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Writer's pictureMartin van Zeelandt / TCD

Early Hardcore Top 40 (The Very Best Early Hardcore Songs Ever) (2020)


It is Saturday, and it doesn't really matter. It's another day within the second lockdown period, so nothing much is happening around the world. Here in London it's kind of boring. It's a new level of non existing excitement. Or should I say a new low? The internet is the only thing that can bind us all together, and it can connect people from all over the world. And sometimes it's necessary, like the other day when my nan died, and we had to watch her funeral during a livestream. It's odd, I know, but at least we are 'there'. We can still be linked to one and another during this COVID period.

But gabbers, they were always connected. At raves during the 90s and early 2000s they were the biggest friends club in the whole universe. There's wasn't much hatred or anger, we all danced throughout the night. Yes, we might have looked a tad odd with our track suits and bald heads, but we couldn't care less: this was our thing. And at the centre of this all, was the music. And even to this day we hold it close to our hearts: it's as dear to us as air is to other humans. We embrace the early sound, and play it until our final breath. Hardcore 4 Life. That's our motto.


Now, I only found this mix a few hours ago, but I had to check it out. It's a mix made by Funky Frank. I do not know anything about this DJ, but what I do know is that he used a shit ton of classic anthems. And when I say classics, I do mean classics. You would probably find the same songs on your standard, run of the mill, top 40 Hardcore CD. You know, those CDs that are only made to get money out of your pocket, nothing much. Those 'special' CDs that everyone already has, but still buys, to add to their collection.


If you were around during the 90s and you were a gabber/raver, you will enjoy this tracklist. You certainly will!



  1. The Horrorist - Flesh Is The Fever

  2. Public Energy - Three_O_Three

  3. The Dark Raver & DJ Vince - Thunderground

  4. Robert Armani - Hit Hard

  5. Miro - Shining

  6. E-Man - Bass Machine

  7. Razzle Dazzle Trax - Rattlebrain (DJ Isaac's Overdrive Remix)

  8. DJ Isaac & DJ The Viper - Fun-ky Beats

  9. The Dark Raver & DJ Vince - Intelligent Hardcore

  10. Dr. Macabre - Poltergeist

  11. Digital Boy - OK, Alright

  12. Forze DJ Team - '98 To Piano

  13. Dominium - Let Your Mind

  14. DJ Isaac - Freak That Shit

  15. DJ Isaac & DJ The Viper - Trigga Finga

  16. Rave Creator - Atmos-Fear

  17. Buzz Fuzz - King Of The Beats

  18. Jones & Stephenson - The First Rebirth

  19. Pilldriver - Pitch Hiker

  20. Neophyte - Braincracking

  21. Dune - Hardcore Vibes

  22. Stingray & Sonicdriver - As Cold As Ice

  23. The Highlander - Hold Me Now

  24. Bertocucci Feranzano - XTC Love

  25. Hardsequencer - Braincrash

  26. Charly Lownoise & Mental Theo - Wonderful Days (Rotterdam Mix)

  27. Critical Mass - Burnin' Love (DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim 173.683 Remix)

  28. Rave Nation - Going Crazy

  29. DJ Isaac - Bad Dreams

  30. The Prophet - Big Boys Don't Cry

  31. Masoko Solo - Pessa Pessa

  32. Buzz Fuzz - Frequencies

  33. DJ Weirdo & Dr. Phil Omanski - Young Birds

  34. Lenny Dee - The Dreamer

  35. Wayward - Hardcore Hijacked Me

  36. Chosen Few - Chosen Paradise

  37. Promo - Shut Up!

  38. 3 Steps Ahead - Drop It

  39. Diss Reaction - Jieehaaa

  40. DJ Jappo & Lancinhouse - EXLXAXL

  41. BONUS TRACK


You might agree or disagree, but Funky Frank's selection is a good one. Yes, some do not fall technically under the early Hardcore tag, but more like Happy Hardcore, and some listeners do find that annoying, but it was still part of the early 90s. Love or hate it, even those cheesy tunes were part of this culture at one stage, and featured on many Hardcore compilations.


The last track, which is a bonus track, is obviously the biggest top 40 hit for any Hardcore anthem, and you will immediately know which song I am talking about.


I do like Frank's selection. Immediately I felt a few years younger, and high on life. So damn Hardcore I was back then. It is funny, but yet I am still Hardcore. Might be a tad podgier but Hardcore music still runs through my veins. I might not be able to do the specific dance for hours, but 10 mins of Hakkuh is still sufficient enough to show the young kids how to do it.


So the tracklist is good, but is the mix good? Yes and no. The tracks are good, but there are a shit ton of mixing errors here. And I do mean a lot. You would maybe expect to hear them on a dodgy cassette from the early 90s, but not in the 2020s. I know Funky Frank was eager to make this mix, but it's not a flawless mix. That's a shame though.


Maybe worth checking this mix out, if you want to feel slightly nostalgic. You might need to sieve through the errors. But if you want to do that, you might like this mix more than I do at the moment.



DJ: Funky Frank

Genre/Style: Hardcore, Gabber, Early Hardcore, Happy Hardcore

Mix Info: Early Hardcore Top 40 (The Very Best Early Hardcore Songs Ever)

Length Mix: 01:51:15

Tracks: 40 (fourty) + 1 Bonus Track

Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): LISTEN HERE

File Size: unknown

File Type: unknown

Release Year: 2020

Audio: Stereo

Sample Rate: unknown



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