This was a breakthrough album in the world of EDM to the mainstream music-loving masses. Sash! is a German EDM production duo, that released some significantly and musically important singles around this time of the 1990s, namely Encore Une Fois, Ecuador and Stay. These were all successes in their own right. This album is a double album that runs well over two hours, just like one of The Lord Of The Rings films. Therefore, some patience will be needed to listen to this album. Without further hesitation, let’s take a quick look into a very important release of the 1990s in the world of Electronic Music.

Mighty Break is a six-minute-long opening piece. It begins with some bleeps, shuffle-styled percussion and keyboard washes. Instantly, this sounds amazing, particularly as 4/4 drum beats enter. A straightforward yet pounding tune. Soon enough, this launches into a very, very good Hard House-styled piece that sounds effortlessly brilliant. This no doubt would sound great live, or through a set of huge speakers. A joyful, interesting and excellent listen throughout, this sounds extremely wicked, in a good way of course. This, despite being released decades ago at this point, sounds very good. A really excellent and inspired tune to listen to. In the middle is a breakdown, with rolling Roland drums and other interesting textures to boost this piece along. The breakdown is designed for full listening impact and sounds absolutely brilliant and exciting. Shortly into it, the music resumes and we are back into full-on nightclub mode. A really cool and interesting tune to hear, this points out the quality of Sash! at the time and their own music respectively. A cool tune from start to finish, and this is a strong start to this album. It ends oddly.

The Final Pizzi is another long tune that begins with synth strings, and a persistent melody and launches into a cool and decent listening experience. This is again fairly lengthy at over five minutes in length. Soon enough, the drumrolls launch this tune into party mayhem and we are underway in style here. A fresh, fun and interesting listening experience is present throughout. A really awesome tune for any music fan to really enjoy, this is super sweet. Various Electronic sounds and patches are here throughout. Towards the middle are some neat melodic progressions for the listener to enjoy. This, without a doubt, sounds really fantastic and danceable, to this very day. Unlike many other 1990s efforts by EDM artists, this has barely dated at all and still sounds really great. The music here is very loveable and anthemic. A winner of a tune from start to finish. This sounds extraordinarily cool and has some repeated drum rolls and fresh melodies throughout. It gradually wraps up at the end with a gentle conclusion and a short fade out.

Cheating Twister begins with some odd melodies and is a reference to the popular game that is prevalent in Western culture. Drumrolls enter, and this tune gets going. Bouncing beats and quirky melodies are present in this tune, making for an adventurous and exciting listening experience. Really cool and different, it has a ton of Trance Music-based progressions, but in a House Music sounding format. Very different, but very, very good. This is the EDM album that you need to hear when you want some 1990s nostalgia musically. This is very well-created, crafted and structured music. In the midsection are some inspired and truly wonderful sounds that are top-class and very original indeed. The second half has banging beats, interesting textures and plenty of musical momentum present. A really great, cool and interesting music listening experience. Towards the end, some looping builds up a frenzy of really cool sounds and listening. A really amazing tune to hear. The beats in the outro are really fantastic, too. An excellent tune.

Stay features La Trec. It begins with anthemic strings and female vocals illustrating a Trance-based tune, before quickly launching into a very good piece of music to listen to. A great and nicely melodic tune, this doesn’t sound like the other tunes prior to it on the album. However, it does hold up with quality and consistency musically. A really cool listen in any case, this is music for Ecstasy lovers to play on crazy nights out with friends and such. Nonetheless, this is a good DJ-styled track that is powerful, emotional and moving. Although it is a deep and meaningful sort of tune, it is matched by brilliant sounds and pounding beats in a musical frenzy. All the same, this is a killer tune that sounds like something that can open the imagination as such. A sonic trip through inner space, this is something that will touch your soul, especially upon hearing it for the first time. A really fantastic tune from start to finish. Great and grand, and a good musical story about heartbreak. Really cool.

Sweat features La Trec, again. It begins with some very tasty and interesting textures musically. Hi-hats and percussion enter quickly, and we are underway here. This is a really awesome listen, from the start. It launches into a mayhem of beats, textures and a fantastic listening experience overall. Soon enough, this reaches an interesting climax and has some fantastic singing from the guest star here. This is a stunning and awesome tune that makes you listen in anticipation of every millisecond here. It is simply that good. A really interesting, colourful and euphoric musical experience, this is a real winner of a tune. It just sounds very otherworldly and perfectly done, down to every single musical detail. There are some really tripped-out and awesome musical textures from start to finish on this tune, and this is definitely surprisingly amazing. A trip through sound and what one can experience in an Electronic Music styled context. It still sounds great, many decades later. The music is really cool here, and it sounds miraculous and marvellously joyful. A great, great tune. Definitely worth it, all the way through to the ending. 100% worth hearing with many original sounds and textures throughout.

