A proper legendary slice of 1992-era UK rave back in circulation on its 30th anniversary - irrepressible hardcore jungle tekno spirits to incite the riot dance.
Spiral Tribe or SP 23 were among the most crucial cogs in the UK rave movement, and more specifically its politicised free-party faction. A multi-headed hydra of new age travellers including DJs, producers, and soundsystem technicians, they represented rave’s most indomitable spirit from the late ‘80s until the Criminal Justice Bill put the kibosh on all that as the Tories shat the bed when they saw how powerful this movement was in bringing together UK youth outside their control, especially after Castlemorton in ’92. The bill effectively banned unlicensed gatherings of more than 20 people listening to repetitive beats, and forced SP 23 to move to mainland Europe, where they continued as a travelling soundsystem throwing parties across the continent.
‘Forward The Revolution’ is the first and most sought-after relic of this era, and tangible example of SP 23’s indelible stamp on UK counterculture. Built in the back of a truck-come-studio, it seethes with raving energy in four parts of agit-prop ‘ardkore, more psychedelic and darker than the stuff one would find in the licensed, money-making mega-raves, with driving fusions of mind-bending acid, rolling breaks and toning kicks in the title tune voiced by MC Scallywag, plus the hardcore dubwize ‘World Traveller Adventurer’ with its swollen subs, the wild-eyed swivel of ‘Ragga Boom’, and darkside harbinger ‘Track 13 (Criminal Drug).’
Often thought of as the UK’s answer to UR’s militant steez, SP 23 and their Network 23 label were the true renegades of UK rave and their legacy would carry on in bassbins and bits of their stacks that remained in the UK that fuelled free-parties in Manchester for many years after - if lore serves us right, this writer’s first free party in 2002 was powered by a bit of it. This 12” is pure history and necessary listening/purchase for anyone with an interest in rave’s political history and who simply likes to fucking have it.
| A1 | Forward The Revolution |
| A2 | World Traveller Adventurer |
| B1 | Ragga Boom |
| B2 | Track 13 (Criminal Drug) |
