Sunscreem
Encyclopedia
Sunscreem is a techno
/house
band
from Essex
, England
, who scored a number of hits
on the U.S.
Hot Dance Music/Club Play
chart
throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century. Sunscreem also has the rare reputation as a techno-based band that successfully performs concert
s. Over a ten-year period, 12 of their singles made an entry to the UK Singles Chart
.
/keyboardist
Lucia Holm and fellow keyboardist Paul Carnell. The group has also, at times, included Darren Woodford, Rob Fricker, Sean Wright, Nick Slingsby (aka "Bongo Ted") and DJ Dave Valentine.
Sunscreem released a 12" promo of "Love U More" on the Sony Soho Square
record label
in 1991, a song
which went on to spend two weeks at #1 on the U.S. Dance chart in March 1993. They had club
hits in the UK
with the singles
"Walk On" and "Pressure" (also on Sony Soho Square) before releasing their successful first album
O3 on multiple labels in 1993. Other singles from O3 included "Perfect Motion" and a cover
of the Marianne Faithfull
record "Broken English".
"Love U More" was one of the first techno songs to hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Top 40, climbing to #36 (to date it is their only Hot 100 entry). It has subsequently been covered (usually in a bowdlerised form, omitting the climactic reference to rape
and toning down other images in the lyrics) by other artists
including Paul Elstak, LMP
, Rollergirl
and Steps.
The band is known for having their songs remix
ed by a wide variety of dance music
producers
. They have been those including Leftfield
, Band of Gypsies, Carl Cox
, Push
, Rollo Armstrong
from Faithless
, Red Jerry
, Matt Darey
, Slam
, X-Press 2
, Trouser Enthusiasts
, Robbie Rivera
, K-Klass
, Armand Van Helden
and Fire Island (Pete Heller
and Terry Farley) amongst others.
Ahead of their second album, the group released a variety of tracks under alternative names including a selection of 12-inches referred to as 'The Anna Series'. This included the instrumental "Angel Dub" credited to Anna Din
, and featured on many compilations such as Renaissance: The Mix Collection by Sasha & John Digweed
. These tracks were released independently, breaking the terms of their contract with Sony and leading to an increasingly strained relationship with the label.
Their second album was called Change Or Die, and from it the band released the singles "When" (U.S. Dance #1), "Exodus", "White Skies", "Secrets", and "Looking At You" (U.S. Dance #2). Despite all these singles, the album was not commercially released in major territories outside the UK, and the band therefore negotiated their release from the Sony Records contract. Their next release was a mainly instrumental
limited edition CD called New Dark Times, issued on their own label Kali, which combined new material with tracks from the "Anna Series" and remixes from Change Or Die.
The band subsequently signed to UK dance label Pulse-8. Their next single, "Catch" (U.K. Dance #1, U.S. Dance #2), was from an album entitled Out Of The Woods, but the label went bankrupt in 1997 before its completion, and the album and the second single "Cover Me" were never released.
Since then there have been a handful of releases and compilations such as the Sunscreem vs Push "Please Save Me" single (US Dance #26, UK Singles #40), and a re-release of "Perfect Motion" with new remixes by Starchaser and Way Out West. In 2002, the group released Ten Mile Bank, which combined new and remixed material in the manner of New Dark Times, many of the tracks being club mixes of songs from the still-unissued Out of the Woods. Former lead singer Lucia Holm released a promo called "Heaven
" (a cover of the Psychedelic Furs song) to radio station
s in 2005, but it was never fully published.
The above all appeared (in different mixes) on O3. "Pressure Us" was a remake of "Pressure".
The above appeared on Change Or Die. "Looking At You" was released in the US only.
This was the only single released from the cancelled Out of the Woods album.
These are remixes of old Sunscreem tracks. "Please Save Me" is a remix of "Who Will Love Me Now?", which was recorded for the film soundtrack The Passion of Darkly Noon
(though not used; a version by PJ Harvey
appeared instead).
