B(if)tek - We Think Youre Dishy

Hailing from Canberra and comprised of Kate Crawford and Nicole Skeltys, B(if)tek were associated with the Clan Analogue collective in the early 90s, which birthed a great many of the decades best acts. We Think Youre Dishy was one of the duos defining tracks, marrying a funky house groove with a cascading synth sequence, string stabs and icy vocoders to create one bizarre dance floor odyssey. The music video, filmed at Sydneys iconic Club Kooky, is an absolute hoot as well - it absolutely screams late 90s Rage.

Honeysmack - Walk On Acid

A world-recognised authority in the art of acid house, Honeysmacks knack for hardware and give-no-fucks attitude saw him become a bona fide hero of Melbournes electronic scene - a status that lingers even to this day. Walk On Acid saw Honeysmack sample Burt Bacharachs classic Walk On By and obliterate it with a thumping kick and slippery 303 bassline, and was so adored by the scene that it was nominated for an ARIA in 1999. If youre a keen electronic fan, be sure to check out his live hardware sets on YouTube: this mans an absolute master of his machines.

Zen Paradox - Say Goodbye To The Dark Place

Trance music might not be viewed favourably by todays critical consensus, but back in the day, it was all the rage - remember, these were early days for ravers. One choice cut from this era is Zen Paradoxs sublime 1994 track Say Goodbye To The Dark Place. Zen Paradox is considered an OG of Australian trance, and on this track its easy to tell why, with the artist utilising twinkling arpeggios, a heavy bass groove and droning, suspenseful strings to create a transcendental experience unlike any other.

Endorphin - Satie 1

Sometimes, even ravers have got to take it easy. Arriving to the scene amidst the trip-hop boom of the late 90s, Endorphins breezy productions became a favourite comedown soundtrack for many punters, and Satie 1, the first track from his 1998 debut Embrace exemplifies this. Driven by a IDM influenced beat and embellished with washy new-age pianos, Satie 1 is absolute post-rave euphoria of the finest kind, and sounds way ahead of its time: as if those synths dont sound like theyre torn straight from the Kevin Parker playbook?

DJ HMC - 6 AM

DJ HMC is regarded by many as the godfather of Australian techno, and was a pivotal force in the 90s scene. LSD and Marauder might be bigger club hits, but its the hypnotic squelch of 6 AM that takes the cake for me. Here, DJ HMC works with the bare essentials, pushing a very low corrosive bassline and a TR-909 drum machine to their limits to make one of the nastiest acid techno tracks of the era. Listen to the way the 303 is panned throughout the track: it's absolutely genius.These days, HMC makes funky disco edits under the moniker Late Nite Tuff Guy, a beloved project that even further asserts his legendary status in dance music.

FSOM - Track Six

Naming your group Future Sound of Melbourne could be considered as cocky to some, but FSOM were just that. The combination of Steve Robbins, David Carbone and Josh Abrahams were reponsible for some of the Souths filthiest techno cuts of the decade, a prime example of which is 1993s Track Six. While Track Six is a good 15-20bpm slower than most techno cuts today, theres no denying that its evil bassline and classic 909 hi-hat pattern would have been dangerous on the dancefloor.

Vision Four 5 Everything You Need

Formed at Queenslands Griffith University in 1990, Vision Four 5 fused hard-hitting electronic sounds with cutting edge visuals, utilising a live camera feed and interactive animation system to create a lucid backdrop for ravers to trip out to during their live performances. You can see graphic prowess this in action throughout the video for Everything You Need, a true late night Rage classic and a club stomper in its own right. Featuring a classic Detroit-inspired vocal sample and psychedelic synthesisers courtesy of some cleverly sequenced SH-101s, Everything You Need is peak 90s techno.

Chili Hi Fly Is It Love

Disco might have been a bit of a dirty word in the ears of most techno purists, but you cant argue against the universal appeal of Chili Hi Fly. Although it didnt achieve major chart success overseas until the new millennium, the Sydney collectives signature track Is It Love originally dropped back in 1998, and is considered by many as a certified standout of Australias late 90s house bloom. Of course, youve got to give credit to that irresistible sample from Kool & The Gangs Be My Lady, but man does this one slam.

Voiteck - Corkscrew

Another Melbourne electronic stalwart, Voiteck was renowned for his furious improvised techno sets at institutions like Lounge and Revolver Upstairs, and held a fruitful collaborative relationship with the aforementioned Honeysmack: the duo even appeared together on ABCs Recovery in 1996. Corkscrew is one of the artists earlier cuts from 1992, but it might just be one of his hardest, with Voiteck pushing the tried and true 909/303 combination to electrifying heights for a heavy dosage of acidic techno.

Itch-E & Scratch-E - Point Of No Return

It goes without saying that Itch-E and Scratch-E are one of the most legendary electronic groups Australias ever produced. While many know the duo for their mighty 94 hit Sweetness and Light (to which Paul Mac dedicated to the ecstasy dealers of Sydney upon winning the inaugural ARIA Award for Best Dance Release in 1995), you cant go past the hypnotic trance of their 1993 track Point Of No Return. Its furiously rhythmic yet oddly melodic, and Ill pay any track that samples Russel Crowe and turns it into a raveanthem. Superb stuff.

Revisit our ten favourite deep cuts of Australian '70s rock.

Originally posted here:

The 10 Best Aussie Rave Deep Cuts of the '90s - Mixdown