シカゴ・ハウスの草創期を支えたTen Cityは、“That’s The Way Love Is”や“Devotion”“Right Back To You”といったクラシックで世界中のフロアを魅了し、いまなお活動を続ける数少ない存在だ。中心人物であり〈Voice Of House Music〉と称されるByron Stingilyは、長年にわたりハウスの流れと文化を鋭く読み取り、Ten Cityの役割を更新し続けてきた。

今回Nervous Recordsから登場した『The Next Generation』では、シカゴ出身のプロデューサーDJ Emmaculateを迎え、グループの核を守りつつも音像を拡張。弾むリズムと艶やかなシンセ、柔らかくも力強いByronのヴォーカルが交錯し、ハウスの伝統と進化が同居する仕上がりとなっている。

さらにMon’Aerie、Uneq’ka、DRAMA D. Lylezといったシンガー陣に加え、サウンドの幅を広げた。2枚組ヴァイナルには全8曲を収録し、特製ジャケット仕様。シカゴから世界へとハウスの福音を届けてきたTen Cityの歩みを受け継ぎ、次なる世代へと橋を架ける一枚だ。

A1. Love Music
A2. Feel Good ft. OVEOUS
B1. Live My Life ft. Mon’Aerie
B2. Stop & Go ft. D. Lylez
C1. Release ft. Uneq'ka
C2. Unique ft. Mon’Aerie
D1. House Again
D2. My Paradise ft. DRAMA

Ten City is universally known as one of the foundational House Music artists who helped to preach the gospel of House from Chicago out to the world during the genre’s formative years in the late 80’s. Remarkably Ten City is still recording and performing, with the voice and face of Ten City Byron Stingily delivering classic songs like “That’s The Way Love Is,” “Devotion” and “Right Back To You” to adoring fans from multiple generations around the world.

Throughout his career, Byron has always had a keen sense of where House Music is going both on a musical and cultural level, and the role Ten City could play to stay at the forefront. He saw that now in the year 2025 the time was right to collaborate with a new generation producer who could “walk the walk” in terms of knowing how to utilize to the fullest the multiple emerging production techniques making House Music dancefloors jump. At the same time, whomever he worked with to create a new Ten City album had to be so well versed and respectful of the group’s legacy that they would not stray too far from what the original songs and albums were all about.

He found his man in another Chicago native DJ Emmaculate, who is well known among house music fans as one of the most talented writer / producer / DJs in the genre.

For the new album on Nervous Records, appropriately entitled “The Next Generation,” Byron and Emmaculate have expanded the Ten City sound both musically and in terms of vocal contributors. While “Voice Of House Music” Byron Stingily still delivers slam-dunk hits with his inimitable style, the album also includes supreme vocal contributions from Mon’Aerie, Uneq’ka, DRAMA D. Lylez, and a rap delivery from OVEOUS.

This Double Pack vinyl consisting of 8 songs with a custom jacket is a priceless and must-have addition to anyone and everyone who is a fan of the house music genre.