Crystal wave - Beloved

A 8'54 version of 'Crystal wave' appears on the Beloved's 1996 album 'X', but this 12" single, released that same year, features a longer version. Adding a further three minutes or so, it resembles the album version but adds more beats and sounds. It is a rather anonymous dance track with no vocals or lyrics. Despite this 'hard' sound, I do like the track but I could understand if anyone didn't. After all, this is the kind of stuff that is played (loudly) in clubs and usually combined with a heavy dose of pills or other weird drugs. Usually I'm not into this kind of stuff, but I just can't resist any Beloved track.

The other side of this 12" is empty. So you only get one track, but at least it's a long one.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received August 2016
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Crystal wave'

Ease the pressure - Beloved

The double 12" package of 'Ease the pressure' should have contained all the remixes of that track, you would think, but no... there were even more remixes than that. It is evidenced by this 12" single, which I bought some time ago.

This promotional only 12" single was worthwhile because it contains two remixes exceeding the 10 minute mark. But are they any good? Well, there is a hint of repetitiveness in both of them, but as with most Beloved tracks, these mixes are quite uplifting. Enjoyable club fodder, I'd say.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, August 2016
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Ease the pressure (Red Nail Enhanced Club mix)' / 'Ease the pressure (Guitarapella Bonus Freaks Bass Dub)'

Your love takes me higher - Beloved

 'Your love takes me higher' by the Beloved has been released and re-released, and all these releases came with different 12" singles. One was on this blog recently, and another one appeared six years ago. Since then, I have bought three more 12" singles, and since the mixes on these are sometimes the same, I am presenting them all in today's great big post.

Magic Juan (who?) created two mixes, the 'Sex mix' and the 'Rise up mix', which ended up on a promotional 12" single. 

The former also appeared on a commercially released 12" single, together with two other remixes - and those three also appeared on a double 12" package from the USA which I didn't have yet.

Listening to all the remixes, you can't help but notice that it's all rather uplifting and joyful. So here goes...


#1: 'Your love takes me higher (Sex mix)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Rise up mix)'
#2: 'Your love takes me higher (The pod went pop mix)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Magic Juan's sex mix)', 'Your love takes me higher (Burning with DJ Desire mix)'
#3: 'Your love takes me higher (Deep joy)', 'Your love takes me higher (New beats for old)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Simply divine)', 'Your love takes me higher (Divinely simple)' // 'Your love takes me higher (The pod went pop mix)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Magic Juan's sex mix)', 'Your love takes me higher (Burning with DJ Desire mix)'

It's alright now - Beloved

The 7" single of  'It's alright now' was already in my possession for 20 years when I started hunting for the CD-single and 12" single. Having decided to hunt down remixes of the Beloved, there were a few surprises along the way. For instance: the CD-single of this track features the 'Back to basics instrumental' remix, whereas this 12" single features the 'Back to basics' version - i.e. with vocals. Both versions are very attractive.

This 12" single features three versions of the song, with only the first one also appearing on the CD-single. Worth owning this one, then!

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received May 6, 2017
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'It's alright now (Rattling good time)' / 'It's alright now (Back to basics)', 'It's alright now (Feeling fine)'

Your love takes me higher - Beloved

There are several 12" singles of the Beloved's 'Your love takes me higher' and this one must be one of the more interesting ones. It features two lengthy remixes of the track. Of these two, the 'Chillum Willum' version contains the most elements of the original songs, while the 'Calyx of Isis' version is an improvisation on a continuous beat, clocking in at almost 11 minutes.

I bought this 12" single online and it was filthy. I cleaned up the disc and it sounded a lot better - although the B-side is still a bit damaged at the end, unfortunately.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received October 2016.
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher (Chillum Willum)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Calyx of Isis)'

Ease the pressure - Beloved

The Beloved's third album 'X' was not a commercial success. Perhaps the audience was no longer interested in their brand of emotionally charged lyrics on pumping beats. I must admit that I had a hard time liking the album myself - it was only a few years ago when I made another attempt to like the package. But when I did, I really did.

Obviously I became interested in the remixes as well. And there were remixes aplenty. 'Ease the pressure', for instance, comes in a double 12" single package with no less than six remixes. It takes a bit of stamina to actually like them all, but there's something for everyone in this stack of tracks.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, August 2016
Cost: 2,5 pounds
Tracks: 'Ease the pressure (Club Vocal mix)' / 'Ease the pressure (Suction mix)', 'Ease the pressure (Motion sickness mix)' // 'Ease the pressure (Surge mix)', 'Ease the pressure (Backroom vocal mix)' / 'Ease the pressure (Switchback mix)'

Physical love - Beloved

The oft-neglected third album by the Beloved 'X' (1996) was not a commercial success, but there were many releases from the album - although most of them were so-called 'white label 12 inches', records pressed mainly for distribution among DJ's and clubs.

