Leftism is the debut studio album by English electronic music duo Leftfield, released in 1995 on Columbia Records. It contained a mixture of new tracks along with reworked versions of previous Leftfield singles. The album contains guest spots from musicians not associated with dance music at the time such as John Lydon from Public Image Ltd. and Toni Halliday from Curve. The album was described as progressive house, although some journalists found that label too limiting, suggesting the album incorporated many genres. After completing the album, the duo initially were not pleased with it.
"I Like to Move It" is a song by American solo project Reel 2 Real, featuring ragga vocals by Trinidad and Tobago rapper The Mad Stuntman. Released by Strictly Rhythm in 1993 as the second single from the project's debut album, Move It! (1994), it appeared on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1994, peaking at number 89, and reached number five on the UK Singles Chart the same year. It was a number-one hit in Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe. On the Billboard Dance Club Play chart, it peaked at number eight. At the second International Dance Awards in 1995, it won the award for Best Tune of the Year. Its music video was directed by Craig K. McCall and filmed in New York City.
"Right in the Night (Fall in Love with Music)" is a song by German electronic music duo Jam & Spoon, released by JAM! and Dance Pool as the second single from the duo's second album, Tripomatic Fairytales 2001 (1993). It is a Eurodance song with elements from progressive and vocal trance. It is based on "Leyenda" by the classical composer Isaac Albéniz and features vocals by American vocalist Plavka, with lyrics by Nosie Katzmann. The flamenco-styled riff in the song is played by duo member Jam El Mar, who was trained as a classical guitarist.
"Jump They Say" is a song by English singer-songwriter David Bowie from his 18th album Black Tie White Noise (1993). It was written by Bowie, produced by Nile Rodgers and released as the first single from the album in March 1993. While Bowie opted not to tour for the Black Tie White Noise album, the song was performed on his 1995–96 Outside Tour and released as part of the live concert No Trendy Réchauffé (2020). The accompanying music video for "Jump They Say" was directed by Mark Romanek and received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.
"House of Love" is a song by American drag queen, singer and songwriter RuPaul, released in 1993 by Tommy Boy Records as the singer's third major-label single, and fifth single overall from his debut album, Supermodel of the World (1993). The song did not chart in the US as it was previously released as a Double A-Side to the 1992 single "Supermodel ". It did however reach the Top 40 in the UK.
"Poison" is a song by English electronic music group the Prodigy, released on 6 March 1995 by XL and Mute as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, Music for the Jilted Generation (1994). Maxim Reality performs the vocals on the track. It was a number one hit in Finland, while peaking inside the top five in Ireland and Norway. Additionally, it peaked within the top-30 in Sweden and Switzerland. The music video for the song was directed by Walter Stern.
"Open Up" is a song by British electronic duo Leftfield featuring John Lydon. It was released as a single on 1 November 1993 by Hard Hands label. The single reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart, number one on the UK Dance Singles Chart and number 39 in both Australia and New Zealand. NME reported in their 18 September 1993 issue, "This is the record that people have always wanted Lydon to do." In 2014, the same publication ranked "Open Up" at number 444 on their list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". A black-and-white music video was produced to promote the single, directed by British director Lindy Heymann.
"Release the Pressure" is the third single by the English electronic duo Leftfield and the first to involve Paul Daley with writing duties after he joined the group. The song was released exclusively on 12" in 1992. Unlike previous releases that had been released on the Outer Rhythm record label, Leftfield had now officially split from Outer Rhythm. Major labels had offered them deals but neither member wanted to give up creative control to any major company. They formed the Hard Hands record label with "Release the Pressure" being the label's first official release. The song featured reggae singer Earl Sixteen on vocals, with a lyric taken from his 1981 single "Trial and Crosses". "Release the Pressure" made the top 20 in the UK charts and featured at number one in the Melody Maker "Stone Free Chart of the Year". It was used in Telefónica O2 and O2 (UK) commercials during its first year.
"Afro-Left" is a song by the English electronic duo Leftfield, released as their seventh single. The song was released on 12", CD and cassette on 24 July 1995 by Hard Hands/Chrysalis. It featured Neil Cole on vocals, and it was rumoured that the lyrics were in an unspecified African language; it was later revealed that they were simply gibberish, or "Djum Djum talk". The song reached #22 in the UK charts.
"Pale Movie" is a song by British pop group Saint Etienne, released in February 1994 by Heavenly Records as the first single from the group's third album, Tiger Bay (1994). The song reached number 28 on the UK Singles Charts and also became a hit in Iceland, peaking at number 24. In common with the folk music theme of the album, the song combines a Eurodance beat with Spanish folk-style guitars. The lyrics use surreal imagery to describe a man's love for a mysterious woman. Although the title is not sung, some of the words refer to cinema: "In the bed where they make love / She's in a film on the sheets. / He shows dreams like a movie, / She's the softness of cinema seats." Other lines are stranger: "her skin as white as the milk, / Just like a Sherpa Tenzing / under a Manila silk."
