We asked Kono Vidovic, the host of Dirty Disco Radio to select 5 of his all-time house classics that helped him shape his taste. As a DJ, he enjoys playing music for people but occasionally he also likes to talk about it and express his feelings in a more verbal way. Writing about his favourites is a real treat but also a difficult task to get done. Let’s see his picks 😉
When you ask a DJ what his 5 favorite tracks at this moment or from the last year are, they can easily think of a few tracks they played a lot in their sets. Naming just 5 tracks isn’t easy, so I won’t be just calling my broad music knowledge. I’m combining this with my feelings and let them take control. You have to remember that house music is a feeling, so let my feelings speak to you through these 5 tracks.
1. Soulsearcher – Can’t Get Enough (1998)
The very first release on one of my favorite dance music record labels, if not THE best dance record company in the world. When Defected started 19 years ago, they released this track which instantly transformed into a chart-breaker in the UK. It was an instant success for the UK-based label.
The minute I heard and bought this track (at that time on vinyl), I fell in love with not only the track – which you never can get enough of 😉 – but also with Defected. Since then I started to follow the label, which was a big inspiration and helped me shape my own sound through the years.
This track still defines that summer feeling. House music vocals always had a great attraction to me as long as they were special, had something unique and powerful. Can’t Get Enough is a track which still works in a DJ set, depending on where you are and which season you are in. Just the thought of grooving to this track on a warm and sunny beach somewhere in Croatia, holding a fresh, cold drink… gives me the goosebumps!
2. Moby – Go (Woodtick Mix) (1991)
From the very first note, this house classic gives me the goosebumps. Moby has been a producer I followed from the beginning. Back in the days, he was already very exceptional in his sound. Back in the 90’s people lived and thought in boxes. Nowadays that is completely gone and it does not matter what you do as long as it sounds fat. Moby was a producer that certainly influenced the dance music scene with his sound. And for sure was a big inspiration for me creating my sound as a DJ.
3. Armand Van Helden – You Don’t Know Me (1998)
Armand Van Helden is a real mastermind, his catalog of produced music is proof of that. If you asked me to name 10 of my favorite house classics just from Armand Van Helden, that would be no problem. From those tracks, ‘You Don’t Know Me’ is one that always went with me in my record bag. Even now, I always have it with me on my USB.
What makes this track so special is the beat where claps and snares play the most important part. Together with the stabbing sample it creates a very unique sound that you don’t hear a lot. Once the vocals come in, you are grabbed and it won’t let you go. Not only the great singing but also the lyrics played an important role for me. It taught me that nobody really knows who you are, and that it’s up to you to get to know yourself first.
4. Jaydee – Plastic Dreams (1993)
A track that I consider not only as one of the most inspirational and well-known classics of all time, but also a track that made me very proud. The Netherlands have always played a big role in dance music and many great names in the scene come from our little country. Back then and nowadays still we deliver great artists. Jaydee was one of those artists who helped putting The Netherlands even more on the map as a leading house music country. Robin Albers a.k.a Jaydee literally turned the dance music world upside down with this track. What makes it special is that it shows that the beat isn’t even the most important part of the track and it’s still house music. The bells, the organ together with the beat, create a perfect atmosphere and are the infrastructure of one of the best classics ever. Depending on your audience, but when they are 30+ you can play this track in your set and believe me, you will give them a party to remember.
5. Shakedown – At Night
If you ask me what my all-time favorite vocal is, Shakedown ‘At Night’ will be the answer! Once again a Defected release which certainly proves their great taste in music. This track always and still goes with me wherever I go. Which is easy to say, now that we have mobile phones and Spotify. 😉 On the vinyl EP there was the original and a couple of remixes by Mousse T, Kid Creme and Alan Braxe. It also featured an acapella version, which I used a lot in my sets. The acapella is perfect for teasing your audience a bit before you mix in the original version. A lot of DJs still use the acapella, for example Roger Sanchez (well-known for his classic ‘Another Chance’, which is also a Defected release from 2001) uses the acapella a lot in his sets.
Shakedown – At Night is as they say with food: something you can wake me up for in the middle of the night.
The naughty DJ in me.
I guess it’s in the name Dirty Disco Radio, so therefore I’m playing it a bit dirty right now. I have been asked for 5 tracks, but to narrow down all these beautiful house classics to just 5 great tracks is a bit of a torture for a DJ. 🙂 And once I start talking about music and playing music, I just can’t shut up. So here are two more beautiful house music classics.
6. Harddrive – Deep Inside (1993)
Sometimes you have those tracks that are plain and simple but so solid. This is a track that grabbed me in the early days because of its solid groove with that characteristic sound. The vocals just complete everything and melt the whole track down as a very solid groover which still gets played a lot, in one of the many remixes or the original. Personally, the original is my favorite. If you are touching this track in a remix, it better be more than good and respectful to the original. The track was released on another major dance music record label. Strictly Rhythm was just like Defected, one of those house music labels that knew what house should sound like and influenced the scene with their releases.
7. David Guetta Ft Chris Willis – Just A Little More Love
If you want to get to know David Guetta before he became that big superstar DJ in EDM and the very commercial side of the scene you should listen to his collaboration with Chris Willis who did the goose bump vocals for this beautiful electronic banger! What grabbed me mostly in this track? The lyrics. We should give a little more love. The electronic vibe that this track has is really special with a 4 x 4 kickdrum. Just like the earlier mentioned acapella of Shakedown – At Night. David Guetta – Just a Little More Love also has an acapella version on the EP. Perfect for teasing, pleasing and creating that loving house music vibe.
My end plea.
I really hope you enjoyed my selections for Pacemaker. If you did, feel free to support us by sharing this post on your social channels. I could continue talking about music, and I will do so in my weekly podcast called ‘Dirty Disco Radio‘.
Thank you for reading and listening. I would like to make use of the occasion to give you a personal positive message. Which is also the reason why I picked this last track.
Remember, that all this world need is:
“Just a little more love, Just a little more peace, is all it takes to live the dream.
To walk hand and hand, we’ve got to understand. And one day soon, we’ll live in harmony.”
Kono Vidovic.