Hoopster is quite long at nearly seven minutes in length. It begins with some super slowed-down vocals and has some electronic string sections quickly enter the tune. This quickly builds up to an interesting tune that sounds like a nice take on Jungle/Drum and Bass here. It is definitely an interesting piece of music to listen to, and the female vocals here are really sweet and pleasant listening. A great listen throughout. This quirky and killer tune has been overlooked in the history of music. The Amen-style drum breaks and string sections certainly make for a quirky and different musical listening experience. Regardless, this sounds extremely decent musically, and really cool as well simultaneously. The music on this particular track is quirky, interesting and different throughout. The melodies and great sense of rhythm on this track make for a very timeless listen. A cool tune from start to finish, this is a great example of sample-based editing that works extremely well for the listener. These guys must have had some good stuff to smoke in their spare time. In any case, this music is really good for what it is. An imaginative, interesting and fun listening experience at hand, this is really cool and extraordinarily good. It is a little lengthy, but sounds phenomenal, even today. Good work, and great to hear.

It’s My Life begins with some interesting and rhythmic hand claps, followed by some matching hi-hats and percussion. This is good, once again and quickly progresses into a good and anthemic tune. The tune quickly emerges to be quite a good piece, even if this is not the strongest on this album release. Some moody synth strings emerge in the background, which are excellent. The sounds and textures present are very amazing and futuristic. Some liquid Acid textures enter nicely, along with some good singing present and some momentum about it. A good tune, although this may be considered a bit too minimal for some listeners out there. Regardless, this does sound deep and interesting musically. However, the minimalism of this particular track means that there is little to be enthusiastic here. It is essentially a six-minute-long listening experience that could have been shortened. Regardless, this is a good listen, just not as good as expected. Really great to hear all the same, there have been worse songs and albums made in the history of music out there. An awesome and tuneful piece of musical craft, this does sound worthy and interesting for this album. A good listen, but perhaps not the greatest one, again. The textures and melodicism are quite nice to hear, having said that. Decent, but not phenomenal. The long outro finishes this off well.

Encore Une Fois is the original recording, not the most popular version of the track. It sounds very different, with some interesting sounds at the start and a spoken French introduction by a lady. This is a deep and different listen, and it quickly launches into a Hard House-styled tune, of which the style musically was quite popular at the time. It is quite catchy, quirky and enjoyable enough to experience. It gradually builds into a decent and fun melodically oriented tune, with a classic melody throughout. For anyone who has been to a nightclub or rave and popped an Ecstasy tablet, you will understand this sort of music at hand. It is interesting, well-structured and a great melodic tune to listen to and enjoy. It does sound very different to the remix that was popular at the time and has many high-energy peaks and troughs. There are some sexual-sounding female vocals in the middle, still in French of course. These gradually build up to a sensational climax, and the music is thoroughly enjoyable regardless. A killer tune and groove throughout. The French lyrics return in the second half to accompany this interesting and melodic House Music-based tune. A really cool listen, this builds up and breaks down, sounding like the sort of tune one could have sex to. Regardless, this is a good listen and maintains interest throughout the entire tune. Good to hear, once again. It winds out in an extended minimal way, before finishing with a delayed vocal.

Ecuador features Rodriguez and is the last track on the main album. It begins with spacey and anthemic strings and has some Spanish to begin with. It quickly launches into another Hard House-styled anthem which is excellent and heavy on beats. This is another good original that was not as popular as the remixes, but it still sounds classic and anthemic in its own way. It breaks into a cool and different tune with a glorious hard Acid patch, piano and numerous Roland TR-808 styled drum rolls. It quickly progresses into a piano-led piece of dancefloor glory that sounds ridiculously cool. Not bad for an original tune, it still retains beauty, melodicism and excellence throughout its time. Very enjoyable and cool to listen to. It does sound very wonderful indeed. A cool tune that has a great manner of sounds, textures and style to it. The sounds are quite fresh sounding, to this very day. If you need a time warp back to the EDM scene of 1997, then this is a good starting point for that. It does sound irresistibly fun. Towards the end, the tune winds up with some good percussion in the way of 4/4 beats and other sounds, before gradually ending. Nice.

