Isotonik- Different Strokes Boxset

Kniteforce just dropped another must-have vinyl box-set for the Hardcore Rave completitist, the collected works of Isotonik. That’s Isotonik who broke the UK Top 40 twice in 1992 (according to the Official UK Top 40 site, I’m pretty sure the first release came out in 91) with tracks (included in this boxset) like perhaps the most famous of all tunes made by the man known to his mates as Chris Paul. We’re talking about ‘Different Strokes’ of course, a track that makes a second appearance on Kniteforce, following up from the Criminal Minds Remix on Legends Vs Legends Vol 5.

This is the track that caught the ears of Pete Tong who promptly signed it to his Ffrreedom Imprint. A dreamy slice of rolling rave with samples from ‘Salsa House’ and a very House music influenced sound overall. There’s no doubt it’s a classic but if, like me at the time, you only ever heard this track and not the rest of the release, then you missed out on The Grooverider Remix and additional track ‘Hasta La Vista.’

Grooverider strips it back, cuts it up and adds in this oddly satisfying organ stab that spins around the head in a very pleasent way. ‘Hasta La Vista’ is a darker affair with that distinct live, turntablist feel (as if it was produced live in one take), notable for the array of twisted stabs that float in and out as if being mixed by a DJ using the crossfader.

‘Everywhere I go’ is from the second EP, a personal fave of this writer who remembers when Tongy gave it a radio premiere. The production is extra crisp on this one, the pianos are rays of sunshine in July, the beats roll nicely and then that stab kicks in with the Hip-Hop samples!!! I thought this was going to be a top ten for sure and it did get a very respectable 25. This is pretty much a perfect Hardcore Rave tune, 4 sectionss that blend into each other nicely, a great intro and outro. It had crossover appeal without sacrificing any credibility and it still sounds amazing decades later.

As before, I never got my hands on the 12″ or a CD single so I only discovered the ‘B-side’ tracks decades later on You Tube. ‘Let’s Get Down’ could have been another single for radio play. Opening with some sublime Italo-piano, this one saves the killer blow for the mid-point with some nerve damaging hoovers and scratches, like a lot of early Isotonik tunes, it occupies a sweet spot between Rave and House that makes it even more appealing. Like early Isotonik tunes, there’s plenty of surprises tucked away in the space of 5 minutes.

‘Feel The Rush’ is a nice progressive build up style tune that takes its time to hit a rave crescendo a la Bizarre Inc, a good tune for the DJs.

‘For Your Love’ saw Chris return in 2011 with an 8 track EP that ought to be called an album. Head over to discogs and you can read the comments begging for a vinyl release, well, your wish has come true!!! As for the tune, it’s like he never went on an extended hiatus, save for the clever utilisation of modern production techniques, this is pure, ecstatic, oldskool hands aloft hardcore with all those good feels!!!

‘Favourite Place’ hints at a deeper side to the producer with hazy arpeggios and smooth amen breaks. ‘Who Knows Where You Come From’ really sticks out as a transition from earlier material with sweeping progressive chords and fist pumping breaks.

‘Can You Feel It’ slows thing down back to a 1991 tempo, reclaiming those dog days of the birth of rave once again and bridging that House-Hardcore gap on a track that could plausibly be heard in a Paul Woolford DJ set. Just wait for the drop!!

‘Put Your Hands In The Air’ opts for some atmospheric Jungle with Helicopter Tune style breaks and big, festival ready stabs. Picture this one being played over the speakers at one of those huge raves, especially when the drop kicks in and the lasers are flying in every direction!!!

‘Do You Feel’ reminds me a little bit of a tune by The Black Dog on Warp Records. Those hazy, balmy keys do something to the brain, I can’t find the words for it but it feels nice! This one builds like a beast!!! ‘Wonderful Space’ moves from rolling, Jazzy, vocal Jungle to full on ‘ardcore Jungle in the space of one tune. ‘I Love You Dear’ opens with a snappy beat and more of those House music hints before veering off into some full on 91/92 action.

We fast forward to 2021 for ‘Heaven’, taken from an EP released on Kniteforce. This one is quite distinctly different from any previous productions, a tough, twisted slice of 91 style Hardcore with heavy stabs (think Kleptomaniacs) juxtaposed (in true 91 style) with some gorgeous piano and the famous ‘dream of heaven’ vocal refrain. Following this freight train is another wall-breaker by the name ‘I Want To Be’, a dark, choppy affair, loaded with samples and FX, amen breaks you can feel and a direction you can’t help but love! In closing, ‘On My Mind’ has touches of OG Isotonilk along with influences from about every great label/artist of the 91/92 era distilled and composed to perfection. As a definitive box-set, it doesn’t come much more essential than this one! Available Here https://kniteforcerevolution.com/store/product/different-strokes-box-set-extended-version-5×12-vinyl