It's Wednesday, the unwritten day of Hardcore. Well, it's not official, but Dutch radio stations state the following phrase 'Woensdag Hakdag'. I find that term kind of offensive, at it mocks the entire scene for their benefit and entertainment, Hardcore is so much more than just a topic of discussion on national radio stations: it's a way of living. And I live that life since 1993, and I'm always happy to find new mixes by well established names, and if those mixes contain records I've not encountered in a while, that makes me even happier. Hence why I'm talking about Negative A's latest mix, which he only uploaded roughly 2 weeks ago...
It doesn't happen very often that he uploads a mix, but when he does, it's one you certainly need to jump on straight away. With his latest instalment of his 'Back To The Core' series, he certainly ticked all the boxes for the die-hard Hardcore fanatic from the early days. He goes in hard from the first second, and the tempo remains fast and vigorous. And the songs are all solid anthems. Leave that to Negative A, he knows how to get crowds going.
And it's a nice mix and match of well known records, and some obscure records. It's cool to find them in one mix. And they go from 'old' to very 'old' to a bit younger to 'old' again. His focus with this mix series is to give us the music we all grew up with, and have loved since day one. Early and Millennium Hardcore, and nothing else.
This mix has been on repeat for multiple days now, and it's been an absolute bliss to hear these records again. Some I've completely forgotten about, they went straight into obscurity, which is a pity, but thankfully we can relive those classics again, and hopefully they get the recognition they deserve, And there's even songs in here I've NEVER heard before, and one of those songs have become my personal favourite as of now. But you'll first have to read the tracklist before I tell you which track that is....
Dano - Fukem
Lenny Dee & The Darkraver - To Da Rhythm
Darrien Kelly & Scott Brown - Geleihoofd
DJ Devon - This Sucks
Promo - From The Darkside
The Stunned Guys - Io Sono Vivo
XXX Rated (Promo) - Shut Up!
Raveman - R.A.V.E.M.A.N.
Cixx - Bass 4 My Bass
Body Parts - Love In The 1st Degree (Spiritual Child And The Return Of Madman Mix)
DJ Gizmo - Dopeman (Buzzy's Aaaaaarrghh!!!! Remix)
Rave A Graphixx - There Is No Other
Tim-B - Pleasure And Pain
The Houseviking - Power Resistance
Global Split - Power (The Prophet's Hardcore Mix)
Evil Maniax - Goddamn (DJ Paul Mix)
Natas - Interview At 200
The Prophet - The Dreamtheme
Raveman - Spacemen (198 Mix)
DJ Delirium & Guitar Rob - The Way That We Rock (Live In NYC)
3 Steps Ahead - Gangster (Feel So Good)
Igor - Talking About God (208 B.C.)
DJ J.D.A. & Delta 9 - Real Hardcore & Anders Niks
Rotterdam Terror Corps - Sound Of Madness
Cookiemunsta - Cook & Curry (Gangarden Mix)
He went deep into his collection, grabbed a few records he could find, and smashed them together into an hour long mix. And yes, as said before, it's a mix & match of everything, and it works extremely well. He mixed them together in such a way that you remain attached to the mix, and at no stage does it become dull or boring.
But 'Spaceman' is a track I would have left behind somewhere, behind at a dump. Not my cup of tea.
All the other tracks are seriously insane. And I mean that in the most positive sense of the word insane. They are power anthems. If you feel a lack of energy, put this mix on, and you have the power. Within a split second are you teleported back to the 90s, and the power is there. No more lack of energy, but an abundance of power/energy, which you certainly need when the Hardcore kicks in. And when 'Power' by Global Split is played, that's when I loose my shit the most, followed by an all time classic by 3 Steps Ahead, 'Gangster (Feel So Good)'.
I love seeing certain names again, names you don't see frequently, like Cookiemunsta, Tim-B, Rave A Graphixx, Cixx, and more. It was nice to see them alive and kicking again, and they should get more credit for these anthems. They have certainly stood the test of time.
Yet another amazing set by Negative A a,k.a. Dr. Z-Vago. I've loved all his mixes so far, and I'm confident enough to state that future mixes will be as awesome as this one.
Have you thrown away 'Spacemen' yet?
DJ: Negative A
Genre/Style: Early Hardcore, Millennium Hardcore, Happy Hardcore, Gabber
Mix Info: BACK TO THE CORE. Vol 4
Length Mix: 00:58:38
Tracks: 25 (twenty-five)
Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): STREAM HERE
File Size: unknown
File Type: unknown
Audio: Stereo
Bit Rate: unknown
Release Year: 2023
More Information: Negative A - Soundcloud Channel