LIMITED EDITION RED VINYL REPRESS X 300. More quality from the Trax vaults. One of the biggest all time house music anthems from Marshall Jefferson, mixed by Ron Hardy and produced by Virgo. Re mastered versions from the Traxbox compilation. More

Released on TRAX in the golden year of 1989 Chicago's Virgo aka friends Eric Lewis and Merwyn Sanders, along with peers such as Larry Heard and Frankie Knuckles, gently pushed House music towards a more musically sophisticated realm that hadn't been explored previously. Across 8 tracks Virgo took us on a deep exploration of sound that was both masterfully arranged and produced and in direct contrast to a lot of the rudimental and jacking drum tracks that were the flavour of the day. There are few debut albums in the electronic sphere that can claim the title of 'classic', but this is surely one of them. A defining turning point in dance music, the dawn of what would later be referred to as the 'deep house' movement and sound is all evident with the grooves of this legendary record. Often listed as one of the 'greatest LP's of all time', this self-titled odyssey remains an essential, must have record that never loses it's magic, flawless in every way and still trailblazing today. Every home should have one. Remastered in conjunction with TRAX, repressed from the finest audio sources available. Often imitated, never replicated! 100% legit. More

The legendary Lidell Townsell on the legendary TRAX label - What's not to like? 'Get the hole' might sound like a fairly dubious title for an EP, but it works within the realms of Chicago house! Released in the golden year of '88, this EP contains nothing but vintage midwest ACID grooves! You could argue that the XXX rated message behind lead cut 'get the hole' is an early precursor of what would come out of the Chi via Dance Mania and other associated labels and artists in latter years. Rumour has it the track had an impact on the super underground B-more club scene too unsurprisingly! If you like your house music rough, ready & raw then this is for you! Warehouse sounds, box jams, it's all here! Remastered in conjunction with Trax Records, fully legit, now is the time to revisit a cornerstone of classic Chicago House music, often imitated, never bettered! More

The hip house boom was in full effect, thanks to Tyree Cooper's efforts, and Trax responded with this double-header. 'Power Move' is straight up hip hop, but it's the flip, producer by Trax regular Lidell Townsell, 'I'll Make You Dance' that does the business here. Kool Rock Steady, also known as Edward Rudolph, had serious credentials for an MC, being cousin of one Africa Bambaataa. This release is also notable for yet another misspelling of Lidell Townsell's Christian name (Lydell, since you ask). More

One of the early big records in the UK that preceded the acid house mania that followed in 1988 and Mr. Lee's first in a string of releases on Trax. Adonis recalls bumping into Mr. Lee in the street: "What's up with you, Adonis?" and I said, "Oh man, I got a record out. I'm doin' house music and makin' money at it." The next time I saw him, he was sayin', "Hey man, I got a record out too!" 'I Can't Forget' features a more spoken word delivery in comparison to his later productions where he'd retooled and become a rapper (of sorts). More

Huge Kai Alexi EP re issued on Trax... All 4 tracks remastered for 2016. More

A brilliant tune produced by a team who also worked together at Chicago's Loop Record store, Jesse Jones and Carl Bias. Written by Leroy Haggard (AKA Mr. Lee, "When You Hold Me" was arguably the fiest of the deep house genre. The pair went on to work extensively with Liz Torres, the queen of house. Re mastered for 2016 and re released in conjunction with Trax. More

Another example of Marshall Jefferson's unassailable genius in the late 80's, as he moved effortlessly from raw jackin' gear through to redemptive vocals. Nowhere near as famous as its predecessor "7 Ways" on Dance Mania but arguably better. Re mastered for 2016 and re issued in conjunction with Trax. More

Expanded re mastered edition of Farley's classic "No Vocals Necessary" EP from 1988. 2 x 12" ranging from distorted acid to funked up disco filtered excursions. Essential! More

Another huge monumental piece of house history from the Trax back catalogue! Farley "Jackmaster" Funk under his Blackman guise... I'll Beat That Bitch With A Bat... Repressed and re mastered in conjunction with Trax 2016. More

trax delve deep into their dusty vaults and unearth more rarities... This time we have an extended edit of Armando's "Downfall" by the one and only Derrick Carter. On the flip we have 2 mixes of Armando's "Ecstasy" - a track that only appeared as a bonus track on the 1999's repress of his seminal "The New World Order" LP. Released in conjunction with Trax 2015. More

4 superb tracks from K Alexi from the depths of the Trax vaults... circa 1994 More

The third Jungle Wonz release on Trax, again with Harry Dennis' gorgeous vocals. A real bench mark in the house sound of Chicago from Marshall Jefferson. More

