Ed Rush and Optical – Original Dr. Shade

Scene stalwarts with 2 other full length albums, a slew of 12s, mad DJ sets and a quality imprint you’ll always be eager to check these guys’ tunes. And a breathtaking selection it is too. Boasting hard edged rhythms and their usual funky counter balance you always seem onto a winner. “The Original Dr. Shade” is the first time back in the studio for a while and that time spent out on the decks has seemingly left them full of ideas. A journey through a wide variety of vibes and flavours, Ed Rush and Optical also attempt to impart some of the live MC stylings of the DnB night to this album by grabbing MC Rhymetyme and Darrison into the mix too.

We have one of the years stand out tunes for me in the funk filled ‘Bullit’, certainly inspired by the soundtrack to the film of the same name. You can picture a modern day Steve McQueen burning around San Francisco’s streets with this tune rolling the bass tube. The scene-dominating Latin vibe is homaged in ‘Puerto Rico’ and the great ‘Hammerhead’ is a welcome echo of the duo’s earlier party basslines and drops – a right roller! The expansion of their sound continues apace with the more turntabalist vibe of ‘Get Ill’ where the UK’s premier scratch crew, the Scratch Perverts, and MC Rhymetyme blow the roof off. The aforementioned vocal collab with Darrison and MC Rhymetyme, ‘Why?’ stands up to be counted, opening the LP with aplomb; straight up, no messing. Even the closing number ‘Smarty Pants’, unashamedly house, flexes and bounces you all the way home.

In your face, “The Original Dr. Shade” has a message, a destination - and it steams right on in there. It’s DnB alright; throughout all these different ‘styles’ the Virus boys keep up the bpms and turn it into a right rollicking journey. Sound. Heads up for the live shows…