Review
Mega Dance 2 – The Energy Zone is the final release in the short-lived CDEVP catalogue and the third instalment of the Mega series. CDEVP6 follows Loaded (CDEVP5), Mega Dance – The Power Zone (CDEVP4), The Mega Rave (CDEVP3), The Ultimate Rave (CDEVP2) and Awesome!! 2 (CDEVP1). The quality is maintained with 18 Power Plays.
The CD leads with the arresting Tennessee which tells the story of losing two close family members in a short space of time. The song uses a sample from Prince’s Alphabet Street which was not cleared in advance. Prince’s lawyers waited until after the song sold well and then charged Arrested Development $100,000 for the use of same. Monie Love’s Born 2 Breed has unbelievable flow, a righteous joint. Feel the contentment with Robin S and Sybil: Show Me Love and When I’m Good And Ready respectively. No turning back! It’s Sister Sledge and the completion of the holy trinity. Lost In Music is their third Sure Is Pure makeover. A supreme jam and also covered by The Fall on The Infotainment Scan.
Like so many other tracks, Hue And Cry’s signature tune Labour Of Love also got the remixing treatment in 1993. Curiously the original 1987 version was once again included on Now That’s What I Call Music 24. However it’s the rightful 7″ Urban Edit that’s here. An awesome update. Meanwhile the haunting vocals of Niki Haris are the main reason why Snap’s Exterminate is so good. Next comes I Believe In You, Our Tribe’s progressive house stormer. Then we tread down the path of euphoria with Usura’s Open Your Mind, Cappella’s U Got 2 Know and Sub Sub’s Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use). Another crankable is Kym Mazelle and Rapination’s pounding blue house collision Love Me The Right Way.
Back to the future: Heaven 17’s Penthouse And Pavement juiced-up by Tommy D. Higher and higher. Elsewhere Key West’s Looks Like I’m In Love Again ploughs a piano house furrow while Ground Level sees the Stereo MCs move into a less immediate but equally rewarding groove. Works great turned up. Equally fantastic is Fluke’s monster mash of a jam, Slid. Renaissance techno. Apache Indian keeps burning on Chok There; reminiscent of Streatham takeaways. Finally some Marxist hip hop with the aptly-named Marxman. Formed 1989 in London and consisting of Bristol MCs Hollis Byrne (H) and Stephen Brown (MC Phase) with Oisin Lunny and DJ K One from Ireland. All About Eve is a real belter; a true sound of the underground. “What’s it all about?”
Favourite tracks
Marxman – All About Eve
Fluke – Slid (Glid Edit)
Lest we forget
Hue And Cry – Labour Of Love (7″ Urban Edit)
A Pop Fan's Dream 
Fully agree about Hue and Cry. It was poor show from Abram to include the ’87 version on Now 24. The reworking is very good. One of my highlights on here is Sister Sledge’s ‘Lost In Music’. Excellent reworking and woefully undercompiled.
Love Rapination, always have. It’s one of my ‘go to’ tracks. No idea why. Their remix of Take That’s ‘Could It Be Magic’ hits similar heights (not the single edit).
Not sure if you’ve come across it, but there’s another cracker from this era on Polygram called Mega-Lo-Mania. Worth checking out.
Not heard of it Andrew but will check out. Agree re Lost In Music.