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Regress requires classic questions

“So exactly where were these cuts before that they should already be Regressing them” a female character from the sitcoms with the heavy Brooklyn, NY accent would obviously ask.

It is the privilege of going or coming back, but from where are these groovy beatmeisters from? I have read all of their press, and googled until it ticked, and for the life of me cannot recall any of Regress’ Classics Part One [Made Records MRECO020LP] artists who have proclaimed to have composed these sixteen tracks on two discs that Made Records has chose to portray as “classics”.


That honor must stand the test of a long time, and according to my research which is limited by the availability of history on these producers of dance rhythms, there hasn’t been nearly enough to annoint them so. Instead we have some nice, bassy, and possibly mixable into past joints tracks that the label is promoting in the light that might make them slightly astecically antique, and therefore more desireable.

There is a plethora of undiscovered or remix-covered music here that is usable right now, for you DJs. You won’t hear any dub versions, just pumpin, steady underhouse tracks. Over the course of sixteen tracks, you will hear the sound of seven different jock/producers.

And both discs will get monotonous if played in isolation, so have your magic mixing gloves on, and forget the beats per minute rules if you are lame enough to still be following them carte blanche.

I guess some snobs will consider me in the above uninformed category for not knowing of these seven supposed scions of sound.

If Regress symbolizes the regular resurgence of the undereground scene, then why haven’t I ever heard of them? Maybe Made failed to realize that there are souls out here that have been around long enough, and are still with ears youthful enough to recognize similarities and familiarities to music and beats that we have heard not so long ago in the club world. For example: On Flatline’s “Found”, track 3 of disc one, we have a defintie Deborah Cox ,“Things Just Ain’t The Same” soundalike, beatwise. One track later, I hear Mavi’s “Doobie” which totally has the same beat and feel as Idris Muhammad’s CTI classic, “Could Heaven Ever Be Like This”.

Again, in all my many years associated with party music, I have never heard of the artists here until Made “made” them recently.. Indeed, they could have been toiling overseas in the UK region or elsewhere for all I know; maybe you will search more successfully should you choose to. Meanwhile, chill out to these serious after hours grooves.

I do recommend cut four on disc two, “Equinox” (from 2001 they say), as a great breakdown selection as you end your set, or encourage your guests to leave for the night. “Jetlag” is also a good late night cut to be found on disc one. Back to my pet peeve here, none of these cuts are newer than 2003 nor older than 2001, so how can we dub them “classics”?

In my opinion, they have to become “hits” first, and then stand a much longer test of time in order to attain the hall of fame that Made would have us believe. “New Remixed Versions” would just have been a better and less deceptive title here, so for the sheer monotony having played them all ad-naseum for the purpose of this critique, I will rate this effort with three-and-a-half stars as I put these toys away for future special situations.