Happy Boxing Day everyone! I hope you had a wicked day. I have to say that this year has been a weird year, and Christmas certainly ain't a different day, compared to the rest of the year. We've all been indoors for quite some time, and now with Christmas you are bound indoors.You aren't going anywhere, nor are you seeing anyone either. So when you are sitting indoors, why not have a bit of fun? You could sit like zombies behind the TV and watch utter crap, or you could join me, and listen to something you probably haven't heard or seen before. A CD so obscure, it made me jingle my balls.
Yesterday I reviewed the Thunderdome X-Mas CD, and I think it was last year I reviewed the Rave The X-Mass CD, but the CD I have found on Youtube will blow your mind away. Up until earlier this morning I did not even know of its existence! X-Mas Paradise, released by ID&T back in 1995! Have you ever seen this? Have you got this in your collection? I certainly have never ever seen this CD or its cover before. And my memory when it comes to CD covers is great. How come this has never been presented to me in any way, shape or form?
As I said in the previous review, the Christmas Hardcore style has never really caught on, and it has slowly died. But it seems that there were a few albums made over the years that I've not seen before. This 'X-Mas Paradise' is one of them. Falsely advertised as a Thunderdome CD on Youtube to maybe get more clicks, but this isn't one Thunderdome CD. The way the CD cover and rear looks, it looks more like the ID&T '95 CD compilation. But obviously focussed on Christmas.
Is this yet another bad CD, a cheese fest? Well, in 1994 it was still in development, and if you compare the 1994 sound to the 1995 sound, it already sounds extremely outdated. It was obviously the year Happy Hardcore gained a huge cult following, so expect not only Gabber/Hardcore tunes, but also a few Happy Hardcore anthems. Still cheesy though.
It had a few well known names behind the records, like DJ Sim, Critical Mass, The Beatsquad, Promo, 3 Steps Ahead, The Prophet, and many, many more. So, are you ready for something special? Fuck the TV, turn that shit off, and check this out!
DJ Sim - Christmas Collage
The Jingle Brothers - Scary Christmas
Daster & Dancer - A Happy X-Mas Day
The Beatsquad - X-Mas Breaks
DJ Waxweazle - War Is Over
DJ E-Rick & Tactic - Silent Nights Are Over
DJ Promo & Da Vinci - Last Christmas
3 Steps Ahead - X-Mas Bonfire
Stuffed Turkey - Season To Be Jolly
The Ender - 199Sex
Rospell - Wonderfull X-Mas
Gabba Claus & Rudolf Ravedeer - Merry Mutha Fxxkin X-Mas
Silent Jesus - Oh Christmas Day
Psylocke - Santa Claus Is Coming
Well, wouldn't you Adam and Eve it! Another Hardcore Christmas CD! You were so not ready for this. And as bad as they might sound, they are still funny as fuck! You might want to sit down, and relax, before you press play!
I was not ready to hear this album on Boxing Day, or second Christmas Day, as we call it in the Netherlands. ID&T's back catalogue has become more interesting. I am so curious to find out what else they have released and not heard before, or not yet discovered. Their path was slightly unclear, but they did assemble themselves after, and focussed on only that which made them money. And what obviously the raving community wanted. I think.
1994 was a great year for Hardcore, but 1995 is more my year. You can clearly hear the difference between the previously reviewed Thunderdome CD and this one. The music evolved. A bit more sophisticated. With a jolly undertone.
I have to say, and don't get me wrong, but I am happy that Hardcore moved away from this awfulness. This is kind of bad. Some of these records are cool, and if you 'remove' the Christmas references, the tunes wouldn't be ignored by the Gabber community, but some are just fucking bad. To give two examples: 'Wonderful X-Mas' by Rospell. Sweet Lord, it's bad. Or 'Merry Mutha Fxxking X-Mas' by Gabba Claus and Rudolf Ravedeer (original names though). What an awful record.
But then on the other hand you've got big hits, like 'X-Mas Breaks' by the Beatsquad (love the Beatsquad!), 'Silent Nights Are Over' by E-Rick & Tactic. Or what about Sim's record. Boy, I seriously miss DJ Sim's input in the scene. He made some stinkers, but the majority are fucking epic.
Is this one you definitely need to have? I think this 'X-Mas Paradise' is a collector's item. It is as bad as the previously released and reviewed Christmas CDs. But it would be nice to own this. And to play once a year. Preferably around Christmas.
If anyone knows of other Christmas Hardcore CDs that I haven't covered yet, please leave a comment below!
Merry Mutha Fucking X-Mas everyone!
Artist: Various Artists
Genre/Style: Hardcore, Gabber, Happy Hardcore, Breaks
CD Info: X-Mas Paradise
Length CD: 01:00:20
Tracks: 14 (fourteen)
Release Year: 1995
Label: ID&T
Product Number: XMAS 001/A
Listen Here: Youtube Video
More Information: ------
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