In their ten years, Third Ear have never released a label compilation. This is the first. What is most striking is that this compilation shows that Third Ear is far from being the Deep House label imagined by many people. What is also clear from this compilation is just how good the Third Ear is. Groundbreaking killer tunes from the start to the finish.

Disc 1 opens with an unreleased gem from 2004. The Irresistible Force aka Mixmaster Morris remixed Nuno Filipe’s haunting Julia, unfortunately still unreleased, to create a tune that sounds like a lost Balearic classic. Next is F6-G5 by Ebz from the very first Third Ear release in 2001, the full-track mixes from the groundbreaking Sony/Sega game REZ. Other heavyweights on Disc 1 are Ricardo Jefferson’s Brutal Truth, unknown to many but not to Ricardo Villalobos, and Recloose’s remix of Why Sheep?’s Earthborn from 2003, another hard to find classic with one of Recloose’s toughest grooves. Pink Noise by Brendon Moeller from the acclaimed Jazz Space ep is here. Kelli Hand’s Holding On is a favourite of those who know it. Also here is Wbeeza’s London vibes and killer kick on Bichez and El Prevost’s My Soul Responding, described by the Zubb Chart as ‘Deep, soulful, spooky and happening. House for drugged-up thinkers’. Pirahnahead’s Self Conscience, a track that slayed dancefloors when it was released in January 2010 and continues to do so, closes out disc 1.

For many, Third Ear is the label more than any other that made people realize that Detroit is as much a hive of innovative House music as it is the city regarded as the birthplace of Techno. This fact is amply demonstrated by the start of Disc 2, which opens with two Detroit classics; the jaw-dropping originality and groove of Theo Parrish’s Falling Up from 2002, followed by the downright f-o-n-k of Mike Clark’s Motown, with it’s delicious Headhunters period Herbie Hancock break, from 2003. Next is Demetrio Giannice’s Beatdown edit of his track, Talk, which Boomkat called ‘brilliantly dark and sophisticated’. L.A. Williams’ Velvet Music is one of the sexiest tracks to ever be laid down, no question. Crowpleaser & St.Plomb, with Emilie Nana’s La Sourciere Doctoresse is a real left turn; genuinely unsettling processed vocals, made kooky and trippy with various twisting modulating analog synths over a classic Chicago groove. This is followed by Pirahnahead’s Dis-Connected, a vicious track viciously cut up, putting off many djs who don’t have the bravura to chance it, but using digital editing creatively to great effect. Lorca Music’s tasty remix from this year of Recast’s Consensual gives the original a steppin’ swing with clattering percs and grimier drums. Moving on, Kyle Hall’s beautiful Ghosten and Sarrass’s compelling Lust were two highlights from 2010. Next is Wbeeza’s Laying Here, which is still killing dancefloors as we speak. Disc 2 closes with Inohs Sivad’s wonderful Somewhere Else from Third Ear’s Detroit Beatdown series.

This compilation sounds more like a dj’s box packed with killer tunes than a label compilation. And that really says it all.

RELEASE DATE 25/11/11 DIGITAL RELEASE ONLY

nuno filipe - julia (irresistible force global chillage mix)
EBZ - F6-G5
brendon moeller - pink noise (jazz junk safari mix)
ricardo jefferson - a brutal truth
dubble d - rope trick
why sheep? - earthborn (recloose remix)
wbeeza - bichez
benjamin brunn - stay hungry stay foolish
kelli hand - holding on
el prevost - my soul responding
pirahnahead - self conscience

theo parrish - falling up
mike 'agent x' clark - motown
demetrio giannice - talk (beatdown edit)
l a williams - velvet musac
crowdpleaser & st. plomb feat. emilie nana – sourciere doctoresse
pirahnahead - disconnected [dissed connection]
recast - consensual (lorca music remix)
kyle hall – ghosten
sarrass - lust
wbeeza - laying here
inohs sivad feat diamondancer - somewhere else