One of them was this release, 'Physical love' c/w 'Three steps to heaven'. Both tracks were remixed to almost 10 minute versions, well suited for nighttime club life. Whether these mixes are actually any good.... You be the judge. I do like them in a sort of strange way.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2016
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Physical love' / 'Three steps to heaven'

The sun rising - Beloved

Another band that has always fascinated me are the Beloved. They released some very interesting songs in the Eighties and Nineties, and there were plenty of remixes around too. I decided to pick up missing 12" singles last year - and there were a few.

This 12" single of 'The sun rising' is a good example. I already owned the 7" single and the CD-single, but this 12" features a few remixes that were not issued on CD. As with most of the Beloved's remixes, they're worth hearing too because they always sound fresh.

My collection: 12" single [unnumbered]
Found: Discogs.com, received 2016
Cost: 1 pound
Tracks: 'The sun rising (Il sole sorge)', 'The sun rising (Intensità)' / 'The sun rising (Danny's 'Love is...' remix)', 'The sun rising (Son of the rising house)'

Loving feeling - Beloved

The Beloved were having some success as an indie band, when they slimmed down to a duo consisting of Jon Marsh and Steven Waddington. Having experimented with dance sounds already, the two decided to embrace it more and managed to sign a contract with Warner. Their first single for the major label was 'Loving feeling', released in a limited edition poster bag.

The single didn't become a chart hit, but their next single would be 'The sun rising', which did become more popular. In a way, this single is the start of it all, and foreshadowing the things that were ahead.

My collection: 7" single no. 5371
Found: unknown
Cost: unknown
Tracks: 'Loving feeling' / 'Acid love'

Your love takes me higher - The Beloved

Regular readers of this blog will have seen another 12" single of the Beloved's 'Your love takes me higher' some time ago. When I bought this 12" single I'd frankly forgotten about that other one.

Fortunately, I didn't buy this disc for nothing: two different tracks appear on this disc, i.e. the 7" version and the 'Rise up higher' remix. Whether it was truly worth the price of this disc, I'll let you decide.

My collection: 12" single no. 594
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 15, 2011
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher (Deep joy)', 'Your love takes me higher (7" mix)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Simply divine)', 'Your love takes me higher (Rise up higher)'

The fame and fortune EP - Various

The UK magazine Record Mirror sometimes released a 7" single as a freebie, featuring rare and exclusive tracks. Fortunately, decades later, these EP's still pop up in second hand stores now and again - a great opportunity to still get your hands on these tracks.

In this case, it was the remix of the Beloved's 'Your love takes me higher' I was after. The other three tracks, unfortunately, aren't much to write home about.

My collection: 7" single no. 5194
Found: Record Exchange, London, October 14, 2011
Cost: 50p
Tracks: 'I'll be with you' (Brother Delphi), 'Your love takes me higher (Depth & Desire mix)' (The Beloved) / 'Rave on' (Happy Mondays), 'I dream of you' (Adamski)

1000 years from today - The Beloved

The spacey track '1000 years from today' was robbed of its shimmering beauty and transformed into a dancefloor stomper on this promotional 12" single. Three different remixers went to work on this with varying levels of success.

Personally I prefer the Adam & Eve remixes on this disc, but other listeners may choose differently. It's an interesting choice of remixes, and an interesting disc.

My collection: 12" single no. 573
Found: Discogs.com, received July 29, 2011
Cost: 5 pounds
Tracks: '1000 years from day (Doc Baron's 80 Proof mix)', '1000 years from today (Adam & Eve's Timeless vocal mix)' / '1000 years from today (Adam & Eve's Commotion mix)', '1000 years from today (Todd Edwards dub mix)', '1000 years from today (Doc Baron's 101.9 mix)'

Your love takes me higher - The Beloved

The Beloved released 'Your love takes me higher' in 1989, before they became famous with similar dancepop tracks. This American 12" single features four remixes of the track that sound, I have to say, a lot like the PWL pop that was so popular just two years before.

Of course, the Beloved developed a style of their own and had a few massive hits in the early Nineties, but this 12" single shows their beginnings on that path to success - and it's quite an enjoyable package of remixes!

My collection: 12" single no. 572
Found: Discogs.com, received July 29, 2011
Cost: 4 pounds
Tracks: 'Your love takes me higher (The pod went pop mix)', 'Your love takes me higher (Divinely simple)' / 'Your love takes me higher (Deep joy)', 'Your love takes me higher (Simply divine)'

Rock to the rhythm of love - Beloved

'Rock to the rhythm of love' was featured on this blog very recently, but yet again I've bought a 12" single of this track. And that's because this version contains different mixes!

This version of the 12" features an extended version of the 'MURK ride' which was featured on that other disc, plus a dub version that's not on that one at all. I would have been even happier if I'd had both discs of this 2 x 12" release, but that would only get me one extra mix - so in a way this was a good deal. However, if anyone can get me the 'C'est la vie power mix' of 'Celebrate your life', please do get in touch...

My collection: 12" single no. 571
Found: Discogs.com, received July 20, 2011
Cost: $6
Tracks: 'Rock to the rhythm of love (MURK extended ride)', 'Rock to the rhythm of love (Ride to the beat)', 'Celebrate your life (Beats for life)' / 'Rock to the rhythm of love (South Pacific mix)', 'Rock to the rhythm of love (Shelter me dub)'

Sweet harmony - Beloved

The Beloved's 'Sweet harmony' was a big hit in 1992, and since the track was quite danceable it was no surprise that there were a few dance mixes. Except they turned out to be more than just 'a few'.

