The year is 1994, and I'm young. Very young. 10-11 years old (or young, depending on how you look at it). A lot of things happened in the world around us, and for me to list them all, that's an unnecessary bit of info that I shouldn't provide you at all. Just go on Wikipedia and search for the year 1994, and you'll find a plethora of information. But it was an important year for me. Only a few months before did I discover House Party 8, and that's when I fell in love with Hardcore/Gabber music. When number 9 was released, I jumped on it, and actually purchased the disc, due to the previous CD being great. And obviously the next album I purchased as well. I just had to. These albums defined my youth, especially during the early 90s.
It was a glorious year for me. Especially when I got this 9th edition of the successful House Party mix CD series. You might not have heard of it before, as it was predominately a European released series. It started back in 1992, and was revived in 2009, before quickly moving away into obscurity again. But during the 90s they were the disc series to follow. They became also a bit too commercial, but not in 1994. They were my shit, my jam. And to this day do I know this CD, and know each single song and each bit by heart. Even the intro and outro (and midtro) is known by heart.
This was a magical album that stood by my side during the 90s and well into the 2000nd. To this day I still find it one of the finest albums ever released on Arcade's label. Is it the best House Party CD? Oh, that's tricky. I do love 10, 12, and 8. Hell, even 13 was an amazing one. But yeah, at least top 3.
Bryan Adams might have loved the Summer of 69, but for me it was definitely 1994. Much better. And come on, the music was sexier, groovier, and where would you find an underside boob on a cover? They were daring covers, to say the least.
TCM - Zoomin' And Whoomin' Intro
Pancake - Don't Turn Your Back
Ln's - Disco Inferno
X-Press 2 - Say What
Join Three - Movin On
Thyone Girls - Keep On Pumping
George Morel - Talk To Me (The Talk Mix)
Smooth Touch - House Of Love (In My House Remix)
Torfinn - I'll Nostra Tempo De La Vita
The Naomi Daniel EP - Burning
Funk Dat - Funk Dat
The Outhere Brothers - Fuk U In The Ass
Spank Spank - Freak It
4 The Floor - N.R.G.
Disco Anthem - Scream
Sound Environment - Feel So High
Mount Rushmore - I've Got The Music In Me
Twenty 4 Seven - Take Me Away
Atlantic Ocean - Waterfall
2 Brothers On The 4th Floor - Never Alone
DJ Efx - Groove To Me (Essence Of Sound EP)
The Klubb Kidz - Come On
Beatfreak - Looptrick
Culture Beat - Anything
Capella - U Got 2 Let The Music
TCM - Time To Chill ... Middle Chill
Laurent Garnier - Wake Up
Slam - Positive Education
Tony Di Bart - The Real Thing
Trancemission - Keep This Party Slammin'
2 Unlimited - Let The Beat Control Your Body
Carpe Diem - Snakecharmer
Sound Environment - Be There (Funky Frenzy)
Disco Biscuit - Disco Biscuit (Disco Dove Freak Mix)
Barrio Debajo - Gotta Let Yourself Go
Staxx - Joy
Low Life Winners - Low Life Cruising
Subliminal Cuts - Drumtrack Melody
Dynamic Base - Africa
Sil - Villa Ducato
Trance Induction - Extra Terrestrial Welcome Song (Context Control EP)
Plastic Man - Spastik
Honey C - Desire
Urban Cookie Collective - Feels Like Heaven
Robin S. - What I Do Best (Club Mix)
Roc & Kato - Jungle Kisses
Doop - Doop
TCM - That's All Folks - Outro
This brings back so many memories. And thinking about it, my first copy of this CD could have even be on a cassette! I was still rocking the 'my first Walkman' back then, so I've got this sneaky suspicion that it might have been.
I was such a sucker for anything Arcade related. Was it the best label out there? Oh, hell no. Was this series the best ever? Hell no. Was this the best mix CD on the market? Nope. Is this the best CD ever? It will never be. But to me personally it has the most cherished memories. Happy and nostalgic memories. Unfortunately not of me raving, but still. It takes me back in time, and if anything can do that, and make me smile, it is a winner in my books.
I've read a few comments on Discogs about this mix series, and some loved it, some hated it. Has it stood the test of time? To me it has. Memories are important, and this mix has been played at least 100.000 times in my life so far, and I know for sure it will be played until the end of days.
The best record? 'Africa'.
The crappiest thing about House Party and other mix CDs was the length of songs. Some would literally be played 5 seconds, and that's it. And boy, did I hate it a lot. Some were played too damn long, which I hated too.
All in all a wicked CD with the most memories for me. Not the best, but one I'm proud to own. And I want you all to experience what I did back in 1994. This was part of my childhood.
Artist: Various Artists
Genre/Style: House, Techno, Deep House, Euro House
CD Info: House Party 9 - The Clubmix
Length CDs: +/- 01:20:00
Tracks: 48 (fourty-eight)
Release Year: 1994
Label: Arcade Benelux BV
Product Number: 01 8690 6
More Information: -------