Over the last few years, combos such as the Hot 8 Brass Band, the Hynotic Brass Ensemble, Brassroots and the Youngblood Brass Band have all made hay by busting brassy moves. Now Hackney Colliery Band come equipped with trumpets, trombones, saxes, sousaphone and percussion to fire up hip-hop, funk and jazzy grooves. Much of their second album is taken up with brass-imbued versions of tracks by Kanye West (All of the Lights), Jay Z (Empire State of Mind), Goldie (Inner City Life) and others, but the self-penned tracks are equally feisty. The title number features a bold killer groove, while Dead Dialogue impresses with its juicy menace. But HCB are at their best throwing down party tunes and retooling familiar notes, making Prodigy Medley an album highlight as they recast a bunch of Prodigy tunes. hackneycollieryband.co.uk
Download: Dead Dialogue, Prodigy Medley