- Terry Farley's Acid Rain was as good an acid house compilation as there's ever been. For one thing, it had a hell of a lot of music on it: a staggering 61 tracks in total. But it was Farley's deft eye for selecting overlooked gems that made the collection shine. Farley is particularly well-placed to revisit the era. He was central to the UK acid house explosion of the '80's. Through his many Boy's Own-related ventures, he was instrumental as anybody in spreading the house music gospel. The Boy's Own crew not only published the first article on Acid House, penned by Paul Oakenfold—they also held the first documented outdoor acid rave in 1988.
Acid Rain's follow up, Acid Thunder, is spread across five discs. There are plenty of anthems—Joe Smooth's "Promised Land" and Ralphi Rosario's "You Used To Hold Me," to name just two. But, as with the first compilation, it's the more obscure cuts that really make this worth your time. There's not space here to list all the highlights, but if I had to name just one, it would be the perfectly stripped down funk of MD111's "Personal Problem." Like so much music on Acid Thunder, it still sounds fresh 26 years after its release.
What's striking about Acid Thunder is the range of styles pervasive in house's early days. Many records nod to the genre's pre-history. Liz Tores' "What You Make Me Feel" is just one example of a DIY disco record made with cheap synths instead of big-budget string sections. Crystaline's "Cut By A Laser" sounds like the new wave and euro disco records popular in Chicago's clubs before the term "house music" was coined. Sometimes you can hear producers throwing everything at the wall at once. Laurent X "It's Magic" mixes rap, Loleatta Holloway vocal yelps and a sample inspired by a Ron Hardy disco edit. This kind of hip house may sound incredibly dated, but it has an energy that's hard to deny.
The other side of Acid Thunder shows the more experimental end of early house music. This was unimaginable music inspired by edgy clubs and sweat-soaked dancers, made by naïve kids who'd bought the wrong equipment and didn't know how to use it. Records like DJ Rush's "Looking For Excitement" or MD111's "Face The Nation" are simply relentless. These tracks still sound crazy even today; one can only imagine the mind-melting impact they would have had on young, impressionable brains back in the day.
Each disc on Acid Thunder has its own theme. A tribute disc to Frankie Knuckles is worth a mention, especially since Farley and Knuckles were close. Much of the music is a poignant reminder of just how good Knuckles was. This one is full of tracks that Knuckles made his own at The Power Plant, a club that laid out a manifesto for house music that's still being followed today. The Night Writers "Let The Music Use You" is a dance record that's arguably never been bettered. It's indicative of Knuckles' undying influence over the house sound he helped create.
Farley has documented acid house brilliantly on Acid Thunder. Unless you know every record on here—and frankly that's unlikely—it is definitely worth investigating. Not every track is a winner, but the strike rate is high, and the best selections feel as relevant today as ever.
TracklistCD1: Deep House Foundations
01. E.S.P. - It's U (Original 12" Vocal Mix)
02. Liz Torres feat. Kenny Jammin’ Jason - What You Make Me Feel (Original 12" Fierce Mix)
03. Marshall Jefferson pres. Truth - Open Our Eyes (Original 12" Celestial Club Mix)
04. Steve Poindexter - To The Motherland (Original 12" Club Mix)
05. Marshell Jefferson pres. The Dancing Flutes - Give A Little For The Gold (Original Album Version)
06. Romance - All Dis Music (Original 12" Club Mix)
07. Liz Torres feat. Edward Crosby - Can't Get Enough (Original 12" Club Mix)
08. Ragtyme feat. Byron Stingily - I Can't Stay Away (Original 12" Ron Hardy House Mix)
09. Mario Reyes - Whatever Turns You On (Original 12" Dub Mix)
10. Laurent X - It's Magic (Original 12" Hip Clubhouse Mix)
11. Robot & The DJs - It's Magic (Original 12" Hip Clubhouse Mix)
12. Marshall Jefferson pres. Umosia - We Are Unity (Original 12" Radio Mix)
13. Rickster - Night Moves (Original 12” Club Mix)
CD2: Spiritual House Music
01. The Night Writers - Let The Music (Use You) (Original 12" Club Mix)
02. Sterling Void - It’s Alright (Original 12" House Mix)
03. Peter Black - How Far I Go (Original 12" House Mix)
04. Ralphi Rosario feat. Xavier Gold - You Used To Hold Me (Original 12" Kenny's Mix)
05. Jeanette Thomas - Shake Your Body (Original 12" Club Mix)
06. Paris Brightledge - Learn To Love (Original 12" House Of Love Mix)
07. Master C&J - In The City (Original 12" Club Mix)
08. E.S.P. - Let’s Move (Original 12" Radio Mix)
09. Sterling Void - Don’t Wanna Go (Original 12" Mike Dunn's Vocal Mix)
10. Bobby Konders - Let There Be House (Original 12" Club Mix)
11. Master C&J - Face It (Original 12" Club Mix)
CD3: Club Kids Jack Attack
01. Hexx Complex - I Want You (Original 12" Dash Riprock Mix)
02. MK - Somebody New (Original 12" MK's Club Mix)
03. Mixx *Blood* Camero - Sweet Nectar (Original 12" Club Mix)
04. Risque III - Risque Madness (Original 12" Club Mix)
05. James "Jack Rabbit” feat. Pam White - Let Us Have Love (Step By Step) (Original 12" 'Step By Acid' Club Mix)
06. Crystalite feat. Kristen - Cut By A Laser (Original 12" Club Mix)
07. Risque III - Essence Of A Dream (Original 12" Club Mix)
08. Terrance McDonald - Mind Over Matter (Original 12" Club Mix)
09. Razz - Kill Yourself Dancing (Original 12" Club Mix)
10. MD111 - Personal Problem (Original 12" Club Mix)
11. Nexus 6 - Take Me Higher (Original 12" 'Ultimate Acid' Mix)
12. DJ Rush - Lookin’ For Excitement (Original 12" Club Mix)
CD4: Tribute To Frankie
01. House People - Godfather Of House (Original 12" Club Mix)
02. Frankie Knuckles - Only The Strong Survive (Original 12" Club Mix)
03. J. M. Silk - Music Is The Key (Original 12" House Key Mix)
04. Club MCM - It’s Me (Original 12" K. Alexi Deep Mix)
05. Mitchbal & Housemaster - When I Hear The Music (Original 12" Club Mix)
06. The Mix Masters feat. M.C. Action - In The Mix (Original 12" Fast Eddie Mix)
07. House People - Jack Me Frankie (Original 12" Chip E Mix)
08. Blake Baxter - In This House We Jack (Original Album-Only Club Mix)
09. The Children - Freedom (Original 12" Factory Mix)
10. Pleasure Pump - Fantasize Me (Original 12" Club Mix)
11. MD111 - Face The Nation (Original 12" Club Mix)
CD5: People Of All Nations
01. Bobby Konders - Nervous Acid (Original 12" Club Mix)
02. Mark Imperial - J'Adore Danser (Original 12" Club Mix)
03. Nitro Deluxe - The Brutal House (Original 12" House Mix)
04. Modern Mechanical Music - Persia (Original 12" Club Mix)
05. Blake Baxter - When We Used To Play (Original 12" Club Mix)
06. Chip E - Time To Jack (Original 12" House Mix)
07. The Endless Poker’s - !The Poke! (Original 12" 'Your Turn 2 Work Me Mix' Mix)
08. MCM & Marshall Jefferson - Message 2 Ron Club (Original 12" MJ's Mixx)
09. Sterling Void - Serve It Up (Original Album Version)
10. Marshall Jefferson pres. Dancing Flutes - Do The Do (Original 12" Got 2 Mix)