Song Of Life - Leftfield
Played by house, rave, progressive and hardcore DJs alike, this massive club classic ticks all the boxes. From 1992 it is maybe Leftfield's best known tune and it can probably be said that this tune helped define an era.
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Tune Notes
Sleeves, breaks, house, hip hop, rave and jungle picks from the Stone Cold crates.
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127 records
Hi Tec Muuusic - DD Hass & X-10-CIV
This is just a good, old bonehead hardcore tune! It may not have stood the test of time but who cares? Flashbacks of dingy dens of iniquity with sweaty, gurning hordes of ravers... And the other side is even badder!
Love Me Tonight - Anthony White
This classic club tune from 1994 was remixed a few times but Fathers Of Sound's 'f.o.s xtended club mix' remains the best, in my opinion. It's a real shame that The Shapeshifters butchered it with their 'Lola's Theme' - unforgivable. They should hang their heads in shame. This is still a wicked tune, a classic Ministry Of Sound rocker, and will remain so, despite biting & butchery.
Scratchin' - Magic Disco Machine
Awesome funky break from 1975 featured on Paul Winley's 'Super Disco Brakes' as well as the 'Ultimate Breaks & Beats' series. Sampled and scratched everywhere including the 'Rock The House' bootleg mashup on TD Records, it also appears on DJ Shadow's brilliant 'Lesson 4' amongst others.
Spice - Eon
Another classic tune from the year of bleeps - 1990. From the Depth Charge/J Saul Kane stable on the legendary Vinyl Solution, 'Spice' features samples from the film 'Dune' along with brilliant breaks & bleeps. UK techno/house/rave at its glorious best.
London Beats Vol.2
I bought this one in around 1989 and later found out it was made by Soul II Soul's Jazzie B. It has the same label on both sides and this one is the funky breaks side. Starting with the brilliant 'The Party Scene' break it contains a few funky breaks from records I don't recognise. With a strange vocoder-ish voice that ranges from funny to annoying all the way through it, it is sure funky as hell!
Gimme A Smile - Lost Tribe
Another great tune on Stress Records, from 1993. The title, lyrics, piano, guitar & everything else about it make it as happy a tune as you're likely to hear. Almost guaranteed to put you in a good mood!
Just As Long As I Got You - Looney Tunes
More beats from Frankie Bones, this time with Lenny Dee. From 1989 on XL Recordings this version is the 'Warehouse Rave Remix'. Another tune that reminds me of pirate radio, sweaty clubs & good times.
Right Before My Eyes - Patti Day
Excellent vocal house tune from 1989, played, ripped-off & sampled extensively ever since. Though Patti Day made a few other tunes, this is the one that people remember first. There are a few good versions, this one being the 'House Vocal'.
At My House - Frankie Bones | Bonesbreaks Volume 2
"Raw beats for DJs" "All tracks written, produced & edited by Frankie Bones" This is "At My House" from Bonesbreaks Volume 2 by the legendary Frankie Bones. A brilliant 8 track EP featuring Frankie Bones's own style of breaks, samples & beats. "At My House" features many well known samples such as 'Apache' and 'It's Great To Be Here' and is a surefire hit for all hip hop & breaks fans alike.
Rock The House - TD Records
Another breaks 12" from TD Records, "Rock The House" samples Magic Disco Machine's "Scratchin'" I believe. The 'Rock The House' vocals are from The B-Boys and the intro is the wicked Clyde Stubblefield's (Funky Drummer) intro from James Brown's live 'Give It Up Or Turn It Loose'. Enjoy!
Ephemerol - Tic Tac Toe
A classic rave tune from 1992, most people know this tune simply as 'Tic Tac Toe' as that is all that's printed on the label. A massive tune at the time which still sounds fresh today; the b-line is awesome and the breakdown halfway through is just sublime. All you old school ravers out there - this one will take you back!
Plastic Dreams - Jaydee
Another pearl on R& S from Belgium. 'Plastic Dreams' seemed to get played on every radio station and in every club, such was its appeal. A more laid back vibe and a good contrast to the crazy jungle & hardcore that dominated in 1992.
Sirens Of Acre Lane - Genaside II
The other side to 'Narra Mine' and it's a classic too! As the name suggests, full of sirens, presumably echoing those frequently heard on 'Acre Lane' in Brixton, South London, it also features Killer Man Archer toasting throughout.
You're Gonna Miss Me - Turntable Orchestra
Mellow house from 1988 on Republic Records. Smooth and laid back, evoking memories of hazy days and long nights all those years ago.
Let Me Hear You Say Yeah - PKA
A great summer tune from 1990. Not the most famous tune from that era but one that still sounds good 20 years later. It even features a quick sample from Rakim, the microphone fiend!
