The Best Of Dance ’98 (Telstar, 1998)

Review
Telstar’s Best Of Dance ’98 contains “44 massive hits of the year.” The packaging reminds me of the Pet Shop Boys’ Relentless. You’ll have already read my thoughts on many of these tunes in previous reviews. Some appear in remixed form here – in brackets:
Smash Hits ’98: Bamboo – Bamboogie.
New Hits ’98: Run DMC and Jason Nevins – It’s Like That, Cornershop – Brimful Of Asha (Norman Cook Remix).
Now That’s What I Call Music 39: Wildchild – Renegade Master ’98, The All Seeing I – The Beat Goes On, Billie Myers – Kiss The Rain (TP2K Radio Remix on BOD), Camisra – Let Me Show You, Rest Assured – Treat Infamy.
Smash Hits Summer ’98: The Tamperer featuring Maya – Feel It (Blunt Edit on BOD), Perpetual Motion – Keep On Dancin’ (Let’s Go).
Fresh Hits ’98: Tzant – Sound Of Wickedness, Bus Stop featuring Carl Douglas – Kung Fu Fighting, Lutricia McNeal – Stranded.
Now That’s What I Call Music 40: Mousse T vs Hot ‘N’ Juicy – Horny, Ultra Nate – New Kind Of Medicine, Fatboy Slim – The Rockafeller Skank.
Big Hits ’98: Steps – One For Sorrow, Aqua – Turn Back Time (Love’s To Infinity Classic Radio Mix on BOD), Energy 52 – Cafe Del Mar ’98 (Original Three ‘N One Radio Edit), Love Station – Teardrops (Flava Mix ’98 on BOD).
Now Dance ’98: Fatboy Slim – Gangster Trippin’, T-Spoon – Sex On The Beach, Jennifer Paige – Crush (Dance Mix), Baby Bumps – Burnin’ (Blockster Edit on BOD), Sash featuring Tina Cousins – Mysterious Times, Bus Stop featuring Randy Bachman – You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.
The Greatest Hits Of 1998: Alda – Real Good Time (Stonebridge’s Club Reykjavik Vocal Mix on BOD), Sash! – Move Mania, E17 – Each Time (Sunship Remix Edit on BOD).

Flashback to disco juice: Byron Stingily really nails the glitterball sound of You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) – a smoother production and a glossy filtered superclub groove. Then there’s Rose Royce’s Car Wash, updated for ’98 via its Mustard Edit. Come on and sing it. Roll up for house, breaks, Euro house on Afrika Bambaataa vs Carpe Diem’s Got To Get Up. All a far cry from Looking For The Perfect Beat. Trance time – the massive sound of Da Hool’s Meet Her At The Love Parade. And then the absolutely crucial Deeper Love by Ruff Driverz, wicked bassline proving that speed garage had staying power. You can air drum the pain away with The Fog’s Been A Long Time while Queen Pen takes us back with All My Love, complete with Luther Vandross Never Too Much sample and interpolation.

N-Tyce, the new Eternal or Destiny’s Child? Telefunkin’ is decent R&B. For insomniacs there’s the house sound of D’Menace’s Deep Menace and Mount Rushmore’s You Better. Top it all off with Eddie Amador’s subliminal House Music. “It’s a spiritual thing.” The lingering sound of big beat comes to the fore on Double Six’s frantic Real Good while Encore step up the trance quotient with cheesy royale sound of Le Disc Jockey. Following on comes a well-worn classic from Agnelli & Nelson, the banging El Nino. Last: slight return from Ruff Driverz and the flamenco-tinged Dreaming. Featuring Arrola and a most seriously blinding bass. Respect to Katherine Ellis.
“Let’s go out in the sunshine, every day is a celebration.

Favourite tracks
Ruff Driverz – Deeper Love (Ruff Mix Radio Edit)

Da Hool – Meet Her At The Love Parade

Agnelli & Nelson – El Nino

Eddie Amador – House Music

Ruff Driverz presents Arrola – Dreaming (Ruff Driverz Ruff Radio Edit)

Lest we forget
Double Six – Real Good