MO' BETTERBEATS

Rip It Up, Issue 195, 1 October 1993, Page 25

MO' BETTERBEATS

IMPORTS (ALL VARIOUS ARTISTS) '. » MINISTRY OF SOUND The Sessions The Ministry of Sound is the closest you get to niteclub cult status and situated in the heart of London it's possibly the best club in the world This album is a non-stop mix by DJ Tony Humphries to give you a feel for the dub. For someone who is supposedly the world's greatest garage DJ the mixing wasn't that great, but the tracks are included here are all indispensable ***** SAMPLE GEE - HOTMIX SUMMER JAM Absolutely no techno, this is a 60 minute rap/ ragga compilation mixed tape, featuring the very latest hits from Dr Dre; Cypress Hill, Fresh Prince, SWV, Janet Jackson, Tony Toni Tone, etc. This comes from the Hotmix Radio Network, as featured on Mai FM. Most excellent, especially the two minutes of American ads at the end!. ****NICK D'ANGELO URBAN SPECIES The Experience This is the latest group to join the Talkin' Loud roster, and being a huge fan of the label I awaited this EP with much anticipation. The trademark T.L. qualities are all here: crisp production and smooth beats, combining to make superb acid jazz. Butthen it all goes wrong the problem is these guys can't rap!! In fact they inspire the kind of hysterical laughter usually brought on after listening to a Galliano track. No instumentals on this 4 track EP hence nothing really to recommend. . ,;/■ ‘SAMPLE GEE . z M PEOPLE Moving On Up, Elegant Slumming Hacienda DJ Mike Pickering has survived while others (S-Express, Bomb The Bass) have fallen by the wayside, perhaps due to establishing M People as a live act (one that plays their instruments, not just bopping to their sequencers). Whatever, 'Moving On Up' is the standard more-versions-of-the-same-song-than-you'll-ever-need, with the Gospell Revival Mix being

the most quirky, and therefore the standout. It's also on the album, a sixty minute (value!) collection of well crafted dance beats borne out of the house sounds of the late eighties. M People have moved well beyond that, providing an excellent soundtrack for summer grooving. Showing my age, my favourite track is their only cover 'Don't Look Any Further'. ****ND'A VARIOUS The House Grooves With 70s Disco already (arguably) on the way out and about to be replaced by early 80s New Romantic Pop (or early 80s Soul for the truly hip, who know better) Arista have put together a compilation that shouldn't really have been released until the Sydney Olympics. It's an excellent sample of early 90s Techno/Dance Pop: KLF, TLC (Ben Liebrand DMC Mix), Snap, Annie Lennox (Dave Morales Mix) and seven other equally hot tracks. Whether this compilation is too early or too late is up to you. Definitely worth stealing. ***+DAK MADISON CAPTAIN HOLLYWOOD Love Is Not Sex European MC's have always been good for a laugh (BG Prince of Rap, MC MikerG) butthisalbum is worse than a joke - it's a B-Grade version of Snap. The album contains 12 tracks but they include 2 versions of their hit single 'More and More' and 3 versions of their follow up 'Only With Youk A lack of material or what?!?! If you think his rapping is bad wait till he starts singing . . . ZILCH — GEE LIFERS GROUP Living Proof Two years after releasing The Real Deal, the Lifers Group return with another dose of reality. The Lifers Group is made up of inmates who have

.lived the Gangsta lifestyle and now find themselves behind bars without any hope of parole. Tragic considering the quality f talent contained here. ■ This is the perfect antidote forthose who believe the fantasies projected in today's gansta rap albums. The Lifers Group have a message, but they never get preachy. Best tracks: 'Short Life of a Gangsta', 'Let Me Out', and 'Out of Sight, Out of Mind' which details the lonlieness felt as the door swings shut and you don't see your homies no more. ***+DM VARIOUS ARTSISTS Pulsating Rhythms - Volume 4 What you get here is 12 of the hottest dance tracks to emerge out of the UK club scene over the last few months — and all on one CD!! This compilation is a winner right from kick off — the Gospel driven 'I Lift My Cup' by Gioworm, other highlights include 'All Funked Up' a full on disco workout from Mother, 'Music is My Life' by Chase, the UK chart smash 'The Key- The Secret' by Urban Cookie Collective, Sue Chaloner’s garage monster 'Move On Up', and the exquisite 'Dreams of Heaven' from Australian group Ground Zero. There are no duds or fillers here, all songs were single releases in their own right on the Pulse 8 label. ALBUM OF THE WEEK ***** GEE YOYO You Better Ask Somebody Good things come in threes and YoYo's third album is definitely her best. She's older, wiser, more mature — but still as angry as ever. The title track is a no-holds dis to Roxanne Shante, an answer back to Shante's 'Jack La Lain' of 1992. Suitably blunted YoYo gets slow and funky for 'Pas it On', (an ode ; to marijuanna) and kicks it ob 'IBW'n Wit My Crew', the opening track. ‘‘“DM , . BIZ MARKIE All Samples Cleared The title refers to 1991 when Biz got his fat arse hauled into court for failing to clear the samples for his I Need A Haircut album. This time they're all bought and paid for and Biz delivers another of his trademark humour on top of phat beats. 'l'm an Ugly Nigga' is his funny/sad description of life as the Biz, with 'Grand Opening' providing a flashback to old school days when he rapped live over records in a DJ booth. *** NDA EN VOGUE Runaway Love Dammit! Why can't all EPsbe like this? En Vogue provide value with 5 songs and a bonus mix of the title track. Hip Hop Lover', 'Desire' (dancehall style) and 'What Is Love' are all remixed versions from their Funky Divas album, with 'Whatta Man' actually a Salt N Pepa rap that En Vogue provide b/v's for. 'Runaway Love' is their current radio single and just what you'd expect from En Vogue — sublime soulful pop. Excellent. ““DM COLDCUT Dreamer Whoa, baby this is too groovey! Best known for 'Doctorin' The House' Coldcut have dispensed with the house and switched to funky funky funky dancebeats with just a taste of dancehall. Their lyrics may be (on balance) irrelevant but Janis Alexanders'soulful voicerendersthem beautiful. (Trivia note: guest appearance on bass by Youth) *** NDA UNV Something's Going On When Madonna started her Maverick label she promised that like the name, her label would be different. UNV are four good looking male vocalists wrapping their beautiful harmonies around a variety of ballads and mid-tempo funk in a hip hop stylee. Great at it but personally not my cup of tea. If you like Shai then check this out. ' -

NICK D'ANGELO