Review: “No Limits” by 2 Unlimited (CD, 1993)

Today’s Pop Rescue from an uncertain future, is the 1993 second album No Limits by the Belgian/Dutch Eurodance duo 2 Unlimited. Will this album Control Your Body, or are there No Limits to its lows? Read on…

2 Unlimited - No Limits (1993) album — 2 Unlimited – No Limits (1993) album.

‘Let me hear you say Yeah!‘ shouts rapper Ray Slijngaard as this 14 track UK edition of the CD album opens with titular track and lead single, No Limit. Ironically, most of the lyrics after his request for a ‘yeah‘ is ‘no‘. That aside, this absolute belter, with thumping beats, acidy techno synth stabs, soft synth pads, and of course Anita Dels‘ powerful vocals make this one hell of a catchy track. Even now, I find it catchy and one that’s hard to stay still to. For some of course, it was and likely still is, annoying as hell. Despite this, it was a blast of energy that the early 1990’s charts needed, and it rightfully reached #1 in the UK.

A rumble of percussion leads us on to second single Tribal Dance. Here, Ray sounds like he’s channeling Technotronic, whilst Anita suddenly grabs our hand and takes us into the safety of the chorus and some big notes which she delivers with seemingly ease. Like the previous track, the vocals are minimal but catchy. Whilst not capturing the same catchiness as No Limit, the track gave the duo a respectable #4 UK hit.

Then things go Mysterious, with some almost horror organ chords as Anita sweeps in with her vocals. This gives way to a brooding set of synths before Ray comes in to ‘make the floor burn‘. The track gives Ray more vocals here, but the track’s tempo is lower and therefore doesn’t quite have the catchiness of the previous tracks.

Faces is next, opening with some brief spoken words from Ray and Anita, before a ton of hard beats and techno synths drop in. Anita returns on the vocals, giving the track a nice higher register that cuts through the more downbeat industrial sound. This track exists in two forms – one with and one without a rap, and here the track feels a bit directionless without a big Ray rap in it. The raps were removed from some tracks at the request of UK PWL label owner Pete Waterman, and were absent when it was released as their third single – reaching #8 in the UK.

We hit fourth single Maximum Overdrive next, and this sees the growling power of those fat synths return. Anita is swiftly on the mic, and her vocals here are perfectly placed and pitched, as a race car sound is replayed throughout the track. There’s some lovely synth sounds in this track too, and their contrast with Anita’s vocals, punctuated with Ray’s rap vocals, makes this track nice, but still sounding like it’s missing something. The track reached #15 in the UK charts.

Next up is The Power Age, and this gives us a somewhat subdued track – allowing Anita to show off some vocal harmonies. The track lacks the hard thudding beat, and goes light on the stabbing synth notes, and this gives us a more harmonious track. I’m not sure what a ‘power age’ is, but the track is quite nice.

That leads on to Break The Chain, in which both Anita and Ray are hellbent on breaking ‘your chain’. I can only imagine that high street jeweller H. Samuels had a busy year after this song. The track again reminds me of Technotronic in its lighter sound with softer beats and simple synth sequences. It’s a nice track though, allowing Anita to show off her vocals.

Then it’s a dramatic stabby synth opening for Kiss Me Bliss Me. Ray takes the lead on the mic here to start with, with Anita joining in later. The duo get to throw some lyrical bursts around this simple track, but ultimately it’s a fairly weak track.

That’s followed by Throw The Groove Down, which I’m hoping would give us something with a groove. The track opens somewhat like most here, but we do get a nice sounding synth with a repetitive sequence that helps make it catchy. Sadly though, there’s no bass guitar or even a whiff of disco in here, which would have been interesting to hear – techno-disco (tesco?). It sounds quite nice, but there’s little here.

R.U.O.K is next, and we’re instantly off to a wash of synths before this gives away to something different – with Anita getting some really nice vocals. At times it almost sounds Cuban with the percussion and a most welcome piano, but it’s brief before the song nudges along back to the synths again. It’s actually quite a catchy track.

The instantly recognisable instruction from Anita ushers in Let The Beat Control Your Body. As I did back in 1993, I comply immediately. This track is probably the second track of the duo’s that I can name, and whilst this album version has a different feel to it from the single version (and is perhaps a little slower), Anita puts in a great almost robotic vocal to establish the near mind control of the song. There’s extra vocals here that didn’t make the single version, but when released as the album’s fifth and final single, it hit #6 in the UK.

Then it’s time for Invite Me To Trance, which opens like a harmony-filled late-All Saints track, before some gurgling synths fade in alongside a soft beat. Of the tracks on the album, this track sounds the least 2 Unlimited. Anita gets some near pop vocals here, and she sounds quite at home, and it mostly just wafts along.

Where Are You Now follows this, sounding like some wonderful 1980’s heartfelt ballad. Again, Anita gets some fully-fleshed lyrics to deliver, and she does this perfectly against the soft beats and warm synths. At times she’s given some moments to show off her vocal range, but this track could easily not be a 2 Unlimited track given its very different style.

The album closes with Shelter For A Rainy Day, and like the previous track, this begins softly. There’s some wonderful sounding synths here in this track, placed over a soft beat. Again Anita gets some full vocals to deliver, and she shines here, with space to show off her warmth and rich vocals. Ray does get a few rap vocals here, but his vocals are kept to a minimum allow Anita to retain the focus. It’s a lovely track.

2 Unlimited’s lead single ‘No Limit’ (1993).

Verdict

Over all, this album is a fantastic example of early 1990’s music and the invasion of euro-dance.

There’s no avoiding the big hitter here – the titular No Limit track, and this is either an anthem or a nemesis for you. For me, it’s a highlight, but it’s not alone – with Let The Beat Control Your Body standing tall beside it. Unexpectedly, the final two tracks (both with a slightly different producer combination), are wonderful too, but they don’t sound like they are, or belong, on a 2 Unlimited album. Having already reviewed a 2 Unlimited later album (Real Things), it reminds me of the contrast of the closing track Nothing Like The Rain.

Where the album stumbles, is perhaps in the middle with Mysterious, Faces, The Power Age, and Kiss Me Bliss Me. Whilst none of these are stinkers, they are just okay sounding songs that sound like 2 Unlimited, but lack the energy, power, and catchiness that the big hits gave us elsewhere on the album.

The unexpected genre turn at the end of the album was a wonderful discovery, and makes me wonder whether there’s more Anita Dels music out there somewhere. For now though, it’s a fun ride through early 90’s euro-dance/techno, and it’s nice to reminisce.