trackID: Dropping acid with PBR Streetgang

I’ll listen to anything if it’s acid and I’ll probably end up liking it. But it will take about 30 seconds of listening to “Scotch Mist” before it hits you, hard, between the eyes with the truth that THIS one — this one is a cut above. It’s a high-octane, high-performance groover, built for small spaces with speakers that touch the ceiling and DJs that play with the needle dancing on the edge of the network.

“Scotch Mist” is the centerpiece of PBR Streetgang‘s new release, Darker Shades. But it’s far from the only highlight. “Acid Mouth” is one of those unholy births from the dark and sinister side of acid house, heavy as lead and likely to melt more than your mouth when enjoyed at the proper decibel. It’s remixed by Ruf Dug in a style he dubs “stoner trance,” and followed by the bizarre but utterly irresistible ambient dub of Scotch Mist, influenced by too many nights that crashed out in the chill out room.

Darker Shades was released on Kurtz Records, a label that 5 Mag has followed closely since day one. Bruce Tantum wrote about Kurtz when PBR Streetgang Launched the label in 2019 to assert some control over their own extremely eclectic output. The release of Darker Shades gave us a chance not just to spotlight the story behind the incredibly dope tracks on this EP, but to catch up with the Leeds, UK-based duo of Tom Thorpe and Bonar Bradberry and see if Kurtz has lived up to their expectations.

We don’t often get a chance to follow up like this. I don’t know if you remember but Bruce Tantum interviewed you for 5 Mag when you launched Kurtz. You mentioned doing “three or four” records a year and Tom said you weren’t in any rush to do any more. Has the label matched your expectations from the lofty era of 2019?

Bonar: I’m not sure we had any grand designs or ambitions for the label. It was always intended to be a home for us to release our own music with complete freedom and collaborate with remixers we really admire — that’s probably as far as we saw it. I’m really pleased with what we’ve put out so far.

The other thing that came to mind reading that and looking at the catalog is This is way more acidic than I think of with PBR Streetgang. You’ve released a lot of acid tracks as a proportion of the whole! There’s Joe Harvey’s Movin’ On Acid and your own Acid Tools and now the tracks on Darker Shades. Did you fall into this? Was it part of a plan? or are you making a sassy career move and you’re going to start doing photoshoots cradling 303s on the beach or in the Pennines?

Tom: Hahaha, you’ve given us inspiration for our next press shots! But this EP wasn’t particularly part of a plan — it was more creative experimentation, making music that comes natural, in the moment. I’m aware that it can sound super cliché but we’ve always bounced around the musically spectrum. We probably sit in the house, disco, and Italo arenas, but as we all know there are so many shades within those genres.

The EP sprang from a simple jam from revisiting the 303 in the studio. There was however a conscious decision to make something with more grit than our previous releases.

Out of the two originals — “Scotch Mist” and “Acid Mouth” — which one came first?

Tom: “Acid Mouth” was the first to be made. The aim was bringing together acid sounds to something raw, stripped back and “chuggy.” We have such a soft spot for the 110-115 tempo range — it’s just got sass!

“Scotch Mist” followed. We wanted to make another acid track, but this time more of a club record. Something to complement “Acid Mouth.” We’re sometimes quite old fashioned in how we approach making EPs. Creating something with lots of variety is important to us.

I don’t understand what “Scotch Mist” means (if it a drink I think it might be refreshing but if it’s a perfume I’m not sure I want to spritz with it) but I think I get where “Darker Shades” comes from. Between these two tracks you sort of have “Mist,” which is one of those face-melting hyper-euphoric rave anthems and “Acid Mouth” which is way more dark and underground. It’s like the double-helix in the DNA of all acid tracks. Am I reading too much into this?

Bonar: That’s a beautiful insight but sadly I don’t think it’s that complex. Tom will answer as he named this one — “Scotch Mist” is an English slang/comedy turn of phrase we’ve said to each other over the years. You kinda ask it as rhetorical question: “What’s this then? Scotch Mist?” meaning there’s nothing there at all!

Tom: Haha love where you’re going with this!! It’s really not as complex. Bonar’s described what “Scotch Mist” is perfectly.

Sometimes we name tracks for no reason other than it’s fun, or an unusual or uncommon word or phrase, or to amuse ourselves. No doubt stemming from making lots of music over a long timespan.

I do like the idea of ​​someone saying, “Have you got the new one by PBR? ‘Scotch Mist.’ Great track, no idea what it means…”

What’s your favorite acid back-of-the-crate track? It doesn’t have to be something you play now, but something that you loved to hear at a club or break out yourself.