Seminal Chicago Acid house compilation fully remastered and spread over 2 x 12" for the first time. DJ Pierre... Maurice Joshua... Lidell Townsell... Jack Frost... Mr. Lee classics all here... Re issued in conjunction with Trax 2015. More

We dig deep into Trax's vaults to unearth some unreleased versions of some Trax classics. Vol. 2 contains a Ron Hardy Reel To Reel edit of Jamie Principle's "Waiting On My Angel" while the original demo version of Frankie Knuckles "Your Love" containing haunting female vocals is on the flip. Released in conjunction with Trax 2015. More

Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle first collaboration from 1985. All three original mixes included including the incredible dub version. This is Jamie Principle's first commercial single and was originally released on his own Persona label before later being re issued on Trax early 2000's. Re mastered and re issued for 2015 on Trax. Released in conjunction with the rights holders. More

Originally a member of the California R&B group Club Nouveau, this was Irving's crowning glory as a member on the Chi-town house faternity. The song was written by Dwayne 'Willie Wonka' Grant and remixed by Frankie Knuckles and is quite unlike most of the vocals that came out of the house scene, with a beautiful clarity to his voice. More

Pitched somewhere between the molasses gloop of 'Acid Tracks' and his more gospel moments, Pierre's Phantasy Club was a vocal project that, without reaching the heights of some of his more momentous Wild Pitch productions and remixes, still showed his versatility. "I'll put the bug in you it'll make you stay, I'll plant it it'll never go away". We believe you, Pierre. Repressed & remastered for 2015 & featuring all original label artwork, with permission from Trax records. More

Being somewhat of a conceptual experiment. All the artists on this album were asked to imagine fusing Acid and House with the Virtualsex LP which was released on Buzz in 1993. A 303 sound would be welcomed but not essential with an emphasis on soulful emotion and melody.

Each record comes with a individual digital download code More

There’s a time for everything. To fill in another piece of the puzzle. To make the matrix make sense. Trying not to hide it, trying not to fight it. Just trying to recognize it and keep on going.

This four-tracker, the first release on Sansibar’s 'Sin Sistema' imprint, borrows the best elements of formulas we love, and for a good reason.

‘We Rise’ a spiraling, mesmerizing infusion of yearning pads and a twisting acidic wormhole that leaves no room for doubt: this is Sans on form, and we have lift-off.

‘Elastic’ continues the lysergic theme, turning the dials towards a more sinister entity. Growing, realizing one’s power, and using it.

And on to the B-side, joining forces with Denzel, becoming ‘Sonic Minds’, getting into Techy territory. This is strictly festival business. Tried and tested throughout summer ’23 to devastating effect. Call an ambulance.

The final track ‘2k’ ups the Tech ante and sprinkles some murky UK Garage dust on top: skippy drums, a bouncy bass section, and dubby atmospheric More

Tracklisting
A1 DJ Sommer - Darling I Pray
A2 DJ Sommer - All My Love
B1 DJ Sommer - Heartbeat
B2 DJ Sommer - So Happy

More

Detroit's Filthiest closes his past (private stock) present (prime cuts) and future (premium content) trilogy, celebrating 20 years of Motor City Electro Company's excellence together with Casa Voyager presenting his outstanding electro funk works. More

Fast-rising Dutch DJ/producer BELLA becomes the first new artist signing to Sally C’s Big Saldo’s Chunkers imprint, with the inspiring ‘Note to Self’ EP – her debut production.

Relationships are key for Sally C. Since the inception of Big Saldo’s Chunkers in 2020, she’s released three carefully chosen EPs, all from her own studio. When she met BELLA while playing a festival in Amsterdam during summer 2022, the click was instantaneous, with the pair going on to play an impromptu b2b that day. Vibing both musically and energetically, they kept in touch, with BELLA sending Sally her maiden productions ‘Note To Self’ and ‘Orchestra Spring’. Sally connected so deeply with the tracks that they’d form the backbone of her debut artist EP on Big Saldo’s Chunkers.

One listen to the final EP and it’s not hard to see why Sally wanted to emboss them as Chunkers. Three fresh originals taking in influence from ‘90s house, acid, electro and prog, all with a unique hard-to-pin-down energy that makes them hit with a special swing.

The title track – also the first production made for the EP - sees BELLA lay down a sonic blueprint – both for her own sound and the full body of work. “This set the vibe and guided me through the creative process. I was really trying to make something that felt my own, that was also unique and not something I’ve heard before,” she shares. ‘Note to Self’ is heavy on attitude and bounce, driven by banging old skool drums, a rapid-fire grime-style vocal and a duo of synth lines – one uplifting, the other mining a slick ‘80s sheen, and the results are memorable. An absolute tune that Sally’s delighted to add to the Chunker catalogue.

