Ultrabeat (UK band)
Encyclopedia
Ultrabeat are an English
electronic music
group from Liverpool
, England consisting of producer and vocalist Mike Di Scala
and producers Ian Redman and Chris Henry. Formed in 2002, Ultrabeat first emerged with their single "Pretty Green Eyes
" (2003) which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. After a succession of further singles - including Top 40 hits such as "Feelin' Fine
" (2003), "Better than Life
" (2004) and "Elysium (I Go Crazy)
" (2006) - the group released their début album Ultrabeat: The Album
in 2007 which reached No. 8 in the UK Albums Chart
.
In 2008, the Ultrabeat released "Discolights
", a collaboration with Darren Styles
, which reached No. 23 in the charts. Their second album The Weekend Has Landed
released in 2009 showed a departure from the sound heard on the first album and reached No. 29 in the charts.
music, the group decided to enter Di Scala's studio
for recording
sessions. Initially, their productions were bootleg versions of old happy hardcore tracks recorded in order to improve their DJ sets. In 2002 Ultrabeat produced their first remixes and the first record by the group was a double A-side 12-inch single "Sonic Burnin'"/"Boomcore" released on Di Scala's own label BCD Records in January 2003. Before this Mike Di Scala had already experienced some success with his other group Rezonance Q
, who had a hit single with "Someday
", a Mariah Carey cover which reached No. 29 in the UK Singles Chart
in 2003. Whilst in his studio, Mike Di Scala and Rezonance Q's record label All Around the World
were discussing "Someday", when he played them Ultrabeat's demo
of "Pretty Green Eyes
", a cover of Force & Styles. Following this, Ultrabeat were then also signed by the label.
s including BBC Radio 1
, and was performed live on Top of The Pops
. The following single
was "Feelin' Fine
" which charted at #12 in the UK Christmas chart of 2003. Their next release was "Better than Life
", which was issued the following year and reached #23 in the chart.
The decline of their mainstream popularity came when their next single, "Feel It with Me
", was released some 10 months after "Better Than Life". It charted at #57 in 2005. An album (originally titled Better than Life: The Album) was expected to be released around this time, although it never materialised, and this upset many fans
.
In April 2006 "Elysium (I Go Crazy)
" was released, and charted at #38 and put Ultrabeat back in the Top 40 after 17 months. This song, which sampled Scott Brown
's "Elysium", featured Rebecca Rudd on vocals
for the first time with Ultrabeat. "Elysium (I Go Crazy)" was played on TV music channels more frequently than "Feel It With Me", and became one of their most popular songs. MTV viewers voted it #1, on their 'Galaxy Chart'.
Their sixth single, "Sure Feels Good
", was released in August 2007 and it was a collaboration
with Darren Styles. It achieved #51 in the UK chart. It was the second single featuring Rudd and along with "Elysium (I Go Crazy)" was the second collaboration with another hardcore artist. In September 2007 the band released their album, Ultrabeat - The Album
which achieved #8 in the UK Albums Chart. At that time band undertook a national tour in support og Cascada
(who are also on the AATW label). Their seventh single, "I Wanna Touch You", was released on 4 February 2008.
" was released in June 2008. In an interview about the upcoming HTID compilation album
, Di Scala mentioned work on the new album. An original release date of 12 January 2009 was set for the album, but despite this, it has been leaked onto the internet on various file sharing platforms.
The first single from the album was Discolights
, it reached #23 in the UK Singles Chart
. The second single from the album was Never Ever
, It did not achieve a peak in the UK Charts.
The third single was Starry Eyed Girl, which (like the majority of the album) did not achieve a peak on the UK Charts, and the fourth is Use Somebody
, a cover of Kings of Leon
's track from their multi-platinum album Only by the Night
. The album was released on October 26, 2009 and includes 18 tracks plus a chronology DVD of all of their music videos, including Pretty Green Eyes
, Feelin' Fine
, The Stalker, Discolights
and more.
Since the mixed reception to The Weekend Has Landed album, they have released two singles, which were Bring It Back and Waiting. They have been posted on YouTube by AATW Records. Bring it Back to date has achieved nearly 400,000 views. They have received criticism for their change in direction, as they have moved to a more mainstream style.
's "Do You Want It Right Now" (2006) and "Magic Touch" (2007). From 2005 to 2006 Di Scala, Henry, and Lee Butler recorded using several aliases such as 3 Amigos, BCD Project, King of Clubs and The Tranceriffs on the BCD Records label.
Outside of Ultrabeat, Di Scala also has an active solo career producing hardcore dance music using the name Re-Con and house music using his own name. During the early 2000s he produced tracks with Les Calvert and Lee Butler as part of Rezonance Q
/BCD Project and he also frequently collaborates with Dave Whelan using aliases such as Whelan & Di Scala, Pawn Shop, Chosen Few and Adhesive.
