One of the best memories of my first deejay gig, The Foundation in West Palm Beach, FL, is the first time I heard "Human Nature" by Gary Clail/On-U Sound System. It's a wonderful piano-laden baggy house stomper, not unlike a Mondays track, but with social and political statements. Gary Clail/On-U Sound System was basically Clail "toasting", Adrian Sherwood producing, and members from Tackhead and Dub Syndicate playing the tunes. The LP Emotional Hooligan is a welcome addition to anyone well-versed in dub, funk, house or all three. But the real standout is "Human Nature", mixed by a young Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne. and released on Oakenfold's, at the time newly-formed, Perfecto Records label. DJ Messiah played it one night and I was just sucked into the beats, the words, the pianos, et cetera. Criminally forgotten in most dance music circles, especially here in the States, but every once in a while it will pop up on some compilation to capture the era or some deejay mix who just knows what a great banger it was/is/will always be. If you can locate a copy of it, grab it. Essential rhythm and commentary.
GARY CLAIL/ON-U SOUND SYSTEM Emotional Hooligan (Perfecto/RCA, 1991) buy used here
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