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Lewis Dene's Inside Track

The latest gossip, views and opinions in the dance music industry

It was exactly 20 years ago that BLACKBOXclimbed to the summit of the UK pop charts with ‘Ride On Time’, on their way to becoming the biggest selling single of 1989. The Italian act, comprising club DJ DANIELE DAVOLI, computer whiz MIRKO LIMONI and classical clarinettist VALERIC SEMPLICI, famously used French model KATRIN QUINOL to mime LOLEATTA HOLLOWAY’S vocal from ‘Love Sensation’. The track went on to sell just a little shy of a million singles in the UK despite the controversy: as for Loleatta and her uncredited appearance, by all accounts that was settled out of court for the price of a fur coat! The single now returns via AATW and Davoli’s Groove Groove Melody imprint supporting Italian facelifts courtesy of ZERONINE, WESTERN DISCO, EROSIE and BASS WEAZAL, with further mixes to be added along with a ‘Best Of’ compilation from the giants of Italo-house... 

It’s rare to see the PET SHOP BOYS’ material covered in this column — for one thing their style is so quintessential that rarely can others bring something new to the table. So fair play to JAMES TALK & RIDNEY for reworking Chris and Neil’s debut single from 1984, ‘West End Girls’. For their update on Extra Dry, that’s already been crowned Essential New Tune by Pete Tong, Talk & Ridney opt for not only an instrumental electronica version, but also one almost devoid of the hook itself. Subtle in the extreme, and in parts sounding more like ‘French Kiss’ then the aforementioned UK iconic pop smash... 

REZA, the man with the ever-expanding discography, revisits ‘Pumping It Up’, one of Chicago’s most defining vocal house moments — originally cut in the summer of 1990 by the FREESTYLE ORCHESTRA (the guise of LOUIE VEGA, TODD TERRY and KENNY ‘DOPE’ GONZALEZ). Then titled ‘Just Keep On Pumpin’ It Up’ and supporting the equally illustrious vocal talent of INDIA, D’BORAH, JOCELYN BROWN and CONNIE HARVEY, this new version on Muzik-K sounds every bit as good with an equally strong set of club mixes from K-KLASS, SOLITAIRE VS THE SHARP BOYS, LIL JOEY and TIM KAY. Muzik-K has also picked up ‘You’re Mine’ by SOLITAIRE & KATHERINE ELLIS — a funky house offering that will get a full release this autumn. Meanwhile, Solitaire’s ‘Between The Music & You’, with vocalist ERROL REID, is forthcoming on Born To Dance with a plethora of quality mixes from SOULSHAKER, LIL’ DEVIOUS, JOLYON PETCH, ROBERT HAYES and HYSTERIA... 

Dutch producer MASON has signed his forthcoming single, ‘Corrected’, featuring legendary hip-hop artist DARRYL ‘DMC’ MCDANIELS (from RUN DMC) and soul boy SAM SPARRO to Data Recordings.

“This is a really special record and it’s taken a long time to make,” says the mastermind behind the anthemic ‘Exceeder’.

“To get DMC to rhyme on a record is fantastic and to have someone of the calibre of Sam Sparro to drop in for a chorus makes it even better!” It’s the lead single from the dance producer’s debut album that will also feature collaborations with AQUALUNG, DEBBIE CLARE and hip-hop great KURTIS BLOW...

KAM DENNY has left VANDALISM, making the Australian trio a slimmed-down duo now comprising ANDY VAN (of MADISON AVENUE fame) and singer CASSIE. Unperturbed, their new single on Vicious is the electro-etched ‘She Got It’, cut from the same cloth as CROOKERS, and a collaboration with ANGGER DIMAS — a hot young producer from Indonesia. On the mix front, look out for their Ibiza-styled remix of SUPAFLY & DJ FENIX ‘I Believe’ and a slamming mix on IAN CAREY’S ‘Shot Caller’...