Review
Hardcore Dancefloor, the second volume in the series, was released at the end of June 1991. After the topical and everlasting Gypsy Woman, it’s a flashback to the last days of The Bridge Hotel with Nomad’s rather underwhelming Just A Groove. All hail T99 and their bombastic Euro dance of Anasthasia; another memory slap from Top Of The Pops May 1991. Professional 2 cramming to the Belgian bangers. There’s a triple play from the Now That’s What I Call Music 19 era before Cool 2 get funky with the Kool & The Gang-inspired Kinda Groovy. And now for a UK soul classic – Soul Family Sensations’s I Don’t Even Know If I Should Call You Baby as remixed by the legendary Marshall Jefferson.
On Jive, the slickest of R&B cuts, Hi-Five’s super smooth I Like The Way (The Kissing Game). Produced by Teddy Riley and taken from the Waco boys’ 1990 debut LP, the video has an exceptionally large amount of dark colours and shadows in contrast to the somewhat light-hearted tune that plays. Singer Tony Thompson died in 2007; a tragic end. Despite being advertised as The Peanut Butter Mix (3:31), the version of Groove Is In The Heart is actually the one as featured on the World Clique LP (3:51). The unfamiliar D-Word and the Chic-sampling Get’n Funk.e is rather ordinary and overshadowed by Ice Ice Baby (Revised Version) – the latter sounding like the album version. Elsewhere there’s BVSMP’s smooth Hold Me, that sees them try hard but fail to capture the spirit of ’88.
“Step back and give ’em some room! Quartet of future divas fresh from the Foster and McElroy stable deliver intricate, tight harmonies with a dash of sass on this groove-laden debut.” (Billboard)
Hardcore Dancefloor concludes with one of the most significant tracks of the era. It can only be En Vogue – Hold On which kicks off with an untouchable acappella snippet from Who’s Lovin’ You (originally recorded by The Miracles) before sliding into a killer groove. Some words:
“Summer 1990. You couldn’t escape this track, but damn was this shit bumping.” (B-Jo)
Favourite tracks
En Vogue – Hold On
Hi-Five – I Like The Way (The Kissing Game)
Marshall Jefferson – I Don’t Even Know If I Should Call You Baby
Lest we forget
T99 – Anasthasia (Valentine Boy’s Radio Mix)
A Pop Fan's Dream 
You skipped over Clubhouse, which isn’t their best but still quite listenable. I actually like the Nomad song, in fact I bought this compilation pretty much solely because that track is on there! It’s not the easiest to get hold of…
I like the Clubhouse – I wrote a sentence or two on it on Dance Energy 2 review. That Nomad track – true, not easy to pick up.
Fair enough, forgot it was on Dance Energy 2 tbh!
Never worked out why this is one of my favourite Hardcore Albums. This was the last to be a more dance/rnb/pop affair as Hardcore Ecstacy went on a harder rave route. I think this was the first compilation to feature Gypsy Woman, quite some achievement I reckon for an independant label. Thinking of En Vogue, they released a 6-track Remix to Sing album that year. There’s a much edgier version of Hold On on there. I bought it as there’s a stunning Steve Hurley remix of Strange.
Good one on Gypsy Woman – didn’t realise it got in first. I must pick up the En Vogue CD you mention – love remix albums from that era.