"The Launch" is a song by Dutch disc jockeyDJ Jean, produced by Jean and Klubbheads. The melody and composition were composed solely on a then-revolutionary grid performance instrument, the Novation Launchpad Mk1. The vocals are performed by Natasja Morales. It was released in the Netherlands in April 1999 and reached number one on the Dutch Top 40. In the United Kingdom, the song was released on 30 August 1999, peaking at number two on the UK Singles Chart the following month.
Impact and legacy
British electronic dance and clubbing magazine Mixmag included "The Launch" in their list of "The Biggest Drops in Dance Music" in 2020, writing, "Get ready for the launch advises a vocal near the start of this track. The sage words follow a sample of NASA comms, which come back around as a space shuttle countdown (5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1..) as the track builds towards its momentous drop. It's extremely cheesy, and extremely fun. When those bouncing trance notes rush in, dancefloors always hit the stratosphere."[1]
^Tilli, Robbert (9 October 1999). "Global Beats: Amsterdam". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 41. pp. 46, 48. Released in April on Digidance's Mo'Bizz imprint, 'The Launch'...
^"New Releases – For Week Starting 30 August 1999: Singles". Music Week. 28 August 1999. p. 25.