It’s My Life – Natural Born Grooves Remix is the first of the remixes. It begins with a heavy 4/4 beat, and some additional musical sounds and begins to build up nicely with some good melodies and handclaps. A really interesting take on an original tune, this confirms the album as something you can easily dance all night long to. The main track melody quickly enters, and this tune gains momentum throughout. Cut-up vocals and Trance Music based musical sounds and structures enter, and this really starts to sound fantastic. A masterclass in digital sounds and editing is here, and this tune really begins to come alive here. It has a melodic climax in the middle of it, which is different. Rat-a-tat drum rolls enter, and this tune progresses along nicely. A cool and interesting listening experience throughout, the drum rolls persist as an additional musical texture throughout. The melodic textures seep in and out of earshot, to be followed by a gradual progression throughout. A good listen, and although this may be seen as merely filler, it is interesting music. It wraps up in a very minimal way, before gradually finishing off.

Encore Une Fois – Future Breeze Mix is the extended mix of one of the main hit singles from this album. It begins with a French introduction, and quickly launches into a better-sounding remodelling of the original tune. It sounds great from the start and is a great selection for DJ mixes. It slowly builds up in a really great and groovy fashion, which sounds amazing and brilliant throughout. It enters into fresh musical territory with hi-hats, pounding beats, fantastic melodies and a sense of awe and ecstasy. A really great listening experience to hear, this sounds very amazing. It quickly has a breakdown with some interesting sounds and a very exciting musical progression present. It gets to a euphoric level, before hitting the main melodic section, which is unforgettably great upon listening. The future of music was here in a way, although it was back in 1997. This is a great tune and something any EDM fan should take note of. Nonetheless, it does sound great. A really cool and different listening experience, this sounds monumental for what it is. A really awesome tune to listen to without prejudice or judgement, this is great for what it is. Towards the end, the main melodic section returns and you should be headbanging or going absolutely nuts to this track. A great, great listen. An impressive and fantastic listen from start to finish. It ends after six minutes, a glorious tune.

Ecuador – Bruce Wayne Mix begins with some processed vocals and cut-up beats. It quickly launches into a very different remix of the original tune. Again, this is fairly minimal, which is not overly appealing to some listeners, but it is a good listen from the start. Soon enough, it launches into a decent and quirky remix that sounds awesome. It sounds quite good, even if this is not the most popular version of the tune itself. Regardless, it is straightforward and good EDM from a House Music basis that should impress. Some glittering guitar sounds are here in the breakdown, followed by some interesting melodies and Roland drum rolls. A good listening experience, even if it is not as well-liked as other tunes on this half of the album. There is a breakdown in the second half of the track, followed by some heavy sonic progressions and drum rolls galore. A good listen, although not the real star of the show here. Still, it works very well as a tune. Pounding and euphoric sounding, this does sound incredibly decent. It does go on for over five minutes but retains melodicism and interest throughout. Good remix by Bruce Wayne. It gradually ends with a finalisation of the elements of the track.

Encore Une Fois – Future Breeze Edit is the main version of the track that was a massive hit at the time. Again, it begins with French and launches quickly into a good listening experience that speeds up the whole listening process of this remix. It is a great version of a great tune, and quickly launches into the main section of the track that should have made for many crazy nights across the world. It sounds brilliant because it is brilliant. A short, yet sweet listening experience that sounds incredibly fun and good listening, all under four minutes of running time. If you have to hear a tune from this album that is a short example from it, this is the one. A fun and good reflection of the better side of the 1990s. This should be on every single DJ’s list out there for a tune to mix it. It is simply that good. Towards the end, this keeps the main melody of the track going, before concluding well. Ingenious.

Encore Une Fois – Merlyn & Chuck Mellow Mix begins unusually with some Techno/Acid textures. It quickly launches into a strange remix of the original tune here, before heavy 4/4 kick drum beats enter the scene. This is quirky, to say the least. Still, it sounds good but different. It has some strange melodicism and textures throughout, sounding a bit like Ministry, in fact. Regardless, this is a good side remix of the original tune, even if it is not as popular as the other tunes out there. The sounds throughout are quite different, and this is an adventurous listening experience. Nonetheless, this does sound really great. With pulsating energy and pounding beats throughout, this is a Techno-styled remix of the original tune that isn’t as good as it could be. Still, it adds a bit of character to this long album release and sounds different. The vocals here in the second half are extra suspenseful and enjoyable, just before this enters a liquid-sounding frenzy of musical madness. Nonetheless, this does sound really great and excellent for what it is. Towards the end, the music gradually becomes more minimal and wraps up nicely. A good but somewhat lacking remix. Edited vocals conclude this tune well.

