When producer and DJ Ivan Gough looks back on Melbourne’s breaks and progressive house era, there are a few particular sounds and events that really stand out. “We had a club night in Melbourne called Sunny, where we could test out new tracks to an up-for-it crowd,” he tells Apple Music. “Having that feedback was great, and we knew we had something different to everything else out there.” Known as one of the producers responsible for bringing the percussive, beat-focused subgenres to the fore in the local dance scene, Gough—who also founded deep house and prog label Zero Tolerance in 1999—has crafted this DJ mix in honor of the era. Ground Level’s “Dreams of Heaven” is a particular standout track, both here and in Gough’s memory. “In the early days of the Melbourne scene, the track became an instant classic,” he says. “It was the perfect combination of diva house vocal with melodic synth melodies and no rave stabs or piano riffs. It pointed towards the progressive house sound that would take over the clubs soon after. It’s still one of my all-time faves and a perfect snapshot of the club scene here in the early ’90s.” You’ll also hear his own remix of Origene’s “Sanctuary,” which he fondly remembers hearing at Summadayze Festival in 2003. “One of the main events on the calendar was Summadayze, on New Year’s Day,” he says. “My good mate Sean Quinn was closing the event and played my remix of ‘Sanctuary’ near the end. Watching 20,000 kids screaming to the track was a highlight of my career.”
- Various Artists