Steve Mac ‘Bless This Acid House’ (JACK SAID WHAT)

I seriously don’t know when I first heard about Steve Mac but what I know is, that it’s more than two decades ago. That alone underlines a fact we don’t need to talk about any further. The Ex-Rhythm Master is u guy who has been producing top quality House music for quite some time. During the prime time of his Rhythm Masters alias (which he formed together with Robert Chetcuti) the duo was remixing everyone from Todd Terry, David Morales, Yello, Armand Van Helden, Farley & Heller or even Alex Party to name but a few. Not to forget the pair had a bunch of really great singles as well-‘The Underground’ being a classic till today. Now Steve Mac is back with a homage to one of the genres he always loved most, Acid House. Sitting in the front row of its growth and watching the UK’s own 88 Acid Revival movement, Mac has always included Acid elements in many of his productions. His brand new offering is an album full of Acid House tracks, some instrumental, some with vocals from legends like Robert Owens, Sleezy D or Alana Maria. And of course when legends go to work, they call other legends to collaborate with them-so don’t be surprised to see the likes of Danny Rampling and Marshall Jefferson on that album. Basically the album is a collection of brand new, authentic and original sounding house tracks that transport you back to a time when house music was strictly underground and burgeoning.

To date two single releases have been released from the album, the first is ‘Jack Said What’ containing a sample — a nod to the foundational house pillar of the mid-1980s — ‘Jack Said What’. The track also inspired the name of Steve Mac’s Brighton-based record label. The track is an authentic and well-produced raw house cut, an acid-tinged dancefloor slayer filled with 303 and fizzy electro basslines which dominate throughout. It’s followed by ‘One Day’, a deep cut that has all the hallmarks of a classic — think Frankie Knuckles ‘Tears’, or ‘I’ll Be Your Friend’, with its deep and memorable male vocal — delivering the aesthetics of a Chicago house record recorded 30-something years ago, but with some modern production techniques. The vocal on ‘One Day’ comes courtesy of Robert Owens and is certainly one of the key tracks of the album. Other pearls which shine bright are the rave esque ‘’Summer Of Love’ and ‘Spirit’ which both can described as classic Altern8 influenced gems with 4×4 beats. All in all this is an essential album by one of the scene’s greatest guys! Many may say it’s a must have-I won’t disagree.

4.5 out of 5

HOUSE

Reviewed by MANNIX