Rock The Bells (original) - LL Cool J
Not the brilliant 'LL Cool J is hard as hell' version, this is the better b-side. Proper rap music. Beats 'n' rhymes. This is what rap music should be about - a lyrical masterclass, a tough beat and a throbbing bassline - nothing else! This is 7 minutes of LL showing us why he was the rap prodigy. 17 years old throwing down lyrics about Shakespeare characters among other things - genius! A little taste - "L. L. Cool J is your undertaker Def hit-maker plus a bone-breaker Treble terminator, bass mutilator You can drop y...
Beats + Pieces - Coldcut
From 1987, one of Coldcut's first and possibly their best mash up 12"s. Featuring a variety of funky breaks I remember buying this 12" at Spin Offs in Hammersmith. Richie Rich used to work there and I remember wearing a Spin Offs hoodie for years until it fell apart. Enjoy this one, it's a classic!
The Gonzo - Lost
On Paul Oakenfold's Perfecto label from 1990 this is one of my favourite tunes ever. Played at every rave at the time I particularly recall hearing it at Fabio & Grooverider's immense Rage @ Heaven. Much like Beltram's 'Energy Flash', just hearing the first few seconds of the intro is enough to send an old school raver into delirium, knowing there's a huge treat coming right up! My copy is totally knackered (the cover and first beat from excessive cueing anyway) as it never left my box for years. It got played at a...
Action - The Treacherous Three
The Treacherous Three's best track in my opinion. From 1983 on Sugarhill Records featuring the 3 - Special K, Kool Moe Dee and LA Sunshine with DJ Easy Lee on the 1s & 2s. Lots of cool rhymes & funky disco beats, no school like the old school!
Cascades - Sheer Taft featuring Ingrid Kudos
On a different tip, this cool tune from 1990 was a favourite in many a chill out lounge. Its awesome atmospheric drums (same as 'Derek Went Mad'?) & vocals make this a house classic. Unbelievably 20 years old it ain't ever gonna age.
Techno City - Cybotron
House/Techno Godfather Juan Atkins made this seminal tune in 1984, but it still sounds amazing today. 25 years old, a quarter of a century, this is where it all began (house, techno). Sit back & enjoy!
When I Was A Yout - Noise Overload
Underground jungle vibes from 1992 with funky drummer breaks, hard synths & a ragga MC doing his thing. Not the most well known of tunes but one of my personal favourites from the era.
28 Gun Bad Boy - A Guy Called Gerald
A massive jungle tune from 1991 and arguably A Guy Called Gerald's best tune. "28 Gun Bad Boy" reminds me particularly of pirate radio stations as it was played practically non-stop for months after its release, then it was re-released a year or so later by popular demand. The 12" is awesome with the other 3 tracks kicking ass too!
Dreams - Quench
Originally released in 1993 this stomper has appeared on many a compilation album, for good reason. This version is the extended mix which is probably the best known. Difficult to classify, it's a sort of hard house, trance, rave, club classic stomper - a chooon!
Poetry - Boogie Down Productions
Off the Criminal Minded album from 1987 this tune samples James Brown's 'Don't Tell It' and is, in my opinion, BDP's finest hour. A simple beats & rhymes tune with KRS 1, the teacher, giving us all a lesson in rap & street knowledge.
You Got The Love - the Source ft Candi Staton
This tune never seems to go out of style. Many have remixed or covered, including some that shouldn't, but the original 'Eren's Bootleg mix' remains the one and only version to this day. Candi Staton's vocals perfectly complement Frankie Knuckles' 'Your Love' backing track to make a beautiful piece of music. House music at its best - soulful, cool & timeless.
Free-er Than Free | The Octagon Man
From 1989 this little-known tune is an absolute gem. From the Vinyl Solution stable made by J. Saul Kane (Depth Charge etc.) this tune is a true underground classic, and way ahead of its time. Both sides are awesome; the other side (not the one featured here) breaks down halfway through into a moody piano concerto, unlike anything else I've heard. 20 years old, it could have been made yesterday and, as such, is timeless.
Dance To The Drummer's Beat - Herman Kelly & Life
Unfortunately I don't own the original vinyl to this classic breakbeat. Nevertheless it has been re-released and appears on a few compilations doing the rounds. Sampled to death and scratched to oblivion I particularly recall Jazzy Jeff doing his thang with 2 copies, and blowing me away. An all-time great breakbeat and the actual tune itself stands up in its own right too.
Justa Lil Dope - Masters At Work
Quite possibly the most bad-ass tune I've ever heard. Released in 1991, it was embraced by both hardcore DJs, who played it at 45rpm, and breaks DJs such as Coldcut who featured it on their seminal 'Journeys By DJ', at 33rpm. To this day there is still contention as to which speed it should be though the label, of course, says 33rpm. Back in its heyday, the era of old school jungle, this tune was only played at the peak of the night, for good reason. From the moment the track begins with its Schoolly D cymbals fro...
Slam - Humanoid
The acid/hip house/house tune by the makers of 'Stakker Humanoid'. This is the well played Club Mix that featured on most pirate radio airwaves all those years ago.
