1. MAARS “Pump Up The Volume”*
Aged 6, this record blew my little mind, a perfect collage of music samples with CJ Macintosh & Dave Dorrell performing on Saturday morning TV. Pretty much the exact moment I decided I wanted a pair of Technics!
![M.A.R.R.S:PUMP UP THE VOLUME [THE ROXY]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QYEipVyMGpU/0.jpg)
2. Mike Delgardo “Byrd Mans Revenge”*
As kained by my hero’s Thomas & Guy Man (Daft Punk), this was a staple of every Daft Punk mix I could possibly consume in the late 90’s and has been a “go-to” record for me for over 20 years. I’ve also dug back through Donald Byrd’s catalogue (thanks to this sample usage) and was switched on to the whole Henry Street catalogue. Mike’s still putting together beats (which he uploads to his Facebook profile). I hope some of these see the light of day.
3. Whirlpool Productions “From Disco to Disco”*
Most people tend to know this from the Les Rhythmes Digitales (Stuart Price) usage on his debut album (“Darkdancer”), but the original Whirlpool version (from where the vocal snip is lifted) is the real jewel here. In my mind this is the perfect studio session. A looped groove, press “play and record” on the desk and let the keys man just riff with the vocalists. Forget your Logic, Ableton, auto-tune and everything today’s production stands for (making it overly perfect), the imperfections make this
record an absolute dream.
4. Stardust “Music Sounds Better With You”*
Chaka Khan sample + Emu SP1200 + Thomas Bangalter + Alan Braxe + Benjamin Diamond on vocals. Arguably the most perfect French House / French Touch record produced. The go-to record in Roulé’s discography.
5. George FitzGerald ft. Boxed In “Full Circle”*
It’s wrong just to pick “Full Circle” as the whole “Fading Love” album is an amazing album and one you can listen through from start to finish with all killer and no filler. The production on this is fantastic, with simple percussion used to devastating effect. The more downtempo cuts have been perfect additions to my sunset sets at Savannah & Mambo in Ibiza over the last couple of years.
6. Michael Jackson “PYT” (Ridney’s Ibiza Re-work)*
“Thriller” is always an essential listen in our household (along with “Off The Wall”) and I made this bootleg in bed on headphones the night before travelling to Ibiza a few years back – just as a DJ special for the gigs I had. Fast forward and I get people asking me for a copy of it nearly every week. DJs inc. Tommie Sunshine & Karma Kid have been supporting and it got a couple of spins on Radio 1. I guess not bad for 30 mins in Ableton?!?!
7. Sebastien Tellier “La Ritournelle”*
Another “go to” record for my DJ sets at Savannah & Mambo in Ibiza. The minute I heard this, I knew I needed a copy in my life. I’ve two copies of this on vinyl in my collection, one of which is still in its cellophane! A beautiful, timeless song with incredible strings. My pick of the ST tracks, closely followed by “L’Amour et la Violence”.
8. Daft Punk “Horizon”*
Never featuring on any version of “Random Access Memories” other than the Japanese release. This bonus track (in my humble opinion), is one of the best tracks the duo have ever written. No big disco sample, this is very laid back & quite country sounding – slowly building to a huge crescendos hitting the typical french synths you’d come to expect. This really should have been on every version of RAM.
9. Royksopp & Robyn “Monument”*
Featuring as part of a 4 track EP, another staple of my sunset sets at Savannah in Ibiza. Robyn’s vocals sit perfectly over the subtle downtempo beats provided by Norweigen duo Royskopp. Rocking in at 10 mins in length, it’s a perfect build to a sunset.
