245. Rhythm On The Loose – Break Of Dawn
Posted: September 2, 2013 Filed under: 90s, electronica, rave | Tags: 1995, a song a day, bootleg, break of dawn, dance, electronica, first choice, put no man asunder, rave, rhythm on the loose Leave a comment
One of the original breakbeat rave classics from 1995 with a vocal (originally sampled from First Choice’s “Let No Man Put Asunder”) that has travelled far and wide, appearing on bootlegs for nigh on 20 years.
The artwork of rave champions
243. Chase & Status feat Moko – Count On Me
Posted: August 31, 2013 Filed under: #hotfor2013, breakbeat, rave | Tags: a song a day, album, brand new machine, breakbeat, chase & status, count on me, moko, old skool, rave, singer, stabs, vocal Leave a comment
Hot bassline pressure from Chase & Status from their forthcoming album “Brand New Machine”. I wasn’t mad on the last single but this one has a lot more momentum for me, a strong slab of old skool with breakbeats and vocal stabs to boot. New talent Moko laces a soulful vocal over the top and all in, this feels like a powerful next step for the duo.
Don’t polka fun at me
194. Emeli Sande – Heaven
Posted: July 13, 2013 Filed under: breakbeat, pop | Tags: a song a day, dance, emeli Sande, heaven, Jess mills, jessie ware, katy b, Olympics, our version of events, pop, rave Leave a comment
For a short moment in time, I got extremely excited by the prospect of Emeli Sande. Not in that way, you cheeky devils, but “Heaven” threatened to be the start of something really special – combining dance, passion and emotion in a way that none of her peers have quite managed to do successfully (Jessie Ware, Jess Mills, Kay B etc.)
Borrowing heavily from Massive Attack’s recipe book, nonetheless “Heaven” felt fresh and exciting and it should be celebrated for just that. No one can doubt or denigrate Sande’s career as she’s gone onto worldwide success but she will always have this incredible work in her locker.
182. Ratpack – Dance With The Ratpack
Posted: July 1, 2013 Filed under: 90s, glastonbury 2013, rave | Tags: 90s, a song a day, ain't no sunshine, breaks, dance, dance with the ratpack, organ, piano, ratpack, rave, searching for my rizla Leave a comment
Dance legends Ratpack (aka DJ Lipmaster Mark and MC Evenson Allen) have seen it all, since their beginning in the 80s to still playing raves today. Characterised by glistening pianos bouncing through the octaves, they set the trend that has lived strong in UK music and can be traced into everything from UK Garage to dubstep to house to any genre you care to mention.
“Dance With The Ratpack” is an uplifting piano organ bouncer, a classic midset breather and a true hands in the air moment.
Fetch pest control, we got a couple of big ones here
144. Alison Limerick – Where Love Lives
Posted: May 24, 2013 Filed under: 90s, house, Uncategorized | Tags: 7 inch original mix, a song a day, acid house, alison limerick, chunky, frankie knuckles, happy mondays, piano, pills, rave, stone roses, warehouse raves, where love lives Leave a comment
This is post-rave house at it’s very best. In an era when the Happy Mondays and Stone Roses reigned the pop charts, the underground thrived with chunky, piano driven vocal house – this was the era of pills, love, and illegal raves off the M25. Nostalgia seems to come round in infinite circles at the moment but I’d say this is a classic that never went away.
Love don’t live here anymore
29. Ray Keith – Chopper
Posted: January 29, 2013 Filed under: d&b gems, jungle | Tags: andy c, chopper, dj hype, dnb, drum, ecstacy, heartless crew, jungle, kenny ken, ram, rave, ray keith, shabba, shy fx, skibadee Leave a comment
The UK has arguably the finest tradition in dance music (note, NOT EDM) in the world, Jungle & Drum ‘n’ Bass being two of the many quirky and unique genres that emerged from a vibrant UK rave scene. Chopper reigned as one of the top anthems at the time, summing up the classic Jungle/D&B sound – driving bassline melodies, choppy beats, unrelenting pace. Or as one of the top YouTube commenters has put:
“Tinrib1983 2 years ago
ahh the memories… Stomping to this in 1999 off my tits on E’s. Best time of my life!”
19. The Streets – Weak Become Heroes
Posted: January 19, 2013 Filed under: late night house | Tags: a grand don't come for free, a song a day, a song a day 2013, ecstacy, house, ibiza, late night house, mdma, mike skinner, molly, pills, rave, street, streets, weak become heroes Leave a comment
Mike Skinner at his introspective, poetic best, this anthem to the temple of pills and house music highlighted the Birmingham pseudo rapper’s talent as a songwriter able to connect with his audience. The demise of The Streets always felt inevitable as they were so “of the time” but many people will look back with fierce nostalgia at the catalogue of 5 albums Skinner and co. produced. Weak Become Heroes stands out to me as one of his best.
A Song A Day 2013 