1990 was still a transitional year for UK breakbeat music, but on another scale than 1989. The direct connection to acid house started to fade, yet the prototypes of the previous year were developed further. The breakbeats became more varied and complex, there were more bleeps and bass and more pianos, more rave, more techno, gradually more tempo but also generally more diversity. And as you can see with the number of mixes I recorded for this year, there were far more releases as well. And they sounded more refined, as the nights they were played at got bigger and the sounds followed suit.
00:00:00 1 The Source Featuring Candi Staton – You Got The Love (Erens Bootleg Mix) 00:07:37 2 Mr. Fingers – Mr. Fingers – What About This Love (Even Deeper Mix) 00:13:18 3 The Stone Roses – Fools Gold (A Guy Called Gerald remix) 00:20:02 4 4 Hero – Move Wid The House Groove 00:25:00 5 The Sindecut – Demanding Cycle – Of A Word Bound Hammerhead 00:29:57 6 M.N.D.J – Stop The World (Instrumental) 00:33:11 7 Moody Boys – Jammin (Ital Mix) 00:37:40 8 A Certain Ratio – Won’t Stop Loving You (Sumner Mix) 00:41:56 9 Rebel MC – Comin’ On Strong (Ruff Neck Mix) 00:48:31 10 The James Taylor Quartet – Killing Time 00:53:05 11 Fresh Four – Compared To What (Dub) (feat. Lizz.E) 00:57:15 12 Nomad featuring MC Mikee Freed – (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Instrumental) 01:03:11 13 Mr. Fingers vs. Rockers Revenge – Feel The Sunshine 01:08:15 14 A – L.A. Star – Wondrous Dream (Mix 1) 01:13:50 15 Psychotropic – Only For The Headstrong 01:21:00 16 Baby Ford – Change (Quick St. Break Mix) 01:25:56 17 Baby Ford – Change (Konrad Cadet Mix 1) 01:30:45 18 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Future Dub) 01:35:44 19 Jesus Loves You – Generations Of Love (Land Of OZ 12″ Mix) 01:41:54 20 Renegade Soundwave – Women Respond to Bass 01:45:14 21 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Venusian dub) 01:51:42 22 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Solar Equinox mix) 01:55:10 23 A.R. Kane – A Love from Outer Space (Lunar Eclipse mix) 02:00:47 24 The Sindecut – To The Heart 02:04:59 25 The Sindecut – Having 02:08:31 26 Psychotropic – Hypnosis 02:16:24 27 Logic Control MCs – High Pursuit 02:19:35 28 Mental Cube – Chile Of The Bass Generation 02:23:14 29 808 State – In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight) 02:27:57 30 A Certain Ratio – Spirit Dance 02:32:04 31 Orbital – Omen (The Tower) 02:34:32 32 Shades Of Rhythm – Exorcist 02:39:07 33 Newington Heights – Reach 02:44:11 34 Hardcore – Get A Little Stupid (Backroom Mix) 02:50:39 35 The Moody Boys – Funky Zulu (You’re So Fresh) (Chapter 1) 02:55:14 36 Mc Wildski – Warrior (The Art Of Fighting Without Fighting Mix) 02:59:04 37 Renegade Soundwave – Thunder II 03:03:42 38 Jolly Roger – Music Is The Weapon Of The Future (Dub) 03:09:02 39 MC Buzz B – Never Change 03:12:22 40 Mental Cube – Q 03:16:30 41 A Man Called Adam – Barefoot In The Head
00:00:00 1 Orbital – Chime (JZJ Oh Ya Mix) 00:06:18 2 Plutonic – Amen 00:11:17 3 Unique 3 – Phase 3 00:15:23 4 Excel D – The Blur 00:18:52 5 Westworld – The Slam 00:24:04 6 Hypnotone – SBX 00:28:20 7 A1 – I Like Techno 00:31:25 8 Unknown Artist – Untitled 00:34:46 9 DJ Mad A & Dr. Stevie The Ambient Guru – Levitating Pharaohs (Full Frontal Spacehead Ambient mix) 00:38:38 10 Baby Ford – Let’s Talk It Over (12″ Full Version) 00:43:35 11 No Smoke – Oh Yes (Freedom) 00:48:11 12 Language – Renegade (The Energy mix) 00:52:34 13 Language – Renegade (The Cryptic mix) 00:57:01 14 Bang the Party – Rubbadubb 01:00:18 15 Turntable Overload – T T O 01:05:01 16 Unique 3 – Pattern 12 01:09:36 17 Orbital – Omen (12″ Version) 01:15:52 18 Logarhythm – Jungle (Nightmares On Wax Mix) 01:19:39 19 The Black Dog – Apt 01:23:38 20 Synchro – Synchro-Bass – Mystic Voyage 01:29:29 21 Pet Shop Boys – Being Boring (Extended Version) 01:38:50 22 Adé – Free The Soul 01:42:11 23 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Ruff Rhythm Mix) 01:45:59 24 2 In A Rhythm – Magic Machine (Time For Action Rap) 01:49:41 25 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Work Da Rhythm Mix) 01:53:24 26 2 In A Rhythm – Bionic Boogie (Ride The Groove Mix) 01:57:28 27 Holy Ghost Inc – Hi-Speed (Pirate DJ Club Mix) 02:01:29 28 Freshtrax & Ace II With Pressure Zone – Destruction (War Zone Mix) 02:06:32 29 Andromeda – Control (Control of the dance floor) 02:11:01 30 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come (Instrumental) 02:14:51 31 Shut Up And Dance – A Change Soon Come 02:19:10 32 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Original Mix) 02:25:04 33 Sudden Impact – Game Of Love (Remix) 02:30:41 34 Adamski – Adamski – Killer (Remix) 02:36:56 35 Sike – Intrigue
00:00:00 1 Baby Ford – The World Is In Love (Dub) 00:05:00 2 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Dub 1) 00:09:20 3 Midi Rain – The Crack Train (Vocal) 00:13:48 4 Circuit – Shelter Me (Helter Skelter Mix) 00:19:33 5 T.A.S. (The Altered State) – Make Some Noise (Def Mix) 00:22:45 6 HardNoise – Untitled (Instrumental) 00:24:56 7 HardNoise – Untitled (Vocal) 00:28:15 8 4 Hero – Rising Son (Inst.) 00:33:28 9 4 Hero – Rising Son 00:38:28 10 Genaside II – The Motiv (Who Da F@??$! You Calling Fat? Mix) 00:42:33 11 The Dynamic Guv’nors – These Guys Are Doper Than Dope 00:48:15 12 MC Duke – MC Duke – I’m Riffin’ (1990 Remix) 00:51:29 13 The V.F.T – Fenland Bass 00:56:31 14 Exocet – Shogun Assassin 01:01:58 15 Synchro-Bass – Dark Star 01:07:32 16 Unique 3 – Weight For The Bass 01:12:04 17 Marine Boy – Laura Laura 01:17:23 18 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Sunshine Dub Instrumental) 01:23:56 19 DJ Mink – Hey! Hey! Can U Relate (Deep Space Mix) 01:28:41 20 Infamix – A Walk In The Park 01:33:41 21 Satin Storm – Satin Storm 01:38:17 22 Butcher Sam – Piano Passions 01:43:23 23 Bogus Order – Zen Bones 01:47:21 24 FXU – FXU – The Dark Side 01:51:24 25 C + M Connection – Bio Rhythms 01:57:11 26 Westworld – Dreamworld 02:03:28 27 Altern 8 – Reel Time Status 02:07:24 28 Demonik – Labyrinthe 02:12:52 29 Doggy – Dog Food 02:17:31 30 G.F.X. – Eternal (Mix 2) 02:19:37 31 Amber – X-Logic 02:26:18 32 Greed – Give Me (Bleep Mix) 02:31:52 33 KCC – Def 02:34:22 34 Confidential – Jam The Frequency 02:40:45 35 A Guy Called Gerald – Untitled
What was your first encounter with „The Call Is Strong“?
Alongside Daddy Gee, Carlton was featured on “Any Love”, the very first Massive Attack single which was a cover of one of my favourite songs from Rufus & Chaka Khan. I was a huge Chaka Khan fan by the way, I went to quite a few concerts. The very first time I saw her, I even waited for her at the backstage entrance because I wanted to have an autograph. Want some trivia? In the 90s, she had been living in my hometown Mannheim for a few years. Back to Carlton, I was really impressed by his crystal clear falsetto. I think “Any Love” came out roughly about the same time as the first Smith & Mighty singles, so this was the starting point of the Bristol sound. I first heard about the Bristol sound when I read about it in i-D magazine or The Face. So I already knew about Carlton when his first album dropped. I bought it at the local WOM store where I used to work back then.
1990 was a very exciting year for club music. Why did you choose this album over others? Why was and is it so important for you?
After you approached me for “Rewind”, I thought that I would have a hard time choosing “that” record. But then I stumbled across a 12” of his song “Cool With Nature” which contains killer remixes by Bobby Konders. So I remembered how much this album meant to me. When I listened to it for the first time, it blew me away. Smith & Mighty did a fantastic production job. At that time, it was very state of the art incorporating elements of Dub, contemporary US R&B, classic Soul, Reggae, electronic sounds as I knew them from House music and even some Swingbeat bits. I fell in love with the ethereal and often spliffed out vibe of the album and Carlton’s songwriting.
