2 Billion Beats release their debut album, Be Nice To Each Other, through Paper Recordings. 2 Billion Beats are Manchester-based DJs and producers Tom Lonsborough and Col Hamilton who have risen through the rainy city’s thriving club scene after being inspired by acts such as Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers and Crazy P...

At the core of 2 Billion Beats is one simple driving force: They want to carry on the legacy of taking electronic beats live to smash up dance floors, mosh pits and festivals. Their remit is tight disco and house influenced grooves created with a love for live recording of real instruments and synthesiser hardware and a writing process that involves multiple reworks, samples and chaotic collaboration.

Their debut album, Be Nice to Each Other, is a varied and entertaining release which, when it opened I thought was going to be a bit naff. The opening track, 'Be Nice to Each Other' felt a little amateurish, with naive lyrics and poor delivery. But, on reflection, I'm suspecting that it was a clever way of introducing you to their world.

There are 13 tracks here (1 hr, 04 min, 36 sec) with so much variety that it's next to impossible to pick out favourites - it all depends on your mood. It's certainly an album I'd recommend for dance music fans.

8

Nick Smithson