About The 10 Year Picks

December 2004 was ten years since the first Psychadelik Pedestrian track, "Jungle Warfare" (December 1994), and five years since the first Toucan track went online as an MP3 file in December 1999 (also Psychadelik Pedestrian - "Another Boring Lunchtime 1999").

To celebrate, three Toucan producers list their most notable Toucan tunes from the last ten years, including some of their own productions, and some of their favourites by other artists.

John Dalling

Psychadelik Pedestrian, JMD, Beat Doctor, Hyperterminal, Silverknight

Seeking You - Hyperterminal (1999)
The first Hyperterminal track to feature that trance chord riff which many similar tunes copied later on ("Destination"?). This track also became one of the most successful tunes online, and was part of the reason why I got a record deal. The track itself was released in the USA, on white label. The original version had a piano riff in it, and the chords were only part of the track, but I revamped it to make it simpler and more 'hands in the air', and this became the more familiar "club mix".

Your Smile - Dreamworld (1997)
This is probably my favourite out of all the old hardcore tunes. It's a plain and simple uplifting piano based track, and it was also the first track after I'd really mastered using the Roland W30. Again, this has been successful on the web, which has surprised me considering it's age (it was three years old when it first went online).

Embrace - Redmann (Psychadelik Pedestrian remix) (2002)
Redmann's "Embrace" brought a new, downtempo style of music to Toucan, combining traditional ambient and acoustic chillout sounds with a surprisingly large downtempo beat and catchy tune. This remix didn't take me long to do, but I still regard it as one of my favourite remixes. It retains the original sounds of the tune giving it a totally different feel. The original is still good in it's own right, though.

So Sublime - Redmann (Dave Kent remix) (2001)
Another Redmann track, this time remixed by Dave Kent. The original of "So Sublime" was class - in my opinion "Move Harder" and others of the time were never quite to this standard - and Dave Kent's remix just blew me away. How Dave managed to make such a funky track even more funky is a mystery to me, and this version just builds and builds all the way through.

Voyage to Pluto - Dreamworld (1997)
Another hardcore tune, produced on the same equipment as "Your Smile" but light years apart in terms of sound. This track moved Toucan on from piano based hardcore to a darker, trancier vibe, and eventually to drum & bass. In 1997, Toucan listeners voted this their favourite tune of the year, and it's also done well online since.

Trouble - Hardstep Syndicate (1998)
One of the few times Toucan have nailed the drum & bass sound, this track featured cut up breaks, a driving electronic rhythm and a hardcore bassline, together with a catchy rap sample. At the time it was also popular with my mates, and I remember playing it out one night in a drum & bass set when the crowd was dead, and it brought people onto the dancefloor.

Bring The Bass - Silverknight (2000)
As well as being one of the most successful Toucan tunes of all time (the original mix received nearly 20,000 downloads during it's time online, the remix was released on vinyl by Rough Diamond), this was the first Toucan track to be composed entirely on the computer using 'virtual instruments', a technique I now commonly use.

Push It Down - The Toucan (2004)
Vocals have been few and far between on Toucan tracks over the past ten years and it's only been in the last couple of years they've started to feature more regularly. I liked the result of this bizarre, experimental tune which features a completely synthesized vocal from start to finish. The vocal was recorded using the FruityLoops 'FruitySpeech' plug-in, and then run through loads of effects, including distortion, phaser etc. It's also unusual for a Toucan track to be built around the vocal, another first for me here.

Liquid Nitrogen - Psychadelik Pedestrian (2002)
It was a toss up between this "Eternal Truth" and "Travels In The North" for a classic Psychadelik Pedestrian track, and this has only won because of all the different versions. This track dates back to 1994, and it was re-recorded in 1996 (both early versions were downtempo) The 2002 version is my favourite as it's slightly different, with an uptempo electro-style breakbeat backing - one of the first nu skool breakbeat tracks at Toucan. There was also a chillout version in 2002 'Chilled Nitrogen'.

Insane - DJ Rise (2003)
I get quite a few emails from new or unsigned artists asking to join Toucan and most sound promising until I actually get round to playing their music! DJ Rise was the exception, however - an artist who sounded promising and whose music blew me away. With a trademark uplifting trance sound, and great attention to detail in production, Rise's music fitted right in at Toucan and "Insane" is my personal favourite of his tracks so far (with "Tribal Echo" a close second).

Narrowly missing the cut were: "Ascension" - Hyperterminal (played on Radio 1 three weeks in a row in 2002, but not strictly a Toucan tune, as it was produced for Rough Diamond Records, hence the omission), "Eternal Truth" - Psychadelik Pedestrian (one of my first instrumental breakbeat tracks), "Just Can't Fall In Love" - Prism (one of my favourite uplifting hardcore tracks), "Travels In The North" - Psychadelik Pedestrian (a favourite instrumental tune), "Pikasso" - Redmann (one of Andy's first tracks and still a corker), and "Jungle Warfare" / "The Great Divide" - Psychadelik Pedestrian (two of the earliest tracks only missed because of their reliance on samples).

Andrew Amery, a.k.a. Redmann

Freak Show - Dave Kent's Big Beats (1999)
I can't do an order for my top ten, but top of the pile is "Freak Show" 'cos without it I might not have seen the value in crisp attention to detail on all aspects of a song, and Toucan would have lacked that funky influence. 'For the mind and for the beat'... oh yes!! Bouncy, fat beats, and a scorching rhythm section said it all. Dave Kent writing and production skills make this stand up to the best.

