The redoubtable Terry Farley will turn his gaze towards Chicago on a whopping new compilation.

Farley might be Slough born-and-bred, but he’s as seasoned a house archivist as any: one of the biggest players in the UK’s nascent acid house scene in the late 1980s, he helped found beyond-legendary clubbing zine Boy’s Own and has been spinning since Hector was a pup. He’s now pulled together a huge set of classic acid house and deep house from the Windy City, spread across five CDs.

Acid Rain: Definitive Original Acid & Deep House 1985-1991 is due next month on Harmless. Over five discs and 61 tracks, the compilation promises a comprehensive survey of the late 1980s Chicago sound, with major figures like DJ Pierre, Mr. Fingers, Virgo Four, Phuture, Armando, Gene Hunt and Frankie Knuckles all getting the nod. The set will come bundled with a 32-page booklet, featuring photos and flyer artwork from Farley’s own archives.

Harmless will release Acid Rain: Definitive Original Acid & Deep House 1985-1991 in late July. The substantial tracklist is below.

Tracklist

CD 1: The Birth Of Deep House
01. Jungle Wonz – Bird In A Guilded Cage (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
02. Frankie Knuckles feat. Jamie Principle – Bad Boy (Unreleased 12-inch Mix)
03. Virgo Four – Take Me Higher (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
04. William S – I’ll Never Let You Go (Original Instrumental 12-inch Club Mix)
05. M.E. – School Hall (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
06. Libra Libra – I Like It (Original 12-inch Dub Mix)
07. Pleasure Zone – Fantasy (Original 12-inch Club Mix
08. Charles B – Lack Of Love (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
09. DJ Pierre – Box Energy (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
10. Candy J – Desirable Revenge (Original Jack ‘Em Off Club Mix)
11. Pierre’s Fantasy Club – Dream Girl (Original Ralphi Rosario Club Mix)
12. Ace And The Sandman – Let Your Body Talk (Original 12-inch Club Mix)

CD2: In The Dark We Live
01. Virgo Four – R U Hot Enough (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
02. Mr And Mrs Dale – It’s You (Original 12-inch Free Club Mix)
03. Jungle Wonz – The Jungle (Edit) (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
04. Frankie Knuckles – Baby Wants To Ride (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
05. Mario Diaz feat. Mr Lee – Can You Feel It (Jackin Up The Dub 12-inch Mix)
06. Mickey Oliver – In-Ten-Si-T (Acca-Bass-Si-T 12-inch Remix)
07. Liddell Townsell – As Acid Turns (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
08. Dr Derelict – That Shit’s Wild (Original Album Version
09. Cool McCool – World Turns Round (Original Album Version)
10. Gene Hunt – Living In A Land (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
11. Phuture – Your Only Friend (Cocaine) (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
12. Master C & J – Face It (Original 12-inch Dub Mix)
13. Pierre’s Pfantasy Club – Got The Bug (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
14. Mr Fingers – Washing Machine (Original 12-inch Club Mix)

CD3: Children Of The Night
01. Mike Dunn – Magic Feet (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
02. Bam Bam – Another World Original Album Vesion)
03. Fingers – Ecstasy (Original Album Version)
04. Farley Jackmaster Funk – I Need A Friend (Original Album Version)
05. Ralphi Rosario – In The Night (Original Kenny’s Night Club)
06. Jack Frost & The Circle Jerks – Shout (Original Album Version)
07. Sleezy D – I’ve Lost Control (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
08. Lidell Townsell – I’ll Make You Dance (Original Album Version)
09. Mr Lee – I Can’t Forget (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
10. Phortune – String Free (Original 12-inch Club Leray Mix)
11. Bam Bam – Where’s Your Child (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
12. Phuture – Slam (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
13. Victor Romeo – Acid Rain (Original 12-inch Rain Dance UK Club Mix)

CD4: No Way Back
01. Armando – Don’t Take It (2007 Thomos 12-inch Re-Edit)
02. Bam Bam – Make U Scream (Original 12-inch Deep House Club Mix)
03. Neil Howard – To Be Or Not To Be (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
04. Marcus Mixx – Without Make Up (Original Ron Hardy 12-inch Club Mix)
05. Model 500 – The Chase (Original Mayday 12-inch Club Mix)
06. Jack Frost & The Circle Jerks – Cool & Dry (Original Album Version)
07. Liddell Townsell – Get The Hole (Original Album Version)
08. K. Alexi Shelby – K’s Vertigo (K. Alexi’s Vertigo Re-Edit)
09. Neil Howard – The Gathering (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
10. Marcus Mixx – Psychousic (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
11. Fade II Black – The Calling (Original 12-inch Reprise)

CD5: Work The Box
01. Mr Fingers – Distant Planet (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
02. Marcus Mixx – The Spell (Original Ron Hardy 12-inch Club Mix)
03. Ron Hardy – Sensation (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
04. Jack Frost – Clap Me (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
05. Santos – Work The Box (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
06. Laurent X – Machines (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
07. Phuture – We Are Phuture (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
08. Laurent X – Drowning In A Sea Of House (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
09. Phuture – Acid Trax (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
10. Jungle Wonz – Time Marches On (Original 12-inch Club Mix)
11. Mr Fungers – Can You Feel It (Original 12-inch Club Mix)