The news of acquisition came directly from Defected Records UK label boss Simon Dunmore via his Twitter account yesterday afternoon.
Defected Records founder, boss & mastermind Simon Dunmore has he just made one of the best electronic music business strategic moves of the year with the global rights signing of Spiller – Groovejet?
Almost a year after acquiring grammy-award winner Todd Edwards’ catalogue, Defected Records is doing another business move but this time it’s for a single track but not just any, the famous charismatic track from early 2000s house era ” Spiller – Groovejet “.
Released on August 14, 2000 on the legendary label Positiva Records the track is the result of a collaboration between the collaboration of the British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor and the Italian Cristiano Spiller.
“ Spiller – Groovejet ” became #1 in the UK, New Zealand, Ireland & Australia and 3rd on the US American Hot Dance Chart and will be included later in Sophie Ellis-Bextor‘s studio album Read My Lips.
Announcing @DefectedRecords have acquired the global rights to the Spiller – Groovejet. A classic that has not been widely available digitally due to contractual reasons. We will be making the original versions available this summer, whilst commissioning remixes later this year.
— Simon Dunmore (@SimonDunmore) March 9, 2021
Spiller – Groovejet history
Originally, the track was just an instrumental, produced in time for to be presented at the Miami’ Winter Music Conference in March 1999.
” This was one of the fastest tracks I ever produced. It was 1999, the night before I was due to fly to Miami for the Winter Music Conference, where all aspiring DJs and producers went.
I was trying to stay awake for my early-morning flight and put on an unreleased version of Carol Williams’ Love Is You.
I ended up sampling it and, in a couple of hours, I had Groovejet more or less written. “
– Spiller
Premiered on March 13, 1999 by Boris Dlugosch at the Groove Jet club in Miami, where the record was very well received, Spiller decided then to include in his Spiller – Mighty Miami EP, which was released later in the year. The track was then renamed “Groove Jet” in homage to its Floridian origin.
” I signed to EMI’s Positiva Records and we started talking vocals. I wanted an original, charismatic voice, not the classic disco-diva singer, which was so over-done. From a pile of demos, Sophie’s beautiful voice immediately stood out.
I was really into house and underground clubbing. I had no idea how the pop world worked. I didn’t understand how important the charts were or what Top of the Pops was. It was a completely crazy time but also a dream come true:
I ended up DJing at the best clubs and parties around the world.”
– Spiller
Later that year, when Positiva Records signed the track & found it a bit too repetitive, the label decided to contact Ellis-Bextor to sing along on the track that is now popular. You can find more infos about the story of the track in this article written by The Guardian in last September.
Whatever the success to come under Defected Records, the label is already planning that the original version of Spiller – Groovejet will be released again this summer while several remixes will be released later this year.