news from the dance scene

2FM dance guru Mister Spring has re-compiled his The Fifth Nine album, after objections to several questionable samples on the initial Spanish pressing. The album is signed for Europe to Belgian company Roadrunner, which has in turn licensed it in individual territories to associated labels like Fundamental and Edel (who are handling the UK and Ireland). The revised double CD, out this month, now includes new single ‘D.R.U.G.S.’ and seventeen other tracks, many of which are remixes or updates.

Meanwhile, Spring is reputedly charging nearly £1,500 for a two-hour DJ set, after swapping the late night midweek slot for the most powerful dance slot on Irish radio (8-11pm Saturdays) with Mark McCabe. Spring has responded to critics of 2FM’s allegedly biased approach against homegrown music and DJs by featuring much of both on his prime-time Firing Squad slot – the closest we’ve come to anarchy on our airwaves since Donal Scannell’s late night love-ins on Radio Ireland back in 1996. Pity the new schedule didn’t get rid of the awful cheap import from Galaxy FM (6-8pm, Saturdays)…

One of the Irish dance scene’s forefathers, Oisin Lunny has just released his Northern Soul flavoured Firstborn album, When It Hits You Feel No Pain on Independiente. Back in the pre-rave days he supported the likes of Norman Jay at haunts like McGonagle’s, before forming the successful politically-minded outfit Marxman (who signed to Giles Peterson’s Talkin’ Loud) and later recorded as Minatone for Howie B’s Pussyfoot…

Belfast label Slide Recordings is back in action this month with its fifth release, and the second from Random Method. Their first ‘Transformation’ was a hit with Ian Pooley, Slam and Circulation, and won a Techno Single of the Fortnight award in DJ Magazine. Their second, the Backlash EP blends the same mix of tough, deep techno with lush breakbeats… Renegade Dublin breakbeat terrorists Zero Tolerance and Beta 2 have a single out on influential drum ‘n’ bass stamp Reinforced in June. Next up from the Bassbin boys is a single from Naphta and Badman…

CD Text was originally developed 15 years ago so radio presenters could read exactly which track was playing, and now manufacturers intend putting CD Text in as standard. The first album to use it is World Service, React’s first mix album from Dave Clarke. Dave’s trainspotting techno supporters eager for a track by track low-down need just glance at the stereo to know which one of the 47 tracks on the album he’s currently ripping up…

This year’s Oh Yeah Northern Ireland Dance Music Awards take place at O’Neill’s Bar in Belfast on Thursday 3rd May as part of this year’s Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. The musical line-up includes anarchic boffin Jupiter Ace, Leftfield associates Welt, Cappo Regime, Timmy Stewart (Digital Boogie) and Kato (Solid)… Temple Theatre’s Rhythm Corporation has just been voted ‘Best R’n’B Night In Ireland’ by Blues & Soul magazine… Galway club 110th Street is to run thrice a month for the summer months with guests like Claire Maloney and Oisin Lunny on the extra dates. Incidentally, 110th Street resident Cian O Ciabhain has just begun a monthly residency at Ri-Ra’s new Friday nighter, Rinka. Elsewhere in Galway, Liquid’s Scream club has finished up due to falling numbers. Rumour is rife that Liquid is being purchased by Temple Theatre’s leaseholder Pat O’ Keeffe (who reportedly has plans to make it the latest branch of his lap dancing empire)…

Fluid, a new drum ‘n’ bass night at Cork’s newest club Maas, opens to the breakbeat crew every Thursday… Ian Clarke has just secured a residency in Dubin’s renowned Chocolate Bar on Saturdays from 9pm to midnight… MJ Cole and Trevor Nelson appear at the Heineken Green Energy festivals in Cork and Galway in June… And finally, congratulations to all those at MOTION. Mono’s Friday night bash recently celebrated its first birthday. On the way to the club this month are German techno legend Sven Vath, Renaissance’s Nigel Dawson, Jo Mills and (that man again) Dave Clarke… THE BEAT GOES ON!