RELEASE THE BEAST (PICTURE SLEEVE) (2024 REPRESS)

TRACKLIST A1 : Release The Beast (4:50) B1 : Let Love In (4:35) INFO Get Up! Time to release this beast on 7''. Breakwater™s earth-shattering šRelease The Beast› is unquestionably the standout song from their 1980 funk masterpiece LP Splashdown. It also came out as a now-hen™s-teeth-rare 7" in the same year and when it came to putting it out as a 7" again we just had to do it in a miniature version of the Splashdown sleeve. It™s one of the best album cover shoots of all time. For the b-side, we™ve backed Breakwater™s biggest track with Be With™s favourite: the quietly majestic gem šLet Love In›, another winner from the same LP. Possessing a sound and a feel that was lightyears ahead of its time, šRelease The Beast› is a showcase for Breakwater™s phenomenal power-funk capabilities. The energy is astounding. It rips out of the grooves on a deep funk tip, with speaker-smashing, room-shaking drums competing with distorted funk-rock guitar, bumping bass and space-age synths. But it™s not without its compellingly haunting elements too. What else can we say? It™s a genius piece of music. And, yes, of course this is the tune Daft Punk sampled for their 2005 track šRobot Rock›. Let™s be blunt, they lifted the Philly act™s funk-rock vamping pretty much wholesale. But to be fair to them we wouldn™t have messed with the perfection of the original either and those Parisians shone a much-needed spotlight on an innovative band from the halcyon period of post-disco funk. On the flip, šLet Love In› is a smooth, easy glide that demonstrates Breakwater™s superb, sophisticated musicianship. The tight horn section and irresistible bass make for an undeniable groove. However, it also reveals a depth to their lyricism that™s often overlooked. In these dark days, the sentiment of the opening lines is truly one to we should all take to heart: šIt feels good to be friends with everyone, Walk around and the feeling™s in the air, No more hate can™t you see, This is really for me.› A feel good hit for the summer if ever there was one. Remastered for this vinyl reissue, we™re delighted to present this modern soul double-sider. Essential in every way.