FACT Mix 40 was done to accompany Alex ‘Full Nelson’ Waldron’s 20 Best Hip House Records of all time article, and well, you can probably guess what it consists of.

As boss of Greco-Roman, Alex helps run some of our favourite parties, and has put out wax by Drums of Death, David E. Sugar, Buraka Som Sistema and more. Most vitally, he’ll be joining us (with Joe ‘Hot Chip’ Goddard, Gemmy and Totally Extinct Dinosaurs in tow) for the FACT vs Greco-Roman soundclash this Sunday at the Lock Tavern. Entry is free as ever, so if we don’t see you there we’ll resent it.

01 Royal House – Yeah Buddy (Champion, 1989)

02 Fast Eddie (feat Sundance) – Git On Up (DJ International, 1989)

03 2 In A Room – Everybody Say Yeah (Cutting Records, 1989)

04 KC Flightt – Planet E (RCA, 1989)

05 Orange Lemon – The Texican (Idlers/Champion, 1989)

06 Deepstate II – Everybody Get Down (dub) (Atlantic, 1990)

07 Monie Love – Grandpa’s Party (Cooltempo, 1989)

08 Fast Eddie (feat Sundance) – Work Your Body (DJ International, 1989)

09 Voodoo Doll – Women Beat Their Men (Champion, 1989)

10 Hardhouse – Check This Out (Easy Street / Champion, 1988)

11 Lee Marrow – Pain (Champion, 1990)

12 Doug Lazy – Let It Roll (Atlantic, 1989)

13 Twin Hype – For Those Who Like To Groove (Profile, 1989)

14 Princess Ivori – Wanted (Popular, 1990)

L-R: Alex Waldron, Joe Goddard

Tell us about the mix you’ve recorded for us…

“It’s to accompany my 20 Best Hip House Records article, it’s not  really what I would normally play out… although since I listened to it I decided I might start! I didn’t just want it to be all hip house records, that would be pretty restrictive… it’s not supposed to be a tribute mix and besides, I don’t think I have ever played more than three consecutive records of the same genre in any DJ set ever.

“So this is a mix of records from 88-90 that relate to hip house but that I think still sound relevant by today’s standards: lots of dubs, instrumentals and house records that are made like hip hop records, i.e. crunchy samples, tinny hi-hats, funky breakbeats, woops, yeahs, MCing and an overall party attitude. Basically the complete opposite of what I would hear in a club in my hometown of Berlin.”

Any particular personal favourites or exclusives on there?

“Deepstate II is 19 years old but could have been made yesterday, I think it’s amazing. And KC Flightt was a pretty enlightening record for me many years back.

“I did try to get a new track in there that Joe Chip did for us with a Biggie Smalls vocal but the rest of the mix is so retro that it wasn’t really working… so no exclusives this time I’m afraid.”

With Armand Van Helden recording a track with Dizzee Rascal it seems hip-house is back…any thoughts as to why?

“Yeah I see it creeping back in lots of ways at the moment… P Diddy, Kanye, Yo Majesty etc. House music is just going round in circles at the moment and conceptually speaking, hip hop seems to have entirely lost the plot. So I think hip hop stars yearn the depth and cred that house can offer while house producers want the identity, statement and excitement that an MC can bring. And for the last couple of years fidget house has been paving the way for this on both sides of the Atlantic. It also sounds great on the radio.”

What’s coming up release-wise for Greco-Roman?

“Our next single from Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs which is like a 2step version of Metronomy made by, er, two dinosaurs. And we are just finishing off the Drums of Death album which is simply beyond classification. In a good way of course!”

Any new bands/labels/producers currently floating your boat that we should look out for?

“Wild Geese, Wolf Gang, Tomb Crew, LV, Oliver $, Kubo & Jahtari Riddim Force. And as a label I think Ramp are faultless at the moment.”

If money/time were no obstacle, what would be the ultimate ‘Greco-Roman’ wrestling match?

“Zeus vs. Zinc.”