Burning The Ground Exclusive
Coldcut’s “Christmas Break” — A Radical Holiday Groove from 1989
Every holiday season has its classics — songs that get replayed every year, stitched into the soundtrack of winter memories. Then there are the oddball gems: tracks that might never reach evergreen status but capture a moment, an attitude, and a scene. “Coldcut’s Christmas Break” is one of those unique entries in the festive music canon.
Coldcut — the English electronic duo made up of Matt Black and Jonathan More — had already made waves in the UK underground and dance scenes by the late 1980s. Renowned as pioneers of sample-heavy, cut-and-paste production and foundational figures in the evolution of breakbeat and electronic music, Coldcut had established themselves not just as DJs and producers but as innovators in the very language of club culture sampling.
Released as a standalone single in late 1989, “Coldcut’s Christmas Break” is a playful, genre-bending track that subverts traditional holiday music expectations. Rather than a straightforward carol or pop ballad, the song is built from Coldcut’s signature blend of electronic beats, breakbeat rhythms, and creative sampling — wrapped in a festive theme but with all the experimental edge you’d expect from these forward-thinking producers.
Though it didn’t climb high in the charts, the single did make a respectable showing during its brief run — spending three weeks on the UK Singles Chart and peaking at #67 in December 1989. In a musical landscape dominated by more conventional seasonal fare, that chart presence speaks to the duo’s ability to bring something fresh and off-beat to the table.
The release came at a pivotal moment for Coldcut. 1989 was also the year they issued their debut album “What’s That Noise?”, expanded their creative horizons into multimedia and video work, and collaborated with other artists who would go on to greater fame.
“Coldcut’s Christmas Break” stands today as a fascinating footnote — a festive artifact that reflects both its era and the innovative spirit Coldcut embodied. It’s fun, it’s unconventional, and it’s a great reminder that not every holiday song needs sleigh bells and syrup to be memorable. If you’re digging deep into late-’80s electronic music or looking for a Christmas track that defies the ordinary, this one is worth dusting off.
SIDE A:
Coldcut’s Christmas Break 6:27
Mixed By – George Shilling, Mark Saunders
Producer – Coldcut
SIDE B:
Break It Up 5:54
Edited By – Dean*
Producer – Coldcut
Santa’s House 6:40
Producer – Coldcut
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Ahead Of Our Time – CCUT 7T
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: House, Breaks, Holiday
CREDITS:
- Sleeve [Gift Wrapped By] – Designland
- Written-By – More*, Black*
NOTES:
A Merry Christmas To Everybody.
Made in England.
Pressed on heavy black vinyl, possibly 180 gram.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
Password: burningtheground
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