Review
Stylus Music entered the market with Telly Hits in 1985. Three years later – assisted by the advent of the CD format – the label started to release a number of crucial dance music compilations that still stand up today. The Greatest Hits Of House contains 32 tracks under the following four sub-headings:
UK House
S.O.U.L. (The Sound Of Underground London)
US House (Chicago’s In The House)
Deep House [not listed on the inlay but a subdivision on the Discogs entry].
UK House: Barry Lazell of Music Week writes the sleeve notes. The UK contingent represents a whole new stratum of artists almost all operating as studio engineers, producers or DJs. The opening track is the exclusive She’s Crazy Remix of Yazz’s Stand Up For Your Rights. Also unique is The Beatmasters’ Burn It Up (Acid Mix). Both deliciously wicked. Theme From S-Express is followed by L.A. Mix’s sample-heavy Check This Out. Kim Tate in the video. Bomb The Bass’ Don’t Make We Wait is listed as the 12″ but runs for 2:50. Jack To The Sound Of The Underground from Hithouse needs no introduction. Ahead of their time, Coldcut’s Work Me Trak and Brian Dougan’s searing Humanoid.
S.O.U.L. (The Sound Of Underground London): Open with the edgy warehouse sound of This Ain’t Chicago and Ride The Rhythm. Danny Spencer would end up in Candy Flip. Similarly obscure are Penthouse 4; masters of work on the soulful Bust This House Down. Mr Acid Fingers, Simon Harris drops the hot Bass (How Low Can You Go), a key tune of my youth. Greg Edwards raps on the Ambassadors Of Funk’s mean Push It-sampling My Mind’s Made Up. Barry White is snipped on Gotham City’s truncated Barry’s House. Likewise Jay Strongman’s massive East-West which features Maureen Walsh. The Funky Worm’s debut 45 Hustle (To The Music) Radio 1 was described as a Chicago diss record. I thought it was groundbreaking and beyond dope. The Spell would also do the business for them. A 12″ to finish on: The Cool Notes’ fast-moving House Of Love. Destroy the heart.
US House (Chicago’s In The House): A fine selection begins with the hip house anthem I’ll House You from The Jungle Brothers. Keep on moving all night long with Marshall Jefferson’s amazing Move Your Body and Farley “Jackmaster” Funk’s boundless Love Can’t Turn Around. Meanwhile Do It Properly is credited to 2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman and A Dominican. A short-lived venture starring David Morales and the C&C dudes. Push on. Adonis #1: The stuttering rhythms of The Poke. Next comes Todd Terry’s Project and their Dinosaur L / Batman mash-up Bango. And a short taste of Raze’s Jack The Groove before moving onto Chip E and House People’s gangster groover Godfather Of House.
Deep House: This Brutal House kicks off. A most appropriate title. Adonis #2: A relentless jack, twisting all night to No Way Back. Hit me! The mysterious Terrajacks with the mutated sounds of House Plan. This dovetails with the well-worn House Nation, a mega ’87 memory from Housemaster Boyz and The Rudeboy Of House. Next is the wave on wave acidic breakdown Deep Space by Nebula. A neat segue into Fast Eddie’s furious Acid Thunder. Time to travel into the abyss for it is Sterling Void’s minimal beat(er) Runaway. The end: Drum and Bass – I Love U. Drum – Martin Glover. Bass – Kris Weston.
Favourite tracks
Yazz – Stand Up For Your Love Rights (She’s Crazy Remix)
Simon Harris – Bass (How Low Can You Go)
The Funky Worm – Hustle (To The Music) Radio 1
Cool Notes – House Of Love (12″ Version)
Lest we forget
Terrajacks – House Plan
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