The Best Record of the Noughties?

It only seems like yesterday, but 10 years ago we were gearing up for the turn of millennium. Our excitement about what felt like an historic event was tempered slightly by fears of millennium bugs, planes falling out of the sky, nuclear powers plants melting down and a possible computer triggered holocaust. As it transpired, our fears were completely unfounded and all we actually got was crap weather and to witness promoters wringing the last vestige of life out of the golden goose of 90s club culture.

And now here we are, 10 years on, at the end of another decade, surveying all that the noughties brought us - DC10, the last decent days of the terrace of Space, Cocoon, the infamous Blue Marlin beach party, the last decent days anywhere in Ibiza, Faith on the internet, mnml, shminimal, nu-disco, nu-teds, nu-clones, electro clash, electro punk, DFA, Germany, house tranquilizers, Eastern European DJs, silly sunglasses, re-birth of Balearic… for beardy blokes from Oldham who have never been to Ibiza, the death of Jockey Slut, the death of Muzik, the birth of Strobelight Honey, raves in toilets, raves in sheds, raves in woods, The Lodge (RIP), East Village, new mates, Acid House’s 20th birthday (bloody hell), reunion parties, middle age, clubland closures - The End, The Key, Bagleys, the original T-Bar and Turnmills, all RIP, the rise of Shoreditch, Horse Meat Disco, Norwegian DJs, CDJs, laptop DJs, roidy Polish builders noncing up your missus, beards, lumberjack shirts, Mum and Dad punch, moody garys, Combat 88, Secret Sundaze, Innervisions, Get Physical, bloody re-edits, DJs packing it all in, Rampling’s (non) retirement party, the return of Boys Own, blogs, Berlin, Croatian festivals, skinny jeans, plimsolls, Cable Club, internet warriors, grime, dubstep, funky house, electro house, minimal house, fidget house, afro house, deep house (again), HOUSE, HOUSE and MORE F**KING HOUSE.

It was a good decade for music, but was it vintage? Last year on Faithfanzine.com we carried out a poll of the greatest house records of all time and only a single record post 2000 made the cut. Was the music not that good in the last 10 years or were people looking back to their youth through rose tinted spectacles? Surely there were some truly great records released in the noughties? We felt a retrospective of the decade was required, so we dusted off the Faith polling booth for yet another round of voting. And here are the results - THE GREATEST RECORD OF THE NOUGHTIES.

15 - Larry Heard presents Mr White ‘The Sun Can't Compare’ Released in 2006 on Heard’s own Alleviated label, it combined a strong vocal performance with acid house. Played by minimal and house DJs alike, it was a real underground crossover tune.

I really can’t understand why anyone wouldn't like this track; I absolutely love it. When this came out we were sharing an office with quite a few others on Curtain Road, and the music played could be a real source of contention. This track, however, was on heavy rotation and no-one ever moaned about it. This is a great example of a vocal adding something to the music rather than it distracting you and reducing it. [Yvonne Duffield, Sedition]

14 - Dubtribe Sound System ‘Do It Now’ Originally released in 2000 on US label Imperial Dub, with its laidback groove, ‘Do It Now’ was already reaching anthem status when Defected licensed it in late 2001 and propelled it to greater things. Still receiving regular airings from Stuart Patterson.

One of those records that reminds me of a whole bunch of things from the turn of the century – going to New York loads for Body & Soul and Bang The Party; the early Faith parties and regular Sundays at the Notting Hill Arts club for Sundaysonic and Lazy Dog. [Along with] Star Suite, Jaguar and Equitoreal were both 1999 (I think), for myself and quite probably a few others, it was parties and records like this that reminded us why we loved House in the first place. [Tim Murray]

13 - Ame ‘Rej’ Released in 2005 Innervisions/Sonar Kollekiv, with a slight whiff of ‘Beau Mot Plage’ about it, ‘Rej’ cemented Ame’s burgeoning reputation as one of the hottest production teams of the decade.

Massive tune, ushered in a whole new wave of music/producers/followers I reckon. Over played? maybe, but that was its impact, reaching out across many strands of house and techno music, definitely a record that was a hit with many, many people [Nick Harris, NRK]

Massively popular with everyone I know, regardless of how their taste might usually differ. It was the track I heard everywhere on one of my favourite trips to Ibiza, which I spent with some of my favourite people. Whenever I hear it now it evokes such good memories that I think I’ll always love it. Apart from the memories, I really like the slow build and sense of anticipation in the track. [Yvonne Duffield, Sedition]

12 - Stefan Goldmann ‘Sleepy Hollow’ This was the first record released on Innervisons after they split with Sonar Kollekiv in 2006 and some may argue the most perfectly formed example of the Innervsions sound.

