Other Worlds

Released in 2021, Other Worlds marks a significant return for the Freestylers, arriving several years after their previous full-length efforts. The album serves as a bridge between the classic big beat era of the late 90s and the contemporary bass music scene. Recorded with a focus on high-fidelity sonics, the project features a wide array of collaborators including Plump DJs, Laura Steel, and Tenor Fly, ensuring a rich variety of vocal textures from ragga to soulful pop. Critically, the album was noted for its ability to maintain the duo's signature 'b-boy' energy while incorporating elements of drum and bass, electro, and dub. It stands as one of their most cohesive works, trading some of the frantic sampling of their early career for a more refined, song-oriented approach that emphasizes groove and atmospheric depth. It successfully re-establishes their relevance in a landscape dominated by house and techno by doubling down on the power of the breakbeat.