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Sarah Champion has combined her love of music, books and pop iconography by compiling more than a dozen compilation projects. Each has uniquely fused words and audio while striving for a strong design ethic and offering music fans previously unreleased or specially commissioned tracks.
Her first, produced when she was just 17, was 1987's cassette/vinyl compilation Manchester North of England which celebrated a Manchester music scene ready to explode with exclusive tracks from the likes of James and Inspiral Carpets. The Manchester compilations Hit the North and Freak Beats quickly followed documenting the indie and dance flipsides of the emerging Madchester phenomena.
In the 1990s, Sarah Champion commissioned, compiled and edited the Trance Europe Express and Breakbeat Science titles (European electronica and UK drum 'n' bass) for independent record label Volume. She was also involved in the definitive US and Japanese techno/house compilations Trance Atlantic and Pacific State (Deviant/Sony Japan). These unique productions combined double CDs with lavish books documenting the music with interviews and photographs.
Stories by the likes of Irvine Welsh and Alex Garland in her chemical fiction anthology Disco Biscuits were soundtracked by a celebration of 10 years of dance classics from The Shamen and 808 State to Underworld and Goldie. In the accompanying sleevenotes someone who was in the heart of the insanity, who chooses to remain anonymous, tells the acid house story. The legendary photos of Jonathan Fleming are also feature.
As for Disco 2000, soundtrack to Sarah Champion's anthology of pre-millennial stories, a host of futuristic artistes such as U-Ziq, Plug and Jimi Tenor provided original tracks in response to the book's sci fi vision. There were also contributions from Coldcut and the KLF...not to mention a pop-up hand grenade sleeve!
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Various Artists: Disco 2000 (1998) The soundtrack to the Disco 2000 anthology of pre-millennial fiction is a collection of specially-written strange and twisted sci-fi tunes. With elements of hip-hop, disco, jungle and jazz. Blame * Plug * Witchman *Coldcut * u-Ziq * the KLF * Jimi Tenor * Alabama 3 *Bentley Rhythm Ace * Ken Ishii and more... |
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Various Artists: Disco Biscuits (1997) The soundtrack to the Disco Biscuits chemical fiction book published by Sceptre in 1997 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of acid house. Released in conjunction with London literature-DJ club promoters Arthrob. Collects a decade of defining dance music moment s. 808 State * Electribe 101 * Underworld * Hardfloor * Leftfield * Rhythim Is Rhythim * Orbital * Green Velvet * Andrew Weatherall * Goldie and more... |
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Various Artists: Breakbeat Science 2 (1998) 21 original tracks from UK drum 'n' bass, jungle, breakbeat and tech-step pioneers accompanied a 120-page colour book.
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Various Artists: Breakbeat Science 1 (1997) 21 original tracks from UK drum 'n' bass, jungle, breakbeat and tech-step pioneers accompanied a 120-page colour book.
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Various Artists: Pacific State (1987)A lavish CD and vinyl box set of Japanese techno, house and electronica accompanied by CD-sized books of interviews and photos in both Japanese and English... DJ Krush * Nobukazu Takemura * Ken Ishii * Boom Boom Satellites * Takkyu Ishino * Prism * Susumu Yokata * Yoshinori Sunahara and more. |
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Various Artists: Trance Europe Express 5 (1997) The fifth and final installment of the Trance Europe Express compilation series, pushed musical and geographical boundaries with artists from Latvia to Austria crafting exclusive genre-bending electronic/dance tracks Ian Pooley * Orlando Voorn * Andrea Parker * DJ Trace * The Advent * Random Logic * Patrick Pulsinger * Carl Cox * Slam * Dr Rockit * Neil Landstrumm and more... |
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Various Artists: Trance Atlantic 2 (1996) A bumper compilation and book celebrating the US rave scene with some of the most influential names from America's Chicago and Detroit techno/house scenes. Felix Da Housecat * Green Velvet * Sound Patrol *Josh Wink * Wamdue Kids * Frankie Bones * Freddie Fresh * Boo Williams* Single Cell Orchestra and more... |
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Various Artists: Hit The North (1989) Released at the peak of Madchester, this Manchester music compilation had an indie and a dance side reflecting the crossover between Acid House and guitar bands that was setting the city alight Revenge * Paris Angels * New FADs * Rowetta * A Guy Called Gerald * Ruthless Rap Assassins * The Man From Delmonte * Krispy Three and more... |
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Various Artists: Freak Beats (1989) 1989's Freak Beats featured a selection of experimental sounds from the bedrooms and studios of Manchester, Liverpool and Blackpool inspired by the time's acid house phenomena. 808 State * Mighty Force * What Noise * Black State Choir * Suns of Arqa * Third Wave and more.... |
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Various Artists: Manchester North of England (1988) In conjunction with Manchester what's on guide City Life magazine, Manchester North of England was an indie top 20 hit that sold 10,000 copies despite being a very DIY local band compilation. James * Inspiral Carpets *The Man From Delmonte * The Waltones * Bradford * The Railway Children *Johnny Dangerously * Milltown Brothers * Dub Sex and more... |
