Taboo - I Dream Of You Tonight (Bab Ba Ba Bab)

Dance Pool: 1995

On the surface, this seems like any other run of the mill eurodance minor hit churned out by Sony's Dance Pool offshoot. And honestly, that's mostly what it is. Despite getting a video roll-out, ample compilation duty, and even a little market penetration on my side of the globe, this was the only thing Taboo released. Or at least, the only thing this 'group' released. Dig deeper though, and there's some surprising music associated with the players involved, but let's hear what we got first.

It's mid-'90s eurodance alright. The chorus is instantly earwormy, has a little scat-singing thrown in, and the synths punchy and buzzy as all good euro is. Then the dancehall rapper comes in to tell you how we're gonna' have fun dancing and all that. He even gets a little meta about it: “Now that me voice gwon deep in'a yo brain; The lady will sing you the chorus again.” And she does too!

Him though, he sounds familiar. Since Taboo was just a one-off project, did he do anything else? *goes Discoggin'* Wait... Barrington Levy? The Barrington Levy? Under Mi Sensi Barrington Levy? Ragga jungle mainstay Barrington Levy? What's he doing here? I mean, sure, may as well make some quick scratch for the German disco clubs, but man, never would have expected that when I grabbed this on a whim. Didn't even appear in the video, letting whoever it is in the video lipsync. In fact, I'm pretty sure everyone in the video is lipsyncing, which wouldn't be unheard of in eurodance, even this late in its age.

If you think that's a crazy 'Six Degrees Of...” factoid, how about the fact producers such as The Timewriter and Oliver Lieb have tangential ties to Taboo as well? One Piero Brunetti, or DJ Piero, and the main man behind this project, had quite the varied career throughout the '90s, flitting about many genres with many partners. His own Another World, an incredibly cheese-ball slice of operatic Italo-dance with sex-jazz saxophone, got an entirely undeserved deep house jam from Timewriter. And, when Daft Punk was taking off, he teamed up with Luis Rodriguez for the one-off Funky Musique as Sunday Afternoon. Which had a release on Silvereye Production Frankfurt, and who else lived in Frankfurt as a remixer-for-hire? It sure wasn't Frank Stallone, I'll tell you that much.

Okay, one more. The remixes on this aren't much to get fussed about (an extended version, a 'pan-flutes' version, a happy 'hardcore' version), except the final one, subtitled X-Rated House-Dreams. While it features some stock Visnadi euro-house tropes like farty basslines and deep organ licks (think Robin S' Show Me Love), that shuffle rhythm is straight garage. In fact, with the included ragga rap and sirens, the whole remix is basically proto speed garage. Mr. Brunetti must have realized it too, as he'd go on to make a few proper speed garage tunes during that genre's heyday. Ahead of the curve, for once!

N:L:E & Kiphi - Blurred Milkyway

Liquid Frog Records: 2021

Juan Pablo may have set up a specific alias in H:U:M to explore the space music side of his muse, but he wasn't quite there yet when he released this. Only one month away, in fact. Not that this was the first time he set his sonic sights to the outer cosmos, the three part Space Caravan series making up a tidy chunk of the early Natural Life Essence discography and all. This was his first return to something specifically spacey though, and I'm assuming after completing this three track single, Mr. Giacovino realized, yep, he's got more in the tank for this style of sound, so lets create a whole new alias for it.

I also kinda' 'hummed' and hawed about even doing this one. I've got a lot of Liquid Frog Records material now, maybe even more than Suntrip or Cryo Chamber (!!). Do I need to cover everything? Not really, especially if they're single-song releases. There may even be items down the line which are just re-uploads of prior material, as I've discovered with some of these N:LE & Kiphi tracks. Plus, I've already established a release has to be at least twenty minutes long for me to consider it a proper item worth review, right? Eh, you say I've already broken that rule? Oh, right, that Daniel Pemberton Silent Sky thing... that was barely ten minutes long. Okay, fine, ten minutes is the absolute minimum ...which Blurred Milkyway easily breaches. Ah well.

Actually, this one lasts nearly half an hour, with two versions of the main track, and a lengthier ambient 'b-side' in Deep Breath. Not that the original Blurred Milkyway wasn't ambient in of itself, but as this is partially a Kiphi joint as well, that means we get some nice, rhythmic synth arps joining in on the flowing pads and shimmering sprinkles of spritely synths. Deep Breath is basically the same, but stretched out to a languid pace, the Kiphi arps in no hurry to move along. Much like when actually watching the Milky Way move across the night sky.

If you find yourself in need of picking up the pace (it's not like the universe will last forever or anything), the Fast Star Mix adds a beat. Okay, it's about as slow as a prog-psy rhythm gets, momentum not much brisker than the original Blurred Milkyway. It's also rather deeper than the main cut, lacking the flair of twinkling synths, which really sells that feeling of being lost in the gaze of the darkest portions of our galaxy.

Speaking of, I cannot deny some envy of Juan Pablo's perspective in star gazing. Alpha Centauri, the Southern Cross, the Magellan Clouds, Eta Carinae, Omega Centauri, the Coalsack Nebula... so many object I've never had a chance to see, forever in his night sky. I know, I know, I should just make a trip to the Southern Hemisphere if I really want to see them. I still am overdue for that Kerguelen Island voyage...

M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy - Another Night

Hansa: 1993

It really is insane how many memorable hits '90s eurodance cranked out. This is a group that, behind the scenes, should never have had a hope. First emerging in a post-Technotronic hip-house world, M.C. Sar & The Real McCoy only saw marginal success, probably because they road Technotronic's jock so damn hard. Plus, their name had to be a put-on, yet another in a long lineage of German dance acts featuring lip-syncing. I guess this was still an era where white Europeans named Olaf just weren't seen as worthy rappers, so here's a black dude named M.C. Sar to sell that cover of Pump Up The Jam.

Fortunately, Freshline (the production team behind The Real McCoy that included long-time DJ Quickmix and Jürgen Wind) dropped that gimmick, letting Olaf Jeglitza take front-man status for their next single, Another Night. Also, instead of mimicking American rap, O-Jay adopted a low-throated sexy come-on cadence, which should never have worked with any credibility, yet stood out as something unique in a rapidly over-crowding eurodance scene. Still couldn't shake that lip-syncing itch, however, relying on studio singer Karin Kasar for the lady-led hook while having Patricia Petersen be the face. Gotta' keep that project name firmly ironic, I guess, especially since they retained 'M.C. Sar' for a spell.

