Artist: @djdeeon Title: Destiny

While Chicago’s juke and footwork culture has had many pioneers during its four decades of existence, it would be impossible to talk about it without mentioning the Godfather himself, DJ Deeon. Hailing from the Low End, one of the most fertile areas of the city for innovation, he and other residents of the since demolished string of housing projects on south State Street birthed a sound that would change the landscape of their city forever. Among his massive discography, timeless tracks such as Freak Like Me, Let Me Bang, and Work This M.F. have stayed in DJ’s crates for almost 30 years since their creation. Off of these classics alone, he would be cemented in dance music history forever, but since his first release in 1994, Deeon’s hustle hasn’t slowed down at all.

Continuing his legacy, he’s back with Destiny, four fresh new Chicago club monsters that mark his debut on the Teklife imprint. Combining classic kits with big pummeling synths and heavy FX treatments, these new tracks build a bridge between Deeon’s raw early ghetto house sound and a more modern pallet. While there’s still plenty of hard pounding 909 action, there’s strong detailing in the hats and micro percussion not unlike that found in footwork tracks. Somber string samples and morphing acid baselines sit under rowdy tom triplets, while party chants voiced by the man himself echo through the mix.

A longtime friend of the late DJ Rashad, Deeon dedicates this new EP to him and will be donating all the pro- ceeds to his family. Even though the two were a generation apart, they both shared space on the legendary Dance Mania catalog in the 90s, and since meeting had always fed off each other’s energy, holding a great mutual respect for each other. While Deeon might be more known for the ghetto house & juke side of history, and Rashad for his great innovation among the footworkers, together they prove how intertwined the two sounds are, as both of them often worked within the grey area in-between them. In Deeon’s own words: “To Rashad. Much love and respect, thanks for the motivation. Missing you young bro.

master by TIMBO | words by Dave Quam | design by ashes57

BUY / LISTEN

TEKLIFE014 DJ DEEON - DESTINY EP

Artist: @LOEFAH | TITLE:  JUMP START | Label : TEKLIFE RECORDS | Cat No: TEKLIFE025 
Release Date: JULY 12TH 2024 ( 1 min snippet ) 
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/025-LOEFAH-JUMP-START/
UK Bass titan and Swamp 81 label boss Loefah makes his Teklife debut with Jump Start, three new tracks full of raw house energy. Taking cues from the Chicago tradition of feral 909 jams, these pummeling rhythms are met with eerie atmospheres and haunting speech. The late ghetto house godfather DJ Deeon adds his touches to the title track, stretching its acid squelches out and taking them even farther into space. It’s pure warehouse music, trippy yet ominous, perfect for getting lost in a dark corner at a rave.

vinyl / download

TEKLIFE025 LOEFAH JUMP START

The ever-prolific DJ Manny returns with The Lost Highway, a collaborative LP with longtime friend and colleague TCJ. On this project, the two take a completely instrumental approach, with layers of dense synthesis and intricately programmed percussion at every turn. While still using footwork motifs as framework, this album stands on its own apart from genre, pulling from London and various other musical hotspots just as much as Chicago.

Kicking things off with Get Active, Manny and TCJ place psychedelic pan flutes over throbbing bass swells and chopped up breaks. Much of the vibe here is harmonious, and while the low end is often intimidating and eerie, the overall message is meditative and introspective. This trippy path continues, with tracks like Forecast and Mystery Machine utilizing blissful pads and dubby fxs. While much of the album is fast, tempos drop on Breezy and Sunset Island, two dreamy slices of shuffling 4x4. Things come full circle as the album ends with the mystical title track, a mysterious halftime creeper that morphs into rapid footwork triplets as it closes. 

While it’s easy to lump anything Manny touches into a homogenized, 160 BPM box based on his legendary status within Chicago culture, people often forget how versatile he is. He makes house, techno, rap beats, and his whole career has been spent pushing his sound into new realms. TCJ must really bring that creative freedom out of him, and this album is proof. Transcendental and fresh, The Lost Highway charts impressive new territory for both these brilliant creatives. 

Artist: DJ MANNY& TCJ
TITLE:  THE LOST HIGHWAY 

Label : TEKLIFE RECORDS 
Release Date: MAY 17th 2024
Cat No: TEKLIFE024

Mastered by : Wheez-ie

more info

TEKLIFE024 - DJ MANNY & TCJ -  THE LOST HIGHWAY

Destiny

Herbal Grinder

TEKLIFE014  DJ DEEON - Destiny EP - 04 Herbal Grinder

Respect the fact

TEKLIFE014  DJ DEEON - Destiny EP - 03 Respect The Fact

Living that Teklife

Buy/Listen

TEKLIFE014  DJ DEEON - Destiny EP - 02 Living That TEKLIFE

@djdeeon 
released June 18th 2021

Timbo Master

Tek 57

Buy/listen

TEKLIFE014 DJ DEEON - Destiny EP - 01 Tek 57

DJ Phil DJ Spinn DJ Manny - NO LOVE
@djphilteklife, @dj-spinn-1, @deejay-manny-2

ON LIFE Volume 3

NO LOVE (feat. DJ Phil, DJ Spinn & DJ Manny)

LET'S MOVE (feat. Slick Shoota)

Produced by @deejay-manny-2
The ever-prolific Chicago legend DJ Manny brings us yet another gem with Ragga R&B. Comprised of floating jazz chords and mellow movements, he once again explores the ethereal side of footwork on this lavish new single for the Teklife imprint. Well known for his mastery in this lane with countless sentimental tracks in his catalog, he flawlessly balances these sweet synths with deep rolling bass. The perfect amount of percussion is peppered on top, showing itself only when needed, putting the melodic elements front and center. Notorious for pairing anxious rhythms with saccharine harmonies, Manny has long been the master of romantic footwork, and here he once again reminds us how important R&B is to his sound.

