Going for Oakey gold!

Featuring a sample from the well known Tears for Fears track - Shout, this tune was one of Oakey's first own record productions. 

Heavily influenced by what he heard DJs playing in Ibiza on his trip there in 87 and 88. 

This typifies the laid back beats of yesteryear with that touch of saddened romance that we all feel when we get those "holiday blues" or when we listen to those golden oldies and remember when it was good to dance, dance and dance some more. 

Electra - Autumn Love

(Future 3)

You gotta love a bit of Italian

In 1988 I heard a little ditty and boy did I dance my little socks off, I still do every time I play it. I still have to play it at least once a month and it still does it for me.
There were some really great tunes that came out of the Italo disco era that made the cross-over to house and this one is probably the best that there was, certainly for me. The plant remixes by Frankie Knuckles from the original release from 1985. A massive club hit on its original release on both sides of the pond and again in 88. I dont have to tell you guys to enjopy this one - you just know you will.

 

Jago - I'm Going To Go 

(Frankye Knuckles Plant Mix)

Can you feel the eruption???

This is probably the hardest/fastest track which you'll find on the blog, as I'm not a big fan of anything that bridges into the hardcore, breakbeat, drum 'n' bass, jungle arena. 

It's just simply not my bag.
I was never a fan of the likes of Grooverider, Fabio, LTJ Bukem etc, although I know many were.
The one exception though was listening to and watching Carl Cox, although his music selection was in this hardcore arena his DJ prowess was just immense. 

Watching him mix with vinyl with 3 decks all playing at the same time was just amazing and had to be seen to be believed (DJ's who sit behind a Laptop nowadays - don't know how easy they have got it).
I remember Carl Cox playing this track at a night called Breakfast Club event in Leeds back in 1992.
It's a belter of a track, a touch faster and "rave-ier" in feel in some areas than ideal IMHO, but that piano and the "eruption" vocal is superb. This was always a big track when dropped.
In fact for a long time I thought it was saying "emotion" 
Enjoy!!!

Flag - Eruption

Another huge number...... Hondy!!!

A big fave of mine this one!!
A truly superb bouncy energetic progressive trance number from 1995.
Sprinkled with some beautiful tinkly piano, which is almost orchestral it's so immense.
The energy of the track is superb and the breathy vocals round it off perfectly;
"Give me glory (no access)"
"Give me a kiss (no access)"
"Give me the time (no access)"
"I'll go to the house (no access)"
"To the house of the children (no access)"
"To the house of the men"
"To the house of the women"
"To the house of the Lord"
"To the house of the people"
To the house of the people (no access)"
"Hondy hello, Hondy hello, Hondy, Hondy, Hondy, Hondy"
Absolutely massive!!!
A proper feel good track this one.
If this doesn't put a smile on your face, I'd be very surprised.
Enjoy!!!
P.S. About the picture, not quite a Hondy, but a Honda which was the nearest I could find. Lol.

Hondy - Hondy (No Access)
(Salone Margherita Mix)

http://www.mediafire.com/?e49wuiayb3ik4fb

Anyone Thirsty?

A personal fave of mine this one. Always loved the ambient side of dance with a touch of that sun drenched feel that is so definitive of Balearic beats. The sexy vocals, the uplifting piano and the down tempo - pure genius from the man called Mr. Orbit.
Actually released in 1992 although many say 1993. We tell you the facts not the hype. Sit back and enjoy while dreaming of the beach in Ibiza.

William Orbit - Water from a vine leaf (underwater mix)
http://www.mediafire.com/?fqwddhah67d9g9w

A big slice of enjoyable cheese!!

A lot of the more purist dance music followers have issues with tracks like these.
In that they may be considered a bit too cheesy and commercial.
However, as mentioned before several times on the blog, a bit of cheese is perfectly acceptable as part of a healthy dance music diet.
Ultra High produced tracks that in my mind were just on the right side of that cheese divide.
Underground enough to be great in clubs, but not too overground to be considered commercial dance fodder.
This is a very uplifting Euro-pop vibe, very hands in the air and extremely effective.
If you like New Atlantic, Hyper Go Go type tracks etc. (and we all do), then you'll love this.
Underground Euro-Pop at it's finest.

Ultra High - Stay With Me
(Original Mix)

http://www.mediafire.com/?i6k5mhr1k0gxahh

A truly seminal PCC!!!

There are PCCs, tracks that are and always will be dancefloor classics and then there are some tracks which go that bit further and inspire a whole generation of new sounds.
This was one such track.
It was massive at the time in clubs and I distinctly remember it being a huge track as Angels in Burnley in 1991/2.
It has since been remixed and re-worked several times, but IMHO this mix (the Monolith mix) was probably the best mix.
I still get a tingle even today when I hear this track.
Did anyone else used to think the breakdown was like birds tweetin?? Or was that just me??
A true PCC that influenced and inspired many tracks, that don't make them like this any more!!
Enjoy!!

Zero B - Lock Up
(Monolith Mix)

Shine on me, yes indeedy!!!

Another big piano belter with a superb vocal.
Not quite as effective as Love Come Rescue Me, (which was absolutely huge).
It is however a very splendid track and big on the dance floor back in 1992.
Lisa Hunt provides some very powerful vocals coupled with some great thumping piano chords.
Get on it!!

Lovestation featuring Lisa Hunt - Shine On Me
(Diva Mix)

Let's get this house stompin'!!!

There were  loads of remixes of this track, many were not that good and IMHO sort of diluted the effectiveneess of this track.
It was a track widely played out by a lot of DJs, but quite often they seemed to play the ineffective remixes (notably the Big Bump Mix).
The "Ramp Housin' Mix" was by far the best mix IMHO.
It builds into a huge progressive house stormer and was a massive track out in clubs (when the correct remix was played).
Like all PCCs it is a track which still sounds very effective when played today and puts a lot of this "current" electro nonsense to shame.
Proper house music IMHO - Let's get this "House Stompin'!!!"

Bump - House Stompin'
(Ramp Housin' Mix)

http://www.mediafire.com/?ne50ckaqwwfwh9b