A stone cold anthem of one of the best summers in recent memory. Played everywhere and never failed to make everyone lose it [Will Webster, Secret Order]

Knew it was a classic the moment I heard it, then an old mate who I played it to described it as 'a stroke of genius' he's wasn't wrong. Like all the best ideas it's simple and has a lightness of touch but is executed to devastating effect. For me it captures perfectly what's been so exciting about (good) noughties house, it's modern and forward thinking but sounds as warm and as druggy as the best of 80's Chicago acid house. As my young colleague at work said during his house music conversion, this is sick b! [Luke-1989]

11 - M.A.N.D.Y Vs Booka Shade ‘Body Language’ Germany’s Get Physical was undoubtedly one of the most successful house imprints of the noughties and whilst their output was relatively varied in style, this is the record most associate with the label.

A record that captures a time like no others. The days of Faith trips to DC10 and early(ish) secretsundaze. A lot of the music around at the time was (although amazing) forgettable but this is a standout. Catchy but deeply underground (on first release anyway) it's just a pity that they (or Get Physical) never hit this high again. [Jimmy P, Faith/Strobelight Honey]

I-fucking-biza! Proper electronic funk that you just heard everywhere and never tired of. Walking from Figueretas to Ibiza Town in the afternoon, trying to shift a hangover and you'd hear it coming out the bloody launderette and still think "Yes". Even just last year I sat through a presentation from some wanky branding agency and they'd used this as a soundtrack. Switched off to all the ROI blah blah blah crap and thought that is a tune even you muppets cannot spoil. [Ross, Dubai]

10 - Iz and Diz ‘Mouth’ (Pepe Bradock Mix) Originally released in 2002 on Derrick Carter and Luke Solomon’s now sadly defunct Classic label, Pepe Bradock masterfully reworked Chicago due Iz and Diz’s effort into a quirky deep house masterpiece.

The choir-in-a-can vocals, the glottal stop bassline and that beautiful fuzzed-up electric organ - it's too unconventional to epitomise good house music. And thank fuck for that. I can't think of another house record I've listened to more times over the last decade, but it still makes me feel every bit as sad, happy and stupid as it did the first time I heard it. [Charlie Bennett, To The Bone]

The Martini record. Guaranteed to make me dance any time any place, happy memories of me and a mate dancing to it on a totally empty dancefloor at Kindergarten in Manchester. There’s something about the melody that’s’ uplifting and also, weirdly, slightly depressing at the same time. And that groove is just a killer. Twenty thumbs up. [Alex 'thegreenbee' Withers]

9 – Josh One ‘Contemplation’ (King Britt mix) Legend has it King Britt remixed this in a couple of hours on a flight to a gig somewhere, released in 2001 on obscure US label Electromatrix before being licensed all over the world.

This, to me, is about rooting through my (at the time) new missus's vinyl and discovering that she had some ace tunes and a head for tracks that I sadly lacked. I can still recall the post Cross carry on when found this and it reminds me what a great summer 2003 was for re-discovering London partying. [filthy punk]

Just a great simple house track that reminds me of Sundaysonic in Notting hill, and tons of other parties. [Joseph Apted, diskomatik]

From the first time I heard it to the last, never fails to get me [Sean Clare, De La Techa]

8 - Hercules & Love Affair ‘Blind’ (Frankie Knuckles mixes) New York’s DFA ripped up the rule bit a in the 00s, so it was a bit of a surprise when they got bona fide old school house legend Frankie Knuckles in to remix this in 2007, but boy, did he show ‘em how it’s done.

Out of the DFA records Losing My Edge probably made more of a difference & Someone Great is my favourite LCD song whilst House of Jealous Lovers sound tracked a certain area of London like nothing else but this is just such a beautiful record. No1. [Ben Pistor, Disco Bloodbath]

[The dub is] for me the best thing the great man has done in the last 15 years. Absolutely perfect record that makes you feel like you've had a couple of doves even if you're standing on Peckham Rye station on a Monday morning. In the rain. [Will Macc]

7 - Detroit Experiment ‘Think Twice’ Originally an LP track on the The Detroit Experiment, album, released on Carl Craig’s Planet-E in 2003, the Unabombers then released it on an Electric Souls album sampler and then finally Juno picked up in 2009 and commissioned host of decent remixes.