The "Anna series" were issued on 12" only. Variants of these tracks were subsequently issued (some under different titles) on Change Or Die, New Dark Times and the "Exodus" single. "Time Flies" was an extended version of "A Brief History of Nonsense" from New Dark Times, itself a radical remix of "Exodus".
In addition, DJs Darren Tate
and Judge Jules
had a hit in 2000 with "It's My Turn" credited to Angelic, which was their previously-issued remix of Sunscreem's "Change" with the original vocal track replaced with a new one by Jules' wife Amanda O'Riordan. The track reached number 11 in the UK singles chart.
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
/house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, who scored a number of hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
on the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hot Dance Music/Club Play
Hot Dance Club Play
The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
throughout the 1990s and into the 21st century. Sunscreem also has the rare reputation as a techno-based band that successfully performs concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s. Over a ten-year period, 12 of their singles made an entry to the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
Career
The nucleus of the group is lead vocalistSinging
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
/keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Lucia Holm and fellow keyboardist Paul Carnell. The group has also, at times, included Darren Woodford, Rob Fricker, Sean Wright, Nick Slingsby (aka "Bongo Ted") and DJ Dave Valentine.
Sunscreem released a 12" promo of "Love U More" on the Sony Soho Square
S2 Records
S2 Records, formerly named Sony Soho Square after its location at London's Soho Square, is a record label subsidiary of Sony Music.Lincoln Elias, currently Managing Director of Virgin Records, was the founder of the label. It is now headed by Muff Winwood, brother of Steve Winwood.S2 features...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
in 1991, a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
which went on to spend two weeks at #1 on the U.S. Dance chart in March 1993. They had club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
hits in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with the singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Walk On" and "Pressure" (also on Sony Soho Square) before releasing their successful first album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
O3 on multiple labels in 1993. Other singles from O3 included "Perfect Motion" and a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of the Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Faithfull
Marianne Evelyn Faithfull is an award-winning English singer, songwriter and actress whose career has spanned five decades....
record "Broken English".
"Love U More" was one of the first techno songs to hit the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
Top 40, climbing to #36 (to date it is their only Hot 100 entry). It has subsequently been covered (usually in a bowdlerised form, omitting the climactic reference to rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
and toning down other images in the lyrics) by other artists
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
including Paul Elstak, LMP
La Musique Populaire
La Musique Populaire is an American indie pop band.Members Ryan Bassler and Eric Haugen formed a band called Lorenzo Music in 1992, but faced with legal action from the actor of the same name they changed it to La Musique Populaire, more commonly shortened to LMP.Likened to Ween, The Raspberries...
, Rollergirl
Rollergirl
Nicole Safft , professionally known as Rollergirl, is a German singer with a number of successful tracks such as "Dear Jessie" and "Luv U More," the latter being a cover of a song by Sunscreem.The love for rollerskates developed early when working at a rollerskating rink...
and Steps.
The band is known for having their songs remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed by a wide variety of dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. They have been those including Leftfield
Leftfield
Leftfield are a British duo of electronica artists and record producers, namely Paul Daley and Neil Barnes, who formed in 1990 in London, England...
, Band of Gypsies, Carl Cox
Carl Cox
Carl Cox is a British techno and house music DJ.-Biography:Cox grew up in Oldham, Lancashire, before attending Glastonbury High Boys secondary modern school on Glastonbury Road in Morden. Cox began his career as a hardcore and rave DJ in the mid 1980s...
, Push
Push
-Music:* Push , an album by Bros* Push , a Belgian disc jockey born Mike Dierickx* Push , an album by Gruntruck* "Push" , a song by Enrique Iglesias...
, Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong
Rollo Armstrong is one half of the music producers/remixers team Rollo and Sister Bliss and is a founding member of the electronic music group Faithless.-Early life:...
from Faithless
Faithless
Faithless were a British electronica band consisting of Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. The group is best known for their dance songs . Faithless recorded six albums. During their career they sold over 15 million records worldwide...
