The Right Stuff 2 – Nothin’ But A House Party (Stylus Music, 1990)

Review
After the success of The Right Stuff – Remix ’89, Stylus Music released a second volume in March 1990. The following labels were on board: Big Life, Big One, BMG, Desire, CBS, PPS, Rhythm King, Rumour, Savage, Sleeping Bag, Supreme, Swanyard, Virgin. No expense was spared on television advertising with the bulk appearing on late night ITV. Unlike the previous volume, The Right Stuff 2 isn’t split into four thematic vinyl sides. Instead we get a mix of club classics and big pop hits. Please note that there are multiple variations of name appearances on the release, the most complete or correct version of each has been used for the Discogs submission and by extension, this review.

CD1 starts with the perfunctory Euro house of Technotronic and Get Up! Before The Night Is Over. Ya Kid K drives this Dance Action Mix but far better is Lonnie Gordon’s hypnotic extended cut Happenin’ All Over Again. Phil Harding is the remixer behind this classic Italiano House Mix. Pass the mic to The Rebel MC for the mover groover Street Tuff; flip it back to Rob ‘N’ Raz and Leila K on the infectious Got To Get. September 1989 saw S’Express reach their commercial end as non-album single Mantra For A State Of Mind stalled at #22 on the UK chart. Such a shame as it’s a shimmering expansive wonder; the Club Vocal neatly distills the thought-provoking rhythms into a chunky soundclash.

Often interchangeable and now forever entwined: Redhead Kingpin and The FBI’s burning joint Do The Right Thing + The FPI Project’s festival rave Going Back To My Roots. Silver Bullet x 2: the austere 20 Seconds To Comply and Bring Forth The Guillotine. De La Soul turn multiplication tricks on the fantastic 1-2-3 Mix of The Magic Number. 12″ bought in Comet, December ’89. Meanwhile The Beatmasters and Betty Boo cut a sweet sound on Hey DJ. And from The Hitman And Her is the heady Unstoppable by Magic Concept. Next: West Bam’s powerful Ibiza classic Hold Me Back with Deskee’s self-fulfilling Let There Be House putting the lid on an entertaining first half.

Kevin “Master Reese” Saunderson works his magic on the gradual-builder Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin’. But an edit of the Def Mix; you need the full version. Justin Strauss injects some steely funk into Luther Vandross’ Never Too Much [originally a hit in 1981] while Alyson Williams drops a quality slow jam with the sexy I Need Your Lovin’. Smoothness follows for Sydney Youngblood’s If Only I Could. Attack of the cover versions: Gwen Dickey’s commanding take on Carwash plus Fresh 4’s Wishing On A Star. The latter was produced by Smith and Mighty and dropped by Graeme Park as the last tune in the Hacienda one night in late ’89. Lizz E on vocals with Suv and Krust from Roni Size’s Full Cycle crew. Samples James Brown’s Funky Drummer and Faze O’s Ridin’ High.

Two chart-toppers in a row: Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World and Black Box – Ride On Time. Massive. Take a trip into the unknown: Mental by the Manic MCs, a full Italian job of cut-up mayhem. Extend the holiday feeling on Kaoma’s Lambada. Elsewhere Lonnie Gordon makes a second appearance on the underrated Right Before My Eyes, the B-side to Happenin’ and a cover of a Patti Day tune. The boogie continues for Royal Delite on the Fon Force Remix of their killer ’84 tune I’ll Be A Freak For You. Another obscure one: KMC featuring Debbie Francis on the moody If You Won’t Let Go. Close out the party with a piano banger: Kariya’s endless trip, Let Me Love You For Tonight.

Favourite tracks
S’Express – Mantra For A State Of Mind (Club Vocal)

Alyson Williams – I Need Your Lovin’

De La Soul – The Magic Number (1-2-3 Mix)

Royal Delite – I’ll Be A Freak For You (Fon Force Remix)

Lest we forget
Magic Concept – Unstoppable