Night Beach - Psychadelik Pedestrian (2002)
This kick started the chillout vibe at Toucan, and is so simple, yet sublimely 'does what its label says'.

Seeking You - Hyperterminal (1999)
This was when Hyperterminal really got to grips with the uplifting trance sounds and grabbed the attention of Toucan artists and also the wider online public.

Another Boring Lunchtime (1999 version) - Psychadelik Pedestrian (1999)
When I first heard the original 1996 version, I thought Psychadelik Pedestrian had sampled a professional song, that's how good the tune hook sounded. This later version merely cemented it's industry level edge in my eyes.

Can't Stop - Hatfield Crew feat. Prism (1997)
A personal favourite from the Toucan happy hardcore days - tune and 'easy to pick up' lyrics make it the most memorable of that time.

Zero Gravity - Redmann (2000)
This is when I finally cut my teeth in writing a respectable mellow dance tune. Technically and musically successful, this gave me the confidence and buzz to write again.

So Sublime - Redmann (2001)
It was tricky venturing into using vocals, but I did it, and discovered the 'arpeggio' effect, which I came back to several times. This song also marked the birth of the funky synths that I enjoy.

Jungle Warfare - Psychadelik Pedestrian (1994)
Hard to ignore this 'slash 'em up' fusion of cleverly chosen samples combined with well crafted drum beats. It may be ten years old, but it more than hints at the creativity that is now a given fact.

Every Time - Prism (1996)
Another one of the hardcore tunes, but this was probably the best of the early 'harder' ones for me, not only showing Prism's ability to choose a good sample, but also a talent for building a fierce track around it too.

Freshen Up - The Toucan (2004)
A true reflection of how Toucan has matured. Catchy tune and lyrics, production values of the highest order, and well received online - which seems to be the future.

Some that narrowly missed: "Stranger In Paradise" (Hyperterminal); "Turbulence" (Marc Burt); "Break Of Dawn" (Psychadelik Pedestrian); "Retro Fever" (Phish Funk)

Dave Kent

Retro Fever - Phish Funk (1999)
This tune is the dogs, the best Toucan tune. When I first heard it I was blown away because it was like a whole new style had arrived at Toucan. Before this tune Toucan was hardcore, it was trance, it was commercial. Then this came along and it was funk, it was disco, it was retro, and I knew then that I would be hanging around with these guys long term. "Retro Fever" is not the best disco, funk or house tune ever but it is on a par with commercial stuff and that's saying something because at the time I think it was produced on just a Roland W30.

Prismattack - Prism (1997)
I'm not into hardcore and never have been but this tune made me want to sit up and listen. When I first got in touch with John and the Toucan crew it was around the time John had just done Prismattack and after hearing his other hardcore I was expecting pianos and stringy synths and stuff, suddenly the track breaks down to a massive breakbeat and drum 'n' bass sounds and I was hooked.

Zero Gravity - Redmann (2000)
I was not a fan of Redmann when I first heard Toucan because he was a bit cheesy, a bit DJ Quicksilver, a bit Sash!, a bit hands in the air for the plucking pizzicato riff. Then he comes out with this, dark, funky, but mellow. I could not wait to get my hands on this for the remix. The production on his version is s**t but lets face it we're all on a learning curve and to be honest my production on the remix could have been better. Never mind the production though because the sounds Redmann uses and the tune in this are second to none.

Look To The Light - Psychadelik Pedestrian (2000)
John was not convincing with acoustics before this but in 2000 he hit the nail on the head and got that mellow funky vibe.

Irony - Project Zero (1998)
This tune was a collaboration between John and an up and coming guitarist Tristan and it's an interesting track which is a funky and a bit drum & bass. It could do with more of a tune but then that is part of it's appeal because you never know where it's going.

So Sublime - Redmann (2001)
I was just getting over "Zero Gravity" and then Redmann comes up with this one which is funk, but it is also house, with some trance thrown in too. In my humble opinion it is Redmann's best track so far if you ignore the vocals which you can't understand.

Push It Down - The Toucan (2004)
I did a bit with the beats on the first Toucan tunes but I didn't have a lot to do with this one and John has come up with a slice of fun. The distorted vocals rock and the old skool bassline adds to the madness which just keeps coming. Press it in.

The Throwdown - Psychadelik Pedestrian (2002)
I don't know why John doesn't go dark more often because on tunes like this one he does it well. A simple drums and bass hook go together great and there's not too much else going on to distract you.

Monkeys Ate My Fish Tank - Dave Kent (2000)
I don't want to be up myself but I have to stick one of my tunes in the top ten and this is the one. When I started out at Toucan I didn't know about throwing together a track, only a bit about how to get the sounds right! After I had learned the ropes I did a tune called "Freak Show" which I wasn't so happy with, so I took time out and came up with this a year later. I was chuffed with the acid sounds and the beats and it still sounds ok to me.

Phenomenon - Phish Funk (2002)
This tune is online by me but it is in fact a collaboration with Phish Funk and it is funky even if I say so myself. Those rocking disco hits and funky bass go together like Jordan and Peter Andre.