In the year 2000, as art ventured into it’s futuristic ‘millennium’ era, our scene and sound was elevating, So Solid Crew were making waves underground, whilst in the mainstream the likes of Craig David and Shola Ama were breaking through. In the same month as Fill Me In and Imagine were released, UK Garage duo True Steppers released Buggin’, featuring vocalist Dane Bowers (of the pioneering British group Another Level). Now, I had both Another Level albums (might even review them at some point) and remember their run, with his distinct vocals and media-buzz raising his profile beyond the group, a solo effort seemed inevitable, however, this might not have been the effort expected from the soulful singer.
Whilst it was successful as a top 10 single, maybe it didn’t hit the streets the same way, but I’ve always thought it was a good track, to the point that I’m reviewing it 25 years later. The last thing most people would’ve heard from him was Another Level’s ballad, From The Heart (also featured in the Notting Hill soundtrack), a far contrast to this uptempo, bass heavy number, with it’s blend of soft strings, sharp effects and ambient chimes layered on solid drum kicks with the infectious bells, allowing him to display his songwriting ability, which was not only quirky and relatable, but also played into tabloid rumours. The video, though lowkey, features some subtle cameos from actors and musicians (seeing a member of Blue or Steps in the video is a novelty touch adding to that moment in time). With it’s early use of effects and autotune (years before T-Pain), balancing Dane’s natural tone, providing a different texture to an already well-crafted track.
It’s success was followed with the sequel released just a couple months later, featuring another solo debut, this time from none other than Posh Spice, Victoria Beckham
The addition of the former Spice Girl obviously boosted everything, from the visuals to the marketing, but it didn’t feel like a manufactured track. In pairing the two vocals, it feels natural, you can tell Victoria actually liked the song and that duality between the two helps propel it further beyond just another version of Buggin’. Dane has spoken on the creation of Buggin’ and wanting to pen a response from the women’s perspective, leading to Out Of Your Mind. In looking for a female vocalist to lead, when Victoria was suggested, it was the perfect match, her tenure as a musician and her superstar persona with the high profile marriage to David Beckham (she had been a similar tabloid favourite like Dane), so it meshed well creatively, and allowed her to step out of the criticism and flex her talent but also her star power. The track did well, coming 2nd in the charts to the absolute smash by Spiller – Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love) ft. Sophie Ellis-Bexter, which, with the likes of Artful Dodger and MJ Cole, not only helped amplified the sound further, but open the doors for similarly structured records to follow (like Sweet Female Attitude’s classic Flowers).
Around this time, as the shift with music piracy (causing the decline of sales) could be blamed for not capitalising on these singles with a Dane Bowers debut album, though Facing The Crowd (featuring production from legends like The Underdogs and Tricky Stewart) favoured his R&B/Soul sound, the label may not have felt it warranted the push (with even the more dance-centric tracks lacking that True Steppers spark), though it was eventually released 21 years later and sounds very much in that era, which is weird because though at the time Male R&B would fall behind to the more upbeat sounds emerging, his label-mate and clearly their priority act, Craig David, was very much leading the scene. None the less, Dane Bowers has been one of British R&B and pop’s early singer/songwriting stars, solidifying himself with the success of Another Level and proving doubters even more so as a solo act.
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