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Four
years and one compilation isn’t exactly rushing things.
But essence isn’t one of those labels that has a release
schedule to stick to – you can’t hurry quality.
The essence files volume 1 is a journey through the label’s
finest moments, moments supplied by some of the finest producers,
remixers and artists in house music; Full Intention theme
loom large with their two vocal opuses bolstered by individual
tracks by the duo’s Michael Gray (Nuzzoli) and Jon Pearn
(Pearn & Campbell), and they’re joined by the likes
of Inaya Day, Robert Owens, Kathy Brown, Stonebridge and DJ
Dove.
‘Like
the mountain of mediocre 12” releases, dance albums have
become ubiquitous and devalued’ notes Phil. ‘There
are great albums around, but the cookie cutter comp has become
the flag by which our music is defined – the same old
cynical collections of this month’s hyped up tracks shored
up with a fistful of fillers. Finding quality, unhyped music
can be a real struggle. Label compilations can offer a strength
of vision and integrity of music that the sling-it-together
method can’t match. Every track on this album comes with
our belief that it’s a great track, it isn’t there
because we saw it on a chart from the current flavour of the
month DJ’
With
anthems of the calibre of Dajae & Full Intention’s
What Do You Want, Sub Rosa feat Sharlene Hector’s Some
Changes, DJ Dove & Inaya Day’s He’s My Music
and Una Mas feat Kathy Brown’s Something For Nothing,
quality vocal house flies thick and fast. But essence isn’t
all about one sound, nor just established names. Rising New
York producer Alix Alvarez made his debut with essence, and
the two cuts that comprised his first 12” are both represented
here. Chicago’s irrepressible Harrison Crump, master
of a multitude of styles, crops up with the quirky Runaway
(currently a hit in South Africa) and the classic vocal with
Dajae, Searchin’. Then there’s the djembe loving
Swedes Orange Muse with You, New York veteran house and techno
legend Peter Presta with his new release main room action
What’s Your Name? and upcoming Argentinian brothers Ariel
& Damian with their gypsy house groove Lamento.
Mixing
Disc 1 is one of house music’s greatest legends, DJ Pierre.
One of the original Chicago creators, ever since he broke
on to the scene with Phuture’s Acid Trax, Pierre has
consistently made great records, from Photon Inc’s Generate
Power and The Don’s Horn Song to the recent Put Ya Hands
Up and Nobody But You on his own imprint, DJP Records.
‘I chose Pierre for the mix because he’s part of
the essence family, but also because I know that he has a
unique way of playing. He’s so versatile as a DJ –
he can play techno, acid, jazz funk and disco in the same
set – that I knew he would come up with some unusual
ideas in his mix’.
On
that score there’s no disappointment. Blending the deep
jazz tones of Alix Alvarez’s Still Risin’ into the
staccato drums of Harrison Crump’s Runaway and switching
from the tech-house bleeps of Mr G’s mix of Robert Owens’
Never Too Late into the Groove Junkies’ richly musical
mix of Nuzzoli’s Para Goza, Pierre’s mix shows scant
regard for musical segregation. Appearing exclusively on the
mix are DJ Pierre’s own new release This Is House and
a brand new unreleased Smokin’ Beats mix of Full Intention
and Dajae’a What Do You Want.
Disc two, packed with original 12” mixes, acknowleges
not only that house music freaks don’t always want their
CDs DJ mixed, but that DJs might want to use it themselves;
some of these tracks are on CD for the first time.
The essence files Volume 1 will also be available on double
vinyl with two previously unreleased tracks in the shape of
Pearn & Campbell’s Reach (Original Vocal dub) and
the Wild Pitch mix of DJ Pierre’s This Is House.
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