VISION CREATION SOLUTION

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Peas.

TC 1991 - Berry / Danse City - Melba

Aargh so many tracks from '91 I want to put up but rules is rules, bendy as they may be. Yet I've managed to wittle it down to these two marvels...

'Berry' is a tough tune to categorise but this is from the same Italians (the title is a play on co-producer Luciano Bericchia's surname) who recorded under the FPI Project (you may be familiar with the fab 'Rich In Paradise/Back To My Roots' hit from '89). So it has that Eurohouse flavour but no cheesy vocals or rap (shame really, would be a nice option), an excellent warbley bassline verging on the New Beat sound big in the Netherlands and Belgium and a hint of the Progressive House sound emerging throughout the continent that would become big in the UK the following Summer with anthems like Gat Decor's 'Passion'. Very of it's time I suppose but can't resist those 'night drive thru the neon city during carnival' overtones. Must've been a monster at Ku that Summer.

TC 1991 - Berry


BONUS: 'Melba' actually takes that theme and ramps it up threefold. Faster, harder and closer to the emerging hardcore sound in the UK. I remember hearing it on one of the first Pete Tong Essential Selection shows I ever listened to, if not the first - by chance I'd switched on Radio 1 unware that Tong had only recently launched his Friday evening show and apparently keen to bring the sounds of Reachin', Vinyl Solution, Reinforced and other relatively underground labels to the masses alongside his own representation for 'full frequency range recordings'. The vocal sample is from Todd Terry's 'Weekend'. Sorry the vinyl rip is a little bit scratchy and there's at least one minor jump but if you like your rave rare then this is the real deal.

Danse City - Melba

Jeff Wayne - Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix)

Sorry it's been a week or so since the last post, and with only one year of the 80s left too. Hopefully I can put up a couple of early 90s tracks before this week is out. Before that here's some FUN in the form of Ben Liebrand's'Eve Of The War' remix. The boisterous borrowing of Inner City's 'Big Fun' bass hook and the bleepy middle eights really win it for me.

Jeff Wayne - Eve Of The War (Ben Liebrand Remix)

BONUS FUN: Hadn't heard it for many years but the London Boys 'Requiem' also rools - grandiose and joyous Euro Disco - and derivative as it may be from Cerrone and their own work for Divine and even Hazell Dean, a very enjoyable SAW production at a time when they were running on empty re the likes of Sonia and Jason Donovan.

The London Boys - Requiem

Rhythim Is Rhythim - Beyond The Dance (Cult Mix)

My favourite bit of work by Derrick May, alongside R-Tyme's 'R Theme'. Monolithic orchestral stabs building and arching over a stream of frosty hi-hats, looping for so long that the beat drop is almost an anticlimax - but still an amazing example of what dance music could be at the time (with May introducing a more lucid and psychedelic warmth to the newly-established Techno genre) and it's unconventional percussion sounds prescient 20 years later with everyone bored of more traditional snares and claps in techno for so long.



Rhythim Is Rhythim - Beyond The Dance (Cult Mix)

M/A/R/R/S - Anitina (The First Time I She See Dance)

One of the best AA sides ever. 'Anitina's raucous intro is seismic as if aware of what it's following up. The thud and clatter of the Colourbox drums with AR Kane's lupine guitars and crooning combine in a divine style, coming off like a black J&MC. How do I shot more cosmic dubgaze?

M/A/R/R/S - Anitina (The First Time I She See Dance)

Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle - Your Love

'86 is a tough one as I seem to have less tracks from this year than those around it. I was going to put up 'The Rain' by Oran Juice Jones but am dissatisfied with how quickly my copy fades out as Oran continues his vengeful tirade against his cheating lover with an increasingly disturbing glee. Shame! Hopefully there's a longer version out there but in the meantime have the original source material for The Source's anthemic 1991 hit - wonder how much money Frankie and Jamie made from it themselves (including it's customary re-mix every five or six years since). You'll notice the original was slightly higher-pitched than 'You Got The Love' and perhaps sounds 'flatter' but it's obviously glorious in it's own right.

Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principle - Your Love

Model 500 - Night Drive (Thru Babylon)

Still surprised this is from '85 and had always assumed it was from 2-3 years later than that despite knowing 'Clear' and 'The Chase' before this one. 'Night Drive' is a clear link between the two really in terms of how Atkins seemed to be getting to grips with the technology at his disposal and flirting with the emerging acid sound, building on his Kraftwerk-influenced electro template.

Interesting how much Atkins used (his own) vocals in comparison to his peers. Although murky and shrouded there's elements of humour here ("Excuse me but isn't a black leather micro-miniskirt a bit much?!" or something like it at 3:20) within the general menacing air.

Model 500 - Night Drive (Thru Babylon)