Various Artists - MENTAL GROOVE CLASSICS VOL.2 [2LP]

Musique Pour La Danse

£26.33

Format: 2 x LP
Catalogue No.: MPD048
Barcode: 5414166676354
Release Date: 31 May 2024
Genre: House/ Rave/Techno/Breakbeat

The Mental Groove Classic series returns with a treasure trove of rare and hard to find tracks plucked from the personal collection of label founder Olivier Ducret, a pivotal figure in Switzerland's acid house and rave-era party scene.

Original artwork by Soho's Brain Club co-owner and artist of early British club culture Mark Wigan.

On Volumes Two and Three of the series - the first installment hit stores in 2017 - the Mental Groove and Musique Pour La Danse label founder takes us back to the turn of the '90s, a time he spent promoting parties in fields, squats, forests, warehouses and former factories in and around Geneva and behind the counter of a record shop of the same name. While others in Switzerland's emerging dance music scene gravitated towards US house and garage, Olivier and his crew opted for a bass, breaks and techno-focused sound inspired by regular trips to clubs, raves and record shops in the UK.

Drawing directly from his own record box and a memory bank full of snapshots of euphoric dancefloor moments, Mental Groove Classics Volumes Two and Three sees Olivier reaching for cuts of near-mythical rarity, genuinely overlooked gems, and undeniably brilliant tracks that have left a long-lasting impression on the local raving landscape.

It's an autobiographical audio document, historical archive and personal musical statement all rolled into one, inspired by a moment in time where musical boundaries were being redrawn in a wave of carefree optimism and freedom inspired new rave scenes across Europe and far beyond. - Matt Anniss

Tracklist A1. 100hZ - Catching Spyders (In This Place) A2. Airtight - Housewerk FXTC B1. Detroit Diesel - Dreams For Santiago B2. Techno Grooves - Hiawa C1. The Moody Boys - Jammin' (Ital Mix) C2. Shaka - Pussyfooter D1. Fortune & Fame - Is This Your Life D2. Nagai Eri – Delta