The cd-single of 'Sweet harmony' contained the 'Live the dream mix' and the 'Love the dub mix'. This double 12" single package features 9 (!) versions, of which only the 'Live the dream mix' and the original version are repeats of the cd-single. Not bad.

My collection: 12" single no. 570
Found: Discogs.com, received July 20, 2011
Cost: $8
Tracks: 'Sweet harmony (Live the dream mix)', 'Sweet harmony (Fertility dance mix)', 'Sweet harmony (album version)' / 'Sweet harmony (Sweet sensation mix)',''Sweet harmony (Bittersweet mix)' // 'Sweet harmony (Come together & Consolidate extended mix)', 'Sweet harmony (Come together & Consolidate bonus beats)' / 'Sweet harmony (Tout desuite dub)', 'Sweet harmony (Sweetheart club mix)'

Rock to the rhythm of love - Beloved

'Rock to the rhythm of love' was a track on the Beloved's 1993 album 'Conscience'. Whereas other singles were released on 7" and cd-single, this one was released on 12" singles only. This copy is a 12" single made in the USA, featuring five mixes of the track.

Two teams worked on the track: The 'South Pacific mix' and the 'Swinging London mix' were made by Adam And Eve, whereas the 'Jungle dub' and the 'MURK ride' were made by Ralph Falcon and Oscar Gaetan.

My collection: 12" single no. 569
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, received July 9, 2011
Cost: 2 euro
Tracks: 'Rock to the rhythm of love (South Pacific mix)', 'Rock to the rhythm of love (Jungle dub)', 'Rock to the rhythm of love (Conscience album version)' / 'Rock to the rhythm of love (The MURK ride)', 'Rock to the rhythm of love (Swinging London mix)'

Outer space girl - The Beloved

The uplifting dance music from The Beloved went mainstream when they had a hit with 'Sweet harmony'. Shortly thereafter, they went back underground, as the follow-up singles 'You got me thinking' and 'Outer space girl' didn't get the same kind of treatment from the fickle audience.

Still, 'Outer space girl' in particular is a beautiful piece of electronic dance music that still sounds about as fresh as it did when it was first released. This double 12" single package is a varied ensemble of mixes: some are faithful to the original tracks, and some are not. It never bores, which is quite rare for dance mixes.

My collection: 12" single no.
Found: Fun Records, Berlin, July 9, 2011
Cost: 3,8 euro
Tracks: 'Outerspace girl (Space cadet mix)', 'Outerspace girl' / 'Outerspace girl (Organism mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Space hopper mix)' // 'Outerspace girl (Destination moon mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Instrumental mix)' / 'Outerspace girl (Lost in bass mix)', 'Outerspace girl (Space dust mix)'

Forever dancing - Beloved

Janet Jackson fans may want to have this 12" single, as it samples her track 'Nasty'. Besides, the lyric of 'When I think of you' is quoted by singer Jon Marsh. 'Forever dancing' was released in 1987 during a stage in the Beloved's career when all their records failed to reach the charts in the UK.

The band originally had a guitar-oriented sounds (as is evident from the two other tracks on this 12" single) but soon began using drum machines and dance elements. Real success would come when Guy Gausden and Tim Havard left the group and Jon Marsh and Steve Waddington recorded the album 'Happiness'.

My collection: 12" single no. 158
Found: Den Haag, 1992
Cost: 5 guilders
Tracks: 'Forever dancing (remix)' / 'If only '87', 'Surprise me'

Outer space girl - The Beloved

On my way to Haaksbergen last Monday I had the album 'Conscience' by the Beloved on my iPod. It surprised me that this album from 1993 still sounded so great. It's uplifting music, that will work whether your mood is good or bad.

'Outer space girl' was the third single lifted from the album. For a long time I thought it was also the last single, but it seems that the track 'Rock to the rhythm of love' was released as a fourth single - although I'm not sure if a 7" single exists. So far, all I've seen are promotional 12" singles on eBay. 'Outer space girl' reached number 38 in the UK singles chart.

My collection: 7" single no. 1992
Found: HMV, London, October 18, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'Outer space girl' / 'Outer space girl (Space Hopper mix)'

You've got me thinking - The Beloved

'You've got me thinking' was the second single from the Beloved's second album 'Conscience'. The single was not as big a success as its predecessor 'Sweet harmony' which peaked at number 8, whereas this single peaked at number 23 in the UK singles chart.

Personally, I think this single is the strongest of the four singles that were taken from the album. Of course, due to the apparent nudity in the music video for 'Sweet hoarmony', that single attracted more attention. Sometimes scandal is overrated.

My collection: 7" single no. 1950
Found: HMV, London, September 25, 1993
Cost: 2 pounds
Tracks: 'You've got me thinking' / 'Celebrate your life (Fit for life mix)'