Moondance Remix Album – Dope Ammo, Danny Byrd, Billy ‘Daniel’ Bunter
The name Moondance is synonymous with quality events and they have certainly earned a place within the rave hall of fame. Dope Ammo, both the label and the DJ/Producer has been on the battlefield since 1992, and while continually pushing forward within the scene, also loves and respects the history of the music and its people.
March 2022 will see the fruition of the Moondance Remix LP project and sample EP’s are already either out now or are scheduled for release across the coming months.
We caught up with Dope Ammo to see how the project came about, who he has enlisted to remix and represent on this awesome album project, and chat to Danny Byrd, Billy ‘Daniel’ Bunter and Dope Ammo himself about just three of the very many excellent tracks from the album.
Dope Ammo (with DJ Rap ft Jasmine Knight) – Together
Hello Dope Ammo, and welcome to INSIDE DNB. You could have picked a whole host of legendary rave promoters to pay homage to when developing this idea. Why Moondance?
We were just about to release our official remix of Baby D’s ‘Let Me Be Your Fantasy’ then we all got struck down by Covid and went into lockdown. It was a right kick in the bollocks lol. We then all started learning about streaming and some of the first guys to get things going with great numbers were Moondance. I watched a few streams and I loved it. We started to realise that releasing music during lock down was essential and it really helped everyone keep sane so we decided to release the Baby D remix. Being such an iconic record that was there from the beginning and the fact that Moondance has been there from the start they were the obvious choice to team up with. I contacted Funki, the owner of Moondance, and he was really into what I was doing with remixing some of the old classics and bringing them up to date, so we thought we’d link up on a few project and the rest is history an album was born.
The first sampler EP is out now, and we’re focusing on some of those tracks for this article, but there are 5 more EP’s to come, and that’s before the full LP release. What was the main concept behind the project?
After the Baby D remix and then going into lockdown, I wanted to produce material that was going to lift me during such a dark time so my obvious choice was to revisit material from the 90’s. I started banging out remixes of all the classics that I loved and thought I could bring up to date. Before I knew it, I had half a dozen remixes. I was originally going to do it as a solo album but after doing the Baby D remix with Moondance I pitch the album to Funki and he well up for it. We then decided to make it a various artists album and bring in all your favourite Moondance artists and residents. The concept was to mix the old and new like we did on the Baby D release. We managed to get the attention of the older heads whilst getting all the new heads on board and introducing them to a new record. So that’s exactly what we want to do with this album. Keep the old skool heads happy but also introduce these classics to a whole new new skool audience.
You’ve managed to commission a stellar repertoire of artists and producers from the last 30 years. Choosing who and when could not have been an easy task!
Well obviously we wanted to bring in all the Moondance artists such as Rap, Slipmatt, Ratpack, Sense and Twista but I wanted to bring in some artists and good friends that I worked and work with on DA Records; Benny Page, Ed Solo, Kleu, Halflight and Origin8a & Propa. The perfect mix of old and new. I also think because it was lockdown a lot of artists had time to make tunes so lots of people like Nookie, Kenny Ken and Ray Keith were just well up for it as they all had time to make us something special too.
There is a blend of remixed original classics, brand new, retro sounding productions and some up-front tunes planned for release within the package. What made you decide to deliver a broader cross section compared to a full-on remix album.
Well to be honest if we would have gone for a complete remix album it would have been difficult to clear everything cos as you know back in the day many samples were never cleared properly so we didn’t want to start putting out stuff that was going to be problematic. Therefore, we decided to make a handful of original material but with an old skool stamp to it. So it’s great we have got something for everyone on here some classics remixed, some totally original bits and some bits that sounds old skool but are actually completely new tracks.
You’ve teamed up with the legendary DJ Rap and veteran vocalist Jasmine Knight for the opening track. How did you approach this particular track? I know you’ve done quite a lot of work with DJ Rap recently.
I wanted to make a title track from the album so I wanted to make something like the ‘Loaded’ track by Primal Scream that was quite euphoric and uplifting. I had just done the ‘Divine Rhythm’ trilogy with Rap so I thought it would be great to write this one with her and Jasmine. We got together and Rap played down some chords, and we then wrote the track together. I then cracked on with the production and ‘Together’ was born. We were all really happy with it and it certainly gave us all that feeling like this is goons be a big one. Everyone seems to love it.
What’s the time frame for the EP releases and then finally the LP?
We have another 4 EP’s dropping from now until the end of March then the full album will drop then or early April.
There definitely seems to be a steady resurgence in the old sounds, and there are a lot of old skool inspired tracks making the rounds at the moment. I suppose the sound is coming full circle?
Yeah, I think we’ve got the timing bang on, everyone including Radio 1 are smashing out the old skool sounding bits and we’ve had loads of R1 support on Together and Massive (MKII) by Origin8a & Propa
Tell us a little bit about what we might expect in the next instalments?