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...
electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
group from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England consisting of producer and vocalist Mike Di Scala
Mike Di Scala
Mike Di Scala , also known as Re-Con, is a British electronic musician, record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Liverpool, England. Di Scala began producing records as Re-Con in the late 1990s and he first emerged as the producer of English dance group Rezonance Q and was also the...
and producers Ian Redman and Chris Henry. Formed in 2002, Ultrabeat first emerged with their single "Pretty Green Eyes
Pretty Green Eyes
"Pretty Green Eyes" is a song originally written and recorded by Force & Styles featuring Junior. A remixed version appeared on their debut album All Over the UK and the song was released as a 12-inch single in 1997. The song achieved mainstream popularity in 2003 when it was covered by Ultrabeat...
" (2003) which reached No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. After a succession of further singles - including Top 40 hits such as "Feelin' Fine
Feelin' Fine
"Feelin' Fine" is a song written by Darren Mew and originally released as a happy hardcore song in 1998 under the alias Unique. In 2003, Ultrabeat released a cover of the song, and added newly written lyrics, as their second single which reached #12 in the UK Singles Chart-Unique version:Darren...
" (2003), "Better than Life
Better Than Life (song)
"Better Than Life" was the third single released by Liverpool dance act Ultrabeat. It was written by Mike Di Scala and Paul Smith Jnr and it was released in 2004 and reached #23 in the charts, which was much lower than the previous Ultrabeat single "Feelin' Fine".The song was brought out on CD and...
" (2004) and "Elysium (I Go Crazy)
Elysium (I Go Crazy)
"Elysium " is the 5th single by Liverpool Dance trio Ultrabeat. It was released in 2006 and played throughout the summer of that year...
" (2006) - the group released their début album Ultrabeat: The Album
Ultrabeat: The Album
Ultrabeat: The Album is the début self-titled album by the British dance act Ultrabeat. It was released on 10 September 2007 with All Around the World records...
in 2007 which reached No. 8 in the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
.
In 2008, the Ultrabeat released "Discolights
Discolights
"Discolights" is a song written and produced by Ultrabeat and Darren Styles and it is taken from Darren's debut solo album, Skydivin and Ultrabeat's second album The Weekend Has Landed. The song combines the hardcore and commercial styles of the two artists...
", a collaboration with Darren Styles
Darren Styles
Darren James Mew , better known as Darren Styles, is a British record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Colchester, England. Originally a member of the breakbeat hardcore group DJ Force & The Evolution, Darren found success during the 1990s as one half of Force & Styles...
, which reached No. 23 in the charts. Their second album The Weekend Has Landed
The Weekend Has Landed
The Weekend Has Landed is the second studio album by Ultrabeat.-Release:A limited amount of copies of the album were released on December 1, 2008 under the title of Discolights: The Album however due to distribution problems and the album leaking on to file sharing websites the release date was...
released in 2009 showed a departure from the sound heard on the first album and reached No. 29 in the charts.
2002–2003: Formation and early recordings
Prior to forming Ultrabeat, Mike Di Scala, Chris Henry and Ian Redman previously knew each other as they were all disc jockeys in Liverpool and mixed in the same circle of friends. With a common interest in late-1990s happy hardcoreHappy hardcore
Happy hardcore, also known as happycore, is a genre of music typified by a very fast tempo , often coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics. Its characteristically 4/4 beat "happy" sound distinguishes it from most other forms of hardcore techno, which tend to be "darker". It is typically in...
music, the group decided to enter Di Scala's studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
for recording
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
sessions. Initially, their productions were bootleg versions of old happy hardcore tracks recorded in order to improve their DJ sets. In 2002 Ultrabeat produced their first remixes and the first record by the group was a double A-side 12-inch single "Sonic Burnin'"/"Boomcore" released on Di Scala's own label BCD Records in January 2003. Before this Mike Di Scala had already experienced some success with his other group Rezonance Q
Rezonance Q
Rezonance Q are an English electronic group from Liverpool, England formed by producers Mike Di Scala, Lee Butler and Les Calvert...
, who had a hit single with "Someday
Someday (Mariah Carey song)
"Someday" is a song written by Mariah Carey and Ben Margulies, and produced by Ric Wake for Carey's debut album, Mariah Carey . It was released as the album's third single in 1990 and is a jackswing-influenced track. Though it topped the U.S. charts, it was not a huge success elsewhere...
