Crikey, busy ole week this one. Anyway, keeping it rolling along nicely has been Renaissance Vol 1 and this cracking remix of an extremely middle of the road OMD track. Originally attributed to “Liberator”, this belting Progressive House tune got a ton of play by Sasha and Digweed around 1993, specifically featuring in Sasha’s excellent Easter Radio 1 mix from 1993.
OMD – Stand Above Me (Transcendental Constant Viper Trip Mix) [1993]
February 21, 2012
Slam Slam – Move! (Dance All-Night) (Slammin’ 12″) [1989]
January 9, 2012
Sasha classic and a great example of late 80’s gospel tinged House music. There are two killer mixes of this stormer, the one in the title is a decent house track punched up to 11 with the quality of that cracking vocal. Then there is the Tony Humphries mix which injects a huge slice of the New York scene into the original composition. Taking the best parts of the riff, kicking up the speed a touch and layering the soul into it like only the master can do. A guaranteed arm waving stormer.
Tony Humphries Mix.
From Discogs
If you’re a fan of the legendary Tony Humphries Kiss FM Master mixes from the early 90’s then you’re gonna need this 12″. This record is on lots of the aforementioned mix tapes I have from that era. The Tony Humphries mix is absolutely essential, and is probably overlooked by most as there is also a David Morales Red Zone mix on this 12″ too. In my opinion, forget the Red Zone mix and go straight for the Tony Humphries mix, you will not be disappointed!
Castle Trancelott – Indoctrinate [1995]
July 8, 2011
Belting trance number from Mr Patrick Prins, as the title track for the fantastic Indoctrinate EP. Its a dark unrelenting tune with some cracking sweeping strings that just soars over your head. Whether packed into a club or in a field, its just one of those tracks that sweeps you up and carries you for miles. All the time, trying to not look down because the evil bassline beneath you is just waiting to eat you alive!
From Discogs
Patrick Prins was responsible for this masterpiece, as well as most of the quality underground house at the time. ‘Indoctrinate’ is quite possibly the greatest house record ever made. Everytime I listen to it I get chills up my spine… The word ‘atmospheric’ really doesn’t even begin to do it justice. Ignore the remixes that have come since, track down the original mix and sit back and soak it all in! Perfect!
A top class release from Mr Prins himself, the Way Out West mix takes the original Indoctrinate into a different league with a phat, plodding bassline which underpin’s the entire track. It continues to swirl and chug along until the mosterous acidic break down 2/3rd’s of the way though. A real grit your teeth and go for it moment, this tune turned dancefloors to pulp and had dozens of spotters leaning over the booth, trying to pick the name up. Side B was even stronger, with the almighty ‘Gloom’ which went on to feature on the seminal Sasha & Digweed ‘Northern Exposure’ mix CD. It is a seriously dark and brooding beast that drives along with an energy level that’s hard to beat. The break down offers spooky FX, haunting chants, and a bass line lower than a snakes belly. The off beat claps of thunder sound enormous on a big system, and the kick is absoultely nailed to the mutha fckin ground. Tunes like this will sound amazing in another 10 years time, let alone today. If your a DJ, next time you have a sweaty club with a low ceiling and a good sound system, play the Gloom and engrave your set in to the memory of the punters for the rest of their lives.
Nu Soul Ft Kelli Rich – Hide-A-Way (Lisa Marie Experience) [1996]
June 8, 2011
Huge uplifting classic from Nu Soul & The Lisa Marie Experience. Its a classic bouncy house tune that found its way into every mega-club residents box. Healy caned it, Tong flogged, Jon Pleased killed it hell even Sasha dropped it a couple of times. Its not all that surprising, the vocal and piano drop is a cracker, pure upflifting fluffy housey business. I’ll be honest, the track doesnt really deliver all that much aside from that, the beat is that basic of most basic four to the floor combo’s that put me off house in the first place. I would say this was definately one of the few track that really did stand out for me during the mid nineties, simply because of that vocal.
For that reason alone, there’s another quality remix that cant be overlooked;
Nu Soul Featuring Kelli Rich – Hide-A-Way ( Helicopter Vocal Mix )
This is far more bang on the hedonistic tip, even more vocal, bigger piano. What a corker.
Madonna – Drowned World (Substitute For Love) (BT & Sasha’s Ashram Mix) [1998]
January 13, 2011
Speaking of Madonna, how about this absolute banger from the same album? BT and Sasha knock it out of the park with this epic, sweeping progressive house belter. Totally storming.
Madonna – Sky Fits Heaven (Sasha’s The Drug Fits Face Mix) [1998]
January 13, 2011
So I fired up Madonna’s “Ray Of Light” album today. Ive not listened to it in what, ten years. SACRILEGE! Its an absolute blinder, with some of my favorite tracks from the album getting some cracking remixes, such as this one from Mr Sasha.
It was found on the B – Side of the Drowned World/Substitue for Love 12″ and absolutely dominates every other track on that release. Its classic Progressive Sasha. Proper build ups, huge string sections and respectfully integrated vocals from the original track. Its an absolute stormer.
Gus Gus – Purple (Sasha V The Light) [1996]
November 1, 2010
Back in the mid to late nineties Sasha was so on top of his game, almost nobody could touch him. The Renaissance CD he did with Digweed is deservedly legendary. This remix of GusGus’ Purple is a great Progressive house monster, layed to all hell, sweeping strings, a cheeky break. Absolutely massive it was too, a great “voyage” style epic tune.
Degrees Of Motion – Shine On (Junior Style Dub) [1992]
April 26, 2010
Heller and Farley give this monster from Degree’s of Motion a slow moving remix, plodding along for3 1/2 minutes before exploding into a bloody incredible vocal and piano break. Its pure, unabashed arm waving brilliance that benefits from it being cranked up loud as all hell. Benefits from a small 3% pitch up to really get it banging. An all time classic found in pretty much every Sasha set from early 92.
Hysterix – Talk To Me (Sasha’s Full Music Master Mix) [1994]
January 26, 2010
We’ve been a bit light on Sasha of late and frankly its criminal. This is another massive remix of his, its another classic slice of progressive house found on the Renaissance Volume One album. Its a cracking arms in the air stormer, feel that foot tap!
From Discogs
Sasha’s version of “Talk To Me” has a repeating sample that always eluded me in the past when I first heard this track. The sample I am referring to comes from Big Audio Dynamite II’s classic 1991 track “The Globe”. Its a wonderful sample used in combination with the overlaying breakbeat. The female vocals have been vocaded with the right amount and slowly begins to filter back to the original. A wonderful masterpiece!
Im a big Sasha fan although Im the first to admit that during the early 90’s he must have accepted every single remix he was offered!!. Hence a good proportion of them are fairly average. This outstanding mix of Hysterix is by far one of Sasha’s best ever remixes, I remember hearing it for the first time and thinking how fresh and uplifting it sounded. With a great break, some great cords, the original vocal stuttered up to fuck, this was one of the highlights of Sasha & Digweeds Renaissance Mix and IMO one of the best tunes from the mid 1990’s.
Corina – Temptation [1991]
October 9, 2009
This song was a pivotal milestone during an era that was heavily laden by hiphop radio. It’s production easily stood out combining latin freesyle with a strong hiphop influence, not typical of previous freestyle songs. At the very least it helped to infuse new life into an already stagnant genre that needed rejuvination. A very memorable song, indeed.
Likely heard being absolutely caned by Sasha back in ’91
From The Cans 