It properly crosses the divide between the 'heads' at PP and a regular Saturday night house crowd. It's a classic cover version because Carl Craig doesn't unnecessarily change the song too much - it sounds very natural, like he produced the original Donald Byrd version. [Dan Harrington, Modernista Records]

One of those deep, jazzy tunes that just grabs you with the opening chords. I had heard it regularly before figuring out what it is. Still in the box and gets an airing quite regularly. [Matt Ralph, Monkey Tennis]

Absolutely massive tune round our way and everywhere else, deep and brooding and then joyous all with out the help of any words. The bass is unmistakable, everyone seems to know what to do when it’s coming in. Getting goosey from remembering the many times I’ve heard it. The Mark E dub from this year was also boss. [Matthew, some middle class Manc suburb]

6 - Dennis Ferrer ‘Son of Raw’ Raw is indeed the word for this stripped down house track, released on New York’s Ibadan Records in 2005 before getting a second lease of life via a Loco Dice remix on Objekitivty in 2007.

Crazy, uplifting pointy fingered dance music - that keyboard freak out always gets me and then there's "You don't know... You don't know"(at least I think that's what he says). Faith connection - First heard it out at Faith at Turnmills, Quentin played it in the back room and it knocked my socks off. Absolutely timeless. [Lawrence Brooks, Monkey Tennis]

Best pure house track of the decade no question. [Frank Tope, Wild Geese]

5 - Ferrer and Sydenham Inc. ‘Sandcastles’ It’s that Ferrer and Ibadan combination again, this time in conjunction with label boss, Jerome Sydenham. Originally released as limited Ibadan 10” in 2003 before getting a re-rub from Pete Heller in 2004, then being picked up by Defected in 2005, and getting the obligatory hoard of remixes.

The classic example of house 2k style. Sandcastles fuses perfectly the best element of classic deep house with the sound of soulful Detroit techno. This is the noughties answer to a "Strings Of Life" if I may, a timeless instrumental that sinks in your skin and stays there forever. Massive in cooler clubs like DC10 in its first Ibadan (Jerome Sydenham's label) guise, it was then signed by UK super label Defected and infiltrated every club the world over. It also launched the career of arguably one of the best US producers of the decade, Dennis Ferrer. [Yuri ‘thestunt’ Lia]

Somewhere between hands in the air and head down just going for it.
HOUSE as fuck. [Adam R]

4 - Octave One ‘Blackwater’ Ostensibly a Detroit techno record when released as ‘Untold’ on 430 West in 2000, with vocals provided by Kevin Saunderson’s wife Ann, this synth driven beast went on to cross over from the techno scene in the way only ‘Jaguar’ had since the heady days of the late 80s.

Miami 2001, I absolutely hammered it at Tenaglia and hated it. Next night dragged myself to the Crow Bar for the Magic Sessions and despite me being massively fragile and pretty straight Louie Vega took me away. Last record of the night was the Full String version of Blackwater. First time I'd heard it and I thought I'd died on gone to heaven. [Will Macc]

Either you've got the vocal house stormer that works both for the serious types that will bear it content that the wives are being catered for, to the bumble rookies questioning the stress on the daily grind of their 9-5 when 'hey, jus open your heart, open your mind and let your love flow like the sunshine' - ain't no big thang. [Ted Striker]

I remember the first time I heard it. I was at Opium Garden in Miami and Danny Howells played the instrumental and the vocal mix back to back off some acetate. He played it a twice in the same night. Remember that’s how we knew a tune was gonna be big?! I then heard Octave One perform it live at the first Detroit Music Festival I went to and it gave me goose bumps,. still does to this day. [Ramon Crespo, Miami]

3 - Quentin Harris ‘Let’s Be Young’ The first release on Shelter spin-off label Un-Restricted Access in 200, the distinctive brass work in this track is lifted from the default settings of Apple's GarageBand software package - but goddamit, they are used here to devastating effect! This record propelled the up and coming Quentin Harris into the house music spot light and was one of those tunes that literally stopped you in your tracks when you first heard it. Picked by Bristol label NRK in the UK and remixed well by Ashley Beedle and Julian Jabre.

Like 'In The Trees' and 'Deep Burnt' before it this is one of those records that uses strings to perfection. It's not often you get a non-vocal house record that can unite the masses (S'Norm played it at carnival that year and everyone went bonkers) but this one ticks all the boxes. Is one of those records I'll forever associate with Faith as well - standout memory being when someone (Stu? Terry?) played it at the Ministry when we'd all had a skinful of 'that' punch. [Kerry Power, Feel up]

THE record that got me back into house after a few years away noodling. Relentless from beginning to end. [Grant Berry, Enjoy]

Beautiful, emotive, intense, inspirational and thoroughly wonderful house record. Works on heads and converts the non-believers. [Frazer]

The simpler the better for my ears. The connection between Detroit and New York lives with Quentin. Simply Divine. [Roual Galloway, Timbre Pitch Records]

2 - Kerri Chandler ‘Bar-a-Thyme’ First seeing light of day on US imprint Nite Grooves in 2005 and apparently taking its name from bar used as an afters venue at a house music festival in Toulon, this track was all about THAT cowbell! The ever perceptive NRK licensed it the UK and as ever, they turned in a couple of decent remixes too.