, Red Jerry
Red Jerry
Jerry Dickens, better known by his stage name Red Jerry, is an English DJ, music producer and remixer of trance music.He was also of a member of Lost Tribe along with Matt Darey. He was founder of the recently resurrected Hooj Choons. His remixes can be found on numerous DJ compilations and mixes...
, Matt Darey
Matt Darey
Matthew Jonathan "Matt" Darey has been a trance music producer since 1994. He is also a member of Lost Tribe with Red Jerry. He is perhaps best known for his work in the Euphoria trance series and for 'Gamemaster' and his remixes of Agnelli & Nelson's "El Niño". In 2005, his first major U.S...
, Slam
Slam (band)
Slam are a producer/DJ duo from Glasgow, consisting of Stuart MacMillan and Orde Meikle . They are co-founders of Soma Quality Recordings. Their music style consists of house and techno.-History:...
, X-Press 2
X-Press 2
X-Press 2 is an English electronic and dance music duo. The members are DJ Diesel and DJ Rocky . Ashley Beedle left to pursue solo projects in 2009.-History:...
, Trouser Enthusiasts
Trouser Enthusiasts
Trouser Enthusiasts was an electronic dance music production group, active during the 1990s, formed by Belfast-born Ian Masterson and David Green. The group was best known as producers of pop and dance remixes, having worked for, most prominently, Pet Shop Boys, Dannii Minogue, and Saint Etienne...
, Robbie Rivera
Robbie Rivera
Roberto "Robbie" Rivera is a prolific house music producer and DJ born in Puerto Rico. He has an extensive catalog of original productions and remixes to his credit, ranging from Tribal to Progressive House, as well as incorporating Garage and Latin elements. He and his wife Monica Olabarrieta...
, K-Klass
K-Klass
K-Klass are a house music group from Wrexham, North Wales. The members are Andy Williams, Carl Thomas, Russ Morgan, and Paul Roberts. K-Klass signed with Deconstruction Records, and later to Parlophone.-Career:...
, Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden
Armand Van Helden is a record producer, DJ and remixer whose biggest commercial successes came from his remixes of the 1996 Tori Amos song "Professional Widow" , which reached number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in January 1997, and his own track "U Don't Know Me ", which went to number 1...
and Fire Island (Pete Heller
Pete Heller
Pete Heller is an English electronic and house music producer. He is recognised in the dance community for his solo work, and his remixes with frequent collaborator Terry Farley. As a duo they have released popular tunes under the names Heller & Farley Project , Fire Island plus The Look and Feel...
and Terry Farley) amongst others.
Ahead of their second album, the group released a variety of tracks under alternative names including a selection of 12-inches referred to as 'The Anna Series'. This included the instrumental "Angel Dub" credited to Anna Din
Anadin
Anadin is a brand of painkiller sold in the UK and Ireland by Wyeth.Several different types of painkiller are sold under the brand. , these include:* Anadin Original - aspirin and caffeine based* Anadin paracetamol tablets - launched in 1988...
, and featured on many compilations such as Renaissance: The Mix Collection by Sasha & John Digweed
Sasha & John Digweed
Sasha & John Digweed are a pair of DJs from the United Kingdom. John Digweed had been DJ-ing for ten years before getting a gig at Renaissance where he met Sasha, who had been working the past few years in various acid house clubs and raves. Together, he and Sasha honed their DJ skills, focusing...
. These tracks were released independently, breaking the terms of their contract with Sony and leading to an increasingly strained relationship with the label.
Their second album was called Change Or Die, and from it the band released the singles "When" (U.S. Dance #1), "Exodus", "White Skies", "Secrets", and "Looking At You" (U.S. Dance #2). Despite all these singles, the album was not commercially released in major territories outside the UK, and the band therefore negotiated their release from the Sony Records contract. Their next release was a mainly instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
limited edition CD called New Dark Times, issued on their own label Kali, which combined new material with tracks from the "Anna Series" and remixes from Change Or Die.
