The 10 best warehouse rave tracks, according to Mark Archer of Altern8

Mark Archer crashed into the UK charts in 1991 with Altern8's hardcore anthems Infiltrate 202 and Activ-8 (Come With Me). Since then he released further hits both in the clubs and in the charts (both as one half of Altern8 and in his later projects like Slo Moshun), put out a genuinely solid rave full-length in 'Full On… Mask Hysteria', masterminded some ridiculous press campaigns, and donned the now-iconic RAF chemical warfare suits and dust mask for Altern8's performances. Recently, Archer's music was back in the UK charts, hitting #33 off the back of a campaign to get Altern8's Activ-8 to Christmas number one.

Mark shares his favourite warehouse rave tracks from the golden era, featuring indisputable classics from Joey Beltram, Outlander, and LFO alongside few lesser-known, but no less essential, tracks.

1. Mental Cube – Q

   Mark Archer: "A brilliant take on the Northern bleepy techno sound from one of the Future Sound of London’s earlier pseudonyms, adding a euphoric touch to the bass and bleeps."
    

2. Urban Soul – Alright

   Mark Archer: "Straight up New York house with heartfelt vocals, instantly recognisable beats, and deep grooves. One for the connoisseurs!"
    

3. Think Tank – Hack One (The Internet Worm Mix)

   Mark Archer: "A mash up of James Brown, Kraftwerk and the Beastie Boys that never fails to get a dancefloor going – ‘What you gone play now?’"
    

4. LFO – LFO

   Mark Archer: "The Leeds masters of the sub bass! Northern bleepy techno sound, using a Speak & Spell to great effect, absolute killer!"
    

5. DJ's Rule – Get Into The Music (Original Serious Mix)

   Mark Archer: "The deep house sound of Canada, with a brilliant sing a long vocal and a great organ-driven groove."
    

6. Outlander – Vamp

   Mark Archer: "If this tune doesn’t get a reaction then you’re playing in a cemetery. One of the biggest tunes of the rave era off the brilliant R&S records."
    

7. Joey Beltram – Energy Flash

   Mark Archer: "Brooklyn’s Joey Beltram on Belgium’s R&S records, one of the biggest tunes of 1990 and one that’s never out of my record box."
    

8. Liaisons D – Future F.J.P.

   Mark Archer: "Belgium’s Frank De Wulf made countless rave anthems, but this is one of the first tacks I heard of his at Introspective in Stoke-On-Trent, absolute anthem!"
    

9. Psychotropic – Only For The Headstrong

   Mark Archer: "Before the term 'Hardcore' was routinely used to describe the harder edge of house, Only For The Headstrong was coined for the punters who never wanted to leave the warehouse party – and this track summed the term up perfectly."
    

10. Labyrinthe – Demonik

    Mark Archer: "Another massive bleep track. The big ‘bleep’ noise was actually sampled on Altern8’s Infiltrate 202. Never knew the name of this back in the day, and took me until 2005 to find out what it was."