Guess what I've found this morning? Nope, wrong! I found this CD, the seventh instalment of the 'A Nightmare In Rotterdam' mix series! And I was immediately back in 1996! Do you experience the same, when you pick up a CD, you instantly feel like you are back in the year it was released? Well, I've got that with a lot of compilations, all dating back to the 90s. I'm a 90s kid, you should know that (born in 83 though). To see this CD and to hear those tunes again made this Friday even better! Who doesn't love Hardcore from 96, name one person who doesn't love it?
I remember this CD well: it had a huge fuck up on the side sleeve: it stated it was the sixth episode but it was obviously not. As someone with OCD regarding numbers, it did freak me out. I had to hide this CD from the shelves, but even though the case would not be visible to anyone, the CDs were played over and over. And these CDs contained so many great and wicked anthems. Do you even remember half of these, bro?
This wasn't the ultimate compilation, there were others slightly better, but whatever compilation you preferred: they all had unique and different records on them, some you wouldn't hear anywhere else! And this seventh instalment is no exception, this has got shitloads of records so good, and sadly forgotten. Check this out:
CD 1:
01. Dionysos - Break On Through (Dymar & Maddox Metal Mix)
02. Critical Mass - Believe In The Future (DJ Weirdo & Sim Future Mix)
03. Neophyte & The Stunned Guys - Get This Motherfucker
04. DJ Pagan - Mister Mister Scarface (DJ Isaac Remix)
05. Wasting Program - Tell Me What You Find
06. Inferno Brothers - Slaves To The Rave (DE 2001 Mix)
07. Too Hostile - Make 'M Clap (DJ Paul Mix)
08. Big Deal - Papa Don't Stop
09. Hard Creation - Bust This Beat
10. Boombastic - Boooooom!!!!
11. Prezioso - Feel The Rhythm (Stunned Guys HC Mix)
12. Short Circuit - No Experiment
13. Ectomorph - The Beginning Of The End
14. Papa San - Perdonament (Discofrisco & DJ Inferno Mix)
15. The Stunned Guys - Beats Time
16. Kit Fox - Combat Zone
CD 2 :
01. Body Lotion - Always Hardcore
02. Darrien Kelly vs Bass D & King Matthew - Come On
03. The Ultimate Buzz feat MC Bee - On A Mission (DJ Isaac Live Edit)
04. Angel - Take Me Away (DJ E-Rick & Tactic Mix)
05. DJ Paul - Fuck You Maniac!
06. Masters Of Ceremony - Happy Hour
07. Human Resource - Dominator '96 (K.N.O.R. Hardcore Version)
08. Neophyte - Manic Truth
09. Lunalotic - Basspump
10. Activator - Maniac
11. Lenny Dee vs DJ Paul - Pump It Up
12. Hard Creation - Dance 2 Da House
13. Naughty Boys - 1-2-3 Fuck
14. DJ Attic & DJ Stylzz - In My Mind
15. Darrien Kelly vs Bass D & King Matthew - Generations
16. Lunalotic - Happy House...???
This album comes from a time when Happy and Hardcore were still appreciated in general, and there was no emerging Happy Hardcore CD market, where everything had to be separated. On this edition you can find everything: Hardcore, Gabber and Hapy Hardcore. And plenty of each to find.
I wouldn't say this is a majestic CD. But it does contain some excellent tunes, like 'Dominator '96', 'The Beginning Of The End', 'Break On Through', 'Dance 2 Da House', and more. Obviously me being a Happy Hardcore fanatic, I had to choose 'Take Me Away', remixed by E-Rick & Tactic.
I just love this compilation: it's so Rotterdam-ish. Most records have got this unique and distinctive sound, only used by producers from Rotterdam. It did have some stinkers on here, like 'Booooom!!!', 'Happy Hour' etc, but it still creates a nice vibe whilst listening to it. The album and its content sounds dated, but all dating back to a wonderful era of music. Hardcore and Happy Hardcore side by side. Wouldn't be long after this that the 'mainstream' started to hate and spit on HHC. A shame and dispicable situation.
There was a reason why this was the only 'A Nightmare...' CD in my collection. It's okay. Still makes me move in 2019, but not the best compilation ever. That's for sure.
Artist: Various Artists
Genre/Style: Hardcore, Gabber, Happy Hardcore
CD Info: A Nightmare In Rotterdam 07
CDs: 2 (two)
Length CDs: +/+ 2 hours
Tracks: 32 (thirty-two)
Label: Rotterdam Records
Product Number: ROT C-12
More Information: -----------------------------