Format : Vinyl 12” (180 gr., Limited Full Cover)

Track list:

A1 I Can Tell You What You Want
A2 A Taste of the 90s
B1 Dirty Jazz
B2 You Know What I Mean?

Release Info:

DJ Sneak returns to his roots on his Synesthesia EP on Heist Recordings.

Last year, when DJ Sneak visited our studio during ADE, we spoke for a long time about his newly found joy in house music, producing music in the current landscape, and letting go of all the things that made him uneasy with the scene for a long time. At one point, he grabbed a bunch of his hard drives, fired up our Dave Smith & Pioneer Toraiz sampler (the one we used for our live shows and the workstation he swears by for producing and arranging all his music), and showed us what must be one of the most impressive collections of demos we’ve ever seen. He talked us through his ideas for a new record on Heist with the enthusiasm of a producer who had just bought his first MPC60 back in the 80s. His ‘Back to love’ EP was still due to release and we already knew the follow-up would be equally amazing.

Fast forward about a year and after amazing feedback on his Heist debut from platforms like XLR8R, DJ Mag, Faith fanzine and plenty of radio coverage, along with DJ support from the likes of Joy Anonymous, Louie Vega, Jamie Jones, Honey Dijon, TSHA, Dj Seinfeld, Jennifer Cardini, Carista, he drops a new record on Heist recordings; The Synesthesia EP is another showcase of the raw talent of DJ Sneak, skillfully working his gear and churning out massive tunes full of classic Chicago house references, 90’s euphoria, and chunky synths.

The EP kicks off with ‘I can tell what you want’, a deep and bubbly groover where DJ Sneak takes some naughty chopped up R’n’B vocals and adds a pinch of the ghetto sound that he adopted in his formative years in Chicago. Sneak manages to take that influence and deliver something altogether contemporary with this track, ticking all the right boxes of catchy vocals, moody chords, a nasty bassline, and clever sampling.

If the first track embodies his Chicago spirit, then ‘A taste of the 90s’ embodies DJ Sneak’s New York spirit. With funky guitar and key licks, loopy horns, shuffling percussion and plenty of changeovers in the arrangement, he masterfully shows us the joy of classic house music. There’s always another element that gets added or taken away to build anticipation or release the energy with its chunky low end. It’s a true party starter with the energy of a young DJ Sneak spinning his first records way back when.

On the flip, we’ve got ‘Dirty jazz’. This delicious piece of Deep House is built around off-kilter drums with a syncopated bass line and quirky sample cuts. It’s got enough beef to keep the energy going, and the right amount of weirdness to grab your attention whenever this is played.

The closing track ‘You know what I mean’ adds another layer of weird-sounding vocals that will stick with you until long after the song is over. This track – and the whole EP for that matter – oozes the playful energy of a producer who’s completely comfortable with his musicality. It’s fun and playful, delivered with the class that only a hero of the underground like Sneak can do.

On the Synesthesia EP, DJ Sneak takes you deep on a trip through his musical roots and keeps you on the edge of your seat with 4 tracks bursting with personality.

Grab this record while you can and share the love,
Heist Recordings. More

Tracklist 12":

A1) So Damn Electrik
A2) Elektrik Deep
B1) Ass Is Gonna Work
B2) West Side Radio


DJ SNEAK on Toy Tonics! Yes. It's happening. Another US legend joins the German house label. After Kai Alcé (EP on Toy Tonics in September 2023) and Joe Claussell who did an amazing remix for the label some time ago, now it's DJ Sneak. It makes sense as Toy Tonics stands for that funky mix of three main inflences: original amercian soul based house music, the italo disco heritage and the more London or Paris 1990ies wildstyle house sound. DJ Sneak reached out to the label last year giving his props and showing love for many of Toy Tonics releases and the guys immediately invited him to join the label with an EP as its also his sound that is getting so popular again with the younger dance generation. So here it is: 6 tracks (4 on the vinyl) that remind the classic, bumpin DJ Sneak sound. Full of energy and emotion. Perfect for the dance floors of today and great to introduce the maestro to the kids who love house now but never heard about the grandmasters.












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Format : Vinyl 12” (180 gr., Limited Full Cover)

Track list:
A1 Love Can Make It Happen
A2 Going Back to It
B1 Full Cycle
B2 Pockets

Release Info:

House music legend DJ Sneak shows us why he’s a master of the groove on his ‘Back to love’ EP for Heist Recordings.

There’s only a handful of people that can really say they’ve seen House music since its earliest days. Puerto Rica-born, Chicago-bred, and LA-based artist DJ Sneak is definitely one of them. He has been the king of the groove ever since his big break back in ’94 through Cajmere’s label Cajual and was key in the development of that mid-nineties house sound with appearances on labels such as Strictly Rhythm, Henry St Music and 83 West. Sneak has worked with some of the biggest artists in the game including Daft Punk, (delivering lyrics for their track ‘Digital Love’), Armand Van Helden and many more.

After a break in the past few years where Sneak re-evaluated his relationship with the scene and his music, he’s now back doing the thing he loves most: Making killer tracks and slamming it on a record. We’ve always considered each other friends and Sneak has been a true supporter of our music and the label since day 1, so it’s humbling to realize that we’re now in a place where we can let his music shine on Heist. With that, we’re proud to present this future classic from the master himself.

The aptly titled “Back to love” EP starts off with one of Sneak’s most intimate productions to date: “Love can make it happen”. Built around an ever-evolving vocal loop, and dreamy strings this track is deeper than deep with the percussion matching that meditative energy, with the grunt only Sneak can bring.

“Going back to it” is Chicago house music in its core. Moody chords, some vocal chops, a badass bass line, and solid percussion is all you need. With ‘Full Cycle’ on the flip, we see Sneak take back his rightful place as the king of the groove. It’s a track that has us reminiscing the days of ‘Paperclip People’ where the bluntness of a live recorded ‘on/off’ arrangement really adds something special to a track.

The EP ends with “Pockets”, a house jam with classic 90s vocals and energetic snare drums to add that classic New York touch to this already amazing record and shows us that DJ Sneak has a great feel for bringing modern day house music with a vintage feel.

As always, enjoy the music and play it loud!

Maarten & Lars
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