Beats and Pieces

It’s summertime and everyone’s buggered off to Ibiza, or so it seems with the lack of activity on the Irish dance scene at present . . . Northern Irish label Little Fluffy Records is celebrating an excellent review in UK magazine Update for its third release, the excellent trancer ‘Sonambulis’ from Crafty . . . Mister Spring has remixed The Swimmer’s 1997 trance classic ‘D’Jango’ for UK independent Spirit . . . Ministry Of Sound release a new volume in the two million-selling The Annual series on August 24th. Ibiza Annual will be mixed by Boy George and Judge Jules . . . The Love Train battle continues, and DB continues to urge your support for the original Irish version at Red Box. After pulling in crowds of over 1,000 people every fortnight, Liam Rabbitt’s ultimate ’70s disco experience goes weekly this month. Hurrah! . . . D1 Recordings have started a new fortnightly club at The Funnel Club. The Saturday night bash will be manned by the techno label’s James Walsh and Eamonn Doyle . . . London’s Tim “Love” Lee is coming to Mor Disco on September 1st . . . Paul Murphy, Claire Moloney and Aran Macmahon are the three acclaimed residents at Cork’s new Thursday night club, Yo! Latino . . . Sir Henry’s starts a new Friday night club on August 14th. Chad Jackson is the opening night guest . . . Last issue’s Hype Chart incorrectly listed the Faithless single ‘God Is A DJ’ as number one, instead of the ultra-rare Sunday 2am LP Sampler, as anyone who’s heard the single might have already guessed. What DB hasn’t yet guessed is exactly which DJ God is? So many of the blighters act like they are, you see . . . THE BEAT GOES ON!

OUT OF YOUR BOX two

As Tripoli Trax celebrates reaching 40 releases with an overdue compilation album, the label’s head honcho Steve Thomas gives us the lowdown on his current top ten.

With just under 40 releases under its belt, it’s about time the best hard house label in the world released a compilation. Tripoli Trax is the label, and head of A&R Steve Thomas has just compiled the album.

Steve’s hugely successful DJ career – four residencies (including Trade) and endless guest spots – gives him a vital edge when it comes to judging what will potential Tripoli projects will work on the nation’s busiest and hardest dancefloors. He joined co-owners Tarik and Ziad on the eleventh Tripoli Trax release, and his keen ear helped turn the North London based imprint into the most consistent hard house stamp in the world.

“We don’t have a brief as such,” he told Digital Beat. “Our broad spectrum is best described as hard house. We don’t necessarily look for ground-breaking releases, but they do come along. We decided this year was the right time to celebrate some of the many special tracks that we’ve put out in the last three to four years.”

In the last couple of years alone, Tripoli has launched the careers of numerous big-name remixing teams like Knuckleheadz, The Experts and F1. Their inimitable styles are often copied, but rarely equalled, and the various formats of Tripoli Trax Volume One highlight the major contribution that Steve and his crew have made to underground dance music.

Like Tripoli’s ever-growing popularity (the label regularly shifts more units than many higher profile independents), Steve’s DJ career continues to go from strength to strength. This year he’s been as busy abroad as in the UK, regularly visiting Australia, Japan, New York, South Africa and, of course, Ibiza. Here’s the current top ten from the man who Muzik hailed for “playing the funkiest, sexiest, rump-shaking house music in the UK.”

1. OD004: ‘Tease It’ (Kaitai)

“The best quality hard house from a new Brighton outfit.”

2. Airpack II: ‘G Spot’ (Casseopaya)

“Dark, heads-down trancer. Huge Trade track.”

3. Dax: ‘Brooklyn’s Theme’ (Tripoli Trax)

“Written and produced by D:Bop. On the world’s best label . . . of course.”

4. LAC: ‘Welcome To The Space’ (White)

“Long overdue remixes of this slamming French house track.”

5. Andy Toek vs Commander Tom: ‘The Freaque’ (Noom)

“German techno. No messin’ about.”

6. Chopper: ‘7 Hours In A Bathroom’ (OK)

“Cheeky rap, loads of hoovers . . . wicked.”

7. Steve Thomas: ‘Put Your House In Order’ (Tidy Trax)

“From the forthcoming six-track Trade double pack vinyl.”

8. Rhythm Inc: Duplicates EP (Monkey Tail)

“Top-notch house from Holland.”

9. Adam Beyer: ‘Drumcodes 15’ (Drumcodes)

“One of my favourite techno producers at his best.”

10. Mac Zimms: ‘Sunburst’ (2 Play)

“This man’s house productions are unbeatable. Already massive.”

• Tripoli Trax Volume One is released on July 31st on eight-track vinyl, ten -track unmixed CD, and sixteen-track mixed CD. There is also a limited edition double CD digipack. Irish distribution enquiries: Pure Groove (0044 171 2814877) or Record Services (01-6714011).