DJ FUNK 909, 808, 303 — Bloc Weekend 2015 (tape)

DJ Funk 909, 808 & 303 – Bloc Weekend 2015 (TAPE) arrives on Never Sleep as catalogue NSRTAPE018, a cassette release that captures a kinetic live set recorded in the iconic City of Big Shoulders via Butlins Minehead. The mix, steeped in tech-house energy, showcases the trio’s command of classic drum machines and a relentless pace that makes the recording feel both historic and immediate. Within Never Sleep’s tape catalogue, Bloc Weekend 2015 follows a series of live and archival documents. Earlier this year the label issued Plasticman b2b DJ Suicide’s “2SG FM 06.02.04 ft. MCs Big Narstie, Typah, Uzi, L Man (TAPE)” (NSRTAPE014) and Errorsmith’s “Le Trilliardaire Mix [Oct 2005] (TAPE)” (NSRTAPE016), both of which, like this release, foreground raw performance over studio polish. The tape format continues a tradition established by DJ Rap’s “Live at Fantasy FM 1990 (TAPE)” (NSRTAPE012) and Claudio Coccoluto’s “Live At Underground City Pescara 01.03.1997 (TAPE)” (NSRTAPE011), positioning Bloc Weekend 2015 as part of Never Sleep’s ongoing commitment to preserving live electronic moments. The cassette opens with “Preview 01”, a brief but potent entry that sets the tone with a surge of machine-driven rhythm, immediately followed by “Preview 02”, which sustains the momentum and deepens the groove without pause. The final cut, “Preview 03”, carries the set to its climax, maintaining the breakneck speed described by the label and ensuring the energy never wanes. The three tracks flow as a continuous, high-octane roller-rink experience, each feeding into the next while preserving the overarching tech-house thrust of the performance. Although the trio’s broader output is not detailed here, the release underscores their reputation for fusing 909, 303 and 808 drum-machine heritage with an encyclopedic grasp of genre, a claim echoed in the label’s description of the mix as a “mission statement” of anthemic discography and raw machine funk. In the context of Never Sleep’s tape series, the record adds a contemporary live document to a lineage that spans from the late-90s underground recordings to recent archival mixes, reinforcing the label’s role as a conduit for both historic and current electronic narratives. For DJs, the cassette’s three uninterrupted sections provide flexible building blocks for a set, whether inserted as a high-energy burst in a peak-time slot or used to sustain momentum in a marathon groove. Collectors will appreciate the immediacy of a live capture that documents a posthumous performance, especially given that all proceeds support DJ Funk’s family, adding a personal dimension to the acquisition. The release is presented on a standard cassette, matching the format of many of Never Sleep’s archival offerings. The tape medium preserves the analog warmth and tactile experience that complements the raw, live nature of the recording, aligning with the label’s penchant for analog documentation. DJ Funk 909, 808 & 303 – Bloc Weekend 2015 (TAPE) – Never Sleep, catalogue NSRTAPE018, cassette, three tracks. Tracklist: A1. DJ Funk 909 & 808 & 303 – Preview 01 A2. DJ Funk 909 & 808 & 303 – Preview 02 A3. DJ Funk 909 & 808 & 303 – Preview 03