chicago house

2AM/FM – Starfist Lazerbeam / Passion Of A Nigh [VOS01/MOSDEEP022]

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2 AM/FM - Starfist Lazerbeam

Interesting collaborative release between powerhouse labels MOS Deep and Creme Organization. The artists behind the two tracks are Michigan duo 2 AM/FM aka JTC & D’Marc Cantu. ‘Starfist Lazerbeam’ is the first cut and is a slow, purposeful house track run through with a slithering, laser like synth that constantly changes shape. Muffled, filtered vocals are hidden behind and the arpeggiated line eventually lets up and gets a little funky as the icy percussion ticks on. Its a real pressure-building track with curveball melodies that are as beautiful as they are weird. On the flip, ‘Passion’ has raw analogue drums, ticking his and trippy melodies all dancing round each other in old school Chicago fashion. A nimble bassline also dances around the mix, bring with it lots of energy, stylish funk and a real sense of playfulness.

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2AM/FM – Starfist Lazerbeam / Passion Of A Nigh [VOS01/MOSDEEP022]

Michael Ferragosto – Pissing On Your Head [DIN008]

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Robert Crash’s IFM partner Marcello Napoletano returns to his Michael Ferragosto alias who has seen prior releases on Steve Pointdexter’s Muzique Records with a new five track EP. As with all of the other Dog in The Night releases, this 12 is food for the working dj. True to form beating Chicago jack tracks, twisted acid cut ups, and slam dancing warehouse grooves that will get the pit started at your next jam.

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Michael Ferragosto – Pissing On Your Head [DIN008]

Giorgio Luceri – True Feelings EP [MATH076]

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The deep envisioned season is upon us with the new release from Giorgio Luceri, expressing some true emotion and crafting a body of work that stands on its own merit of creative intrigue and splendor of mid 90’s Chicago lofting Scene & Gallery scene.

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Giorgio Luceri – True Feelings EP [MATH076]

Vincent Floyd – Moonlight Fantasy [RHM008]

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Unreleased material by Chicago’s great Vincent Floyd. Early works, mastered from the original DAT tapes. Electronic soul classics, now available for the first time. All tracks are drowned with warm leads, dreamy drums and dragging melodies.

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Vincent Floyd – Moonlight Fantasy [RHM008]

Brad Peterson – Virtual Headspace [7SR025]

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Brad Peterson delivers the 25th release from Glasgow’s 7th Sign Recordings. The imprint is back with a bang as Scotland-based American producer Brad Peterson, serves up deep and spiritual sounds with shades of Larry Heard interwoven with the unique, abstract, thoughtful, groovy sound that is all his own. A powerful remix by house music hero Neville Watson completes this fine addition to the remarkable 7th Sign catalogue.

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Brad Peterson – Virtual Headspace [7SR025]

Simoncino – Dreams Of Konders [CR1277]

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Italian producer and classic Chicago house student Simoncino returns once more to Creme Organization for four tracks made using a wealth of Roland machines. Opener ‘Meggaton’ is a sombre, downbeat house affair with a doom laden one note bass sound that reverbs forever. The title track surely named in homage to legendary New York City producer Bobby Konders is a snaking, spiritual deep house jam shrouded in mystery and fuzzy textures that puts most ‘deep’ house to shame. On the flip, ‘Pyramids’ is a stuttering, staggering percussive house jam that builds pressure before relieving it with some seriously emotional synths, then ‘Space Is The Place’ wallows down low in a thick baseline, is paired with crisp and icy hi hats and exposes some nicely starry night skies up top.

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Simoncino – Dreams Of Konders [CR1277]

VA – The House That Jackmaster Hater Built [STILLMDCD012]

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Jerome Derradji is gaining something of a reputation as one of Chicago’s premier house archivists, having previously released compilations celebrating some of the Windy City’s most influential – but previously overlooked – labels. Here he’s teamed up with KStarke Records boss Kevin Starke to deliver a two-track set largely made up of material found on tapes that were once traded between Frankie Knuckles, Ron Hardy and other legendary Chicago DJs. Confusingly much of the material credited to Jackmaster Hater is of unknown origin, while there plenty of other unearthed gems with little or no information. Thankfully, the material – largely mid-to-late ’80s jack and early acid, with a sprinkling of deep house and Italo-influenced fare – is uniformly excellent, making it a “must buy” for anyone with a passion for early house music.

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VA – The House That Jackmaster Hater Built [STILLMDCD012]

Chicago Jim – Chicago Jim LP [LT008]

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The Lobster Theremin label is finally ready to make the move to the full-length format. Interestingly, this first LP – a double album, no less – comes from a largely unheralded source, former Vancouver resident Chicago Jim (AKA Space Jim). Chicago Jim replicates the contents of his self-released 2012 cassette of the same name, bringing his blend of Larry Heard-inspired analogue deep house and stargazing ambience to vinyl for the first time. With nods to Heard’s recently reissued Alien LP, early Transmat and Virgo Four style acid house, it’s an analogue-only set – recorded mostly using vintage kit – that ebbs and flows with great emotional intent.

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Chicago Jim – Chicago Jim LP [LT008]

Paradise Box – Reel Nitty Gritty EP [EVR016]

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Fresh from his outing on Inkswel’s Hot Shot Sounds label, ex UK now Melbourne based artist Paradise Box brings four freeform Nu Groove style excursions to Echovolt, flipping the quintessential house acapella on Reel Nitty Gritty into a Burrell Brothers style banger. The other tracks touch on Virgo Four, Mr Fingers and classic WBMX style hardware soul, making a virtue of idiosyncrasy and showcasing the fallibilities of the human touch. The whole EP harks back to an era where having limited means meant that loose and expressive soulful endeavor was pursued over high production values and rigid conformism.

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Paradise Box – Reel Nitty Gritty EP [EVR016]

Jeremiah R. – Underwater Title [TABR028]

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The somewhat mysterious Jeremiah R. is steadily earning a reputation for putting out quality electro. Having first surfaced on London label Organic Analogue, Jeremiah R now boosts his profile further with a seven-track mini-album on the supreme Tabernacle operation which shines further light on his Drexciyan inspirations. It’s not all deranged synths and brittle snares shots though, with tracks “Far Sight” and “Twin Paradox” suiting the Tabernacle mould of jacking, Chicago-themed house music.

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Jeremiah R. – Underwater Title [TABR028]

The It – The It EP [ML2229]

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Alleviated Records is proud to present the latest ep release from THE IT. Produced by Larry Heard (a.k.a. Mr. Fingers, Loosefingers, etc.) and featuring the unique vocal poetry stylings of Harry Dennis, whom fans will also know from his releases under the moniker of ”Jungle Wonz.” We hope that djs, dancers and listeners will enjoy this set of 4 selections with music composed by Larry.

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The It – The It EP [ML2229]