Mooted as 'definitely not a classic House compilation', City to City 3 mixed by DJ Deep is a credible and interesting collection of Chicago, New York and Detroit House numbers. One look at the track listing confirms the notion and that this is miles away from being this years’ must-have compilation for compulsive Pacha regulars.
Deep grooves and metronomic beats litter this cherry picked selection of tracks. Ben Klock’s remix of Kerri Chandler shuffles and pulsates to create a mesmeric result. Mutant Beat Dance do their darndest to live up to their name with In a Daze, a wonky and fairly rugged affair held together with crisp high hats and spooky synths.
Deep says the idea behind this mix is “to say the spirit of House is still there in many dancer, music lovers and producer’s hearts”. Whilst this is as good a reason as any, call me niaeve, but I didn’t think this was in any debate. House as an influence and as a individual entity has enjoyed a prevalence spanning many years and with mainstream success. What Deep might really be saying is that House’s influence is again on the rise in respect to the newer genres at the forefront of dance music.
For fans of Metro Area and Kevin Saunderson this is definitely worth exploring, this is compilation for purists and those looking for a solid addition to their respective house/techno collections. For the casual listener it may be just a little underwhelming but for those who like it a little deeper and more obscure, this is a must.
Tracklist:
1. claro intellecto — signals
2. liddell townsell — i'll make you dance
3. kerri chandler — pong (ben klock remix)
4. mutant beat dance — in a daze (original dub)
5. Dee dee brave — feel the breeze (dj deep 'mix edit)
6. m-m — m-m theme
7. armando — don't take it (thomos edit)
8. redshape — the box
9. chicago music syndrome — work it
10. gentry ice — utilize the beat
11. traxx — xtc 4 luv