For some reason this and ‘Back to the Raw’ remind me of getting back into buying Kerri regular again. Don’t recall picking much up by him for the previous couple of years or so. Don’t require much chat on the actual track here, its massive and it still makes me pull a funny face in the breakdown. H.O.U.S.E has never been more apt. [Nick Yuill, Devil Disco Club]

Gave house the kick up the backside it needed, a perfectly executed track from Chandler, solid rhythm, almost ravey, and oh those cowbells.....Tom Middleton did a great job remixing too I thought [Nick Harris, NRK]

Just a great jacker from Mr Chandler that was a stone cold Faith classic in 05 - got overplayed to buggery, but if you dig it out now and listen it's a classic piece of house. [Chris Howell-Jones]

Mega cow bell irresistible groover - loved hearing it out at faith , but also remember the rush of owning a copy and playing it over and over got it and played out at a party and everyone loved it even on first listen , and then my mate Danny mixing it in and put with old face Voodoo Ray - room all experienced a moment [Chris S]

The 1st 'Proper' House record I'd bought in ages, simple, catchy, hammered by everybody all over, brilliant. [Sean ‘lazyboy’ Kay]

1 - King of Tomorrow ‘Finally’ The one and only noughties record to make it into the Faith All Time Top Ten House Records, it’s only fitting that it comes in top here. First released on French label Distance in 2000, with great Louie Vega mixes including the absolutely sublime ‘String Reprise’, then going on to be signed by Defected in 2001 and being given a second lease of life by the hand of Danny Tenaglia. An anthem in the truest sense.

A classic house record in the true sense of the word , could easily have been made during the golden period of House , lyrically it touches the spot for those of us who have lost people dear to us while still making your soul and spirit soar . Cosmo played this at a early Faith party off Acetate (remember those ) and the whole room had a shared 'moment' , beautiful record. [Terry Farley, Boys Own]

I wasn’t to bothered about the Krivit edit cos I loved the original so much. Then after I finished playing in the end room at the Cross one night I wandered into the middle room to catch the last hour of Angel Moraes and he played this (after dropping a vocal from American Pie , where the father has a father/son chat to his offspring about masturbation ) ...and I 'finally' got it. The extended intro with subtle re-arrangement of the bass-line, leading you into the vocal just works so much. Absolute house music. [Ian Do-It-Fluid]

Just a great song with loads of clubbing memories. I first heard at Body and Soul with Julie McKnight doing an acapella PA. Ariel turned all the lights off leaving just the glow of that light sabre, lights on as the tune finally kicks in, collective spine tingle. [Andy McLean]

Hearing that on the old Vinyl system was something else. Tenaglia working it for what seemed like 30 minutes – glorious. [Roual Galloway, Timbre Pitch Records]

Sandy Rivera drops perhaps the ultimate take me to heaven tunes.
Reminds me of playing it at Bora Bora during the summer of 2001...
Bliss [Dave Cooper, Six Million Steps]

The last great house vocal [Chris Woodward, Buzzin’ Fly]

Honourable Mentions:

Blaze – How Deep is Your Love (T.Regisford mix) // Cesaria Evora – Angola //
Jill Scott – Not Like Crazy (Quentin Harris mix) // LCD Soundsystem – Losing My Edge // Metro Area – Miura // Mondo Grosso – Star Suite (Blaze mix) // Still Going – Still Going Theme // Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom – Revelee // Matthew Jonson – Decompression // Roy Ayers – Tarzan (Ame mix) // Silicone Soul – Chico-La-La (H-Foundation mix) // Beyonce – Crazy in Love // Julian Jabre – War // Justin Matin – Sad Piano (Charles Webster mix) // Leela James – My Joy // Loco Dice – Menina Brazilera // Luciano & Quenum – Orange Mistake // Mark E – Scared // Osulade – Pride // Shaun Escoffrey – Days Like These (Spinna mix) // Soul Central - Strings of Life // Todd Terje – Eurodans // Afro Medusa – Pasilda // Argy – Love Dose // Aril Brikha – Winter // Bill Withers – Who is He… (Henrik Schwarz mix) // Block 16 – Electrokution // Bobby Peru – Jack 2 the Future // Cajmere – I Need U // Carl Craig – Sandstorms // Chicken Lips – He Not In // Cobblestone Jazz – Dump Truck // DJ Gregory - Elle // DJ Oji& Una – We Lift Our Hands in the Sanctuary // DJ Rolando – Jaguar (mixes) // Henrik Schwarz – Marvin // House of 909 – Blandford Superfly // James Holden – Break in the Clouds // Laurent Garnier – Man with the Red Face // Luomo – Tessio // Marie Bone – Voui Voui Me // Matthew Jonson – Marionette // Metro Area – The Art of Hot // Morgan Geist – 24k // Mountain People – 003 // Omar S – Psychotic Photosynthesis // Onerio – Shhh! // Oracy – Family Day // Outkast – Hey Ya // Pepe Bradock – Life // Peven Everett – Can’t Do Without // Photek – Mine to Give // Raphael Saadiq – Skyy Can You Feel Me // Recloose – Cardiology (Isolee mix) // Roach Motel – This Beat is Mine // Scott Grooves – The Journey // Sebastian Teller – La Ritournelle // Stereotyp – Keepin’ Me (Fauna Flash mix) // The Streets – Weak Become Heroes // Theo Parrish – Falling Up (Carl Craig mix) // Todd Terje – Italian Stallion // Tracy Thorn – It’s All True // Underground Culture Tourist – Jackin’ the Jazz // Alan Braxe & Fred Flake – Running (Intro) // Alice Smith – Endeavour // Alton Miller Clouds Are Gone (Henrik Schwarz mix) // Ame – Shiro // Beanfield – Tides (Carl Craig mix) // Cajmere – Midnight // Carl Craig – Darkness // Chez Damier & the Cru – Warfare // Delano Smith – Metropolis // Der Zyklus – Formenrerwandler // DJ Buck – Release the Tension // DJ Gregory – Attend // DJ Sid le Roc n DJ Kose – Nulsed // Faze Action – In the Trees (Carl Craig mix) // Ferrer and Sydenham – Timbuktu // Gomma – It Rough // Henrik Schwarz – I Exist because of You // Lindstrom – Another Station // Lindstrom – I Feel Space // Lindstrom & Christabelle // Loco Dice – Tight Laces // Lordy – Watchtower // Love Birds – Gentle // Magnus International – Kosemtisk // Martin Buttrich – Programmer // Mateo & Matos – The Real Thing // Matt o’Brien – Sertone // Max Sedgley – Happy // Mile Claro & Frank Garcia – Dead Souls // Mr Scruff – Chicken in a Box // Mr V – Da Bump // Omar S – Grandson of Detroit Techno // Ricardo Villalobos – Waiworinao // Seal – Violet (Shelter mix) // Slam – Azure // Slam – Lifetimes // Sly Mongoose – Snakes and Ladders (Rub’n’Tug mix) // The Street – Has it Come to This // Thomas Anderson – Washing Up // Trentmoller – Polar Shift // TRG – Broken Heart // Twisted Pair – Horny Hustle // Underground Resistance – Transition // Victor Duplaix – Looking for Love // Akabu – Phuturebound (Ame mix) // Ane Brun – Headphone Silence (Dixon mix) // Angie Stone – Wish I Didn’t Miss You (Pound Boys mix) // At Jazz – Put It On // Blaze – I Think of You // Booka Shade – Mandarine Girl // BRS – Loving Me // Chelonis R Jones – Deer in the Headlights // Daft Punk – Too Long // Fenrec – Yes, Sir I Can Hardcore // Florence & the Machine – Rabbit Heart (Leo Zero mix) // Gabriel Ananda – Dopplewhipper // Green Velvet - La La Land // Harry Romero – I Go Back // Joakim – Basically // Joi Cardwell – What it Feels Like // Kids on the Streets – Keep on Turning // Kings of Tomorrow – Another day // LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends // LCD Soundsystem – Yeah // Marcos Valle – Besteiras // Matthew Jonson – Typerope // Michel Cleis – La Mezcla // Mixed Up Little Annie and then Legally Jammin’ – Bleach // Mr G – G’s String // Phonique – Red Dress // Piranha Head – Poem 4 a Lost One // Plasmik – Eight to Nine // Primal Scream – Uptown (Weatherall mix) // Ricardo Villalobos – Dexter // Roland Appell – Dark Soldier // Shakedown – At Night // Shik Styko – Minion // Sir Piers – She’s Gone Away // Sunshine Anderson – Heard It All Before (Ben Watt mix) // Timeline – Time Sensitive // Tracy Thorn – Raise the Roof // Underworld – 2 Months Off