How do you rate Carlton as a singer? Why do you think they chose him, and could the album have been as good with another singer?
Carlton’s voice struck me instantly. I think he is a truly underrated singer and it’s a pity that the album wasn’t successful. His voice is really unique, that must be why Smith & Mighty chose him. It was his album, not a Smith & Mighty project in the first place. When you listen to him you can clearly tell that he’s coming from a Reggae background. On “The Call Is Strong” he sounds like a Reggae vocalist singing some kind of otherworldly UK version of R&B.
The album is taking quite some detours. For example „Love And Pain“ could have been a 2 Tone ballad from years earlier, while „Do You Dream“ is right on par with breakbeat pioneers like Shut Up And Dance or 4 Hero. How does „The Call Is Strong“ work as an album? How pioneering was what Smith & Mighty did?
It was very pioneering! The sparse beats, their very English way of bringing together the Jamaican sound system culture and US Hip Hop without sounding like eager copycats. And of course, as they grew up in England, they must have been in touch with 2 Tone stuff as well when they were teenagers. You’re right, you can also trace down elements that became integral with the Breakbeat scene which was already emerging at a very early stage.
I first became aware of Smith & Mighty when they appeared with their Bacharach reworks „Walk On“ and „Anyone“ two years earlier, to which „The Call Is Strong“ sounds like a continuation. I thought they sounded like nobody else at that time. Suddenly Bristol was on the map, making a difference. But could anyone predict how big that difference would be?
You could clearly hear that Smith & Mighty and Massive Attack were making a difference when their first 12”s came out. It all sounded so new and fresh. But I really had no idea how big this Bristol thing would become. Also I had no idea how misinterpreted the whole thing would get when the term Trip Hop emerged.
There were groups emerging in the late 80s that were deeply rooted in sound system culture, but why were Massive Attack and the London equivalent Soul II Soul so much more successful than Smith & Mighty? Were they less traditional and closer to pop music’s proceedings? And why do you think didn’t Carlton manage to establish himself as an ongoing fixture?
Massive Attack and Soul II Soul had the big hit singles. But not by accident, both had good labels with a staff that knew how to work their releases. Smith & Mighty signed a major deal as well – with FFRR, at that time a subsidiary of London Records/PolyGram. The first big project was Carlton’s album, which didn’t prove to be as successful as expected. Then Smith & Mighty were kind of locked in this deal. Under their own name, they only released a four track EP on FFRR. I would say they missed the right moment due to this deal. It took them years to get out of it.Read the rest of this entry »
Joanna Law – Love Is Not Enough (Mix D’Ambience) Dusty Springfield – Nothing Has Been Proved (Dance Mix) Dusty Springfield – Nothing Has Been Proved (Instrumental Version) 82 Carlene Davis – Dial My Number (Morales Club Mix) Nikki – Summer Breeze (Club Mix) Adeva – Beautiful Love (Instru-Mental) Adeva – Beautiful Love (Classic Club Mix) Carlton – Love And Pain (Drum & Bass Mix) Luther Vandross – The Rush (Morales 12″ Mix) The Cover Girls – Wishing On A Star (12“ Mix) The Chimes – Stronger Together (Red Zone Mix) Pet Shop Boys – How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? (Mo Mo Remix) The Pasadenas – Reeling (Daytime Dance Mix) Soul Family Sensation – I Don’t Even Know If I Should Call You Marshall Jefferson (Piano) Soul Family Sensation – I Don’t Even Know If I Should Call You Marshall Jefferson (Symphony) Azizi – Don’t Say That It’s Over (The Classic Club Version) Banderas – This Is Your Life (Less Stress Mix) Mica Paris – Contribution (Peace Out Mix) Drizabone – Brightest Star (David Morales Classic Club Mix) Victoria Wilson-James – Through (Classic Club Mix) The Family Stand – Ghetto Heaven (Remix) Saint Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart (Kenlou B-Boy Mix) Loose Ends – Hangin’ On A String (Frankie Knuckles Club Mix) The Sounds Of Blackness – Optimistic (12″ Never Say Die Mix) Swing Out Sister – Notgonnachange (Classic Club Mix) Alexander O’Neal – All True Man (Classic Club Mix) Richard Rogers – Can’t Stop Loving You (Morales Sleaze Mix) Frankie Knuckles – It’s Hard Sometime (D.M Red Zone) Frankie Knuckles – It’s Hard Sometime (F.K. Classic Club Mix) Rufus & Chaka Khan – Ain’t Nobody (Hallucinogenic Version)
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