King Kut - Word of Mouth ft DJ Cheese
From 1985, another pearl on Profile Records. This will be very familiar to listeners of the Mike Allen show as he played it virtually every week for months & months. I actually met DJ Cheese with Word of Mouth on the day he won the DMC World DJ Championships! I'd gone to London with a mate & had tried to gain entry to the Hippodrome where the competition was being held. With no tickets and being only 14 years old the bouncers weren't having it but, luckily, we had a plan B. Plan B was to go to see Kurtis Blow who w...
The Horn Track - Egyptian Empire
A real bad-ass, hardcore tune from 1991 with the Mickey Finn remix on the other side being just as bad. The first time I heard it was at Labrynth, Dalston Lane but it got played everywhere and appears on a few 'classic' albums around at the moment. Not for the faint hearted!
Its Life You Gotta Think Twice - Rockmaster Scott & The Dynamic 3
Another pearl on Profile Records, this time by the Rockmaster from 1983. Mastered by Herbie Jr as always it's another 'Message' type tune, typical of the era with it's 808 beats and social commentary.
Work It To The Bone - LNR
Now this is a real old house tune, nearly 25 years old as I write! Maybe not the best of its generation but very recognisable, mainly by the fact it's been sampled heavily ever since its release.
Say Kids What Time Is It? Coldcut
Coldcut's first release, in 1987, this track began as a limited edition of only 500 pressings. I paid £20 or £25 (a fortune for me in 1987) at Spin Offs in Hammersmith which was possibly the only place to stock it. Its scarcity caused the value to rocket and copies were soon changing hands for £75 or more. It was re-pressed at some point, and probably bootlegged too, with some copies including a stamp of the artist & title. My copy is actually an off yellow colour with no writing at all except 'Cut It up' and 'DGO1...
Amen Brother - The Winstons
Along with Apache & Funky Drummer this is one of the most sampled breakbeats ever. Amen Brother For the full lowdown on this seminal break check out this excellent piece -
Hip Hop On Wax Volume 1 - DJ Chuck Chillout
These beats are truly stone cold! From 1984, this killer slice of vinyl is just packed with awesome 808 beats and wicked scratching by the man himself Chuck Chillout. I could listen to these tough beats all day. My copy might be a reissue but it's still a classic tune. Watch out for Volume 2 by DJ Red Alert too.
Feel The Groove - Cartouche
Despite a very cheesy cover this tune was played by house & techno DJs, notably Colin Dale, alike. The underground remix, featured here, is the version to play.
Temper (Gotta Keep Cool) - Gifted 4
A little known, and highly underrated, rap tune from 1984. I first heard this tune, like many others here, on the LWR rap show and have loved it ever since. 1984 really was a vintage year with all these great tunes!
Satin Storm - Satin Storm
This is the original Satin Storm track from the 1990 white label EP of the same name. The writing on the label in the picture is mine - my copy was totally blank when I bought it. I picked it up at a tiny record shop in Bromley soon after its release and paid a lot, either £15 or £20 at the time, I can't remember. All 6 tracks on the EP are good but the classic title track with its swirling ambience and 'Hot Pants' beats is the one to check out.
Come Get My Lovin' - Dionne
The original from 1988 was brilliant but I actually prefer this remix from 1989. This tune could be heard on the pirates, in clubs & at raves - it was simply everywhere, and for good reason. From the 2nd Summer Of Love, this is a true slice of classic house.
Life - D'Cruze
Another classic tune on Suburban Base from 1992 - the height of jungle. Slightly less sinister, more on a happy tip, it features a Kraftwerk sample from 'The Model' and can safely be classed as happy hardcore I suppose, rather than bonehead jungle.
What Are We Gonna Do - Ultimate 3 MCs
A feel-good rap tune from 1984 on Streetwise records. The Ultimates interlace serious 'message' type lines with comedy lyrics to good effect. A little known track, actually produced by Arthur Baker.
The Exorcist - The Scientist
Brilliant UK bleeps & breaks track produced by The Scientist & DJ Hype. The track features a sample from an old speech by Malcolm X. The other side features the 'Ambient Mix' which is just as good but with a few more bleeps. It typifies the UK sound of 1990, bleeps & breaks, a year or 2 before jungle took off.
Made In Two Minutes - Bug Kann & The Plastic Jam
Featuring Patti Low & Doogie this rave anthem from 1991 was just huge on the radio & in clubs at the time. My 12" is on Optimum Dance Records but it was released on Labello Blanco too. Many remixes followed but the original club mix remains the best.
Fast Life - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde
My favourite tune by Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde from 1984, another on Profile Records. Produced by Kurtis Blow, this tune also featured on StreetSounds Electro 5, a classic album. On hearing the awesome drum break 2/3 through I still expect some Knights Of The Turntables scratching to come in! The instrumental is cool too, enjoy!
Airport 89 - Wood Allen
Excellent early rave tune from 1989 by the same people behind Black Box. One of the few decent tunes ever to come out of Germany! This is the A side version, the medley with 'Electric Fling' but I also love the original version on the b side.
