Artist: Gab Olivier
Title: Zero Tolerance: No Nonsense
Label: Zero Tolerance
By: Alan Teo | 29 April 2002
Tracklist:
  1. Narcotik - Blue
  2. Deep Funk Project - Dirty Logic
  3. Digital Mind Control - Darkness
  4. ASAP - Save The Trees
  5. Nubreed - Food For Thought (Dark Alley Mix
  6. Hi-Fi Bugs - Lydian & The Dinosaur
  7. Nubreed - Rock Da City (Apex Mix)
  8. Nubreed - Welcome

Gab Olivier "Zero Tolerance: No Nonsense"

Out Now on Zero Tolerance

Zero Tolerance Recordings (Melbourne: DMC Australia), a fast rising label, founded by a group of likeminded artists determined to deliver their own unique brand of underground dance music that is all deep and left of centre, is home to an assortment of aliases constructed by Gab Olivier, Andy Page, Phil K, and Ivan Gough, just to name a few.

Their stable of productions have graced major compilations in recent years, clearly defining the progressive sound of Down Under apart from the rest. The label gradually garnered worldwide recognition from both progressive and breaks DJs alike. Four years down the road and numerous releases later, the label documents their milestone in the form of a compilation that they could call their own.


Disc 1 is a collection of the label's back catalogue, totally unmixed. It represents the imprints early years up to what it is today. Styles ranging from deep progressive to nu-skool breaks, this disc covers all bases that ZT has forged on through the myriad sounds of electronica.


[01 - Narcotik - Blue]

Written by CJ Dolan and Gab Olivier, this beauty denotes the label's first major debut as featured on Sasha's GU:009. An intro of dreamy strings and bits over subtle breaks turns into a deep and thumping groove, spiced up with soulful vocal samples, simply hypnotic.


[02 - Deep Funk Project - Dirty Logic]

Dark growls hitting you at the start, followed by a wobbly efx / filthy bassline combo, this tune wastes no time to get straight to the point. Steely pads and spacey bleeps give a deep and techy feel to the track. Subtle bells at the break add to the dreamy effect before fading off to dark growling synths once again.


[03 - Digital Mind Control - Darkness]

Digital Mind Control always has a knack for making driving tunes and this is no exception.

A relentless bassline over some weird nuances starts the track off before turning into an evil acid buildup. All banging, and almost techno-ish feel sums up this excellent piece of work.


[04 - ASAP - Save The Trees]

A dark, breaky attempt by progressive breaks prodigy Andy Page, gradually spirals into eerie strings and tight percussions. A very versatile track fitting both progressive and breaks floors alike.


[05 - Nubreed - Food For Thought (Dark Alley Remix)]

Dark Alley transforms this track into a somewhat tribal prog monster using a chunky beat sequence that is both techy and pumping over a robotic hook. And as if its not enough, live drums get thrown in for good measure.


[06 - Hi-Fi Bugs - Lydian And The Dinosaur]

Without a doubt, this has to be one of the finest tunes in breakbeat history. An infectious beat sequence slowly manifesting into a breakbeat frenzy with massive samplings of spacey efx under a fat synthline.

Melodic undertones then set on an ethereal adventure before morphing into a floor tearing break.


[07 - Nubreed - Rock Da City (Apex Remix)]

Melbourne's live electronic act gets a nu-skool breaks revamp courtesy of Marine Parade's Apex. Filtered voice samples and mechanical bleeps plus full on angry basslines are the order of the day.


[08 - Nubreed - Welcome]

Another track from the trio featuring a summery guitar riff atop razor sharp synthlines, all make it a very raw sounding track. Just the essential elements suffice to rock the floor, nothing more nothing less.


Well-known Melbourne DJ Gab Olivier aptly takes up mixing duties for Disc 2. Considered the cornerstone of Zero Tolerance, this much-respected jock is no stranger to the scene, holding monthly residencies at the infamous Sunny parties. This compilation is a testimony of his talent; the attention to detail that is above the mediocre majority. A guy who practically lives in his music and is responsible (to differing extents) for more than half of the tracks showcased here.


On to Disc 2, a concoction of dark, twisted grooves which I would say, isn't really the usual norm of progressive fodder that a majority would associate with.

The disc starts off with Gab's self-written intro setting things into a gloomy atmosphere.

He then adds tinges of eeriness into the mix with 'Addix,' an ominous synthline flowing behind some trippy efx and spacey percussions, followed by a driving number by Low Pressure: mesmerising Japanese female vocal samples above a dubby tech bassline.

The driving hardens with the familiar vocal echoes of 'Human,' already a widely dropped monster, the occasional thundering pads pounding at the break smells of pure devastation that is yet to unfold.

More material by D & O gets sucked into the mix, this time round, with a track titled 'Sunshower.'

An overpowering bassline coupled with sweeping efx morphing into a dark tech breaks section, displaying the duo's incredible versatility.

Next up, a collaborative effort between Deep Funk Project and Miami's Austin Leeds, serves up a tough prog number with clever Arabian pipe overlays to mysterious effect.

Layers upon layers of creepy efx stabs and hi-hat action make up D & O's new single, 'Seven Stones.'

He then brings on some dark funk techiness into the mix in the form of Black Witch, written together with Ivan Gough under the guise of Deep Funk Project.

With two-thirds into the set, the spotlight then diverts onto Jono Fernandez, the baby of the label (aged 21) and already making his presence felt with a nasty number of minimal squelches backed up by a tech-tribal beat sequence.

More growling basslines attack with 'Black Phunk', and lastly, closing off with an insanely sinister track by Digital Mind Control named 'Beta Proxima 7'.

This brings us to the end of a journey, intricately twisted in the hands of Mr. Olivier himself...The Blair Witch of DJs.


Summing up the experience of Disc 2, the building of the mix is fairly stagnant. All of the material featured in it has signified the label's maturity and honed focus on deep and driving sounds.

Considering that none of the tracks actually stand out in the mix, it is to much ease that Gab could maintain the energy driving at a steady pace.

In contrast, Disc 1 features material that is much more accessible, making it the "Dr Jekyll" disc of this compilation. Overall, 'No Nonsense' has earned my vote as a benchmark for deep, dark, and dirty progressive.

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