Ten Years Of Strictly Rhythm
No record label raised nineties house music’s standards as high, or borne them as consistently, as New York’s Strictly Rhythm. The creation of dance-label exec Mark Finkelstein and A&R vet Gladys Pizarro, Strictly established the criterion for house’s capacities both as function and as art. Compiling 10 Years of Strictly Rhythm, a two-CD mix from 1999, was clearly a snap, and Little Louie Vega of Masters at Work makes it fly. The label’s cornerstone track—the relentless “Deep Inside,” recorded by Vega in 1993 and credited to Hardrive—doesn’t even have to make a full-fledged appearance. Portions of that record were woven into other Vega-produced tracks that do appear, notably Barbara Tucker’s definitive diva anthem, “Beautiful People.” Hardrive’s kinetic shouts of “Deep, deep in-side, deep deep down in-side” pulsate through Tucker’s slower, hypnotic title chants (“Beautiful, peo-ple”) like a classic funky-drummer breakbeat underpinning a straight-four boom.
Vega’s arranging smarts carry over to his handling of Strictly’s diverse material. Many are historically important: Josh Wink’s jittery, acid-breakbeat throw-down “Higher State of Consciousness” was an enormous influence on big beat; Basement Jaxx started out trying to imitate the nervy post-soul exemplified by “Luv Dancin’” by Roger Sanchez, a.k.a. Underground Solution. Just as important were 10 Years’ jazz-tinged instrumentals (George Morel’s “Let’s Groove”) and the nastier, hip-hop-infused likes of Armand Van Helden’s “Witch Doktor”—presaging AVH’s incursions into early UK garage. The soulful ache of South Street Players’ “(Who) Keeps Changing Your Mind,” with vocalist (and future AVH collaborator) Roland Clark, recalls prime Al Green.
Mainstream radio crossover was almost beside the point for much nineties house, though few of the bigger acts shied away from the possibility. So while many of the vocal-led cuts on 10 Years sound like could-be pop hits, only two actually were: Reel 2 Real’s dance-floor mantra-cum-annoying novelty hit “I Like to Move It” and Ultra Nate’s euphoric “Free.” It’s genuinely too bad Powerhouse feat. Duane Harden’s ridiculously kinetic, Chic-like “What You Need” didn’t join them—it tautens to an almost unbearable tension by a boogie-woogie guitar line that dances atop icicle-sharp strings and a zooming bass line.