Much of the same really some classics remixed, some new skool bits but all bangers that’s for sure
The artwork invokes feelings of those classic early rave flyers. Who came up with the design and how important was it for you to replicate that early artwork?
Yeah 1992 was the year for me for sure so we wanted something that had that kind of vibe but with a new skool feel. I gave Matt the designer for Moondance a few ideas and he came up with that and we all absolutely loved it.
Finally, what can we expect from the rest of the project, and when?
I don’t want to give too much away but we got some amazing producers on board with remixes and new tracks. Some absolute classic tracks been bought up to date too. It’s going to be epic!
Danny Byrd – Acen – Trip To The Moon Pt 2
Acen’s Trip To The Moon trilogy was one of the most iconic release series of 1992, and possibly one of the most inventive too. Acen was a ground breaking producer who used a wide range of sample sources, and blended them into his compositions in a way that was both surprising and original. Trip To The Moon for example utilises a string section from the James Bond theme to You Only Live Twice. Other releases sampled vocals from The Doors and a few other potentially cheeky snippets.
Originally released on equally iconic label Production House, the track reached the top 40 in 1992 and was arguably Acen’s finest moment in terms of sales and success. Trip To The Moon basically came in three parts; part 1, part 2 and the ‘Kaleidoscopic mix’. Remixing this anthemic piece of hardcore history was going to no mean feat by anybody’s standard. Here’s Danny Byrd’s take on how he approached remixing this epic piece of British dance music.
So Danny, where did you even start for this project. You sit down, listen to the original track a few times, and then what?
Chris from Kniteforce contacted me about doing a remix for the label and I think he mentioned that he maybe re-releasing the Acen back catalogue. It was quite a while before it actually happened but it was amazing to be asked. Of course this has now been scooped up for the Moondance LP.
I know this track like the back of my hand. It was one of the first hardcore tunes I really fell in love with since hearing it in 1992 first on a Pete Tong show on Radio 1. It combined beats and 007, what was there not to love! I have to admit it was daunting as in how to approach this track that I loved so much as a remix but I think in those situations I look back to something Alex from Ez-Rollers told me years ago, that when he was engineering for Foul Play and they’d do remixes, they would follow the original structure but do some new edits here and there. Plus also give it some newer sonics for the modern age, but yeah that was my direction for this.
I’m curious to know what original parts even survived from the original recording? I’m guessing what parts you had to use influenced which direction you wanted to take the remix in?
Actually all the parts were in really good shape! I can’t think of any missing parts, and if there were they were very minor. I often find that the older the tune is the more likely you are to have the parts, as you are dealing with original Akai floppy or ZIP discs and you don’t throw those away as they are real hardware media. The problem arises when we entered the DAW age in the 2000’s and everything got saved on the computers HD. I don’t know where a lot of mid 2000 tunes are but I’ve got everything from the 90’s!
Did you need to re-take any samples from an original vinyl copy, or possibly a CD?
No luckily not, actually these parts showed the genius of Acen, as hearing all of them on their own, I don’t think I would ever of thought to construct the track like he did. Really way ahead sampling for the time!
This is one of the biggest, most iconic tracks of the hardcore era. You’ve moved it out of 1992 and pushed it a little further along the timeline into somewhere around late 1994, early 1995. What made you stop there and not give it a 2021 re-lick?
Ha! Yes good point! That was the era I was trying to go for! For some reason at the time I felt like adding modern D&B kicks and snares to it would just sound a bit silly and may date much quicker. But saying that now you mention it, I can hear it with a 2021 flex but as I say would have to be careful not to time stamp it with any particular productions techniques, eg, Foghorn haha!
You’ve already remixed some of the scenes early anthems with huge success. What do you look for in terms of inspiration when going back to the drawing board with a tracks that are already deemed classics?
A lot of the tracks that I have remixed initially always start out as bootlegs for my set. It was a way for me to play the classic tunes but in a today’s club set. Then they sometimes get released as a official version via licensing from the original label. That was what happened with Sweet Harmony, it was made a tune to be played at a Hospitality at Heaven event in 2008 but ended up being the centrepiece and groundwork for my RaveDigger LP.
Did you touch base with Acen regarding the remix project?
I didn’t. It was all via Chris @ Kniteforce, but he sent me a email to say he was feeling the remix, which was a great honour!
Could you tell us a bit about the set up you’re using right now? What’s hot on your tech list?
It’s all based around a Mac Pro running Logic X. I have been dabbling with Ableton as well but I think i will fully switch when Apple bring out the new M1X laptops, and use that as my main machine. I still use bits of hardware like a API2500 bus compressor which I actually used on the Acen remix. It adds a bit of weight and a bit more dirt to the tracks, it doesn’t always suit say modern D&B but for the more jungle stuff it can really work. It makes stuff sound like its being driven through a old Mackie mixer which was one of the main tools back then. I also am using a MPC X which I use for Drums or starting ideas, as you can get some really good track starters down with that, and then move onto Logic from there.
