“Made In Italy EP” Reviews
December 2004

BPM (Jan 2005; #60)
Made In Italy EP
Various (Functional Breaks)
This is pure bootylicious-electro-ghetto-psycodelic-funk. Egyptian Lover, eat your heart out! All 4 cuts will get them rockin 80ís breakiní style. There’s nothing shy here. Just pure, get down on it, where’s your momma at, bump. 5/5 (Jonathan Ojeda)
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M8 Magazine
A varied selection of tracks here from some serious ones to watch
Me favourites are A1 & B1, the production seems to stand out a lot more and am feeling the vibes. A1 – peak time B1 mid set
Tom Real
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Artist: 5th Suite/Dj Rocca
Track: Una Funker/Out!/Can You Freak It
Label: Functional Breaks

A collection of tracks from “5th Suite” & “Dj Rocca”.
The Italian crew throw together a menagerie of various beats, and sadly, very obvious samples, the sounds don’t really seem to have much impact and the production is a little weak on tracks, Una Funker & Out!.
But move onto track three and “Can You Freak It,” manages to save the day with cool vocal samples, and a crisp rhythm section. “Howie B” also makes an appearance on “Can You Freak It”, and takes control to twist and turn in some serious fx’s action. Just right for our sets.
(Boombox)
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A1 - Good
A2 - Good
B1 - Good
B2 - Fair

Name: Pete Jordan
Chart Position: 9

Comments: Solid, but no real stand out track for me. Una Funker would be much better without the sample. Still high quality from the Italian Maffia, perhaps just not as strong as the last few releases.

Pete Spectrum
www.spectrum48k.com
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Got the FB032 this week. I’ve enjoyed it a lot… Here is my review

Side A1 Excellent
Side A2 Excellent (the best)
Side B1 Good
Side B2 Good

Side A1
Simple but effective bass ripping breaks. The familiar vocal hook that Krafty Kuts has used before is very funky and always gets interest. Its funky but tough too. Ideal late warm up session floor filler.

Side A2
I really dig the funky bass line intro -sounds very like early freestylers almost. I like the switch that goes on after the intro as it becomes one of those tunes that can seemlessly change the mood of a night.
I can see this being a huge late night tune coz the bass line is very quirky, original and a monster. My favourite of them all.

Side B1
This is the weakest of the original material for me -it just doesnt stand out on its own as much.

Side B2
This is slightly better than the original becuase it all sounds a little simpler and cleaner and much better EQed. The build up in it is wicked adn I was ready for the mother of all breaks, which never happened and that made this tune a real let down. Kind of like having sex but not coming. Why does the b-line drop out??? Could have been the best of the lot.

Chuckling Boy
Dropped the lastest release last night at Lashed and it done the job nicely!
In the chart!
DJ Paterson

Read Review - Read Review - Read Review
Dj Mag, Aprile 2005 - IDJ, Aprile 2005 - M8 TR, Aprile 2005

Chart Positions

# 9 Zzub chart ­ DMC Update (16.03.05)
# 28 Breaks & Beats Chart ­ DJ Magazine (08.04.05)

Specialist Radio Support
Metrofunk ­ MoS Radio

DJ Comments

Sneaky aka Ollie Lewis (Supercharged, Audio - Brighton) ‘Mantra Breaks just don’t stop! Really like the italo disco stylings on this one funky as fuck! ‘

Larry Nelson (Holodeck / New Mix / Funk-A-Tronic (Dublin)/Like Minded People - Cardiff and Bristol) ‘Quality bundle - like the dubby touch on the b slow and funky!’

Dominic B /Stanton Warriors (Various - Worldwide) ‘good stuff’

Mike Hogan (various events - north) ‘ANOTHER STORMING RELEASE FROM ONE OF MY FAVOURITE LABELS!’

Carl Loben (DJ Magazine / Various - London ) ‘Really like this. ‘

Pathaan (All Over - LONDON) ‘I KNOW ROCCCA FROM MAFFIA; HAVE SUPPORTED THIS TUNE’

Geoff Ticehurst (Urban Gorilla / Zero - Sheffield) ‘Took a few listens and not the strongest Mantra release but still does the job very well. Like the electro-house-like bassline.’ Favourite Track / Mix: A. ŒAt The Train’

Jim Bingham (Swim Audio, Various - Brighton , London) ‘Another quality release from Mantra all good but the Maffia mix of Give Up is brilliant. Definitely makes an impression on the dancefloor’

Jay Cunning (Ram Records (The End) and In Beats We Trust (Russia) - London) ‘3 really good tracks on here really feelin this ep!’ Sonia Akow (Breakfish/ Supertronix / various uk/ worldwide - london) ‘Good Old Rollin - Liking it - the 2 tracks on B are interesting and preferrable. ‘

Andy Gardner /Plump DJ’s (Fabric / Various - Worldwide) ‘the acid house influences on this tune are inspired. My only problem is the drums which could have a bit more weight to my ears. Still a great warm up though.’ Favourite Track / Mix: A. ŒAt The Train’

Dan Holmes (Various world wide - Midlands) ‘A1 & B1 are Ok Nice pacakage agood balance should do well.’

