The year is 2005, and I am a young lad. 15 years ago I was just introduced into this scene, a scene we have not seen or heard before in the Netherlands, called UK Hardcore. With this new musical genre to discover, I bought a lot of albums, to discover what there was in the UK Hardcore scene, and one of the albums I bought, came all the way from Australia (don't ask me why or how). The album in question was Hardcore Heaven 2. The CD compilation was a very successful but a very short lived one. There was another similar called compilation released before the Millennium, but that also was released in a short time scale.
This compilation, released by Slammin' Vinyl, was only released in 2005 and 2006, with 4 instalments, and that was it. Not sure why it was terminated, but thankfully the name was taken over by the label Hardcore Underground, and was revived a few years later. But today we take a step back, back to 2005, when Kevin Energy, Brisk, and Sy shared the world what they had to offer, on this second instalment of the already much loved compilation.
Out of all the four instalments, this second one was and still is my most favourite one. Especially DJ Brisk's mix, that was spot on. I still wasn't aware of Trancecore and Freeform, and it would take me many years to really appreciate it. But thankfully I am this stage now that I can actually listen to the early stuff and appreciate it. Nu Energy was a very influential label back then, and with Kevin Energy at the helm they dominated the Freeform scene.
Kevin Energy released his mix 'for free' on Soundcloud about 5 years ago. And it was a nice re-introduction into this masterful CD. It's only his mix, so sorry for Sy and Brisk fans, but you need to buy the physical CD to get your gram. But at least you will be entertained with a mix by the mighty and unstoppable force Kevin Energy.
Here's the tracklist, if you haven't seen it before. In which case I would like to ask you 'why'?
Kevin Energy & Doc Savage - Master Blaster
Dancelordz - Promises
Haze & Gemini - I Want Freedom
Dancelordz - Fly
Lost Soul - Too Strong (K Complex Remix)
Haze - The Darkness
Dougal & Gammer - Crack Whore (Kevin Energy Remix)
Kevin Energy - Feel The Heat
Innerspace - Last Man Standing
Kevin Energy - Chemical Terror
Double Decka - Transformed
Deeper Territory - Deep Space
Alek Szahala - Lumi (Kevin Energy Remix)
Kevin Energy - Waves Of Desire (Mark Ashley & K Complex Remix)
Synaestesia - Desolation (CLSM Remix)
Carbon Based - Anger Ball (Kevin Energy Remix)
AMS - Check This
Mark Ashley & Eryk Orpheus - The Tormentor
Deviance - Energize
Eryk Orpheus - I'm The Daddy
Sharkey & Oli G - Sci-Fi
Kevin Energy & Phil Reynolds - Pounding Senses (Sharkey Remix)
Kevin Energy & The Ting - Power In The Light
K Complex & Desire - Unplugged
I simply cannot and won't underline the fact that this CD is 15 years OLD! You simply cannot believe that. Where has the time gone to? Where have all those years gone to, and why has it changed so quickly? I fucking hate time. Time isn't on our side.
Well, credit to Kevin Energy for uploading this mix back in 2015, 10 years after its initial release. And it has got good feedback from the listeners. I am one of them, and even thought I might not have appreciated the style as much as I do now, I can still say that in 2020 I love it. Obviously this is a different sound compared to the present day Freeform, but it's still highly enjoyable.
Kevin's selection is truly great. Nice Trancy Freeform anthems. And a bit of scratching here and there. But that was mandatory, seeing as the scratchmaster made the first disc on this compilation. He selected great anthems for this mix, and mixed them together beautifully. And this set has stood the test of time, like the music played during this hour and 18 minute long set.
No negative feedback or comments. This is a wicked set. Worth checking out, if you haven't already. Or just a wake up call to go through your collection and give these CDs another go. Like we've got anything else to do right now (fucking COVID).
Ps. the best record of this mix (for me) was 'Pounding Senses'. Haven't heard this anthem in years!
DJ: Kevin Energy
Genre/Style: Freeform, Trancecore
Mix Info: Hardcore Heaven 2 Album Mix - 01/11/2005
Length Mix: 01:18:41
Tracks: 24 (twenty-four)
Download/Listen (via Soundcloud): LISTEN HERE
File Size: unknown
File Type: unknown
Audio: Stereo
Sample Rate: unknown
More Information: Kevin Energy - Soundcloud Page