Encore Une Fois – La Casa Di Tokapi Mix is another remix that begins with some Acid patches. It sounds like a ton of reverb and other sound effects are being placed into the mix, and this particular is more of the same by this point of the album. It has some different melodies and sounds, but aside from that, this particular mix is not that great or appealing. It just lacks character and is a bit disappointing to listen to. Regardless, it’s okay but one would have hoped for a better-sounding remix at hand. It’s okay but if you have to start skipping tracks, now might be the time to do so. A good listen but far and away from being a great listen. It has an interesting breakdown in the second half of the track, with the vocals resuming and the track sounding fairly uninspired. It’s okay, but there have been better remixes on both this album and elsewhere. Fairly naff, to be frank. A bit dull and not really necessary here, but nonetheless, it is okay. But only okay. It gradually wraps up with a winding down of the track elements and a repeated melody. Fairly ordinary, to be honest.

Stay – Armand Van Helden Soul Solution Remix begins with thumping beats, and washes of hi-hats and is a step up here in terms of musicianship. It sounds upbeat, punchy and incredibly interesting. A tremendous amount of great remixing is here, and it sounds completely different to everything else on this album so far. A really great and cool listening experience is present here, and it has some memorable and interesting melodies throughout. Cut-up vocals and other interesting sounds and textures are present here. This eventually continues on in a minimal Underworld-styled fashion and sounds incredibly different in its own way. This is an adventurous remix that is a really tripped-out and melodic listen throughout. It sounds incredibly good. The vocal sample present is well suited to the remix at hand, and this is a very magical and interesting listen. Certainly, a good remix, even if this is not as well recognised as other EDM tunes on this album, it does work very nicely throughout. This sounds fresh, interesting and different for what it is. A really different and dynamic tune, this sounds like a good step in the right direction musically for the world of music at the time. It eventually changes into a minimal yet interesting listening experience throughout the second half of the track that makes you want to watch The Matrix. A very cool tune throughout, this possibly could have been cut down a little length-wise, but despite that, this works very well. A good listening experience that has some different musical elements to it, it does sound interesting throughout. Worth listening to, despite the fact that this is well over seven minutes in length. Good to hear. It ends with some whooshes.

Stay – 2 Phunky People Remix begins with some basic 4/4 beats and hi-hats, before “Stay!” is proclaimed and this tune goes into a Hard House styled piece with Techno vibes about it. Drumrolls enter, and we lead into an upbeat yet excellently minimal tune. It sounds really sweet and excellent musically and is a good example of the EDM scene and sounds of the 1990s. It launches into a bittersweet breakdown that sounds really cool. It makes the original tune come alive in its own way but works nonetheless. A good and interesting listen, although this has elements of Trance Music about it as well. It leads into a good beat-heavy section of music that has minor key melodies galore and is a strange listening experience overall. It does sound good regardless. This tune has many peaks and troughs musically, so to speak. Still, it is the work of disco biscuits and other similar drugs, propelling this along. A very good listening experience, through and through. This is about dreaming of someone who one loves and longs for. A great listen that is worthy of any EDM fan’s attention. A supercharged and interesting tune, and something different to hear. Good nonetheless.

Stay – Boris & Beck Remix begins with some warped and interesting science fiction-styled sounds throughout. Some rapid-fire percussion and handclaps enter, which sound quite different. A great and awesome listen emerges as heavy 4/4 beats enter, and this tune really comes alive. This sounds very different to the original and the other remixes present on this album. It has looped vocals and sounds quirky in its own way. This is over seven minutes long, so strap yourselves in. This tune gradually evolves as a piece and sounds like a spacecraft of tunes hovering through the human listening experience. A cool listening experience, this sounds very fresh and different. The breakdown sounds intense, science fiction and Techno based here, and it actually sounds brilliantly euphoric. It sounds super excellent and like an unusual take on a classic EDM tune. It is a good and different remix musically that shows some good promise throughout. Regardless, this track alone sounds like a sweet listening experience that should not necessarily be ignored. If a flaw exists, this tune is rather repetitive. In the second half, there is a vocal-led breakdown, followed by more science fiction Techno based sounds. A really awesome and excellent piece of remixing, even if it does go on for some time. A really great and interesting listen as a musical sidenote. It does get a little repetitive to listen to in an intellectual way, however. The ending is quite trippy and fades out nicely.

