MENTAL GROOVE CLASSICS/VOL 3

Description

To be classified in the categories of house, breakbeat, techno, and warehouse rave music. The Mental Groove Classic series returns with a treasure of rare and hard-to-find tracks, drawn from the personal collection of the label's founder, Olivier Ducret, a central figure in the acid house and rave scene in Switzerland. On volumes two and three of the series - the first was released in 2017 - the founder of the labels Mental Groove and Musique Pour La Danse takes us back to the turn of the 90s, a time when he organized parties in fields, squats, forests, warehouses, and old factories in Geneva and the surrounding area, as well as behind the counter of a record store of the same name. While other members of the emerging Swiss dance music scene gravitated around American house and garage, Olivier and his team opted for a bass-driven sound, breaks, and techno, inspired by regular trips to clubs, raves, and record stores in the UK.
Drawing directly from his own record box and a bank of memories filled with snapshots of euphoric moments on the dancefloors, volumes 2 and 3 of Mental Groove Classics allow Olivier to seek out tracks of almost mythical rarity, truly overlooked gems, and undeniably brilliant titles that have left a lasting impression on the local rave landscape. This is an autobiographical audio document, historical archives, and a personal musical statement, inspired by a moment when musical boundaries were redrawn in a wave of carefree optimism and freedom that inspired new rave scenes across Europe and beyond. - Matt Anniss
Original work by the co-owner of the Brain Club in Soho and an artist from the early days of British club culture, Mark Wigan. Classified under house, breakbeat, techno, and warehouse rave music.