Those close to me know how much I love dance music from Detroit, Chicago, and New York. I feel there is so much musical history created by these three cities that it could take a lifetime to understand, and with all the new tracks and artists coming out there is little time for contemplation. From Jazz, Funk, and Disco created by traditional instruments into the electronic-based House, Techno, and Hip-Hop, these cities are the most influential to me on a personal level. I know millions of people around the world share this same feeling as well.
Recently I decided to purposely limit myself when it comes to track selection by only playing tracks from Detroit, Chicago, and New York artists and labels. With so much new music coming from overseas, it is easy for these three cities to get overlooked when in reality the best stuff is still coming out of these areas. This is my way to pay homage to my musical roots, feed my hard-earned money into my local economy, and limit “bandwagon jumping”.
To share my digging experiences with you, I am starting a new series on this site where I feature my favorite tracks at the moment from my three favorite cities. So without further ado, I present to you Macom’s Top 5 at the Time.
#5 DJ Mes & Sonny Fedora- No Jet Lag
Off of Chicago’s Cajual Records this track is by Melbourne’s Sonny Fedora and Guesthouse label owner DJ Mes from the Bay area. They blend a Chicago style track with a Blues sample that comes together oh so smoothly with the funky bassline. Not too chill and not too intense. Perfect for when I’m warming up.
#4 The Oliverwho Factory- Jealousy
I absolutely love the quirky feeling of this track. It makes me feel like I am in a futuristic sci-fi version of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. The Oliverwho Factory is made up of Detroit based Darryl Caliman and Shonie C, which I have never seen perform before. This Planet E release turned me on to these cats and I’ll definitely be keeping an ear out for more stuff.
#3 Greg Gow- Twilight Soul
Greg Gow has been on my radar for quite a while, mainly for the deep approach he takes to Techno. Tracks like these take me back to the day when Techno was over 126 BPM. The uplifting speed and deep morphing synths of this track is my bread and butter and super inpiring to my own productions. This Transmat track with Dearborn Dreams on the flipside should not be passed up.
#2 Doomwork- This!
Doomwork is the fucking shit. They are an Italian duo and this particular track is released on New York’s Street King Records. They were inspired heavily by the Detroit Techno and Chicago House scene and I am so glad they put out records on an American label so I can spin them. I’ve been bumping a ton of Doomwork and I highly suggest them. I feel they harness the old school properly and at the same time represent the best of the new school sound as well. Proper for sure.
#1 Yousef featuring Derrick Carter- Legacy(Vocal Mix)
Liverpool’s Yousef has been tearing it up lately and coming together with Derrick Carter is simply magic. Derrick Carter is one of my favorite producers and DJs, and he is still putting out new music and embracing the future of Real House Music. Stuff like this gives me a lot of hope for the future.
