Burning The Ground Exclusive
Before the 1980s ended, a Belgian dance act called Technotronic unleashed one of the decade’s biggest club anthems. With its pounding bassline, infectious rhythm, and instantly recognizable rap vocals, “Pump Up The Jam” helped bring European house music into the American mainstream and became one of the defining dance records of 1989.
Technotronic was the creation of Belgian producer Jo Bogaert, who worked under the name Thomas De Quincey. Combining elements of house, hip-hop, and Belgium’s emerging new beat scene, Bogaert created a sound that was tailor-made for dance floors. However, one of the most interesting stories surrounding “Pump Up The Jam” involves the woman credited on the record.
Although the single was released as Technotronic Featuring Felly, the unmistakable vocals actually belonged to Belgian-Congolese rapper Manuela Kamosi, better known as Ya Kid K. Felly Kilingi was a model who appeared on the record sleeve and in the music video, lip-syncing to Ya Kid K’s performance. The arrangement was intended to give the group a recognizable public image, but the truth eventually emerged as Technotronic’s popularity grew. Ya Kid K would later receive the recognition she deserved as the group’s actual vocalist.
Released in August 1989, “Pump Up The Jam” quickly became an international sensation. In the United States, the single reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart, and No. 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Across the Atlantic, it climbed to No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and topped the charts in several European countries.
CHART HISTORY (1989–1990)
| Country | Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|---|
| US | Billboard Hot 100 | 2 |
| US | Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| US | Billboard Hot Black Singles | 10 |
| UK | Official Singles Chart | 2 |
The single’s success was especially significant because it introduced millions of mainstream listeners to a style of dance music that had previously been associated largely with underground clubs. Its combination of a hard-driving house beat, electronic bassline, and rap vocals helped establish hip-house as a commercially successful sound.
For today’s post, we have the original 1989 US 12″ single released on SBK Records. This pressing features four versions of the track, including the extended “Vocal Attack,” the “Jam Edit Mix,” the “Original Mix,” and the familiar 7″ Version.
The “Vocal Attack” gives DJs an extended take on the song’s relentless groove, while the “Jam Edit Mix” offers another variation on the arrangement. The “Original Mix” delivers the classic club sound that made the record a worldwide sensation. Together, these versions capture the excitement of a time when 12″ singles were an essential part of dance music culture.
More than three decades later, “Pump Up The Jam” remains an instantly recognizable party anthem. Its influence can still be heard in dance music today, and that opening beat is often all it takes to get people moving.
So turn up the volume, clear some space, and get ready to pump up the jam!
SIDE A:
A1. Pump Up The Jam (Vocal Attack) 5:23
A2. Pump Up The Jam (Jam Edit Mix) 4:57
SIDE B:
B1. Pump Up The Jam (Original Mix) 5:03
B2. Pump Up The Jam (7″ Version) 3:36
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: SBK Records – V-19701
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 33 ⅓ RPM, Single, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 1989
Genre: Electronic
Style: Hip-House, Euro House
CREDITS:
- Cover, Design – Grafiek • Patrick
- Featuring – Felly
- Mastered By – MJS*
- Photography By – Michel Poels
- Producer – Thomas De Quincey
- Vocals [Uncredited] – Ya Kid K
- Written-By – Manuella Kamosi*, Thomas De Quincey
NOTES:
Printed in the U.S.A.
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
for BURNING THE GROUND
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon Concorde Music Black
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Ject Tube Box DS2
Phono Tubes: Genalex Gold Lion 12AX7 ECC83/B759 Gold Pins Vacuum Tube – Matched Pair
Audio Interface: MOTU M4
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Cleaning Solution: Turgikleen Record Cleaning Solution
Scanner: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 25 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
PLEASE READ
There are two 24-Bit links; if one does not work, try the other
**24-bit FLAC Only Available For SIX Days!
Password: burningtheground
You can help show your support for this blog by donating using PayPal.
I appreciate your help.