Bounty Killers - Depth Charge
More brilliant breakbeats from the Depth Charge/J Saul Kane/Vinyl Solution stable. From 1989, this version is actually the b-side with "Death Is Ma Name", "The Bit In The Middle" & "Bounty Killers (Measly 1000 Bucks Version)" played at 45rpm instead of 33rpm, as states the label. With samples taken from Sergio Leone's brilliant 'dollars' spaghetti western trilogy this 12" is a true killer slice of vinyl.
Teach Me To Fly - DJ Trace
This tune was a favourite of (the greatest hardcore DJ) Fabio's who dropped it on many an occasion, for good reason. From 1992 on Out Of Orbit records, this tune was loved by junglists & ravers alike. It was actually made by DJ Trace with LTJ Bukem though the b side - Inception, another great tune - is DJ Trace alone.
Def Jam - Jazzy Jay
Afrika Bambaataa's DJ Jazzy Jay released this 12" in 1985 which was one of the first on the Def Jam label. It was No. 1 on the Groove Records chart on the Mike Allen hip hop show for weeks, if not months. Essentially a drum machine & a turntable kicking out hard beats & scratches, with a vocoder voice overlaid - simple but effective!
It's Great To Be Here - The Jackson Five
From the 1971 album 'Maybe Tomorrow' by The Jackson Five, this funky break features in many mixes and samples including Afrika Bambaataa's 'Death Mix' and The Original Concept's 'Can You Feel It?' among others. RIP Michael Jackson, Soul Brother Number 2.
Check Us Out - Junior Gee and the Capital Boys
From 1984, I first heard this on an LWR radio show. If not the first UK rap record then certainly the first really good UK rap record. It's not often you see a label with the phone number starting '01' for London - that's old! A legendary tune, I hope you enjoy it.
Fresh, Wild Fly and Bold | The Cold Crush Brothers
Old school originators The Cold Crush Brothers, also seen in the movie 'Wild Style', released this tune on the seminal Smokin' label in 1984. There is also a release on Profile records too. The b-side has a good scratch mix worth checking out too...
Kool Is Back - Funk Inc.
One of my all-time favourite breaks, sampled in too many tunes to mention. A scratch DJ's dream, I certainly recall spinning 2 copies for hours on end in my younger days, wearing out my needles in the process.
Rock The Box - Sylvester
You probably haven't heard this record. I've only heard it once anywhere except my own copy. It was played back on LWR in 1984 in the beatbox chart and I've never heard it since. It is a lesser known track by the disco legend Sylvester who died only 4 years after making this tune. This version is the wicked 'Dub Box' version with awesome samples and haunting beats. Difficult to classify, I'd say it's sort of electro/dub/disco, but it is a great tune either way.
Blow Your Whistle - DJ Duke
A big club tune from 1993 at a massive 10 minutes long. Full of cool b-lines & riffs, this is the original mix, and the best.
Break Dance Electric Boogie - West Street Mob
'Apache' scratched up with vocoders and the odd vocal sample including Spoonie Gee. Still a great breakin' tune that invokes images of windmills, pumas, nikes and tracksuits. Fans of this will also like Grandmaster Flash's Turntable Mix of Apache.
Just Wanna Dance - The Todd Terry Project
This is one of only a few records I can say truly changed my life. A tune so unique, so fresh it made everything else seem out of date. This was the future and it looked wicked! On hearing this tune in 1988, when hip hop had already become new school, I was instantly converted to house music. I'd never heard anything like it and was truly blown away. There are many hip hop influences of course - the Bambaataa/Apache samples, the drum breaks etc. - and Fresh Records was a hip hop label, but hip hop was never the sam...
You Used To Salsa - Richie Rich featuring Ralph Rosario
If ever 2 records were made for each other it must be these 2. Both Richie Rich's 'Salsa House' and Ralph Rosario's 'You Used To Hold Me' are classic tracks by themselves but put them together and you get a killer dancefloor smash. More than a mashup, it is credited as a remix of 'Salsa House' which I suppose it is, though I feel it is almost a new tune in its own right. Classic house music at its best!
Fusion Beats Vol. 2 - Bozo Meko Records
Not a huge amount known about this one! Apparently from 1981, possibly recorded by Afrika Bambaataa, Afrika Islam & Jazzy Jay it's an early cut & paste featuring 'Champ' and 'Get Up, Get Into, Get Involved' among others. Not a good recording, the other side is a live version of 'Flash It To The Beat' (even worse quality!) though my copy has the same label on both sides (pictured) so I'm not sure. Not the best mix ever but a piece of hip hop history for sure.
The Grunt - The JBs
A famous funk tune, sampled by many including Public Enemy & Renegade Soundwave. Stone cold funk at its best.
Rock Creek Park - The Blackbyrds
Another Ultimate Breaks & Beats tune, this time from 1975. Sampled by Eric B & Rakim among others, not so much a break just a real funky tune.