The band subsequently signed to UK dance label Pulse-8. Their next single, "Catch" (U.K. Dance #1, U.S. Dance #2), was from an album entitled Out Of The Woods, but the label went bankrupt in 1997 before its completion, and the album and the second single "Cover Me" were never released.
Since then there have been a handful of releases and compilations such as the Sunscreem vs Push "Please Save Me" single (US Dance #26, UK Singles #40), and a re-release of "Perfect Motion" with new remixes by Starchaser and Way Out West. In 2002, the group released Ten Mile Bank, which combined new and remixed material in the manner of New Dark Times, many of the tracks being club mixes of songs from the still-unissued Out of the Woods. Former lead singer Lucia Holm released a promo called "Heaven
Heaven (The Psychedelic Furs song)
"Heaven" is a 1984 song by English band The Psychedelic Furs from their fourth studio album, Mirror Moves. Written by bassist Tim Butler and lead vocalist Richard Butler, the song reached the top 30 of the charts in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 41 in New Zealand.-Release and...
" (a cover of the Psychedelic Furs song) to radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s in 2005, but it was never fully published.
Discography
- O3 (1993)
- Change or Die (1996)
- New Dark Times (1996)
- Looking at You: Club Anthems (1998)
- Ten Mile Bank (2001)
- Club Classics (2007) (digital download)
- House Classics (2008) (iTunesITunesiTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
exclusive) - Love U More - The Very Best Of Sunscreem (2009)
Singles
- "Walk On" (1991)
- "Pressure" (1991)
- "Love U More" (1992)
- "Perfect Motion" (1992)
- "Broken English" (1992)
- "Pressure Us" (1993)
The above all appeared (in different mixes) on O3. "Pressure Us" was a remake of "Pressure".
- "When" (1995)
- "Exodus" (1995)
- "White Skies" (1995)
- "Secrets" (1996)
- "Looking At You" (1996)
The above appeared on Change Or Die. "Looking At You" was released in the US only.
- "Catch" (1997)
This was the only single released from the cancelled Out of the Woods album.
- "No Angel" (1999)
- "Exodus '99" (1999)
- "Please Save Me" (credited to Sunscreem vs Push, 2001)
- "Coda" (2001)
- "Perfect Motion 2002"
- "Perfect Motion" (credited to James Fitch featuring Sunscreem, 2008)
These are remixes of old Sunscreem tracks. "Please Save Me" is a remix of "Who Will Love Me Now?", which was recorded for the film soundtrack The Passion of Darkly Noon
The Passion of Darkly Noon
The Passion of Darkly Noon is a 1995 film written and directed by Philip Ridley, starring Brendan Fraser in the title role, and co-starring Ashley Judd and Viggo Mortensen.-Cast:*Brendan Fraser... Darkly Noon*Ashley Judd... Callie...
(though not used; a version by PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
appeared instead).
Under aliases
- Anna Din: "Angel" / "Angel Dub" (1994)
- Anna Crusis: "XS" / "Syclik" (1994)
- Anna Nas: Untitled (1994)
- Chiba: "Time Flies" (1997)
- DJ AWOL: "Absent" (2002)
The "Anna series" were issued on 12" only. Variants of these tracks were subsequently issued (some under different titles) on Change Or Die, New Dark Times and the "Exodus" single. "Time Flies" was an extended version of "A Brief History of Nonsense" from New Dark Times, itself a radical remix of "Exodus".
In addition, DJs Darren Tate
Darren Tate
Darren Tate is an English record producer and club DJ.-Biography and personality:As a classically trained musician, Tate has worked with international artists and songwriters with whom he collaborates regularly...
and Judge Jules
Judge Jules
Judge Jules is a British dance music DJ and producer, known for his DJ activities and popular radio show which achieved global success.-Education:...
had a hit in 2000 with "It's My Turn" credited to Angelic, which was their previously-issued remix of Sunscreem's "Change" with the original vocal track replaced with a new one by Jules' wife Amanda O'Riordan. The track reached number 11 in the UK singles chart.
Videography
See also
- List of number-one dance hits (United States)
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart