Union Jack
Union Jack are Simon Berry and Claudio Giussani, and have been responsible for producing a number of trance classics on the Platipus record label such as the '93 hit 2 Full Moons and a Trout. With one album and a host of 12"s to their name, Union Jack have helped to make the Platipus a leading trance record label. This duo is one to keep an eye on in the near future.
Album: There Will Be No Armageddon
[PLAT15]
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After the classic Two full moons and a trout it promised to be excellent, but unfortunately failed to meet my expectations. With only four tracks worth a mention, this debut album from Union Jack is a bit of a half-hearted effort. First a mention for the trance epic 'Two full moons and a trout', which has been around for ages, but I love to bits. Its dreamy flowing chants and massive build-ups make this track a true corker, resulting in it being a big hit at Whirl-Y-Gig. 'Red Herring' and 'Cactus' stand-out as potential crowd pleasers (more big build ups and dreamy break-downs) while 'Water-Drums' is a more ambient affair, flowing water samples and tribal drums, as the title suggests. Check out the 'Red herring' single, the CD version includes a bonus track of a remix of '2 full moons and a trout' by Casper Pound.
12": Cactus
[PLAT9]
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This was the second release ('94) from Union Jack (the first was the Two Full Moons and a Trout / Lollipop Man 12" [Plat6]). Cactus features on the album There will be no Armageddon, whilst on the AA side features Morning Glory, which sounds nothing like any of Union Jacks other material, but is non-the-less rather a good melodic trancer.
Single: 2 Full Moons and a Trout
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Released on 'Rising High' records in '94, this single is brilliant. Including the amazing Casper Pound remix along with a stomping FLF remix, this single is a true gem. The 14" remix which features on the album does not appear on this single, but i'm not complaining since the two Union Jack mixes both offer new angles on this classic track, with the original mix sounding similar to the 14" mix. The 14" mix of Two Full Moons & a Trout was released as a 12" on Platipus Records [PLAT6] with the B-side track Lollipop Man.
Single: Red Herring
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Released on 'Rising High' records in '96, Red Herring gets the full-monty from some big names. The original version of
Red Herring will always be the best in my books, but all of the remixes are worthy competition. Red Herring was also released as a 12" on Platipus Records [PLAT14]. The bonus track of Casper Pounds remix of Two Full Moons is a corker of a remix, coming in three separate chunks that build and build until the final stomping explosion. Unfortunately, this bonus track is only on the CD single and not on the vinyl 12" version of this single.
Single: CockRoach/Yeti
[PLAT36]
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The first release (1/98) from Union Jack in absolute ages! This is the promo 12" that I've got, but there aren't any other mixes included on the formal release.
So, what's it like? Well, it's a lot harder trance than the previous Union Jack material, and it sounds like Claudio Giussani (otherwise known as Terra Ferma) has had more influence on this than Simon Berry. But is it any good? Well, I'm sure this one will go down well in the clubs - both tracks will be real dance floor stormers, with all the usual big build-ups and breakdowns. But I'm not so sure that these two tracks will have the same appeal for home listening that the previous more melodic tracks have. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed, as I was expecting something truly ground breaking, when at the end of the day, both tracks are pretty average. Yeti also appears on the excellent Platipus Compilation Vol3.
Single: Two Full Moons and a Trout (Remixes)
[PLAT42]
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Released 7/99 on Platipus Records. The quality Casper Pound remix that originally featured on the Rising High Records release gets a long overdue release on Platipus. In contrast, the Friends, Lovers & Family Remix can't keep up the pace and proves to be a rather weak remix when compared to the original 14" mix or the Casper Pound remix. However, if you're missing the Casper Pound remix from your collection then this is another chance to grab this gem.
