BERKANA SOWELU - Solid Fuel (damon wild & dennis ferrer remix)

Pacific Records was a mid '90s rather low profile UK label that released a certain amount of 12''s and this CD compilation before disappearing.
The special thing about it was that without being far ahead of its time or ground-breaking in some way, its releases managed to maintain a certain level of quality and musicality without losing the dancefloor sense. By developing a style influenced equally by mature UK house and Detroit Techno without the oldschool elements, they could be included in the definition of the tech house sound along Plastic City or any other good label of the time.
In my mind they stand musically near certain Soma releases, Circulation's straighter tracks or Pure Plastic. It also brings to mind some more underground techfunk labels like Solid Groove, Subtech or even Ferox with a more minimal approach (all characterized 'techno' labels at the time). Imagine a cross between Aubrey and Mark Broom with the Detroit deep elements accented and you have a good clue.
A lot of people did remixes for Pacific, like Carl Craig, Stacey Pullen, Claude Young, Damon Wild, Dennis Ferrer, Steve Rachmad, the big Mike Dunn and Mark Broom (of course). Still I think the real power came from the original ideas. There are no standouts or super hits (except maybe 'The Theme' which was recently released again by NRK with new remixes), mostly it was the consistency and solidness of the label's sound aesthetics that made their mark on me. It's a compilation you can listen to either at the club or at your place doing something else or just chilling. Because it has a story to tell, interesting for us now because it's the story of today's music, where techno and house blends are the norm, where minimalism meets melodies, where angular and deep elements co-exist.
Sadly most of their releases were made by (very) short-lived teams and artists. Producers I know that are still active (and kicking) are Charles Webster (of Hot Lizard) and Quenum (of Access 58). Amongst those who passed from there are Sunrise Society and the weirdest of them all, tech-jazzist Ian O'Brien.
Not much people liked this stuff at the time, it was too soft for the techno fans and too minimal (and not-disco) for the house fans. Too modern, actually.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• berkana
• sowelu
• solid
• fuel
• damon
• wild
• dennis
• ferrer
• remix
• Old
• School
• Techno
• Music