Review: VA - Many Shades Of House (Selected By Lea Lisa) Vol.2 (Favorite Recordings)

After a long hot summer (of house), Lea Lisa has found the perfect antidote with 'Many Shades Of House' !

This is a long way from Favorite Recordings' Brooklyn Funk Essentials' album 'Black Butterfly' (see review HERE), Butter Funk Family (see HERE) or Jéroboam's self-titled ablum (see HERE); or is it?

Well it's not if you're into dance as this is exactly what it says on the tin, "Many Shades Of House".  Of course, we've all probably got a favourite Ian Pooley track or remix (say Fritz Wentink - see HERE or Session Victim - see HERE) but the way Lea Lisa has put these tracks together as mostley original mixes (6-8 minutes long) where the label has gone for a double 12" to showcase them is testament to the respect for the music that Lea have compiled/loved/tested/played for many years.

 

Kicking of with 'Sun Of A Gun' (by Korsakow) that hints are the blues of Chris Thomas King's 'Revelations' (Afro Art) and the dub of St. Germain's 'Rose Rouge' and it just gets more diverse with her choice of "uplifting, groove-led movements to deeper, more obscure and cerebral territories".

So who is Lea Lisa?  She's a DJ, producer (Wolf Music, Phonica Records, Smallville Records) and vinyl addict since 1995 (and probably earler than that).   Volume 1 came out a couple of years ago and no surprise that there's been the demand for a follow-up.

The new edition is so good, you can even party like it's '1974' (by Leonel Castillo), get high on  karma of 'For The Music' (Mandrax Dub) (by Colourful Karma featuring Terra Deva) and t'he out there "pocket calculator" of 'Only On The Condition You Call Me Esteban' by Fred Quest.

There's something for everyone but that's coherent throughtout - it's the best shade on the pallet for mixing and blending house.

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://favoriterecordings.bandcamp.com/album/many-shades-of-house-selected-by-lea-lisa-vol-2

Artwork by Nahomi - Elisa D'inca

Artist: Various Artists

Title: Many Shades Of House (Selected By Lea Lisa) Vol.2

Release date: 25th September, 2026

Label : Favorite Recordings

Catalog Number : FVR206

Format: 2x LP Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp