Rhythm Is a Mystery

"Rhythm Is a Mystery" is the debut single by British electronic music group K-Klass, released in 1991 by Deconstruction Records, and later included on the group's debut album, Universal (1993). Lead vocals are performed by Bobbi Depasois.

"Rhythm Is a Mystery"
Cover of a 1991 UK CD single release.
Single by K-Klass
from the album Universal
Released1991
Genre
LabelDeconstruction
Songwriter(s)
  • K-Klass
  • Mark Stagg
K-Klass singles chronology
"The Wildlife EP"
(1990)		 "Rhythm Is a Mystery"
(1991)		 "So Right"
(1992)
Music video
"Rhythm Is a Mystery" on YouTube

Background and release

Andy Williams, Carl Thomas, Russ Morgan and Paul Roberts met in a nightclub in Manchester in 1988. They formed production collective K-Klass and debuted with The Wildlife EP in 1990. "Rhythm Is a Mystery" was their follow-up in 1991. The distinctive drum roll which features at various junctures in the track was sampled from the 1987 song "Devotion" by Ten City. First released via Creed Records, it secured K-Klass a contract with Deconstruction. Upon the first release of "Rhythm Is a Mystery", the song only reached No. 61 in the UK. However, after a new remix was re-released that same year, it peaked at No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. It is their biggest hit to date.

Critical reception

While reviewing the group's 1993 debut album Universal, Dave Simpson from Melody Maker wrote, "Sure, the Walsall groovers were there at the beginning (or thereabouts), bombarding audiences at early 808 State gigs and managed to fuse club credibility and mainstream success with the lusciously gyrating "Rhythm Is a Mystery", creating a classic of the genre to boot."[1] Roger Morton from NME praised it as "a brazen piano house anthem", remarking that "In the lexicon of British dance pop acts with single consonant prefixes, K Klass are the reliable workhorses next to the thoroughbred M People and the steeplechasing D:Ream."[2]

Impact and legacy

British clubbing magazine Mixmag ranked "Rhythm Is a Mystery" number 34 in its "100 Greatest Dance Singles of All Time" list in 1996.[3]

The same year, English DJ Tall Paul named it one of his top 10 tracks, adding, "I think this came out in 1990/91. It's a great song — listen to that piano drop. I remember seeing the place go completely mad to it: you can still easily drop it now and people go mad. An all-time classic."[4]

MTV Dance ranked it number 79 in their list of "The 100 Biggest 90's Dance Anthems of All Time" in November 2011.[5]

The song was featured in the 1992 comedy film Encino Man.[6]

Charts
Chart (1991) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[7] 8
Ireland (IRMA)[8] 7
UK Singles (OCC)[9] 61
UK Singles (OCC)[10] 3
(re-release)
UK Dance (Music Week)[11] 2
Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[12] 130
UK Club Chart (Music Week)[13] 100

References
  1. Simpson, Dave (1993-12-18). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 29. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  2. Morton, Roger (1994-05-28). "Long Play". NME. p. 35. Retrieved 2023-09-06.
  3. "The 100 Greatest Dance Singles of All Time". ravehistory.homestead.com. Retrieved 2017-03-03.
  4. "Jock On His Box" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 1996-07-06. p. 5. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
  5. MTV Dance. 2011-12-27.
  6. 'Song Credits' - Encino Man (dvd). Hollywood Pictures Home Entertainment. 1992.
  7. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 1991-11-30. p. 25. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  8. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rhythm Is a Mystery". Irish Singles Chart.
  9. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  10. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  11. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 1991-11-09. p. 22. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
  12. "Bubbling Down Under Week Commencing 20 January 1992". Bubbling Down Under. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  13. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 4 June 1994. p. 4. Retrieved 17 May 2023.


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