Still, can't fault the resulting single. Made at that tasty cross-road between hip-house of old and euro house of not quite as old, it's got everything you want and need of the genre. A solid rhythm, simple keyboard stabs, pianos, buzzy synths, a rap, an insidiously hooky earworm, all mixed together for pop music perfection. I'm surprised The Weeknd hasn't ripped this off yet.

I had a rip of the Club Mix for ages, and never saw much need grabbing a proper single. I did wonder though, whether some gem of a remix lurked undiscovered. This was released when some crossover with German trance wasn't uncommon for eurodance hits. Maybe I should take a gander at this?

Well, the Dance Mix may have your Maxx tiggers flaring, what with the lack of Olaf and the use of panflute riffs. Which makes sense since this team did help produce Maxx, another act that had lip-syncers. Heck, apparently Olaf wrote the lyrics for Get-A-Way! As for the Inferno Mix, I guess this is somewhat close to the realms of trance, what with its minimalist, bleepy lead. Then it tries to go all Rollo with a big orchestral build, but sorry, those strings just don't have enough weight behind them, not to mention a weak-ass siren. Ah well, the remixes on these euro singles are always a crap-shoot. Maybe they'll get more love in one of those charming shuffle-dance compilations.

As for whether I'll get any more Real McCoy, I dunno'. Run Away is another fine tune, but I can't say I was a huge fan of the rest I heard. All too quick to start sounding like everyone else, frankly. Or was everyone else copying them?

Speedy J - Tanga

NovaMute: 2003/2021

I've pretty much covered the bulk of Speedy J's '90s output now, at least that which he's re-issued through Bandcamp thus far (still no Oil Zone single?). Yet somehow, most of his post-Loudboxer material has eluded my orderly queue. All those Collabs singles, I get, since I didn't start this discography dive into Jochem Paap's works until after wrapping up another clutch of 'C' releases. The two other Loudboxer EPs though? Just... what were the odds?

Actually, calling Tanga and Bugmod singles spun off Loudboxer is generous. Yeah, they both use the familiar Designer's Republic art on their covers, but neither track appeared on the album proper. Maybe some loops were available in the vinyl edition of Loudboxer? I wouldn't know, because I haven't heard that double-LP featuring two-hundred locked grooves for discerning DJs with playful and inventive minds. All I can say for certainty is there ain't no Tanga, Tannga, Taanga, or Tangga featured around Loudboxer. It just didn't make the cut.

I almost wonder if Tannga could have made it regardless. We're still in a full-bore, head-down, 4am warehouse techno bosh here, which is what you'd expect from an EP aping similar cover art from an album full of the stuff, but this track is nearly eleven minutes long! Given Loudboxer was all about the quick mixes in service of keeping the party on the up-and-up, where could this behemoth even fit? Like, sure, a two-minute snippet of those thunderous beats could have slid snuggly in a warm-up or lead-out portion, but the whole track features those elements. Besides, there's something approaching an actual hook here too, a repeating synth squall echoing into the furthest, darkest domains your ears can imagine, with a little filter effect keeping each loop twisted until all you hear is its trailing reverb. Yes, compared to the relentless rhythmic action of Loudboxer, that constitutes a hook!

Taanga is basically the dub remix, all drums, slowly building in activity as the track plays out, a couple 'pull it back, bring it back' moments, and a nice lead-out. It's only half as long as Tannga, which isn't surprising since it doesn't make time for the hook (such as it is). Meanwhile, Tangga is the... ambient techno version? Whoa, going a little retro there, are ya', Speedy? Okay, it's only 'ambient' in the sense there isn't an omnipresent thudding kick through the track. Plenty of percussion, mind you, but a bit muted and flanged out with reverb, echo, and delay effects, I guess making this the Proper Dub remix. You can even hear an urgent little hook underneath it all, building its way out from underneath the rhythmic clatter. Considering I had Tanga pegged for just carrying on from Loudboxer's genre purism, it's nice hearing a reminder that Jochem could go back to more experimental techno, if he was so inclined.

And that's a wrap with Speedy J at this end of the alphabet! However, we're not quite done with Mr. Paap down here...

Speedy J - Something For Your Mind - The Remixes

Music Man Records: 1992/2021

The other big crossover hit Speedy J landed early in his career, but hardly the embarrassment Pullover is. Yeah, the vocal nicked from C'hantal's The Realm can grate after a bit, but there's plenty more going on such that you don't have to entirely focus on it. Besides, if you need proof Mr. Paap doesn't mind this track as part of his discography compared to Pullover, just gander at the cover art he used for the Bandcamp remaster.

Something For Your Mind gets to have the O.G. Plus 8 Records glory, while Pullover features the Music Man Records art, even though this package technically contains all the music from the Music Man version. Keep in mind that the record this release got its art from, simply titled The Remixes, also featured Pullover on the A-side, yet Something For Your Mind gets to rub shoulders with all of Plus 8's greats instead. Right, I know the Pullover single came out before it was featured on The Remixes, but hey, if Jochem is a stickler for such details, why not use the Music Man art for Something For Your Mind as well?

Anyhow, while all the other singles had remixes of Something For Your Mind, and not the original cut, this re-issue does include the original! Or at least, the version as heard on the Rise EP, which was a live outing of crashing rhythms, but I guess ol' Jochem feels that's the definitive one – it's certainly as close to the sort of techno he'd eventually rinse out on the regular.

Realizing a live rendition might be a bit too bang-on for proper single consideration (and maybe wanting to add a little more songcraft compared to the dumb-thump of Pullover), Speedy J's own remix brings some ravey synth stabs, tension building strings, and cowbell. It's also rather muted compared to the live version, which makes it less powerful if you want to get folks properly pumped. It's as though Jochem forgot to add the gains for these remasters. Or were they just recorded that quietly in the first place?

The other remix comes care of Exposure, one Maurits Paardekooper and Rick van Breugel (these Dutch names, I swear). They were part of the Techno Grooves collective, a bunch of Dutchmen making techno in the early '90s, which also included Speedy J. They've been semi-active to this day, and Richie Hawtin seemed to like Maurits' Percussion Electrique under his Dwarf alias. Meanwhile, van Breugel has way too many aliases and projects for me to dig further, so let's move onto their remix of Something For Your Mind.

The longest of this batch, Exposure uses even punchier, crunchier rave stabs than Speedy J's rub, adds some choir pads at the peaks, and that's about it. Hey, it ain't bad for a '92 Dutch techno tune, but at nine-minutes long, kinda' overstays its welcome as well. Maybe needed an edited version? *listens to the 7” Remix*. Oh dear, no. That was just pointless.

