Long Ago / Mayday / Rhythim Is Rhythim - A Relic / Wiggan Re-Mix / Strings Of Life

I understand the significance of "Strings Of Life" in the history of dance music and techno, but despite having heard it in a myriad of contexts, and having heard several of my favourite DJs playing it, I've just never been able to bring myself to say I like it. It has produced some good party moments for me, but I can't help feeling disappointed when a DJ drops it at a crucial point in the night, and that another choice would have been more appropriate.

That is, until I got hold of this record just recently. The version of "Strings Of Life" on here is great, and further proof of just how good a remixer Derrick May is (or should that be "was"?). No drums, just the piano riff repeated over and over all the way through, while spacey synths build around it, constantly pushing the track on and on and teasing you with the idea that the kick drum is going to drop at any second. In actuality it doesn't appear until a few bars from the end and even then not in a full-on banging dancefloor fashion - just a few single hits, again playfully teasing the dancer. Once this record has the audience practically on their knees begging for a beat, the DJ's job is then to make the best choice as to which gem will follow it to finally satisfy their hunger.