The Them On The Hill collective was founded in Sheffield circa 1993 by a group of talented young DJs and party people to put on top notch club nights and warehouse jams in the UK’s ‘rave’ heyday. These parties were renowned and respected as events where the deepest and freshest tunes from Chicago, New York, and Detroit (and music influenced by those cities) could be heard. In 2010, inspired by those past hedonistic days and the sounds that accompanied them, Them On The Hill transformed into a music label focusing on releases and projects from the collective’s members.
Better known as DJ Raw (he has stepped away from the decks and dropped the ‘DJ’ part), Raw is a longtime staple of Sheffield’s dance music scene, starting his career on local community radio playing a mix of UK and US house in the 80s. In 1997 Raw collaborated with Callum Wordsworth as Digital Boogie, releasing tunes for DIY Discs, Funknose, and Candy Records. Also, Raw worked with fellow Sheffield DJ/producer Groove Assassin as Vibes Inc., contributing seminal tunes for labels like Glasgow Underground, 4th Floor, Transport, and Black Vinyl Records. For his Pull Up A Groove EP, Raw unleashes a trio of jazzy, uptempo house music tracks that will help bring the summer months much closer. The title cut features a chunky disco rhythm, a bit of snazzy percussion, and some heavy filter action over some foxy sample loops. “Go Higher” raises the tempo along with the dance floor stakes, featuring more slinky disco beats anchoring jazzy guitar riffs, spacey pads, and a floor-filling vocal line. “Loophole Funk” switches things up with a classic breakbeat rhythm, a funk-tastic bass line, and some effective vocal and flute bits that aren’t immune to the filter treatment. Pure disco bliss … dig in with Them On The Hill.
Miguel Migs - “‘Pull Up A Groove’ … sounds funky!”
DJ Sneak - “Really dope sh*t!”
Glenn Underground - “‘Pull Up A Groove’ is solid.”
Johnny Fiasco - “Digging the sample vibes!”
Graeme Park - “Mighty fine.”
Mousse T. - “Dope!”
Robert Owens - “A great group of tracks.”
Q-Burns Abstract Message - “The title track is the one for me here … it’s got such a good feeling to it. Should bring the smiles to the dance floor.”
Moodymanc - “Wicked vibes … love these!”
Hippie Torrales - “Pure disco fire.”
Sebastian Davidson - “If you had told me this was Masters At Work I would have believed it … wow.”
Manuel Sahagun - “Sexy beats.”
Ant Plate (Rhythm Plate, YSE) - “Pure, chunky, straight-up club vibes … yes!”
Groove Assassin - “Amazing stuff from Sheffield’s finest … heavy support!”
Chris Udoh (Tigerhook) - “This is rocking!”
Norbert Borchers (House Sound of Hamburg) - “Hot hot hot! This EP is pure power!”
Available now from Juno Download and Beatport.