Deep Blue – The Helicopter Tune

Saw Sean in Sainso yesterday stocking up on Xmas booze

Here we are 30 years after its release, and it still sounds like future music. Has to be one of the greatest ever releases in the hardcore / jungle / dnb scene.

It's taken me bloody years to realize this, but Fantasy #3 seems like a tribute to 808 State - Pacific State... i got this when it came out and sold it in the mid 90s, but that little synth line has stayed with me since then.. back on the wantlist..

A note for collectors, to be sure it’s a 1993 original it needs to come with the stickered sleeve.

Most original copies look like the picture above, with the off white sleeve and the sticker in the centre of the opening. All of the copies I saw at the time of its release looked like this.

There is also a version with a die cut sleeve that has the sticker to one side. I’m not sure if these are part of the original run or if they came a little later but they are from around the same time, a few months later at most.

The record was then reissued in a brown generic Moving Shadow sleeve in 1997. The record itself looks and sounds identical to the original so without the sleeve there is no way of telling the two versions apart. This version wasn’t in the database so I have added it, it probably accounts for a lot of the copies out there.

I don't think kids know how people bumped to this back in '94. Yes, overplayed... Yes, some DJ' s preferred the flip (Fantasy 2 & 3) or the Rufige Kru remix - the original Helicopter tune is instantly recognised & a key release.

Big fat heavy beats, subtle strings and a head nodding tempo. Also works well with scratching over the top.

To keep things current. A DJ @ Love & Liquor in Kilburn, London played this on a club night. Got the biggest reaction of the evening.

100% this was Deep Blues best release. DB just about released one track a year. The rest of his time i'm sure was taken up with Moving shadow duties and 2 Bad Mice. Still out and about DJ'n as 2 Bad Mice.

Up there as one of the best. 1993 and still sounds fresh. BBC 6 music drum and bass day recently and it wasn't even mentioned - just the usual (brown paper bag, inner city life, blah blah) and all the usual on 'best of' compilations... The original helicopter was never improved, although the 97 remix stands out. Shame Deep Blue never made anything of this quality although a hard act to follow.

Cracking track bit overplayed at raves though a bit like nookie sounds of nookie got ya nerves after 1000th time :-/

Grooverider says this is his ultimate track alongside LTJ Music and DJ SS Lighter. High praise indeed. It's a banger!

The helicopter tune is one of the most influential records to come out of the drum and bass, jungle scene of 93-94.. It's pure class ! Unfortunately deep blue never managed to repeat or follow it up with anything of a similar standard. Firmly in my top 10 all time greats