A big trance tune from 2002/03 is the revamp of Pink Floyd's 'One of These Days' by Haldolium. Psychedelic rock anybody? Released as a rare picture disc on Free Form Records, its also available on Free Forms compilation 'Free Expression'.

Magic, ecstasy and humor are world wide conceptions and also the leading elements in the world music of Sweden's most popular folk music band ever, Hedningarna. They have so far released three albums, of which two, 'Kaksi' and 'Trä', have been released via Silence Records (internationally released by Xource). Kruspolska, from the album 'Hedingarna', was released as a cd/12" single, and remixed by British DJ/mixer Sasha, becoming a world music dance classic.

John Wardle, an innovative bass player, began his career with Public Image Limited. Previously he had been known as one of the 'four Johns' who hung around Malcolm McLaren's 'Sex' boutique. Heavily influenced by the experimental rhythms of bands like 'Can', his input to 'PiL's Metal Box' collection inspired in turn many novice post-punk bass players. '83 saw him joining with his hero Holger Czukay and U2's The Edge for 'Snake Charmer', before he put together the Human Condition, a group specializing in free-form jazz and dub improvisation. When he began listening to North African, Arabic and Romany music, he was inspired to pick up his bass once more. It was 1987 when he met guitarist Justin Adams, who had spent much of his early life in Arab countries. Their bonding resulted in Wobble putting together Invaders Of The Heart, with producer Mark Ferda on keyboards. After tentative live shows they released 'Without Judgement' in the Netherlands, where Wobble had maintained cult popularity. As the late 80s saw a surge in the fortunes of dance and rhythmic expression, Invaders Of The Heart and Wobble suddenly achieved a surprise return to the mainstream. This was spearheaded by 1990's 'Bomba', remixed by Andy Weatherall on the fashionable Boy's Own Records. This was quickly followed by Invaders Of The Heart's 'Rising Above Bedlam', in turn featuring contributions from O'Connor (the dance hit, 'Visions Of You') and Natacha Atlas. Wobble's creative renaissance has continued into the 90s, with Invaders Of The Heart slowly building a formidable live reputation and releasing a series of infectious, upbeat albums for Island Records. He collaborated with Brian Eno on 1995's Spanner, and then released a series of concept albums exploring subjects as diverse as William Blake and Celtic poetry.

Joi are the brothers Farook and Haroon Shamsher and having been on the global dance scene for many years, Djing and producing their own unique blend of Asian dance music. Unfamiliar to most, yet good friends of all those at Whirl-Y-Gig, Megatripolis and The Big Chill, where the uplifting classic Everybody Say Yeah still gets the same response it did five years ago. They won NME single of the week for the amazing Desert Storm and Spiritual Get-Together. Since then releases were a tad sparse, with Bangladeshi on Nation Records and then a promo of Fingers on Real World Records. However, in '99 they released a storming debut album titled 'One and One is One' on Real World Records (and Astralwerks in the USA), featuring a selection of revamped older tracks and some quality new tracks. Only months later Haroon Shamsher tragically died, although his brother Farook has vowed to continue with the band and the Joi Sound System. The Whirl-Y-Waves Compilation also features Joi's Fulfilment in Dub.

Mainman Ben Watkins, an ex Orb and KLF collaborator, mixes maverick guests like Natacha Atlas and South African percussionist Mabi Thobejane into the heart of the beat. To date there are four albums, 'Transmissions' (on NovaMute - 1993), 'Luciana' (on Inter-Modo 1994), 'Beyond the Infinite' (on Blue Room Released Records in the UK and Hypnotic in the USA - 1996) and 'Bible of Dreams' (on Blue Room Released Records in the UK and Wax Trax in the USA - 1997). A current Whirly fave is God is God, released as a single and taken from the album 'Bible of Dreams'. Nick Burton's stomping live drums are fuelled by Natacha Atlas's unmistakable chants and wails and the haunting judgmental spoken "God is God" vocal by Wolfgang. At full throttle a mix of eastern elements blend with Indian battle cries - played at full volume this one lifts the roof. A more recent Whirly fave is the single Pistolero, which is a Balearic number with an uplifting chant and Spanish Guitars.

