The Orb – Little Fluffy Clouds (1991)
How it changed dance music:
After hardcore sent heads into a spin, it was time for chillout. Cue The Orb’s Little Fluffy Clouds, which soundtracked countless sunrise mornings in the early 90s and introduced the transcendence found in ambient music for a generation who until that point were brought up on rave.
Who it influenced:
Little Fluffy Clouds became an Ibizan staple, bringing us sunlit ambience and inspiring Air and Groove Armada to boot.
Gat Décor- Passion (1992)
How it changed dance music:
The uplifting piano-house that is Gat Décor’s Passion is not only a complete masterpiece but can be seen as one of the first truly British house tracks.
The song has gone through several incarnations too, initially released in its Naked Mix form, a bootleg remix then borrowed vocals from Do You Want It Right Now? by Degrees of Motion, which led to singer Beverley Skeete re-recorded the vocals for a new version, which peaked at number six in the UK charts during 1996.
Who it influenced:
Passion helped introduce an era of vocal house, something that would be mirrored in Fatboy Slim, N-Trance, Floorplan and more.
M-Beat feat General Levy – Incredible (1994)
How it changed dance music:
Jungle was an influential, but fringe, part of UK music culture in 1994, but M-Beat’s Incredible is a record that helped change all that.
General Levy’s unmistakable vocals still resonate from club walls today, and if you ever step foot into Notting Hill Carnival, expect to be greeted by a wave of ravers chanting “Jungle is massive!”
Who it influenced:
Incredible brought jungle to the mainstream, and its influence can even be seen in grime. In 2015, General Levy was joined by Dizzee Rascal, JME and Lethal Bizzle for his 1Xtra takeover, showing just how much his influence has spread through the eras of UK music.
Goldie – Inner City Life (1994)
How it changed dance music:
Goldie has become something of a national treasure – and with good reason. Breaking out with Inner City Life in 1994, Clifford Joseph Price, MBE’s bittersweet love letter to the grittier pockets of the UK launched the artist’s career and earned him an instant classic.
Inner City Life rewired British pop music and led the star to collaborate with everyone from Björk and David Bowie.
Who it influenced:
Inner City Life shone a bright light on drum ‘n’ bass, giving inspiration to Andy C, Portishead and Massive Attack.