Bonar: I don’t know about my favorite but the most beautiful acid track I know is Larry Heard feat. Mr White “The Sun Can’t Compare.” It’s been played to death, I know, but it’s still amazing. I’m sure Tom will serve up something more gritty.

Tom: Josh Wink (Size 9)’s “I Am Ready” is a personal favorite. I can remember hearing it for the first time in 1995 and being completely blown away. The acid line was so savage. Then you get hit by the hip hop break, into a huge build and back out. Such a clever track.

Did you get a chance to play these tracks out? Did you get a lot of What IS that? when you did and is that the best feedback you can get? And is that harder to do and keep tracks under wraps today than it was when you started since there are about 58 phones pointed at a DJ at any given moment?

Tom: We haven’t had the opportunity to play it out yet. The last run of shows have been fairly disco-oriented. We’re playing a festival in Kerry, Ireland this weekend which feels like it could be the perfect environment. Hopefully it gets a good reaction. These tracks have been designed with the dancefloor and a big system in mind so I’m really excited to see the reaction.

Getting feedback on your music through the crowd while playing out is the a special feeling. It’s resonates with people and shows we’re on the right track as producers.

Certainly phones, and apps like Shazam have made it increasingly hard to keep tracks under wraps. It’s virtually impossible these days.

It’s crazy but compared to the 808, there are so many devices that can make squelchy stuff on the fly and it seems like it’s a matter of taste. What is your preferred acid box or emulator that you use on this?

Bonar: Yeah, honestly we’re not 303 purists at all. We just love anything that squelches and squiggles. We went through a phase of using the Novation Bass Station for our acid sounds, the filter on that is great, and the Volca Bass is great fun too. But we use plugins as well…

Tom: Exactly what Bonar said. That being said the 303 is a cult classic. Plus user friendly — it’s hard not to want to play with it.

I hear an “analog approach,” particularly on “Scotch Mist,” which follows that MIDI-flavored arrangement style of one element added after another — like they’re machines chained together and blinking on one-by-one. That’s such a classic sound and it works so well with stomping tracks like these. So I’m curious what machines you used to capture this aesthetic from the past — or was it a skillful use of software?

Tom: Very much a fusing of different machines. The Roland TB-303 was used along with a number of plugins. We spent a long time experimenting, layering different acid lines together to find the right fit and balance. It was important to make “Scotch Mist” sound authentic, slightly old and dusty. Something you could imagine hearing Ron Hardy play back in the day. I really hope people can get a feeling of that.

Explain the “Ambient Dub.” Again, I love trippy ’90s electronica tracks that you’d buy and there’d be pictures of chakras on the label and some stuff about how music could expand your mind better than drugs, and it feels like some homage to that era (or a label like Kalahari Oyster Cult). It’s such a crazy fun thing.

Bonar: We both started going to clubs in the ’90s when “the chill out room” was a thing and we loved dipping into them and that definitely influenced tracks like this. And as Tom mentioned earlier we also like to give our EPs balance, and as the other tracks are so furious and full of energy we thought this would give the works a bit more context. Plus I’ve been loaned an amazing synth called a Solar 42 which is perfect for making tracks like this and diving down wormholes.

How did you link up with Ruf Dug for his remix of “Acid Mouth”?

Tom: We’ve been friends for a number of years and have a connection through both being represented by The FINA Agency. Over the last year or two we’ve discussed the idea of ​​coming together on something, so it was just about timing and the right project. As soon as we started the EP we knew it would lend itself nicely to a Ruffy remix. And what a cracker it is!

You’re the owners of the label as well as the artist, so I have to ask about release strategies. You’re an artist and most artists kinda want their tracks on vinyl if they have a choice. How do you decide what to press to wax on Kurtz?

Tom: We always want to see our music pressed up, but for this release the priority right now is hitting a tight release schedule. We have a number of releases in the pipeline for 2026 so making them all drop online and in time is crucial. Timing is key and the main focus. We may revisit pressing later down the line though — we would love to have this one on wax!

How much do you think about streaming, as a business and as artists?

Tom: We are aware of streaming numbers and monitor each release but try not to get too distracted by the figures. For the music we produce the numbers and financial margins are relatively small to be honest. And the return on putting music out in the public through record sales, streaming, etc. makes up a very small part of our income. Creating a decent revenue through streaming is possible but not something we want to focus on right now.

What more can we look for from Kurtz and from yourselves?

Tom: This year is set to be the busiest to date for Kurtz. Mainly loads more music from us, but there should be some releases from friends and peers along the way too.

There’s more inside 5 Mag’s member’s section — get first access to each issue for a few bucks a month.