Set Adrift On Memory Bliss: Why It Rocks

Why does PM Dawn's hip hop hit from 1991 "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss" so capture my imagination? Is it the refreshingly indecisive tone of the lyrics and vocals? Is it the breakbeat that totally funkafies a sample of Spandau Ballet's very un-funky song "True"? There are many things that make it a good song, but for me, what really pushes this one into classic territory is the contrast between the easy listening vibe throughout most of the song, and the awesomely sinister, jangling rhythmic sample it suddenly breaks into at 2:28 and 3:26. Listen:

Just like being set adrift on your own memories, this beat is bittersweet and complex. And that discordant little breakdown turns this one from just a chilled out track into a real headbanger.