Charts & Lists

Essentially a run down of what's hot, and what's not, the records I'm playing, the ones I'm lusting after and the ones I'd rather just leave behind. This should be updated somewhat frequently, depending on my spare time and attention span, It's not really confined just to vinyl, I've got opinions on the whole of human society.

October 25th, 2002

So having bought "Hi-Fidelity" on DVD recently I've rediscovered my joy of making favourites lists..... so to start out, my all time favourite dance records, and my current favourites. Now... this does only include dance music, and the selection is based on how they sound with full 20:20 hindsight enabled, which means that most classic Chicago house is immediately out of the running, they sounded great in 1986, but are a little rough and minimal by todays standards.... So without further ado -

My absolute all time classic dance music selection

Flaming June - BT: In the days before modern trance, they used to call it 'Epic House', this track was the most epic of them all.
Energy Flash - Joey Beltram: A pulsing one note bassline and some bloke whispering "Ecstacy", dark minimalist techno for the uneducated masses.
Papau New Guinea - Future Sound Of London: The most beautiful dance vocal ever, it speaks in every language, while the dubby bassline threatens to shake your soundsystem apart.
Voodoo Ray - A Guy Called Gerald: Probably the most subtle and understated dancefloor hit ever, it sidestepped all the conventions of the time and has remained unmatched since its release over a decade ago.
Not Over Yet (Matt Darey Mix) - Grace: Trance got a bad name, but it wasn't for tracks like this, quite possibly the most perfect trance vocal ever.
The Man With The Red Face - Laurent Garnier: The Saxophone just grabs you and never lets go, the synth stabs and pads complement each other and you never want this record to end.
The Gift - Way Out West: Breakbeat trance, back in the days when they were still calling it epic house, the vocal wasn't much, but it made Joanna Law into the voice of trance for years to come.
Song Of Life - Leftfield: Any of the variations on this track is amazing, 3 different mixes were rolled together at the start of the first Renaissance Mix album.
Fly Life (Brix Mix) - Basement Jaxx: Quite possibly the most exciting urban record ever, crazy ragga rapping and frenetic synth stabs all mixed together in 12 inches of insanity.
??????: Ok That's 9, which means the next track is the end of this list, so let me present........

My List Of Contenders for the last spot on my favourite list

Every single one of these tracks is as much a classic....

Valley Of Shadows - Origin Unknown: Origin Unknown bring us the origin of a lot of modern Drum n' Bass
In Dust We Trust - Chemical Brothers: Just how exciting can you make a record at only 121 bpm?
Star 69 - Fatboy Slim: Everyone talked about the album as if Norman was maturing, then we heard this, loved this, and realised that growing old doesn't mean growing up. What the Fuck?
Sugar Daddy - Secret Knowledge: If Peggy Lee had done house music this is what it would sound like. It was a close run between this and Smokebelch II.
Dooms Night (Stanton Warriors Remix) - Azzido Da Bass: Really this is a remix of the Timo Maas remix which was certainly distinctive, but the Stanton Warriors version is by far the best.
Acperience - Hardfloor: The Big Boss of acid house records, they must've had about 10 303's bleeping, blipping and warbling away to create this masterpiece.
Positive Education - Slam: Oh my god, that demonic bass just makes me want to move, Scottish dance music at its best.
Belfast - Orbital: The perfect record for sunrise, the operatic vocal is often imitated in progressive house, but the track has yet to be equaled.
Snyper - Hybrid: It's a toss up between this or Finished Symphony, in my mind this comes out ahead every time I hear the scratches kicking in.
Shake Me (Plump DJ's Remix) - Mint Royale: Mint Royale and the Plump DJ's represent a potent combination, and this track always gets people going.

Arrgh but there are still far too many records to pick from....

Anyway, those classics will be there for years to come, even if I see a few of them falling out of favour from time to time, Star 69 is a great track which people either love or hate, and its popularity waxes and wanes. However, for real short term popularity check out this selection....

S&M's Chart of the Moment, October 2002

Shiny Disco Balls - Who Da Funk feat. Jessica Eve: Drugs, Alcohol, Badass Vegas Whores, Late Night Booty Calls, Shiny Disco Balls - the most memorable vocal of the moment.
Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx: House music in a swing band style, infectiously happy.
Sexiest Man In Jamaica - Mint Royale: It's been around a while, but I still love this record.
My House (Breaks Mix) - Phil Kieran: There's something odd about a breaks track talking about house music but this rocks any house.
Nothing In Its Wrong Place - Radiohead: Basically a Hybrid remix of 'Everything In Its Right Place', it sounds great as a Prog house or breaks track.
Fly With Me - Coloursound: City Rockers show the world that they're not just about electro with this deeply funky vocal house track.
Kinky Peaches - Peaches vs The Kinks: White label Mashup malarkey with Peaches 'Set It Off' over the Kinks "Girl I Wanna Be With You" fun for all ages.
Take Me With You - Cosmos: This records was around forever before I got a copy, I still love it, especially the instrumental version.
Huggy Bear - Ram Trilogy: Drum n' Bass can have a sense of humour - this rack proves it!
Rappers Delight - Flashback: One Sided Orange vinyl - a by the numbers house remix of the hip-hop-and-you-don't-stop classic, fantastic for house parties.

OK.... that's it, I'm done, enough musical opinionating for the moment, until next time... Stay funky