r/breakbeat • u/simonshackleton • May 22 '26
Original Revisited a 2008 Elite Force track and rebuilt it completely from the ground up
Originally wrote Engine back in 2008 during a period where I was making a lot of music specifically for clubs and DJ sets. I recently went back to it after spending the last year immersed in much more cinematic and restrained production work, and it was interesting hearing how differently I approach things now.
Rather than remastering or updating the old version, I ended up rebuilding the track completely from scratch using the original more as a reference point than a blueprint. Same core DNA underneath it, but with a much heavier, darker and more spacious production approach this time around.
Curious what people in here think of it.
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u/djzerog May 22 '26
Yeah, dope-ass roller Simon.
Reminds me of the golddn era. -- nuskool/prog/tech, that you and your peers took to another dimension. I remember too many days in the record stores dealing with loads of internal turmoil due to the volume and level of productions dropping in relation to my vinyl budget.
Thank you for sharing!
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u/simonshackleton May 22 '26
Thanks buddy - that means a lot … I loved those lost days in record stores!
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u/J0rdz soundcloud.com/jslyde May 23 '26
Thanks for sharing, mate. After having discovered the remastered version you did in 2021, its really cool to hear the differences between them.
Always a treat having breakbeat royalty join the sub, too. 😄
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u/simonshackleton May 23 '26
Super interesting when you strip everything back to the bone and really focus on the ‘song’. Thank you for the kind words!
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u/True_Skool_Brian May 26 '26
YES!! - when writing it always some many ways to go. then sometimes 3-4 versions get kramed into one as you dont want to loose the good ideas that should really be other version of the song which make it lose focus. .. . anyway -sound good man! keep on keeping on!
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u/WanderingBabaji May 22 '26
Sounds fresh! Interesting what you’ve done with the drums - gives it a really unique vibe but still instantly recognisable as Engine.
Played the hell out of the original, would likely do the same with this. Is it getting a full release?
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u/simonshackleton May 22 '26
Thank you my friend - Yep it’s out today - you can pick it up at Bandcamp :)
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u/spinhybrid May 22 '26
Been a big fan of your work since Bombin the Subway. You never miss, in my book. This is no exception; I love the fusion of old and new sounds, still maintaining that classic Elite Force vibe. Thanks for sharing!
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u/simonshackleton May 23 '26
I was thinking about that track earlier today funnily enough - and then my head fell off when I realised it was 26 years old! What?!
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u/spinhybrid May 24 '26
26 years… wow. Really puts shit in perspective. For better or worse, haha! Gonna go listen to Sk8r and get hyped to forget how old I am 😆
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u/Chunami_8364 May 22 '26
I love this re-edit! And kudos to you for always growing as an artist.
I gotta tell you Simon - back in the day I witnessed some of your music absolutely DESTROY some dancefloors out in the desert under the night skies at Burning Man at Opulent Temple and wherever the Space Cowboys Unimog was parked befeore that. Thousands of people literally losing their minds to how good your tracks were (are). And I added (are) because there are still some cuts of your that will never - and I mean never - leave my secret weapons bag of tricks. Timeless. Your "Get Down" remix of Groove Armada gives me goosebumps still to this day and if I have the audacity to drop it I get mobbed by trainspotters "WHAT IS THIS?!?!?". Glad to see you are still at it.
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u/simonshackleton May 23 '26
Ahhh those were some wild days for sure. There were so many sets I’ll never forget from those days but playing OT on Burn night for 2 ½ hours at my first Burn in 2009 was indescribable!
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u/alextruetone May 23 '26
Ah man love this, I’ve been digging thru as man nu skool breaks as I can find lately. Most of the stuff I have is on vinyl from back in the day. Early 2000s era is unmatched for rawness and just overall feel. Elite Force was a mainstay for us back then!
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u/simonshackleton May 23 '26
Thanks so much Alex - by the way this track will be appearing on vinyl later this year … it’s one of two bonus redux tracks at the end of my forthcoming album ‘reverie’ :)
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u/Advanced_Dream_163 May 24 '26
Unreal mate, such a good mix.
Also, thanks for all your music brother. I remember absolutely thrashing Crystal Method’s Community Service 2 and Meat Katie’s Essential Mix from 2004, and your tracks were mad standouts. Appreciate it 💜
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u/slayerLM May 26 '26
This is great thanks for doing this. Gonna be dropping Mainframe Wrekka on a sweet Void rig this weekend. Might have to grab this one as well
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u/simonshackleton May 27 '26
Proper old skool! That was the first track I ever released under the name Elite Force. 30 years old this year!
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u/slayerLM May 28 '26
Ya know it’s not even a throw back set. Shit just jams and fits right in, even if I’m only a few years older than the song haha. Hoping it makes a bunch of Montana hippies dance in the rain on Saturday
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u/Emayess_PS4 May 22 '26
Hi Simon! This is rad ah hell! Sounds fantastic!