", a Mariah Carey cover which reached No. 29 in 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 ...
in 2003. Whilst in his studio, Mike Di Scala and Rezonance Q's record label All Around the World
All Around The World (record label)
All Around the World Productions Limited is a record label from Blackburn, England. The label specialises in Dance Music and most recently R&B.-History:AATW was founded by directors Matt Cadman & Cris Nutall in 1991....
were discussing "Someday", when he played them Ultrabeat's demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
of "Pretty Green Eyes
Pretty Green Eyes
"Pretty Green Eyes" is a song originally written and recorded by Force & Styles featuring Junior. A remixed version appeared on their debut album All Over the UK and the song was released as a 12-inch single in 1997. The song achieved mainstream popularity in 2003 when it was covered by Ultrabeat...
", a cover of Force & Styles. Following this, Ultrabeat were then also signed by the label.
2003–2007: Ultrabeat: The Album era
"Pretty Green Eyes" went on to be a #2 hit in August 2003. It was playlisted on most radio stationRadio 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 including BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
, and was performed live on Top of The Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
. The following single
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...
was "Feelin' Fine
Feelin' Fine
"Feelin' Fine" is a song written by Darren Mew and originally released as a happy hardcore song in 1998 under the alias Unique. In 2003, Ultrabeat released a cover of the song, and added newly written lyrics, as their second single which reached #12 in the UK Singles Chart-Unique version:Darren...
" which charted at #12 in the UK Christmas chart of 2003. Their next release was "Better than Life
Better Than Life (song)
"Better Than Life" was the third single released by Liverpool dance act Ultrabeat. It was written by Mike Di Scala and Paul Smith Jnr and it was released in 2004 and reached #23 in the charts, which was much lower than the previous Ultrabeat single "Feelin' Fine".The song was brought out on CD and...
", which was issued the following year and reached #23 in the chart.
The decline of their mainstream popularity came when their next single, "Feel It with Me
Feel It With Me
"Feel It With Me" is the fourth Ultrabeat single. It was released in September 2005 and it reached #57 in the charts. It is the only Ultrabeat song to date that has not reached the Top 40 in the charts and is the lowest charting Ultrabeat song. It is the last of the Ultrabeat singles, so far, that...
", was released some 10 months after "Better Than Life". It charted at #57 in 2005. An album (originally titled Better than Life: The Album) was expected to be released around this time, although it never materialised, and this upset many fans
Fan (person)
A Fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person with a liking and enthusiasm for something, such as a band or a sports team. Fans of a particular thing or person constitute its fanbase or fandom...
.
In April 2006 "Elysium (I Go Crazy)
Elysium (I Go Crazy)
"Elysium " is the 5th single by Liverpool Dance trio Ultrabeat. It was released in 2006 and played throughout the summer of that year...
" was released, and charted at #38 and put Ultrabeat back in the Top 40 after 17 months. This song, which sampled Scott Brown
Scott Brown (DJ)
Scott Alexander Brown is a Glasgow-born Scottish DJ and music producer, now living in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Brown produces and plays a variety of genres commonly called rave. Although he is most associated with bouncy techno, his music ranges from happy hardcore, through hard trance, to...
's "Elysium", featured Rebecca Rudd on vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
for the first time with Ultrabeat. "Elysium (I Go Crazy)" was played on TV music channels more frequently than "Feel It With Me", and became one of their most popular songs. MTV viewers voted it #1, on their 'Galaxy Chart'.
Their sixth single, "Sure Feels Good
Sure Feels Good
"Sure Feels Good" is a song written and recorded by Ultrabeat and Darren Styles, released as a single in 2007. It was the first Styles/Ultrabeat collaboration since Ultrabeat covered "Pretty Green Eyes" and "Feelin' Fine" in 2003...
", was released in August 2007 and it was a collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
with Darren Styles. It achieved #51 in the UK chart. It was the second single featuring Rudd and along with "Elysium (I Go Crazy)" was the second collaboration with another hardcore artist. In September 2007 the band released their album, Ultrabeat - The Album
Ultrabeat - The Album
Ultrabeat: The Album is the début self-titled album by the British dance act Ultrabeat. It was released on 10 September 2007 with All Around the World records...
which achieved #8 in the UK Albums Chart. At that time band undertook a national tour in support og Cascada
Cascada
Cascada is a German Eurodance act most famous for their hit singles "Everytime We Touch", "What Hurts the Most", and "Evacuate the Dancefloor"...
(who are also on the AATW label). Their seventh single, "I Wanna Touch You", was released on 4 February 2008.
2008–present: The Weekend Has Landed era
A new single "DiscolightsDiscolights
"Discolights" is a song written and produced by Ultrabeat and Darren Styles and it is taken from Darren's debut solo album, Skydivin and Ultrabeat's second album The Weekend Has Landed. The song combines the hardcore and commercial styles of the two artists...
" was released in June 2008. In an interview about the upcoming HTID compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
, Di Scala mentioned work on the new album. An original release date of 12 January 2009 was set for the album, but despite this, it has been leaked onto the internet on various file sharing platforms.
