Themes For Cryonic Suspension

Liquid Cool by Apollo 440 popped onto my playlist, prompting a discovery on YouTube of the accompanying video for the single from three decades ago. A bit disappointing to be honest (the video, I mean) but a testament to modest budgets and what you can come up with when all you've got is a corridor, a gurney, a chair and a small box of props and costumes.

 

To give the song it's full 'proper' title, Liquid Cool (Theme For Cryonic Suspension) closed side 1 of Apollo 440's debut album Millennium Fever in 1993 and a remix appeared on the B-side of the Rumble EP the same year.

In September 1994, a promo triple pack 12" started doing the rounds, following by the then de rigeur single release across two CDs, all packed with remixes. 

 

I bought the latter shiny discs, containing 9 versions in total, which Additive Sphere has thoughtfully collected as posted as one album-length experience.

 

Probably a bit much as a single listening experience but, mindful of that, there are jumping on points for each of the individual mixes. Deep Forest was very much in vogue at the time so you get three from them (tracks 2, 6 & 8). Of more interest to me at the time were the remixes by The Future Sound Of London and Jah Wobble, the latter dipping into drum 'n' bass waters, whilst the legendary bass floats over the top. 

 

There are a couple of versions by Apollo 440 themselves and rounding out the CD package, two by Rhythm Of Space, the Space Colonization Remix providing nearly 14 minutes of deep techno. 

 

The second is titled Space -320°F Biostatic Ambient Mix Part 1 and is just over eleven minutes of, you guessed it, dub-heavy ambient sounds. As the title suggests, it's a truncated version of the full-length excursion to be found on side 4 of the promo 12" vinyl and runs to twenty four and a half minutes. Ultra evolution? Not half!

Dripping Onto My Tongue

Side 1 of a mixtape compiled 11th January 2003. Back to the old school - well, early 1990s at least - for today's selection of end-of-week bangers.

Bolting from the gate is Apollo 440 with Liquid Cool, which came with a plethora of mixes, including The Future Sound Of London and Jah Wobble and several from French duo Deep Forest. I wasn't a huge fan of the latter's music at the time but they turned out some pretty satisfying if safe remixes of this standout from the Millennium Fever album.

Dutch DJ/producer Patrick Prins was the brains behind Subliminal Cuts, originally releasing Le Voie Le Soleil in 1994. It was re-released in 1996 with further remixes, including this one by obvious fans of The Simpsons, Itchy & Scratchy. A duo of Seb Fontaine and Julian Peake, the latter had further chart success as Jules Vern, one half of Stretch & Vern.

 

Volcano were a trio of Norwegian DJs/producers, Ole Mjøs, Bjørn Torske and Rune Lindbæk, who teamed up with Sam Cartwright for a few singles on the Deconstruction label. Only Bjørn Torske and Rune Lindbæk are familiar to me from their later output. If you're into re-edits of 1980s classics, Rune Lindbæk offered up a 50-track smorgasbord including Thomas Dolby, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Amanda Lear and Toto. The whole collection is available as a name your price download from Bandcamp. 

 

Edinburgh meets Glasgow on the next track, Botany 5 representing the former, the legendary Slam the latter. Love Bomb is a match made in heaven, well, Scotland but what's the difference really? Botany 5 sadly didn't get beyond a debut album and handful of singles but it would be an understatement to say that Slam have done pretty well since then. 

 

Speaking of which, William Orbit was already well on the way to global domination when Water From A Vine Leaf was released in 1993. Featuring Beth Orton on vocals (although not noticeable here) and a stunning remix from Underworld (one of two), both of whom had even greater things ahead of them. This remix comes in at just under 12 minutes and really, just isn't long enough.

 

Keeping it short and sweet for the closer then is 808 State, with a scuzzy mix of Open Your Mind, a double A-side with Lift which just about cracked the UK Top 40 (#38) in August 1991, continuing their on/off relationship with singles-buying public. I bought this on CD single for pennies a couple of years later from a music stall in the Eagle Shopping Centre in Derby. Great times...!

 

1) Liquid Cool (Deep Forest Trans-Afrique Life Extension Express) (Remix By Eric Mouquet & Michel Sanchez): Apollo 440 (1994)

2) Le Voie Le Soleil (Itchy & Scratchy Mix By Julian Peake & Seb Fontaine): Subliminal Cuts (1996)

3) More To Love (K-Klass Pharmacy Dub): Volcano (1994)

4) Love Bomb (The Slam Production) (Remix By Stuart McMillan & Orde Meikle): Botany 5 (1990)

5) Water From A Vine Leaf (Underwater Mix Part 2 By Underworld): William Orbit ft. Beth Orton (1993)

6) Open Your Mind (Sound Garden Mix): 808 State (1991)

Side One (46:11) (KF) (Mega)