Skrufff.com’s Top 50 Most Influential Dance Tracks Ever: DJ by DJ: the 1st 10

Compiled by Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

 

 

Individual DJ Top 10s

: Ade Fenton

: Alisson Gothz

: Ascii Disco

: Camilo Rocha

: Chris Finke

: Chris Fortier

: Christian Smith

: Christopher Lawrence

: Danny Howells

: Dave Clarke

 

 

Ade Fenton

1. Joey Beltram – Energy Flash

2. Kraftwerk – Numbers

3. Dave Clarke – Red 1, 2 and 3

4. Jeff Mills – Waveform Transmission Volume 1

5. Underground Resistance – Sea Wolf

6. Aphex Twin – I Care Because You Do

7. Red Planet – Star Dancer

8. Surgeon – Badger Bite

9. Outlander – Vamp

10. Jeff Mills – Purpose Maker EP

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Ade Fenton: “Energy Flash is, quite simply, the single most important record of all time. It not only changed my musical tastes, it changed my life and eventually led to my career in the music industry. When I first heard it, it was like someone had flicked a switch in my brain. I remember being in a club and thinking “what the FUCK is this??!!?” From that moment, techno became an obsession and I owe everything to that one track.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Ade Fenton: “I don’t think any of my top ten crossed over to the mainstream, with the possible exception of Kraftwerk. Thankfully, that meant techno lasted a long time.”

http://www.adefenton.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Alisson Gothz (Brazil)

1: Kraftwerk- Trans Europe Express

2: New Order- Blue Monday

3: Bomb The Bass: Beat Dis

4: Orbital- Halcyon + On & On,

5: Chemical Brothers- Block Rocking Beats

6: Madonna- Vogue

7: Daft Punk- Around The World,

8: Kraftwerk- Pocket Calculator

9: Prodigy- Firestarter

10: Underworld- Born Slippy

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Alisson Gothz: “I think “Trans Europe Express” is a major classic, you cannot think of techno, electro and even hip hop without going back to this track.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/dance music the most?

Alisson Gothz “Beat Dis” by Bomb the Bass! At that time I was really deep into goth rock and the only kind of electronic music I was listening to (aka early Industrial/EBM/New Beat tracks) was somehow linked to this “dark” scene. I only got into dance music after discovering the colourful world of Acid House. Another one I love is “Theme From S-Express”, by S-Express.”

http://www.facebook.com/alissongothz

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Ascii Disco:

1: Donna Summer – I Feel Love

2: Vitalic – Pony E.P.

3: Orbital – Are we here

4: Dave Clarke – Red 1 / Red 2

5: Underworld – Born Slippy

6: Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient works…the whole 2CDS

7: Sonic Youth – the burning spear (yes it is disco!)

8: Chemical Brothers – Star Guitar

9: Trans X – Living on Video

10:  Ascii.Disko – Einfach

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Ascii Disco: “This track is timeless. I still play it a lot. It is techno, electro and house and most of all sexy.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Ascii Disco: “My own track “Einfach”. I was totally into rock and did some Electro music for fun. “Einfach” was a success and I then was asked to play DJ sets in clubs. So I started buying techno records like crazy and became a DJ all because of this track. “Einfach” opened a complete new world to me. It was the beginning of my life as ascii.disko.”

http://www.asciidisko.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Camilo Rocha (Brazil)

1: James Brown – Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag

2: Issac Hayes – Shaft

3: The Winstons – Amen, Brother

4: Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder – I Feel Love

5: Augustus Pablo – King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown

6: Alexander Robotnick – Problemes D’Amour

7: Marshall Jefferson – Move Your Body

8: New Order – Blue Monday

9: Rhythm Is Rhythm – Strings Of Life

10: MARRS – Pump Up the Volume

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Camilo Rocha: “James Brown’s track represents a major shift in the story of rhythm. It launched the funk rhythm, with the accent on the first beat of the bar, as opposed to the dominant pattern of soul and rock which emphasized the second beat. Everything that came after, disco, house, techno, electro derives from the rhythm structure pioneered on this 1965 single.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Camilo Rocha: “I wouldn’t say there was a single piece of music that converted me, it was more like a process. But tracks like Blue Monday and Move your Body were pretty important in pointing me to a future based on repetitive electronic beats.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Camilo Rocha: “Marshall’s Move Your body for sure, allegedly the first house track to use pianos! Nuff said!”

Camilo’s blog: http://bateestaca.virgula.uol.com.br

Twitter :  http://twitter.com/camilorocha

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Chris Finke:

(In Alphabetical Order!)

