As seems de rigueur with dance compilations of 1990, we begin with Technotronic. This time around we are treated to the track "Get Up! Before The Night Is Over (Dance Action Mix)" which was the follow up to the hugely successful debut "Pump Up The Jam". While I do enjoy the song, Technotronic were part of a wave of European acts that I never entirely trusted.
There was often an uneasy sense that the performers fronting these records weren’t necessarily the people who had actually created them. Many of these groups also seemed to rely heavily on expatriates for their English language vocals—particularly the rap sections. Although this was presumably intended to add authenticity, it rarely did. Instead, it felt like a thin veneer lay over these tunes, with the distinctly European undertones always shining through. In hindsight, the exposure of Milli Vanilli probably sowed the seeds of this scepticism. As a result, I was always a little wary of acts like Black Box, Snap!, Quadrophonia, J.K., Corona etc. etc.
The second track here describes itself as "Itaniano Disco" but I would argue it is just a SAW hi-energy number. Either way, it's definitely not true house or even Italo house come to that. Equally, the third number "Street Tough" by Double Trouble and the Rebel MC is a catchy song, but it's a Ska influenced pop tune that sounds a bit like a fish out of water.
Things do pick up a bit with "Go To Get" by Rob and Raz and the credentials of S'Express check out. Unfortunately the track by Redhead Kingpin And The FBI belongs to the short lived new jack swing genre that America seemed to be in love with during 1990. Side one finishes with a winner in the form of "Going Back To My Roots" by FPI project (again an Italian group fronted by an English session vocalist) and the piano riff here is iconic.
Side two opens with terrible rap/shouting nonsense called "20 Seconds To Comply (Pumped Up Mix)" in which the writer seems to have discovered a RoboCop sample and gone to town with it. I know that De La Soul are revered and seem to be credited with creating numerous sub-genres of hip-hop; but I'm not a fan and an extended version of "The Magic Number" just annoys me.
The Beatmasters thrown down the "Lately Bass" from a Yamaha DX-27/100 alongside some breakbeats and a great rap by Betty Boo on "Hey DJ/I Can't Dance To That The Music You're Playing". Yet another Italian house outfit Magic Concept throw their hat into the ring with "Unstoppable" but this seems to be an edit rather than the "12 inch mix". "Let There Be House" by Deskee (an American expat living in Germany) features a much overused Korg M1 organ bassline alongside the riff from "This Brutal House" by Nitro Deluxe (also used on "Brutal-8-E" by Altern8) .
Inner City are uncharacteristically chilled on "Watcha Gonna Do With My Lovin'" which is remixed by Frankie Knuckles and David Morales—making me wonder if this was simply an exercise in seeing just how many house legends you can you cram into one record. Sydney Youngblood (yet another American expat in Germany) contributes the wonderful "If Only I Could"—but again its not the 12" mix that plays. I don't suppose you can have any kind of compilation from 1990 that doesn't include Black Box "Ride On Time" but I've heard this thing so many times it has lost any limited appeal it might have had. Kaoma "Lambada" has no place on any record ever, and it certainly shouldn't be included one that purports to offer hot remixes—I can't overstate just how much I hate this song.
As I reflect on what I have just been subjected to heard, I can't help but think I have misunderstood what the record company meant by a 'house party'. Rather than, 'a party where they play house music', I think they actually meant 'a party at the house of someone who has just discovered Italo house but still has a dodgy taste in pop music'. Not quite as catchy a title though is it? 2/5
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