Finally after almost fifty 12" releases we get the first ever compilation from the UK's finest house label, Estereo Recordings, that's well-known for it's soulful and jazzy house releases. With singles from Bah Samba, Frankie Valentine Jovonn, Phil Asher, Lenny Fontana, Roland Clark, Willy Washington, Julius Papp or Hakan Lidbo so far Estereo's back catalogue looks like a who's who in house music.
Something Estereo 01 features 11 songs and captures some of Estereo's finest moments. There's Lenny Fontana's great cover version of Al Hudson's Spread Love under his Black Sun moniker or Bah Samba's latin flavoured So Tired Of Waiting in Phil Asher's Restless Soul Peak Time Mix (if you have missed Bah Samba's debut album last year, try to get it this year since it still sounds fantastic).
Roland Clark's Speak To Me appears as Mancunian Rainy City's Revamp here, but you may also know Roland's spoken tribute to the Shelter from Norman Cook' aka Fatboy Slim's Star 69 and Song For Shelter since he used the same vocals by Roland.
Willy Washington is featured with two songs. Losing Control was written by Willy with Jill Jones (yes, the Jill Jones of Mia Bocca fame on Paisley Park Records) and features the distinctive voice of Sha Sha who turns this nice midtempo song into something special. The second song written by Willy Washington (together with James Preston) is Ain't No Runnin' Away with Paula Ralph on vocal duties, and since Estereo is a label, that spare neither trouble nor expense, we get the Frankie Feliciano Remix of this vocal house song.
Another vocal highlight is, of course, the mysterious Marlo with Wait Until The Morning that appears in an previous unreleased Codee's Chocolate Pudding Remix on this compilation. And I really would like to know who this Marlo is and why we haven't heard more of him so far.
Add to this Phil Asher's Phlash with Marcus Begg singing on Participate and some fine instrumental house tracks like Julius Papp's Libido, Frankie Valentine's Spanish Dance or the hidden bonus track Ain't No Ransom Without A Hostage (also by Frankie Valentine) and you get the perfect compilation for this summer. And if you don't buy vinyl records any more, then use this good opportunity to get into the Estereo sound!