Review
This was the second dance compilation released as a tie-in with The Chart Show; the first being the hugely enjoyable The Chart Show – Dance Hits ’87. Once again the Cokell brothers were the conceptual artists with Box Music Limited taking care of the track selection and sequencing. The skinny: 16 hot dance hits.
As expected, there is are some track overlaps with Deep Heat ’89 – Fight The Flame and Now Dance ’89 – The 12″ Mixes – but it’s primarily 7″ edits here with one exception – the opening tune. The Beatmasters got teenage rapper Merlin on board for the hip house anthem Who’s In The House. Great rap, piano and bass on this 12″ cut. The beats continue with Coldcut and Lisa Stansfield’s seminal People Hold On before the Hacienda anthem Musical Freedom (Moving On Up); an uplifting jam courtesy of Paul Simpson and Adeva. Then it’s Chanelle’s utterly dope Philly groove One Man sliding into De La Soul’s Me Myself And I – featuring samples from Funkadelic, Edwin Birdsong, The Ohio Players, Doug E. Fresh and Loose Ends. Other class of ’89 stars included here are Adeva’s blinding cover of Otis’ Respect and Inner City’s bouncy techno of Big Fun. Monie Love’s upfront and vital I Can Do This was a common video on Yo! MTV Raps.
The second half is more eclectic. Stand Up For Your Love Rights was Yazz’s funky follow-up to The Only Way is Up while Living In A Box’s Blow The House Down remains all gatecrashing pop with a quirky edge. Yello’s frantic dash The Race is followed by Sheena Easton’s club smash The Lover In Me which has great production from L.A. Reid and Babyface. There’s a neat contrast between the glaring misstep of Twist And Shout and the smoothly executed R&B of Girl You Know It’s True. And Steven Dante guested with Jellybean on 1987’s The Real Thing [see the aforementioned Dance Hits ’87 for the smokin’ West 26th Street Mix]; now he’s back with the edgy love jam I’m Too Scared. A rare groove that’s slipped under the radar since then. Last one is the Art of Noise with Tom Jones and their solid cover of Prince’s Kiss. Into trouble with the noise of art.
Favourite tracks
The Beatmasters with Merlin – Who’s In The House (The Hip House Anthem)
Coldcut featuring Lisa Stansfield – People Hold On
Lest we forget
Steven Dante – I’m Too Scared
A Pop Fan's Dream 