Man, does this album bring back memories. But first of all Happy Birthday to Lofty and Bob Jones for celebrating the 10th anniversary of Chillifunk Records and thanks for all the good music they have brought us in these ten years. In these times, when it’s all about hit and miss and milking the latest trend to death to squeeze the most money out of it, ten years is per se a real achivement for a small independent label. And it’s even more of an achivement when it’s a label like Chillifunk who really cares about the music it releases and the artists it signs. With all the numerous Chillifunk releases reviewed here, you may call me a little bit biased. But regarding the quality music I can live with this prejudice.
With over 75 single and 20 album releases one can argue what should appear on a best of because everyone has his or her personal favourites but these 22 full length cuts selected by label owners Lofty and Bob Jones hardly can do no wrong with lovers of soulful house music. Here we have the voice of the UK’s soulful underground Vanessa Freeman on The Way and Wonderful Thing along Marlena Shaw (Squire For Hire), Ultra Naté (Feel Love), Jody Watley (Photographs), Terry Callier (Tomorrow In Your Eyes), Snowboy (Carga Tu Bateria) or Verna Francis (Sunshine, Earth Is The Place). And we have remixes by Kenny Dope (Believe), Dennis Ferrer (After Ours), Phil Asher/Restless Soul (Amarante), Ashley Beedle (Doot Dude), Blaze (Feel Love) or DJ Gregory & Julian Jabre (Earth Is The Place) amongst others…I know, pure namedropping and a great history lesson of dance and house music. Fans of Chillifunk will need this album for the tracks they’ve missed (or for the new Marathon Men song Blessings) and who haven’t heard of Chillifunk yet will need this as an introduction anyway.
There’s also a mixed CD by Notenshun (Lofty and Werner Niedermeier who recently brought us baR suSu 2) with even more songs from Chillifunk’s impressive back catalogue and a new Notenshun tune with Ann Saunderson (Move A Little Closer).
There will hardly be a better dance music compilation in 2006. Here’s to Chillifunk and another ten years of great house music!

Tracklisting of Chillifunk - The Best Of Ten Years 1996 - 2006:
CD 1 Unmixed:
1. DSL-Enfusion (Chilli Club Mix)/ 2. Nathan Haines featuring Shelley Nelson - Believe (Kenny Dope Remix)/ 3. restless soul featuring Nathan Haines - After Ours (Ibadan Sfere Dub)/ 4. Eastwest Connection - Love Music (Original Mix)/ 5. T.Kolai - Zouk (Phil Asher’s Moontime Mix)/ 6. Nathan Haines featuring Lyric L - Doot Dude (Ashley Beedle Remix)/ 7. Eastwest Connection - The More I Get (Teddy¹s House Groove)/ 8. Vanessa Freeman - The Way (Original Mix)/ 9. Marathon Men featuring Alex the Kid - Blessings/ 10. Nathan Haines featuring Marlena Shaw - Squire For Hire (Original Mix)/ 11. Notenshun featuring Sandy Mill - Soul Music (Danism Remix)/ 12. DJ Deep - Inner Peace
CD 2 Unmixed:
1. Ultra Nate - Feel Love (Blaze Shrine Vocal Remix)/ 2. Jody Watley - Photographs (Eastwest Connection Remix)/ 3. Nathan Haines - Earth Is The Place (DJ Gregory & Julian Jabre Remix)/ 4. Eastwest Connection featuring Terry Callier - Tomorrow In Your Eyes (Original Mix)/ 5. Snowboy and The Latin Section - Carga Tu Bateria/ 6. Nathan Haines - Right By Your Side (Aquarius Mix)/ 7. Notenshun - Amarante (Phil Asher´s restless soul Remix)/ 8. Soul Camp - Que Calor/ 9. Verna Francis - Sunshine (Original Vocal Mix)/ 10. Nathan Haines featuring Vanessa Freeman - Wonderful Thing/ 11. The Interns - Soul Food (Surgery Main Mix)
Bonus Mix CD : Mixed by Notenshun
1. Eastwest Connection featuring Daniel Vacchio - High On Life (Main Mix)/ 2. Eastwest Connection - The More I Get (Teddy’s House Groove)/ 3. Notenshun featuring Sandy Mill - Soul Music (Danism Remix)/ 4. Nathan Haines - Earth Is The Place (DJ Gregory & Julian Jabre Remix)/ 5. DSL - Soothe Your Soul (Original Club Mix)/ 6. Eastwest Connection - Love Music (House Mix)/ 7. Nathan Haines - Believe (Kenny Dope Main Cutz Remix)/ 8. Nathan Haines - Right By Your Side (restless soul Peaktime Mix)/ 9. Notenshun featuring Ann Saunderson - Move A Little Closer/ 10. restless soul featuring Nathan Haines - After Hours (Ibadan Sfere Dub)/ 11. Notenshun - Amarante (Phil Asher´s restless soul Remix)/ 12. Nathan Haines featuring Marlena Shaw - Squire For Hire (Capricorn Mix)/ 13. T.Kolai - Une Affaire (Aaron Ross´s restless soul Remix)
released on February 6th Chillifunk Records

For more infos visit chillifunk.com.