FRANKIE KNUCKLES レコード& CD

Review: Back in 2011, Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper debuted their Director's Cut project by teaming up with old pal Jamie Principle on "I'll Take You There". Here it gets the reissue treatment, with a trio of classic mixes being joined by a fresh revision from scalpel maestro Moplen. His version is delicious, with Principle's loved-up vocal rising above bubbly synth-bass, evocative organ lines, swirling synthesizer motifs and sunrise chords. There's another chance to enjoy Director's Cut's own warm and glassy-eyed "Signature Remix", a second spin for Dimitri From Paris's slightly breezier (but no less loved-up) re-edit and a boisterous funky house rework from the Shapeshifters that some may have missed first time around.

Review: 2011 saw the launch of Frankie and long-time production partner Eric Kupper's 'Director's Cut' project, aiming to reproduce classic cuts from the godfather of house music's back catalogue to fit with the modern and evolving dancefloor. On his undisputed 1987 anthem " Baby Wants To Ride", Knuckles and Kupper have extended the intro and outro plus given it a crisper, more detailed feel to the overall production - while providing a subtle vibrancy to Jamie Principle's saucy vocals. On the flip, Detroit wunderkind Jimmy Edgar delivers a stomping re-edit of the track, which was originally a tribute release after Frankie's passing in 2014. The Frankie Knuckles Foundation will receive 50% of the profits from this project.

Review: Big name pile up alert! In the final stages of his career, the late Frankie Knuckles and fellow Chicago producer Ricky Sinz teamed up for this funky house outing that has classic written all over it . From the moment it's R&B-slanted vocal starts to wind you around it's little finger and the pumping, stripped down 80's groove kicks into life. Orlando Voorn delves even further back for inspiration on his remix, shimmering in disco strings, before Ben Sims carves out two harder-edged mixes that nestle neatly on the house/divide, both playing a single bass note off against restless rhythms.