Dance

Rip It Up, Issue 201, 1 May 1994, Page 32

Dance

Loveland ‘Let the Music (Lift You Up)’ (UK KMS 12”) Park & Wilson ‘Let the Music Lift You Up’ (UK Stress 12”)

Essentially the same vocal track with differing backing on both of these. It’s a long story but each single, vocal aside, is quite different. The DMC one (Parks etc) is more UK club whereas the Kevin Saunderson created one is probably closer to its Detroit roots. A massive UK hit, you can take your pick.

Roger S ‘Secret Weapons’ Vol 1 (US One dbl 12”)

Been around for a while now but if anything, gets better with time. Eight deep, bassy underground grooves from one of New York’s wonders, Roger Sanchez, and every one essential. The essence of club music.

David Morales and the Bad Yard Club ‘ln De Ghetto’ (US Mercury 12”)

If the Morales album was too polite for its own good, the 12” mixes have all been works of near genius. The Club Mix here is tribal brilliance that twists and turns for nearly eleven minutes. This guy can do no wrong.

Screen II ‘Hey Mr DJ’ (remix) (UK Cleveland City Dble 12”) Coupled with a new track ‘Let the Record Spin’,

this remix by Dasilva/Macready of last year’s club hit, sounds like it could almost have come straight out of New York circa 1982 with an Arthur Baker/ John Robie drum loop, a T-Connection styled percussion break and a cool dubby breakdown near the end. Essentially retro.

Eric Mor ill o ‘Dancin’ (US Strictly Rhythm 12”) Remixed by Louie Vega in his now trademark jazzy-disco-grunge style, this sounds like a potential crossover, following Eric's top ten UK hit T Like To Move It’. A genuinely joyful groove.

Progression ‘Reach Further’ (UK Black Sunshine 12”) Big Bottom Hula ‘Big Bottom Music’ (UK Black Sunshine 12”)

A couple of very worthy items from this always reliable label. The first is a funky Express 2 remix of a track that first appeared on NY indie Sorted, with a bassline that sort of mutates the old ‘White Lines’ one. The second is Acid House meets 'Planet Rock’ with a chorus line of ‘Smoke Marijuana’! It’s strange how all this UK house stuff is starting to sound like classic Electro, talking of which . . .

The Dust Brothers ‘l4th Century Sky’ EP (UK Junior Boys Own 12") One of the hottest things around town, a four tracker of varying styles from Kenny Dope styled hip-hop to funky progressive grooves but all with that rough, dubby, bottom heavy sound that characterises these guys and all uniformly excellent.

Nush ‘U Girls’ (UK Blunted 12”) An adventurous move for these guys . . . their last singles were named "1” and “2”. The mix to go for is the ‘Shake It’ Club Mix, an immediate dancefloor stomper with its jazzy disco feel and “shake that ass” loop.

Underdog vs Sabres of Paradise ‘Theme’ (Sabres of Paradise 10”) And Andy Weatherall (who has recently renounced the harder end of house) returns to his roots with a chunky hip-hop mix from Underdog of his band's current single which improves it vastly. The rap-les B side really burns.

The Urban Sound of Amsterdam ‘P.A.R. T. Y. ’ (Australian Buckaroo 12”) Licensed from a Belgian label, the original is a bit Euro-pop and formless, as is the Peewee Ferris mix, but check out the mix from Sydney's Phil Smart and Sugar Ray, a seriously funky groove in the style of Express 2, with stabs from ‘Generate Power’. Cool.

Fluke ‘Bubble’ (UK Virgin 12”) The Grid ‘Swamp Thing’ (UK Deconstruction 12”)

For some reason I always linked these two groups together, probably because both have their roots in the late 80s alternative scene and both have that sort of post-industrial made-for-students sound. Also both groups have, over the last few years, released a steady stream of astoundingly good, if a little solemn, singles and these are no exception. I especially like the B-side mix from Glasgow’s Deep Piece on the Grid record, sort of like a clash between the soundtracks of Blade Runner and Deliverance.

Klatsch ‘God Save the Queer’ (Dutch Fresh Fruit 12”) This label can do no wrong. Gorgio Moroder would be proud of ‘God Save the Queer’ as its an almost perfect example of his lovely dense electronic style.

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL I’m Outstanding

SIMON GRIGG

In a recent Source magazine interview Shag proudly stated that he was both a professional athlete and a professional rapper. Okay, he gets paid for both butthat’s kinda like saying Michael Jordan is also a professional baseball player. Shaq’s first rap outing wasn’t much but this is much more relaxed and a lot better. Erick Sermon is producing and he’s given Shaqville a phat rolling groove, courtesy of the Gap Band. Shaq lazily spiels over the top, telling us his life story and it grows on you. In sharp contrast is a bonus track from his buddies Fu Schnickens with their frenetic ode to Shagville. NICK D’ANGELO

CAPTAIN HOLLYWOOD PROJECT All I Want i

A fine slice of meaningless ambient Eurodisco from CHP sounding much like Enigma. A driving funky beat with a girlie chorus and a deep throated male spoken rap. I like it!