Public Energy - Slumber / Velocity

Probe Records: 1994/2021

Not just the name of a Speedy J album, Jochem Paap used the 'Public Energy' alias as a means of releasing additional singles on Probe Records, the Plus 8 spin-off featuring techno of a harder bent. This was just something many producers used to do, wanting their stylistically different tracks separate from their main projects. Come to think of it, it still happens, though mostly in niche ways – in contemporary over-saturated scenes, if you have an alias that catches on, you gotta' ride that as much as you can, no matter how much you think your lo-fi acid ambient-core track clashes with your lolli-trap hyper-hands cut.

Still, there was a fair bit of distance between the more traditional takes on Detroit techno Jochem was doing as Speedy J (just ignore Pull Over ...please?) and the boshier stuff offered as Public Energy. It wasn't a lengthy divergence, mind, releasing just one record before he got sucked into that whole Artificial Intelligence business with Warp Records, steering his career path into 'serious' music making for a good portion of the '90s. Yet while in the midst of his Ginger and G Spot era, Mr. Paap saw fit to release another Public Energy record with Probe Records. The allure for making something for the true underground heads, flailing away at 4am in a sweaty warehouse, was just too much to resist, I guess. But hey, at least he eventually said nuts to all the 'proper' ways of doing techno, going for the jugular on the regular.

And even here, Jochem goes about doing bosh in a slightly smarter way than what his fellow Dutchmen would. Side A Slumber still features those over-driven gabber beats, but teased and held back, echoing and percolating among themselves for a long lead-in, punchy acid soon joining the intense rhythmic action. Then... what's this? Light, sinewy synth pads? Is... is Slumber turning into a trance track? No, not really, but in being coupled with these beats, it does impart a hypnotic feel.

B-side cut Velocity is a bit more traditional for full-throttle techno, and might even be credibly considered hard trance of the era. It's certainly got a bit of an Oliver Lieb vibe going for it, and features all the requisite synth breakdowns and acid climaxes you'd expect of the genre. If you've ever felt forlorn that Speedy J didn't embrace more trance back when, Velocity will certainly be a treat for your ears.

The Bandcamp re-issue throws in a bonus track, P.A., which originally appeared on The Silcon Ghetto EP Vol. 1 from Daniel Bell's short-lived Accelerate label. Yes, even more short-lived than Probe Records. It, too, is also quite boshy, but in a total Detroit minimalist way, making it an effective tool for your DJing needs, but that's about it. You really wouldn't expect any less from sharing vinyl space with DB-X. Kind of clashes with the original single, but eh, isn't the whole point of digital re-issues rescuing wayward tracks on defunct labels?

Speedy J - Pull Over

Music Man Records: 1991/2021

This has to be the dumbest thing Speedy J has ever made. Yes, even dumber than its spiritual twin sister, Something For Your Mind - at least that one has a slightly redeemable vocal? And I'm not talking about my 'good' kind of dumb, which one could argue a lot of his post-Loudboxer techno is. Y'know, that blunt, no-holds-barred kind of pummelling rhythmic action that doesn't require much in the way of insightful dissection or thought to get into. No, this is just straight up dumb, spelled with a capital 'D', 'U', and 'M'. Just how dumb is this track? When Armin van Buuren was doing his little 'updating tunes that inspired me' series, of all the Speedy J tracks he could have chosen, he chose this one. That's how dumb this track is!

Don't worry about me calling Pull Over the dumbest thing to Speedy J's name, tho'. I'm sure Jochem would agree. Despite its massive success as a cross-over hit and an early Dutch rave 'classic', he never, ever wanted to go down this route again. Heck, I wonder what compelled him to do such a tune in the first place? Peer pressure from his fellow Dutchmen, to unleash the inherited Dutchiness lurking in his lineage?

It's certainly unlike anything he'd been releasing on Plus 8 Records to that point, which admittedly hadn't been much yet. Maybe that Minimal track, if it had only focused on the rhythm. But Pull Over doesn't. Almost immediately, that utterly inane looping 'hook' makes its presence felt, just mindlessly going on its single note, with its single pitch bend. And it never, ever stops, just sucking the whole way through. No matter how many fancy little drum fills Speedy J tries to get you hype around it, the hook carries on, sucking. You might say it helped inspire hard house, but that's like saying Family Guy helped inspire The Cleveland Show.

The First Remix is almost a tad less sucky, in that the beats have a bit more momentum going for them. The Speedy One also gets a little more playful with that hook, occasionally stretching the pitch bend out so the hook almost ends up sounding like a siren, and even adding a little reverb effect. Actually, no, that makes it even worse. I don't want to hear this stupid-ass hook any more than I need to, and no amount of knob twiddling will help it.

Second Remix, then, that's where it's at. Yeah, the noise that makes up Pull Over's hook is still present, but it's reduced to nothing more than a single stab no more prominent than an off-beat bassline. This version is all about d'em beats, man, and here's the Speedy J that would go on to such bangin' classics like Kreck. Well, in a primordial form at least.

The Bandcamp re-issue also includes an Original Cassette Tape version, and it's... just Pull Over again, but slower. Hard... Pass... Over...

Speedy J - Pepper / Beam Me Up!

Warp Records: 1994/2021

Time to get hep to the step, when J' drops that Hot Mix of Pep! ...per. Um, represent? Okay, that was lame, Dr. Evil lame, but you gotta' give me some kudos for admitting as such, right? Not every one of these intro paragraphs will be a winner, and when you're dealing with the same artist in multiple reviews in short order, the brain, she sometimes fails at the wit. Besides, what would this blog be without the occasional bout of lame-itude?

Pepper was one of the trancey tunes off of Speedy J's debut album Ginger, possibly the tranciest track he ever made. With soaring strings, spaced-out voice pads, and a steady, chugging rhythm, it's small wonder it became a staple of the progressive house scene. It does leave a tantalizing bit of 'what if?' on his discography, if Jochem had decided to pursue this line of music making rather than exploring other facets of techno proper. Instead, it's more a reflection of the period from whence it was made, Europeans cross-pollinating techno and trance with nary a care or worry of what the Detroit Elite thought.

Still, he must have realized this tune was getting a lot of extra attention, giving it a little single love so the DJs didn't have to lug around all that Ginger wax just to play it. And just in case the original was a tad too 'deep' with all those spacey lead-ins and breakdowns, The Hot Mix ups the rhythmic energy with prog-house beats and twitchy, bouncy synth leads. Okay, so less trance than the album version, but I'm sure Sasha and Diggers appreciated this one's dancefloor utility.

