Sy* – Bonkers 7 - Millennium Fever

Where do I even begin for this!, this album doesn’t get the appreciation it deserves especially hixxy’s mix, as it can be seen as the birth of uk hardcore as a style shame this period of hardcore didn’t last too long as it was easily the best period for it, dougal’s mix was just what you expect from him, cheese cheese and more cheese, same goes for sy, hixxy’s mix is easily the best with it’s trancey style of hardcore which is what uk hardcore should’ve become but instead by time 2000 came around it had evolved into what we know hardcore as now, while the uk hardcore that it evolved into isn’t bad by any means it’s still not as good as this transitional style of it we got with this album, overall a really good album 10/10

With Bonkers Vol.7, we see the return of DJ Hixxy, but still no Sharkey. This is regarded as the album that put the nail in the coffin for the Bonkers series, as it took 3 years after this volume for Bonkers 8 to be released.

DJ Hixxy's mix: Hixxy's return is not marked with his typical vocal cheese and rushing pianos, but with full on trance influenced Happy Hardcore. Honestly, the entire mix sounds like trance (though it's not), and this has to be the slowest Happy Hardcore mix Hixxy has done. Hixxy has even created a new label for the tracks on this mix called B Trax. It's clear to see by this mix (and the entire album as a whole) that new ideas are forming and the music will indeed take a direction that follows these new ideas. That's one of the only few pros I can say about this album is that this is the turning point from the cheesey sound to the euphoric sound. The top tracks on here are "1999 (Cover Version Mix)" and "Forever Comes".

DJ Dougal's mix: Dougal has also picked up on the trance-led influence and channels his production through this sound as well, and I think he does a better job at it than Hixxy did. Don't expect any cheesey vocals or pianos on this mix either. Some top tracks include "Rockini It", "Lost Generation(Scott Brown Remix)", and "Sunshine". Dougal also used the same remix of "Shooting Star" he used on Bonkes 5, though he seems to have turned the gain levels up on the vocals so they sound louder compared to the use of the remix on Bonkers 5. "Ocean Blue" is also on this mix, which is a rare Happy Hardcore track and is was only released on the RFU Cd.

DJ Sy's mix: I don't know what happened here, but the whole mix is stale except for the odd track or two. There is not as much scratching on this mix as compared to his Bonkers 6 mix. Top tracks on this mix are "Stay With Me" and "Basic Nature" "Run To Me(DJ Brisk Remix)", and "Dance Sucker". There is also a cover version of Madonna's "Beautiful Stranger" which is decent.

Overall, this is not the greatest volume in the Bonkers series, and gives a clear example of the downhill path Happy Hardcore strolled in 1999. Anabolic Frolic's "Happy2bHardcore Chapter 4", "Happy2bHardcore Chapter 5", and "Happy2bHardcore Chapter 6" have a much better track selection, and cover a span of anthems between 1999-2001 (as there won't be another Bonkers until 2002).