[Hessle Audio]

As far as bass music goes, it’s hard to think of a more consistent and exciting label than Hessle Audio. 2010 proved to be an incredible year for the currently London based label, mostly by just sticking to their guns and issuing more of the forward-thinking music buyers have come to expect. Hessle kicked off this year in fine form with a sterling 12″ from mainstay Pangaea. While he’s known for penning the more melodic side of the Hessle back catalog, “Inna Daze” is a tough, techno-tinged roller. Voices shout out amidst reverberating air horns and hard hitting percussion, while midway strains of Pangaea’s signature melancholy seep in.

“Won’t Hurt” on the B-side is the most immediately “dubstep” thing to be released on Hessle in quite some time, as well as the most aggressive thing Pangaea has ever done. It suits him well, though; there’s a lot of energy packed into the unstable low-end, and the string samples make it quite a raucous tune. It’s a good track, but “Inna Daze” simply steals the show. It’s seems like a distillation of everything we’ve learned from the past couple years of London/Berlin crosstalk formed into something fresh and exciting. An exemplary release from an artist who keeps getting better and one of dance music’s most vital labels. But then what did you expect?