More Info

TEKLIFE019 DJ  Manny - Ragga R&B

One of the last decade's top artist groups in Chicago, The Era Footwork Collective, continues to push its art form to new levels, both in the circle and outside of it. They make visuals, design merchandise, and craft music for their lifestyle when they're not busy performing, organizing, or battling. They've paired up with Teklife Co-founder DJ Spinn and rhythmic mastermind Jana Rush to bring us "Who Betta," a brand new cypher celebrating footwork culture. They pass the mic around to tell tales of Chicago and what's happening around them while boasting themselves up as they do with their feet in the circle. Over the years, people have tried to make a hybrid between juke/ footwork and rap work, some more successful than others. Instead of pushing the party image as most rappers have tried, The Era talks about what they know in their raps, and foot working in Chicago is something they know a lot about.

Who Betta

THE LOST HIGHWAY - DJ MANNY and TCJ  @deejay-manny-2 & @tcjuke
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/024-DJ_MANNY_TCJ/index.html
Teklife024. ©2024 Teklife Records.
Written, Produced and Engineered by DJ Manny and TCJ.
Mastered by Wheez-ie. Cover Art by Ashes57.
Teklife LLC ™

2 - Night Owl  - DJ MANNY & TCJ

1 - Get Active -  DJ MANNY & TCJ

5 - Sunset Island -  DJ MANNY & TCJ

4 - Mystery Machine  - @deejay-manny-2 & @tcjuke
THE LOST HIGHWAY - DJ MANNY and TCJ
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/024-DJ_MANNY_TCJ/index.html
Teklife024. ©2024 Teklife Records.
Written, Produced and Engineered by DJ Manny and TCJ.
Mastered by Wheez-ie. Cover Art by Ashes57.
Teklife LLC ™

4 - Mystery Machine  - DJ MANNY & TCJ

3 - Forecast -  DJ MANNY & TCJ

JUMP START by @Loefah TEKLIFE025
Release Date July 12th 2024  - EP
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/025-LOEFAH-JUMP-START/

Jump Start

TEKLIFE025 A1. LOEFAH Jump Start

JUMP START by @Loefah - DEEON's Jeep Style Rmx TEKLIFE025
Release Date July 12th 2024 - EP
www.teklife57.com/releases/025-LOEFAH-JUMP-START/

Jump start - DEEON's Jeep style rmx

TEKLIFE025 B2. LOEFAH Jump Start - DEEON's Jeep Style Rmx

JUMP START (EP) - Nines by @Loefah | TEKLIFE025
Release Date July 12th 2024
www.teklife57.com/releases/025-LOEFAH-JUMP-START/

Nines

TEKLIFE025 B1. LOEFAH Nines

Bancal @dj-bancal  makes his Teklife debut with Slide, a brand new single from the French footwork fanatic. Channeling inspiration from composers like Philip Glass, he takes an arpeggiated  spectral choir through a maze of rapidly changing drum patterns. Half-time rhythms and reckless hi-hats from Chicago guide a supernatural film score over bleak 808s. A moody moment for the club, or an eerie moment on the screen, it’s a wonderful reworking of minimalism, and a magical new addition to the label’s catalog.

Artist: BANCAL
TITLE:  SLIDE
Single

Label : TEKLIFE RECORDS 
Release Date: AUGUST 2ND 2024
Cat No: TEKLIFE026

TEKLIFE026 - SLIDE

Paying homage with rescued sound clips from the archives, DJ Spinn & Taso bring us Good Newz, a tribute to the charismatic founder of Teklife DJ Rashad. A warm voicemail from their late friend opens up the track, which quickly explodes into a storm of hyper bleeps and psychotic hi-hats pumping along an infectious rhythm. It’s structure eventually collapses, revealing a minimal battle track with pummeling bass triplets. Sounds are mangled, the bleeps and pushed and pulled every which way, and time feels suspended as drum patterns morph. Rashad was known for his mastery of the MPC, and these two are flexing their way around the pads in a way that would make him proud. Using the remnants of their peer that have survived hard drives over the last 10 years, this is their way of saying thank you for everything, and a testament to their mission of keeping his name alive.

GOOD NEWZ

TEKLIFE027 - TASO x DJ SPINN  x DJ RASHAD - Good Newz

1.) Blessed
Artist: The Era Footwork Crew (Ptop, Litebulb, Chief Manny, Steelo, DJ Spinn)
feat. GZus Piece, DJ Lucky  (Prod. DJ Spinn, Taso)

COMBO PACK Cat. No. Teklife029. ©2024 Teklife Records.

