Released in 1991 on Fokus Recordings this brings together two of the early 90’s heavyweight remixers, Joey Beltram and Frankie Bones with 2 quite short mixes each. For the collectors and completists really. Both main mixes keep the full vocals in with Beltram using a particularly large sub bass and Bones applying some break beats , nice to hear the different interpretations.
Still probably kicking themselves that they could not repeat the success of the first few singles this is an interesting little Promo with regards the guest remixers, trying to cover all the bases with the variety of styles. If you thought it was bizarre that Black Box remixed ABC, M People remixed the Inspiral Carpets and now we find D-Ream (Yup,Prof Brian Cox’s old band) dabbling with the Epsom Mad Funkers. Their remix is a dramatic,everything-but-the-kitchen-sink slice of spacey progressive house dominated by an orchestra riff. Simon Monday again uses the orchestra riff and adds a little toasting from Rad Rice, turning into a Tribal House track, very Leftfield. Orbital provide the “13 ½ % Extra Mix” adding a piano riff and using the guitar to create their own typically hypnotic brand of techno. Butch Vig (Garbage) is the mix most like the single and as you would expect plenty of heaviness.
A bit of a double A -side with quite different mixes of Republica’s 2 killer hits. Smash (Canadian DJ Vincent Degiorgio) synths up “Ready To Go” with a bubbling bassline, sequencers and the original guitar licks and vocals. The Extended Club Mix is nearer to the original. Riprock (Brad Daymond) turns “Drop Dead Gorgeous” into a frantic tech-house. Cutting up Saffron’s vocals on the dub and adding heavy 4 to the floor beats and hard sequencers over swirling guitar and vocals on the main mix. It literally does take off into an acid meltdown!
Backwards to 1990 with an early single by Irish band, (from Dublin) An Emotional Fish. They were made up of Gerard Whelan (lead vocals, percussion), Martin Murphy (drums, percussion), David Frew, (guitars, vocals) and Enda Wyatt (bass, vocals, keyboards)
Originally signed to U2’s Mother Records they had a minor hit in Ireland with this single but was it not released in the UK. Tim Palmer produced it with François Kevorkian doing the mixes, so we get some chugger chugger, Edge-style guitar mixed with synths and beats.
Obscure band of the month now with this twelve from Edinburgh’s The Lost Soul Band.
Released in 1992 on the seminal Silvertone Records label, they should have had greater success with their folk tinged indie rock but like a load of bands at the time found themselves at the wrong time for the public’s musical tastes being for Grunge. Trying to side with The Lemonheads and The Wonderstuff and led by the enigmatic Calum Malcolm the sounds is influenced by Dylan and Van Morrison. A long lost Indie anthem with a quality B-side in the acoustic and thought provoking “God” and a live instrumental Wig Out in “Fungus Mungus”
One I have and ripped many moons ago but kindly getting resurfaced by Mike B. From 1997 and with some great remixes especially the progress trance of John ’00’ Fleming that works in a kind of day-glo, hands-in-air stylee (if a bit of a speeded up!) Lisa Marie Experience is more housed up with a driving “real” bassline, great stuff and surprisingly not sounding too dated.
My favourite is the weird, dubby trip-hop of the Italian producer, Gaudi . Even with a cheesy Casio rhythm playing in the background. I’d forgotten how long the album version was and how inventive Mansun were, embracing the technology and mixing up the styles.
This is more Boy George the DJ rather than the 80’s singer. A House cover of the Iggy Pop/ David Bowie track remixed by Ramp (Shem McCauley & Simon Rogers – who went on to become Slacker) this appeared on the “CHEAPNeSS AND BEAUTY” album but this is much more dance floor orientated in an early trance style for 1995.
