It feels like every few months I discover a new mix by DJ A.K., and even though it might have a similar theme to any of his previous ones, it's always an exciting moment, to discover a new mix. And a few weeks ago I found a new Gabber cheddar mix. You might be wondering what the hell that is, and now is not the time to ask silly questions. Now is the time to just sit down, press play, and let the music do all the talking. And talking it does. It demolishes your speakers, if you aren't careful. Just be warned, before you put the volume all the way up!
I love myself a bit of cheesy Hardcore. Happy Hardcore is so damn awesome. I always find it distasteful when people talk negatively about Happy Hardcore/Happy Rave/Cheddar Gabber etc, whatever you might call it. Back in the 90s it was important to so many of us, but to me it was everything. Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the 'standard' Hardcore Techno/House, but when Happy Hardcore landed upon us, it took over my life, and I have devoured many mixtapes and CDs, and spent many hours listening to these glorious songs.
Some of these songs have remained timeless classics, so we cannot just put it all under the rug and just brush it off as a shitty style. It was the complete opposite, in my eyes. I adore this music, and even in 2023 I still hold it close to my heart. Don't just hate it because you don't understand it. I do hate the commercial side of it, and the demise of Hardcore in general, but surely it cannot be fully contributed to Happy Hardcore, right?
DJ A.K. decided to give us the full cheese, the cheddar. The happy stuff. And it's got some of the classics in here I love. So, are you ready for the cheese? A platter of awesomeness will be presented to you right now:
DD Zion - Blue Sky (No Law Mix)
Mindtrust - Key To Your Heart (Bass-D & King Matthew Remix)
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Your Smile (Happy Hardcore Mix)
Profound - 4 O'Clock
External - Circles (Hardcore Edit)
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Stars (Hardcore Mix)
Party Animals - Have You Ever Been Mellow (Tekno Mafia Mix)
4 Tune Fairytales - My Little Fantasy (Bass-D & King Matthew Mix)
Happymen - Love Is You (Stunned Guys Hardcore Mix)
3 Steps Ahead - Drop It
Charly Lownoise - Fantasy World (Hardcore Mix)
The Omen - Let The Music Take Control (Hardcore Mix)
Rhio - Feeling Your Love (Happy Hardcore Mix)
Micado - It's Gonna Be A Fine Night (Happy Hard Mix)
Bass-D & King Matthew feat XD - Like A Dream (Bass-D & King Matthew Remix)
4 Tune Fairytales - Take Me 2 Wonderland (Hard-Tune Remix)
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Get Free
DJ Paul Elstak - Promised Land (DJ Paul's Forze Mix)
Credibility - Always Peace (Happy Hardcore Mix)
DJ Paul Elstak - Rainbow In The Sky (DJ Paul's Forze Mix)
DJ E-Rick & Tactic - Bring The Noise
DJ Daydream - Falling Over The Moon (Spellbound & Mikey Mix)
Infernus - I Want Your Love (Bass-D & King Matthew Remix)
DJ Paul Elstak - Luv U More (Stunned Guys Remix)
Critical Mass - Believe In The Future (Happy Future Edit)
Stingray & Sonicdriver - As Cold As Ice (El Bruto Remix)
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Hardcore Feelings (Hardcore Mix)
Highlander - Hold Me Now (I'm Sorry) (Bass- D & King Matthew Remix)
Rave Nation - Going Crazy (Forze DJ Team Mix)
DJ Paul Elstak - Don't Leave Me Alone (Hardcore Version)
DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim - Go Get Busy (Hardcore Edit)
Critical Mass - Burning Love (2 Da Core Mix)
Tokia - Big In Japan (Hardcore Version)
DJ Isaac - Bad Dreams (Remix)
Wonderland - Fantasy Of Love (German Rave Mix)
Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Wonderful Days (Rotterdam Mix)
Mindtrust - Ravers Groove (Cixx's Hardcore Remix)
Back 2 Bass - I Wanna Be With You (Spoenik Mix)
DJ Psycangle - Smile, Fuck Up
Back 2 Bass - Beating Of My Heart (Spoenik Mix)
Party Animals - Used & Abused (Amnesia Mix)
This, ladies and gentlemen, is pure pornography. If you don't know the importance of a list like this one, you are a) too young or b) too naïve. The importance of each record can still be felt, many years after its initial release back in the 90s.
Boy, the quality of these tunes, beyond belief! Yes, as mentioned, these are cheesy as fuck tracks. But they are as good as you imagine them to be. You cannot listen to this mix and not feel a tingle in your downstairs department. There are a few 'ok'/nice records in here, which would get you moving a bit on the dancefloor, but there are also a few that would get you on that dancefloor like never before, and you would loose your shit completely!
One of the things I've noticed is that Bass-D & King Matthew were also amazing Happy Hardcore producers! I knew they made a few hits, but never stood still with the fact that their records were top notch! I would class them as one of the finest duos in Hardcore history, especially during the Happy Hardcore era. Obviously when it comes to duos, no one can beat Charly Lownoise and Mental Theo, but Bass-D & King Matthew are up there, on the list.
Over the years I started to dislike Paul Elstak's music more and more, and even though they are classics, I find them more rubbish now. It's a shame. But wasn't he just copying other people's records and just making it slightly different, and have huge success with these records, instead of the artists who made the original? And didn't he slate Happy Hardcore fully during the 90s? Ah well, that's just me.
DJ A.K.'s mix is truly an amazing mix with plenty of awesome records. 'Get Free' is my personal favourite: a definite cheesy track that defines the 90s. But yeah, if you were to talk about TCD (=me) and if you were looking for a mix that would define me as a teenager during the 90s, this would be it. The ultimate mix that suits me the most.
DJ A.K., never stop doing these mixes. Never stop.
DJ: A.K.
Genre/Style: Happy Hardcore, Happy Rave, Happy Gabber
Mix Info: DJ A.K. - Gabber Cheddar Classics Mix NYE 31.12.22
Length Mix: 01:59:06
Tracks: 41 (fourty-one)
Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): CLICK HERE
File Size: unknown
File Type: unknown
Audio: Stereo
Sample Rate: unknown
Release Year: 2023
More Information: DJ A.K. - Soundcloud Channel