Pump up the Jam - Technotronic (CD 1989)

Back in 1989, particularly in the US, the music scene was still in whiplash from the disco days. Club music was still very underground and the mainstream was dancing to pop, hip-hop and happy guitar rock. Then, out of Belgium, Technotronic showed up with unabashed electro beats, synth basses and a "get on the dancefloor" attitude.

The unrelenting success of the song "Pump Up the Jam" paved the way for DNA's and Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner", Snap's "The Power", and laid the groundwork for the US success of today's superstar DJs and producers like Paul Oakenfold and Fatboy Slim. And even 2 Unlimited's shameless eurocheese.

In a way, it seems silly to write a review for a CD where everyone's heard the title track, but there's more to the CD than just "Pump Up the Jam".

Also included is the slightly less-successful single "Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)", which was used in the first Doogie Howser episode, but has a more shiny, happy sound than "Pump Up the Jam". The beat is just as danceable and the hook nearly as catchy.

"Tough" is forgettable, yet follows the Technotronic formula of semi-hip-hop samples and synth beats.

"Take It Slow" is actually pretty good ... very remininscent of Neneh Cherry's "Buffalo Stance" in sound and feel.

"Come On" has a nod to Kraftwerk in its string line, but sounds like it's missing lyrics. Would be great for folks looking to make a "Night At the Roxbury"-style parody track, as it has all the cliche sounds of older dance music.

"This Beat is Technotronic" cooks along with a tight shuffle beat at a tempo that could actually fit today's dance floors. It has aggression with a male rap and you can imagine sweaty dancefloors somewhere in Northern Europe eating it up.

"Move This" was used in that Revlon commercial a few years ago, spawning a re-release of the CD with new cover art. It still has a sugar-sweet refrain and will make you feel glamorous all over.

"Come Back" is just more sequencer output, filler on the CD. I used to work in radio, and this song made a great talkover bed ... it had a positive bassline and unobtrusive beat, and was more or less without vocals (just a few samples).

"Rockin Over the Beat" could be a sister to "Move This" ... it has the same synth sound, same feel, same harmonious refrain. If you've had a few beers, you probably would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two.

"Raw" gives insight into what was considered "raw" in 1989. Soft and cushy by today's post-Rotterdam hardcore standards, it still enjoys a high energy level, but sounds like something from a racing video game.

"Wave" is actually very forward-looking. The use of jazz piano chords and string bits foreshadow the explosion of piano house and garage (think Bizarre Inc.) who came later. It's otherwise a fairly laidback and tame cut ...

"Bluestring", the bonus track, is actually very uplifting. Starting with MLK Jr's famous line "America, America, my country 'tis of thee", it cooks along with a bassline that hints at what will come in the future with acid house, strings that float and a beat that happily bounces along.

Nowadays, the only folks who'll probably enjoy this CD are those who were old enough to remember when they first broke (I was 11) or are aerobics instructors or cheerleaders. The sounds are dated, yet classic, and the beats are slow by today's standards. They don't employ any of today's conventions in club music (the big breakdown in the middle, filter sweeps, etc.), which can make it sound amateurish to some younger listeners. "Pump Up the Jam" still fills dancefloors, but so does "YMCA" ...

In buying the CD, however, one buys a slice of history, when the US was ready to put down its guitars for a second and listen to something that belonged in a nightclub. Technotronic (who also wrote tracks for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie under the name Hi-Tek 3), defined the sound that everyone else aspired to. In the right mood, it can still be the perfect CD, with real nuggets of inspiration. As a new release, it would get a below average rating, but considering its impact and status in the repertoire, the CD earns an above average. It's still the most-listened-to CD from 1989 in my collection. Just think Nintendo instead of X-Box.