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, 1991. 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
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.