The D:Ream I Could Believe

D:Ream aka Peter Cunnah and Al Mackenzie appeared in my 2021 round up with their rather fine comeback single Meet Me At Midnight and (no spoiler alert) they've done it again this year. 

 

Pedestal was released as a single in September and this month saw a rather fine remix package featuring, amongst others, Dubhed favourites Jezebell aka Jesse Fahnestock and Darren Bell. Jezebell were also in my 2021 list and (no spoiler alert), they'll be in this year's round up, which I'll be sharing after Christmas.

 

It's been a great couple of years if you're a fan of either or both. D:Ream's fourth album (and first in a decade) came out in 2021. Peter and Al also got the rights back to their third album In Memory Of..., gave it the love and attention it lacked first time around and re-released it into the world. Alongside both albums came a trio of remix packages available as a 'name your price' download via Bandcamp. Needless to say, an embarrassment of riches to be found across all.

 

So, in case you're already weary of Paul McCartney, Elton John, East 17 and Mariah Carey, here's a D:Ream selection of remixes, mostly from the past two years but also dipping back into the 1990s for a trio of classics by Leftfield, Sasha and Development Corporation. The remix of Unforgiven previously appeared on a Leftfield selection posted in February this year, but when it's this good, why apologise for repetition?

 

I'm loving the 21st century remixes too: Pete Herbert never disappoints and any of Al Mackenzie's remixes as Retroforward have been spot on. And that Jezebell remix is just sublime.

 

One more sleep to go until Christmas, but I hope this might encourage you to stay up a little later and dance around the Christmas tree. Keep scrolling to the bottom for an extra Christmas treat.

 

This one's especially dedicated to Jez, genius behind the A History Of Dubious Taste music blog. Wishing you all the best for your recovery.

 

1) Many Hands (Shape Of Space Remix By Paul Greendale & Chris Stevenson) (2021)

2) Unforgiven (Leftfield Hands Mix By Neil Barnes & Paul Daley) (1993)

3) I Used To Believe In Love (Ashley Beedle's NSW Love & Joy Vocal Mix) (2021)

4) U R The Best Thing (Sasha Dub) (Remix By Alexander Coe & Tom Frederikse) (1992)

5) Pedestal (Jezebell's Dizzy Heights Remix By Jesse Fahnestock & Darren Bell) (2022)

6) Drop Beatz Not Bombs (Deepchild Remix By Rick Bull) (2011)

7) All Things To All Men (Pete Herbert Remix) (2011)

8) Meet Me At Midnight (Retroforward Plays Pop Remix By Al Mackenzie) (2021)

9) Things Can Only Get Better (Superfly Development Vocal) (Remix By Development Corporation) (1993) 

10) Make Love Cool Again (RMN vs Jus Jez Remix) (2021)

The D:Ream I Could Believe (1:04:46) (KF) (Mega)

 

Pedestal

Please tell me how, please tell me how
It’s come to this again?
Tell me it aint so
I gotta know, I gotta know
Are we on again?
Maybe? I don’t know

What answer leaves you racked in doubt
Can’t figure you, can’t work it out
I’m wondering, "What the hell it all means"?

I put you up on a pedestal
You were the dream I could believe but you just kept on deceiving me
Well I held you above me
You just looked down on me

Tell it to the child, like you tell a child
You’re not making sense
Tell me, I must know
Give him a name. Give, give him a name
Just say his name
Tell me. I got a right to know

Come share another ecstasy
We’ll make love so tenderly
We’ll make love ‘til our bodies ache

I put you up on a pedestal
You were the dream I could believe but you just kept on deceiving me
I put you way up on a pedestal
I worshipped the ground you walked upon
But you just kept walking over me
Well I held you above me
You just looked down on me

My head, my hands aint got no feeling
In my head, my hands, you just don’t mean it
In my head, my hands I can’t believe it
I just can’t

I put you up on a pedestal
You were the dream I could believe but you just kept on deceiving me
I put you way up on a pedestal
I worshipped the ground you walked upon
But you just kept walking over me
Well I held you above me
You just looked down on me

 

Jesse Fahnestock, one half of Jezebell, is also 100% of 10:40 and has featured on this blog many times including the 2021 round up and (no spoiler alert) will be popping up again next week. Clearing the decks for a new album in 2023, Jesse has been posting a rather wonderful 10:40 advent calendar, containing previous album tracks, singles and remixes, all for free. I've been a fan since first discovering 10:40 during the pandemic and created my own Dubhed selection of 10:40 and Jezebell gems back in May. Many of the 10:40 tracks have re-appeared in the advent calendar so if you haven't got them already, I'd strongly recommend you get over there today!

 

Last Christmas Eve, I posted the latest festive offering from Martin Jenkins aka Pye Corner Audio. 2022 is no exception and Martin has provided another free/name your price chiller in the shape of Satan's Slay.  

