Dancing in the Dark: 1990 House & Techno

Visiting the year 1990 on this one, and getting kind of dark with it. It may have just been the second summer of love in 1989, but aside from all the uplifting tunes and general spirit of the day there was a moodier and tougher underground sound brewing. This wasn't without controversy - I remember hearing a story that Joey Beltram basically got kicked off the NY DJ circuit around the time of releasing his tune Joey's Riot for playing too dark! Found his home in Belgium with R&S Records instead. That said, quite a few NY tunes represented here, so he wasn't the only one....

This mix very much moving between the cross-fertilising holy trinity of the USA, the UK, and the Belgian/Dutch badlands. Worth going over the providence of the tracks featured here I think.

Kicking off in Belgium with a euro classic by ex-soldier Lhasa. Can't Stop a NY classic, followed by a wonderful dusty early Carl Craig tune released under the BFC alias, my favourite of his early productions. From Detroit we go back to NY on the mighty Nu Groove label with Major Problems, followed by a very early Kenny Dope cut, as House Syndicate. One more NY tune next, a classic from Frankie Bones and Tommy Musto, followed by a wicked hypnotising cut from Detroit, In Synch.

Moving on to two from one of the founders of this sound, NY's Joey Beltram; Subsonic Trance came out in Belgium on R&S, Joey's Riot in the US under the Mental Mayhem pseudonym. Staying in NY for Searchin, followed by such a class tune by house music originator Nitro Deluxe out of Philly, bringing a touch of breakbeats in to the mix. Just read that Young Skretching, the man behind Nitro Deluxe, played with Sun Ra for a spell!

Keeping the breakbeat feel flowing for the last few, Hey Hey Hey a raw tune by Amsterdam's Orlando Voorn, followed by a stone cold UK classic, The Gonzo. Flipping back to NY for the Leon Lee Special which layers up the riff from E2-E4 with a break and a massive 808 kick. Two tunes next co-produced by the mighty DJ Hype, such a key figure in creating and promoting a London breakbeat dance sound. Legendary deejay but underrated as a producer I think. Finishing on another London classic, Dave Angel's bootleg reworking of Sweet Dreams, the tune that launched his career.

Big dedication on this goes out to Dusty and Robin, to Handy who I know loves this era, and eternal thanks to Fabrok for introducing me to some of these tunes at the time.

If you enjoyed this check out my Warehouse Nation mix and also 1991 Hardcore Techno Biz mix, for a similar range of cuts from around this golden era.

Dancing in the Dark: 1990 House & Techno

Lhasa - The Attic 

Plez - Can't Stop (DMR Zone Mix)

BFC - Galaxy

Major Problems - Overdose (The Final Trip)

House Syndicate - Jam The Mace

Musto & Bones  - This Will Be Mine

Fade To Black - In Synch

Joey Beltram - Subsonic Trance

Mental Mayhem - Joey's Riot

33 1/3 Queen - Searchin

Nitro Deluxe Ft. Silk - Hypno House (Hypno Dub)

Frequency - Hey, Hey, Hey (Panic Mix)

Lost - The Gonzo

Shadows J - Hip This House (The Leon Lee Special)

The Scientist - The Bee

Kicksquad - Soundclash (Champion Sound, Hyper Mix)

Dave Angel - Sweet Dreams (Nightmare Mix)

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