Oasis – Talk Tonight (1995)

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Dare I say that ‘Talk Tonight’ is an underrated Oasis song? Well I think it might just be. Originally released as a B-side to ‘Some Might Say’, the song resurfaced on their compilation The Masterplan in 1998.

Genius / GZA – 4th Chamber (1995)

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Outside of their own collective releases, The Genius’s (aka GZA) solo LP Liquid Swords is arguably the Wu-Tang Clan’s best work. ‘4th Chambers’ is one of the album’s choice tracks and it helps that it features Wu-Tang members Ghostface Killah and RZA, and regular affiliate Killah Priest.

Beastie Boys – Root Down (1995)

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Good morning peeps. ‘Root Down’ may well be one of the less celebrated tracks off the Beastie Boys’ 1994 LP Ill Communication, but it’s glorious BB fayre nonetheless. Beware, make sure you love the track before you take the plunge on the 1995 Root Down EP. It’s largely a set of remixes of the original for die-hards. Have a great week.

Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Pt. II (1995)

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Founded in Queens, NYC, Mobb Deep were the hip hop duo Havoc (Kejuan Muchita) & Prodigy (Albert Johnson). At some point in the early 1990s, Havoc had a moment of magic when he adapted a piano piece from Herbie Hancock’s ‘Jessica’ to create one of the hip hop basslines. Then there’s Prodigy’s opening line “To all the killers and the hundred-dollar billers/For real niggas who ain’t got no feelings”. Rap immortality.

Pulp – Something Changed (1995)

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Lots of political turmoil in the UK yesterday – and then something changed. This song is another classic from Pulp’s album Different Class. The LP made Jarvis Cocker a household name. The song had been written some years before, but took its turn in 1995 as a tale of the unexpected turning points in one’s life. Have a great weekend folks.

Chris Isaak – Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing (1995)

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At a recent social, a friend referred to Chris Isaak as a one-hit wonder. I think that’s a little harsh, but also understandable given what a dominant touchstone his song ‘Wicked Game’ was in 1989. However, I would argue he channelled his inner Elvis very effectively six year later on ‘Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing’. The song was released as the opening track of his 1995 album Forever Blue and subsequently featured in Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut. Have a great weekend.

Daft Punk – Da Funk (1995)

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Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter have long stated that ‘Da Funk’ was inspired by weeks of listening to G-Funk – and more specifically Warren G’s ‘Regulate’. Having been introduced to Soma Quality Recordings by Slam‘s Stuart Macmillan, Daft Punk would release ‘Da Funk’ as his stablemate in 1995. The French pair brilliantly lift the beat from Vaughan Mason & Crew’s ‘Rock Bounce Roll Skate’. When St. Louis DJ Terry Mullan then featured the single as the last track on his influential mixtape, New School Fusion, Vol. 2, Daft Punk had arrived.

The Pharcyde – Runnin’ (1995)

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Last week, I referred to famous J Dilla beats. Somewhere near the top of the list will be his work with South Central hip hop outfit The Pharcyde. He handled most of the production of their 1995 album Labcabincalifornia, released on West Coast label Delicious Vinyl. The use of Stan Getz and Luiz Bonfá’s ‘Saudade Vem Correndo’, the warm samba beat to match and the classic sung chorus combined to be one of the group’s last great moments before they faded. The single was a DJ favourite, particularly because the B-side featured the album’s other standout J Dilla  production: ‘Drop’.

Sparklehorse – Someday I Will Treat You Good (1995)

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Good morning folks. Mark Linkous’s Sparklehorse’s released their brilliant debut long player Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot in 1995. While often fragile and lo-fi, the album has its more upbeat moments. ‘Someday I Will Treat You Good’ is a case at hand. Linkous could rock out with the best of them. Have a great week.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight (1995)

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I’ve spent the long Easter weekend decorating and forgot myself. Much later than usual, it’s The Smashing Pumpkins from when they were really flying high. In 1995, Billy Corgan and company released the generous 2-hour-long Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. The second track off the album is the lush ‘Tonight, Tonight’. Have a great week.

Mercury Rev – Everlasting Arm (1995)

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In 1995, Mercury Rev released the underrated classic See You On The Other Side. Nestled in the middle of the LP is the single ‘Everlasting Arm’ and its otherworldly lyrics “And going insane/Up where/There’s an Everlasting Arm/Sends us out alone/Moves us out of harm/Ever-reaching always sweeping…” Sounding like some strange sort of Beach Boys novelty record, the psychedelic sound was trailblazing for indie rock in 1995. Have a great weekend.

Füxa – Photon (1995)

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Füxa were a Detroit-based duo (Randall Nieman and Ryan Anderson) that experimented with acid drone-rock and guitar haze in the vein of Loop and Spacemen 3. In 1995, their lo-fi EP Free Your Soul received cult status in space rock circles. It included the standout track ‘Photon’, which also featured on the album 3 Field Rotation, a compilation of their early singles and Virgin Records’ enjoyable post-rock companion Monsters, Robots and Bugmen – both released in 1996.

Autechre – Eutow (1995)

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Rob Brown and Sean Booth formed Autechre in 1987 in Rochdale. They were pioneers of intelligent dance music and IDM got no better than ‘Eutow’ in 1995. The track features on their third studio album Tri Repetae. Electronic, experimental, ambient… right up Warp Records’ strasse. Have a great Easter break.

D’Angelo – Sh*t, Damn, M*********er (1995)

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My timing is off this week. These are strange times. The unexpected mix of looks, street cred and amazing voice quickly establised D’Angelo as the the king of Neo Soul. Off his 1995 album Brown Sugar, ‘Shit, Damn, Motherfucker’ is late-night gold.

Round Two – A New Day (1995)

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Change of scene… deep house. Round Two’s ‘A New Day’ is a classic of the genre with moody vocals to suit. A sometime backup singer for Yazz and Tears for Fears, Andy Caine delivers the soul against a backdrop of synths and drums. But this sound was not emanating from Motor City; this was Berlin’s Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus in 1995.