‘Orchestra Spring’ is the perky sequel, a wicked one-two punch of kaleidoscopic groovy house with lashings of attitude that loves to scribble outside the lines with lots of retro samples and trippy energy. ‘Odd Symphony’ completes the trio, a blazing late-night cut driven by a gurgling acid underbelly, gritty drums and warm chords, giving the EP a brilliant afterglow.

Olsvangèr – one of Sally’s favourite producers – steps up for remix duties of ‘Odd Symphony’, and delivers a dynamic re-rub that begins in upbeat house territory, before taking an interlude in perkier rave realms.

“I'm over the moon to be releasing this EP on Sally’s label. It’s really special to have someone who I look up to release my music. She has given me tremendous support and guidance over the last two years, always ready to chat or give me some advice. It was a big surprise and honour when she suggested releasing the tracks on her label. It feels like a perfect fit. It’s super sweet to share this journey with her.” – BELLA

"I’m so excited to welcome BELLA to the label for her debut EP. It was time to take this next step and open the Chunkers door to new artists. I couldn’t think of a better one than BELLA to debut her fresh Chunkers on the label. Three banging originals by an extremely talented artist which I’ve been playing ever since she sent me the tracks. Polished with an Olsvangèr remix, it’s a really strong four track EP." – SALLY C More

Wonderful and utterly nuts home studio genius...with artwork to boot (includes printed inner sleeve). A gem. BIG TIP!

" A pop star who turned his back to show business to become an independent
artist, steered by the revolutionary ideas of his wife Jacqueline in
1960's France; these are the outlines of Henri Salvador's unusual
musical career. It made him into a star then led him to entirely
dissociate from the record industry, preferring to make music in his
living room with his guitars. At 50, Salvador starts experimenting with
synths and drum machine, multi-track recorders and altered voice
collages. He takes up editing and mixing, and solitarily makes songs for
young and old from his home in Paris' Place Vendôme.

"Unfortunately, it's not beautiful songs that make an amazing
career. These are songs that will exist after I die." (1969)

How can one even begin to tell the story of Salvador? Seventy years of
music, a thousand of creations of all styles. He has known each and
every genre and trend, appropriated some and invented yet new ones.
Sometimes associated to ye-ye singers, he's also known to have brought
rock to France (in 1956, with Boris Vian). Yet he's 26 years older
than Johnny Hallyday. He's 47 when _Zorro est arrivé_ is released in
1964... and 83 at the release of _Jardin d'hiver_. Seen with today's
eyes it's all very dizzying. You never know whether he's young or
old, or under which label to file him: jazzman, crooner, entertainer,
composer, guitar player, children song singer...

As a kid he picks up the guitar without any theoretical basics and
becomes so talented he plays with Django Reinhardt. He learns to sing
and compose on his own. The 30s are the years of his training; the 40s
of his emancipation within musical ensembles which are to see his
talents flourish. He finds his public and perfects his tricks: laughter
and seduction. In the 50s he rediscovers the songs of the islands where
he grew up, revisits jazz, swing, blues and sings for children. It's
the years of his unforgettable "sweet song", and his voice changes.
His cheeky humour makes way for a multifaceted talent, he fills up
venues, surrounds himself with serious lyricists and accumulates
classics: _Le blues du dentiste, Dans mon île,_ _Syracuse._

"My wife has come to understand me so well that she can now think in
my place. When she has an idea it's, so to speak, my own idea!"
(Télé Magazine, 1972)

Jacqueline shapes and emancipates him. When they marry in 1950, she's
a quiet and cultivated young lady who's to progressively take charge
of his career. She enforces her views and frantic pace. A spectator in
the world of show business, Jacqueline realises that the artists, left
out of professional conversations, often get cheated. Henri undoes the
chains binding him to Philps, Vogue, Barclay, his editor, his manager
and his impresario, and becomes independent. The Salvadors get to know
the inner workings of production, edition, record pressing, distribution
and promotion. They always have material to record a demo at hand. Their
apartment is full of recorders: one at the bed end for the guitar, yet
another in Henri's office for the Steinway. He's on all fronts; he
accumulates hits, invents, mocks, adapts, and produces.

Place Vendôme sees the birth of the label Rigolo. Why Rigolo (French
for "funny")? "Because it's funny", he used to answer.
Homemade clips are broadcasted in TV shows they self-produce: Salves
d'Or (a play on words sounding like "Salvador" meaning "bursts
of gold") and Dimanche Salvador. Their approach turns out to be
profitable. The Salvador couple enters the 70s with confidence.

