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THE VINYL WORD

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Tomorrow sees one of the biggest breaks acts in the world, the UK’s Plump DJs, returning to Taiwan to help begin celebrations for Luxy’s fifth anniversary. It is just over five years since nu skool breakbeat legend Danny McMillan played at 2nd Floor in one of Taiwan’s first major international breaks nights.

Although the straight-up 4/4 house beat has dominated the electronica scene for much of the last few years, breaks, which use a non-straight 4/4 and originally come from the looping of the breakdown of two of the same records, have reclaimed some of the more important party time. Since the Plump DJs, Lee Rous and Andy Gardner, are at the forefront of this movement, the Vinyl Word has been digging around to find out a little more on the guys and what lies in store for tomorrow night.

Named after a UK top-shelf magazine called Plumpers that celebrates the rounder female form, Rous and Gardner have come a long way since their early jobs working in a cardboard box factory and waiting tables in a Berni Inn, respectively. Over the last decade Plump DJs have become pioneers of the breakbeat electronica scene (especially nu skool with it’s stronger, darker basslines), and have secured a quarterly residency at Fabric in London and the headline slot at We Love Sundays at Space in Ibiza, a first for a breakbeat act.

During the last three years, on Taiwan turf, they played at Monster Massive at the Taipei World Trade Center in 2006 and then had to cancel a trip to Luxy in October last year due a forced plane landing when a woman went into labor en route from Russia to Taiwan. Now Rous and Gardner are back with a brand new technical setup. For this tour the boys have ditched playing back-to-back in favor of playing together with four Pioneer CDJs to allow themselves more creativity and options. Word is they will be including re-edits from their recently released album Headthrash, which came out to some very favorable reviews on June 1.

With a nod to more radio play, Plump DJs’ new sound on Headthrash is a little more mainstream than past endeavors. The album contains more vocals than on any previous release but still retains much of what makes them one of the most progressive and innovative duos around. Layered throughout the album are sharp drum loops, laser blasts, dark synths, big dirty bass and some serious build. Snakes Eyes, a grubby monster of a track, has been doing the rounds for some time now in many a DJ’s bag, and vocals from Niarra, Sharlene Hector and Jermaine Jackson throughout allow more room to maneuver with melody and soul.

Although many believe breakbeat can be difficult to dance to because of its syncopated rhythm, this album dispels some of those ideas and is a positive sign of what may come tomorrow night.

For an interesting and in-depth documentary on the origins of breakbeat and how a little known b-side by The Winstons called Amen, Brother from 1969 caused all the fuss, check out “Worlds Most Important 6-sec Drum Loop” on YouTube.

Plump DJs spin tomorrow night at Luxy, 5F, 201, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段201號5樓). Entrance is NT$600 with two drinks before 11pm, or NT$900 after 11pm with two drinks. Call (02) 2772-1000, or 0955-904-600 for reservations (English service available). On the Net: www.luxy-taipei.com; www.plumpdjs.co.uk; www.myspace.com/plumpsdjs. 

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