Lesson 1 - Double D & Steinski
Known as the 'Payoff Mix' this 12" is from 1986 though the mix itself is from 1983. Double D & Steinski are Douglas DiFranco and Steve Stein and are, if you didn't know already, the original cut 'n' paste artists. Their 3 lessons are truly the 'history of hip hop'. Enjoy your 1st lesson!
Free - X Static (The E-Type remix)
A truly dark, classic hardcore tune from 1992 on Production House records. The original version is really good but the remix adds a sinister side with its heavier bass & edgier feel. Played by all the top hardcore DJs at the time I particularly recall hearing it at Rage, Heaven - the greatest club night ever! I can just see the laser scanning the crowd now...
Terminator - Metalheads
Another massive tune from 1992, a classic by all counts. No further introduction is needed.
Forever Together - Raven Maize
Raven Maize is just one of the names used by David Russell Lee, the best known of which is probably Joey Negro. This tune came out in 1989 and has a Todd Terry type feel to it with familiar samples and a catchy b-line.
Dont Stop The Rock - Freestyle
Brilliant old school electro tune by 'Pretty' Tony & Sherman Nealy AKA Freestyle. The drum machine/vocoder combination gives it a West Coast feel but this tune was actually recorded in Miami - an early inspiration for Miami Bass no doubt. More recently known as the track for a Cadbury's TV ad it has been sampled to death since its release in 1985.
Difference - Djum Djum
On Outer Rhythm from 1990 this tune was edited by Leftfield and is a housey, tribalish number. The Steng mix is the one to look out for. You can pick it up quite cheap online still but it is a little gem nonetheless.
Here Comes That Beat - Pumpkin & The Profile All Stars
One of my favourite ever rap tunes, this one is a true classic! Pumpkin ("King of the Beat", not to be confused with Mantronix) put this together with Greg G & Mr Troy of the Disco Four, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde (with 'scratch on' Galaxy) and the Fresh 3 MCs. Featured on Streetsounds Electro 4, this tune has been extensively sampled and remains a classic to this day.
Pump Me Up - Trouble Funk
The most scratched record ever? Certainly one of, along with Al-Naafiysh and 'Change The Beat' by Fab 5 Freddy. DJ Cash Money famously scratched it (to the funk) but Jazzy Jeff was my favourite to rip it up! The other side is the excellent 'Drop The Bomb', another Go-Go masterpiece from Washington. Every DJ should have one.
She's Breaking Up - Bitin' Back
Wicked hardcore tune by Mickey Finn from 1991 sampling the Bionic Man TV show. Played at all the clubs & raves back in the day and featured in megamixes by Colin Dale & Adam Freeland among others, this tune is still massive when dropped today. p. s. if anyone has that Colin Dale mix from Kiss FM please get in touch!
PSK What Does It Mean? - Schoolly D
One of the original gangsta rappers, Schoolly D released this as his first record in 1985. I remember this being the first record played at the the UK jam 'Freestyle 85' in Covent Garden. I saw Schoolly D & DJ Code Money live at the London Astoria around this time. DJ Code Money cutting up the 'Uphill Peace Of Mind' break with Schooly freestyling was the highlight for me - def!
Narra Mine - Genaside II
From 1991 this massive tune is really 2 tunes together. The first half being hard beats overlaid with the soulful vocals of Sharon Wiliams, the second being the fastest raggamuffin toasting rap you've ever heard. Indeed legend has it that Killer Man Archer actually entered the Guinness Book Of Records for the speed of this rap (probably b. s.) Mixed & produced by Uzi Da Fluzi (amongst others) the b-side is also a tune - Sirens Of Acre Lane - presumably named after the police cars that frequent that particular road b...
Megablast - Bomb The Bass
Featuring an 'Apache' type bongo break throughout and stealing from 'Bambaataa's Theme' and Sly & The Family Stone amongst others this is a tune that just begs to be played loud. The other side 'Don't Make Me Wait' was a smash too meaning this 12" is a true classic.
Right Bullet Right Time - LV Cliff
From the 'Rave Soon Come' EP on Kikman Music from 1992, this is underground jungle at its best. A little known tune, I don't recall ever hearing it out or even playing it myself. Another cracker unearthed from 1992 - what a year!
Nasty Rhythm - Creative Thieves
This tune has been sampled to death ever since it was released in 1991. Creative Thieves are Dave Seaman & Steve Anderson and this tune is another on the Stress Records label. The version here is actually the 'Original Inspiration' mix not the PKA mix in the photo.
Hurricane - Sykosis 451
This is truly a bad-ass Toon! A typical hardcore tune from 1991 - a killer drum break, awesome bassline & a sample that sounds like someone shaving a frying pan with razor blades. True UK 'ardcore at its best. I bought this copy in Black Market - thanks Nikky!
Logical Progression - LT Bukem
From 1991, this classic tune was released by d'n'b godfather LT Bukem before he added a 'J' to the 'LT'. It marked possibly the first move from the banging beats of jungle to the more melodic sound that would become drum 'n' bass.