At times, Henri takes out the cabriolet along with his colporteurs on
record shop tours. Meanwhile Jacqueline is a formidable businesswoman.
Disney threatens to sue the singer over his use of the name Zorro: she
turns the situation to her advantage and cashes in on a Disney-Salvador
contract. The decade will see them release five records: _Les
Aristochats ("The Aristocats")_, _Blanche-Neige ("Snow White")_,
_Le petit Poucet ("Hop-o'-My-Thumb")_, _Robin des Bois ("Robin
Hood")_ and _Pinocchio_. Ever reinventing themselves, the Salvadors
intend to do without studios, engineers, producers and musicians
altogether.
"I started working with just a tiny recorder. Now I've gotten to
sixteen tracks. I have electronic drums and my instruments. I can give
the impression of a full orchestra. It's amazing, I have as many
musicians as I want at my disposal, at whichever time of day and
night" (1972)

They install a high-end recording studio in their living room they
nickname the PAM – referring to the name of their company, Productions
Artistiques et Musicales. Louis Chedid remembers, "there was a huge
mixer, custom made I believe, a 3M tape recorder. They must have had the
very first drum machines, the ones that accompanied organs for example,
inspired by the Ace Tone; they came with pre-recorded beats like 'samba'
or 'biguine' [pressing two keys simultaneously you could combine them].
Plus there were quite a few guitars. What I do remember very well is his
guitar playing. He was seen as an entertainer but, really, he was a
virtuoso."

Using his mixer and reels, Henri endlessly multiplies and harmonises his
voice. Everything is done hastily though with care. He plays around with
the offbeat sounds of the synths, has a blast with the drum machines. He
uses all of the pre-recorded beats, loops the "fillers" to generate
more beats, fiddles with the speeds, programs his own, sometimes goofy
rhythms. This creative shift changes his musical groove. Salvador
invented a mechanical jazz for himself, one that gathered its swing from
the guitars and its energy from the vocals. He worked around his
weakness on the bass with his strings and Moog keyboard. To get his
public used to this new style, the PAM first produces a few singles'
B-sides – _On n'est plus chez nous_, which recounts the story of two
scat-men interrupted by a passerby looking for Place de l'Opéra in
Paris. Then an A-side: _Ah ce qu'on est bien quand on est dans son
bain_, (which could be translated as "Oh how nice it feels to
bathe"), which was recorded straight from the bathroom and became
1970's Christmas hit. And finally the first self-released album: _Les
Aristochats_, rewarded by the Charles Cros Academy in 1971. Many things
are in Jacqueline's hands: the lead, the books, and even the keys of
the studio: at times Henri would get locked in to compose, let out only
to work on his TV shows.

Under his contract with Disney, he's required to produce
family-friendly records. Along with his authors he creates songs about
Uncle Scrooge, Sneezy and Mickey. He combines them to other, very
peculiar, pieces: _Les voisins_ ("The neighbours"), an old hater
complains about the noise; _Petit Lapin_ ("Little Bunny"), a city
man advises a rodent not to settle in town; _Voilactus_, (from "voie
lactée", French for the Milky Way) an alien mocks our banking system;
_J'ai envie de Lucie_, in which the narrator explains how he's
always longing for Lucie; _Maman Papa_, a spoiler for kids on how to
hate theirs parents later on in life; but also _Le temps des cons
_("The time of the jerks"), a harsh commentary on French society.
"I make kids laugh. I love to belong to this audience, the most
righteous and the most severe. If they like you, they tell you; if they
don't like you, they tell you, too." (Télé-Star, 1977)

These LPs are also full of tender songs, dance floor baits and
environmentalist vignettes - a hodgepodge less well regarded than his
sixties period. And yet it's a boisterous collection of gems, with a
peculiar signature and many fresh ideas. _Siffler en travaillant_
("Whistle While You Work") is a brilliant reinterpretation of one of
_Snow White_'s theme song, which a young Salvador had already
performed with Ray Ventura's Orchestra in the 40s; _Hello Mickey_, a
catchy, spirited ska_; J'aime tes g'noux_, a great cover of Shirly
and Co's _Shame shame shame_; on _Un jour mon prince viendra_, he
makes a beat borrowed from Suicide and a Les Paul solo collide.

