Two interesting releases for students/survivors of dance music’s past out this week.

First up, a 2xLP compilation of classic productions by Rude 66, 2 Worlds – 1992-1998. Put together by Holland’s tireless Creme Organization label, it features acid, techno and ambient tracks culled from Rude’s days recording for Acidplanet and Djax, with a couple of unreleased cuts for good measure.

Real name Ruud Lekx, Rude 66 came out of the noise and EBM scene before joining the Bunker Records stable and, alongside I-f and Unit Moebius, cultivating the grotty, basement-friendly acid sound which would come to be synonymous with The Hague. Increasingly dissatisfied the acid scene, Lekx drew upon his pre-rave roots and began honing a synth-wave-inspired electro-funk sound that would lead to releases on labels like Creme, Viewlexx and Vynalogica. Over the years he’s returned fitfully to acid, and tried his hand at dark ambient, old-school electro, horror/giallo soundtrack pastiche and more, generally created using his trusty set-up of analogue synths and drum machines.

According to Creme’s sales notes, 2 Worlds “reveals the missing link between Rude’s iconic early acid sewer sound and the evil dragster electro-trance he has become known for in recent years”.

All tracks have been re-edited and remastered, pressed on two clear 12″s in a single package that comes with “postersleeve” (pictured above) and free download. Listen to clips here.

Two Worlds – 1992-1998 tracklist:
1. Two Worlds
2. Rude 66
3. Acid Trip Soft
4. Too Much From Brown
5. Hotrods
6. Minus Eight Remix
7. No Cure
8. La Route
9. Images
10. Mosh
11. Smog


On a considerably silkier note, Sacred Rhythmic Music has just issued Dance Trax EP, a 12″ collecting seven timeless productions by Instant House, the seminal but short-lived production crew comprising Joe Claussell, Stan Hatzakis and Tony Confusione.

The trio produced only a handful of records, which in their original form go for silly money on the second-hand market today. Sacred Rhythm’s 12″ gives honest folk like us a chance to own deep house classics like  ‘Hard Metal’, ‘Raw Africa’ and ‘Hat Hat’ without breaking the bank – though it’s worth noting that you can still pick up Natural Resource’s comprehensive 3xLP set Instant House 1988-1993 for around £30 on Discogs. IH’s output is New York dance music at its most rugged but effortlessly classy, full of skippy rhythm, warm chords and soulful flourishes, all delivered with the kind of swaggering musicality that most contemporary producers could only dram of. Check out clips here.

Dance Trax EP tracklist:
1. Hard Metal
2. Mellow Out
3. Bring Me Down
4. I’m Free
5. Dub House
6. Raw Africa
7. Hat Hat