For one reason or another we didnt get this in when it first came out - but boy it's a treat. Bringing deep house back into contact with its club culture roots, DJ Terre Thaemlitz has created one of the most essential house albums of the last few years with 'Midtown 120 Blues' for Japan's Mule Musiq imprint. Terre was originally working as a DJ under her Sprinkles alias in the gay clubs of midtown Manhattan and New Jersey in the late 80's when deep house began to blossom. It is this early period of House history which Terre has beautifully recreated over 10 tracks, making a pointed comment with the intro track taking shots at Strictly Rhythm records for becoming 'Strictly Vocal' and pulling no punches towards "Most Europeans who think deep house means shitty hi-NRG vocal house". With his intentions made clear, Terre develops a masterpiece of serenely melancholy and sublime deep house crafted with the skill and dedication of someone who you can truly believe lived this music at that time. From the rich subbass driven tones of 'Midtown 120 Blues' with plaintive pianos slowly encircling each one another like dancefloor stalkers to the samples of drag queen monologues over the deepest ambient brushed rhythms on 'Ball'r (Madonna-Free Zone)' or head meltingly warm chords and caressed percussion of 'Brenda's $20 dilemna' this will suck in and swallow any deep house lovers in one go. A hugely recommended purchase - and an absolute treat. Essential purchase.