ALL MIX TAPES ARE AVAILABLE TO STREAM AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE
In previous posts about forgotten House classic 12" records I have discussed my views about when we look back at the 90's and the music that is still played out on radio, you are more often than not strangled by the same old boring tired anthems that were mainstream at the time of production but also had a life in the coolest of night clubs before the major labels fired them up the national charts and into Pop music history.
However during this decade some amazing music came out that maybe hung out on the fringes of the charts and probably would have been in the top ten buzz chart the weekly newsletter from Mixmag, or in the DJ Magazine charts to name but a few.
Many remixes came out that were also overlooked and were to be fair of the time , which is why they are not remembered so much today. But at this time in the mid 90's when the Ministry of Sound produced great hit singles, they also put together some of the best quality of tracks compiled by the best DJ's of the day and into double triple and even quadruple vinyl albums.
Obviously most of these recordings sold on CD and Cassette as this was the weapon of choice for the common clubber back then, and the vinyl was left to the DJ'S and the bedroom DJ's. So albums like these were hardly pressed up on vinyl due to a very small demand. But the great thing about nearly all of these albums was the fact that they were mostly pressed up as single tracks and not as a mixed version like their CD & Tape counterparts.
So I decided to look back at that glorious period in House music and pull out five great DJ sets that were captured perfectly and preserved for us all to enjoy in todays over saturated market of DJ mixes. This selection I have compiled are truly among the finest sets and selections of music at that time.
1. DJ HARVEY. LATE NIGHT SESSIONS. MINISTRY OF SOUND 1996.
Long time player DJ Harvey bought this collection of records together way back in 1996 for the Ministry of Sound. It carries some serious weight and his selection as always is a true testament in reflection at some of the coolest records that came out during that era.
This album really does have some amazing soulful grooves throughout and really is one of the best albums for Jazzy Soulful House. The vinyl is unmixed and the C.D is mixed. This truly is a late night session if ever there was one. The stand out tracks on this album are.
TODD TERRY LIVE AT HARD TIMES 1995
Todd the God as he was known back then always more often than not played live DJ sets using his own productions and remixes. This was a quite rare for a DJ then. You could say it was a live show before DJ's performed live shows as they now do with the use of Ableton etc, but back then a DJ could not carry around a live rig with them to clubs.
So the next best thing and the thing that worked perfectly well with Todd Terry due to his output of releases was to play a vinyl set of his own music. This show recorded live at Hard Times club in Leeds captures the true essence of Todd's rawness and his skills as a producer. He also plays a few tracks by other artists such as Masters at Work in their Ken-Lou alias, but most of the works are Todd's own records.
His remixes were always on point and his use of tribal like drums and Hip Hop styled sampling made him stand out as a lone player among his associates. This album came in a mixed format both on vinyl and C.D but the C.D had more tracks on than the vinyl for timing reasons, so its best to check that version out, but nevertheless if you want to hear how rough and ready and in your face his sets were then you need to check this out. The stand out tracks are.
MIKE DELGADO - LATINO WAY
KENLOU - GIMME GROOVE
TODD TERRY - WHEN YOU HOLD ME
MARTHA WASH- CARRY ON
CLS - CAN U FEEL IT
SOUND DESIGN - BOUNCE TO THE BEAT
TODD TERRY - RAIN
MASTERS AT WORK. THE SESSIONS VOLUME 5. MINISTRY OF SOUND. 1995.
Ministry of Sound were very well respected back in the 90's especially within the US Garage genres. Masters at Work were often remixing for other Ministry acts and they also released their classic track Deep Inside which was a side project called Hard Drive. This was licensed from Strictly Rhythm. So the label and the club had a strong connection with M.A.W.
This album was no exception. and they delivered the goods from start to finish. Opening up with Hard Drive, dropping bombs such as Jodecis Garage classic Freek n You, The M.K remix, Urban Blues Project track Deliver Me is right up as is the second Bucket-heads single which was released after the massive Bomb came out. Their Moonshine track is also here from the duo's Ken-Lou side project.
All the way through this album carries so much soul, and listening back to it I now realise just how positive and good soulful House was in the mid 90's, which could easily be mixed with Tribal House and Disco House. This set features Todd Terry and Dave Morales to name a few other big guns. The vinyl of this came as a four album set and a two disc C.D The stand out tracks are.
CJ MACKINTOSH SESSIONS 4 MINISTRY OF SOUND 1995
Another great album by the Ministry of Sound. Here with CJ Mackintosh at the controls its hardly surprising the quality of the content on offer. This guy was in high demand as a DJ and remix artist during the early to mid 90's.
He played great solid tribal house and combined it with tough vocal anthems, and here this mix cuts through the noise to deliver anthems by Kathy Sledge and her awesome Roger Sanchez remix of Another Star. Judy Cheeks also features with her high vocal delivery on her hit Respect which was a Positiva records release.
Then comes real deep house classics such as M.D Express and their hit God made me funky. A record that bought Jazz Funk influenced House to the masses at the time. We have a massive choice of quality records here and many seem to have been pushed to the side, but they are all worthy of being kept alive. Barbara Tuckers I get Lifted, Swing 52 and their classic the colour of my skin a song I haven't heard in a while. Get to know this album, its a fine selection. The stand out tracks are
OLYMPIC THE ALBUM 1994 MIXED BY GRAEME PARK
If you came into the U.K House music scene around 1992 which I did then you will be familiar with Olympic Records. A label from Liverpool which was set up by Creams founder James Barton and Cream DJ Andy Carroll in the early to mid 90's, which delivered some brilliant vocal house and slightly progressive numbers during their heyday.
The C.D was mixed by Graeme Park, but the vinyl was a double disc set which was unmixed. This was one of those labels that seemed to disappear overnight whilst leaving a legacy behind of some fine releases. Maybe the success of the Cream nightclub brought it to an end as the owners had to focus on the club?. Whatever its fate, it certainly belongs in a small group of U.K based labels from that period of high quality solid House music releases.
Shy One released a great cover version of the classic Barbara Mason gender crossing track Another Man, whilst the ultimate killer track was on license from Detroit by Terrence Parker and his Seven Grand Housing Authority entitled The Question. A massive Techno Piano House classic from 1993. Whilst this album has only a small selection of tracks on there, they are all killers. The stand out tracks are.
THE MIXES ARE BELOW.
The Olympic mix by Graeme Park is only on YouTube.
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