That Pepper would get the single treatment isn't surprising, but of all the tracks to pair it up with, why did Beam Me Up! get the nod? The original's fine, I guess, a juanty little easy groover with twinkly synths and stuttery voices, but hardly a top choice for the clubs. This here Pegasus Mix on the single ups the house attributes, even edging close to the realm of garage with a rhythm that's almost shuffly. It's over before it even really begins though, running a svelte three-and-a-half minutes. Barely seems worth the effort having it on a record like this.

Jochem must have known this Pepper / Beam Me Up single was quite skint, so for the CD option, he included a near-sixteen minute excerpt of a live performance that includes the tracks Ginger, Pepper and Flashback (the other 'trancey' song off the album). And hot damn, is this ever a dope excerpt! If ever you needed proof positive Speedy J knew his way around a techno groove and a 303 acid twiddle, you got it right here. Only downside to Live '94 is it fades out just as you're really warmed up to it, wanting the set to go the full length of a CD. Hmm, Jochem should do that, down the line, and call it something simple yet silly, like !ive. Genius!

Speedy J - Patterns (Remix) / Pannik

Plus 8 Records: 1997/2021

Fair warning, we're gonna' be dealing with a lot of Speedy J within this upcoming block of 'P' titled releases. Mr. Paap really likes him some 'P', it seems. You'd think it would be 'G', what with his first two albums titled Ginger, and G Spot, but when it comes to singles (and one album), 'P' reigns supreme. Why are you all sniggering? You'll see what I mean by this love of 'P'!

Patters was one of the few – okay, only – singles to emerge from Speedy's third album, Public Energy No. 1 (see!?). There also was a promo record with some tracks, including Pure Energy, but as for official spin-offs, this was about it. Not that it's a surprising thing, Jochem seemingly hesitant to tie singles to albums most of the time. Ginger only got one, as did G Spot. And though Loudboxer had a couple, it made sense there since that album's nothing but techno tools in need of vinyl options.

Speaking of Loudboxer-era Speedy J, does this record ever foretell that turn of style for Jochem. Yes, even more than the other ones I've probably said. Patterns itself is a remix, seemingly a bridge between the more melodic IDM he was doing before, and the abrasive stuff he'd indulge more frequently as the '90s wore on. Calm, tranquil, sometimes distorting drone pads give us a lengthy lead-in before Mr. J' starts unleashing all manner of crunchy, boshing, frantic drill-n-bass rhythms, letting you know this ain't no Fill session. There's a storm a' brewing, folks, and as if to sell that notion just a little harder, here's some climatic orchestral string sections building the tension to a damn near fever-pitch. The final release of sonic noise is worth the wait, but doesn't last as long as you'd hope, over almost as soon as it began. Dammit, I wanted to really get my flail on there.

Ask, and you shall receive. Except I didn't ask, but that Speedy, he knows what we need, don't he. Pannik is a pure Detroit mininalist techno bosh cut, and lasts ten minutes! Okay, maybe not the longest track of such nature, but certainly an epic in Jochem's discography to that point, much of his early techno was straight-forward and of unfussy lengths. Not this one, taking you for a head-pounding, foot stomping ride with all the crashing snares and cymbals you can handle from the dude who did The Oil Zone. He'd already been dashing some expectations after the Ni Go Snix EP, but I doubt anyone would have expected him to go this dumb with techno again. Yeah, it's a 'smart dumb' kind of dance music compared to some of his actual early 'dumb' hits, but still.

Punnik, meanwhile, goes longer, cranking the feral energy up even further. Rhythms are broken, with distorted sounds and reverb making this sound like it was produced in an oppressive Detroit factory. The primal techno beatings will continue until morale improves.

Speedy J - Ni Go Snix

NovaMute: 1997/2021

The absolute limit ol' Jochem took his experimental side, this one. Of course, in techno circles of the latter end of the '90s, 'experimental' usually meant all manner of noisy rackets and wild distortions. Fair enough, the IDM leagues gaining plenty of critical praise and nifty Chris Cunningham videos for their efforts. Speedy J already had ties to the ranks of Aphex Twin and Autechre from his Artificial Intelligence days, so it'd make sense he'd find his way back there at some point, following similar paths they were already treading. Maybe rope in a couple like-minded chaps for a remix or two. Makes better sense than continuing to work with Banco de Gaia.

As an in-between single following G Spot, I have to imagine Ni Go Snix shocked a lot of folks. So much so that Jochem put a reassuring tag on the record that this was indeed, not, a new single for the up-coming album Public Energy No. 1. Don't worry, then, if it's not to your liking, it's just a one-off dalliance satisfying his need to go abrasive after all the plaudits for going so melodic on his last album. (or is it...!)

Well, just how noisy can one Speedy J track be? Pretty darn noisy, I'd say. Ni Go Snix is basically an electro track, but fed through so much distortion, you're hearing almost nothing but feedback on those bleeps and bloops. It's, like, electrocore, or electore. Ooh, that's one for the genre books! Look, if nonsense words like 'complextro' can get accepted, so can 'electore'. Anyhow, there honestly isn't much to this track beyond just how noisy Speedy J can make it, and with the Snix Mix, he makes it almost unbearably noisy indeed. This is, like hardectro!

Like A Tim doesn't do much with his remix, basically shuffling around the originals sounds for more of a freeform jam. Mike Paradinas, on the other hand give Ni Go Snix the good ol' µ-Ziq treatment, speeding the beats up to his brand of hyper drill 'n' bass action, then throwing in some spastic pad work and twee melodies in support, lending the track a rather Baroque vibe. Y'know, vintage µ-Ziq.

The CD version of this single – and by extension, the Bandcamp upload I snagged - did include a couple remixes for a track that appeared on the forthcoming Speedy J album: Hayfever. The Izm Mix by the hopeless obscure Jeroen van Dorsten turns in a future-shock heavy breaks tune that sounds like what The Future Sound Of London might have done to a Speedy J track if given the chance. The less obscure Sefan Robbers, meanwhile, maintains the future-shockiness, but opts for something a little more drum 'n' bassy, and is quite the sky-high mellow vibe after having gone so through much aural assault prior. How do these remixes stack against the original Hayfever? Heck if I know, I haven't heard Public Energy No. 1 yet. We'll find out soon enough!

Apollo 440 - Liquid Cool (Volume Two)

Stealth Sonic Recordings: 1994

Ah yes, the ol' 'why settle for one CD single when you can commission two and charge twice the price!' strategy. Heck, there's apparently a 3-LP vinyl option out there that consolidates everything into one package, though according to Lord Discogs, was only ever a promo?

