HAPPY hardcore was massive in Scotland in the early to mid 1990s. While the rave scene in much of England went on to be dominated by breakbeat, it seemed that the further north you travelled, the harder people liked their beats.

Happy hardcore was hard and fast, yes – often stomping manically around 180bpm – but with its insistent, major-key piano riffs and rave diva warblings it was also uplifting, compelling – even delirious. Stephen McLaren maybe already has his tickets for the 25th anniversary show of Ultra-Sonic at Glasgow’s Classic Grand next month. One of the biggest Scottish outfits at the time, their second single The Pulse sold over 10,000s, while their second, Arpeggio/Annihilating Rhythm Pts1 & 2 was a fixture in 1993’s UK indie chart for six weeks. Those were big numbers for a relatively unknown, unsupported, supposed “fringe” dance act.

“Ultrasonic were the ultimate band to me from about the age of 13 onwards,” says the Edinburgh-based musician.

“That was the first music that really made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, especially me playing the piano. I did also like things like Bizarre Inc – the sort of stuff that would be on your more mainstream rave compilations from the time – but it was happy hardcore that I got into first. It was huge at the time in Scotland, and it crossed over into the mainstream, at least here.

“Q-Tex were another one too. That’s what me and my pals listened to, and it’s stayed with me all that time. I still have all those records and am quite happy to list them as influences.”

McLaren’s debut single We Used To Go Raving is something of a haunted reminder of that time, and all the dance parties since. Buoyed by a characteristic, glow-stick-glad piano riff, it features wistful lyrics about fast friendships and “tents in Balado”.

“The piano break in the song is a call back to that time, that sense of euphoria,” says McLaren, who has been working on solo material since Edinburgh dream pop trio Collar Up went their separate ways in February 2016 after delivering a well-received album, Ghosts. “It really got to me then and still gets me now. The song is about hazy memories of parties, some better than others, and about relationships lost along the way. It’s me looking back from the present day to a lot of different times. The parties were the backdrop to relationships built and lost, some more painful than others.”

There’s a definite sense of nostalgia to the single, which McLaren says will be followed by a pro-Yes single later in the year.

“Some things were better about that time and some things weren’t so good, of course,” he says.

“We’re talking about those pre-broadband days. The likes of Ultrasonic, everybody got behind those tunes. I’m not sure that could happen now; things are very atomised now. I’m very involved in music, and live in a city, but I do wonder where young people get their music tips from. They must be managing it somehow but I’m not sure how. I would tape the Chart Show and talk about it with my friends the next day, you didn’t have much of a choice and that kind of brought you together.

“Even in terms of TV and films, people now will talk about box sets to their friends and ask for recommendations, but it’s not so much of a case that your neighbour is going to have heard or seen this too. There’s something about a big community that’s been lost there.”

McLaren, who has performed during these post-Collar Up months sometimes solo at the piano, says he’s in the latter stages of recording an album, and has developed his live show to better depict the record’s fuller sound.

“The music does sound a bit different from Collar Up because I’m using a lot of electronic, self-produced backing rather than a live band with a guitarist and drummer,” he says.

“Now I’m thinking that the live sound really has to sound more like what I’m recording. I’ve managed to get a good approximation of that with a laptop and samples, as well as singing and playing the piano live.

“I’ve made the sound a bit bigger. And the response I’ve got like that has been very encouraging.”

soundcloud.com/stephen-mclaren www.facebook.com/stephenmclarenmusic We Used To Go Raving is out now on Errant Media Ultra-Sonic, Dream Frequency and others play The Classic Grand, Glasgow on Saturday March 18, 8pm to 3am, £15 to £35. Tickets from bit.ly/UltraCGrand