Those into house music since its early days will be familiar with the countless classics released on New Generation Records, a legendary New Jersey based label which has kept house music real since 1989. Their latest offering, the Native Son Music and Soul Creative co-produced "Thankful" performed by songstress Dawn Souluvn Williams, is no exception as this marvelous production is guaranteed to make you yearn for more. Dawn Souluvn Williams outstanding passionate vocals paired with a classic orchestration seldom heard these days take you back in time, letting you reminisce the good old days when New Jersey was ruling house music. On top of  the masterly original mixes by Native Son Music and Soul Creative, the release includes stellar remixes by Swift of Sugar Groove, Tony Jesus and Oscar P who all add their distinctive soulful touch, keeping the spirit of the original alive.

What a gem we have here... Tribe Records bless us with an ingenious, mind-blowing afro-deep production courtesy of Irfan Rainy and Baba Israel having timeless written all over. The original version of the fabulous "Freedom music" features inspirational spoken word poetry and vocals alongside a heavenly orchestration over deeper than deep utterly infectious afro-deep rhythms - fresh and truly unique. The remixes are courtesy of Manoo who adds his signature hypnotizing tribal-esque touch, and Black Motion who graces us with a remorselessly deep afro-tribal infused workout guaranteed to make you yearn for more.

The first release for GoGo Music in 2013 is the long awaited follow up to Ralf GUM and Kafele's world wide smash hit "Complicated" from 2010. "Burning star" is taken from Ralf GUM's highly acclaimed second artist album "Never leaves you" and comes complete with blazin' hot remixes by Chicago legend Glenn Underground, Sir LSG and Kafele. Not much needs to be said about this jewel - from Ralf GUM's phenomenal original version over Glenn Underground's masterly orchestrated soul/jazz/funk/disco inspired interpretation to Sir LSG's fabulous jazz infused rendition to Kafele's gorgeous melodious workout, this soulful masterpiece is guaranteed to send shivers down your spine and make you yearn for more.

Since being launched in 2006, Justin Imperiale's Cabana Records has blessed us with nothing but the best in soulful dance music. Now the label celebrates their fiftieth release with "When we were young" by Lilac Jeans and Kap, a marvelous soulful afro-deep production guaranteed to make you yearn for more thanks to laidback yet spell binding rhythms, heavenly melodies and deeply rooted vocals. But this is not all as the release also includes superb remixes by Jaso, Hallex M and Soulbay all adding their signature soulful/deep touch, making it next to impossible to choose a favorite version. A timeless musical gem by no means to be missed.

We're only half-way through the first month of the year, and we already have a contender for "album of the year"... Over the past few years, Australian house duo Random Soul aka Yogi and Husky have become a household name thanks to many unforgettable productions and remixes, now the duo is about to release their debut album "Live for the Moment". Released through their own label Random Soul Recordings, "Live for the moment" is much more than just a house album as the fifteen tracks also showcases their talent in creating soul, jazz and funk gems - the result is a masterpiece ranging from laidback over soulful to up-tempo tracks for the dance floor. Not to forget to mention the featured guest vocalists Chuck Love, Joshua Heath, Kristen Pearson, Kyla Sexton, Natalie Conway and Louis Hale. Essential, by no means to be missed.

The second release for Arima Records, the second time they make the Pick of the Week spot - and they truly deserve it. To put it into few words, "Changes" by DJ SGZ & Table Dance is an ingenious slice of top-notch soulful house having timeless written all over - smooth yet infectious rhythms, amazing keys and chords, outstanding deeply rooted vocals by Ame Sucre and not to forget to mention a stellar selection of remixes by the likes of Ricky Inch, Blackwax, Hennings Project, Zulumafia, Spiritual Blessings, The Horses and Cutting Shapes make this an essential release by no means to be missed. A favorite here at Spirit of House since the promo pack landed in our mailbox...

UK based Sandisco Recordings follow-up their recent inaugural release "Sandisco Sampler Vol. 1" with the phenomenal afro-deep production "Deep love" by King Todli, Real Purple Deep and DJ Biggy B, a trio of up and rising producers from South Africa. The innovative "Deep love" is taking you on an exhilarating journey through the deepest house music sounds South Africa has to offer today, coming complete with massive remixes by Giorgio Bassetti, MiguelLin (with Bruno Soares on sax), Uptown Fellas, Lez Moral & Robza and alternate interpretations by the producers themselves. Highly recommended.

For once, we leave the beloved four-to-the-floor territory as we want to introduce you to this phenomenal album by Frederic Faupin (released under his Mr Fuzz disguise) which will take you on an eclectic musical journey like you didn't experience before... The masterly "Twisted things" features a total of fifteen songs best described as an ingenious composition of jazz, soul and funk with electronica, bringing together the disparate worlds of acoustic sounds and synthetic sounds in a previously unheard, unique and fresh way. In other words, "Twisted things" is truly groundbreaking andhighly recommended to be checked out. Nuff said.