Edge #1 – Compnded – 1992

It’s right up there with being the most recognised and famous rave tune ever made and no, its not a typo. Gordon Laing Matthewman, aka DJ Edge from Hull, Yorkshire, England made this monumental track and was the founder of Edge records. You couldn’t go to any club or event in 1992 without hearing this one. Rave. Royalty.

Bizarre Inc. – Such a Feeling – 1991

This is the one, the one that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end whenever I heard it, and we heard it a lot in 1991, it hit number 13 in the UK singles charts. A thumping piano vocal track that literally got me into this whole thing, once I heard this tune it was all over, this was the music for me. ‘Playing With Knives‘ was by far the more popular track by Bizarre Inc. but it came nowhere close to this banger for me.

Joey Beltram – Energy Flash – 1990

Beltram from New York was 19 years old in 1990 when he made one of the most influential dance tracks of all time.

“I sampled just a normal bass, just a plain boring bass from my “Roland JX-3” and played it back and messed with the filters in the “Casio” (sampler). Added a little attack on the resonance, so it would sound a little different depending on how you’d press the key on the velocity. I got that “Energy Flash” bass tone thing, and it just sounded great. It’s the same thing for the bassline, the lower bassline. It’s the same sound, just played two octaves lower. So it all was just coming out of the “Casio”, that was it, I’d made my little “Energy Flash” bass. I’m surprised, that people still today are interested in the record.”

Outlander – Vamp – 1991

Outlander, Marcos Salon, was a Belgian techno and house producer & DJ who lit up UK dance floors with this monster techno 1991 banger.

Love Decade – So Real – 1991

Another rave track that was so popular it made the UK top 40, peaking at number 14 in November 1991. Beats, piano and a cracking vocal by Jerome Stokes who also ended up working with N-Trance.

SL2 – DJ’s Take Control – 1991

My favourite ever tune by DJ Slipmatt with his buddy DJ Lime as SL2, nostalgia has a lot to do with it but it was an atmospheric belter that samples ‘Let the Music Use You‘ by ‘The Nightwriters‘ with the break taken from ‘Give It Up‘ by ‘Kool & the Gang‘.

The Prodigy – Your Love – 1991

Huge piano monster from the Prodigy that lit up dancefloors in 1991 and beyond, a b-side to Charly. This was a B-SIDE!

T99 – Anasthasia – 1991

Olivier Abbeloos made this seminal banger from 1991 with a rave stab that is still sampled to this day, this tune dominated the UK rave scene in 1991.

Zero B – Lock Up – 1991

Uplifting banger that was everywhere in 1991 and beyond, plays in a hardcore or house set. I always preferred ‘Module‘ on this vinyl but I can’t deny the reach this track had.

2 Bad Mice – Bomb Scare – 1991

Formed in 1991, 2 Bad Mice are widely credited as among the first UK hardcore acts to begin heavily incorporating breakbeats into the style. Members Sean O’Keeffe, Simon Colebrooke and producer Rob Playford (owner of Moving Shadow records), 2 Bad Mice were a huge influence on the ’90s hardcore scene.

Bomb Scare was everywhere in 1992, Top Buzz and The Ratpack especially used to cane this monster of a track. Thumping drums and that unmistakable stab made this a 1992 summer anthem.

Liquid – Sweet Harmony – 1992

Shane Heneghan aka ‘Model‘ and Eamon Downes aka ‘Ame‘ copied the piano riff, synth and vocals from ‘Someday‘ by Ce Ce Rogers and got to No. 15 in the UK music charts.

Probably the most recognisable piano riff in dance music history? It’s been sampled to death, and for good reason. Every DJ in the UK was dropping this one in 1992, absolute BANGER.

Son’z Of A Loop Da Loop Era – Far Out – 1991

Daniel Whiddett aka ‘Danny Breaks’ aka ‘Sonz of a Loop da Loop Era’ made this piano anthem in 1991. This tune has been used on TV adverts well into the 2000’s and is a legendary track within the rave scene. Danny was way ahead of his time, his samples and engineering on this tune sound as crisp as a tune made years later.

The Prodigy – Out of Space – 1992

The most important band to evolve from the UK rave scene are without a doubt, The Prodigy. Released in November 1992, Out of Space is probably their most famous track and reached number 5 in the UK charts, sampling the 1976 track by Max Romeo & the Upsetters; ‘I Chase the Devil‘‘. Never mind underground raves and illegal warehouse parties, even your Dad remembers this one! – RIP Keef.

Baby D – Let me be Your Fantasy – 1992

Originally released in 1992 by Production House and cained at every rave in the country, ‘Let me be Your Fantasy‘ written by Floyd Dyce with vocals from Dorothy Fearon was re-released in November 1994 by London Records‘ subsidiary Systematic and subsequently became the UK No. 1. Underground rave records making the UK number 1 was crazy. A fantastic atmospheric piano led vocal track that was recognised even outside the rave scene.

