Ultra Naté - Free

This was unescapable throughout the summer of 1997. A massive dancefloor smash in the UK and in Ibiza where the record really made itself heard. Also, notoriously used with the extremely popular Sky One programme "Ibiza Uncovered".

I first got switched onto this early '97, about april-ish when a neighbour used to have it constantly blaring from his Renault Clio. It took me ages to find out who this track was by as i was just starting to get into the house scene at the ripe old age of 16.

The track itself in it's Mood II Swing extended mix is the one that got hammered - everywhere, with reason too. Very very uplifting guitar licks, nice bassline and those vocals totally make the track. For me, this track is a bit of a timebomb. One of those records that you hear, you remember where you first heard it, who you were with and you situation at the time. It's one of those tracks where you listen to it and it really does take you back. Oh, and listen to the full intro, who nice is that!?!

Best mix on here by far is the Corbett & Troia mix - incredible bassline and percussion arrangment with a "foghorn" (for lack of a better word) periodically sounding off to make for a dark, dark but funky feel that breathes some new life into the song. Problem is, despite "Free" being a classic anthem, the more a song like this gets remixed, reworked or 'reloaded' the quicker it again becomes overplayed. The new mixes are great but after hearing them in a club once or twice its time to put "Free" back on the shelf... at least until the 2005 mixes come out which should be in the next four weeks or so at the rate revamps are coming out! :)