Al Naafiysh (The Soul) - Hashim
The quintessential DJ scratch track! This legendary tune is still quite easy to get hold of as demand was so big from scratch DJs that it was available for years as a re-release. I have 5 copies of this tune, all of which have a big hiss at the start and at the bonus beats where they've been scratched to death. Incredibly 27 years old, it remains instantly recognisable & has never lost its cool to this day!
Generate Power - Photon Inc.
Classic house tune from 1991 on Strictly Rhythm records produced by DJ Pierre. A message on the label says "Special thanks to Tony Humphries for creating the buzz for a lifetime" This is the edgier Wild Pitch mix with more funk & fewer vocals. I recall hearing this at Pacha, Ibiza all those years ago. When it dropped the whole place erupted, the true sign of an awesome tune.
Jungle Dett – Demon Boyz
A classic hardcore tune on the awesome Tribal Bass Records from 1992, the Hardcore House mix is the version to check out. With a bunch of well known samples including the Amen break this tune was massive at the time, during the golden age of jungle - 1992. Mixed by the Rebel MC it has that ragamuffin vibe that encapsulates the sounds of that era. Turn it up!
Liberation - Liberation
In all my years this has been the best £1 I've ever spent! Yes, £1 only. I was in the bargain basement at Music & Video Exchange in Berwick St when I saw this white label simply entitled 'Liberation' for £1. I though there'd be a 5% chance it'd be the awesome club classic I'd heard everywhere between London and Ibiza but for £1 it was worth the risk. When I got home and played it I nearly wet myself - yes, yes, what a tune, what a steal, what a moment - a vinyl junky's dream!! If I need an uplifting tune, an end of...
Dead By Dub - Depth Charge
Another killer Depth Charge tune by J Saul Kane on Vinyl Solution from 1990. Dead By Dawn is the A side but I prefer the dub on the B for some reason. Quite similar to the brilliant 'Bounty Killers' in many respects but this one doesn't speed up as it's already slow at 45rpms.
Rubb It In - Fierce Ruling Diva
Made in 1991 in Holland this 12" features 3 other mixes which are practically on a par with the original. A stomping techno anthem, it is loved by technoheads, junglists & house fans alike.
Beat Bop - Rammelzee vs K Rob
One of THE all-time great hip hop tunes, featuring 'Wild Style' MC and graffiti artist Rammelzee from 1983. The original limited edition on Tartown Records with Basquiat cover and poster sells for $$$$s. The label shown is from the Profile Records promo copy. With language that doesn't make sense (only to the artists probably) and no chorus or real structure to the song it is truly a unique track. It just sounds like 2 MCs freestyling for fun, making it up as they go along, which is half its charm This was the DJ's...
It's Time To Rock - Great Peso & Mr Nasty
Another great tune from 1984 - my favourite year ever for electro & rap. The Great Peso from the Fearless Four (Rockin' It etc.) made this with Mr Nasty and it also appears on StreetSounds Electro 5 (my favourite Electro album).
Energy Flash - Joey Beltram
From 1990 this seminal techno track made by New York DJ Joey Beltram is massive with techno, house and hardcore fans alike. It particularly reminds me of Fabio & Grooverider's 'Rage' at Heaven Charing Cross - the greatest club night I ever experienced. Indeed Fabio says he was playing one night when Beltram himself walked into the booth and handed him this acetate. He dropped it (i. e. played it) and all hell, or hardcore heaven, broke loose! Just to hear the first few beats of this tune will make many an old school...
Fantasy - Fantasy UFO
From 1990 this tune, by Mark Ryder of Hackney Hardcore/M-D-Emm fame, was just huge at the time. With an LFO bassline and iconic bleeps and samples this tune exemplifies the rave sound of 1990. Every version is a killer but this one is the Club Cut Mix.
Do It Together - Sacred
Rare(ish) hardcore tune from 1992 played by some top DJs such as Fabio. The other side (A side!) is good too but 'Do It Together' is the killer track.
Give You - Djaimin
Another one on Strictly Rhythm from 1992. Djaimin is actually Swiss meaning this is probably the only Swiss house tune I own. Not for the hardcore element possibly but much appreciated by househeads everywhere.
Istanbul (Taktix remix) - Taktix
Definitely from the dark side, another banger on Fokus Recordings from 1993. Similar to his previous outing The Horn Track although this remix takes the original a bit further up the nutty scale! One for the original junglists out there.
Give It To Me Baby - Love Revolution
Classic piano house from 1991, reminiscent of a hot summer, sea breezes and sunrises.
Shack Up - Banbarra
I first heard this break on Coldcut's 'Say Kids What Time Is It?' megamix and it also turned up on the Ultimate Breaks & Beats collection. Apart from the great break the tune itself is pretty funky with a wicked guitar thrown in too.
Jailhouse Rap - Fat Boys
Cool piano, great rhymes, phat beats & the sound of Buffy the Human Beatbox - this is the Fat Boys at their best. Sadly Buffy is no longer with us but Kool Rock Ski & Prince Marky Dee still do their thing and can be found on Twitter. The tune featured in the movie 'Cries Of The City' of which YouTube has a few clips. Another tune first introduced to me on LWR.
