Love House (K-Tel, 1989)

Review
I’ll start with some words by Pad B, Terrice and Plug. “As we approach the end of the second Summer Of Love, you’re doing it with the E. Through a progression of acid, deep and garage house there has evolved the emotional phenomena, LOVE HOUSE.”
More: “Love House is an expression of the heart as well as the feet; it crosses barriers, giving definition to those tracks which one finds difficult to categorise as either deep house or soul. ‘NUFF SAID.”
Go on then: “Love House IS all it’s made out to be. Believe the hype; E emotion, the essential sensual. Kiss, kiss.”
Love House was released around the time of making crucial decisions on where to go to college. Right at the end of one of the hottest and fun summers ever. The highlight took place at the RDS on 15 July 1989, still my favourite ever concert. And now, 29 years on, I’m in London, eagerly anticipating seeing The Cure play Hyde Park later this evening.

Open: Bomb The Bass featuring Maureen’s gorgeous rendition of Say A Little Prayer. Two songs later, another 60s makeover with Sybil’s moody Don’t Make Me Over, all about the rhythm. In between, the superb acid masterpiece Voodoo Ray from A Guy Called Gerald. Next comes an obscurity, the soulful weekender jam Love Tonite by Jamaican singer Dave Collins with Jacqui Jones in tow. Then another take on Pierre’s Pfantasy Club’s Dream Girl, this time it’s the Mickey Oliver remix. Meanwhile former Raincoats members and Red Crayola collaborators Gina Birch and Vicky Aspinall formed Dorothy to release a series of dance influenced 12″s and record an album worth of material. It never came out but there’s a hot cover of Reflections here, the 7″ edit remixed by Smith & Mighty.

High: The sublime grooves continue with Donna Allen’s sweet Joy And Pain – evocative of Chamaerops palm trees at Pierre En Vacances. This melts into Alyson Williams’ hard-edged Sleep Talk, a kind of raw swing beat banger. A nice juxtaposition next: Raze – Break 4 Love followed by Razette – Ready For Love. The latter dumps the sleazy house groove of the French Tickler Mix and instead is a more progressive acid mover. Dazzle consisted of two twins, Claudette and the late Paulette Peterson who were former members of Prediction. The success of the wonderfully percussive Dazzle You led to the girls touring the UK performing the track in clubs and giving interviews on regional radio stations. They shared the bill with the likes of Omar and Gwen Guthrie. A rainy night in Arndale.

End: Time for Soulmate, a slammin’ spring jam from Wee Papa Girl Rappers. And then 10DB (Audrey Hollis and Stanley Thermond) with the US funk flavour of I Burn For You. Now for an all-time classic – Joyce Sims stepping out on Come Into My Life. Produced by Kurtis Mantronik and imbued with romantic spirit. From the lady’s perspective:
“Come into my life
I got so much love to show you
Come into my life
Boy I adore you”
Meanwhile Jamie Principle’s Baby Wants To Ride sounds like a more descriptive French Kiss produced by Prince. Finally the Turntable Orchestra leave us sated with the piano house wonder of You’re Gonna Miss Me. One of the best compilations of the era.

“Say goodbye on a night like this
If it’s the last thing we ever do”

Favourite tracks
Donna Allen – Joy And Pain

Joyce Sims – Come Into My Life

Lest we forget
Dazzle – Dazzle You (The Sound System Mix)