That doesn't seem right. Why would Stealth Sonic Recordings commercially limit the amount of tracks? Oh right, that whole 'maximize sales' thing. So separate them into two 'volumes', the first one having the Big Names like FSOL, Deep Forest, and Jah Wobble, then if there's interest, here's the other remixes on a second volume. Only there was no second volume released on vinyl, strictly limited to CD. Guess Ollie J and 'Space' weren't enough of a selling point after all.

Still, if there's any complaint to be had about Liquid Cool (Volume One), it's that its offered remixes weren't exactly the most DJ friendly. Yeah, yeah, Sasha and Diggers made Ice Cold @ The Equator work in Northern Exposure, but that set was never intended to be a traditional club dancefloor set in the first place. No, I'm talking about versions where the intro and outros are easily layered and the rhythms are steady, to which Volume Two offers up. Without a vinyl option. How did that happened again?

I mentioned before that there's a remix of Liquid Cool that's even better than Deep Forest's famed rub, and here it be right on Volume Two, Deep Forest's other rub: Trans-Afrique Life Extension Express. Just jettison the downtime of Ice Cold, grab all the dope rhythmic bits and ear-wormy pieces, and rearrange them for maximum efficiency. If Ice Cold is the chakra-aligning, yoga meditating outing, then Trans-Afrique is the cross-fit ripped, sweating workout: no gristle, all muscle.

It still boggles my mind that Deep Forest was capable of such a dancefloor weapon. I wonder how much engineer Ollie J (he of many studio jobs with acts like Leftfield, Sasha, Rozalla, and, erm, The Prodigy's Baby's Got A Temper ...whoof) had a hand in its arrangement. For sure he has a Live Dubs go as well, but it's nowhere near as solid or interesting as Trans-Afrique.

The other remixes on Volume Two come care of Rhythm Of Space, a pairing of Jono Podmore and Steve Musham that has very little Discoggian presence (compared to their other works in the business at least). In case you felt Deep Forest's go was too 'poppy', their Colonization Remix takes Liquid Cool down the most proper progressive house path you could possible pursue in '94: fourteen minutes of relentless rhythms and almost nothing but, not even the chants. If that seems excessive, take a gander at their -320°F Biostatic Ambient Mix, here pared down to just one part, as the 'promo' vinyl version lasted a full twenty-five minutes. It's definitely interesting in that ol' school, noodly ambient dub sort of way, but even at the eleven minutes offered here, it does drag some. Can't imagine enduring the full session.

Apollo 440 - Liquid Cool (Volume One)

Stealth Sonic Recordings: 1994

Even in the free-wheelin, 'anything goes' Cambrianic explosion of electronic music diversification that was the first half of the '90s, Apollo 440 were all over the place. They did eventually settle on a big-beat rocktronica fusion as the decade wore on, but as is quite evident in their debut album Millennium Fever, it took them a while to hash things out. After a few early singles mostly following hardcore rave tropes, they seemed to hit upon a groove with the Rumble EP, hitching their wagon to the burgeoning progressive house scene. Hah, no, not really, such tunes sharing equal space with sub-par Psykosonik jams like Astral America and Don't Fear The Reaper. Yet it was their proggy stuff that went on to be some of the band's most endearing tunes. Thanks, Sasha and Digweed!

Lodged on the b-side of that Rumble EP was a ten-minute track called Liquid Cool. I don't know if it was intended for a follow-up single of it's own, but boy howdy did it ever get the deluxe treatment when pressed into service. Somehow, someway, Apollo 440 managed to rope in a group that, while popular, were not exactly known for their remixes, their main output primarily studio works. Yes, I am talking about that indomitable powerhouse duo of the ethnic-fusion sample-o-sphere, The Future Sound Of London! What, did you think I was talking about Enigma?

But yes, The f'n FSOL is on this remix package, who take the rocky, world-beaty original into their Earthbeat studio and give Liquid Cool the ISDN treatment. By which I mean they slow the pace down, throw in a few of their own custom/unique/identifiable samples, and add a heavier trip-hop beat. If you know your ISDN-era FSOL, you can hear this track without even playing it.

Also on hand in this remix package is bassist, OG world-beatist Jah Wobble (what, was Bill Laswell not available?). This was actually the start of a mini-comeback for the Wobble one, John Wardle's project having laid relatively low for over half a decade to this point. His go with Liquid Cool starts simply enough, mostly following the same structure as most remixes do with a little extra bass jamming along. Then two minutes in, Jah switches into the highest gear you could go in '94, frantic jungle rhythms and speedy bass playing galore. Again, if you familiar with his works (or Laswell's), you likely can already hear how this goes.

That leaves the Theme For Cryonic Suspension remix (essentially the album version) done by Apollo 440 themselves, a radio version of that (pass), and the one that everyone knows and loves, Deep Forest's Ice Cold @ The Equator Mix. Yeah, it's dope, possibly the best version of Liquid Cool for so many reasons that I won't be able to detail here. Almost out of word count, see. Besides, there's an even better version out there! Yes, even greater than the one you've heard on Northern Exposure. What could it possibly be?

The KLF - Last Train To Trancentral (Live From The Lost Continent)

Indisc: 1991

No doubt one of the more redundant singles I've picked up. There's only three tracks on here, and I already have two of them. Yeah, the Live From The Lost Continent version would have been a welcome addition to any UK punter's collection, a wholly different version compared to the album cut in that region (itself a remodelling of an unreleased song called Go To Sleep). Capping off The KLF's 'Stadium House' trilogy, wherein Jimmy and Billy took their Pure Trance singles and turned them into rollicking rave anthems filled with adoring crowds, Last Train was probably the most vain-glorious of the bunch. Well, certainly my personal favourite, even if The Charts say 3 a.m. Eternal was most popular of the trio (to say nothing of the Tammy Wynette featuring version of Justified And Ancient).

Anyhow, that's all a moot point for yours truly, as the American version of The White Room used the Lost Continent version of Last Train instead. Guess Arista figured their audience wouldn't have time for the 'subtler', calmer UK variant – don't bore us, get to the mutha'-fuggin' anthem chorus! Either that, or there was even more sample-clearance issues. Neither would surprise me.

Also included on this single is the 1989 Pure Trance Original. You know this as the version as heard on Chill Out, which I also have, kind of. I guess it's nice having it on its own, separate from the the full album mix, but again, redundant to my own music collection.

That leaves just The Iron Horse rub, and you know what? This actually makes getting the single for exactly one track out of three almost worth it. It's basically a primitive 'prog house' version of Last Train, back when the genre had just started its tentative first walk out onto the shores of UK clubland. The Lost Continent version is essentially stripped down to its most functional rhythmic components, chugging along at a deep, unrelenting pace. Shame its barely four minutes long, but I'm sure enterprising DJs could loop this for a propah' prog journey, if so inclined.

