The “Godfather of House Music” tells us exactly where he is at musically now by releasing his new album entitled “Tales from Beyond the Tone Arm.” Ever since his nights in the Chicago club scene back in the late 1970s he has taken the danceable beats of disco and evolve them into what we now know as house music today.
“Every project pretty much started out as a remix on spec or a simple collaboration or production request. All of these tunes were beginning to get a lot of notice everywhere I was playing and before I knew it I had enough material to make an album. I had so many strong songs in my arsenal we decided this compilation should reflect exactly where I am at musically right now and pull all these productions together in one place.” – Frankie Knuckles
Many of us new-wave “EDM” fans are unfamiliar with the works of Frankie Knuckles, but his credentials certainly prove why he is still a powerhouse in the music industry today, previously working with the likes of Mary J. Blige, Michael and Janet Jackson, Diana Ross, Luther Vandross and Whitney Houston.
This new album concept is split into 2 moods – the first being “The Classic Side” which includes tracks that are reminiscent of the house music days back in the early ’90s and the second “Soultronic Side” fuses soulful sounds from artists such as Robin S., Colton Ford, Rober Gaez and Yoko Ono just to name a few.
Below you can peep the tracklisting:
CD 1 – The Classic Side
1. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut – The Whistle Song
2. Hardsoul feat. Ron Carroll – Back Together (Director’s Cut Classic Club Mix)
3. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. Sybil – Let Yourself Go (A Director’s Cut Master)
4. Richard Earnshaw feat. Jocelyn Brown – Worthy (Director’s Cut Classic Club Mix)
5. Frankie Knuckles pres, Director’s Cut feat. Jamie Principle – I’ll Take You There (Director’s Cut Classic Signature Mix)
6. Groove Assassin & Kenny Bobien – About Love (Sean McCabe’s Alt Vocal Dubbed Mix)
7. Hani & Andrea Martin – Middle Of The Night (Extra Sauce Mix)
8. Kruse& Nuremburg feat. Stee Downes – Last Chance (Original Version)
9. KennySummit & Director’s Cut pres. Yasmeen – Loving You (Original Mix)
10. Candi Staton – Hallelujah Anyway (Director’s Cut HalleDubya Anyway)
11. Lil’Louis – Fable (Director’s Cut Classic Club Mix)
12. Il Padrinos feat. Jocelyn Brown – That’s How Good Your Love Is (Club Mix)
CD 2 – The Soultronic Side
1. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. B. Slade – You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) (DJ Meme’s Mix Of Epic Proportions)
2. Joey Negro – Feel It (Alex Kenji Remix)
3. The Shapeshifters & C-Dock – Nothing But Love For You (Director’s Cut Breathtaking Adventure)
4. HumanLife – In It Together (Director’s Cut Signature Togetherness)
5. Colton Ford – Let Me Live Again (A Director’s Cut Master)
6. Ono– I’m Movin’ On (Director’s Cut Club Mix)
7. Quentin Harris & Ultra Nate – Give It 2 U (Frankie Knuckles’ ‘Gagatha Christie’ Mix)
8. Inaya Day & Robin S – Right Now (A Director’s Cut Master)
9. DJ Vivona & Joi Cardwell – Return To Love (A Director’s Cut Treatment)
10. Dbow – Get Involved (Original Mix)
11. DJ Chus & Rob Mirage – Back 2 NY (Original Stereo Mix)
11a. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. Jamie Principle – Your Love (Acapella)
12. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. Jamie Principle – Your Love (Belocca & Soneec Vocal Dub)
13. Frankie Knuckles pres. Director’s Cut feat. B. Slade – Get Over U (Rober Gaez ‘Mustache’ Mix)