Ultra Flava


"Ultra Flava" is a house song by British duo Heller and Farley Project. After the wide renown with their remix of Ultra Naté's "How Long" in 1994 and M People's "Open Your Heart" in 1995, they released it as a single in 1996. It is a slightly re-worked version of their mix of "How Long", without Naté's vocals. They entitled it "Ultra Flava" as a nod to the track's origins. It was a huge club hit and peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart, while reaching number-one on the UK Dance Singles Chart. In the US, it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. A black-and-white music video was also produced to promote the single.

Critical reception

from Billboard declared "Ultra Flava" as a "diamond-hard house gem". On the single review, he wrote, "Mega-hot U.K. production/songwriting team is primed to enjoy matching stateside success with this, a rousing instrumental anthem influenced by legendary disco bands like the SalSoul Orchestra. Partners Pete Heller and Terry Farley prove adept at crafting taut pop hooks while maintaining a credible deep-house edge. A summertime club favorite on import, the domestic pressing of "Ultra Flava" boasts refreshing new interpretations by Mousse T., Ralphi Rosario, Boris Dlugosch, and DJ Sneak. A snug radio edit could easily result in a pop/crossover smash à la Robert Miles' "Children". James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update described it as an "infectious Robin S-ishly plopped progressive wriggly percussion groove".

Impact and legacy

Mixmag ranked "Ultra Flava" number 33 in its list of the best singles of 1995, "Mixmag End of Year Lists: 1995".
DJ Mag ranked it number 85 in their list of the "Top 100 Club Tunes" in 1998, and in 2016 ranked the song number-one in their list of the "Top 50 Tracks of 1996".
Tomorrowland featured it in their official list of "The Ibiza 500" in 2020.

Track listing

  1. "Ultra Flava"
  2. "Ultra Flava"
  3. "Ultra Flava"
  4. "Ultra Flava"
  • UK 12-inch single
  1. "Ultra Flava"
  2. "Ultra Flava"
  3. "Ultra Flava"
  4. "Ultra Flava"
  5. "Ultra Flava"
  1. "Ultra Flava" – 3:14
  2. "Ultra Flava" – 3:55
  3. "Ultra Flava" – 7:03
  4. "Ultra Flava" – 6:17
  5. "Ultra Flava" – 6:43
  6. "Ultra Flava" – 7:10
  1. "Ultra Flava" – 3:45
  2. "Ultra Flava" – 3:56
  3. "Ultra Flava" – 7:03
  4. "Ultra Flava" – 6:16
  5. "Ultra Flava" – 6:43
  6. "Ultra Flava" – 7:10

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts