Described by KARL "REGIS" O'CONNOR as a 'Free project to benefit the MAGIC FEET underground Techno Mag', this brings us recordings from both the DOWNWARDS label and SYNCOPATE. Both of these labels seem to move towards the more Industrial end of the Techno Hardcore Dance market.The SYNCOPATE side, credited to the SYNCOPATE ALL STARS is split into three tracks. Their sound is not unlike that of the more familiar DOWNWARDS stable. Perhaps a little more experimental here, they manage to fill the central beat with all manner of sounds, all of which sound as if they are the toxic by-products of some mad scientist's sound laboratory. Mainstream dance wouldn't touch most of this with a bargepole, but for those who like their dimensions twisted, shaken and otherwise battered out of logical shape, this is a neat collection of invaluable Hall Of Mirrors warped grooves.The DOWNWARDS side make a similar sound through various projects, and here I am surprised to find them separated by a slice of the opening location recording from my own ANTONYM album. REGIS is first, a typically busy glimpse into the spin cycle of electronic noises which bubble and bustle in irresistably hypnotic effect. It'd be faair to say that this is seeing O'CONNOR's project progressing - the urgency is still there - the almost Garage Thrash Punk need to bypass safety for the sake of breakneck speed. Here there is no worry about it breaking apart - the hand on the controls is a steady and adept one. Simple construction but cleverly executed. After my messing with metal sheets in natural reverb chambers FEMALE appear with an even more urgent sound. Loads of upper sounds - lots of cluttering hi hats - meld and fuse with the pumping, sinew-rather-than-muscle sound. Hypnotic dervish dance for stilettos, which glint in artificial sunlight. The sound sets the pulse racing, almost makes one cry out in anger, fighting against the steely percussive talons which hold your prisoner, enslaved to the beat.An interesting collection of uncompromising beat tracks.Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.