Dave Clarke releases digital edition of 'Red 2' for the first time

Dave Clarke has released his 'Red 2' EP for the first time digitally via Skint Records since its original issue in 1994.

Comprising of the two classic tracks - 'Wisdom To The Wise' with its hefty kicks and sharp sequences, and 'Gonk' offering its percussive shuffle-meets-electro hook affair - it compiles the digital re-releases of the entire 'Red' series.

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“Back in 1986, The Elect came up with a track called 'I am House'," he explains. "In '86 not much was moving for house music on the UK south coast - sure, some clubs were playing it, hats off to Chris Coco, Shem etc - but it still was 'secret sauce' and normally a half hour jolly after soul and funk and hip hop. I do not believe I actually ever heard a DJ even play this track on the dancefloor either, but the lyrics and deepness of the track struck something within me (it still does) and the lyric 'Wisdom to the Wise' always stayed with me.

"Fast forward to the end of 1992 / beginning of 1993, I had this track that had no title and the eureka moment came, the two just fitted together hand in glove; the title meant to me 'for the heads', 'for those that know the difference'. It was a different scene, nascent, on the peripheries of sub-culture, a 'wink wink' with other heads. 'Red Two' for me was a book end from when house music like The Elect was for the 'weird' people, then bouncy castles and raves and money took over, then club culture came back and techno started to credibly flourish.”

Alongside this, a unique boxset edition of the 'Archive One' album has been announced, some 30 years since its initial release. Available to pre-order now, it'll be accompanied by a tour throughout spring, with dates in Europe traversing France, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Ireland as well as the UK.

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Meanwhile, the boxset is set to contain the remastered album, alongside coloured vinyl singles of the 'Red' series, a 16-page booklet with rare photos, sleeve notes, a signed photo print and 'Red' remixes from The Chemical Brothers, DJ Sneak, Umek, Robert Hood, Surgeon and DJ Rush.

You can pre-order the boxset of 'Archive One' now here.

Niamh Ingram is Mixmag's Weekend Editor, follow her on Instagram