Fine Day XXIV vinyl

In terms of popularity, Opus III's 'It's A Fine Day' is such an enduring song that its staying power only leaves us to wonder what the crux of its half-life is. We'd probably wager it had been packed with sonic allotropes of bismuth-209 if it weren't for a more simple explanation: its stratospheric breakbeat construction - packed with orchestral hits, scratchy drums, burbly basslines and echoic pianos - had nailed the genre form to a T, while also working in one of the most reassuring and catchy vocal hooks in rave history from vocalist Kirsty Hawkshaw. In turn a rave musical interpretation of the 1983 ballad It's A Fine Day by Mancunian poet, musician and all round eccentric legend Edward Barton, the lyrics therein capture the puce innocence of going about one's day. That a theme so quotidian should end up worked into an ultimately ecstatic, not-so-quotidian rave tune is welcomingly ironic. So too is it welcome that Opus III should still be releasing remixes and new versions of the song to this day. Here's a sick 'XXIV' version, alongside phat outta-bounds garage version from Shadow Child.