The first single from the album was Discolights
Discolights
"Discolights" is a song written and produced by Ultrabeat and Darren Styles and it is taken from Darren's debut solo album, Skydivin and Ultrabeat's second album The Weekend Has Landed. The song combines the hardcore and commercial styles of the two artists...
, it reached #23 in 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 ...
. The second single from the album was Never Ever
Never Ever
"Never Ever" is a song by All Saints, released as the second single from their debut album, All Saints. It became a very successful worldwide hit and was the first of five #1 singles in the UK for the group. . The single was released in the United States on July 7, 1998, with a new music video. It...
, It did not achieve a peak in the UK Charts.
The third single was Starry Eyed Girl, which (like the majority of the album) did not achieve a peak on the UK Charts, and the fourth is Use Somebody
Use Somebody
"Use Somebody" is a song by the American alternative rock group Kings of Leon. It was the second single from the band's fourth studio album Only by the Night , released on December 8, 2008....
, a cover of Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
's track from their multi-platinum album Only by the Night
Only by the Night
-Critics:The album was met with mixed reviews. Metacritic's average rating settled on a 63/100, counting a drastic range of ratings between North America and UK press. The U.S. online publications Pitchfork Media, PopMatters and JustPressPlay gave the album a 3.8/10, 2/10 and 4/10 respectively,...
. The album was released on October 26, 2009 and includes 18 tracks plus a chronology DVD of all of their music videos, including Pretty Green Eyes
Pretty Green Eyes
"Pretty Green Eyes" is a song originally written and recorded by Force & Styles featuring Junior. A remixed version appeared on their debut album All Over the UK and the song was released as a 12-inch single in 1997. The song achieved mainstream popularity in 2003 when it was covered by Ultrabeat...
, Feelin' Fine
Feelin' Fine
"Feelin' Fine" is a song written by Darren Mew and originally released as a happy hardcore song in 1998 under the alias Unique. In 2003, Ultrabeat released a cover of the song, and added newly written lyrics, as their second single which reached #12 in the UK Singles Chart-Unique version:Darren...
, The Stalker, Discolights
Discolights
"Discolights" is a song written and produced by Ultrabeat and Darren Styles and it is taken from Darren's debut solo album, Skydivin and Ultrabeat's second album The Weekend Has Landed. The song combines the hardcore and commercial styles of the two artists...
and more.
Since the mixed reception to The Weekend Has Landed album, they have released two singles, which were Bring It Back and Waiting. They have been posted on YouTube by AATW Records. Bring it Back to date has achieved nearly 400,000 views. They have received criticism for their change in direction, as they have moved to a more mainstream style.
Other projects
The group produced a track called "Pumpanola" released using the alias Hi-Flyerz in 2003. Mike Di Scala and Chris Henry have also recorded using the name M&C Project, releasing songs "Coming Back" (2005), a cover of Siedah GarrettSiedah Garrett
Siedah Garrett is an American songwriter and singer.-Biography:She appeared as a contestant on Password Plus in 1980.She performed "One Man Woman" on Quincy Jones' Grammy-Award winning "Back on the Block."...
's "Do You Want It Right Now" (2006) and "Magic Touch" (2007). From 2005 to 2006 Di Scala, Henry, and Lee Butler recorded using several aliases such as 3 Amigos, BCD Project, King of Clubs and The Tranceriffs on the BCD Records label.
Outside of Ultrabeat, Di Scala also has an active solo career producing hardcore dance music using the name Re-Con and house music using his own name. During the early 2000s he produced tracks with Les Calvert and Lee Butler as part of Rezonance Q
Rezonance Q
Rezonance Q are an English electronic group from Liverpool, England formed by producers Mike Di Scala, Lee Butler and Les Calvert...
/BCD Project and he also frequently collaborates with Dave Whelan using aliases such as Whelan & Di Scala, Pawn Shop, Chosen Few and Adhesive.
Members
- Mike Di ScalaMike Di ScalaMike Di Scala , also known as Re-Con, is a British electronic musician, record producer, disc jockey and singer-songwriter from Liverpool, England. Di Scala began producing records as Re-Con in the late 1990s and he first emerged as the producer of English dance group Rezonance Q and was also the...
– producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, vocalist (2002–present) - Ian Redman – producer (2002–present)
- Chris Henry – producer (2002–present)
Discography
- Ultrabeat: The AlbumUltrabeat: The AlbumUltrabeat: The Album is the début self-titled album by the British dance act Ultrabeat. It was released on 10 September 2007 with All Around the World records...
(2007) - The Weekend Has LandedThe Weekend Has LandedThe Weekend Has Landed is the second studio album by Ultrabeat.-Release:A limited amount of copies of the album were released on December 1, 2008 under the title of Discolights: The Album however due to distribution problems and the album leaking on to file sharing websites the release date was...
(2009)