Meanwhile Rigolo also releases less family-oriented singles. After all,
Salvador's in for a bit of fun. He takes up eroticism, the financial
crisis, and the negotiations between the US and Vietnam. He writes some
luminous ballads such as _Marjorie_ and catchy classics like _Pauvre
Jésus Christ_. Some tracks are the result of unbridled experimentation,
like _Sex Man_ – particularly innovative – or _Et des mandolines_,
an ode to cool eyeing on the side of Lucio Battisti. He makes the score
of a messy film, _L'explosion_. The soundtrack was only released in
Canada though it's full of wonderful material like _Thème du bateau_
or the depressing though dazzling _Le bilan_, written by his friend, the
drummer Moustache.

Should he have kept recording in his living room beyond 1975, where
would have Salvador ended up? Would he have been found to be one of the
pioneers of rap or techno? In 1975 Jacqueline is diagnosed with a
cancer. As she manages, decides and initiates everything, Rigolo starts
idling. The year's only release, _Pinocchio_, is finished in a rush
and poorly distributed. The Salvadors accumulate medical consultations
but the following year Jacqueline passes away. It's the end of an era,
the end of the home studio. Weary and beat, Henri doesn't feel like
playing in his empty house anymore. He lets all of their projects die
out: the TV show, the label, the musical editions, the PAM. It's a
free-for-all; the labels and editors scramble at his door. He's robbed
and pressed for more Disney albums. _Peter Pan_ is on the way, _Bernard
et Bianca_ ("The Rescuers") and _Mary Poppins_ should be next, but
nothing comes out. His old impresario Marouani helps him back on his
feet and takes him to the other side of the globe to drown his sorrows.
Henri had never gotten on a plane before.
"He's my man, my child, my baby and my islands' memories. I'm
his shadow and alter ego. I live for him." (Jacqueline Salvador, 1973)

Back in line, he records _Salvador 77_ with a handful of producers. He
slips in two oldies from his home-studio period: _Rock star_, a Johnny
Hallyday parody made for their TV show at the time and _L'amour, va,
ça va_, made in his crooner style. The latter is an outsider with its
sloppy arrangements. The synth is so saturated on the record it seems
the speakers might just blow up. In 1978, for RCA still, he records _On
l'a dans l'baba_ in the studio. It resembles a typical electronic
track with a Vocoder – the beat though doesn't emanate from a drum
machine but from a flesh-and-blood drummer. Here again however the irony
didn't bother Salvador. And neither us – we included the song as the
closing-track of our compilation.

In 1980, he handwrites _"Si vous ne l'aimez pas, allez vous faire
foutre"_ (literally, _"If you don't like it, go fuck
yourselves"_) on the sleeve of his latest album. We'll never know
whether it was meant for the journalists or his label. He records the
same hits again, releases dull singles. All the same, he remains a great
performer who can get the whole of Paris dancing, as well as a champion
for the youth (_Emilie Jolie, La petite sirène_). The 90s may prove to
be artistically poor, they are emotionally rich for Salvador: he meets
his last wife, Catherine. Lifted and lit up once again, he makes his
comeback in the 2000s with _Chambre avec vue_.
"In the 60s, the artists were getting ripped off with ridiculous
rates. In the 80s, the lawyers got involved. The economy changed and
non-recoverable advance payments emerged. Labels started financing
artists so they wouldn't end up doing like Salvador did." (Louis
Chedid)

Together with Jacqueline, Henri Salvador should've set an example for
other artists: one of independence against an unfair and unyielding
system. An inspiration not to end up enslaved by contracts signed too
early, or to feed a bunch of comatose owners clenching onto millions of
publishing rights. Be glad, music-consumer friends: tonight a pen-pusher
will offer himself an entrecote thanks to the money you kindly invested
in this compilation. Happy listening. More

1994 - Chicago producer Rick Lenoir has already released a slew of legendary records under many well known aliases and his House Jam label has been in business since '87. The Sanctuary Project is the nom de plume utilised by Rick for this particular killer Disco infected 4 track EP from that period. The keen eared among you will no doubt recognise some of the sample sources used throughout these tracks, Lenoir flips jazzy loops, chopped up vocals and lays it all out over some kicking drum programming, this is that style of sample based House that has the hardened dance heads and hip-hoppers unified, gritty, raw and brimming over with soul! The cuts featured on this EP will sit nicely with most contemporary sounds and shows how on the money Rick was in the mid 90's! The record has long been out of print and has been forever popular with the diggers out there, commanding a healthy price when available in the second hand stores and online. This reissue has been realised with the full involvement of Rick Lenoir / House Jam Records, Chicago and is 100% legit! Don't snooze, this one deserves a spot in any self respecting House heads record bag or DJ set, classic material made available again for 2017 - 'Running it’! More