TuneLab
Umma | old school breaks in Beirut
Keep Hush Live x High Hats Community
Umma's dedication to 'old school breaks' is no mere bio line—it's a manifesto, as evidenced by this Beirut session for High Hats Community. This is for the diggers who still get a rush from a perfectly chopped Amen or a Fatboy Slim sample deployed with surgical precision. The vibe is a joyous, throwback rave, all smiley faces and baggy trousers.
Technically, it's a breaks and breakbeat storm, averaging 142 BPM and using keys like 12A and 7B to weave together disparate sounds. The energy is overwhelmingly low-frequency (87%), a testament to the genre's foundation in rumbling basslines and thunderous kicks, with just enough mid and high to let the iconic breaks cut through. Umma's mixing is energetic and respectful of the classics, letting anthems breathe.
The tracklist is a who's who of breaks past and present: 'Acidulant - Who's the Gangster In You' sets a gritty, psychedelic tone; 'Fatboy Slim - Star 69' is a big beat pilgrimage site; 'PARAMIDA - Devil's Destination' brings a modern, driving techno-breaks hybrid; and 'Anunaku - Temples' offers a dubbed-out, atmospheric interlude. It starts with the warped bass of 'Who's the Gangster In You', peaks with the sheer nostalgic force of 'Star 69', and winds down through the raw, hip-hop-infused crawl of 'dj spizike - Look at these NWA'.