Gene Farris is not just a DJ. He is a living legend whose story embodies passion, patience, and the unstoppable power of dreams. From his early days in Chicago’s underground scene to performing on the biggest stages worldwide, Farris has spent nearly four decades transforming dance floors and inspiring new generations of artists. When [...]
Forty years of house history, fashion, and philanthropy—Trax Records proves underground music never ages, it evolves. Chicago gave us House, Trax gave it a home; 40 years on, the revolution’s still jackin’. When people talk about the origins of house music, they often start with basements, clubs, and borrowed drum machines. But the moment it turned [...]
Chicago invades London WITH LOVE this June 26 as 5 Mag celebrates our 20th anniversary with a release party at BBE. 5 Mag is turning 20 years old this summer and to celebrate we’ve pressed an exclusive, limited edition vinyl-only release. WITH LOVE features three tracks from foundational house music producers Mike Dunn, Roy Davis, [...]
Iconic Chicago label TRAX Records has announced the limited edition vinyl release of 'Rising Again' to commemorate its 40th anniversary. Only 500 copies will be pressed, with executive producer Pi Rho leading the two-year project. Founded in 1985, TRAX Records helped define house music with pioneers such as Frankie Knuckles, Larry Heard, DJ Pierre [...]
The album, which features Joe Smooth, Jacques X Gregory and more, marks the label's first vinyl release in over a decade. Chicago house label Trax Records has released a 40th-anniversary compilation. Titled RISING AGAIN, the six-track album was executive produced by Pi Rho, and features contributions from Joe Smooth, Jacques x Gregory, Spada, [...]
Created on a simple studio set-up, ‘Promised Land’ is an early Chicago house gem, pop hit, dancefloor unifier, liberation anthem, and timeless classic that has stood the test of time. Carl Loben caught up with the song’s creator Joe Smooth at ARC Festival in Chicago to discuss how he made it, its extraordinary history, [...]
The recently reissued zine ran for 10 issues from 1989 to 1993, as house "was blowing up." By Elias Leight Thing MagazineCourtesy PhotoIn 1986. In 1986, Simone Bouyer worked a day job in Chicago at the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather while painting in her spare time. “I was having a problem getting [...]
The festival's fifth edition happens August 29-31 at Chicago's Union Park. Chicago’s ARC Music Festival has announced a sprawling 2025 lineup featuring nearly 100 artists. The fifth edition of the house-focused festival will feature performances by Jamie xx, Amelie Lens, Adam Beyer, Richie Hawtin, John Summit, Luciano, Fisher, Blond:ish, Eric Prydz (who will play [...]
To celebrate 40 years of house music, we joined Mike Dunn at Chicago's ARC Music Festival and dived into the story behind his house anthem, ‘God Made Me Phunky’ https://youtu.be/-c9T7vWJN0Q?si=B_gRK_48gkSekpmz Mike Dunn shares the story behind the making of his house classic, 'God Made Me Phunky'. Released in 1994, Dunn explains how the track [...]
Traxman started to make music with the simple aim of making people dance and have a good time. That hasn’t changed, but since he started out in the '80s, Corky Strong’s masterful productions and DJ sets have marked him out as a house music great. He has been at the forefront of three different [...]