Marcus Paulson returns to MOS with four cuts of raw, emotive jacking house from Manchester to Amsterdam. Carefully selected and road tested by Aroy Dee we got a mix of good vibe melodies with a proper 90s warehouse feel.
Chicago beat mathematician Toddsonic33 flipping it real dirty with 4 tracks that are part machine yet fully fused with soul, a sound that feels as authentic Chicago as it can get. With 2 featurings from fellow Chicagoan Don’s Mark Grusane and Darryn Jones, this is a real deep dive into the jackin’ drum sound from the windy city.
Alleviated Records presents the third installment of ‘Vault Sessions’ series, sharing Larry Heard recordings from the archives that either have never been issued or been out of print for a long time. It starts with an unheard alternative take on raw 1999 TB-303 jam ‘Acid Indigestion’ from his alternate Gherkin Jerks project, before serving up the pitch-perfect, snare-heavy vocal deep house soul of ‘Deja vu (Mesuria Mix)’ from way back in 2001. ‘Praise (Tribal Mix)’ is smoother, deeper and dreamer, with gorgeous organ riffs, Latin percussion and soulful vocals, while The It’s ‘Mr Gone (Fingers Edit)’ is a heady, sun-soaked and musically organic workout co-produced by fellow Windy City greats Harry Dennis and Ron Trent.
Stripped bare and driven hard – this is Jack at its most physical. Filthy, saturated drum work meets crunchy, uncompromising samples as Böhm channels the genre’s raw core across four relentless tracks. Each cut is engineered to whip crowds into a frenzy and lock the dancefloor in. Pure warehouse ammunition. Essential addition to any serious recordbox.
Originally released in 1988 on the compilation Acid Tracks Vol. 3 via Needle Records, ”The Other Side” has long been recognised as a potent example of early Chicago acid house. Now, more than three decades later, the track receives its first official 12” release – and, crucially, its first release with the original artists correctly credited. While historically attributed to Maurice Joshua, ”The Other Side” was in fact produced by Da Posse (Hula Mahone), with vocals by Martell. The release is issued by Island Life Records, a Bali-based label. The release is accompanied by a set of new remixes that respectfully extend the track’s legacy into the present day. Remix duties come from Island Life Records founder Garry Todd under his Clouds Of Kouros alias, Johnny Aux (one half of Paranoid London), and Age Of Hyperion each offering a distinct contemporary interpretation while retaining the spirit and tension of the original recording.
Chicago legend K. Alexi returns to Dark Entries with Warehouse Trax, an EP of previously unreleased acid and house mayhem. K’Alexi Shelby’s illustrious career has included releases on legendary labels such as Trax, DJ International, and Transmat, as well as collaborations with high-profile artists like Marshall Jefferson and Pet Shop Boys. But his musical journey began at the young age of 12, when he befriended Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles while frequenting the Music Box and Warehouse. Dark Entries previously reissued Shelby’s debut record, Essence of a Dream, which was recorded under the name Risque III in 1987. Warehouse Trax follows with six tracks recorded in Chicago between 1991 and 1994. The material here has all the hallmarks of classic K’Alexi. Salsa-inflected rhythms, emotive basslines, and hip-house vibes are displayed on tracks like the high-octane “Jungle Line” or the low-key tearjerker “Protect and Survive.” There are also some unexpected surprises in store. “Aaaah” comes out of the gate swinging with hard-hitting beats and apocalyptic ravey vocal pads evocative of the edgier material on Saber Records or Djax Up Beats, and the surprisingly contemporary-sounding “Klub Dred” delivers half-time dub with stuttering vocal samples.
Chicago legend K. Alexi returns to Dark Entries with K.A. Posse’s Strikes Again, an EP of preleased unreleased acid and house mayhem. K’Alexi Shelby’s illustrious career has included releases on legendary labels such as Trax, DJ International, and Transmat, as well as collaborations with high-profile artists like Marshall Jefferson and Pet Shop Boys. But his musical journey began at the young age of 12, when he befriended Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles while frequenting the Music Box and Warehouse. Dark Entries previously reissued Shelby’s debut record, Essence of a Dream, which was recorded under the name Risque III in 1987. Strikes Again brings us six tracks recorded in Chicago between 1988 and 1990, which come courtesy of Mike Dunn’s personal archive. This record showcases the rawer, more immediate side of Shelby’s sound, with tracks full of overdriven 808’s, careening sirens, and dangerously funky breakbeats. “Imported Taste” brings Shelby’s signature deep pads to the front of wild congo-laced percussion. “Suckas Be Ready” is a slamming hip-house cut featuring vocals from MCD-TA, while disco-samples duel with crunchy 909s on the jacking “Muzic Box.” Strikes Back showcases the real underground sound of Chicago, where sonic abstraction meets full-body kinetics.
