MARCUS MIXX Schallplatten & CDs

Review: In recent years, original copies of Marcus Mixx's superb 1992 single "Liquid Love" - a sublime chunk of deep house for the ages - have become sought-after amongst collectors. This can partly explained by the fact that the 12" boasted a rare remix from the late, great Ron Hardy, which brilliantly peppered the original's Mr Fingers style groove with whistling synthesizer melodies, lilting chords and sweet vocal loops. Hardy's mix naturally takes pride of place on the flipside of this on-point reissue. On the A-side you'll find the rich, soulful and full vocal "New York Mix" - think vintage Nu Groove with a dash of Dream II Science, and you're close - and the "Can You Feel It" mix, which offers a loving tribute to the Chicago deep house style of Larry Heard.

Review: Grrr - the gnarly Marcus Mixx returns to New York's Skylaxx label, and we're just so happy to hear the man back in action. The Chicago house producer is a bit of a legend in our eyes, and his decision to stay as underground as possible over all these years - his first productions dating back to 1987 - cannot go unnoticed. Home Is Where The House Is will, for now, consist of two parts, and this first chapter contains three different but equally nutty Mixx specials for the open-minded house DJ. Ranging from broken, diluted deep house, through to jarring old-school acid, and funked-out chugginess, this is house hit of the week for us. We can't wait for volume 2.

Review: Marcus Mixx is one of those legends of the underground; known to all those that know. He's been at it since '92 with his Marcuss Mixxed Up Records imprint, so this guy knows what's what. Starting off with "Foiled, Fooled & Fouled (Pointed Up @ Downstairs mixx)" a funky little number with a soaring trumpet solo which will get some seriously heated dancefloor moments happening. More curious track titles follow, such as on "Wasted Funeral Tears (He Did What mixx)" which gets a bit darker and fiercer with its gritty bassline and hissing high hats, backing some creepy female choir samples; it's pretty good actually! Finally, we've got "Clear, Yet Hazy Destiny (Dirty Window mixx)" on the flip, with its cheesy and wonky melody backed by double bass and a tight rhythm which is more suited to post peak time moments. Some tremendous, previously unreleased moments that we're glad saw the light of day.

Review: And what's this we have here? An unreleased Marcus Mixx joint from 1988? Recorded onto magnetic tape at Head Studios in Chicago? We certainly do, and it's you lucky day. Anything from this guy is smoking hot, but the material that he was releasing back then is particularly sick, not only for its wacky, off-the-wall approach, but also because it sounds so damn contemporary. Simply entitled "Track 1", the tune is a banging house monster for the dance floor, filled with gritty sonics, a rattling percussion, and Mixx's own vocal slur. Taken altogether, it's pretty much what the grit-house sound of now is doing... But almost thirty years before. Essential and unmissable, the toughest and purest.

Review: Chicago's Marcus Mixx has previously appeared on Unknown to the Unknown twice, back in 2011 with Use Your Mouth To Love Me, and Special Creme which surfaced a year later. Despite everything that DJ Haus has released on the label in the ensuing years, no other UTTU 12" has matched them for the sheer rawness and crazed sounds. The salaciously named Rub It Don't Go Fast is a welcome return then, and the producer's unhinged urges remain wonderfully undimmed as the title track attests. Lifted from one of his most recent CDr releases, it's dark acid house with redlining bass, a monstrous kick drum and a clear sense of perverse humour. "Rub it in French..." On the flip, Mixx lays down two swerving takes on breakbeat house flex out "Do U Luv 2 Dance".

Review: Veteran of the booty house scene Marcus Mixx returns to DJ Haus' heavyweight Unknown To The Unknown imprint with some nasty triple-fried funk greased over two tracks of positively mutated house music. Chicago is of course the order of the day here, but you know you're hearing the real deal when the familiar tropes being aped by all and sundry at the moment are twisted into completely fresh hybrids. A powerfully jacking combination of 90s rave piano and contemporary techno washes permeate the 'Chicago Club Mixx', while there's a more shuffly house groove at work on the 'Rub It Mixx'.

Review: Two resuscitated monsters from the Mixxer that may sound familiar to a few of the biggest record nerds. About as twisted as Chicago gets and originally recorded in 1987! Although these barely surfaced on a tiny local pressing, they still managed to have heavy influence on an entirely new breed of emerging Chicago producers (Ron Trent/Rush/Gemini etc).

Review: The realization of a project started more than a year ago, 2 Marcus Mixx originals are reworked into brilliant never before heard tracks courtesy of Chicago's own legendary Ron Hardy. A rare and powerful piece of house music history.

Review: Marco Passarini and the return of Legowelt!!

Review: Coming from the somewhat shadowy and increasingly collectible Detroit crew Fit, this curious slab of wax delivers two starkly unique variations of raw analogue house. Marcus Mixx is on untouchable form with the twisted thump of "Salut The Moize With A Laugh". The titular laugh messes around with delirious pulses of synth and drunken hats for one of the weirdest jack tracks you're likely to hear this year. Fit takes over for the flip side for a thoroughly stripped down track that capitalises on an endlessly looping note, while the scuffed beat cycles around it in a wonderfully scatty fashion.