06/12/2020: “Friendly Pressure (From Midnight Mix)” by Sunship featuring Jhelisa

It’s a crying shame, really. UK Garage was a vibrant subculture spanning much of the 90s, spawning several globally influential genres.

But it’s usually dismissed as cheesy 00s nightclub music, soaked in cheap prosecco and regret, or as ‘rudeboy’ music.

I have to admit, I find much of the more successful stuff embarrassing. This song though, captures all that is great about 2-Step.

A swinging, stuttering drum pattern, all shuffling hi-hats and snappy snares, plays host to a heavy sub bass, anthemic organ stabs, and just the right amount of Jhelisa’s R’n’B style vocals.

There’s one or two more samples adding extra colour, but it’s a simple song on the whole.

Jhelisa’s original song came out in 1994. Sunship remixed it in 1998, releasing a single with this mix, and the more sickly “Into The Sunshine” mix.

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