In the 1990s, one of the biggest acts in Popular Music was The Spice Girls. At the same time was the trend of Eurodance Music, an offshoot of House and Techno generally with vocal performances. Legends of the scene included artists such as 2 Unlimited, although there were many other notable acts from around this time. Enter Australian singer-songwriter Gina G, likely signed to Warner Bros Records for being a bit of a cross between The Spice Girls and Eurodance. Interestingly, the lead single from this album Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit reached UK #1 and also charted on the US Billboard Hot 100. That took some talent. In any case, this album was released on 4 March 1997, likely to capitalise on both the lead single and music trends of the time. The album had some moderate critical and commercial success. Steve Allen produced this album, and the album cover art is of Gina G covered in chocolate icing, shot by photographer David LaChappelle. Let’s warp back to 1997 and take a listen to this album release today, and we shall hope it is an interesting listening experience.

1. Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit – Motiv8 Radio Edit is the main hit from the album. It begins with an irresistable synth melody and launches into a surreal and fantastic EDM Pop masterpiece. Gina G oozes sexuality and attitude throughout, and she is on fire on this tune. A really cool and awesome tune, especially once the chorus hits. Nonetheless, this absolutely sounds great. The perfect mixture of Pop, Eurodance and EDM into one song, this sounds absolutely top. The chorus is memorable and wonderful throughout. The middle eight section is also really brilliant, and this is a purely romantic piece of music people can drink and go crazy to. A winner of a song that is extremely cool and listenable. This is one of the songs that makes the 1990s great. Awesome from start to finish and worth repeat listens.

2. Fresh begins with some crowd chatter and launches into a funk guitar piece with some rather sleazy and dirty lyrics. This is definitely an underrated listen, with some dreamy Pop Music textures and sounds that are articulate and beautiful. A really gorgeous and wonderful tune to listen to, this sounds extremely wonderful and beautiful throughout. Absolutely awesome and pretty musically. This is a very iconic and lovely tune to listen to. A very good listen and undoubtedly underrated for what this is. There is a breakdown with breakbeats and other chanted vocals in the midsection before this nicely progresses on. A worthy addition to this album and a celebratory female lust anthem. A really great tune to hear, this has aged very well. A good combination of Pop Music and EDM sensibilities.

3. Ti Amo is Italian for “I love you” and is a common catchphrase. This begins with some acoustic guitars and launches into a sweet and lovely tune with beats and a decisively European Music flavour to it all. This is a sweet and euphoric tune about being passionately in love, and the music and lyrics may seem simplistic, but it is an anthem for those who feel nostalgic for the 1990s and who are in love. Nonetheless, a winner of a listen that has some variety and finesse to it all. The acoustic Spanish guitars and string section are especially sweet. A good song to hear, this sounds fine, fresh and fantastic throughout. Worth it from start to finish, and a good listen.

4. Every Time I Fall begins with cymbal crashes and is more or less a continuation from the previous track. It sounds a little like a retro 1980s Synth Pop tune, but it sounds quite 1997 in its own way. Gina G sings sweetly on this song, and she sounds erotically motivated, sexual and sensual throughout. A really cool and sweet tune to listen to, this is about being tragically in love. Nonetheless, this tune sounds determined and quite solid for what it is. A good song for lovers to play with each other when feeling nostalgic with glasses of wine, this is absolutely sweet to hear. A cool listen with a glorious string section and acoustic guitars, this sounds extremely well done. Some may dismiss this as cheesy Pop Music, but it definitely has listening potential throughout. A cool listen from start to finish. Touching and beautiful to hear.

5. Follow the Light is next and has some keyboard sounds and has Gina G trying to sound like an African-American Soul singer. This quickly launches into another good song with beats, textures and melodic sounds before launching dramatically into a loud and punchy EDM Pop tune that, quite frankly, sounds really amazing. This is not necessarily about the Christian concept of finding God, but instead is about the ups and downs of life in love. Danceable enough to be enjoyable, this is much better than expected as an album. A really cool and interesting listen throughout. This music is dramatic, decisive and powerful for what it is. This music has far more consistency and promise than anything on the radio today, which says a great deal about the releases of late. There is a Eurodance-styled breakdown with UK Hardcore-styled pianos and chanted vocals throughout. Absolutely awesome to hear. This is a very gorgeous and awesome tune, which, in retrospect, needs more love. A very, very cool listen. Worthy to hear.

6. Gimme Some Love begins with a rush of electronics and quickly enters into another fairly retro tune to listen to. Again, much better than expected and certainly listenable. Gina G was on fire at this point, and she delivers a good and enjoyable Pop Music album that has some interesting sounds and textures to match. This has some influence of early works of The Prodigy, alongside many others out there. A really cool and energetic listening experience from start to finish, this packs more punch than a can of Red Bull or V. It breaks down into a luscious breakdown and continues on very, very nicely. A really awesome and interesting tune to listen to, this music is sensationally wonderful and cool. A good and strong song to hear.

