Bleep

With a wave of rough-edged, bumping house music returning to the fray in recent years, it seems a pertinent time to return to the work of the early masters of the form, and Strut’s extensive compilation of Dance Mania’s output from 1986-1995 does just that. From the luxurious synth washes on Strong Souls’ ‘Twinkles’ to the crazed vocal sample acrobatics of Top Cat’s work out, the full range of classic house flavours are in evidence. DJ Funk’s ‘House the Groove’, with its incessant vocal sample continually turning in on itself, seems a precursor to the footwork-inspired productions of Addison Groove and Pearson Sound, while ‘Black Women (Club)’ is a vital slice of sleazy ghetto house that will appeal to fans of Delroy Edwards’ recent work.