Feel my Bicep

I Know for a while we have shown a complete lack of mixes on the blog…to correct this fact we thought we would share this wonderful mix from the maestro himself. For those unfamiliar with Ron Hardy was an innovator and originator, well know for his legendary sessions in the Music Box.

“He had less regard for sound quality and would play with a manic energy, mixing everything from classic Philadelphia Disco classics, italo disco imports to new wave, mutant disco and rock tracks. Hardy also pitched records up way more than Knuckles. Techno artist Derrick May remembers hearing Stevie Wonder with the speed at +8. Ron would extend intros and breaks, teasing his dancers for ages and when the vocals finally came the floor would explode.”

Ron Hardy Live @ The Music Box 1984 (Download)

Nick Straker Band: A Little Bit of Jazz
Colonel Abrams: Music Is The Answer
Kikrokos: Life Is A Jungle (edit)
Interboro Rhythm Team: Watch The Closing Doors (Dub Version)
Jamie Principle: Your Love (unreleased version)
Stopp: I’m Hungry (Caramba Mix)
Junie Morrison: Tease Me (Dub)
Isaac Hayes: I Can’t Turn Around (edit)
MFSB feat. The Three Degrees: T.S.O.P. (The Sound Of Philadelphia)
Jesse Saunders: Funk You Up
Liaisons Dangereuses: Avant Après Mars

In keeping with recent posts, we’re pleased to present a delightfully smooth remix from none other than ole’ frank knuckles, stamping his own chicago warehouse style firmly on the Chaka Khan classic, it’s a dub so the vocal appears late on, just teasing us. Great stuff!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Rufus & Chaka Khan – Ain’t Nobody (Frankie Knuckles Hallucinogenic Dub)’

A recent interview, when asked about how his fabric mix had been recieved…..said:

Did you read the shit people are saying already about the Fabric Mix? A few assholes are talking about “Oh, Omar-S. He did the same thing as Ricardo Vi-vi–….” whatever the fuck he’s called. I don’t even know who Ricardo Willalobo is. I ain’t start hearing his name till like a year ago. Who the fuck is that? So how would I know what he did for Fabric? I don’t even know how to say his last name, why would I bite off of him?

Here’s some classic Omar s, twisted acid sounds matched with an old school Chicago bassline and an enticing soulful vocal. Enjoy!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Omar S aka Alex Smith – Here with me (feat Divinti)’

Those gentle synth washes, the cowbell and the smooth vocals, all in the right place to create a amazing piece of house music. Music for your soul!

Frankie Knuckles helped define what house is, this tune is often cited by house enthusiasts as his finest work. “The piano riff alone is worth the price, but when combined with the bassline, overall production values and that vocal, it’s a credible candidate for best house record ever. And it was made in 1987.”

Backbeats have just release 10 compilations of tunes from probably the finest Independent Labels in house, disco, soul and funk… Labels like Trax, Philly Groove, Jewel, Paula, Ronn, Ace, Tribe, Invictus, Hot Wax and Music Merchant. No-one can look the other way to ‘Garage Classics‘ or ‘The House that Jackin’ built“….These are gold!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘The Nightwriters – Let the Music (Use You)’

A little valentine (albeit late… as was my lady’s present) treat, in the form of an all time Chicago classic from Larry Heard. This has an almost Balearic feel to it in a funny oldschool kinda way, though it is still a full on Chicago house bomb complete with a climbing bass and long pads, seriously hypnotic in an after hours kinda way.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Mr. Fingers – Mystery Of Love’

Amazing Chicago house records by Ragtyme produced by Marshall Jefferson… Ragtyme was actually Ten City before they became Ten City with the great vocals of Byron e. This is the other allstar dream team of house music in 1987 (Beside Larry Heard, Robert Owens and the rest of Fingers Inc). You couldn’t find a better production team then this. Marshall Jefferson, Byron Stingley & Ron Hardy doing the main mix! Comes with the Ron Hardy club mix and the Powerhouse version. Very expressive powerfull house music with intense vocals by Byron Stingley.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Ragtyme feat. Byron Stingily – I Can’t Stay Away (Ron Hardy Mix)’

One of our favourite Trax Records with adonics doing his thing with the big 303 basslines and 808s.

Sampled by a large amount of dance music productions these last two decades (such as ‘MI 7 – Rockin’ Down The House’ from 1991, and Marcus Intalex on “Temperance”, 2004),”We’re Rocking Down The House” is another symbol of the early House music days. From Discogs;

Adonis recorded “We’re Rocking Down The House” at home. Marshall Jefferson was the reason why that one became popular, because he gave the tape to Ron Hardy, and not Adonis himself. Marshall came over his house before he was going to the Music Box (an underground house temple leaded by Ron Hardy, a very influential DJ).

