DJ Marc Smith & Gammer - The 'Building Shaker' EP download mp3 flac

This was my favourite UK hardcore release of 2009. I was rinsing "Building Shaker" for weeks after it first came out and every single time it sent a shiver down my spine when the drop kicked in. After I was finished with the A side, I realised the B side was just as good and got a whole new lease of life out of the release.

"Building Shaker" starts with 2 minutes of bloopy acid build interspersed with the classic "rock your soul and make the building shake" sample and then, just as you start to think the whole thing's going nowhere else, it drops down to an awesome build-up. Indiscernible new-age-feel vocals give way to a great synth section; none of the usual arithmetic progression of the snare roll here.

When the first few bars of that synth build-up finally kick in, you just know you're in for a treat. The single drop works really well because it builds up in epic proportions to the point that you crave the release of the drop. The lead sound and melody are utterly brilliant and that little switch up in the second phase of the drop just puts the icing on an already sweet cake. Marc Smith and Gammer have managed to create something totally euphoric without being overly cheesy.

"You Can Dance" on the flip initially didn't catch my interest as much but, after a few listens, it really grew on me. It's a ravey kind of tune with a nice little progression on the drop and a fantastic swingbeat switch-up to mix things up. A worthy B side to an essential release.