Every week we have a prolific crate-digger deliver a highly curated chart from a specific genre area. This week – Cal brings you his ten biggest “next level house” tracks of the moment.

In just a week and a half I’m going to be performing at my first international booking. Suffice it to say, this is a momentous and exciting moment for me and my career. I’m also fortunate enough to have it in one of the best markets in the U.S. – Chicago.

It’s not just the third biggest, it’s also the birthplace of a genre of music I hold near and dear. As preparation for my gig at Vision on Friday March 2nd, I have been digging through all the old Chicago House classics, and just about everything new that sounds like the stuff. Think Cajual Recordings, Hot Creations, Crosstown Rebels, Turbo, and even DFA + Desolat.

Today I have stuff for you from what I think are some of the finest labels in electronic music right now. Some of the stuff is off-beat or trip-hop, yet others are deep, tech, or even acid house, and yet others are on here because they are unstoppably funky vocal house. The unifying theme: all of these tracks are next level. They draw on disparate influences, are sometimes unconventional-sounding, but are all tracks I’d be proud to move a dance floor with.

And I know people in Chicago will be discerning!

10: Boddika – Up and Dance

This off-beat, bass-centric track is complemented by sparse percussion and very catchy vocal samples. It was offered as a free download around Christmas time.

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9: Guti – We Shall Overcome

This one came out on Guti’s label Desolat last year, and is a great example of his superior musicianship.

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8: Azari & III – Reckless With Your Love (Tiga Remix)

This remix of Montreal native Tiga was released on Rec Room, and is a worthy complement to the incredible, anthemic original.

7: Joe Goddard – Gabriel ft. Valentina

This was released mid-year on James Murphy’s DFA Records. The vocals make it an instant classic and big dance floor driver.

6: Danny Daze – Fall Away From Love

This was named the ‘Essential New Tune’ a while back, before it’s release on Hot Creations. Danny Daze is just one of the several artists on the label that I can’t get enough of.

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5: Jamie Woon – Night Air (Solomun Edit)

Not often you find a track of this quality released for free, but here it is. Absolutely incredible vocals.

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4: Infinity Ink – Games

Another delicious Hot Creations number. Decidedly more downtempo than the rest of the group, but also very funky.

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3: XI – Immunity

A trip-hop number from Canadian-born x Berlin-based bass music producer XI, released recently on Orca Recs. He’ll be touring with Zeds Dead for the next couple weeks on their Living Dead Tour.

2: Nico Lindsay – Haunted

Absolutely sick shuffle-y percussion, and another free download. Can definitely see American hip-hop taking some lessons from this one.

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1: Cajmere & Russoul – Let’s Dance

Chicago’s own Cajmere, aka Curtis Jones, dropped my track of the moment on his own Cajual Recs recently, with Russoul – if you haven’t heard of him, read my recent feature. I think he’s going to be one of the biggest vocalists of the year.