A song for... July

This month's song is 27 years old, which hadn't dawned on me until I sat down to write this. 27???

Winter In July was Bomb The Bass' fourth and final top 10 hit, the second single from their second album 'Unknown Territory'. I say 'their', of course Bomb The Bass was actually just the one guy, Brixton boy Tim Simenon. I've never been big on electronic music, but 'Unknown Territory' was a surprise fave of mine back in the day. It was kind of pioneering in that it moved dance music away from singles and more into the 'unknown territory' of the proper album format. At the same time, it felt like a dance/rock crossover which, although Primal Scream, Happy Mondays and the like were doing something similar, Simenon seemed to be the first electronic solo artist to move in that direction. 'Twas a brave move perhaps, but the result was his most critically-appraised record.

The lead vocal is performed by Loretta Heywood who also co-wrote the song. She re-recorded Winter In July for her 2014 album 'The Boy Across The Road'. I've not heard that version, but the original is just wonderful and hard to beat.

• Winter In July [7" mix] - Bomb The Bass (from 'Unknown Territory')