This Beat Is Technotronic

"This Beat Is Technotronic"
Single by Technotronic
from the album Pump Up the Jam: The Album
Released15 February 1990
Length5:26
LabelARS
Songwriter(s)Eric Martin, Thomas de Quincey
Producer(s)Thomas de Quincey
Technotronic singles chronology
"Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)"
(1990) 		"This Beat Is Technotronic"
(1990) 		"Spin That Wheel"
(1990)
Music video
"This Beat Is Technotronic" on YouTube

"This Beat Is Technotronic" is a song by Belgian dance music group Technotronic, released as the third single from their debut album, Pump Up the Jam: The Album (1989). Featuring MC Eric on vocals, the single found its greatest success on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the United States, where it hit number three. It also peaked at number 14 in the United Kingdom. It is the follow-up to Technotronic's second single, "Get Up! (Before the Night Is Over)".

Critical reception

Upon the release, Bill Coleman from Billboard stated that "you know the beat, now catch the groove. Rack up another smash for the Belgian hip-house ensemble." He added, "Ya Kid K takes a rest so MC Eric can drop a little science accompanied by Chanelle and Karen Bernod (of Tribal House) on these new mixes."[1] Harry Sumrall from Knight Ridder noted that it has the "cybernetic feel of Kraftwerk".[2] Dave Jennings from Melody Maker wrote, "He'll never replace ol' blue lips this way. The sound's exactly the same as on the previous two hits, but Eric's flat rap scarcely lives up to the intriguing homoerotic packaging. This beat is over-familiar."[3] Diana Valois from The Morning Call called it "a faceful of rap bravado".[4]

David Giles from Music Week wrote, "This could be the one that misses out. The absence of instant hooklines, and Big One Record's version of the same track released simultaneously may be to blame. Perhaps they will both be hits."[5] Gene Sandbloom from The Network Forty felt the follow-up to "Pump Up the Jam" "defines their unique keyboard blend", adding that it is "a bit more tribal and perhaps more Devoesque than its predecessor".[6] Terry Staunton from NME commented, "Disappointing after the delight of the earlier record with Ya Kid K rapping her backside off. [...] Still, we'll find it grows on us as it blares out of the "bins" at various clubs. Not bad, but can do better."[7]

Retrospective response

Retrospectively AllMusic editor Alex Henderson described "This Beat Is Technotronic" as "highly infectious".[8] In a 2015 review, Pop Rescue stated that it "sees MC Eric 'take the microphone stand' and using his 'dope lyrics'", noting that the song is "pretty much a repetitive rap over the familiar bassy synth and hissing hi-hat sequence."[9]

Chart performance

"This Beat Is Technotronic" was a major hit on the charts on several continents. In Europe, it made it to the top 10 in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, West Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland with its best chart position as number five in both Finland and Ireland. Additionally, the single was a top 20 hit in France, Spain and the UK. In the latter, it peaked at number 14 in its third week at the UK Singles Chart, on 15 April 1990.[10] In Italy, "This Beat Is Technotronic" was a top 30 hit, peaking at number 27.

Outside Europe, the single reached number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the US, number seven on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada, number 27 in Australia and number 38 in New Zealand.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. It was later published on Technotronic's official YouTube channel in June 2018, and had generated more than 939,000 views as of May 2024.[11]

Track listings

Personnel

  • Vocals by MC Eric
  • Produced by Jo Bogaert
  • Artwork by Patrick F Cypen
  • Photography by Koen Kampioen

Charts

References

  1. ^ Coleman, Bill (12 May 1990). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 93. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  2. ^ Sumrall, Harry (22 December 1989). "Strummer is all sound and fury". Knight Ridder. p. 10. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  3. ^ Jennings, Dave (31 March 1990). "Singles". Melody Maker. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  4. ^ Valois, Diana (13 January 1990). "Records". p. A66. The Morning Call.
  5. ^ Giles, David (7 April 1990). "Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 25. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. ^ Sandbloom, Gene (11 May 1990). "Top 40: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p. 27. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  7. ^ Staunton, Terry (7 April 1990). "Singles". NME. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  8. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Technotronic – Pump Up the Jam: The Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Review: "Pump Up The Jam" by Technotronic (CD, 1989)". Pop Rescue. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100 15 April 1990 – 21 April 1990". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Technotronic – This Beat Is Technotronic". YouTube. 8 June 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  13. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ^ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7978." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  15. ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 16. 21 April 1990. pp. IV–V. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  16. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Technotronic". Sisältää hitin – 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 256. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic" (in French). Les classement single.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Technotronic". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 16, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  23. ^ "Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic". Swiss Singles Chart.
  24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  25. ^ "Top Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 14 April 1990. p. 33. Retrieved 6 September 2023 – via World Radio History.
  26. ^ "Dance Club Songs The week of 7 July 1990". Billboard. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Technotronic feat. MC Eric – This Beat is Technotronic" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  28. ^ "MC B. feat. Daisy Dee – This Beat is Technotronic" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  29. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – MC B. feat. Daisy Dee" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  30. ^ "MC B. feat. Daisy Dee – This Beat is Technotronic" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  31. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – MC B. feat. Daisy Dee – This Beat is Technotronic" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  32. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1990". Ultratop. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  33. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 of 1990" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 51. 22 December 1990. p. 60. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 15 January 2020 – via World Radio History.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  35. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1990". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  36. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1990" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 17 April 2020.