HAMMER It’s All Good

DAK MADISON

The only rapper with his own Saturday morning cartoon show is back, with the first single from his new album The Funky Headhunter. For that album he’s pulled in some heavyweight producers, including the Whole 9, who produced this track. Hammer has actually picked some good samples, including ‘Buffalo Girls’ and an uncredited ‘Pump Up the Volume’ leaving me scared to admit I actually like this. Hammer seems to have got back to his hip-hop roots — or bought them.

ARETHA FRANKLIN A Deeper Love

DAK MADISON

With her recent public TV appearances and now this teaming with C&C Music Factory, it’s obvious girlfriend is back — and back to get paid. ‘R.E.S.P.E.C.T.’ it ain’t, but you know she’s got soul. Her vocals make this track essential although ‘A Deeper Love’ will never be a classic. 90s music from a 60s diva.

Groove Thang

NICK D’ANGELO

Zhane (pronounced Jah-Nay) broke big with their first hit ‘Hey DJ’, a funky party jam that really swung. Produced by Naughty By Nature and remixed by Dinky and Nes, this follow up is in much the same vein. Zhane have an old-school groove about them and I love it. It’s an indiscernible funk that just sits in your gut and makes you move.

DAK MADISON

SALT N’PEPA Whatta Man You’ve heard this on the radio, now here are the remixes. Salt, Pepa and Spinderella take a big step up the ladder with this classy funk rap about the perfect boyfriend, aided tremendously by En Vogue with their soulful backing vocals. This must be the Brit EP ‘cos the remixes are by Dancing Danny D and DMC’s Ben Liebrand. The man behind S’N’P, Herby Azor (he’s changed the spelling?) also kicks in with his own Luubug Remix. Can’t wait for my sample copy of the album. NDA

CHAKA DEMUS & PLIERS Twist and Shout Back in the late 80s Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare were gods to all those wanting a reggae bass thump to their dance mix. Numerous acts had hits courtesy of Sly & Robbie but by the 90s the two were burnt out. Now they’re back, and doing the Hoodoo that they do so well, for Chaka & Pliers. Their dancehall cover of this Beatles classic isn’t as naff as it sounds. An excuse to relaunch Sly and Robbie is fine by me, as evidenced by the inclusion of their 1987 hit ‘Rhythm Killer’. NDA

BOBBY BROWN & WHITNEY HOUSTON Some thing In Common

Get the feeling these two could star in a black remake of A Star Is Born? Bobby Brown deserved the world wide success that MC Hammer snatched and his wife sells more records than Elvis Presley. This Teddy Riley produced duet is a nice slice of dance pop with Mr and Mrs Houston professing their deep love for each other while everyone else says it will never last. Hardly a pop classic but fine enough. DM

[ ACE OF BASS The Sign

After last month’s review of AOB I’m surprised the record company gave me this. But hey, it’s big in the US and whatever I say won’t stop it charting here. But I can try. Listen well my children, this is utter crap. NDA

GANG STARR Hard To Earn (EMI)

THE UMCs Unleashed (EMI)

LORDS OF THE UNDERGROUND Here Come the Lords (emi>

HI-PHAT DIET/A WILD PITCH COMPILATION Various (EMI)

Third time up for New York’s Gang Starr. Right clever buggers they are too, mixing hard, insightful lyrics with a musically commercial edge, yet still managing to retain their credibility. Mainman Guru hasn’t got the greatest of voices so wisely serves up tight and dry rhymes rather than booming splashy ones. ‘Aiiight Chill’ is the coolest of ideas, DJ Premier has laid eight or ten messages from his answer phone over a bizarre free-form beat. Other sure shots are ‘Blowin’ up the Spot’ and the cruisy ‘Mass Appeal.’ If you like your hip-hop sparse and raw then this is the one.

UMCs — the Undisputed Masters of Charisma — have already tasted sweet success, reaching #1 twice on the Billboard Rap Chart with singles from their debut album Fruits of Nature. Despite this I’d be real surprised if they achieve that degree of success this time round. There’s really not enough goin' on instrumentally to save the day and their lyrical skills are much less than honed. Only the slinky ‘Evil Ways’ is worth a second listen. Very messy. Lords of the Underground toss high speed hiphop raps over very laidback jazzy backings. The beats are of the most basic variety but the Lords have the lyrical skills to hold your interest. On the hit picks, ‘Keep it Underground’ and ‘Check It’, they trade in the smooth rhythms and show off their heavier funky side. It’s hardly hardcore, but they still know how to cook.

The Wild Pitch label (home to Gang Starr and the UMCs) has been around from the very early days of hip-hop and has drawn on an enormous wealth of talent for this compilation. Hi-Phat Diet is a superb chronicle of the strength and depth of East Coast hip-hop. Although the material on this record spans a decade, the beats are consistently huge, the lyrics fresh and the feel funky. The pristine rap cuts come from the Main Source, particularly the opener ‘What You Need’ and the jazz/funk feel of ‘Looking At the Front Door.’ Also deserving of high rotation are Brokin English’s ‘Who’s Da Gangsta’ and ‘Court Is In Session’ by Chill Rob G. When this year is over Hi Phat Diet will firmly be implanted in the ‘Best of . . .’ list. No question.

JOHN RUSSELL