'Cosmic' is a global dance gem from Germany, combining catchy chants, a soothing oboe melody in the midtrack breakdown and a really bouncy beat. The chants have been used before in the Deep Forest single 'Madazulu', but here they are put to better use.

A superb slice of pounding trance is "Experience" by Mike Koglin, that features on the single "The Silence" on Multiply Records.

Land of my Mothers are a Welsh Jungle / Drum 'n Bass group that have played live at Whirl-Y-Gig and WOMAD. Releases include the singles Tra Di Di [12" / '96] and DIS-UK [white label 12" / '97], with mixes from Future Loop Foundation, and the '95 album titled 'HEN WLAD FY MAMAU'. Tra Di Di also features on the compilations 'LOST IN SPACE Phase 00:02' and 'Diamond Jungle Collection Volume 1', whilst the track In This Dis-United Kingdom (telyn mix) appears on 'WOMAD LIVE AT RIVERMEAD 1996' (released 1997).

Another oldie from the Shoreditch days was 'Mediterranea'. It was an early evening slowie with Spanish style guitar. Similar in style to Atatulpa and Band of Gypsies.

Back in the Shoreditch days a regular on the playlist was 'Soul Limbo' by LBW. This classic was based around the old BBC cricket theme tune, originally by Booker T & the MG's. The crowd went wild.

Our hallucinogenic aquatic reptile friend is non other than Gavin Murphy, a new comer to the global dance scene and a very good friend of mine. His music is an intelligent fusion of drum and bass and global vibes, with forthcoming material said to be influenced by Shamanic samples. Currently LTT has two tracks on the Whirl-Y-Gig playlist, one a upbeat peaktime track and a second, 'The Sacred Vine', which is a classic parachute track that now features on the second Whirl-Y-Waves album, 'Global Grooves'.

187 Lockdown are Danny Harrison and Julian Jonah. They present their music in a mixmash of styles, described as speed garage by some. The Balearic tinged radio edits of the singles 'Gunman' and 'The Don' have been played at Whirly over recent years.

Lionrock is Justin Robertson, rapper M.C Buzz B and engineer Mark Stagg. Robertson made fame from DJing and from a string of early singles and superb remixes including the Whirly oldie Intoxication by React II Rhythm. The early Lionrock singles Tripwire and Carnival were also a favourite at Whirl-Y-Gig.

The only release that I know of by Heliopolis is this wonderful tribal trancer, Kintamani, which was released on Nation Records in '94 on 12". The two mixes to write home about are the Hanoman's Forest mix and the Cryogenic mix, both of which are full on dance floor, drum laiden stompers. Incidentally, Kintamani is a mountain resort in Bali over looking Lake Batur.

Infernal are a pop duo from Denmark with a heavy Turkish element to their music. The sublime 'Mizkett' from their album 'Muzaik' is a parachute classic from 2003.

A recent track played at Whirl-Y-Gig is the '97 DJ Taucher remix of Te-Quiro by Intrance, which is one of those banging trancey tunes that gets a huge response every time its played. Unfortunately its another German release and is pretty difficult to find in the UK, so your best bet is to search the German/Belgium sections of second hand record shops.

Jam and Spoon is the combined talents of German dance wizards Jam El Mar (Rolf Ellmer; a classically trained musician, producer and remixer, and has also worked with Dance 2 Trance) and Mark Spoon (Markus Löffel; a DJ from Frankfurt). Throughout their three albums (Tripomatic Fairytales 2001, Tripomatic Fairytales 2002 & Kaleidoscope) American born Plavka features as vocalist. Uplifting Flamenco and Spanish guitars often feature in their music, as found in the Whirly oldie Right in the Night and more recently El Baile. Jam and Spoon are also responsible for the superb Watch Out for the Stella remix of the Age of Love's Age of Love, which is another golden oldie fave at Whirl-Y-Gig that still gets played to this day.

