Bobby & the Xennials: 90 Minutes in 1990

1990. At the birth of the decade, less than one percent of the world had the internet, mobile phones were for the rich and digital radios didn't exist. We had four TV channels in the UK - the only other stream was the FM dial. But there was an air of excitement - change was ahead. Mandela was free. Thatcher had resigned. Kiss FM was no longer a pirate. Yoof TV was born. People were raving. It was a hot, hot Summer. 

This is a 90 minute visit to 1990, with 70 tracks that were hitting the charts and hitting the clubs. Commercial hip hop, dance music and indie labels totally dominated both. Things got bleepier and moodier. Soul music was also evolving with the growth of New Jack Swing on one side, and Acid Jazz on the other. As I entered my early teens, this was a really, really fun time for music. Also, everyone used the same three breaks and no-one cared. The 'Soul II Soul' beat dominated. It was largely about raps and raving. So, for the next 90, rave on!...

BobaFatt, 2021.

Cocteau Twins - Heaven Or Las Vegas
Oleta Adams - Rhythm Of Life
Primal Scream - Loaded (Terry Farley mix / Original)
Beats International - Dub Be Good To Me
Massive Attack - Daydreaming
Loose Ends - Don’t Be A Fool
LL Cool J - The Boomin’ System (Underground mix)
EnVogue - Hold On
Tony! Toni! Toné! - Oakland Stroke (Brixton Bass mix)
Caron Wheeler - Living In The Light
Intelligent Hoodlum - Back To Reality
Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart
JT & The Big Family - Moments In Soul
The Family Stand - Ghetto Heaven (Soul II Soul remix)
Bassomatic - Fascinating Rhythm
The Orb - Little Fluffy Clouds
Sting - Englishman In New York (Ben Liebrand remix)
Diana Brown & Barry K Sharpe - The Masterplan
The Sindecut - Tell Me Why
Mantronix - Got To Have Your Love
Chad Jackson - Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked)
Curtis Mayfield & Ice T - Superfly 1990 (Mantronix remix)
Kid Frost - La Raza
Salt ’n’ Pepa - Expression
Digital Underground - Doowutchyalike
Jungle Brothers - What U Waitin 4 (remix)
Queen Latifah & De La Soul - Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children
Chill Rob G - The Power
Snap! - The Power
Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation
Bell Biv Devoe - Poison
Deee-Lite - What Is Love?
Soho - Hot Music
The Chimes - Heaven
Was Not Was - Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Run DMC - What’s It All About
The Stone Roses - Fools Gold
The Charlatans - The Only One I Know
Roxanne Shante - Live On Stage (remix)
Chubb Rock - Treat Em Right
Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro
Gino Latino - Welcome
Lil Louis - I Called U
FPI Project - Rich In Paradise
Orbital - Chime
Adamski ft. Seal - Killer
D-Mob ft. Nuff Juice - Put Your Hands Together
Xpansions - Move Your Body (Elevation)
Joey Beltram - Energy Flash
The Adventures Of Stevie V - Dirty Cash
Don Pablo’s Animals - Venus
The LA’s - There She Goes
Silver Bullet - 20 Seconds To Comply
LFO - LFO
The Ragga Twins - Spliffhead
Angelo Badalamenti - Laura Palmer’s Theme
Julee Cruise - Falling
Mariah Carey - Vision Of Love
Omar - There’s Nothing Like This

Plus excerpts from…
DNA ft. Suzanne Vega - Tom’s Diner
Soul II Soul - Get A Life
Enigma - Sadness
Public Enemy - Welcome To The Terrordome (Terrorbeat)
Madonna - Vogue
A Homeboy, A Hippy & A Funki Dred - Total Confusion
Paula Abdul - Opposites Attract
808 State - Cubik
N-Joi - Anthem
Betty Boo - Doin’ The Do
C&C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat

=70 tracks.

Also featuring…
Home Alone, Goodfellas, House Party, Gremlins 2, Total Recall, Kindergarten Cop, Misery, Wild At Heart, Pretty Woman, King Of New York, Fresh Prince Of Bel Air, Rapido, Dance Energy, The Real McCoy, The Word, Top Of The Pops, Twin Peaks, Quantum Leap, Jo Whiley, Huey Morgan, Kathy Burke, Martin Lawrence, Jazzie B, Barry White, Jonathan Ross, Jim Carrey, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Al Pacino, Nelson Mandela, Patrick Swayze, Margaret Thatcher, Bobby Brown, The Rugrats, poll tax rioters and some ravers in a field the morning after the rave.