Is this one of the finest piano house records ever created?
Today's record from my top shelf of stormers is quite possibly the finest piano house record ever written, on one of the best EPs of amazing tracks, which also so happens to be on one of my favourite original US labels, Tribal Records.
Eric Kupper is a production god in my eyes and every single track on this EP is worthy of a place in this 100.
A pure and utter masterclass in how to write instrumental tracks with a proper structure.
Remembering a huge Shine Belfast track from back in the day
Today's blast from the past was a right old Shine anthem that many on here will undoubtedly remember.
In 1999 French producer Pepe Bradock (Julien Auger) blended some strings from an old Freddie Hubbard soul track together with some other borrowed samples and subtle keyboard effects to create this simple, but stunning deep house track.
I played this track to death for a long time and we went on to sell loads of copies in the shop off the back of some heavyweight rotation in every room at Shine, by all the residents and lots of visiting guests.
It’s just the perfect example of how a well chosen rekindled sample can be the backbone for such a worldwide underground club smash.
This record holds a lot of fond memories for myself. Lovely.
Today's record from my murky cellar of wax is a timeless 1993 masterpiece of atmospheric breakbeat that (like myself and fine wine) just gets better with age.
3 San Francisco guys Scott, Gavin & Robbie gave themselves the Hardkiss surname for their productions and DJ shows, and then went on to creat the Hardkiss Music label.
Through the 90’s these guys built an incredible name for themselves globally as producers and organisers of club nights. Their productions and label releases found favour with the most diverse range of DJs, from Carl Cox to Sasha & Digweed, Adam Freeland, Paul Oakenfold, Mr C…and thousands more.
Scott sadly passed away around 10 years ago but with the power of modern technology his incredible music will live on forever.
Is this the finest Balearic House music record ever released?
First released in 1989, this stunning piece of Balearic house music will be etched into my mind for as long as I still have my faculties in working order. This seminal piece of music encapsulated a feeling of freedom and a break away from the confines of mainstream pop music, a movement of hazy bliss. The main sample for this track is taken from Manuel Göttsching's 1984 Ambient LP "E2-E4" and is the perfect example of how to take one genius piece of music and flip it into another genius piece of music to appeal to an entirely different musical demographic.
The addition of various other bird samples and atmospherics helps to encapsulate perfectly what Balearic house music was all about. This was yet another winning idea from those slick Italians, a nation who i have always spoken very highly of in the context of electronic music production and sample usage.
Derrick May also did a fine job of further remixing a couple of years after this, but for me the original mix is still the winner.
Key Tronics Ensemble - Calypso Of House - Classic Single Review
Todays record from my vault is another prime example of subtle Italian house music, very similar in style to Don Carlos / Soft House Company etc.
I bought this around 1992 as a blind purchase, without listening and was so chuffed with myself when I got home and discovered that it wasn’t one of the many dodgy Italian pop dance records that were also doing the rounds at the same time.
I never got to play it much clubwise as i was always armed with bangers, but I made loads of tapes with deeper house & Balearic stuff, purely for my own car listening, and this was always featured somewhere.
As my ears matured I became even more fond of this smoother side of Italian house production and I’m now on my 3rd or 4th copy of this.
Nothing mental, just beautifully produced, easy going house music.
This San Francisco House record cut right through the rest
I received this record initially in 1996 as a promo that came in the box from a music distributor in New York.
DJ Garth Twenty Minutes Of Disco Glory -Classic Single Review
I never got to play it much initially but adored how cool and fresh it sounded, so it was parked in my collection knowing that a record of this stature would definitely get heavily rinsed at some stage.
Fast forward a few years and the percussive house sound of America’s west coast blew up on a grand worldwide scale and every DJ and their granny were playing records from labels & artists such as Siesta, Tango, Doubledown, Halo Varga, H-Foundation, Onionz etc…
For me personally, I loved this period, BUT being surrounded daily by music on a grand scale, this San Francisco house sound very quickly got over saturated and a little tiresome as loads of labels wanted a piece of the action and it was increasingly more difficult for it to remain original.
This record was signed, re-released (without this mix) and slowly started filtering into the clubs as this scene was starting to kick off.
I played this Acid Rock Mix to death - the fact that it wasn’t mass available always added a little bit to a records appeal.
For me, It cut right through the hoards of average music and had staying power to weather the passing storm and out the other end.
It was only in 2002 that Grayhound Records included this mix.
I honestly believe that I’ve played it every single year at some stage ever since and probably will continue to until records become extinct (so forever then)
28 years later and this record is still beyond cool.
Todays record isn’t an ultra rare track or super expensive to buy, but it always surprised me how many times over the years that I was asked what it was.
This seriously beefy remix from Leftfield is one of those super DJ tools that you can gradually blend for around 3 minutes and fits alongside so many early evening set builders.
I first heard todays track in an amazing Dublin club called Sides. I think it might have been either Pat Hyland or Liam Dollard who played it that night but i just remember feeling like my stomach was going to come out of my chest with the bass and being completely hypnotised by this unique record.
There was nothing around that sounded like this, and I loved that! I was able to track down a copy the very next week and proceeded to batter it myself. It became a huge track during the early few hours of The Asylum also.
The track features vocal samples from the movie “The Harder They Come” and a very recognisable drum loop from Incredible Bongo Band. This is the perfect example of a few parts coming together to create something unique. The true power of electronic production.
The Hard Hands label was set up by Neil & Paul from Leftfield and was renowned for sourcing & signing slightly more left of centre tracks.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
