It's been two long years since Low End Activist graced us with his last release, "Park End" with Trim, but now he's back with a brand new EP for esteemed club experts Sneaker Social Club. Low End Activism is the name of the new collection and ahead of its release later this year, he's just unveiled the lead single "Street Level".
Inspiration for the track comes from his hometown of Oxford and the vibrant rave scene that emerged there in the late 1980s, many of the track's samples coming from an old VHS recording of the Blackbird Leys Estate summer carnival in 1988. It also draws on references the Caribbean influence on the rave scene as well as the tumultuous atmosphere that would lead to nationwide riots at the beginning of the '90s. It's by no means a dark or angry tune, think of it more like a snapshot of the defiant optimism that was stretched to its limits by indifferent economic policies from the Tories, class divides and racial tension (sound familiar?).
Speaking with Complex via email, he told us: "I was down the other end of the wreck on this day playing in the five-a-side football tournament, and remember those summers fondly! Rodney, operating the levels and dub siren, was the local barber; double denim was the thing! Super T was the can of choice! Street Level would've had a rig setup that day as well, playing UK soul, hip-hop, proto rave and acid house bits. They used to DJ in the pub my father worked at most weekends, so they were early teachers of mine, I guess."
