Kikumoto Allstars

If only all products were so aptly labeled, there’d be a lot less need for consumer advocacy. This long-player, released on DJ Hell’s imprint, is indeed house music, specifically the same sort of raw, tracky, acid-tinged house that Chicago labels like Trax, Alleviated Records and D.J. International were pumping out in the mid- to late-’80s. The sound is considerably cleaner than the real deal (we’re guessing that the vinyl version doesn’t have embedded hairs in it, as Trax records often did), but otherwise, the Allstars have the style nailed down perfectly. Originality isn’t the point—the only thing less original would be note-for-note, sound-for-sound cover versions of the old tracks themselves. But as an affectionate ode to a beloved genre, it’s almost touching. —Bruce Tantum

Buy House Music on Amazon.com | Buy it on BN.com

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