fabric Records Returns to Broken Beat with SELECTS VIII

fabric Records is heading back to the broken beat and bruk underground for the first time in almost two decades, bringing together scene pioneers and a new generation of artists for the latest instalment of its SELECTS compilation series.

SELECTS VIII lands on 28 August, marking fabric’s first release dedicated to the genre since Bugz in the Attic’s FABRICLIVE release in 2006.

The compilation gets underway with ‘Carnival (AfroForce Vox Dub)’ by Mark Force ft. Afronaut, released today. The track reunites two key figures from London’s CoOp and Bugz in the Attic movement, pairing deep bass, Afrocentric rhythms, rolling percussion and soulful musicality with vocals recorded in Puerto Rico.

Across its ten-track collection, SELECTS VIII looks both backwards and forwards, bringing together unreleased archival recordings, new productions and artists continuing to push broken beat into fresh territory.

Among the highlights is Maddslinky aka Zed Bias’ ‘UNTITLED AS YET’, an unreleased CoOp-era recording that has remained unheard for more than two decades. Elsewhere, Bruk Rogers brings darker, bass-heavy textures to ‘Junk’, Ben Hauke delivers the club-focused ‘Love This’, while D’Monk, Streeton, XL Regular, Donsurf, Domu and Last Nubian ft. Arinola add their own takes on the genre’s distinctive rhythmic language.

The result is a compilation that reflects broken beat’s evolution from its London roots while highlighting the renewed energy surrounding the sound today.

For fabric, that enduring connection between past and present is central to the project.

“Broken beat is a scene and sound that has brought us so much joy over the years, and SELECTS VIII feels like our way of giving something back.”

The label adds that the compilation is ultimately “made for the dancefloor first and foremost”, celebrating the community, creativity and influence that have allowed the genre to keep evolving across generations.

Alongside the digital release, fabric will also issue 100 exclusive white-label sampler 12-inch vinyl copies, available to pre-order as part of the campaign.

With SELECTS VIII, fabric is effectively reopening a chapter that began almost 20 years ago — but rather than simply looking back, the label is using broken beat’s foundations as a launchpad for where the sound goes next.

SELECTS VIII is released 28 August via fabric Records.

Listen: fabric Records — SELECTS VIII