James Asher, is a recording artist, composer, producer and musician based in Shepherds Bush, London. His first commercial album, 'The Great Wheel', topped the English New Age chart on and off for a period of two years. The second album, 'Globalarium', fuses different world music styles and has been used by BBC1's 'The Clothes Show'. The third album, 'Dance of the Light', reverts to the New Age style and having been released worldwide by New Earth records has been popularly received. The forth album, 'Feet in the Soil', is an uplifting celebration of danceable energies centred in the earth. Rhythms of an infectious, hypnotic and tribal quality provide the frameworks for the music, which draws much from Aboriginal and African inspiration. It features the single Pemulwuy, a current Whirly fave. More recently are the albums 'Tiger of the Raj', featuring the Whirly track Temple Gates, and 'Tigers of the Remix', which is a compilation of remixes of James Ashers work by other artists.

A recent track played by Monkey Pilot is the awesome Qattara remix of Yim by Jez and Choopie. It's a superb trancer, with a hands-in-the-air mid-track breakdown that'll make your spine tingle. Released '98 on Multiply Records as a CD single and 12".

Dreadlocked Josh Wink gave us the superb Higher States of Consciousness, and commercialised the acid tweaking 303 in the process (and single handedly boosted the sales of the Roland 303 at the same time!). Whilst predominantly a mainstream clubland track, Higher States... was played whilst Whirly was at Hammersmith.

Another superb Dutch trancer that I gave Monkey Pilot is Endless Wave by the Kamaya Painters (aka DJ Tiesto). It was released as a 12" on the Ministry of Sounds 'Data' label and on Holland's 'Black Hole Recordings'. It also features on a few recent ('99) trance compilations.

Kangaroo Moon is Mark Robson's Australian band, featuring Elliet Mackrell (violin, guitar, vocals and percussion), Daffyd Secombe Williams (balalaika, bouzouki, guitar, percussion and vocals), Matthew Mutant Ledgar (congas, drums, dumbek, clothes peg and percussion) and of course Mark Robson (whistles, didgeridoo, keyboards, vocals and percussion). Their first album, recorded at The Music Suite, is titled 'Bagpipes on the Beach' and is described as an exciting mixture of Australian and Celtic music performed by four of the finest musicians to come out of Australia. This album, produced by Adrian Wagner and Kangaroo Moon, retains all the feel of their energetic live performances. Ambient Whirly tracks are No-One's Slave and The 1000 Richest People, both of which were released on a white label 12". No-One's Slave also features on the '92 tape only album 'Kangaroo Moon Live'.

'Eku Egbemi' was a brilliant West African dance tune (on Torso Records) MP played for many years. Quite dancey but with that great uplifting plinky guitar / kora vibe you only get in African music. Quality African singing as well. Thanks to Jonathan Edwards for this information.

First Madge made an appearance on the Whirly playlist, and then I stumbled upon this bootleg of Kylie Minogues 'Slow', so it was only fair that Kylie got a look-in at Whirly too. Some anonymous bootleggers produced a white label vinyl featuring two trance mixes of 'Slow' under the artist title of Slow with a catalogue number of ARSE 1. It's the shorter of the two mixes, which focused the track into a trance gem, that's played at whirly.

A Shoreditch classic is 'Tequila' which is based around an instrumental version of the Depeche Mode track 'Just Can't Get Enough'. Loaded with 'Tequila' samples, this is samba heaven (in a very cheesy sense).

Lemon breath fresh life into downbeat and chillout music, with their brassy, kitsch, summer fuelled vibes. They are regulars at Club Montepulciano, a lounge/cocktail bar in London. Their aptly titled 'Fresh EP' features the wonderful 'Adventures in Stereo' which features on Whirly Waves Vol.2 Global Grooves.

How can one describe a band that mixes middle eastern drum beats, deconstructed dance music, pop culture samples, transcendental remixes, ambient jungle rhythms and more chanting than the monks of Tibet? There are only two words: Loop Guru. Their first recorded collaborations were the singles, Mrbet in '92 and Paradigm Shuffle in '93, both on Nation Records. Both were voted Single of the Week by British weeklies NME and Melody Maker. Their third single Sus-san-tics was followed by their first full length release Duniya in '94 and a second album in '96 entitled Amrita...all these and the Japanes Soup Warrior. Tracks like the techno-dance hybrid Yayli and the ambient slow burn Fumi are examples of the disparate yet cohesive element that make up Loop Guru's unique sound.