I have just moved house and am building a soundproof acoustically treated room, and it also meant I went to my storage unit and retrieved a lot of my old kit like my Atari ST and my old Akai S6000 sampler. I cant wait to get those set up again now that I have more room. I feel like tunes were always cleaner and more simple but more punchy on those old set ups. So thats my plan for 2022 to start incorporating that old set up much more.
What else is coming up for Danny Byrd as we get ready to move into 2022?
I have just signed a deal to Ministry of Sound for some new tunes I’m working on. I.ve got a track with D Double E out there as we speak, so I’m excited about that! And then lots more music to come in 2022!
Billy ‘Daniel’ Bunter (with Liquid) – Dove Removal Machine
So Daniel, alongside legends of 1991 Liquid, you’ve created something entirely from scratch for your contribution towards the LP. What influenced the decision behind this, and not to remix an existing track?
This was from an EP Liquid and I made 4 or 5 years ago called Mitsu. The vinyl release actually come with a comic based around our escapades in the early 90’s. I’ve made lots of music with Eamon – Liquid over the years, and its always original productions with an authentic feel for my DJ sets and Liquid’s Live PA’s. Moondance and Dope Ammo went with this track out of all the music we gave them. It was never available to stream; you could only get it on vinyl. But this new Moondance project has is like it’s official digital release.
The track has a distinct mid 1992 vibe, invoking visions of mid-summer night raving in a field somewhere in a haze of happiness. Did you set out with a vision of some kind before you went into the studio?
Because of my DJ style in the world of Old Skool rave, and Liquid’s PA style. Everything naturally comes out with an early 90’s breakbeat, rave vibe.
You were working with Eamonn from Liquid on this one. How did that go? How did you approach the concept between you?
Well, we started out in a record shop together in 1989, and have been friends ever since. We talk (well take the piss out of each other) 50 billion times a day over whats app and face time. He lives in Italy now, and me in lovely rainy England (I love winter by the way). Like I say, there was a comic made about our exploits in the early 90’s and our ecstasy fuelled missions at Labrynth. So we have a real natural ebb of working together, and making music. It always ends up fun, always ends up Old Skool, and always ends up as if we were still popping E’s in 1990, 91 or 92 when capturing a vibe on the tracks. Oh to be young and care free again lol.
Are there a set of ‘go to’ sounds you use for these retro sounding tracks? This one invokes so many memories for me. If I didn’t know any better I’d have sworn this was made at the peak of 1992.
Not really, we both work very closely with studio genius Sanxion, and every thing is still very sample based, as if it were the 90’s. That’s the key for me, keeping it as authentic to the 90’s style of producing as possible to get that vibe!!!
There are a lot more mainstream producers coming through now recycling some of those classic golden era sounds. How do you feel about that?
I love it, it’s what I want to see and hear. Over the years with everything I’ve done in Old Skool, releasing books, putting on Art Galleries, hosting Old Skool raves, DJing every weekend and still releasing authentic sounding Old Skool vinyl releases and mix albums. It’s all been to play my part in keeping the memories and vibes alive. It’s never done exclusively for people 40 and over (For us it sparks amazing memories of nostalgia). It’s for everyone to enjoy, discover and hopefully be inspired by. So to know a lot of people are taking elements and vibes for their new music, makes me happy, and long may it continue!
Obviously were focused primarily on upfront D&B here at Knowledge Magazine. What message would you give to up and coming artists and producers coming through regarding the importance of recognising the roots of the scene.
Understanding the roots of music PERIOD, not just dance (D & B, House, whatever you’re aiming for) gives you a huge advantage in knowledge and vibes to be inspired by and add to your productions and vision for the future. You can trace the sheer essence of what we all love in dance and all its sub cultures back decades and decades, waaaaay before even the 1st House / Dance records. It’s not just about studying the history of music, it’s also the fashions, the influences a style had at the time over youth culture. The movement’s that go with music and what they meant are just as important. Studying all music, it’s history, it’s influences IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST!
Finally, what’s on the horizon for the man like Bunter?
It’s coming up to my 32nd year of djing. I remain incredibly grateful that even after covid people still want to book me every weekend (At 46, I still aint got a proper job Mum). I have my radio show every Monday on Kool London. Sanxion and I’s new album “1993” is due for release at Christmas. I put on a yearly rave holiday in Corfu called Unity In The Sun, our next one is in May next year. Somehow, my partners and I even manged to put on 2 events in Corfu during the pandemic. Richard Raindance, Eastman Jungle Fever and myself have a big old multi arena rave happening at Heaven Nightclub in November. Also my book “Love Dove Generation” is on another re print …. Basically, it’s continually non stop, before, during and after the pandemic.
