dance FLOOR

Rip It Up, Issue 136, 1 November 1988, Page 36

dance FLOOR

TODD TERRY. Not exactly a household name is it? How's this then; in 1988 Todd Terry has released to date about 18 singles under various names, like ORANGE LEMON, ROYAL HOUSE, BLACK RIOT and THE TODD TERRY PROJECT. The guy's taken sampling to a new high (or low, depending on your school of thought), he himself is being imitated and * sampled all over the USA and Europe and guess waht, Todd Terry is flavour of the month. Does he deserve it? Well I hated the Todd Terry project's 'Bango' but really dug the B-side. The rest of his output is likewise definitely either very hot or not, but the two new singles, ' SWAN LAKE'S 'ln The Name Of Love' (121 bpm)andT.T.PROJECT's Weekend' (120 bpm), are definitely the former. Both are infernally catchy and look like going through the roof in the UK.

The great debut album from ROB BASE and EZ ROCK steals from Todd. Titled It Takes Two after their UK Top 10 single, the track 'Check This Out' (114 bpm) steals very successfully Royal House's'Can You Party' rhythm and vocal hook, and the new single 'Get On The Dancefloor' (117 bpm) pinches a synth riff from Black Riot, as well as the complete JACKSONS 'Shake Your Body' bassline. Will Wacko sue? Does he really need the money? I hope not as this is a surefire hitforthese New Yorkers.

I read a couple of times that after MC TEE was booted out of MANTRONIX he rashly went off and joined the US Air Force. Well, I don't know, whatever, but his new single with LORDRASHEEM 'Gangster Nine' (96bpm) is a pretty groovy slab of old-fashioned hip-hop as is MC Duke's 'Miracles' (108 bpm). Based around the JACKSON SISTERS' 1976 rare groove 'I Believe in Miracles', this one has the added bonus of being a Simon Harris production as we as a Blues & Soul single of the week. So far this column has been all about stealing, and it doesn't stop with YOUNG MC'S double A sided 12". I prefertheUKtopside'KnowHow'fl 19 bpm) with its speed rap over a funky combination of the Shaft intro and the classic breakbeat from THE INCREDIBLE BONGO BAND's 1973 'Apache' to the US A-side 'Let 'Em Know' (100 bpm) but it's close. Somehow I associate that record with the BRAT PACK's'So Many Ways'(l24 ►

► bpm); God knows why, they sound completely different, maybe it's the label-colour or something. Anyway, 'So Many Ways' is subtitled 'Do It Properly part 2' and is COLE and CLIVENTE's follow on from their own underground hit out in 'B7. Sufficient to say that this one's got the same riffs and bassline as part one, which in turn was nicked (of course) from ADONIS's 'No Way Back.' " Suffering no less from sticky fingers and in a similar but more London style is CUT THE Q's 'Stereo Show' (120 bpm). This is good but maybe not good enough. In a more traditional vein, READY FOR THE WORLD'S 'My Girly' (108 bpm) has a naff title but is probably their best single since 'Oh Sheila' some years back. I really like BOBBYBROWN's . second single from his hot Don't Be < Crue/album. 'My Prerogative' (109 bpm) is a slinky urban track in the current style of people like TONY TERRY, KEITH SWEAT and GUY. It's currently at the top of the US black chart. Buy the LP! The new guy single 'Round And Round'(lo6 bpm) is not as immediate as the first, 'Groove Me', but it grows. Once again, buy the album, it should be out here any day. Finally, the new CAMEO single 'You Make Me Work' from the new album Machismo is , a bit of a disappointment, sounding pretty much like everything else they've done in the last four years. Maybe it'll grow, too. Maybe Larry Blackmon J should steal a few new ideas. SIMON GRIGG