At that time, Marshall Jefferson and Adonis almost never went to the Music Box without anything new made by them for Ronnie to play, so Marshall asked me Adonis if he had anything new he was working on that could be given to Ronnie, and Adonis told Marshall he had just finished this track called “We’re Rocking Down The House”. Adonis gave this title because that is the effect he wanted the people to feel while dancing to it – something like a desire of giving the audience the feeling of the house moving, the whole club from side to side while they would dance – but also the dream of pushing the term House music to the masses.
Adonis knew the DJ would love to play a record that say ‘we are rocking down the house’, like meaning they would be playing the best of House music.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Adonis – We’re rocking down the House’

Behind The Ocean’ is a acid meltdown ala Chicago Trax 1989 but with a new school NY twist. With live rhodes touches and deep chord structures the acid keeps groovin. Unlike a lot of acid this isn’t whimsy and it packs a tonne of cowbell. Its featured on Daniel Wang’s massive ‘The Balihu Years’ compilation CD released in September this year.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Brennan Green – Behind the Ocean’

Huge piano house remix of Kevin Saunderson’s ‘The Reese Project’  by underground resistance back in 1992, this helped propel them into the forefront of house and techno music.

Underground Resistance is probably the most militantly political outcropping of modern urban American techno. Combining a grubby, four-track aesthetic, an almost strictly DIY business philosophy, and an oppositional, militaristic ethos similar to Public Enemy without the drama (or the familiarity; the members refuse to be photographed without bandanas obscuring their identities), UR have redirected their portion of the Detroit techno legacy to social activist ends, trading mainstream popularity and financial success for independence and self-determination. Begun in the early ’90s by Detroit second-wave trinity Mike Banks,Robert Hood & Jeff Mills, UR adapted the flavor and kick of early Detroit techno to the complex social, political, and economic circumstances in the wake of Reagan-era accelerated inner-city decline, and was formed as an outlet for uncompromising music geared toward awareness and change.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘The Reese Project – The colour of love (Underground Resistance remix)’

First heard this on the dark dancefloor of the Berghain, i think Prosumer was playing it, not 100% sure tho. Either away this Chicago jack classic is getting pumped out left right and centre! from Dalston basements to Croatian mountains- this one has defo been given a new revival this summer. Ace all over.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Chip E – Like This’

Chicago jack at its finest, grooving sleazy vocals and stomping italo style bassline- house can’t get much better. Known for his massive hit, ‘Love Cant turn around’ that inspired a dance revolution here in the UK-  however ‘Funk You Up’ was the first ever house tune to make it onto the Billboard charts!!

“the originator of House music”. thank you.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Jesse Saunders- Funk U Up’

Most people will immediately think of the polished ‘dub’ version when they hear title of this track. It was Serge’s first huge italo crossover hit back in ‘08.

However here we have the lesser well known, rawer original cut, which is much more reminiscent of the italian ‘giallo’ horror films and early Chicago house, which I guess was his initial idea. 

Huge track, and since it was only released on vinyl, we’ll let you’s have it!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Serge Santiago – Atto D’amore’

Yo, been really loving this sound so thought we’d throw together a mix of some tracks that have really flexxed their muscle on the floor. Lots of sample based house with slices of soul, a cupboard full of funky groove and a nod to our love of Detroit and Chicago.

1. General Motors – King of Kong
2. Jersey Devil Social Club – Homage at 121BPM
3. Herbert – Deeper
4. Aleem – Filtri Organi
5. Motor City Drum Ensemble – Raw Cuts 3
6. Makam – New York Hustler
7. Sebo K and Metro – Saxtrack (Reboot Twisted Fist Remix)
8. Tj Kong & Nuno Dos Santos – Dropout
9. Chris Carrier – Wheels of Fire
10. Cajmere feat. Dajae – Brighter Days [Underground Goodie]
11. Lauhaus – Hamka

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Biceps Muscle House Mix’

His name says it all, whilst being the “jack-master”, pounding out the house- he also provides some silky smooth vocals! This is his first record what a way to start!

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Continue reading ‘Jackmaster Silk- Music is the Key’

Moodymann the true master of sampling (apart from all those old school hip hop dudes…). This is a cracking tune, right up Biceps beef street. Nice wee deep rolling muscle pumper with another awesome repetitive vocal sampled from Chic’s ‘I Want Your Love’, infectious.

Moodymann -- I Can’t Kick This Feeling When It Hits

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Here’s the original…..

Moodymann -- I Can’t Kick This Feeling When It Hits