Apache – The Incredible Bongo Band
Needing no introduction, arguably the greatest breakbeat ever.
I'm The Packman (Eat Everything I Can) - The Packman
This was one of the first electro tunes I ever heard when played on StreetSounds Electro 1 by a friend way back when... From 1982, when the video game 'Pac Man' was the latest craze, it was produced by the owner of Enjoy Records - Bobby Robinson - with drum programming by Masterdon. Way ahead of its time and still fresh today.
Adventures On The Wheels Of Steel - Grandmaster Flash
Simply the greatest DJ ever, without whom Hip Hop would not be the same. I cannot find the superlatives to describe my all-time superhero idol Grandmaster Flash, he's simply a living legend. A lot of my respect for him comes from the fact he just loves to spin. Reading his biography it is clear that the music is No. 1 and the fame is just a by-product. This tune blew my socks off when I first heard it. A megamix decades ahead of its time, funky as hell & showing the genius of the Grandmaster in full flow. We love yo...
Funkatarium - Jump
Another great funky tune. Loads of horns & the energy of a speeding steam train. 'Ave it large!
Kick Out The James - Coldcut ft. Floormaster Squeeze
Early Coldcut featuring the awesome Floormaster Squeeze (named after a mop?) No date on the label but I think it's from around 1987. The EP has 5 tracks with 'Kick Out The James' being my favourite. Samples include 'Seven Minutes Of Funk' and 'Rock Steady'. Old school UK rapper Overlord X features on 'Switzch' on the other side. Raw Coldcut beats from way back in the day...
Autumn Love - Electra
One of Paul Oakenfold's earliest releases under the guise of Electra, 'Autumn Love' was released in 1989 - the second summer of love. Featuring a sample from Tears For Fears' 'Shout' it is simply a beautiful chill out tune that brings back fond memories every time I hear it.
Lets Get Brutal - Nitro Deluxe
Truly a seminal house tune. On the same label that brought us Hashim, the Imperial Brothers & others, Cutting Records released this smash in 1986. This is a tune that really opened my mind up to house music (a new phenomena then!) as old school hip hop wasn't old school any more and many people of my age were beginning to cross over. In the house hall of fame this tune should be one of the first nominated. Enjoy!
God Made Me Phunky - The MD X-Press
This is one of those tunes that is so simple and catchy it could only have been created by a genius. The ultra-phunky keyboard & bassline together with the cool toasting overlaid on top make it one hell of a disco biscuit. There is only one word for it - phunky!
Drumtrip - Kaotic Chemistry
Another nutty hardcore tune from 1991. This, very much like Hurricane, is the essence of hardcore - a stomping breakbeat combined with a few well placed samples and a razor sharp edge. Kaotic Chemistry is Rob Playford, Sean O'Keeffe & Simon Colebrooke AKA Two Bad Mice, responsible for a load of classic tunes on the Moving Shadow label. I always knew this tune simply as 'Five In One Night' but this version, the killer version, is actually called 'Drumtrip', for obvious reasons. A classic!
See The Light Feel The Heat - Air Force 1
Another tune that reminds me of LWR shows back in the day. It's amazing to think how times have changed since hip hop began. This tune was made during the Ronald Reagan Cold War era and is sprinkled with samples from the ex-president (or a good impression of him). Arthur Baker's 808 drum beats give this track that classic old school feel and the b-side is wicked too.
Funky President - James Brown
No archive of breaks & beats would be complete without a ton of James Brown. From 1974 this break has been sampled all over the place, my favourite being Eric B & Rakim's 'Eric B Is President' which I played to death for months & years after it came out and still love today. RIP James Brown. The Godfather. The Greatest.
Two Notches - Rhythm Warfare
In 1991, whilst Strictly Rhythm was busy releasing house tunes, they also released this killer hardcore/rave tune. This is my favourite on the label by far and it also reminds me of an awesome mastermix by Colin Dale on Kiss FM at around the same time. There are 4 versions on the 12", all brilliant, but my preferred one is the 'Battle Mix' on the 'b' side.
Frustration - DJ Blatant & The Master Programmer | The Blatant EP
This tune from 1992 was played a lot back in the day but is little known nowadays. DJ Blatant picks it up with a wicked drum break and takes it to another level when he drops in samples of Seal's 'Music takes You'. A wicked hardcore tune that has truly stood the test of time.
Party Time - Kurtis Blow
My favourite Kurtis Blow record, from 1983, with go-go beats & funky piano. Sampled in Coldcut's 'Say Kids What Time Is It? this was Blow proudly wearing his crown as the (self-proclaimed?) King of Rap.
Apache - The Incredible Bongo Band (Grandmaster Flash Turntable Mix)
All-time No. 1 DJ Grandmaster Flash cuts up the (arguably) No. 1 breakbeat like he used to in the old days!
