After the runaway success of ‘Renaissance The Classics Pt. 1’ last year, the decadent folk at Renaissance have seen the sense in throwing another luxuriously hefty instalment of the house music story so far our way. It’s hard to imagine, given the panoramic scope of this mix, how they could possibly fail to please even the most cynical of dance music purists with this release, but the fact that they risk spreading the ‘classics’ a little thin over three discs makes that a distinct possibility. Fortunately, there’s no scraping the bottom of the DJ box here – every track is 100% pure hands-in-the-air nostalgia.
Anyone from the now middle-aged children of the acid and house boom of the ‘80s through to, well, their kids who probably know some of these tunes from whatever bar their fake I.D. has gotten them into, will find something to love about this. The first CD is a proper diva-fest - U.S. piano anthems right the way though, with belting vocal performances from Candi Statton, Crystal Waters, Inner City and the Deep Dish-aided De’Lacy amongst many others. But if this is all a little too plinky-plonky for your tastes, disc two moves things away from American shores and docks in a more British (or perhaps European is more apt, given the presence of Germanic queen Billie Ray Martin) harbour. D:Ream (it’s their good track ‘U Are The Best Thing’, not the Labour Party ’97 theme tune ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ – phew), N-Joi, Rozalla, Way Out West – Klaxons would gurning in approval.
The final disc is Renaissance’s obligatory nod to the Balearic Isle, where things traditionally don’t necessarily have to be house-shaped to fit into a DJ set. Customary contributions from The Stone Roses, Primal Scream and The Beloved mingle with a more eclectic selection that includes DNA Feat. Suzanne Vega’s ‘Tom’s Diner’, Talk Talk’s seismic ‘Life’s What You Make It’ and Saint Etienne’s Neil Young reworking of ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’, as well as a bit of disco from Rufus & Chaka Khan and The Jackson Sisters. ****ing A.
Keep this album close at hand for when your summer party needs a kick up the arse, and you can guarantee it will make people stupidly happy. ‘Renaissance The Classics Pt. 2’ is MDMA for your stereo.
You can keep up to date with all the latest news from Gigwise by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.
The Single Women In Music: For The Guys.jpg)
The Single Men In Music: For The Ladies
Use A Condom This Valentines Day: Musicians And Their 'Love Child'
