The power of a truly great club track is its ability to defy time, and James Poole’s “Girl Code” does exactly that. Released in 2024, the track doesn’t just nod to the past; it fully immerses the listener in the sound of late-nineties and early-two-thousands UK club culture, making it an essential feature for any discerning Audio Groover.
For those who spent their late teens and early twenties on the dance floors of venues like the iconic TinTins Club in Birmingham—specifically the legendary Hype night—this track is an immediate time machine. The emotion is triggered by one key sonic element: the abrasive, yet utterly euphoric “hoover” bass/synth. This sound, famously utilized in early Hard House, Hardcore, and Trance records, is the definitive sound of hedonistic, high-BPM clubbing.
Poole cleverly employs this throwback sound and frames it within a slick, modern production. The heavy compression, driving kick drum, and rapid-fire arrangement provide the necessary propulsion to ensure the track works perfectly for today’s packed dance floors. It successfully channels that raw, carefree energy where music felt immediate and revolutionary.
“Girl Code” is a tribute to those nights when the music felt like everything, and the sharing of that energy with hundreds of fellow clubbers felt like a bond that couldn’t be broken. It’s a reminder that true clubbing passion is cyclical, and the most infectious sounds always come back to make your head spin.