Various Artists - North by North-west

I spotted this on the carboot, in a box of fairly unremarkable LPs: a white label compilation with the words 'rave1' and 'rave2' scrawled in biro on the two sides. Having never heard of any of the artists represented, I guessed it was worth a 50p punt on the off-chance of it being ok (or brilliant, although that's far rarer).

Normally on these occasions, the internet is my friend for finding out about the artists - but there's nothing - no mention of the album anywhere, and only two of the artists had any presence online at all: Manc rap crew Stylus Control released the song included here as a 12", and Cola Nile's voice is familiar to millions who've enjoyed Voodoo Ray (I think - even this is pretty vague). But that's it - there's no info on any of the other artists on the compilation anywhere... I think I've dated it to 1990, but can't be completely sure...

Info on any of these artists would be awesome, so please comment if you know 'em - the tracklisting is:

rave1
Nikki Jackson: Awesome
Antonio: Paradiso
Random Numbers: No Ego
The Menace Orchestra: Saxophrenia
Stylus Control: Bring the Horns Back

rave2
Cola Nile: Call Me
Tough Company: Nowhere to Run
Billy Boy Junior: Infatuation
Asay: Sunburst
0898: Hotline
DKBS: Sequence

For me, standout tracks are Random Numbers - No Ego (an expansive end-of-night instrumental), Stylus Control - Bring the Horns Back (big & beaty hip-hop dancefloor fodder - finishes with a fine manc accented lad saying 'nice one, that's sweet that is') Asay - Sunburst (rave stacks vs squidgy acid) and DKBS - Sequence (burbling Detroit synth, unexpected electro break + piano stabs = win). It's all worth a listen though, and strikes me as a fascinating document of underground electronic music in the north west after the acid house boom... but don't take my word for it.

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