"Dreamer" is a song by Italian house group Livin' Joy, written and recorded by Janice Robinson and produced by brothers Paolo and Gianni Visnadi. Originally released in August 1994, it was re-released in 1995 and topped the UK Singles Chart at the number one spot that May, ending 1995 as the UK's 40th-biggest-selling single of 1995. In the United States, it went to number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. It was a sleeper hit on pop radio, but finally managed to peak at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 75 on the Cash Box Top 100. MTV Dance ranked "Dreamer" number 15 in their list of "The 100 Biggest 90's Dance Anthems of All Time" in November 2011.
"Be Happy" is a song by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arlene DeValle, and Jean-Claude Olivier from duo Poke & Tone for her second studio album, My Life (1994), while production was helmed by Combs and Olivier. "Be Happy" contains an instrumental sample of the song "You're So Good to Me" (1979) by musician Curtis Mayfield and a re-sung vocal portion of the record "I Want You" (1976) by Marvin Gaye.
"My Love" is a song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige from her debut album, What's the 411? (1992). The song, released by Uptown and MCA, was co-written by singer-songwriter Kenny Greene and Dave Hall, who served as the song's original producer. It peaked at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart in 1994, becoming Blige's second single to reach the top 40 in the United Kingdom.
"The Key the Secret" is the debut single by British group Urban Cookie Collective, released in June 1993 by Pulse 8 from the group's debut album, High on a Happy Vibe (1994). The song features vocals by British singer Diane Charlemagne and peaked at number one in the Netherlands. It was a top 5 hit also in Australia, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and the UK, where it reached number two. Its music video was directed by Lindy Heymann.
"U R the Best Thing" is the debut single of Northern Irish musical group D:Ream, included on their first album, D:Ream On Volume 1 (1993). Originally a club hit released in 1992, the song has been remixed and re-released twice: in 1993 and in 1994. The 1994 version, also known as the Perfecto mix, was most successful peaking at number three in Scotland, number four on the UK Singles Chart and number six in Ireland. It also peaked at number 13 on the Eurochart Hot 100. The 1993 version reached number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US. There were made three different music videos to promote the single.
"Light My Fire" is a song by Italian musical group Club House, featuring Italian-American singer Carl Fanini, released as the second single from their debut and only album, Nowhere Land (1995), in August 1993. It was co-written by a number of producers at Media Records, including Gianfranco Bortolotti and Mauro Picotto, a DJ who would go on to have a number of trance hits in the 2000s, such as "Lizard" and "Komodo".
"So in Love with You" is a song by British singer, songwriter and producer Mark Carson Adams under the name Duke in 1994. Released by CNR Music, Dance Street and Virgin, it became the singer's biggest hit and was also included on his 1995 album, The 10 Commandments Of Love. The single's radio edit is mixed by Norman Cook, as Pizzaman. It reached number three in the Netherlands and number 12 in Flemish Belgium. The track has since been remixed and re-released several times; in 1996, 2000, 2001 and 2012. The 1996 version peaked at number four in Italy and number 22 on the UK Singles Chart, while reaching number two on the UK Dance Singles Chart. In 1997, it peaked at number-one on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the US.
"Unforgiven" is a song by Northern Irish musical group D:Ream, released in July 1993 as the third single from their debut album, D:Ream On Volume 1 (1993). Written by band members Peter Cunnah and Al MacKenzie, it peaked at number 29 in the UK and number ten in Portugal. After the success of the singles "U R the Best Thing" and "Things Can Only Get Better", it was re-released in 1994. A music video was also produced to promote the single.
"Stars" is a song by English indie dance trio Dubstar, released in 1995 by EMI and Polydor as the debut single from their first album, Disgraceful (1995). The song peaked at number 40 in the UK, but after being re-released in 1996, it was more successful, reaching number 15 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 in Scotland, as well as number 69 on the Eurochart Hot 100. Outside Europe, the song was a hit in Israel, peaking at number-one for three weeks. It received a great deal of play time in clubs and many remixes were also created. There were produced three different music videos to promote the single. Italian metal band Lacuna Coil covered it on their 2000 EP Halflife.
"Let the Music (Lift You Up)" is a song by British house music group Loveland featuring singer Rachel McFarlane, released in 1994 as their debut single. It is a cover of a song by American singer Darlene Lewis and some of the single releases also featured both versions. The Loveland version was included on their only album, The Wonder of Love (1995), and peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart. It also reached number-one on both the UK Dance Singles Chart and the UK Club Chart, and won the Best Dance Record of the Year award at the Silver Clef Award.
