BK
» Under The Influence (Album)
Reviewed by Olly Perris
/ Submitted 09-05-07 13:51
Label: Riot! Recordings
Format: 2 x CD
Genre: Hard Dance
It's the most anticipated hard dance artist album since Klub Kollaborations. And it's huge.
Hard House is dead? Not likely mate. If any dance music cynic approaches you with the aforementioned quip, wave this in their faces and watch their blood boil like the heinous witches that they are. If, for some God forsaken reason, you were in any doubt that hard house as we know it is in decline, then this is the album to restore all faith. Fears that this would be a dud album have been suppressed, and 'Under The Influence' exists now as a momentous milestone in our scene, here to separate the men from the boys and show that innovative, serious hard dance can indeed be produced.
Disc 1 opens with subtle electro-houser 'Under The Influence'. Featuring Ben himself and his alter ego Black Russian, this is a scizophrenic clash of epic proportions resulting in a dirty, bassy bastard of a record with a mammoth wobble bassline and sinister drums. 'Politicians Filthy Hoes', BK's collaboration with Fake Hero suitably follows suit, taking the twisted bass tones from the opening record and slamming a huge breakbeat underneath comprising more power than the National Grid, a *Ting* DJ set and Mr T's tank from the Snickers adverts. It's from here that the BPM's begin to pick up, and we're into more traditional BK territory. Bypassing filler cut 'London Rock', the album's lowpoint, we reach further interesting territory with the Judge Jules collaboration 'Sickness'. It's all here, thats for sure. Rave riffs combine with familiar vocal hits, sizzling compressed drums and a rising, urgent staccato bassline to deliver a cut so power-packed that it makes John McLane look suitably soft in comparison.
And then, ladies and gentlemen, the killer blow is delivered.
'Microwave' by BK and Vinylgroover is my vote certainly for tune of the year, and I'd go as far as to say this is possibly one of the best tracks either man has ever written. It's fiendishly simple, but thats its beauty. Consisting of a few drum samples, a huge bass noise and not much else, on paper it reads like a nightmare but hear this out and my God, does it go off. Packing a punch powerful than Stallone on steroids this is rugged, raw, energetic, filthy, sexy hard house at its absolute finest. If for some bizarre reason this isn't enough for you then fear not, for the album continues. BK's own 'Pressure' makes an appearance alongside the intriguingly similar 'Mines A Double' and the psy-influenced 'Momentum' which caps off a trio of BK's solo power. 'Depth Charge', BKs hardstyle cut with Radio 1's Kutski breaks things up nicely, before we hit the killer three tracks which bring this album to a close.
First up is 'We Come Alive', a butt-kicking, swashbuckling psy-trance affair with none other than Nick Sentience. Featuring the vocals of MC Hyper-A this is no holds barred, no love lost hard dance with loud vox, ferocious acid stabs and a riff which you'll be humming for days on end. There's barely time for respite before the unique sounds of 'New Age Rave', BK's effort with Lisa Lashes erupts onto your speakers. With quirky sounds and an extremely unique arrangement structure this is perhaps the album's most fresh moment and shows off BK's ability to really think outside the box. Leading single and Terrorize cover 'It's Just A Feeling' (which features the vocals of HF's own STACE) draws the album to a close in anthemic style with rave pianos and happy melodies and a huge singalong vocal reminding you that BK can do fun just as well as he can do serious.
Disc 2 is a live recording of one of BK's legendary live sets from last year's Global Gathering. Comprising BK's classic cuts skewed up like you've never heard them before via BK's Ableton machine and featuring live recordings of the crowd reactions (which sound like Wembley Stadium at times) and BK's MC, this is a showcase of the BK live experience and will bring back good memories even for the most jaded of clubbers.
'Under The Influence' is more than just an artist album. It's a self-contained epoch; a modern reflection, and a reminder that out there somewhere in hard dance land the ability to be creative still just about exists. It'll take someone to lead us into the next chapter of hard dance and BK has just extended his hand - grab it, and let him guide you.
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Nice one Perris. 
