House Hits (Needle Records, 1988)

Review
“As seen on TV”

The lowdown: “Full length 12″ extended and remixed dance versions”.
When: May 1988.
The label: Needle Records.
Sleeve notes: Malu Halasa [Blues and Soul].
Vinyl vs CD: Double LP says “+ Bonus Double Trouble Megamix” at the bottom of the list. The CD starts off with “Bonus Double Trouble Megamix”. The gatefold has images to accompany Halasa’s text; the CD crams it all in with no spacing.

“Get down to the funky beat”

Bomb The Bass and their megablast: Beat Dis. #1 record. The concept by Tim Simenon, a Wag Club DJ and waiter. 20 records are cut into one. To New York and the eerie spacious sound of Nitro Deluxe’s This Brutal House (UK Edit). Produced by Aldo Marin and licensed from Cooltempo. Outstanding, intense and dark. And edging his way into the charts and on to Top Of The Pops was Farley “Jackmaster” Funk and his smooth house vocal sweat stopper Love Can’t Turn Around. The 7:43 Dance Mix. Meanwhile Jack The Groove has a history; Cymamde release a rare groove gem Bra. Clevage cut a remix called Barab which inspires Raze. Jack. The. Groove. A percussive and timeless jam.

House Nation (Remix) courtesy of Housemaster Boyz. Well-worn and timed at 4:00. Set off The Beatmasters with Cookie Crew on the can’t-stop-dancing rhythms of Rok Da House. Piano magic. Bam Bam’s Give It To Me starts off with Scooby Doo samples before a squelchy bassline kicks in. Elsewhere Adonis’ No Way Back twists and turns inside a garish acid trip. Quick cuts and flashy samples make up Cut To Shock’s enjoyable Put That Record Back On while Curtis MacLaine’s old skool Chicago cut Let’s Get Busy is a quality Trax production courtesy of Marshall Jefferson. End: a 10 minute House Megamix from Double Trouble that slips and slides through the highlights. “Now this is how it started”.

Favourite tracks
Nitro Deluxe – This Brutal House (UK Edit)

Raze – Jack The Groove (Club Mix)

Lest we forget
Beatmasters featuring Cookie Crew – Rok Da House (Remix)