Set You Free (N-Trance song)

"Set You Free"
Single by N-Trance
from the album Electronic Pleasure
B-side Remixes
Released 20 April 1994
14 January 1995 (re-release)
Format Vinyl, Cassette, CD
Recorded 1992, PWL Studios, London; 1994, Out of the Blue Studios, Manchester
Genre Breakbeat hardcore, rave
Length 4:22 (Original Radio Edit)
Label All Around the World
Writer(s) Mike Lewis, Dale Longworth, Kevin O'Toole
Producer(s) N-Trance
N-Trance singles chronology
"Turn Up the Power"
(1994)
"Set You Free"
(1995)
"Stayin' Alive"
(1995)

"Set You Free" is a song written and recorded by the English dance group N-Trance, featuring vocals from Kelly Llorenna. It was first released as a white label record in 1992, it was re-released in January 1995 and became a chart hit. Later it was remixed and re-released in 2001.

Writing and recording

After previously producing two unsuccessful instrumental tracks, "Roobarb" and "Back to the Bass", one of which got them signed to 380 Records, N-Trance decided they needed a female vocalist to sing on future records. Mike Lewis went to the band's old college, The Oldham College, in search of a singer. After being given some recommendations he found sixteen-year-old Kelly Llorenna with her friends in the college's common room.

After agreeing to meet with the band, Llorenna travelled from Oldham to Kevin O'Toole's house in Shaw and Crompton, fifteen minutes away. As she made her way there, Dale Longworth, Mike Lewis and Kevin O'Toole quickly wrote the song "Set You Free" so that she could have a song to perform. In 1992, "Set You Free" was recorded by N-Trance and Kelly Llorenna at PWL Studios, London (where they had also re-recorded "Back to the Bass" prior to this).

Release and reception

380 Records initially pressed 500 white label copies of the record in 1992, but due to troubles within the record label the song was never released as a single. After only being with 380 for one year, N-Trance bought themselves out of their record contract and signed to a new label, All Around the World, after a recommendation from their friend Higgi, also signed to AATW with Mix Factory.

With All Around The World, "Set You Free" was released as a single in 1993, but it did not reach the Top 40, getting to number 83. The next year, the song was re-released with a new radio edit (the Lost Soul Mix) and the song charted higher this time at number 39.

After releasing another single in 1994, called "Turn Up the Power", "Set You Free" was in high demand, with old copies of the single selling for up to fifty pounds. The song was given a third release in 1995. Backed by strong television and radio play, it was a huge hit single which reached number 2 in the charts and was certified Gold in the UK. The single was also released in other European countries and Australia.

In 2001, N-Trance and their record label noticed the circulation of many bootleg and unauthorised remixes of "Set You Free". Instead of pursuing legal action, N-Trance decided to compile the best remixes for another single release. Rob Searle's trance remix was used as the radio edit of "Set You Free 2001", and the song became a hit once again charting at number 4 in the UK, and also charting in Europe as well.

The song has been performed on Top of The Pops twice, both in 1995 and 2001.

Remixes

White Label mixes

Original PWL Promo 12":

Music video

The music video was directed by prolific music video director Steve Price and shot in various locations in County Durham and North Yorkshire. The video comprises scenes of the band dancing and singing in a nightclub, in front of Cliffords Tower in York, England and travelling in a stretched limousine. The scene at Cliffords Tower was fortuitously or coincidentally shot on 3 November 1994,[1] which coincided with an annual Guy Fawkes Night Fireworks display organised by York City Council. The nightclub scenes were shot at Bianco's, Stockton-on-Tees[1][2] It is claimed that the video cost around £5,000 to make.

In 2001, the video was re-edited for the Rob Searle Radio Edit.

Personnel

Charts

Original version
Chart (1995) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[3] 11
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[3] 61
Germany (Media Control Charts)[3] 44
Ireland (IRMA)[4] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[5] 8
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[3] 15
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[3] 18
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[6] 2
Reissue version
Chart (2001) Peak
position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[6] 4

References

  1. 1 2 "Set You Free (1995)". Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. redbookboro1. "FMTTM Archive".
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Set You Free", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  4. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  5. "Single top 100 over 1995" (pdf) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  6. 1 2 "N-Trance: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.

External links

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