blog – Belfast Underground

Vive La France and their wonderful filtered house music!

October 5, 2024

Vive La France and their wonderful filtered house music!

French house music crashed into our beloved music scene around the mid 90’s, and in my eyes, created a worldwide revolution, changing how we all looked at electronic music production of that time.

Daft Punk’s brilliant, game changing LP Homework landed in 1996, like a breath of fresh air for lots of us who live for exciting new music.

Now! I don’t care how many thousands of times that i’ve heard Stardust’s, Music Sounds Better With You…it was a worldwide smash…FOR A REASON!...None of us had heard this heavily compressed, filtered, sidechained style of production done at this level before…and we lapped it up.

As most of you will already know, Stardust was released on this very iconic record label, Roule (Roule Eh) and to date has sold well over 2 million copies worldwide.

This label which was founded by Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter, had a run of releases around the mid to late 90’s, just tipping into the naughties.

This is one of my personal favourite EPs from the label, and from Bangalter himself, and features this aptly named track COLOSSUS!

I believe that In all areas of the arts, we need people who freshen things up, change the dynamic and raise the bar…and in the mid 90’s those ultra cool French, certainly did….. just that.

One of the most iconic piano house records in history

July 11, 2024

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One of the most iconic piano house records in history

This is one of those records that like a bright beacon in the dark has shone beautifully over the world of dance music now for 32 Years.

Like the wise old bearded grandfather of UK progressive house music, it is never far away from any event and is always there for help and backup when a dancefloor needs a bit of extra oomph!

In 1992 Gat Decor consisted of Simon Slater, Laurence Nelson and Simon Hanson. They devised the name by making an anagram of the words from the London record shop Tag Records, a tiny little shop in Soho which I adored and spent much money in over the years.

Originally the track was released on the brilliant big house label Effective Records and went on to become what I would rank as one of THE biggest house / progressive records of all time.

This first release contained the original, instrumental version (The Naked Mix) along with Darren Emerson's remix, which i believe was his first remix (fact fans can correct me if I’m wrong on that)

It still blows me away to see crowds of people reacting to this record in the exact same way that they did 30 years ago, and the younger generation loosing their minds to it on first listen.

Forget about all the remixes and later vocal renditions, the original Naked mix is and has always been the number 1.

You will struggle to find a bigger record in dance music history. Simple.

25 years on and this tech house beauty still sounds so fresh

June 27, 2024

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25 years on and this tech house beauty still sounds so fresh

1999 and today’s record featured heavily in tons of my DJ sets as the original minimal sound of tech house was at its peak.

This track was produced by Asad Rizvi & Nathan Coles. Nathan who was a resident DJ at Fabric in London and their own Wiggle parties, sadly passed passed

away last year but will be remembered as a key figure in this fresh sound alongside Terry Francis.

This music was a DJ’s dream as it sounded really big on a club system and could be blended into a mix for ages. A perfect style for changing the mood in the room, either up a bit or bringing it back down again.

Still sounds very fresh, 25 years on.

Check out this wholesome video for a beautiful record

June 25, 2024

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Check out this wholesome video for a beautiful record

As I get older I find myself thinking about weird things, like the choices of songs that I’d like played at my funeral. Am I the only person who does that? Or are there any other similar strange, kindred spirits out there?

Anyhow, without getting too morbid, and keeping it light there are a few songs, including this, in my final funeral playlist (yes I even have a playlist) that have been there for a long time.

From I first got an early vinyl copy of this album into the shop in 1998, I knew Air's beautiful song "All I Need" would be in my life forever.

I have had the great fortune to have played it at so many bar gigs, after parties, weekend gatherings and literally thousands of private moments of reflection over the years.

This is just one of the most sublime pieces of music that I own. Beth Hirsch’s vocals alongside this beautiful Parisian style of production is just heavenly.

I believe everyone in the world should own a copy of the album that this song features on.

Below is the official video, and it's a beautiful, wholesome beauty.

Truly an iconic slab of early bleep rave history!

April 16, 2024

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Truly and iconic slab of early bleep rave history!

I love bleeps and beats. I always have and probably always will. Hearing these bleeps and beats being turned into futuristic musical compositions excites my inner nerd, a lot!

A prime example of these bleeps and beats that I speak of can be heard in today’s record of choice.

1991 and iconic British label, Warp Records was still in its infancy when this track dropped like a lightening bolt from the electronic gods in the sky.

I remember first hearing it on an Amnesia House tape from the Eclipse in Coventry and having my first feeling of being transported to somewhere strange (non drug related before you say anything)

It was like this step into a new dimension that I just couldn’t quite figure out. I’m a very deep thinker in life, and music especially can take me to a lot of far away places as i build a movie in my mind around the sounds that I’m

hearing.

With this record, I was in space and still to this day have a full blown Stanley Kubrick movie of my own creation in my mind when I listen.

For me it’s not just a series of repetitive beats and bleeps, music like this is the creation of a musical mystery tour in the mind.

Also, it obviously worked a treat in sweaty clubs and is still an iconic slab of early rave history that I truly adore.

This record changed the dynamic of deep house music

April 15, 2024

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This record changed the dynamic of deep house music

I picked up Hot Lizard's "165 Drop" on one of many record shopping trips to London, from a brilliant little (legendary) shop called Tag Records (anagram of Gat Decor, incase you didn’t already know)

I loved a lot of the deep house that was coming out at the time, but the UK producers like Charles Webster took it to an entirely different and beautiful place for me, giving this style a very subtle new edge and warm, atmospheric structures that were missing in a lot of the groove led American records. There was a such a buzz about this EP when it was released and understandably so - it's an absolute beauty, having stood the test of time with incredible style and grace.

Although deep house had obviously been around for years when this was released, it somehow felt fresh and exciting - a subtle evolution of the genre that gently nudged things in a new direction with its slightly techy vibe. This is just one of those timeless slabs of heaven for me that I have carried in my box through many’s a cold winter over the years. The Pacific label was co-owned by Justin Deighton, who also has a strong connection to Belfast via Timmy Stewart and their many collaborations.

A huge anthem for The Hacienda, Shelley’s, Circus Circus, Kelly’s

April 14, 2024

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A huge anthem for The Hacienda, Shelley's, Circus Circus, Kelly's

Paris Red’s 1991 track “Good Friend” became one of the biggest anthems in so many iconic venues throughout the 90's like Shelley's in Stoke and The Hacienda in Manchester. Our own native land also sampled it's goodness at local nights such as Circus Circus, Kelly's and The Coach in Banbridge.

Championed by Pete Tong on his BBC Radio 1 show 'The Essential Selection" and featuring in the sets of a huge cross section of DJs across the planet.

This record had every element that was required to create mass euphoria in a room full of sweaty people in bandannas. Soulful, anthemic vocal, mysterious atmospheric build up, pounding bassline drop, all climaxing in a screaming, hands in the air piano crescendo.

My mind was completely blown to pieces the first night I heard this being played.

Records like this only come around once in a lifetime!

April 13, 2024

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Records like these only come around once in a lifetime.

Today’s diamond record selection features not one, but two mixes of the same sublime track.

I got multiple use from both over the years, so I’ve included them.

The late Andrew Weatherall was one of the only people on the planet who could get away with making a track 11.30 long and still manage to keep it interesting.

Add The Guvnor’s mix alongside the original mix of this glorious ambient, Balearic breakbeat classic and you have one of the most iconic records of the electronic music scene and early days of rave.

Records like these only come around once in a lifetime.