched LP Drop Beats Not Bombs, the full title of which continues (Music In Solidarity With Ukrainian People) from which all revenue will, “be donated to Proliska Foundation which provides comprehensive assistance to civilians affected by the conflict in eastern Ukraine and helping them move away from war to safer places.”
And if you know Mind The Wax, you’ll know the label’s name is a byword for top quality downtempo breakbeat music – in this release’s case, thirty-six whole tracks’ worth from an international ‘cast’ (from Greece, the UK, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Cyprus, France, Spain, Belgium, Hungary and Mexico) of thirty-six different artists (deep breath!): BeatPain, Billa Qause, Boozik, Bouklas, Brak, Damned1, DJ Booker, DJ Dobry Kick, DJ Millman, DJ Moya, DJ Mysterons, DJ Rill, DJ Wena, eshar46, Finger Trips, FL, Gogi, Groove Sparkz, Grzly Adams, IRENE, Kill Emil, Lady EMZ, MC Yinka, Mister T, Mononome, Mount Ten, Mr. Collage, nekubi, otherhxxd, Samoerai, smallFall, Sound Me, The ClockWork Orchestra, T.o.T.o.04, Velveteve, Yoruk. A colossal collection then with some real gems on here from which – were you to allow the monkey to guide you – you might in in particular seek out Brak’s haunting I Was Lonely, DJ Booker & MC Yinka’s Wu-ish Era Of Libra, and FL’s evocative opening shot Carousel.
(Out now HERE)