Now Dance 902 (EMI / Virgin / Polygram, 1990)

Review
June 17 1990 was the day that the Republic of Ireland played out a turgid draw with Egypt in Group F of the World Cup. Now Dance 902 went to press the following day and was released five weeks later. It’s just like Now Dance 901 – another fine selection of quality tracks, a number of which are rarely heard today.

Press play and pump it up with The Adventures of Stevie V and Dirty Cash. An awesome bomb of funky hip house and wired samples that took six months to become a hit. We get the bass-rich Dime and Dollar mix. Let me clear my throat for Chad Jackson, Hacienda spinner and DMC World Champion 1987. The extended mix of Hear The Drummer Get Wicked is supremely bass-heavy. “Peace, Unity, Love and Havin’ Fun!!!” – so sums up the dance movement of the early 1990s. After such a powerful 1-2 punch, things settle down with Bobby Brown’s Freestyle Megamix which features My Prerogative, Don’t Be Cruel, Ever Little Step and On Our Own. MC Hammer’s heavily-caned U Can’t Touch This had just broken into the UK charts and features here in its LP version.

Beats International followed up Dub Be Good To Me with the upfront Won’t Talk About It which was based on a Billy Bragg b-side. Lindy Layton’s brews up a nice vocal and the beats are top. It was played on ITV’s Chart Show for a few weeks and then silence. Soul II Soul’s keyboard player Simon Law assisted his sister Joanna on a mellow groove version of Roberta Flack’s First Time Ever. The funki dred connection continues with the blunted rhythms of A Dream’s A Dream before Double Trouble’s easy take on Love Don’t Live Here Anymore complete with cool spoken intro. There’s a rocksteady vibe with Maureen’s timeless cover of Sister Sledge’s Thinking Of You. Such a sweet bassline. This chilled sequence concludes with Maxi Priest’s romantic smoocher Close To You. Echo strings.

E for England. New Order’s #1 single World in Motion featured additional vocals from footballer John Barnes and several members of the 1990 team, as well as Keith Allen. The standard 7″ and 12″ versions were identical – 4:30 – with the remixes on a second 12″ – Subbuteo, Carabinieri and No Alla Violenza. It was also the time of Boomania; Betty Boo broke free from The Beatmasters and gave us the multi-faceted Doin’ The Do which was based on the 1968 Reparata and The Delrons’ hit Captain Of Your Ship. Another throwback to more swinging times was Don Pablo’s Animals cover of Shocking Blue’s Venus, a #4 hit in June. We get the Piano Mix which I think is the best version.

Pretty woman Natalie Cole’s Wild Woman Can remains her gold in the soul. The superior Get Wild With Me Club Mix can be found on Let’s Dance but it’s the more restrained edit that’s here. Once again, Mantronix team up with Wondress for the kickin’ Take Your Time. Again there’s a wicked rap halfway through. Time to replace lost energy. He’s now known as Adam Sky but back in 1990 he was Adamski and Killer owned the charts during May. N-R-G shows the keyboard wizard in full acid house mode. Meanwhile Yazz’s last stand Treat Me Good is a sparkling slice of R&B pleading in extended form.

Now for some ground beat. Take a hairdresser / homeopathic medicine student [Diana Brown] and an ex-DJ / clothes shop owner [Barrie K Sharpe] and they’ll give you The Masterplan. A beast of a jam. It’s followed by Movement 98 [Paul Oakenfold, Rob Davis and Steve Osborne] featuring Carroll Thompson on vocals. The magnificent comedown classic Joy And Heartbreak (The Raid Mix) which was cut at a BPM of 98. Heady days. And if that wasn’t enough for all you Shoomers we end with the gorgeous Snappiness from BBG. A smooth Balearic all-back-to-mine memory lane euphoric recall diamond.
Tonight we fly.

Favourite tracks
Mantronix featuring Wondress – Take Your Time (Club/Dub)

Movement 98 featuring Carroll Thompson – Joy And Heartbreak

BBG – Snappiness

Lest we forget
Maureen Walsh – Thinking Of You