Was checking Boomkat Records 14 Tracks feature and noticed that this week they are concentrating on the exact era that I have been focusing on myself.....take a look:
This time on 14tracks:
"From 1985 up to the early 90's, D.J. International was one of the most influential record labels in Chicago - and subsequently - the world. Alongside the slightly better known Trax imprint, they released some of the all-time classic House tracks from artists like Larry Heard, Chip E, Mike Dunn and Steve Poindexter. At decadent crucibles of dance music like Ron Hardy's Music Box and Frankie Knuckles' Powerplant, crowds of Hispanic, African American and Gay dancers were ingesting the latest Italo imports mixed with European EBM, British synth pop and classic disco edits. DJ International picked up and released the productions of those clubs patrons, churning out a succession of the most futuristic, ruggedly effective and influential dancing music of the last 50 years. The drug/technology interface at play would inspire tracks like Steve Poindexter's 'Work That Motherf*cker', making use of newly democratised technology to recreate the essence of hypnotic tribal drumming, while producers like Larry Heard aka Fingers Inc would make strangely elegant future-soul music that continues to amaze to this day. Now in 2009, a new wave of producers are turning to this stripped and functional aesthetic as inspiration for a new generation of dance music. Long live the Jack! ......."
1) QX 1- Inject Me Love - Mike Dunn in disguise crafting one of the best deep-house tunes ever.2) Chip E - Time To Jack Raw - minimal and fierce tracky jacker from the legendary Chip E.
3) MIKE DUNN / CARL CRAIG - Magic Feet (Carl Craig Remix) Detroit gets involved! A killer jack track.
4) Steve 'Silk' Hurley - Jack Your Body (Original Club Mix) - One of Chi-town's finest instructional workouts and most memorable basslines. 5) STEVE POINDEXTER - Work That Motherf*cker (Original Mix) - Brutalist dancing gear for the real jackers!
6) JM Silk - Music Is The Key - The very first release on D.J International courtesy of Steve "Silk" Hurley.
7) Paul Johnson - Third Dimension - Pumping raw tracky style. Get Get down.8) E.S.P. - It's You - Infectious melodic simplicity and a classic vocal = a treasure.
9) FINGERS INC - It's Over (Dub) - Original deep house soul from Larry Heard!
10) The It - Donnie - Larry Heard, again. A deep underground staple. Track down the Ron Hardy mix!11) Fast Eddie - Acid Thunder - Burning acid lines and sinister synths make a true Chicago classic.
12) Kenny 'Jammin' Jason - Can U Dance - Kickin' - Body music with Italo-inspired synths.
13) Drew Sky - Razzmatazz - A brilliant example of the Disco influence over Chi-Town house music.
14) Farley Jackmaster Funk & Jessie Saunders - Love Can't Turn Around - The first house single to make the UK charts back in 1986.