“But, Sykonee, you sexy beast of scintillating sound analysis,” I hear the cries, “why not cover that other remix package for this single?” What, The Moody Boys one? Yeah, that exists, but wasn't among the CD options from where I picked this up. It's not that hard to find, but certainly far from as common as this single is.

And frankly, I'm not sure if there's much to say about them, both essentially rubs on the UK album variant of Last Train. The 808Bass Version adds more rolling deep ends while the 120 Rock Steady version gets ravier with punchier riffs and broken beats, but that's about the extent of differences. Meanwhile, the Mu D. Vari-Speed Version is just Last Train To Trancentral (Remix 1) from the Pure Trance single, only played through a tape reel or turntable pitch shift at various speeds (I'm not sure which – maybe both?). I'll pass.

Speedy J - Ieee Mitten Menu

NovaMute: 1999/2021

Well, isn't this a funny looking little record from Speedy J. While he's never been completely shy from cheeky presentation (hello, scrambled cable porn G Spot), he's certainly not known for going so cartoony. Even the title of this single is silly, supposedly a Dutch play on words akin to English's Eeny Meeny Miny Moe (how the rest of that rhyme goes is entirely dependant upon where and when you grew up). I'm not sure what prompted the release of such a record on Jochem's part. It wasn't tied to any particular album, nor did he debut on NovaMute with it. Maybe Mr. Paap simply made this because *gasp* he just felt like it, as a lark? What sort of artistic indulgence is this!

The Nutt Mix (hehe, heh... 'nutt') is about what you'd expect from Speedy J in this time frame, an uncompromising techno-breaks outing with distortion aplenty. Even the robot voices are distorted! I'm not sure what that voice is saying, though online sources tell me it's more nursery rhyme silliness. Additional elements come and go, like spacey synth pads, swooshing effects, warbly sine waves, while the rhythms shift into higher gear near the peak of the track. Nothing fancy, just a functional slice of aggro techno for the (then) modern era. You'll be hearing this phrase from me a lot about Speedy J records in the future.

The Mint Mix opens with a vocal which I assume is the title (or portions of the rhyme) getting all chopped up. That voice though, I can't help but feel like I've heard it before. It almost sounds like that “something for your mind” lady, and now my brain has made a connection to Speedy J's breakout single of the same name that almost certainly doesn't exist in reality. No, really, how funny would it be if Mr. Paap used Ieee Mitten Menu as an exercise in exorcising demons from his past. Yeah, it was a big break for him, but boy was Jochem ever quick in distancing himself away from that brand of techno too.

Anyhow, Mint Mix seems mostly conventional and pared down from the Nutt Mix, a rather funky breakbeat carrying things along as the familiar Ieee Mitten Menu elements come and go. Towards the end though, things go ultra-distorted in a noisy freak-out of aggro beats. Pretty cool, and segues nicely for a coda of lingering, creepy after effects.

B-side Fart Essen (hehe, heh... 'essen') is a straight-up, no nonsense piece of faceless techno business, relentless bosh for the 4am warehouse crowd. Kinda' cool as a precursor of where Speedy J would eventually end up, but not much else to say about it. I do wonder what folks thought of it at the time though. Like, were any of his followers still hoping for a return to his G Spot material? Oh sweet summer children, if you felt Ieee Mitten Menu was off the plot, you hadn't heard anything yet.

Electric Deluxe - Electric Deluxe

Plus 8 Records: 2000/2021

So I bought Speedy J's Bandcamp catalogue. Yes, the whole thing, all thirty-two items, every single. A bit excessive perhaps, as I can't claim to be a die-hard fan of Jochem Paap's output. Still, with his first twenty years worth of solo catalogue finally online, I may as well take the full plunge. Naturally, this means I'll be reviewing every- okay, not every single release. Not much point in doing Ginger, G-Spot (&!ive), and Loudboxer again.

And as is tradition with this blog, I am not starting off this comprehensive dive into Speedy J's discography with a Speedy J record – never anything straight-forward at EMC, nosiree! Instead, by alphabetical decree, that honour goes to Electric Deluxe, a one-off alias for a one-off single. Not that such an act was unprecedented in Jochem's career, a few such aliases in his early years (Tune, The Second Wave). This one came out at a weird time for it though, during another of his frequent transitions from one form of techno to another.

Again, what I write is often supposition based on easily available facts. Seeing this single emerge under a fresh alias right before Speedy J's Loudboxer era though, has me wondering just how confident he was about going that route. Electric Deluxe has all the hallmarks of Mr. Paap's turn towards hard, bangin' minimalist techno, but that's not what his regular Speedy J output was doing at the time. A Shocking Hobby was aggressive in its own right, but more in a broken beat, IDM sort of way. Throughout much of the '90s, the Speedy one was known for 'intelligent techno', and the works of Adam Beyer and Chris Liebing were not.

Still, those jocks were making some respectable bank touring that sound, and Jochem may have been itching to finally get properly paid for all his efforts. Thus, test the market a little with a fresh alias on an old, reliable Detroit label (well, Windsor), and if things turn out fine, go whole hog with the primary alias.

I have to assume it worked out, Electric Deluxe's success not only convincing Jochem this was the path to take, but the single doing respectable business on the and DJ mix CD market too – everyone from Ken Ishii to Sven Väth to Kai Tracid (!) to DJ Montana of Black Hole Recordings (!?) got in on it.

And why not? Electric Deluxe is mint peak-time techno business (Business Techno? Good God, no), a relentless seven-minute assault of building, percolating rhythms, with a little requisite flange and siren effects thrown in at the climax. Certainly a far cry from the days of De-Orbit and The Oil Zone, but definitely right in the lane of what 4am bangin' techno was up to at the turn of the century. Glitch pummels even harder while getting deeper into a supporting drone tone, while Glitch 2 keeps the focus on the beats, dirty and crunchy. Nothing fancy, just the way techno at the time liked it.

Phynn - C U Smile (Original TC Review)

Black Hole Recordings: 2007

(2022 Update:
I know I seem to say this often about trance artists from the '00s, but seriously, what happened to Phynn? He seemed to do everything an up-and-comer of the Dutch eurotrance scene was supposed to do to have a lengthy career. Have a couple break-out singles playlisted by the Very Important trance DJs of the day, get his name out into other ventures such as DJing, get some snarky blog reviews written up leading to a debut album (okay, maybe not that one), and then... Profit, I guess?