Graeme Martin (electric lady / the Reading Rooms - Dundee) ‘Not my thing really but the downtempo number works’

Jeff Reed (Sonic Mook / Future Rock N Roll / Slack Sabbath / Label Catastrophic - Worldwide) ‘gaining interest in the UK and got good reactions in USA gigs too… expect
to be a dark horse in the breaks stakes.’ Favourite Track / Mix: A. ŒAt The Train’

Andrew Kornweibel (Chew The Fat! - Worldwide) ‘A nice laid back affair showing another side to the Mantra stable. Quality!
‘

Les Wilkins (various - Mostly Wales, some in England) ‘like the unusual sound and percussion on B! but do not like the vocal. The dubbier sound of B:2 fits some of my setsm and its the only one I might play.’ Favourite Track / Mix: B2. ŒDubby Jay’

Andy Durrant (The Breaks Bar/ Retox Covent Garden - London) ‘More of a radio play than a club tune for me.’ Favourite Track / Mix: B1. ŒGive Up!’

Ann Docherty (Headcharge / Sheffield Live - Various) ‘Personal - YesDancefloor - In the BoxChart position - 2Fave x - AYet another piece of brilliant vinyl from Mantra. Where do they keep finding them? Major reaction from the floor.’

Danny Toft (ShowNoShame - Manchester, UK) ‘one of the worst Mantra releases however still good tracks! Just shows the qwuality that is coming out on Mantra these days!Dubby Jay for me!!’ Favourite Track / Mix: B2. ŒDubby Jay’

Simon Dehany and Mark Turner (Chew The Fat - The End, What Goes Around… - Harlem, Sonorous - The Bug Bar, Various - The Medicine Bar / Harlem - London ) ‘A solid bit of chunky breaks. nothing special but it dos the job. B2 is our favourite ‘

Russ Holborough (dragon - i - hong kong) ‘I like mantra a lotbut sometimes a breaks record is just another breaks recordand this is one of them.That doesnt mean its not good just that it doesnt stand out that much.So ive pipped for the interesting dubby jay which has more of a lasting appeal…thanks…russ’ Favourite Track / Mix: B2. ŒDubby Jay’

Dave Henley (pressure drop) (various guest spots - Brighton) ‘Quality as always from the talented Mr. Roccatagliati’ Favourite Track / Mix: B2. ŒDubby Jay’ Peter Griffiths (Breakspoll After Party @ Egg, Swarm (Newcastle) - Newcastle Upon Tyne) ‘Love this very diverse EP from DJ Rocca! Give up does the damage with its Jazz Intro DNB beats and heavy Subs!’ Favourite Track / Mix: B1. ŒGive Up!’

Mark Nicholson (The Milk Run / BBC Radio One - UK) ‘The A Side is the boring side for me and the other 2 tracks are where it’s at Give Up! Is dirty and stupid just the way I like it and my favourite is Dubby Jay cos it’s a damn fine little tune and I’ll be using both of these tracks very soon.’

Xander (Resident DJ for Romp, Flux Magazine, Phush ­ Manchester) ‘This is wicked. I really liked that last Mantra 12′ Favourite Track / Mix: B1. ŒGive Up!

7 Magazine
Issue 51 May 24th 2000
The Worldwide 7 zzub Chart
97 – 99 FM BBC Radio 1 Worldwide: Gilles Peterson
View Chart

ATM MAGAZINE
Issue 48 2000 pp.61
(Drum & Bass reviews)

The Maffia ft. Rocc@ - Made in Italy – Pivotal
Pivotal has made it’s maiden voyage into the D&B scene, now it’s on the up and up. Peshay’s lucrative label takes on it’s third outing for the jazz funk Drum & Bass enthusiast. This time, Peshay presents the Maffia featuring DJ Rocc@ with a tasty slice of funked up spice. This encorporated the entire cocopheny of jazzical sounds we’ve all come to expect from anything Pesh related. This is an intense journey into the realms of jazz funk production and break beat intelligence, with a tasty conglomoration of gently percussive beats to work your aural pallette into a frenzy of musical conception. Also watch out for the blazin’ “Places and Spaces” by Peshay.

DJ MAGAZINE
Vol. 2 No. 64 6 – 19 May 2000
(D & B Singles)

Maffia feat. Dj Rocca
“Made in Italy / Peshay remix
Amazing Hammond chords straight outta Detroit are soon joined by a supreme summer flute and chunky cello pluck two step. Perfect summer tune to roll alongside Sold State’s tune on this page. Peshay mix emphasises the right vibes on the flip.