3 Phase Featuring Dr. Motte  ”Der Klang Der Familie” – Transmat (1992)

B-Sides (Frank De Wulf) “The Tape (Remix)” – Music Man (1991)

Flock Of Seagulls “I Ran” – Jive (1982)

Jermaine Stewart “We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off” – Arista (1985)

Joey Beltram “Energy Fash” – Transmat / R&S(1990)

Lenny De Ice _We Are ie” – Reel 2 Reel (1991)

Mescalinum United “We Have Arrived” (The Mover Remix) – PCP / R&S (1992)

Acid Junkies “Sector 9″ – Djax-Up-Beats – 1992

Nico “Darkstar (Positive Outlook)” – ESP Records (1992)

World To World  ”Amazon” – Underground Resistance (1992)

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Chris Finke: “This was a near impossible task, but I included some of the dance tracks in that have really influenced me and would be relevant. I’m past caring about putting cool tracks into lists, all of these kick ass on the dancefloor one way or another and each one has had some sort of influence on me, whether its the energy of  Flock Of Seagull’s I Ran’ and The Tape, or the mind-melting effect of tracks like Klang Der Familie and and We Have Arrived. Or just the sheer musical genius of Jermaine Stewart’s We Don’t Have to…, Amazon or  Darkstar (Positive Outlook).”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Chris Finke: “Again this is hard to pinpoint, but the one track in the list where I really had to stop and think ‘this is next level’ was Lenny De Ice’s We Are ie”. Hearing that thunderous Amen break and killer B-line at a big outdoor rave for the first time (Weekend World, Brafield Stadium, Northants!) was a jaw dropper for so many people there, it really stuck out.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Chris Finke: “Of all the ones on there that didn’t cross over, I would say that Amazon could have actually crossed over if it had been released a few years later (in the same way that “Knights of the Jaguar” did). It’s got everything and the kitchen sink but its put together so well, it’s an absolute classic.”

http://www.facebook.com/chrisfinkedj

http://www.soundcloud.com/chrisfinke

http://www.twitter.com/chrisfinke

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Chris Fortier:

1.    The KLF – What Time Is Love (Pure Trance Mix) (KLF Communications)

2.    Cybotron – Alleys Of The Mind (Deep Space Recordings)

3.    Ce Ce Rogers – Someday (Atlantic)

4.    LFO – LFO (Warp)

5.    Leftfield – Not Forgotten (Hard Hand Mix) (Outer Rhythm)

6.    The Chemical Brothers – Chemical Beats (Junior Boys Own)

7.    Joey Beltram – Energy Flash (R&S)

8.    Vernon – Wonderer (Instrumental Mix) (Eye Q)

9.    Hardfloor – Experience (Harthouse)

10. 2 Bad Mice – Bombscare (Moving Shadow)

11. DBX – Losing Control (Accelerate)

12. Candi Staton – You’ve Got The Love

13. Mr Fingers – Can You Feel It (Trax)

14. Danny Tenaglia – Bottom Heavy (Tribal America)

15. Royal House – Can You Party (Warlock)

16. Jeff Mills – Purpose Maker

17. Prodigy – Charly / Your Love (XL Recordings)

18. Plastikman – Spastik (Novamute)

19. BT – Embracing The Sunshine (Musicnow)

20. Jaydee – Plastic Dreams (R&S)

21. Eric B & Rakim – Paid In Full (Coldcut Remix)

22. The Choice – Acid Eifel (Transmat)

23. Orbital – The Chime (FFRR)

24. Primal Scream – Loaded (Creation)

25. Delerium – Silence (Fade Sanctuary Remix

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Chris Fortier:  “My list could really be in any order. There isn’t a necessary priority to any of them.  I selected tracks I felt were heavily influential and pivotal in music that when these tracks came out, there was a notable shift or new wave movement with the overall electronic music scene.  And these essentially sparked new trends or threads of the music.  The KLF one is somewhat even more personal to me since it was around the time I started to really DJ and figure out the kinds of tracks I wanted to buy and play.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Chris Fortier: “Cybotron, Ce Ce Rogers and also Mr Fingers. These were some of the first records I remember hearing as I was discovering house music as a teenager.  Cybotron (circa 1981/82) would really be a blueprint for some real experimenting in the new techno.”

http://soundcloud.com/chris-fortier

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Christian Smith:

1. Manuel Goettsching – e2-e4

2. Kraftwerk – Numbers

3. Cerrone – Supernature

4. Man Parish – Hip Hop, Be Bop

5. Adonis – No Way Back

6. Marshall Jefferson – Move Your Body

7. Visage – Fade To Grey

8. Ministry – Work For Love

9. Severed Heads – Dead Eyes Opened

10.Section 25 – Looking from a Hilltop

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Christian Smith: “This tune was written in 1981 and was well ahead of its time. It’s a one hour ambient/minimal journey that is simply timeless and never gets boring. This tune has been sampled many times in house and techno records decades after and is a cornerstone of modern electronic music.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Christian Smith: “It’s impossible to narrow this down to one song, but if I would have to choose one track it would be Kraftwerk’s Numbers. I was 9 yeas old when this was released and I still remember hearing it for the first time: total future! Even today it sounds like nothing else out there.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQb2Y8wmMTk

http://www.facebook.com/officialchristiansmith

http://twitter.com/#!/CSmithLIVE

http://www.djchristiansmith.com

 

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Christopher Lawrence:

Bobby Konders’ House Rhythms – Nervous Acid – Nu Groove 1990

X-Cabs – Neuro – Hook Recordings 1995  -  This track defined my sound!

