Intense Records

Renegade Hardware Presents From the Vaults: Ten Tonne EP

£11.66 (£13.99 incl. VAT)

A. Ten Tonne B. The Grudge C. Trapdoor D. Barbarians

Before they RTRNed to jungle, before they produced for Rihanna and Rita Ora, even before 'More Than Alot' propelled them to mainstream recognition, Chase & Status were part of the Renegade Hardware camp. A storming run of releases – certified by Hardware's military-grade quality control – helped set their trajectory to stardom, none more so than 2005's 'Ten Tonne EP'.

Now, 2021's ravers, selectors and collectors – everyone who may have missed the EP's first outing – get to experience the heaviness for themselves as Renegade Hardware kick off their 'From the Vaults' series of rereleases.

From the opening eponymous track, the blueprint of this EP and the whole 'From the Vaults' series is laid out clearly. 'Ten Tonne' combines the grittiest of bassface-inducing roll-outs with an underpinning sense of funk, a blend that typified Renegade Hardware's output. Straying neither into mass-market formulism nor the realm of soulless technical exercises, this is music with heart and passion as well as undisputable studio science.

Moving through the Vicious Circle collab 'The Grudge', the snarling and seething basslines of 'Trapdoor', and Prolix's stomping remix of 'Barbarians', we hear the roots and foundations of the world-dominating act Chase & Status were to become. These tunes are not curiosities or museum pieces, but vibrant and powerful pieces of DnB that are as relevant for contemporary dancefloors as they were when they first dropped.

Bear in mind, huge as this release is, this is just the beginning for 'From the Vaults'. Renegade Hardware have a discography packed with A-list names and never-to-be-forgotten anthems, and a whole new generation is about to get educated. Watch.