Published on
November 25, 2014
Category
Features
Henry Street Music
Founded in 1993 by Johnny “D” De Mairo, this Brooklyn label rapidly became known for its quality hits, dropping top releases by Todd Terry, Kenny Dope, DJ Sneak and Armand Van Helden to name a few. Earlier this year, Henry Street marked its 20th anniversary with two reissues of some of its best-known and most-sought after releases.
Kenny “Dope” Presents The Bucketheads
The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)
(1994)
Sampling Chicago’s ‘Street Player’, Kenny Dope smashed it globally with this iconic title track. In its original form, this jam is over 14 minutes long and is funky, dancefloor fire all the way through.
JohNick
Play The World
(1995)
JohNick’s Play The World helped set the template for disco-sampled house jams that directly influenced a French house sound in the late ’90s – notably Daft Punk. Borrowing from ‘The Player’ by First Choice and River Ocean feat. India ‘Love & Happiness (Yemaya Y Ochùn)’, the title track received a very welcome repress earlier this year.
Mateo & Matos
The No Props E.P.
(1995)
Another talented duo who were raised on ’70s disco classics, an influence that’s clear in this excellent three-track EP. Also was on the receiving end of the 2014 repress.
Armand Van Helden Presents Old School Junkies
Allright
(1994)
A top-notch record that shows off Armand’s jazzier (and frankly better) days. Released in Henry Street’s first year of operation, alongside The Bomb!, early works like this one pushed the label into the limelight. Most of the tracks from this EP have been repressed this year.
DJ Sneak
The Polyester E.P.
(1995)
Possibly Sneak’s best EP. There’s disco gold all over it from Lonnie Liston Smith (‘Expansions’) and Diana Ross (‘The Boss’) to The Jacksons (‘Show You The Way To Go’) and Frantique (‘Strut Your Funky Stuff’). ‘Show Me The Way’ and ‘Feels Good’ were combined into a two-track release earlier this year.
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