Honestly, having listened to said debut and only album, Metamorphosis, I'm not surprised Phynn's future prospects sputtered. The first half, which includes C U Smile, is quite the blatant jump on Sander Van Doorn's brand of acid-fart bosh (the back-half is more traditional euro-trance fare, but only marginally better). Who knows if it was Mr. Jager's intent, or Black Hole Recordings forcing him to go in a new direction the scene was desperately hitching their wagon on, but regardless, it proved a musical dead-end for all involved as the new decade took hold. Phynn eventually left Black Hole, started his own short-lived digital print Lunary Records featuring music with a tougher, deeper techno edge, but all other social media and Discoggian info on him dries up by 2016.)

IN BRIEF: Marco V lite.

These past couple years have seen quite a few trance producers fleeing their past to embrace the chunkier nu-electro sound. Ferry Corsten, Marco V, Cosmic Gate, just to name a few. However, their transition isn’t terribly surprising, as these folks had done all they felt they needed to in that old sound. They’d prefer to move forward rather than stay in the past (even if moving forward doesn’t always translate to producing better). What does come as a surprise though, is seeing some of the names of the new generation of trance already doing the same.

Finne Jager - aka: Phynn - was early-on expected to be part of this fresh breed; his productions and DJ mixes seemed to indicate he’d be perfectly fine to carry on the Dutch trance mantle. Heck, just a year ago he was tapped to take on the long running In Trance We Trust series, a release filled to the rim with epic anthems. Surprisingly, his first single in nearly two years (not including two download-only tracks from last year, but then it's still up in the air whether those count as true singles [2022 Edit: oh, 2007 Sykonee, you silly git]) finds the young man instead leaving that sound behind and joining the ranks of producers making march-a-long tech. Is this a case of bandwagon jumping? Or perhaps Finne’s already bored with epic Dutch trance and is also looking to try something different. Fair play if the latter is so, but his offering isn’t much to get excited about.

C U Smile does everything we’ve come to expect from tracks like these, with very little innovation to distinguish from the pack. As mentioned, the rhythms are standard march-a-long in nature, causing the track to plod for large chunks at a time. The main hook is very simple, but does benefit from playing in a slightly different time signature, thus helping turn your head somewhat. Beyond that, this is a bland, forgettable techno; his club version is the better offering by a significant margin. There’s more energy and doesn’t completely rely on the main hook to sell it, with additional hooks doing a nice job between the peaks. Mind, it’s still an overly simple track, but at least doesn’t plod like the original does.

DJ Preach brings chunkier rhythms with his remix, letting his techno influences overtake the track with workable results. Aside from the additional sounds though, there isn’t much difference between his and Phynn’s club mix. Well, aside from an extended breakdown where Preach stretches the riff out somewhat, but it’s nothing more than a novel trick that adds little.

Ultimately, considering how much potential he showed in the past, C U Smile is something of a disappointment from Phynn. The track is functional but functional is very, very common in the world of dance music, and Mr. Jager hasn’t produced anything here that demands to be snatched up. It’ll work in your sets but you could find any number of tracks that do the same.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2007. © All rights reserved

Captain Hollywood Project - Only With You

Pulse-8 Records: 1993

Though not as impactful as Haddaway's What Is Love, I'd rank Captain Hollywood Project's More & More just as influential on developing my eurodance tastes. Beyond that major hit, however, the musical conglomerate fronted by Tony Dawson-Harrison failed to have much presence in Canadaland, such that it was years before I heard anything else from him. By the time I did stumble upon CHP's debut album, I was well beyond my honeymoon years with the genre, wooed by the allure of goa and German trance instead. Love Is Not Sex sounded hopelessly dated and tired to those ears, and I utterly rejected it as anything worthy of future consideration. Not sure why I had such a knee-jerk reaction to it – was I just too over-familiar with Nosie Katzmann's songwriting?

Whatever the case, those are musings for a future review should I reconcile my impression of Love Is Not Sex. Instead, let's focus on the second single from that album, one that I do remember quite liking at the time. In many ways, it's More & More: Mark II, what with the simple, punchy synth lead, gentle backing pads, rugged eurodance rhythms, and sultry female chorus. Something about this one just hits better though, as though those elements have been further distilled and refined to peak perfection. Why, even the chorus is better, making more sense as lovelorn lyrics than the vague notions of More & More.

Then there's Mr. Captain himself. He was never a fancy lyricist (how many euro rappers were?), but he easily made that up through pure suave, with one of the most gravelly voices from that era. And for whatever reason, he sounds quite fired up here, dropping in with “You. Should. Just. Chiilll.” that sends shivers down my spine. In a totally ironic, cheese-adoring sort of way, of course, ha-rumph ha-rumph. Anyhow, his message is basically “yo', stop fucking up our planet so much”, which doesn't match the chorus in the slightest, but hey, I totally buy his “pleadin'” when he laments that “our Earth is bleedin'”. Poignant content even three decades on, darn it all.

If y'all haven't all turned away in contempt at getting my cheddar on, how about some 'serious' remixes then? The Faze II Mix was apparently done by a guy called Paul Newman, whom you may know as Tall Paul. It's certainly trancier than the usual fare I've heard from The Tall One, though not as trancey as the Trance Mix at the end of this single. Sort of that middle-ground where anthem house and trance could meet back in the day. Speaking of anthem house, Rollo's here with two remixes as well! They're... not as interesting, the Piracy Mix sounding like it wants to be a Jersey club option, the Relentless Mix adding some acid and anthems to the fray. And where's Captain Hollywood in all these remixes? It's weird hearing him just in the Trance Mix, where you'd lest expect him.

Maxx - Get-A-Way

Blow Up/Quality Music: 1993/1994

I never bothered with Maxx's debut breakout single because the copies I always saw in my neck of the woods didn't look appealing. Music-wise, I mean. There's no way that cover art is getting by without at least a casual glance, if not outright gawkery. Just, damn! Eurodance was never shy about its sex-appeal, but even this use of curves and shadows was pushing things ever so close into risque. What was I talking about again? Oh yeah.

So Get-A-Way was everywhere, a true classic in a year when eurodance was spoiled for hits. This naturally led to a slew of remixes, but the roll-out was rather weak. Even as a teenager with limited income, I knew getting only three tracks wasn't that good of a deal – all those 2 Unlimited singles I got had at least five. Now, that No More single, that's got some beef to it, and how can I resist remixes with names like “Terrordome” and “Paradise Garage” on them? A sight better than Twilight Mix or 2 A.M. Club Mix.