7. Rhythm of My Life begins with an electronic riff and string section, with some head rush electronics, leading into a beatastic and punchy tune. This is a cool song to listen to, provided that you have a fast car that can reach over 100 km per hour. A really sensationally cool and exciting listening experience, this has many 1990s-styled lyrics and references that simply make this music iconic. An awesome Eurodance EDM Pop album with songs and sounds that are dreamlike in sound and orientation, this is extremely cool to hear. Top notch, once again, it has a mixture of sounds and styles packed into each and every song. Very, very cool to hear. This is an album that has power, promise and pride within it. A forward-thinking and awesome tune.

8. Missin’ You Like Crazy begins with the sound of stardust and launches into a heavy bass guitar-led and expressive music ballad. This sounds wonderfully enjoyable and is about missing one’s love from the female perspective. Of course, one can miss an ex-partner from time to time, no matter what the circumstances are. A good listening experience with power, energy and passion throughout. A really lovely and awesome tune, with Gina G wishing her man were with her. Sadly, this music has not had nearly enough attention over the years. This changes here. These are genuinely good songs to listen to. Gina G, without being overly feministic, delivers a reasonable, beautiful and understandable song to listen to, along with all the other songs on this album. A really great and epic song with layers of gorgeous beauty throughout, this is absolutely a winner. An awesome and timely tune, this sounds super cool to hear. Sublime Pop Music and production are present, and this tune is another good one. Worth it from start to finish.

9. I Belong To You – Radio Edit begins with cymbals, a classic Electronic Music set of sounds and beats, and enters into a fantastic song that has some classic sounds and magical music throughout it all. A really cool and lively listening experience, this is some of the best and most underrated Eurodance Pop Music from this era. It sounds electric, eclectic and alive throughout. A party Pop album for those of you who don’t know what the 1990s were about, this sounds extremely cool to hear. A really lively and awesome listen that makes one want to dance with joy and spirit. This is such a cool and inspiring listening experience from start to finish. Joyous and wonderful, this is a killer song. A good listen.

10. Higher Than Love is another upbeat and powerful listen from the start. It sounds like a fast, powerful and interesting tune that has some interesting and joyful sounds from the get-go. Sadly, this album did not get more love at the time. It is, for the most part, a really brilliant and anthemic listen. The music throughout this song is about having a true lust for life and appreciating the best things that love and life have to offer. A really cool and interesting tune to hear. The breakdown is from a romantic and blissful state of mind, which sounds absolutely cool. Sweet, joyous and cool, Gina G was a real Pop icon of the 1990s. Absolutely a wonderful tune to hear, this sounds like a great combination of music, power and energy. Enjoyable to the full, and truly sweet to hear.

11. It Doesn’t Mean Goodbye is the last main song on this album. Gina G sings some multitracked harmonies before some truly awesome breakbeats enter, and this launches into another good but emotional song about breaking up. This sounds like a descriptively moody and emotional song about the ups and downs of love. This is matched by intelligent and neat electronic beats and textures throughout. A really cool and tuneful listen, this sounds extremely sweet and touching. It’s a good song for those of you who may be in some emotional pain in a relationship. A piano solo is in the middle of this song, and it sounds very inspired. A really cool and interesting song to listen to, although the electronic sound sample that is like a mock Theremin could have been chucked. Nonetheless, a very good listen that possibly could have been trimmed, but it’s very good and hopeful nonetheless. A good but overly lengthy listen. There is a saxophone solo that sounds really quite sweet in the outro of this song. A very good listen, warts and all. A nice way to wrap up the main section of this album, with the saxophone soloing away into infinity, and Gina G stating the song title.

12. Ooh Aah…Just A Little Bit – Motiv8 Vintage Honey Mix is the remix of the main song from this album. It begins with some laser precision melodies and builds up gradually into an unusual remix with pounding 4/4 beats to match. This is good, but honestly, not as good as the original Pop hit. It has some liquid Acid House sounds and enters into an extended remix of the original song. A different and quirky tune, this launches into a moodier and different alteration of the original hit. Honestly, this isn’t as good as the original song, and it carves up the chorus, sadly. EDM heads may enjoy this, but others will not. All the same, the music at hand is okay, but one need not hear this at this point. This nearly seven-minute long piece is difficult to get into and destroys the original intent of the song. Some music ideas are good, and some are not. This is the latter. All in all, quite a disappointing remix that doesn’t need to be here. This lacks energy, interest and suspense. It is also a drag, going on for way past its welcome. A build-up ensues in the second half of this track, and it continues on for some time, not sounding that wonderful, to be fair. A sour note on this album that isn’t needed for an otherwise good release. In any case, this wraps up slowly and gradually after six minutes and 45 seconds. A drag.

This album is mostly a very good listen, with the exception of the bogus bonus track. In fact, it is likely one of the lost gems of the 1990s, mixing in female sensibilities, Pop structures, EDM sounds and Eurodance influences. This is a rewarding experience that sets it apart from not just the music of its time, but from the mostly mediocre Popular Music of today. Should you listen to this album? If you want to be surprised by an album from 1997 that does surprisingly well, this is a good-to-go album. If you prefer Rock guitars, then this is probably not for you.

Surprisingly and consistently fresh.

8/10