Foul Play Productions* - Finest Illusion / Screwface

Not that this tune really needs any introduction.

The original promo that did the rounds during the summer of 1993 remains a hardcore classic - it was everywhere, having been cained by the likes of London's Kool FM, Don FM and Pulse.

Foul Play put out a 'legit' version of Finest Illusion later that year, but its the ruffness and energy of the original with its unmistakeable chipmunk SOS Band vocals that is its overriding quality. The flip side often gets overlooked, however Screwface with its tough b-lines, stabs and repeated title vocal-line is also an exceptional tune.

Probaby the most elusive 1993 'ardkore tune ever and the most expensive on ebay! Its so elusive and expensive that I don't have a copy myself.

The title track, Finest Illusion is a super lo-fi "happyhardcore" track that has a hissy amen break, a mad hands in the air breakdown backed by bass, full on chipmonk vocals, rising and falling sine wave bass, and excellent edits. While the sound quality is piss poor its clear that the composition is solid and well thought out. Its my guess that it was made on an Amiga computer or some other kind of low tech set up.

The flip side "Screw Face" sounds like it was done in a professional studio as it sounds fairly crisp and clean in comparison. While it sounds polished, the composition bores me as its not all that inspiring.

The myth surrounding this tune is that it was not widely released because the owners of the chipmonks, the SOS Band caught wind of this tune and went after Moving Shadow. I'm not sure how true this is because there were many 'ardkore tunes that sampled SOS Band's "The Finest" and theres no drama surrounding those releases that I'm aware of. Perhaps Moving Shadow was simply embarrased of this tune because it came out during a phase when everything had to be serious, dark, and gangster.

Which ever the case, unless Vinyl Connection does a proper repress of this, or if someone gives me a copy, the closest thing I'll get to it is a CDR which stinks.