Flash Atkins, hero to some but a waste of taxpayers money to most. Any article on welfare scroungers should have a picture of him beside it. But between drinking, smoking, drugging and drinking again he has found time to get in the studio with some fellow producers from the Paper stable.
He goes head to head with young bucks and 80s house merchants 2 Billion Beats in a tribute to legendary guitarist, Wilco Johnson. Starting with a familiar sampled bass (the clue's in the title!) it builds up with acid tweeks and arps before a digital pad takes it to the drop. It's then that the NRG takes off in a 70s pub rock / Giorgio Moroder / house hybrid destined for nightclubs worldwide.
Next up Flash enlists Hebden Bridge local hero, DJ and promoter CP, known to his Mum as Chris Price. It starts off with the chant of a group of men singing on their way to work that was recorded by Flash in Malawi (true story). They have enlisted the cream of Yorkshire's musicians with live keys, trumpet, percussion and bass for a soulful afro house sound. When the pads come in the second half it takes off!
The dub keeps the bones of the track but adds electronics for an arpeggiated deep house mix with enough grunt to satisfy the most heads down floors. It ebbs and flows as synths and reverbs filter in and out and a piano give it a techno hook.
Finally Flash hooks up with Havana Candy, who has recently been seen on Tusk Wax as Causa for Calieo Square. This is a deeper and dreamier affair that sounds like the Wamdue Kids in their heyday. Shimmering percussion, synth washes, analogue keys and arps weave a deep house soundscape for heads and feet alike.