Electro Warriors of London: Taking a look at Battle Trax Records

Battle Trax is a label that was set up in the midst of the 90s by "electro-maestro" Phil Klein.
I guess it's still off the radar for a lot of people. It came quite early for the "retro-electro" boom (even "space invaders are smoking grass" became an MTV a few years later - despite The Hague scene around I-F being a prime mover in the first electro revival).
And, maybe even more importantly, it was much harder, more dirty, zany, or to put it bluntly: hardcore - than the rest of the electro funkoids.

Time to throw a glance back at this one, and look at the first 5 releases.
These established the sound for things to come.

And, and lets not forget: the label did *not* get stuck in the 90s, or became defunct - but is still (more or less) alive and kicking.

Battle Systems - The Killer Instinct E.P. (Battle Trax 001)

Two of the best tracks of Cybernet Systems' "Robot Movement EP" are on here.
Hmmm how to describe them.... this is pure phuture-shock, like getting jammed all the great sci fi flicks of the 80s and 90s directly rammed into your brain in 3 minutes 23. robocop, terminator, blade runner... these are the pictures i get in my mind when i hear these sounds.
There are also 2 "exclusive" tracks on here that were not on the CD. They are cool.

Listening Suggestion: Battle Systems - Annihilator

I Borg - The Borg Collective E.P. (Battle Trax 002)

A quite singular release, really.
Supposedly based on the beat of an earlier tune by Cybernet System and Dynamix II.
I'd describe the sound as "Hardcore Techno" meets "Electro" - even though "Detroit Techno" purists might disagree here.

All tracks actually sound quite "similar" - there is the abovementioned beat, there are star trek / borg related samples, even a similar bass-bleep...
But it's still a great release, and a true hidden gem in my opinion... futuristic, cold, very hardcore... what more could one ask for!

Listening Suggestion: I Borg - Engage The Borg

Industrial Bass Machine - Industrial Bass Machine Vol. 1 (Battle Trax 003)

The second collab by Dynamix II and Bass Junkie on this label, as far as I know.
Less "frontal hardcore" than the earlier releases, but gritty, rought, corrosive and neet never the less.
And there is an extra dose of funk and futurism.

Listening Suggestion: Industrial Bass Machine - IBM (We are the Future)

Battle Systems - Hardware E.P. (Battle Trax 004)

If I would write down a personal top 10 of electronic 1990s releases, this would be in there.
It's really a league of its own, also in the style of sound.
Not heard anything as this one elsewhere. It's like high-speed-gabba with a broken rhythm and non 4-4. But it's also like distorted and overdriven 80s electro funk.
And those basslines sound like some haunted paganini took up a bass guitar and jammed these notes into the future.

Listening Suggestion: Battle Systems - Atomics

Cybernet Systems - Cybernizm E.P. (Battle Trax 005)

Two of the best tracks of Cybernet Systems' "Robot Movement" are on here.
Hmmm how to describe them.... this is pure phuture-shock, like getting jammed all the great sci fi flicks of the 80s and 90s directly rammed into your brain in 3 minutes 23. robocop, terminator, blade runner... these are the pictures i get in my mind when i hear these sounds.
There are also 2 "exclusive" tracks on here that were not on the CD. They are cool.

Listening Suggestion: Cybernet Systems - Voider