 

It's going to be tough Christmas for many, I know. However you're spending your time this weekend, love and very best wishes from me. Your visits to this blog and comments on my musical ramblings have been a constant source of encouragement and support when I've found things difficult and I hope in some small way, I can pay some of this forward. 

A brief, prepared post for tomorrow. Normal business should resume on Boxing Day.

It's Like A Cry For Survival

Side 2 of a mixtape, "mixed and demixed" (according to the cassette sleeve) by me on 30th January 1997 and featuring Paul and Phil Hartnoll aka Orbital. A long overdue follow up to Side 1, which was posted in August 2021.

 

As with the previous selection, I've swapped out one of the versions featured on the cassette compilation. Back in 1997, I had the 1995 reissue of the Midnight/Choice CD issue which had replaced the Sasha Mix from the original 1991 issue with Orbital's own mix from the 12" single. For this recreation, I've gone back to Sasha's remix.

The sole remix on this side, Come Into My Life, is by Abfahrt aka German powerhouse trio Jens Zimmermann, Jürgen 'Nosie' Katzmann and Torsten Fenslau. Not household names in the UK but behind a slew of 1990s Europop hits, most notably by Culture Beat. Sadly, Torsten passed in November 1993, a month after Come Into My Life got a UK release via the Guerilla label.

 

I mentioned in my previous post that Orbital are one of the best live acts I have ever experienced and Impact: The Earth Is Burning was a setlist highlight. Here, you get the mighty USA remix, a (nearly) eleven and a half minute epic and still one of my favourite Orbital tracks.

 

As the opener is called Sunday, I perhaps should have held this post over for a couple of days but, hey, you've all waited long enough for Side 2 already! Once you've listened to both sides, why not pop back to my post three weeks and enjoy Orbital's latest single, Dirty Rat, all over again? The Hartnoll brothers have still got it.

1) Sunday (1992)

2) Open Mind (F.A. Mix By Orbital) (1991)

3) Midnight (Sasha Mix) (1991)

4) Impact USA (Remix By Orbital ft. MC Tea Bag) (1993)

5) Come Into My Life (Hart Fab Mix By Orbital): Abfahrt (1993)

6) Analogue Test Feb '90 (1991)

1991: Funky Alternatives Six: 2

1991: Midnight / Choice EP: 3, 6

1992: Radiccio EP: 1

1993: Come Into My Life EP: 5

1993: Impact: The Remix (USA 12" single): 4

Side Two (47:03) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

Loop Da Loop

Side 2 of a mixtape, cobbled together in 1999, and capturing my love of rolling beats. Darren Emerson has produced a 2021 highlight with his remix of That Time Of Night by GLOK, which got me digging back into his excellent remixes from the late 1990s, presaging his departure from Underworld at the start of the 21st century. This was jumping on point for today's selection.

 

This selection opens with Ben Watkins aka Juno Reactor, with a single that I was surprised to discover actually made it to #45 in the UK singles chart back in February 1997. This song particularly appealed to me at the time as it sampled Watkins' previous band Sunsonic, who I also loved. The song in question, Kind Of Loving, only made it #83 when it was released in May 1990.

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of Sasha at the time, although I vaguely recall seeing him DJ once at Renaissance at The Conservatory in Derby around 1994. However, I really liked his remix of Talk To Me by Hysterix and his own single Magic featuring Sam Mollison (a #32 UK hit single, no less).

 

By the 1992, Thompson Twins were finally down to the core duo of Tom Bailey & Alannah Currie and had 'gone dance'; the following year, they had teamed up with Keith Fearnley to become Babble. The Saint (#53 in January 1992) isn't bad, but I think I would have bought the single more for the David Morales mixes, which elevate the song considerably.

 

I love Everything But The Girl and Walking Wounded was a revelatory album when it came out in 1996. Before Today must have been the third or fourth single, managing a respectable #25 in March 1997. Darren Emerson did a couple of mixes and this is the best of the two, even at nearly 10 minutes, feeling too short. 

 

Go was Moby's global Twin Peaks-sampling smash, hitting #10 in the UK in July 1991. This remix, under his Barracuda alias, appeared in 1992 on The Ultimate Go EP, which I got a few years later on a German import CD single.

 

Age Of Love by Age Of Love first came out in 1990 but I don't think I would have become aware of it until I heard the Jam & Spoon remix around 1992. It eventually became a hit single in the UK in July 1997, peaking at #17, and has been remixed and re-released numerous times since. This version dates back to the original Belgian release and, at only a smidge over 5 minutes, feels like it should go on for at least twice as long.

1) Jungle High (Original Mix): Juno Reactor (1997)

2) Magic (Sasha's Voodoo Dub): Sasha ft. Sam Mollison (1994)

3) The Saint (8th Street Dub) (Remix By David Morales): Thompson Twins (1992)

4) Before Today (Darren Emerson Underwater Remix 1): Everything But The Girl (1997)

5) Go (Barracuda Mix): Moby (1992)

6) The Age Of Love (Boeing Mix By Roger Samijn): The Age Of Love (1990)

Side Two (45:52) (Box) (Mega)