Pennsylvania’s Universal Cave round out 2025 with a good one. Brochure cover Holly Near’s ‘Back Off’ from 1982 in four flavours for the party season. Taking the original’s softer elements and toughening up into something of a banger. The extended mix sits at the front with a perfect snap and crackle drum sound at its heart and funky rumble bass underneath, before kicking on with some proper vocals from Rebecca Felix and that piano vamp.

The Paradise Mix sweeps back to a more laidback position, bringing forth the keys to make it an altogether more Balearic affair. The vocals are more sampled, in amongst the echo and reverb for a deeper feel. Jex Opolis can always be relied upon to bring a certain funk to a mix and his Good Timin’ dub trims back the elaboration to accentuate the tautness at the centre of the original. Last up is the Dreems' Risky Connection Dub, pushing the envelope even further into the deep. The mix almost splits the track into a two parter taking the tempo down midway before spinning back up and crushing the levels out to a close. Apparently this is part one in a new series. Roll on Vol.2.

'Back Off' is available from 5 December via thr UC Bandcamp page