Stay – The Lisa Marie Vocal Experience is rather lengthy at nearly nine minutes long. It begins with some basic beats and escalates nicely into a good and interesting remix that is varied enough and different. It quickly builds up into a frenzy of cut-up sounds, beats and melodies galore. It sounds very intense and different to the original tune present. It sounds like a musical fantasy because it is. With an element of Progressive EDM about it, this is totally different than you’d expect. By this point in time, the remixes aren’t totally necessary here. This tune eventually breaks down into a good sounding remodelling of the original track and sounds very colourful and intense in its musical ways. The vocal take here is really fantastic, and it does sound really pretty, fantastic and musically different on this track. It is a real musical adventure for the senses, although this isn’t really needed to listen to by this point of the album. It would have been better for Sash! to release these as B-Sides and to cherry-pick the mixes that were the best for the album. The vocal cut is very Pop, yet it comes across as an unnecessary mix that drags on well past its welcome. There is a breakdown in the second half with sirens, Ambient Techno sounds and other interesting noises galore before the 4/4 kick drum beats return. The second half is slightly more interesting and has some varied and diverse EDM sounds to it. It sounds really awesome in some ways, even if it is flogging a dead musical purpose horse here. Regardless, it goes on, much too long and to be seriously taken as enjoyable. Towards the end, it mixes a decent amount of EDM beats, textures and vibes before it finally reaches its conclusion, after nearly nine minutes of this music. Rather unnecessary, to be frank.

Ecuador – Future Breeze Mix begins with the original vocals and decent Acid House based patches here. It has some 4/4 beats enter, along with hi-hats and handclaps. The purpose of this album is wearing a bit thin by this point, but this remix is quite good for what it is anyway. Some Trance Music-styled melodies quickly enter here, and this tune, fortunately, is a lot shorter than some of the cuts before it. A breakdown occurs with a 1960s organ based melody before other sounds are placed in the background of this tune. This is interesting but points to the fact that a second side of mostly unnecessary remixes of this album really isn’t necessary here. This particular remix itself is nothing special, and it sounds like the album has run its course by this point. Also, this particular remix is fairly predictable as well. Regardless, this is okay but lacks a real wow factor to it. Fortunately, you can choose to skip this cut, and you probably won’t regret it, either. Towards the end are some interesting sounds but nothing extremely outstanding here. Good, but not fantastic. Fortunately, it eventually ends after some time.

Ecuador – Original Radio Edit is the most popular track on the entire double album. It begins with some screamed Spanish and launches into a cut-down and concise listen of the original tune. It isn’t as good as you’d expect though, and sounds really like a mainstream 1990s tune that was easily forgotten. Nonetheless, it is a better listen than most of the extended remixes on this album. It just lacks character and wow factor, and as we reach towards the end of this lengthy double album, isn’t really necessary listening. Some hard Acid House sounds are present in the second half of the tune, which makes this a different listening experience. Good to hear, but again, nothing overly special here.

Ecuador – Klubbheads Mix is the final track on this album. It begins with some spacey sounds and unusual tribal beats galore. It quickly launches into quite a good piece of music with punchy beats and hi-hats galore. This eventually has some extra melodies enter into it, and it sounds quite good as a result. Eventually, a breakdown with synth strings occurs and slowed-down vocals from the original tune are here. Soon enough, this tune launches into more beats and a rather average piece of music throughout. This isn’t an overly inspired piece of music, just merely a remix musically. Therein lies the problem with having a second half of a double album with only remixes, it gets tiresome after a while. It’s an okay listen, but nothing too special here. There is a breakdown in the second half of the tune, with some fragments of music and musicality throughout. The music goes seemingly on and on by this point. Regardless, this is barely okay this tune, there is not that much of a difference between this and your average remix in general. This becomes rather an irritating fact towards the end of this tune, although this is a decent piece of music overall by itself. Eventually, this ends with beats and percussion, wrapping up after six and a half minutes. We finally finish up here.

This is an album that is fairly hit-and-miss overall. There are some good tracks and some fairly average DJ-based remixes as well. Therefore, this doesn’t work out to have a lengthy lifespan musically and in many respects, it fails. However, it did plant the seeds of the music future of Hard House, Trance and EDM in general. Should you listen to this album? Not really, unless you are absolutely prepared to skip some tracks throughout.

A fairly average 1990s EDM album.

5/10