Surgery - The Wreckin Cru
Another awesome tune from 1984, this time on Kru Cut Records. Featuring Dr Dre with Daniel Sofer (of Rhythm Rock Rapp fame) on keyboards & drums this track is another great tune from the West Coast of the USA. I first heard this, like so many other tunes, on LWR show and the scratching blew me away. Great tune!
Come Inside (feedback max house mix) - Thompson Twins
A very average pop tune by the Thompson Twins, 'Come Inside' became a club smash when given the piano treatment in 1991. At the time it reached No. 1 in the UK dance chart and remains a tuuune to this day.
A Chorus Line - Ultramagnetic MCs
Beats 'n' rhymes from 1989. A funky JB beat with some well sampled lyrics, maybe the most famous of which was used by Prodigy. The A side ain't bad either...
The House Music Anthem - Marshall Jefferson
Celebrating an all-time classic. Amazingly 25 years old, this is where House music started - Chicago, Trax Records. Todd Terry (as Royal House) remixed it and released it as 'Can U Party' a couple of years later, breathing new life into the track and going on to become a rave anthem. The Jungle Brothers then got hold of it and made 'I'll House You'... etc, etc... There are a few versions on the 12", this is 'Move Your Body'. Enjoy!
In The Realm Of The Senses - Bass-O-Matic
This awesome tune by William Orbit reminds me particularly of pirate radio in the early 90s. The version here is the Fantasy Mix (side one of the above photo), the best one in my opinion. 7 minutes of superb UK technofunk!
The Party Scene - The Russell Brothers
On many an all-time great old school list, this tune is just a classic and can be found on Streetsounds Crucial Electro II. Listeners to the Mike Allen hip hop show on Capital Radio will recognise the instrumental as the tune he used to use to run down the Groove Records electro chart every week. Probably the only record the Russell Brothers ever made but how could you follow up this? A great tune indeed.
Just Having Fun - Doug E Fresh
My favourite Doug E Fresh tune on the seminal Enjoy Records from 1984. With his DJs Chill Will & Barry Bee, Doug shows off his considerable beatbox skills and (hugely underrated) rapping.
Let The Music Use You - The Night Writers
More classic Chicago house this time produced by Frankie Knuckles in 1987. Another tune sampled by house & rave artists alike, SL2's 'DJs Take Control' may be the best known to many.
B Boys Breakdance - High Fidelity Three
This tune certainly doesn't sound 28 years old. Another amazing tune from 1984 on Cutting Records, 'B Boys Breakdance' was way ahead of its time. The instrumental featured on Electro 5 and that's probably the best known version. This is the roots of house, techno, hardcore... you name it!
Feels So Right - Soulution
On Legal Records Inc. from New York this is a happy, funky house tune with awesome feel good vocals from 1992, though there's no date on the label. Some remixes came out in 1996 but this is the original and the best. The bassline is ultra funky and the beat just shuffles along nicely. Many versions of this tune are credited to 'Solution' but my copy is by 'Soulution' which is the correct version.
Feelin James - TD Records
Featuring beats from The Godfather, Aretha Franklin among others and parts also used in Double D & Steinski's 'Lessons' it is one of a few cool 12"s on TD Records.
Rockin' It - MC Flex and the FBI Crew
One of the original Miami Bass 12s from 1984 on Posse Records it was recorded for the little known movie "Cry of the City" later renamed "Knights of the City". The film also featured The Fat Boys (doing Jailhouse Rap in jail) and Kurtis Blow. The FBI crew were a originally a breakdance crew and with MC Flex this was their finest hour. 6 and a half minutes of cool, old school electro beats and rhymes for your listening pleasure.
Reach Part One - Mau Mau
This is a good old banger the way I like them. From 1997 it doesn't sound old at all, to me anyway. Classified as house on Discogs and progressive on eBay, I'd call it hard house at its glorious best. A tune!
Gready G - Better Dub album
This track is found on the Better Dub album from Jamaica's Studio One records. Not sure when it was recorded, I think around 1976 or 77 though I bought the album in 1986 for £15 (a fortune to me back then). Used by Coldcut on 'That Gready Beat' and KRS 1 amongst others it's a well known break you'll probably recognise.
Baptized By Dub - The Criminal Minds
Another massive jungle/hardcore from 1992. I remember hearing this at every single club & rave I went to at the time. The remix came out a few months later, which was also good, but the original is the killer.
Scratch Motion - The Triple Threat Three
On the same label as the brilliant 'Rhythm Rock Rapp' - Saturn Records - this is the scratch version featuring DJ Darryl Dee. I bought my copy from Bluebird Records in Edgware Road and remember it from LWR's shows and Mike Allen on Capital Radio. The rap version on the other side is ok but the killer side is the scratch.
Rhythm Rock Rapp | Unknown DJ | Dr Dre & Daniel Sofer
From 1984 this classic west coast rap tune was massive at the time. Produced by Dr Dre on the legendary Saturn Records the b side 'Scratchin' 100 Speakers' is also a classic.