COMBO PACK

Blessed feat. GZus Piece

4.) We Gone Step (Remix)
Artist:The Era Footwork Crew (Litebulb, Steelo, Chief Manny) (Prod. DJ Spinn)
COMBO PACK Cat. No. Teklife029. ©2024 Teklife Records.

We Gone Step (Remix)

2.) Time 
Artist: The Era Footwork Crew (Litebulb, Steelo, Chief Manny) 
(Prod. DJ Spinn)
COMBO PACK Cat. No. Teklife029. ©2024 Teklife Records.

Time

BONUS TRACK : High On Hope  @microglobeproductions X @MACHINEDRUM 
FREE DOWNLOAD FROM : http://teklife57.com/releases/001-Afterlife/
TEKLIFE001 : AFTERLIFE - RIP DJ RASHAD - 
RELEASE DATE APRIL 8TH 2016
AVAILABLE IN VINYL (2LP) / CD / DIGITAL


FREE DOWNLOAD

High On Hope MICROGLOBE X MACHINEDRUM

teklife57.com/releases/001-Afterlife/

TEKLIFE 001 - Afterlife - DJ RASHAD
DJ Rashad, @Tripletrain & @dj-spinn-1 - Pass That
iTunes :: itunes.apple.com/album/afterlife/id1089535601?ls=1

AFTERLIFE

Pass That

Pass That - DJ Rashad, Tripletrain, DJ Spinn

TEKLIFE 002 - DJ EARL - OPEN YOUR EYES
Smoke Dat Green by @djearlteckz feat. @Taso
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/002-DJ_EARL/
music written and produced by Earl Smith. 

COVER ART: SHEPARD FAIREY


OPEN YOUR EYES

Smoke Dat Green

DJ EARL Smoke Dat Green feat. Taso

New Start

New Start - DJ RASHAD x DJ SPINN x TASO

@TRAXMAN - Lifeeeee Is Forever (@DDURBANN REMIX)

DOWNLOAD : www.goo.gl/4SyWUA

DURBAN
https://soundcloud.com/ddurbann
https://twitter.com/ddurbann
https://www.instagram.com/ddurbann/ 
https://www.facebook.com/THEREALDURBAN 

TRAXMAN
https://soundcloud.com/traxman

TRAXMAN - Lifeeeee Is Forever (DURBAN REMIX)

03 - HEAVEE & DJ RASHAD - It's Wack TEKLIFE008
http://teklife57.com/releases/008-HEAVEE_WFM/index.html

It's Wack

TEKLIFE008  HEAVEE & DJ RASHAD - It's Wack

DJ SPINN - Them Changes
@dj-spinn-1
TEKLIFE VIP

TEKLIFE VIP 2019

Download

DJ SPINN - Them Changes

TAYEPAL - Chanel
@djtaye + @djpaypal
TEKLIFE VIP

TAYEPAL - Chanel

DJ Paypal - U Were

TAYEPAL - Slow Down

DJ SPINN - At All
@dj-spinn-1
TEKLIFE VIP

DJ SPINN - At All

DJ CHAP - Uh

DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad - Weavie Stonder (@dj-spinn-1 @dj-rashad)
teklife.bandcamp.com/album/issa-teklife-party
This EP for everyone includes tracks by Spinn & Rashad, Traxman, Manny, and Tripletrain. We hope you fuck with these tunes and we hope you join us next Saturday, Sept 7th in NYC!! TEKLIFE x LOW KEY
PARTY TICKETS: bit.ly/TeklifeMercury
FACEBOOK EVENT: www.facebook.com/events/381856752450154/

Issa Teklife Party

Free DL

DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad - Weavie Stonder

DJ Phil - Liar @djphilteklife
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/2020_Teklife_VIP/index.html
TEKLIFE VIP 2020 free download

TEKLIFE VIP 2020

DJ Phil - Liar

Hank - Tru Story @djhank
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/2020_Teklife_VIP/index.html
TEKLIFE VIP 2020 free download

Hank - Tru Story

DJ Chap - Sientate @djchapteklife
http://www.teklife57.com/releases/2020_Teklife_VIP/index.html
TEKLIFE VIP 2020 free download

DJ Chap - Sientate

Juke Me Baby by @sirrtmo [TEKLIFE FLX001]  - 
https://teklife.bandcamp.com/album/juke-me-baby
7 inches square Flexidisc  |  Includes free download code
Release date June 11th 2020

Juke Me Baby

Juke Me Baby by Sirr TMO

Follow All Teklife Members:
@dj-rashad
@dj-spinn-1
@traxman
@djDeeon
@rp_boo
@deejay-manny-2
@djluckyteklife
@djgantman
@taso
@slickshoota
@tcjuke
@heavee773
@boylan
@djpaypal
@djphilteklife
@tripletrain
@mel_g_teklife
@dbk_teklife
@djchapteklife
@sirrtmo
@dj-tre-1
@ddurbann
@felonyflats
@jackiedagger
@djtaye
@ashes57

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