DJ Sammy, Baby D, Dave Pearce, K-Klass, Livin' Joy, N-Trance, Phats & Small, Technotronic, and Ultrabeat

It’s always interesting to look a little more closely at one-hit wonders, and look at what led up to that fleeting success in the first place and see just how they’ve fared since; OK, so DJ Sammy, or Samuel Bouriah as he was born, isn’t quite a one-hit wonder - his biggest success on the charts, 2001’s British number one smash ‘Heaven’, was followed up a year later by further top ten tracks in the UK that included a cover of Don Henley’s ‘The Boys of Summer’, but his moment to shine was over quickly enough that I feel you can include him amongst the number of those that were here one moment and gone the next. It was a real slow burn to success for DJ Sammy, too, with his career kicking off in his native Mallorca in Spain, where he began spinning tunes in local clubs; he knows, then, how to handle relative obscurity, and whilst he remains popular on the live circuit in his home country, that’s largely what he’s been faced with since 2002. His recent live sets have mixed up Eurodance with house and techno in a way that appeals to both the mainstream and the purists, and he remains a popular fixture at clubs across Europe.

How about a little British breakbeat hardcore and house music, from Baby D, a friend asked. I was very intrigued to go and check out what Baby D are all about. I did my research beforehand to find out what they’re about. They are in fact a manufactured group formed by Production House Records, a record label which was set up in 1987. From the get go, this band had the contacts and the formula to really make a career out of their music. They open their set this evening with “Let Me Be Your Fantasy” which was of course a number 1 on the UK charts in November 1994. “Casanova” is a worthy follow up, that keeps everyone in this vicinity dancing. Following their first number one, they kept bringing out the big guns with songs such as “So Pure” and “Take Me to Heaven” which is absolutely laden with riffs and hooks that you find yourself singing to yourself or with friends on that long trek home at the end of the evening at 3am.

There’s no school like the old school, and K-Klass is in session. Sorry, it just had to be done… After forming in 1988 they have had an influential presence in the house music scene for nearly 30 years; an incredible tribute to this group, who have also had a contribution to the UK charts on a couple of occasions, with ‘Rhythm is a Mystery’ reaching number 3 in 1991. You will also probably recognize ‘Let Me Show You’, their other widely known song in the UK scene. Their main work, however, comes in the forms of remixes. K-Klass have remixed a wide array of artists, and huge tracks from the past 20 years, trying their hand to pop tracks; stretching from Janet Jackson and Luther Vandross’ ‘The Best Things in Life Are Free’, to S Club 7’s ‘Bring It All Back’. Two of the group from Wrexham has such a foothold in the genre that they run their own record label, ‘Klass Action’, and their live performances are so tight that you’ll leave with Goosebumps. Although they haven’t dropped an album since 1998, you can count on them having a say in the house genre for a while yet, and they will undoubtedly put on a great show whilst playing the nightclub loop for years to come.

Who doesn't love a bit of old school music? Going back to the 1980's when Technotronic was formed originally as a Belgium studio project, they went on to release the single 'Pump Up the Jam' as they paired with vocalist Ya Kid K. It fast became number 2 on the UK singles chart for it's catchy beat, which was the start of Technotronic's rise to fame. They became an international success; performing all over the world, from Amsterdam to Australia, for what was an unforgettable performance back in the day. They further manages to sell around 14 million singles and albums world wide from their music, but the first song I'm sure everyone thinks back to when reminded of the Technotronic's is 'Pump Up the Jam'. They even managed to combine elements of deep house music with their techno elements in their single 'Like This' in 1999, which is an older example of the tech house genre that followed in later years. I can't imagine many of today's younger generation being thrilled by their music if they were to play another gig today, but they definitely brought a fun loving vibe to the stage with them as well as plenty of strobe lights whenever they performed live. Years ago everyone was on their feet singing along with them and clapping their hands to the beat, but the hairstyles and lycra outfits are still a thing of the past. Their music however was so much fun and I'm sure it'll never be forgotten.

It’s nice, sometimes, when artists don’t beat around the bush with their stage names and instead christen themselves in a manner that immediately reveals to the listener what they’re all about; credit’s due, then, to Ultrabeat, who give you a pretty clear idea from the very get go that you should be expecting high-tempo dance music, and little else. The Liverpudlian trio hail from Liverpool, having formed in 2002 after having met through DJ’ing in clubs like the legendary Cream and bonding over a shared love of happy hardcore, they first made an impression on the UK charts with ‘Pretty Green Eyes’ in 2003, which went in at number two on the singles rundown. They’ve never quite topped that since, but their two records to date - Ultrabeat: The Album in 2007 and The Weekend Has Landed in 2009 - have both fared well commercially and among the dance scene that Ultrabeat are so steeped in. Additionally, their live sets have won them acclaim from fans and critics alike, and they remain active across the UK and Europe, mixing intimate club sets with huge festival slots to this day; don’t rule out a return to chart success just yet, with plenty still left in the Ultrabeat tank.