Pengo Records Tribute @ 90s Hard Compilation 050426

Martin van Zeelandt / TCD
5 minutes ago
3 min read

Pengo Records, who remembers this label? A label I grew up with, but only lived a short life. Only active for 2 years, but within those 2 years, it certainly left a legacy behind. It was at the height of Happy Hardcore, and they released some of the biggest songs out of the 90s. You will know which ones I'm talking about when you look down at the tracklist. But it was certainly a very influential label, and I'm not sure why it seized to exist. It came and went. Maybe the penguin went into hibernation, and maybe one day it will come back?

I do love myself a bit of cheese. Not too cheesy, like the labels final release (4 Tune Fairytales - Ding A Dong). But nice cheese, well matured. And this set has got a lot of cheese, but we have to admit that these songs can be considered a guilty pleasure, as we know, love, and admire them all. Or you can just come out of the gate storming, like me, and state that Happy Hardcore was (and still is) awesome.

The Finnishing Dutch uploaded this set a day ago, which was recorded at an event he played at. I don't know the ins- and outs, so I'm only going to judge it, based upon the mix he provided. And his set, and you'll never guess it, is focussed on Pengo Records. He only played for half an hour, but within those 30 minutes, he played 13 records. And those records immediately take you back to the 90s. A proper cheese fest, maybe. But it is worth listening to these records from one of the most prolific, if less slightly underrated label of our Hardcore history.

3 Steps Ahead - Drop It
Critical Mass - Believe In The Future (DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim Future Remix)
Bertocucci Feranzano - XTC Love
DJ Waxweazle - Come With Me (Critical Mass & DJ Waxweazle Mix)
The Beatsquad - Roll The Drum
4 Tune Fairytales - Take Me 2 Wonderland (DJ Jordens Point 44 Remix)
Wonderland - Fantasy Of Love (DJ Skorp & Lady Dana Remix)
Critical Mass - Burnin Love (DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim 173.683 Remix)
4 Tune Fairytales - My Little Fantasy (Bass-D & King Matthew Remix)
The Prophet - Big Boys Don't Cry (4 Minute Mix)
DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim - Go Get Busy (Hardcore Edit)
3 Steps Ahead - Money In My Pocket
Critical Mass - Happy Generation (Buzz Fuzz Mix)

I feel like a teenager again! The memories do keep on coming, and I remember all these songs! And I did rave my ass off with these being played on my headphones. They were the cheapest ones imageable, but that didn't matter: as long as it had bass, I was a happy bunny.

Christ, the label did have so many big songs. Where would we be without Pengo Records? Correct, a less interesting Happy Hardcore scene. Come on, how can we ignore the importance of Critical Mass? What about DJ Weirdo & DJ Sim? Or even 3 Steps Ahead. And this mix contains a few of the biggest anthems of all time: ''Drop It'', ''Go Get Busy'', but my favourite, and it's highly controversial (I believe): The Beatsquad's ''Roll The Drum'' is a much better track compared to the previous two. Oh, and also 'My Little Fantasy'' is a big track.

Or what about ''Money In My Pocket''? Or ''Big Boys Don't Cry''? Fuck, there's too much to choose from.

The Finnishing Dutch's set was short, but very awesome. It's got some tiny mixing errors, but nothing too dramatic. The only wish, which is obviously beyond his control, was that this set would be longer. An hour, at a minimum. As I'm missing a few other records from the label, it would have been a great hour long set with more records.

Enjoy it. And let's remember the penguin. It's not death, just sleeping. Since 1997....

OK, final bit: ''Fantasy Of Love''. Not a great record, and this song is just 'meh'. Sorry.