TURN UP THE BASS
 
 
 
In 1989, Nieuwegein (Holland) based recordlabel Arcade, started releasing the very succesful cd compulation called ‘Turn Up The Bass’. These series of cd’s were compiled with the best (house) tracks of the late 1980s and the early 1990s. Volume one is until this very day a true collectors item, hard to find...
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The title Turn Up The Bass was taken from the 1988 smash hit Turn Up The Bass by Tyree Cooper and Kool Rock Steady. This track was originally released on the DJ International Records label from Chicago. Tyree produced the record and Kool Rock Steady took care of the lyrics.
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In 1991, recordlabel Arcade started another concept: Houseparty.
Houseparty, the ultimate megamix, was the first mix filled with 48 tracks, the hottest music from that era. It was a megamix, so the tracks were cut-up in like 2 minutes or some recognizible sounds were just sampled and skits were added to it. This mix was produced by DJ Thimbles, Cowboy & Mister Ladies. Following Houseparty releases were mixed by Ronald Molendijk, Ege van Kruysdijk, Marcel Theunissen, Mental Theo, Buzz Fuzz, Dano, Gizmo, The Prophet, Koen Groeneveld, Addy van der Zwan, Jean, Charly Lownoise, Rob, Paul Elstak and The Dark Raver.
 
To me, these compulations, are a true timecapture of underground music evolving: Acid/Chicago House/New Beat/NYC Freestyle House/Hip House/Swingbeat/Breakbeats/Techno/Trance/Hardcore.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MAX MIX
Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s I went to Calella/Spain for celebrating my holidays. I was captured by the music that was played in the local discotheques esspecially discotheque HIGH. I still remember that the place wasn’t that big (like a basement), dark, filled with stroboscope- and green laser lights and Guru Josh’s Infinity was playing. It was amazing! Around that time I found myself a copy of MAX MIX 8 (1988), a mixtape produced by Tony Peret and Jose Maria Castells in Barcelona with the same tracks I’ve heard in the discotheques. Joe Smooth, Inner City, Todd Terry, Turntable Orchestra, Humanoid, Westbam, Tragic Error, Julian Perez, Paula Abdul and Kool Rock Steady were all in the mix. On the A side of the tape you had a ‘version megamix’ and ‘jingles & effectos’. On the B side there was a ‘version mix’. I played this tape so much and it was one of the greatest souvenirs I’ve got from Spain. It was also the time that housemusic was evolving, I’m glad I was there to experienced that era of music.
 
Now with the internet, it was so easy to track down the whole MAX MIX collection (1985-2003). Still, number 8 will always be my favorite as you can imagine...