"No Limit" is a song recorded by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance group 2 Unlimited in 1993. It was their fifth single in total and the first to be released from their second album, No Limits! (1993). The song is one of their most commercially successful singles, especially in Europe, reaching the number-one spot in at least 13 countries and the top 10 in several others. Like previous releases, the UK version of the single removed all of the raps from Ray Slijngaard, leaving just Anita Dels' vocals. One word from the rap was kept, the word 'Techno' (from the line "I'm making techno and I am proud") which was looped and repeated during the middle of the song, turning the line into "Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!" and giving the song an extra vocal hook.
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "After several weeks at the top of Britain's pop charts, European rave duo is ready tackle the U.S. radio market with a bright ditty that melds techno, hi-NRG, and rap elements. The hook is irresistible, and the pace is heart-racing. Will please fans of last year's hit, "Twilight Zone," while reeling in newcomers."[5]Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo from BuzzFeed said that "this is possibly the most aggressive beat from the '90s. It's like they're strumming a GIANT rubber band."[6] Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger felt the track's "echoey hi-hat hits and the union of steam-hammer bass and rubber-ball synths" carry the industrial, "piston-powered aggression" of Belgianrave music. He also noted the presence of a cowbell in the back of the track.[7]
Per Reinholdt from Danish magazine Gaffa called it a "dance-powerhit", noting its "inciting up-tempo" and a rhythm and theme "with the same temper as a dressed beeswarm". He added that the song is a "piece of pop art".[8] A reviewer from Irish Independent described it as "a humugous global hit".[9] Music writer James Masterton wrote in his weekly UK chart commentary, "Of all the techno-rave dance acts, 2 Unlimited are the most successful, notching up 5 hits in a row with all making the 20. No Limit being the latest and most frantic".[10]James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update said it is "madly catchy" and a "tuneful techno pop galloper".[11] Johnny Lee from Smash Hits called it a "stormtrooper".[12] Australian student newspaper Woroni deemed the song as "tremendously exciting and highly recommended",[13] adding it as an "obvious highlight" of the No Limits! album.[14] Graham Clark from The Yorkshire Times stated that "the track at the time sounded unlike anything else but you can hear how it has influenced so many of today's electronic dance music tracks".[15]
Chart performance
"No Limit" was very successful on the charts, becoming a huge hit on several continents. In Europe, it went to number-one in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK, the single reached number-one in its fourth week on the chart, on February 7, 1993,[16] and stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for 5 weeks. Additionally, it also made it to the top 10 in Germany, Greece, Iceland and Italy. Outside Europe, "No Limit" peaked at number two on the RPM Dance/Urban chart in Canada, number seven in Australia, number 16 in Zimbabwe, number 21 on the US BillboardHot Dance Club Play chart and number 40 in New Zealand. It was awarded with a gold record in Australia Austria, France and Germany, and a platinum record in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
"No Limit" was covered by German band beFour on their fourth studio album Friends 4 Ever, and as a single in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The song entered the German Singles Chart in 2009.
^Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN978-951-1-21053-5.