Altern 8 – Activ 8 – 1991

Altern 8, Mark Archer and Chris Peat, crafted this banger from 1991 which got to number 3 in the UK singles chart. The legendary “Top One Nice One Get Sorted” vocal voiced by the label (Network) owner’s three year old daughter, and the “Let’s get mental in the house!” vocal is sampled from MC Man Parris during Derrick May‘s set at Amnesia House in Coventry 1990. Mark is a friend of mine and told me he got signed to Network records talking to the owner one night in a wine bar I used to frequent that was two minutes walk from my house. Mad.

The Family Foundation – Express Yourself – 1992

From Manchester, UK, The Family Foundation dropped this monster in 1992, female vocal with a reggae influence and thumping drums, this was everywhere in 1992.

A Homeboy a Hippie and a Funki Dredd – Total Confusion – 1990

Early days of rave music that set the scene up coming out of the acid house days, this banger from 1990 dropped big drums for its time and let us know what was coming. An important track in the history of rave music that sampled Public Enemy and Iggy Pop to name but a few.

SL2 – On a Ragga Tip – 1992

The legendary DJ Slipmatt and his buddy DJ Lime (SL2) released this banger in 1992 that made number 2 in the UK singles charts, the ridiculously catchy hook meant even your Grandad had heard this one. Sampling Jah Screechy’s ‘Walk and Skank‘ and Kid ‘n Play‘s ‘Gittin’ Funky‘ this one was everywhere in 1992.

Ratpack – Searchin’ for my Rizla – 1992

Huge rave tune about Evenson’s favourite hobby! This was everywhere in ’92, the daft lyrics were to the tune of ‘Suzanne Vega – Tom’s Diner‘ but with great beats and an infectious piano it was a massive track from the summer of 1992.

New Atlantic – Yes to Satan (Promo Mix) – 1991

Only released as a dub plate, this version of an already stunning track was made famous by Top Buzz dropping it as their first track at Fantazia New Years Eve 1992. A haunting intro, vocal sample from Darth Vader himself and massive firing drums made this one of the big tunes of the time. In my all time top 10 this one.

Desired State – Dance the Dream – 1991

Massive piano anthem, again made famous by Top Buzz dropping it as their first tune at Raindance, Big Bad Head, New Years Eve.

Frequency – Kiss the Sky – 1991

One of those mystical tracks from 1991 that sampled ‘Jimmi Hendrix – Purple Haze‘, with the vocal “scuse me while I kiss the sky” that was removed for copyright violation with the UK release. Yet again the legendary Top Buzz immortalised this track, playing it as the last one at their Fantazia New Years Eve ’91-’92 set.

Bizarre Inc. – Playing with Knives – 1991

Massive piano track from 1991 that sampled the vocal from ‘Circuit – Shelter Me (Acapella)‘, everybody was playing this seminal rave track at the time.

N-Joi – Anthem – 1991

Incredible vocal piano track out of Manchester that defined the early rave/house scene and another dance track to make it to the UK top 40, getting to number 8 in 1991 and was also hugely popular in America.

Rhythm for Reasons – The Grand National (Tango Remix) – 1992

Huge ’92 track by the late and great DJ Tango, the ‘Bad Boy Come Again‘ vocal was sampled from UK hip hop outfit ‘Hijack‘ and their tune ‘The Badman is Robbin‘. Big track and great fun to mix with that scratch intro.

The Awesome 3 – Don’t Go – 1992

Huge piano banger from 1992 that was being rinsed around the country at the time, the drum pattern being ‘borrowed’ from ‘The Stone Roses – Fools Gold‘. Massive rave track.

Praga Khan – Injected with a Poison – 1991

Firing piano vocal track from 1991 that was played everywhere at the time, made in Belgium and massive in the UK this one was on the radio as well as warehouse parties.

Jimmy J & Cru-L-T – Take Me Away – 1994
“Take me away, The place I long to be. Give me the hand, The hand of destiny“

From 1994, so not a defining rave tune but my word this one DESTROYED dance floors, a euphoric uplifting piano vocal track that sampled the utterly fantastic ‘Mix Factory – Take Me Away’.

SMD 1 – Side A – 1993

SMD (Slipmatt Dubs) were a light in the darkness starting in 1993, as the scene was splitting into a happy and dark divide, Slipmatt dropped this absolute banger, sampling Jimi Polo’s – ‘Better Days‘, to remind us of what had come before in 1992.

Fat Controller – In Complete Darkness – 1993
In my top 5 ever. Samples used for this banger:

• Rollo Goes Camping – Get off Your High Horse (Big, Bold Brassy Mix)
• Janet Jackson – Interlude: Livin’… In Complete Darkness
• Severed Head – Greater Reward (Dub)
• Eddie Bo – Lover and a Friend” (Drums)

‘Rollo Armstrong‘ is the older brother of ‘Dido‘ who worked with ‘Eminem‘ on ‘Stan‘. There it is, the rave music link to Eminem, that wasn’t on your bingo card was it?

The Prodigy – No Good (Start the Dance) – 1994

My favourite EVER Prodigy track. The main vocal sampled from ‘Kelly Charles – You’re No Good For Me‘ from 1987 and the bassline from ‘Funky Nassau- Beginning of the End” from 1971. The synths on this track are spine tingling. RIP Keef.