Unique 3 - Invasive Signals

September 27, 2007

Unique 3 will always be a name synonymous with the musical acorn from which the Great Oak of Dance music emerged all those years ago; alongside scene stalwarts such as Warp Records, The Chemical Brothers and Photek.

The life of Unique 3, Edzy to his pals, has been one hell of a roller-coaster ride since he first inked a rather large £150,000 deal with Virgin Records back in 1989 for his proto-Dance classic The Theme.

Before you is the culmination of nearly twenty years work; His new album – ‘Invasive Signals’. A document of life since that point and, more importantly to Unique 3 a tool to banish the last of the demons clouding his vision since that initial thrust into the music industry limelight.

With some tracks originally written in the depths of drug-induced paranoia & despair, this is a creative re-gurgitation tinged with the darkest depths of the human condition. However, Invasive Signals also encapsulates 20 years worth of dance & electronic music history.

Crafted using the experience and influences of two decades living and breathing in the rave & club scene, Unique 3 has succeeded in melding together the mindset of ‘no nonsense’ musicality, early 90’s rave values and an armoury of bang up-to-date production techniques.

Highlights from the album include three tracks that serve as a shining example of the sheer musical range this album represents.

Serial Killer represents the awesome power of the live music experience, twisting a punching 808 bass with relentless unforgettable guitar & synth riffs and splattered with an MC patter that conjures images of the best mid-summer, sun-stroked festival sets of the last 10 years.

Take This Love utilises Unique 3’s extraordinary ability to construct a track around an immensely memorable hook. Add the old skool-tinged vocals of Edzy’s sister Adele to the equation and you get a radio-ready monster that’ll have them queuing for glow-sticks again faster than you can say ‘mitsubishi’.

Shades Of Grey takes a much deeper path, reminiscing on that which made all those early Techno releases so great. Deep kicks, fluttering 303 hats and yet another example of that special ability for a long-lasting, booty-shaking hook, makes this track a must for any that yearn for a bit of rolling electro action.

Invasive Signals is the second album from Unique 3 after an intolerable gap of 17 years. All 11 tracks and the 6 bonus live tracks tell the story of a special journeyman. A piece of work that evokes all the colour and character of one of dance music’s definitive players. But don’t take it from us, here what the legendary Mr. Park’s got to say…

Biography by Graeme Park

What can I say about Unique 3 that hasn’t already been said? The pioneering, influential, UK house/hip hop/techno legends are back with a vengeance. The new album “Invasive Signals” is an eclectic electro mix of bass driven, rhythm twisting, dubbed out melodic grooves that grab you by the throat and slam you against the wall. And guess what? You’ll want more! Every time.

I first met Edzy way back in the mists of time before House music was born and in the days when not everyone you met after dark was a DJ or producer. In those days you needed proper musical skills and if you didn’t know what you were doing you would quickly be found out (not like today when any fool can string together a few uninspired notes and release the results… and all before lunch!).

I was recording at Square Dance studios in Derby when Unique 3 turned up with their A&R man. They had just been signed to Virgin/10 Records and this unlikely trio of northern lads had yet to unleash the epic “The Theme” onto an unsuspecting public. We all went out to one of my gigs that night if I remember correctly, and so began my long standing friendship with the man they call Edzy.

Over the years, we’ve had fun. We even tried to make music together before our “sessions” turned into “sessions” of a decidedly different kind. Extremely fun, but not very productive. Ah, those were the days (don’t you find that today’s self proclaimed “DJ/producers” aren’t any fun? Far too serious by half).

But I digress. Unique 3 went on to release a plethora of original and highly influential tunes that included “Activity” (the first dance track to sample the “Amen” break and to go on and pave the way for Jungle, Drum ‘n’ Bass and Nu Skool Breaks), “Musical Melody” (the first credible UK Hip Hop club and chart hit… no mean feat!) and the ground breaking “The Theme” ( the seminal “bleep” tune that went onto inspire The Chemical Brothers, Warp Records and a whole new generation of Techno inspired House heads).

And we loved them. I still get tingles on the back of my neck when I think of the huge response “The Theme” used to get when I dropped it at The Hacienda. It was never out of my box in the nineties. I still drop it now from time to time and it has without question stood the test of time. Always the mark of a classic.

Fat! Records release ‘Invasive Signals’ by Unique 3 on 15th October 2007.

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