Neapolitan DJ and producer Lello Di Franco, aka L.D.F., presents World Beats — a project driven by the intention to carve out a new, deeper mood on the dancefloor. Rooted in rhythm, raw edits and sampling, the concept draws from forgotten and classic cuts pulled straight from his vinyl collection, reshaped with a contemporary, club-focused approach. This first volume brings together like-minded artists from different corners of the world — Jesse Bru, Chicago edit master Rahaan, and Berlin-based DJ Merci — each contributing their own unique musical perspective while helping define the project’s distinctive global sound.
Hieroglyphic Being presents Acid Issues Vol. 1 on Mathematics Plus.
Founded in 1988 by Frank and Karen Mendez as a vehicle for The Burrell Brother’s prolific creative output, the legendary NYC label Nu Groove was relaunched in 2021, reinstating its cult status and quickly becoming a home for genre pioneers. Today its eclectic catalogue continues to grow with label returnee Stefan Braatz delivering his ‘Planet 2 Planet EP’, a four-track vinyl release showcasing this Berlin underground authority’s deeply synthetic club sound and timeless influences, including a collaboration with Virgo Four on the title track.
Calder City Development Corp. returns from Michigan with CCDC008 “Body Remembers EP” by Chicago Skyway, a raw, emotional slice of pure Chicago-Detroit house energy. This is that unmistakable blend of swing, grit and soul: dusty drum programming, deep basslines and chords that feel both melancholic and hopeful at the same time. It’s music that taps directly into the body – the kind of grooves you feel in your chest before you even realize you’re moving. “Body Remembers EP” fits perfectly into the Calder City Development Corp. universe: deep but direct, underground but timeless. This is finest Detroit house designed for concrete basements, smoky backrooms and all those moments when the lights are low and the crowd is completely locked into the groove.
NYC’s Sweater on Polo follows up his acclaimed L.I.E.S. 12 inch from 2023 with debut full length double LP, “Almighty Grand Essence”. This is pure to form 1985-1988 Chicago House worship, and while many have attempted to recreate this sound, most fail to deliver with correct reverence. Names like Saunders, Mixx, Virgo Four, undoubtedly appear in this conversation with Sweater on Polo taking cues and transforming the vintage sound into re-imagined dancefloor classics. Raw but clean, psychedelic but functional…this nine track record can move the crowd in all the right ways, with the lush deepness of “The Creation” to the nu-wave-house hybrid of “Proto Wave” or BMX beat track closer Psychotic Seance, its rare to find a young producer tapping into the vaults in such a focused, effective manner.
All Nice Records returns with NICE005, the second release from label co-founder Bobby Dreams, a five-track excursion through deep, functional, and emotionally rich house music.
Somewhere around 1993 or ’94, a quietly profound landmark in deep house emerged: The Relics E.P. by Austin Bascom, better known as Abacus, originally released on Chicago’s Prescription Records. Now, three Decades later, Clone Classic Cuts present a fully remastered edition, including previously unreleased material from the same recording sessions.
Sudd WAX is the vinyl only label of Sudd Records. Legend from Chicago, Gene Hunt comes up with classic and basic roots from acid, house and deep sounds, original from Chi-town. Energetic and versatile EP, playable full set time.
New free tracks from Mystery Friend. Expect full action with 707, 727 and a lot of samples.
Shin Watanabe returns to Hot Street with Album 1987, an album of nostalgic, analogue-rich and sample-heavy cuts that variously draw inspiration from early Larry Heard productions, formative Japanese deep house cuts, and the deeper end of late 80s New Jersey garage-house jams. Propper Classic House Music.
Timothy returns to Dungeon Module with six raw but playful house trax influenced by the early days of Chicago when you could still hear the wave influence. 12 bit drum machines, haunting strings, metallic percussion, cavernous flanger, stuttered vox. An antidote to over slick 90s house pastiche. This album is a fine example of the style Timothy has refined for years, from the psychedelic slam jak of ‘Junior’s Revenge’, to the heads down funk of title track ‘Home Of The Cone’.
The Hipodrome Of Music 