"Here I Go" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited. It was co-written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels and was released in March 1995 by Byte Records as the third single from their third album, Real Things (1994). In the United States, the song was released as a double A-side single with 2 Unlimited's next European single, "Nothing Like the Rain". "Here I Go" became a top-10 hit in at least five countries: Belgium, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Spain. Its black-and-white music video was directed by Nigel Simpkiss.
"Here I Go" enjoyed moderate success in Europe, becoming a top-10 hit in Finland (6), Flanders (6), Lithuania, the Netherlands (4), and Spain (7).[1][2][3] It additionally was a top-20 hit in Austria (17), Denmark (17), Sweden (20) and Wallonia (12), and a top-30 hit in France (25), Germany (22), and the United Kingdom, as well as the Eurochart Hot 100, where it peaked at number 29 in April 1995.[4] In the UK, "Here I Go" was the least successful single release by the band at the time, reaching number 22 during its first week on the UK Singles Chart, on 19 March 1995.[5] On the UK Dance Chart, it reached number 23.[6] Outside Europe, the song charted in Australia and Canada, where it peaked at numbers 80 and 22, respectively.[7]
Critical reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "One of the first act's to merge hi-NRG bounce with rave aggression may finally have the single that sends 'em all the way to the top of the pops. Male rapping and female vamping collide and happily coexist inside a storm of syncopated beats and blippy synth passages."[8]Gil Robertson IV from Cash Box said, "Rap/hip-hop meets techno-dance on this single, which should do well on both rap and dance formats. The music here is thumping, pumping, and more, which should certainly get everyone partying on the dance floor."[9]
Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian complimented "a slightly pensive lyric" on the "percussive" track.[10] A reviewer from Music Week felt that it "stays in familiar Euro techno territory", adding that "a mix from Alex Party should help it follow the previous 11 into the Top 20."[11] In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue described "Here I Go" as "a belter of a track".[12]James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update named it "unexpectedly terrific".[13] Pete Stanton from Smash Hits gave the song one out of five, saying, "It's another album track, slightly remixed, but, er, still the same." He noted that it "boasts a pumping beat".[14]
Music video
The accompanying music video for "Here I Go" was far more arty and modern than previous videos, being shot in black-and-white with 2 Unlimited performing in a parking house and featuring performance artists on stilts. It was directed by director Nigel Simpkiss and was released in the UK in March 1995. Simpkiss also directed the music videos for "Let the Beat Control Your Body" and "The Real Thing". "Here I Go" is also the only video by the group to be shot in black-and-white.
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