For well over half a decade now, Defected’s House Masters been chronicling the very highest achievements in house music – past, present and future, with the series based firmly around the pioneers and luminaries of house.
The existing House Masters roll call is a veritable who’s who of electronic talent, including ‘Little’ Louie Vega, Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez (Vega and Gonzlaez have also compiled separately as Masters At Work), Bob Sinclar, Dennis Ferrer, Osunlade, Derrick Carter, Black, Murk, Sandy Rivera, Henrik Schwarz, Charles Webster, Dave ‘Joey Negro’ Lee and, most recently, a posthumous collection celebrating the life and work of the one and only Frankie Knuckles.
Now, House Masters is presenting singles alongside its album series, aiming to re-issue and re-introduce classic house cuts that have been underappreciated during the ‘pure’ house renaissance of recent times or, even worse, plain forgotten.
Out this week, here’s a brief rundown of House Masters’ first wave of single re-issues:
Billie – ‘Nobody’s Business’
Produced by Boyd Jarvis and Timmy Regisford for an original release in 1986, ‘Nobody’s Business’ fused church fervour and snappy club groove to killer effect. No wonder it became a Paradise Garage anthem. The Radio, Extended Radio and Instrumental Club mixes are included.
DJ Gregory – ‘Tropical Soundclash’
Unabashedly tribal skank from 2002, released first via French label Faya Combo before a swift, beautifully enhanced re-release on Defected. It’s that re-release presented again here, Gregory’s infectious guitar-flecked licks complimented by an array of meaty, beat-y re-rubs via Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez. Sizzling.
Louie Vega & Jay ‘Sinister’ Sealee starring Julie McKnight – ‘Diamond Life’
An early Noughties masterpiece, McKnight’s earnest vocals gliding over super soulful house arrangements and, in the case of the original mix, Gene Perez’ lush bass guitar hooks. The House Masters re-issue also gathers many of the single’s sparkling remixes from subsequent years – MAW, Deep Dish, Copyright, Rocco, Danism, Kenny Summit, Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez and Nikos Diamantopoulos are all present and correct.
MD X-Spress - 'God Made My Phunky'
Mike Dunn’s gnarly turn-of-the-century funk-out, marrying lowdown shout-outs with tight, yet off-kilter piano loops, is back for 2015. Remixes include those by X-Press 2, Harry ‘Choo Choo’ Romero, Groove Assassin, Franky Rizardo and Marlon Hoffstadt.
Funky People featuring Cassio Ware – ‘Funky People’
More classic, funky overtures - this time from Blaze duo Kevin Hedge and Josh Milan alongside cult New Jersey vocalist Cassio Ware. The original’s infectiously bumpy, soulful flow is backed (to the hilt) here by quality remixes from MAW, Lenny Fontana and a deliciously fluid Knee Deep.
Chez Damier – ‘I Never Knew Love’
Damier’s 1992 outing on KMS packed enough deep, soulful and jazzy-house punch to make the toughest dance heads cry. The original Change Up and Made In Detroit mixes have been included, so too MK’s characteristically dubby take and an exclusive new Made In Detroit re-edit by Copyright.
Josh One – ‘Contemplation’
Josh One’s hazy Balearic spiral (the title so apt) first slinked into earshot in 2001, accompanied by a sublime uptempo re-working by King Britt spinning echoed percussion around hypnotic stabs of bass and (‘mind-opening’) vocal. The House Masters re-issue features both, as well as mixes by Alex Neri and Mat Playford (his re-edit of Britt). Contemplation very much deserves its new lease of life in 2015.
LaTrece – ‘I Want To Thank You’ (The MK Mixes)
A seriously robust cover of Eighties soul-stress Alicia Myers which, following release in 1993, had many commentators hailing it as one of the finest executions of emotive soul-house yet committed to wax. MK’s accomplished production was pivotal, juggling melodic sweep, rhythmic bite and LaTrece’s sincere vocals to perfection. The original MK Mix, MK Downtown Mix and MK Dub are all included for your listening (and playing) pleasure.
MK featuring Alana – ‘Love Changes’ (MK & MAW Mixes)
More exemplary MK manoeuvring from 1993, his swinging dub-house thrusts arguably at their most potent on this particular record with Alana – that is, before his recent 21st century renaissance. MK’s three original mixes (including ‘Dub’ and ‘Mind’ mixes) are re-issued here, as well as his original collabo-dub with MAW – a deliciously twisted splice of whip smart drums, layered vocal stutters and deep keys. Hot....
Amira – ‘Walk’
Amira seriously walkin’ the ‘Walk’ with this Slip ‘n’ Slide gem from 1996. Produced by Blaze and with backing vocals courtesy of Alexander Hope, the soulful quality of ‘Walk’ was never in doubt. And yet it wasn’t smooth groovin’, Blaze firing seriously funky-ass loops beneath Amira’s spicy delivery. ‘Walk’ is re-released this spring with Blaze’s original Klubhead Vocal, Dub and Bonus Beats jumpin’ alongside those awesome swing-synth alternatives by Mousse T – also part of the original Amira mid-Nineties package.
Johnny D & Nicky P – ‘Reach 4 The Sky EP’
D & P – the Nineties house sensations also famed for masquerading as JohNick. Johnny De Mairo and Nicholas Palermo Jr (to give the duo their full names) were mentored by Armand Van Helden and Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez and quickly built a reputation for skilfully looped and layered house tracks. House Masters’ ‘Reach 4 The Sky EP’ is no exception, corralling its title track (and bonus JohNick remix) from D& P’s 4th Floor release ‘The Bay Ridge EP Pt 3’ in 1999. D & P’s later 4th Floor outings ‘Bone Up!’ (from ‘The Brooklyn Zoo EP Pt 2’, 2001) and ‘C’Mon, Give It Up’ (part of JohNick’s ‘The Return Of The Meatmen EP’, 2003) are also involved – the former, a brassy, Blackspolitation hustle of the highest order; the latter (co-produced by Mike Delgado) sampling Rufus & Chaka Khan to insanely brilliant, disco-filtered effect.
Johnny Corporate – ‘The Back To Work EP’
Rockin’ Washington duo 95 North (AKA Doug Smith and Richard Payton) were behind this ‘Corporate’ identity, 1998’s ‘The Back To Work EP’ a heady summation of their high-dose, high-success soul-house formula. Anchor-like 4-4 pumps satisfyingly beneath superior soul ‘n’ disco-loop cuts ‘In The Pocket’ (complimented by bonus edit ‘Pocket Beats’), ‘Groove Me’ and ‘Nights Over DC’. When executed lovingly like this, sampling is very much high dancefloor art....
The first wave of House Masters singles and EPs are out now – buy from Beatport / Traxsource