Hardfloor  - Acperience – Harthouse 1992

N-Joi – Malfunction – Deconstruction 1991

DJ Misjah & DJ Tim – Access – X-Traxx 1996

808 State – Cubik – ZZT 1990

Gat Decor – Passion – Effective 1992

New Order – Temptation – Factory 1982

Dave Clarke Presents Red 2 – Wisdom to the Wise - Bush 1994

Speedy J -  Pepper (The Hot Mix) – Warp 1993

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Christopher Lawrence: “Nervous Acid was the first real acid house track I ever heard. This track changed my life. It was 4am, E was being passed around in a water bottle. I was hooked and never looked back.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Christopher Lawrence: “No particular track. I had been clubbing since I was sixteen but was more into new wave and post industrial. It was acid house that really converted me.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Christopher Lawrence: “Hardfloor ‘sAcperience and DJ Misjah & DJ Tim’s Access.”

http://facebook.com/djchristopherlawrence

http://twitter.com/djclawrence

 

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Danny Howells

1: James Brown – Let Yourself Go/There Was A Time/I Feel All Right (Live at the Apollo Vol 2)

2: Primal Scream – Higher Than The Sun

3: Donna Summer – I Feel Love

4: Slam – Eterna

5: Kraftwerk – The Robots

6: Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five – The Message

7: Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy

8: Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique

9: Prince – Mountains (12″ Mix)

10: Jam & Spoon – Stella

11: Propaganda – P-Machinery (beta) 12″

12: Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On

13: Human League – Love & Dancing

14: The KLF – Chill Out

15: Simple Minds – Theme For Great Cities

16: Al Downing – I’ll Be Holding On

17: Hardfloor – Hardtrance Acperience

18: Future Sound of London – Papua New Guinea

19: Soul II Soul – Keep On Moving

20: Last Rhythm – Last Rhythm

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Danny Howells: “Because my mum used to play this non-stop when I was four of five years old, and I suppose it was my first introduction to sheer hypnosis in music. It’s a medley that runs to about 20 minutes or so, and it just sinks deeper and deeper into a trance, with James Brown engaging the crowd in a call and response chant of “hey hey, I feel alright..” and so on. And he’s controlling his band, getting them to create drum and brass stabs with callouts of “two times”, “three times” etc. This is where you can hear where Prince got so many of his live ideas from. “

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Danny Howells: “There were many influential tracks for me, but one stands out and that’s Slam’s “Eterna”. I’d been DJing and clubbing for a while, but I remember one of our local DJs playing this at a party in Hastings once, and it came on at the same time that I had my first true “experience”, if you know what I mean.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Danny Howells: “There were many, often b-sides to early 80s synth tracks. Things like Soft Cell’s “Memorabilia” etc (although I suppose that was pretty popular). The 12″ mix of Act’s “Snobbery & Decay” was a huge influence on me and was a chart flop, even though it was on ZTT. Plus when I was a kid, there were frequently extended versions on the b-sides of disco 7″s like Al Downing’s “I’ll Keep Holding On”. Tracks like this exposed me to the art of the extended mix. I know I’ll look at the top 20 I just sent you in half an hour or so and realise I’ve left something really crucial out!”

http://www.facebook.com/dannyhowellsdj

http://twitter.com/Danny_Howells

 

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff

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Dave Clarke:

1: New Order- Blue Monday

2: Donna Summer- I feel love

3: Phuture- Acid Tracks

4: Underground Resistance- Seawolf

5: Blake Baxter- When a Thought Becomes You

6: Cybotron- Clear

7: Man Parrish- Hip Hop Be Bop

8: Newleus- Push the Button

9: Nitzer Ebb- Let Your Body Learn

10: Front 242- Headhunter

 

Skrufff: Why did you select your number 1 choice?

Dave Clarke: “Blue Monday was one of those tracks that had everything at the right time, 12 inch format, that electronic drum programme that made you want to save up for a drum machine, the vocals . . . just all together at the right time, I even played in Athens last week in Blend.”

Skrufff: Which track turned you personally onto clubbing/ dance music the most?

Dave Clarke: “That is very, very hard to say, but I have to give kudos to Phuture for Acid Tracks, it got me canned off a hip hop jam, but it was the future (if you excuse the pun) . . . who needs drugs when you have this, it blew my mind.”

Skrufff: Which tracks had the greatest influence without crossing over to the mainstream?

Dave Clarke: “I find “top ten’s” so hard and unrealistic. As a music enthusiast I get inspired all the time, from Lydia Lunch to PJ Harvey to Fad Gadget in the past to Mr. Jones and George Lanham now, in fact the majority of my music collection and influences never crossed over to the mainstream at all. I could be a snooty so and so and give you a top ten of utterly uncompromising influencing music that the majority of your non music making readers would be baffled by. I think from my top ten it would be Push the Button by Newcleus as the production (done on a four track cassette recorder) blows away similar productions done on big desks, it gave inspiration from many, many angles.”

http://daveclarke.com

Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff