Ultra Flava

"Ultra Flava"
Single by Heller and Farley Project
Released12 February 1996[1]
Genre
LabelAM:PM
Songwriters
Producers
  • Terry Farley
  • Pete Heller
  • Wilkinson
Heller and Farley Project singles chronology
"From the Dat Vol. 1"
(1995) 		"Ultra Flava"
(1996) 		"From the Dat Vol. 2"
(1998)
Music video
"Ultra Flava" on YouTube

"Ultra Flava" is a house song by British duo Heller and Farley Project (Pete Heller and Terry Farley). After the wide renown with their remix of Ultra Naté's "How Long" in 1994 and M People's "Open Your Heart" in 1995, they released it as a single in 1996, by AM PM Records. It is a slightly re-worked version of their mix of "How Long", without Naté's vocals. They entitled it "Ultra Flava" as a nod to the track's origins.[4] It became a successful club hit and peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart,[5] while reaching number-one on the UK Dance Singles Chart. In the US, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. A black-and-white music video was also produced to promote the single.

"It's looking very good. Of all the records we've done, this is the most commercial, although I don't think it's that representative of what we do in general."

—Terry Farley talking to Music Week about the song.[6]

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine named "Ultra Flava" a "diamond-hard house gem".[3] On the single review, he wrote further, "Mega-hot U.K. production/songwriting team is primed to enjoy matching stateside success with this, a rousing instrumental anthem influenced by legendary disco bands like the SalSoul Orchestra. Partners Pete Heller and Terry Farley prove adept at crafting taut pop hooks while maintaining a credible deep-house edge. A summertime club favorite on import, the domestic pressing of 'Ultra Flava' boasts refreshing new interpretations by Mousse T., Ralphi Rosario, Boris Dlugosch, and DJ Sneak. A snug radio edit could easily result in a pop/crossover smash à la Robert Miles' 'Children'."[2] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described it as an "infectious Robin S-ishly plopped progressive wriggly percussion groove" in his weekly dance column.[7]

Impact and legacy

British electronic dance and clubbing magazine Mixmag ranked "Ultra Flava" number 33 in its list of the best singles of 1995, "Mixmag End of Year Lists: 1995".[8] DJ Mag ranked it number 85 in their list of the "Top 100 Club Tunes" in 1998, and in 2016 ranked the song number-one in their list of the "Top 50 Tracks of 1996".[9][10] Tomorrowland featured it in their official list of "The Ibiza 500" in 2020.[11]

Track listing

Charts

References

  1. ^ "Heller & Farley Project – Ultra Flava" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 17 February 1996. p. 9. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b Flick, Larry (30 November 1996). "New & Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  3. ^ a b Flick, Larry (20 January 1996). "Dance Trax: Rejuvenating With Dick Clark; Our House On Film" (PDF). Billboard. p. 23. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Classic House Series Episode #18 – Ultra Flava – Farley & Heller Project". Thekeytothehouse.wordpress.com. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  5. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 249. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  6. ^ "Ultra Hot Farley & Heller Tune In Bid For Glory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 10 February 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  7. ^ Hamilton, James (17 February 1996). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 15. Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  8. ^ Article title
  9. ^ "DJ Magazine Top 100 Club Tunes (1998)". Discogs. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  10. ^ "Top 50 Tracks of 1996 According to DJ Mag's Hype Chart". DJ Mag. 29 November 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Tomorrowland Ibiza Top 500 (2020)". Spotify. 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  12. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 13, no. 9. 2 March 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Heller & Farley Project - Ultra Flava" (in Dutch). Top40.nl. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Heller 'N Farley Project - Ultra Flava" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Scottish Singles Chart 18 February 1996 - 24 February 1996". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  16. ^ "Heller 'N Farley Project - Ultra Flava (song)". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Årslistor > Year End Charts > Swedish Dance Chart 1996" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 11. 15 March 1997. p. 30 (see appendix to the magazine). Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  18. ^ "Heller & Farley". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Official UK Dance Singles Chart (22 December 1996-28 December 1996)". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  20. ^ "Top 50 Airplay Hits" (PDF). Music Week. 2 March 1996. p. 27. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  21. ^ "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 30 November 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  22. ^ "The RM Club Chart of the Year 96" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 11 January 1997. p. 8. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
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