Four funky, freshly packed, 45s – in flavors that run from rock to house, pop to disco – on a new label whose name, Two Tribes 7`s Clash, is a conscious tip of the hat to Culture`s punk / reggae anthem. A vinyl spin-off of the bespoke Kings Cross-based Two Tribes Brewery, the project is maned by Justin Deighton, Pete Herbert, and Leo Zero – whose striking designs form the records` colourful sleeves. #1 features Pete`s largely instrumental edit of a forgotten `80s pop hit – lifted from an ABBA-affiliated stage musical. Mr Herbert`s reading is slo-mo and chunky, teasing the track out with stabs of the original’s orchestral motif. Metal guitars ringing, keys mimicking Thai tradition. On the flip, Justin & Leo`s dub is a post-punk pogo tied-up with 007 theme tune twang. 

#2, Humans, harnesses native American hollers – a reference point for old ravers might be A Homeboy, A Hippy & A Funki Dred. Binding these chants to buoyant bubbling bleeps. Timbale fills tumbling amidst the assembled effervescence. Pete pitches the piece up, transforming it into bongo-bashing house – built around a classic late `80s / early `90s bass-line. The overlaid motivational speech made me think of Angela Davis.

#4 loops up an acoustic guitar in a manner that recalls Leo`s work with Mo Morris / A Mountain Of One – or those brilliant Beyond The Wizards Sleeve remixes of bands such as Midlake, acts such as Findlay Brown. Folk slipped a musical mickey and taken trance-dancing. Replete with flashes of dubbed-out rock edges and drum solos a-go-go. Pete`s mix again is a quickening of pulses, adding a kick, rhythm box tick, and sub-bass growl. CSN`s Dark Star strung-out on Jim Morrison`s stoned perimeter. 

#3, Orange Chika, is my favourite though. Mid-tempo`d but banging, peppered and spiced with old Sleeping Bag samples and whispered words of encouragement. Combining classic Italian arms-in-the-air piano with a throbbing bottom end in a sort of “scream-up” homage. Not ironic or with its tongue in its cheek, but simply harking after happier, more innocent, less complicated times. Pete`s dub opens with surf and cascading chimes – a la Countach`s Aqua Marina. With additional strings and synths swirling its sonically very evocative of warm summer nights – and for a moment it successfully sent my head on holiday, transporting me far from this Nagano snow. 

You can purchase the Two Tribes 7`s Clash 45s directly from Bandcamp. You can also sign up – via the brewery – to a monthly survival “ritual” pack that contains the vinyl plus custom ales, exclusive merchandise, recipes, and ingredients.