ALBUM – Paper Recordings

Label boss Ben Davis has pulled on tights and cape once again to launch his debut LP for Paper “The Life and Times of Flash Atkins” and it’s a belter. The first singe “Levenshulme Orphanage For Boys” had love from types such as Francois Kervorkian, Peter Kruder and Ivan Smagghe as well as glowing reviews in Mixmag and DJ Mag and the long-player has more of the same.

The tracks cover an array of musical styles from house to disco, chug funk to bass, bangers and afro rhythms to 80s influenced cosmic beats. As well as dynamic production and a keen sense of groove, the whole album is based on a short story of the life of Flash that will be published as a comic at the same time. The track and chapter titles are one and the same to provide a sensory listening experience that tells a tale reflecting the mood of the story as well as blowing up dance floors with its sonic superpowers.

Says Flash of his creation. “I wanted to create an album that drew inspiration from my 20 years making music and DJing. You can hear classic disco (‘Saved By The Fall’), post dubstep (‘Forbidden Flesh’), Dirtybird (‘Summer Of Love’), Theo Parrish (‘Drug Empire’), Afro (‘Squatting’), Nu Disco (‘Badger From The North’), 90s US deep house (‘The Wilderness’), ALFOS (‘Levenshulme Orphanage For Boys’), Todd Terje (‘Acid House Creator’) and Metro Area / Balearica (‘A New Kind of Superhero’)”.

There will also be a smartphone game, limited edition Flash Atkins beer called “Hops For Heroes”, full colour printed comic and remix album later in the year featuring The Emperor Machine, Steve Cobby, The Revenge, Ralph Myerz, Rune Lindbaek, Sleazy McQueen and B.G. Baarregaard amongst others.
Hugely ambitious and creative in so many ways, this album is already looking like one of the highlights of the year.

Laurent Garnier – “Great compilation – Drug empire is brilliant”

Ivan Smagghe – “Plenty in there for me for sure”

The Revenge – “Lots of great stuff on here, really digging The Wilderness”

Steve Cobby – “Really digging this!”

Ray Mang – “Great work!”

The Emperor Machine – “Love it!”

Bonar Bradberry (PBR Streetgang) – “Some great sounds on this .. look forward to giving it deeper listen”

Bill Brewster – “Yeah there’s some very god stuff on here”

Sean Johnston (A Love From Outer Space) – ‘Size of a dog is very good!’

Sleazy McQueen – “Excellent”

Hot Toddy (Crazy P)– “I love the vibe of Drug Empire…DOPE!”

Sean Johnston (ALFOS) – “Size of a Dog is very good!”

Horse Meat Disco – “YES great vibe here!”

Doc L Junior – “Dirty as it should be and crazy like a true super hero.”

Rune Lindbaek – “Ace!”

Fingerman – “Sounding very tasty! Some real gems on here :)”

Billy Scurry – “Feels like I’ve played one of these every set for the past 20 years!! Hot stuff indeedy Mr
Flash!!”

2 Billion Beats – “Top notch production throughout Flash, hard to pick a winner!”

Joe Morris (Clandestino) – “Great stuff here, very high quality LP and something for everyone. Congratulations
Flash! I’m plumping for ‘A New Kind of Superhero’ as my fave, love the downtempo vibe on that but will defo try ‘Drug Empire’ out for the dance floors”

2 Billion Beats are Manchester based DJs and producers Tom Lonsborough and Col Hamilton. They have come up through the rainy city’s thriving club scene after being inspired by acts such as Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers and Crazy P. They wanted to carry on that legacy of taking electronic beats live to smash up dance floors, mosh pits and festivals. Oh boy have they succeeded!

Signed to Paper Recordings in 2011 they have gone on to deliver remixes and originals to an array of international labels such 3am, Stoneyboy, Finish Team and Deep Site. DJs such as Ralph Myerz, Justin Robertson, Aeroplane, Tensnake, Horse Meat Disco, Eric Duncan, Fingerman and Danny Krivit have been turned on with tracks such as ‘The Moodymann’ and ‘Noise In Your Eye’ which are regarded by some as modern club classics.

Their remit is tight disco and house influenced grooves created with a love for live recordings of real instruments and synthesiser hardware in a writing process that involves multiple reworks, samples and chaotic collaboration.

For their debut album ‘Be Nice To Each Other’ 2 Billion Beats have hooked up with vocalists Marietta Smith and Dieter Lynch to take the production and songwriting up a notch ready for entry in to the big league. From dance floor bangers to full blown hands-in-the-air anthems and super deep tech-house to 80s inspired nu-disco nodders, the album packs a punch as it’s songs flow seamlessly from one to the next, designed to be a listened to as a whole as it bleeds together for a soundtrack to the best night of your life.

In an increasingly uncertain world the album comments on the grind of life in an ever morphing, media controlled world and asks the question ‘are we just able to just be nice to each other?’. Well there’s only one way to find out so don your rave goggles and jump in, 2 Billion Beats are coming your way!

Get it in Juno itunes Beatport and all good digital stores

Fingerman – ‘Excellent LP!’

Severino Panzettas (Horse Meat Disco) – ‘Cool album..great stuff’

Billy Scurry – ‘Great vibes and production all round!’

Pete Herbert – ‘Excellent!’

Nutritious – ‘Yes! So good!!!’

Joe Morris – ‘Well done guys this is sounding very polished indeed.’