Review
Mega Dance – The Power Zone was released in late spring 1993 and bears the catalogue number CDEVP4. It’s the second of three releases in the Mega series. The concept and compiling is credited to Ashley Abram with CDEVP3 being The Mega Rave, CDEVP2 The Ultimate Rave while CDEVP1 is Awesome!! 2. Once again, it’s a cool selection of tunes from the early ’93 dance charts and primarily focuses on radio edits and 7″ mixes with the exception of two longer cuts [Stereo MCs and The Beloved].
2 Unlimited get this party started. There’s a switch to an R&B and disco flavour with Bizarre Inc. and Angie Brown’s bitter Took My Love followed by Sister Sledge’s crucial We Are Family (Sure Is Pure Remix Edit). Lulu’s Independence is paired with Sybil and West End’s evocative Philly cover The Love I Lost. Sandy B’s Feel Like Singin’ is marvellous, an uplifting piano-led sunrise tune. Next comes the gospel fervour of Gloworm’s I Lift My Cup. Hallelujah house. And The Prodigy’s wired fractured rave beats of Out Of Space before the inevitable dancehall nod to Shaggy as he booms bombastic on Oh Carolina.
Everything (Sabres On Main Street Mix) is one of the best remixes in The Stereo MCs catalogue. Andrew Weatherall at the helm; a sonic masterpiece of murky basslines and nifty breaks. Next comes the full length (4:06) Mr Wendal – taken from 3 Years, 5 Months & 2 Days In The Life Of… Elsewhere East 17’s Deep (Breath Mix) is a poptastic rush. And The Beloved stretch out and chill on the blissed out Sweet Harmony (Live The Dream Mix) – the full 7:34 beauty. Bang on with The Grid’s timeless progressive house of Crystal Clear (Prankster Prophet Mix). That one should have been massive.
Heaven 17 released Higher and Higher in 1993. Some new mixes were commissioned. The Brothers In Rhythm remixed Temptation [see The Mega Rave for the full version] while The Rapino Brothers got their hands on (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang. Elsewhere Inner City work up a sweat with Till We Meet Again while Fargetta and Anne-Marie Smith’s Music is pure old skool house. Saint Etienne’s You’re In A Bad Away is a scorching 60s production that could have been made by Joe Meek. Lastly are Madness; Night Boat To Cairo reissued and remixed in February 1993 on foot of Divine Madness the previous year. The Paul Gotel remix brought it to #56. A forgotten curio.
Favourite tracks
Stereo MCs – Everything (Sabres On Main Street Mix)
The Grid – Crystal Clear
Lest we forget
Heaven 17 – (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang (Rapino Edit)
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I have fond memories of this one as it’s the first ever CD I rented from local library at the age of 8. At the same time as Dance Adrenalin http://www.discogs.com/Various-Dance-Adrenalin/release/214037
Love the blog! Nice to know I’m not the only one who loves compilation albums
Thanks Ben – Mega Dance is a good ‘un. Nicely chosen tunes. Mega Dance 2 is published tomorrow morning.
Here I go again! This was a far better compiled album than Mega Rave, which was almost very softly mixed but not quite.
One rarity on here is the single version of East 17’s ‘Deep’, one of my top 10 tracks of the 90s. I really love Inner City’s offering here – Brothers In Rhythm remain, for me, a very underrated remix act who deserved better.
As much as I love Madness, ska and all of that, ‘Night Boat To Cairo’ in remix form was a dire ending to what was a very good compilation.
The Madness track isn’t great – was playing earlier this year, a funny end. East 17 Deep is class, really catchy.
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