15/02/2015



Armand van Helden will be the latest to contribute to Ministry of Sound’s Masterpiece series, with a three-disc mix dropping on February 15th, and we’ve got a mini-mix sampler of tracks from the project below.

Each disc has a different theme, taking listeners through some of the legendary Boston DJ’s favorite periods in dance history. Van Helden kicks things off with Beantown’s early ’90s house movement on disc one, The Loft (Boston), featuring key tracks from the club where van Helden used to play and promote, including dancefloor favorites by Mood II Swing, Masters at Work, Ian Pooley, Earth People and, of course, Soho.

Disc two takes us into surprising territory, with Yacht Rock Don’t Stop, a somewhat guilty pleasure collection of blue-eyed soul classics you know and love by the likes of Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, Player and obviously, the Doobie Brothers. Finally, Forever Freestyle covers the short-lived, fondly remembered R&B and electro-inspired genre, with cuts by Stevie B, Information Society, Lisa Lisa, Joyce Sims, Debbie Deb and many more.

It’s entirely understandable that, if new to dance music and culture, the name “Armand van Helden” only rings a bell as being “the half of Duck Sauce that’s not A-Trak.” If needing a history lesson in just who house music icon van Helden is, Ministry of Sound intend to help further things along on February 15, 2015 with the release of Masterpiece, a three-volume, 43-track journey through roughly four decades of music that have inspired his iconic career.

As a solo act, van Helden’s best known for his three number one UK singles: his 1996 remix of Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow,” 1999′s “U Don’t Know Me,” and his “electro grime” 2009 Dizzee Rascal collaboration “Bonkers.” While none of those tracks are here, there’s early ’90s house, yacht rock, and freestyle represented all over this compilation, all sounds that at various points of van Helden’s life were incredibly inspirational. From providing the rhythmic framework for everyone from Masters at Work to Skrillex to prosper as creative forces, van Helden’s a unique figure, and this Masterpiece collection—especially for stateside dance fanatics—couldn’t be released at a more crucial time.

DISC ONE: THE LOFT – BOSTON

1. MOOD II SWING – I NEED YOUR LUV (RIGHT NOW) Lem’s church mix
2. SAINT ETIENNE – ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART masters at work dub
3. HAPPYHEAD – DIGITAL LOVE THING mk mix
4. JOE T VANELLI – PLAY WITH THE VOICE
5. GROOVE PATROL – NEED YOUR LOVE
6. IAN POOLEY – DONT YOU BE AFRAID
7. THE SWING KIDS – YEAH
8. THREE GENERATIONS – GET IT OFF
9. STERLING VOID – ITS ALRIGHT
10. JELLYBEAN – SPILLIN THE BEANS Alzibar mix
11. EARTH PEOPLE – DANCE
12. 2 DIRECT – GET DOWN
13. GO BITCH GO – WORK THIS PUSSY
14. SOHO – HOT MUSIC
15. LOGIC – THE WARNING

DISC TWO: YACHT ROCK DONT STOP

1. CHRISTOPHER CROSS – RIDE LIKE THE WIND
2. LITTLE RIVER BAND – THE NIGHT OWLS
3. ROBBIE DUPREE – STEAL AWAY
4. KENNY LOGGINS – THIS IS IT
5. EXILE – KISS YOU ALL OVER
6. CLIMAX BLUES BAND – GOTTA HAVE MORE LOVE
7. TOTO – GEORGY PORGY
8. BOZ SCAGGS – JOJO
9. BENNY MARDONEZ – INTO THE NIGHT
10. PLAYER – BABY COME BACK
11. AMBROSIA – BIGGEST PART OF ME
12. CHICAGO – WISHING YOU WERE HERE
13. DOOBIE BROTHERS – IT KEEPS YOU RUNNING

DISC THREE: FREESTYLE FOREVER

1. GIGGLES – LOVE LETTER
2. STEVIE B – SPRING LOVE
3. NOCERA – SUMMERTIME
4. CORO – WHERE ARE YOU TONIGHT
5. INDIA – DANCING ON THE FIRE
6. GEORGE LAMOND – BAD OF THE HEART
7. STEVIE B – DREAMING OF LOVE
8. INFORMATION SOCIETY – RUNNING
9. NICE N WILD – DIAMOND GIRL
10. DEBBIE DEB – LOOKOUT WEEKEND
11. FREESTYLE – ITS AUTOMATIC
12. DEBBIE DEB – WHEN I HEAR MUSIC
13. LISA LISA – I WONDER IF I TAKE YOU HOME
14. HANSON AND DAVIS – HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE
15. JOYCE SIMS – ALL AND ALL