I won’t fake it: as a teenager who has been growing up to the cool and sophisticated British pop scene of the 80’s, I hated this track in those days. But now that it has been turned into some kind of great joke by the Philomena Cunk’s series I sorta reconciled with it. Thanks Paul for sharing it!
and don’t forget the magic mixup made by Ben Liebrand about 20 years ago, with the acappella of Justin Timberlake “Like I love you” …almost as it was supposed to be!
Paul, this is GLORIOUS! That beat! Ahhhhh! This song transports. And I love this original 12″ – the way the song started before all the variations that came after. I am loving the comments below. So much to appreciate about this song and where it fit in within pop, dance and remix culture. I think this track was defining as we headed into the 90s. And Ya Kid K just kills it – amazing. Too bad they originally opted to put Felly on the cover. Thank you for sharing this gem.
Thanks, MusicMan3! That beat gets me every time! There’s just something about the original 12″ that never gets old. It really was one of those records that helped shape the sound of the ’90s. And Ya Kid K absolutely nailed it! Such a shame she didn’t get the credit she deserved right from the start. I’ve been loving all the comments on this one, too. It’s always fun hearing everyone’s memories and different takes on these records. That’s a big part of why I love doing this. Thanks again for stopping by!
Technotronic was symptomatic of what the music business had become by the late ’80s. It was also evidence that Milli Vanilli was not an isolated incident. In the early ’80s, the image of the artist became more important than the actual artist, so through MTV, video figuratively killed the radio star. Another band I can think of that was evidence of this was C+C Music Factory, who used Martha Walsh’s voice but chose to use another model for the videos. When the scandals came out that the “singers” didn’t actually sing, it was evidence that the managers and music executives… Read more »
Thanks, SynthPapa! You make some excellent points. MTV certainly changed the music business, and suddenly an artist’s appearance could be just as important to record executives as the music itself. The situations involving Ya Kid K, Martha Wash, and Loleatta Holloway are especially frustrating because these women had incredible voices that helped make those records massive hits. Yet someone else was chosen to represent them visually. Milli Vanilli was a slightly different situation, but it all points to how much control the industry had over an artist’s image. It’s a shame because the music was strong enough to stand on… Read more »
No way! Love this so much. What a classic. Only have this single on CD, excited to get your Awesome vinyl transfer (Awesome is of course another Ya Kid K single from the Ninja Turtles 2 soundtrack). I remember being instantly enthralled with this track when it first his the radio airwaves. I think the second time I heard it was during a Friday night DJ mix and there was some overlaid dialogue, something about ‘flushing drugs down the toilet’ and I never heard that again, so finally realized it was probably not part of any official mix, just the… Read more »
JP, I love that Halloween connection! Felly masquerading as the vocalist might be the most unexpected Spooky Season Spins tie-in yet! That Friday night DJ mix sounds like one of those things you hear once and spend years trying to track down, only to realize it was probably something the DJ threw in on the fly. And you’re right about that intro. Those opening beats are instantly recognizable, and you just know something great is coming. I had to laugh at your mention of the fanny pack! That video is such a time capsule of 1989. Ya Kid K certainly… Read more »
Oh wow, an ultra rare late night reply!! Truly embodying the season of the witching hour! Thanks for writing back Paul ! 🙂
Those one-off DJ remixes can be amazing but with the unfortunate side effect of possibly sending you down a rabbit hole with no end trying to find it again…
I am endeavoring to make a Spooky Spin connection even if the record wasn’t totally meant to be… it’s going well so far!!
You’re on a roll Paul! First Soul II Soul and now Technotronic taking us back to the magical summer of ’89. That was a real marker in time, as the music culture was both looking back and paving the way forward. It was the high water mark for reunions like Jefferson Airplane, The Who and my personal favorite, The Doobie Brothers big comeback with Cycles. But the dance/club scene was also pointing the way ahead. I think I do recall the controversy with Ya Kid K and Felly. Too bad they felt the need to replace her. Thank you Paul!
