Defected Records' showcasing of historical dance music labels result in compilation gold

Active from the late 80s (Movin’ Records and Fourth Floor Records), and the 90s (Slip N’ Slide, Sub-Urban), these compilations contain some of the best tracks from four deeply influential labels. The Slip N’ Slide and Sub-Urban labels specialised in vocal led jams, the former London based, so naturally a darker kind of uplift, while the latter, based in New York, is brimming with wailing divas and hands in the air breakdowns, but the go to collections here are of the other two labels under focus.

The Movin’ compilation is probably the closest descendant of disco music; spiritual, soulful, almost gospel in feel. Movin’ excelled in vocal-led house music, and being the original garage label, there’s major levels of funk here. Phase II’s “Reachin’” is a stone cold house music classic right up there with the likes of “Promised Land” by Joe Smooth or Inner City’s “Good Life”, Boyd Jarvis’ "Timpini" adds exoticism to acid house, while Children Of A Deeper Society’s “Move On” is a speed garage jacker ten years prior to that genre being conjured up in London nightclubs.

The Fourth Floor compilation is naturally more commercial due to the level of crossover success the label achieved. That house riff on “A Day in the Life” by Black Riot (a pseudonym of house legend Todd Terry) was pillaged even harder than “Ashley’s Roachclip” by The Soul Searchers, a sample used on literally hundreds of nineties hip hop tracks. Elsewhere the collection visits electro in "Alright" by Masters At Work, Tomorrows Forecast’s “Gonna Make You Mine” contains the insistent piano line from the Crystal Waters classic “Gypsy Woman” to create a piece of space-techno, while The Break Boys’ (AKA Frankie Bones) “My House is Your House” is a precursor for Belgian New-Beat, the vocal sample stating the title (“My house is your house, and your house is mine”) is a sample that lives on in harder edged dance music to this day.

Pivotal labels in the history of house music, each of these compilations are crammed with excellent music and although long term dance fans are more than likely to own a number of these tracks, those wanting an entry to top quality dance music will be hard pushed to find compilations as comprehensive as these.