Area 51 – ‘Let It Move You’

Catalogue Number CSRT004
I love records from this era, before hardcore came to dominate and it felt like every track started with the same banging 150bpm bass drum. In 1992, when this was released, there was real variety in the music and tracks were given room to breath and time to establish themselves.

There’s a 30 second intro to this with no bass drum, just a hypnotic hook that sounds a lot like a sample of ‘Sirius’ by the Alan Parson’s Project, which continues throughout the track. Later, the bassline kicks in and gentle sweeping phaser effects take the listener deeper into the groove. This gets right under your skin and as the title suggests, ‘moves you’.

By the 2’10 mark, some jarring stabs, crowd effects and ghostlike, robotic ‘let it move you’ vocals make it clear there’s something more to this record. It’s not simply going to carry you along on a blissful trance- like voyage. The producers skilfully tease the listener. Much like Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’ the genius is not in when the hook comes and the record takes off, so much as when it doesn’t. There are various false starts used to great effect.

It finally hits at 2’38 when the chords change, the house piano sound kicks in along with the most stunning, piercing vocals which sound a lot like the vocals on ‘Take Me’ by Dream Frequency, which would be Debbie Sharp. The Discogs listing for this Area 51 track state that the female vocals are from a Zero G sample CD. Whoever was responsible, the result was mayhem on dancefloors up and down the country as what was already an extremely high quality, infectious dance classic erupted into another huge anthem. It’s almost as if there are 2 songs here. Like many of the classic rave tracks, it’s about a journey. A song put together by people who understood and were part of something special, making the music they themselves wanted to enjoy rather than people trying to cash in on a ‘scene’.

Later, raves started to attract groups of people who wanted nothing more than to get lost and escape. When this was released, it was about connection and discovery. There’s a world of difference and it shows in the quality of the music. Area 51 ‘Let It Move You’ is among the best dance music in the world at the time and still sounds incredible today.

The release on Clubscene led with the ‘Trance Mix’, backed with the Dub Mix and ‘Ricky’s Theme’. It’s the same listing that appeared on a European wide release on ZYX Music. Discogs lists Stuart ‘Scooby’ Cochrane with a producer credit and Alex Milne, Fraser Hotchkiss and Ian Hotchkiss as writers.

‘Ricky’s Theme’ is worth a mention for its bouncy piano riff, TTF style stabs, squelchy acid tweaks and ‘Pump Up The Jam’ sound-a-like bassline. Again, it’s that merging together of different sounds and styles that makes it so interesting.

Area 51 seem to have kept a low profile after the release of this. They weren’t regulars in the pages of Clubscene or M8 and I can’t see any footage of them performing as a PA in clubs around the country. As a result, they tend not to get talked about in the same discussions as TTF, Ultra-Sonic, Rhythmic State and so on. But play this to anyone who enjoys dance music and you’ll either bring back some amazing memories or introduce them to something very very special. Either way, they’ll surely thank you for it.


Posted

in

by