Thanks, Retro Hound! The summer of ’89 really was a special time for music. You’re right, there was this wonderful mix of nostalgia with all those classic bands making comebacks, while dance music was heading into exciting new territory. Soul II Soul and Technotronic were certainly part of that change. It’s amazing how much the musical landscape was shifting right before the decade ended. And I agree about Ya Kid K. It’s a shame they felt the need to put someone else out front when she was the voice that made the record so memorable. Always enjoy your musical memories… Read more »
Jo Bogaert was already making a name for himself in the NEW BEAT scene before he gained global success with Pump Up The Jam. Similar to the guys from SNAP, he released tons of New Beat/Techno records under different names until one of them became a surprise hit. Amazing what happens when you let your creativity go wild!
Thanks, Axel! You’re absolutely right. Jo Bogaert was already deeply involved in the Belgian New Beat scene long before Technotronic took off. It’s fascinating how many different projects and aliases these producers worked under, experimenting with sounds until something finally caught fire. The comparison to SNAP! is a good one, too. There was so much creativity coming out of the European dance scene during that period, and much of it never received the recognition it deserved. Just goes to show what can happen when artists are free to experiment without worrying about having a hit. Thanks for adding some great… Read more »
Thanks for the rip, Paul! Obviously a super huge hit back in the day. I never understood why they released a 12″ with 4 mixes that were almost identical in nature and length. As a club-goer, nobody would know the difference between any of these 4 mixes. But, it was really this group of mixes that was played everywhere. Now, if you want some really slamming REMIXES of PUTG, then pick up https://www.discogs.com/release/175888-Technotronic-Featuring-Felly-Pump-Up-The-Jam-The-Remixes or various other cd singles that featured these 6 remixes. The Punami Mix is likely my favorite. Ultimix did a great remix of the tune, also. Thanks… Read more »
Thanks, Fred! I see what you mean. The differences between these four mixes are pretty subtle, especially when you’re hearing them on a crowded dance floor. You’d think they would have offered a little more variety on the 12″. Those later remixes definitely sound like they have more to offer. I’ll have to revisit the Punami Mix and check out that Ultimix version. Thanks for the recommendations and for stopping by! Always appreciate your thoughts.
However, I do love how the mixes here stay true to the feel of the original; my favorite is the “Jam Edit Mix”
i love this song what about dave morales remixes
I never bought the import 12″ with Morales Mixes.
This is a super-hot one for today, Paul! This song was, EVERYWHERE!! You just couldn’t escape it! BUT who would want to!?! This song really rocks a party and still does! I mean, it had that throb to it! The bass, the synths, those lyrics! It was thoroughly contagious! It really put Hip-House on the musical map. I was sad that Ya Kid K, did not get credit at first. I do believe she finally got credit on their “Rockin’ Over the Beat” single and on their greatest hits release. I know image is a big thing in the music… Read more »
Jeff, you said it! This record was absolutely everywhere in 1989, and it still sounds just as powerful today. That bassline alone could fill a dance floor! I agree with you about Ya Kid K. It’s a shame that record companies felt the need to put a different face on such an incredible voice. Martha Wash and Loleatta Holloway certainly deserved better treatment, too. The talent should always get the recognition, regardless of appearance. The music business was pretty ruthless about image back then. Thankfully, the truth eventually came out. Thanks for sharing your memories and enthusiasm, Jeff!
Never knew the background, but of course, this was all over the clubs at the time. You might have made Thursday even better than Friday today! :-}
Thanks, Raymond! This one certainly brings back memories of those packed dance floors, doesn’t it? Glad you enjoyed the backstory, too. It’s amazing how much was going on behind the scenes with some of these huge hits. And don’t count Friday out just yet! I’ve got something a little more obscure lined up for Spooky Season Spins. Thanks for stopping by!
This is interesting to me because I have zero memory of a vocalist even being advertised!
To know the vocalist was Ya Kid K is super interesting, regardless of this situation. But I only remember the song being attributed to Technotronic!
The other information about the mix of styles, of course, is a super interesting read. I don’t think I ever thought about those details!
Thanks, ING! I think most people remember the record simply as Technotronic, so you’re probably not alone there. The whole Felly and Ya Kid K story is pretty fascinating, especially considering how massive the song became. It’s also interesting how all those different musical styles came together to create something that sounded so fresh in 1989. Sometimes we get so caught up in the music that we don’t really think about what went into making it. Glad you enjoyed the backstory, and thanks for reading!