Back Into The Crates

The fifth show of 2026 finds me digging through the crates again picking out tunes that haven't made it into previous shows and one or two that just needed another spin.



Robert Miles ft Kathy Sledge - Freedom (Frankie Knuckles Classic Club Mix)
Andrea Mendez - Bring Me Love (Classic Frankie)
The Rockmelons ft Doug Williams - Love's Gonna Bring You Home (Eric Kupper Remix 2021 Remaster)
The Fog - Been A Long Time (Full Intention 2021 Remix)
Terrence Parker & Gianni Bello - Naturally
Soulista ft Karmina Dai - Vibe (Original Mix)
Stoim ft Sulene Fleming - Come To Me Again (Richard Earnshaw Extended Revibe)
Tony Momrelle - Escape (Richard Earnshaw's Rework)
Colonel Abrams - Trapped (Dr Packer Remix
S.O.S. Band - Just Be Good To Me (Dr Packer Remix)
Inner Life - I Like It Like That (The Reflex Revision)
Earth, Wind & Fire - Happy Feelin' [The Reflex Revision]

Venus Rising

The journey starts in 2003 with a beauty from Blvd East with the late KT Brooks on vocals before jumping straight into 2026 for a few tracks from Lenny Fontana, Maysa & Michelle Shellers. Groove Junkies and Opolopo revisit their 2018 collaboration "We Rise" complete with exquisite vocals from Solara before the groove blends into a classic from Jasper Street Co with Frankie Knuckles on the remix. The second half gets underway with "The Mood" taken from Change's 2025 long player "Embrace" before delving into the heady days of 1989 to 1991 for four tried and tested gems from back in THE day.



Blvd East ft KT Brooks - It's Your Life (FTL Dub)
Lenny Fontana - Stay With Me All Night (Club Mix)
Maysa - I Don't Mind (DJ Spen & Reelsoul Traxsource Exclusive Remix)
Michelle Shellers - Rise (DJ Spen & Thommy Davis Vocal Reproduction)
Groove Junkies, Opolopo & Solara - We Rise (OPOLOPO No More Lies Vocal)
Jasper Street Co. - Fly Away (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
Change ft Tanya Michelle Smith - The Mood (Figo Sound & JL Remix)
Kariya - Let Me Love You For Tonight
Victoria Wilson James - Through (Classic Club Mix)
Nomad ft. MC Mikee Freedom - (I Wanna Give You) Devotion
Don Pablo's Animals - Venus (The Piano Mix)

Flashback 1995

Frankie Knuckles ft Adeva - Whadda' U Want (From Me) [Virgin Records]

Heading back to the middle of the 90s and an incredible combination that finds the Godfather of House, Frankie Knuckles, teaming up with legendary vocalist Adeva to create a track that delivers on every possible level. Frankie's own mixes are excellent but for me it was and still is all about the K-Klass remix. Ten minutes long with an atmospheric arrangement and punctuated by bounding keys, it's simply epic. As for Adeva's vocals, they're utterly breathtaking.

Flashback 1997

Robert Miles ft Kathy Sledge - Freedom (Frankie Knuckles Classic Club Mix) [Deconstruction]

This is a track that featured regularly in my sets in the years that followed its release. At the time I would have pretty much automatically checked out anything with Frankie's name in the credits and Kathy Sledge's vocals were amongst the few that I would routinely look out for. "Freedom" is a deep journey with a melancholy undertone but uplifting message. The emotionally charged vibe is underpinned by skippy beats, a gnawing bassline and atmospheric synths while Kathy's vocals are the perfect match for the production. The years since have unfortunately seen the passing of Frankie in 2014 followed by Robert Miles in 2017 so there's more than a hint of sadness as I revisit and celebrate this amazing track they created.

Flashback 1991

Vesta - Do Ya [A&M PM]

Today's classic cut finds us back in 1991 savouring the vocals of Vesta Williams and an awesome remix from Frankie Knuckles. The Classic Club Mix of "Do Ya" has all the hallmarks of Frankie's signature sound from the eary 90s. Gorgeous keys, lush synth strings, rumbling bass and a captivating mid-tempo house groove. It landed at a time when numerous labels were comissioning house remixes for their mainstream and R&B acts with Frankie leading the way bringing the sound to a wider audience and an array of dancefloors. Sadly both Vesta and Frankie are no longer with us but the music lives on. Frankie's legacy is almost impossible to overstate.

Flashback 1990

Satoshi Tomiie ft Arnold Jarvis - And I Loved You [ffrr]

Heading back more than thirty years to the summer of 1990 and I track that I fell in love with almost instantly. It has remained a firm favourite throughout the years with its lush arrangement and exquisitely smooth vocals. The star studded credits featuring the names of Frankie Knuckles, David Morales & Eric Kupper alogside those of Satoshi & Arnold did tend to raise expectations; they were fully met and then some. Every inch a classic!

Flashback 1992

Heading back a mere 29 years, we find a star studded collaboration between Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson."The Best Things In Life Are Free" was part of the soundtrack to the movie Mo Money. The remixes were delivered by the Def Mix pairing of Frankie Knuckles & David Morales with UK flavoured mixes from CJ Mackintosh. The vocals are sublime, the production and remixes flawless and it was, unsurprisingly a massive commercial success all over the world. I've long preferred CJ's mixes, only recently discovering that alongside CJ's long time sparring partner Nigel Lowis on keyboards is former Style Council founder Mick Talbot.

Flashback

Julian Jonah - It's A Jungle Out There [Cooltempo]

Heading back to 1990 and a golden era for house music. This particular track is a slice of moody spoken word house that also features Billie Ray Martin on backing vocals. The stellar set of remixes come from Frankie Knuckles and David Morales whose partnership at the time seemed to have the midas touch.

Fabulous Frankie

There are few, if any, figures in the house music scene who are more revered than the late great Frankie Knuckles. To kick off the new year, and as part of a new feature for the site I have created a playlist on Spotify that picks out a few of my personal favourites. I hope you enjoy listening to them as much as I do.

Flashback

Sounds of Blackness - The Pressure [Perspective Records]

Heading back to 1992 and a track that's one of the finest examples of spiritually charged house music ever recorded. The original track was decent but the remixes from Frankie Knuckles and CJ Mackintosh elevated the track to new levels of awesomeness. Featuring the unmistakable vocals of Ann Nesby who has subsequently worked with the good and the great within the scene, this is a proper old school hands in the air slice of soulful house. The conventional wisdom is that Frankie's mix is the weapon of choice although I've always had a preference for CJ's interpretations which I found a little livelier. Whichever way you turn though, you'll find endearing keyboard arrangements and the most uplifting of vocals.

Reviewed by Dean Serafini

Flashback

Scott Wozniak ft Dirty Turk - My Light [Deep Haven Music]

There have been many great examples of house music tracks that employed spoken word vocals over the years but this is as good as it gets for me. From memory I first stumbled across it on a Frankie Knuckles compilation released by Nervous Records called "Motivation Too". If it was good enough for the Godfather of House, you can be pretty certain it's pretty special. From the moment the chords kick in I'm hooked, the inviting warmth and atmospheric vibe of the keyboard arrangement, the compelling nature of the rhythms and those vocals that implore you to listen. Eleven years on I've yet to hear anything to beat it. In addition to the original mix there was a pair of Groove Assassin remixes from Nick Moss which also hit the spot rather nicely. Sadly this doesn't appear to be available to purchase any more which only makes me appreciate it even more.

Reviewed by Dean Serafini