Get Get-A-Way I did though, as it was an option in a CD single bundle I happened across. Figured I may as well give it a shot, as these old eurodance EPs oftentimes contain some buried, trance-leaning treasure. Sadly, that's not what I get here, the 2 A.M. Club Mix essentially the same as the famed Airplay Mix, but with certain key features missing. None of the buzzy basslines, none of the bleepy leads (instead replaced with panflute toots), and none of that silly 'hardcore' orchestral sting in the song's bridge. Instead, everything flows smoother along pads, with piano lines in the bridges. What's funny is for the longest time, I thought this was the original version, at it was the one featured in my first exposure to it, on Dance Mix 94 (the club-dance compilation series in Canada). Ain't no way things like 'correct track titles' were a thing, and was shocked to hear the original had more similarities to No One than I thought possible.

Still, I cannot deny being a little disappointed in discovering this was it all along. That adorable 'shuffle dance' YouTube video with 2 A.M. Club Mix in the title led me to believe it was a little more bang-on. I'm not even sure if that is an official remix, as I can't find anything that sounds like it.

It does include elements of the Naked Eye Mix, specifically the bouncier synth lead that meets half-way between the original's bleeps and the 2 A.M.'s flutes. In fact, 'bouncier' is the best way to describe this mix – speed it up a bunch, and it could be happy hardcore. As for the Piano Remix, the same piano fills as found in the 2 A.M. rub get full shine, but isn't much different.

Really, the only Get-A-Way remix you should scope out is the (once) UK-exclusive Red Jerry Remix, because c'mon! The co-founder of Hooj Choons, remixing Maxx!

Hypertrophy - Eternal Flames

Epic: 1999

I can't claim that Hypertrophy were massive mega-stars back in the day. It was certainly the most successful of Stefan Heinemann and DJ Thoka's collaborations, but even that success only yielded a handful of singles. And grazing through their compilation game, they seldom appeared on any of the Very Important collections of the late '90s, mostly relegated to one-and-done music shop shelf filler. The biggest trance DJ I see rinsing them out is Talla 2XLC, which isn't a surprise.

While their hits like Just Come Back To Me and Beautiful Day do plenty to trigger my nostalgia endorphins, I've always had a real fondness for Eternal Flames, specifically the Olav Basoski remix. One of those 'right place, right time, perfect feels' type of things, if you catch my drift. I'm mostly sated on having it on the Tommy Boy Silver showcase Planet Dance, but surely a tune released at the height of Hypertrophy mania would have a flurry of singles with even more remixes, right? Well, some.

I'd like to say I got this Epic version of the single because I wanted to explore other remixes beyond the Olav and Killerloop rubs, but that's not true. Nay, I nabbed it because it was an option among a bunch of other eurodance singles I could bulk buy, so gave it a shot. I hoped these other remixes would stand on their own merits, but honestly, it's nearly impossible to beat Olav.

The Fanatix Mix may as well be the 'original mix', and this EP has two versions: the short Sharp Cut and the longer CD Cut. It was a bit of a shock hearing its squealing lead synth again, being absent from the Olav mix and all. Also absent was Mona's silly monologue, but Eternal Flames is a bit of a silly tune overall. I can't hate on it though, the plucky synths and 'donking' offbeat bassline keeping things so perfectly tongue-in-cheek, I fall sway to the cheese. Besides, how can I hate on a monologue that references Praga Khan?

The Melodica Mystica Short Mix trances things up more, giving the gated stuttering synths more prominence. I'll never hate on those kinds of synths, so bonus points there. Beyond that, there's twinkly melodies, some Sash! plucks, and no donking bassline. Pleasant enough fluff, which I even prefer over the pure eurotrance of the more famed Killerloop Mix.

Still, I wonder if Epic had little faith in Eternal Flames, as the Junior Vasquez rub of Beautiful Day is tacked on here. I heard that remix all the time in my little far-flung corner of the world, giving me an impression Hypertrophy being bigger than they actually were. What can I say about it? That bassline is still far more menacing than any club trance tune has a right to be. The plucks are straight out of Sash!'s playbook. The bells still sound naff, but I can't imagine the tune without them either. Too many memories flood back at hearing them. Nostalgia overload!

Vector Lovers - Carousel EP

self release: 2016

Another of Martin Wheeler's yearly Vector Lovers EPs released through Bandcamp, though this unfortunately may have the fewest talking points. Solstice, Pale Blue Star, and even Road / To Ruin are more traditional EPs, a batch of four or five unique tracks, whereas Carousel is more of a single, one tune with different versions of it.

That in of itself is something of a talking point, most Vector Lovers singles having at most one remix to their name. Even in his Soma Quality Recordings era, very few of his tunes would have someone other that Martin provide a rub. Futures In Plastic, Microtron, Nostalgia 4 The Future were the main ones, plus a few others for a remix EP to coincide with Electrospective. I suppose you could count the 'remastered' tracks for that same compilation as remixes too, sounding rather different compared to the original cuts from many years past.

Any Vector Lovers track having multiple versions of it is rare, is what I'm getting at, and this here Carousel EP has four versions of its titular tune. I sifted through the bulk of his catalogue as archived with Lord Discogs, and this is the lone such item. Though honestly, it's only there because I submitted it (Solstice EP too, if I'm being modest), so whether there are other un-submitted examples out there, I don't know. I've just concerned myself with those EPs on his Bandcamp page. A strange fate I have found, chronicling Vector Lovers' Bandcamp singles within Lord Discogs' tomes.

The primary track is a fairly typical tech-house offering from Mr. Wheeler. Spritely melodies carry things along, while an unfussy rhythm with occasional splashes of white-noise wash keep a steady groove. It's almost proggy, back when prog was all about the minimalist twinkly sounds in the mid-'00s, which makes Carousel kinda' retro for a 2016 track. Definitely out of the norm for a Vector Lovers track though.

Carousel (Paris 92) is more in the usual electro wheel-house, the beat an odd soft thump that sounds like someone rubbing their foot along a carpet. Never mind that, it's the melody that dominates, a vintage melancholic bleepy electro ditty you can always count on Martin crafting. You'd think Carousel (Dub) would strip it out then, focusing more on the rhythmic portions, but no, the twinkly lead is here too, just subdued, more prominence given to the backing synths. I actually find this better than the original, but perhaps I'm just a sucker for the spaciousness of the sounds on display. Carousel (Ghosts) is the 'experimental' offering, minimal bleeps and tense strings teasing out the melody of the original. Some bell tones join in, but doesn't lead to anything of note before the track fades out. Definitely the sort of filler tune you'd find at the end of an album, or a B2 of an EP.

And that's all there is to Carousel. A nice tune with some decent variations, but little essential to the Vector Lovers canon.