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  • Writer's pictureMartin van Zeelandt / TCD

DJ Cortex - Ruffneck Classics (2015)


Today is the hottest day ever recorded. It is bloody hot, and the fan has remained on for the last 24 hours. It a must, seeing as I'm about to melt if I didn't have the fan on. It's so damn hot, and it's a day on which you should relax. It's Friday too, so let's chill down, and relax. Relax, with the beats from the Ruffneck label. This was (and still is) a highly respected label with many big anthems under its belt, and even in 2020 many people are loving the different approach they had, when it comes to Hardcore music. Didn't they used to call their style Darkcore?

A label so loved, you will find tons of dedication and appreciation mixes online. And when I say tons, I do mean tons. So many people adore this label, including yours truly. I am a fan since the label emerged, back in the 90s. And during the 90s I've listened and raved to a lot of these tunes. My God, Ruffneck dominated my youth, and that's no word of a lie. There were many labels out there which I adored, and Ruffneck records was one of them. Seriously, just look at the back catalogue and you will be astonished by the amount of Hardcore anthems it has released over the years.


So you can imagine my excitement when I saw this Ruffneck classics mix on Soundcloud, made by someone called DJ Cortex. Never heard of this DJ before, and not come across this mix before, so today it was my day to find and explore this mix. And Cortex has picked really wicked records. Of course the big anthems, and you will know them ALL when you see the tracklist. But is it worth checking out this mix? Read my opinion down below:



  1. Cybernators - Open The Door

  2. Undercover Anarchist - Ass Off (Remix)

  3. Juggernaut - Don't Fuck With A Ruffneck (Original)

  4. Juggernaut - The World Of The LSD User

  5. Undercover Anarchist - Work It To The Bone

  6. Lock Jaw - Smoke Diz One

  7. Wedlock - Terradome

  8. Lock Jaw - Selecta

  9. Diss Reaction - DJ Lan

  10. Predator - Mind Of A Lunatic

  11. Predator - 1, 2, 3, 4!!

  12. Lock Jaw - Underground Funk

  13. Wedlock - Acid Rain

  14. Pinhead - Underground

  15. Knightvision - Humanoid

  16. Wedlock - Bass For Your Face

  17. Juggernaut - State Of Mind

  18. Pinhead - Slammin' Beatz

  19. Diss Reaction - We've Got Enough

  20. Lock Jaw - Ruff 'N Ruggin'

See, I told you that DJ Cortex used a lot of excellent tunes. But I also mentioned that Ruffneck records is one epic label. The amount of excellence from this label is astonishing, seriously is. And it's good to hear those banging anthems coming at me on this Friday afternoon/evening.


I can only give credit to Ruffneck records for releasing these tracks. I grew up with them, and still love them, God knows how many years later. And I will probably still appreciate them when I'm 40 and 50 years old. You never grow out of Hardcore, and that's a fact. If you do, are you really Artcore though? Are you a Gabber or a Zwabber?


DJ Cortex's mix is okay, but contains a few mixing errors. The selection is great, don't get me wrong, but it's not picture perfect. And I wish it was, I certainly do. Normally when it's only a few errors, I would let it slide, but in this instance I would have to mention it. It might interfere in your experience.


The records are good, and it was difficult to pick a favourite, and it's a tie between two records: 'Humanoid' by Knightvision and 'Slammin' Beatz' by Pinhead. Truly wicked anthems. Underrated, that's for sure.


If the mixing was perfect, I would have enjoyed it even more. It was okay, you could still hear that Cortex loves Ruffneck records as I do, but not perfect. Still enjoyable. Why not give it a go?



DJ: Cortex

Genre/Style: Hardcore, Artcore, Darkcore

Mix Info: Ruffneck Classics

Length Mix: 00:53:02

Tracks: 20 (twenty)

Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): DOWNLOAD/LISTEN

File Size: 134.3 MB

File Type: mp3

Audio: Stereo

Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz

More Information: Ruffneck - Official Website



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