Episode 001: Stottle — arthouseAM

Liner Notes

I started buying records before I could drive. Somewhere early on, House Music taught me that the right sounds, in the right order, at the right time, can connect humans across race, age, sexual identity and religion more than any other artistic expression.

That was the idea behind arthouseAM: a mix that happened once, over the air, and then was gone. Not as a gimmick. Just as a way of honoring what this music asks of us… a presence, attention, belief. A signal from an old tower in the Meadowlands, reaching whoever in New York happened to be listening. Brief, physical, real.

What I played that Friday night felt less like a set or performance and more like a secular devotion. House Music as agnostic testimony. House Music as fellowship. House Music as a living culture running from the struggles in racism and homophobia that birthed it to the bodies still celebrating and connecting inside it now.

Every record in the set felt borrowed from something bigger than me. Music from 1970 to last month, all of it trying to say the same few eternal things in different dialects of rhythm and soul. Sometimes my job is just to place one truth beside another and let them recognize each other.

A few edits I made for that night aren't listed below. They were only tools for the mix. Everything else here is pretty straightforward.

The broadcast aired once, on April 3, 2026. If you had a radio on in New York from 9–11pm, you heard it. If not, the next closest thing is one of 45 cassette copies of the mix with no interruptions, no commentary, just 90 minutes of House Music available at the bottom of the page or at A1 Records in NYC's E Village.

Tracklist

DJs on arthouseAM are permitted to withhold a small number of tracks — personal edits, unreleased material, or records we’re not ready to name yet. Those are marked below.

Nervous Acid

Bobby Konders · NuGroove, 1990

Jesse’s Speech

Jovonn · Next Moov, 2025

A convergence of cosmic forces compelled me deeply to start the musical conversation here. "Jesse’s Speech" by Jovonn had come out just a few months earlier and was the first time I remember hearing that voice used in a proper House context. If you aren’t over 50 years old, it’s hard to articulate Jesse Jackson’s place in pop culture, post-MLK and pre-internet. I remember being locked in to Sesame Street in an unfamiliar way as a kid when I heard his refrain. I became obsessed with "power beyond social and economic power, something vital and missing," but especially juxtaposed with the uplifting chorus of "morin’ had to come" at the end of the speech. So I extracted the parts I wanted and strung them together over some drums to use more as a beatapella. And once armed with those words I needed a proper instrumental underneath, just like Farley Jackmaster Funk taught us in Dallas in 1987. That moment — "I Have A Dream" over Nitro Deluxe’s "Let’s Get Brutal" — rewired my brain forever. So I asked myself: how could I make a NY version of that moment today? Bobby Konders’ "Nervous Acid" was an almost instantaneous answer. That NuGroove era holds a special place in my DJ heart. Two dudes crossed over, stepped back, launched at 126 BPM like we were at The Shelter in 1999.

SVPC

Track the House

Femme Fion · DJ International, 1986

A timeless Chicago DJ tool — lets you get out of something quickly with an iconic break, and get back into something else just as fast as the title might imply.

Joyful Noise

Stonie Blue & Stephen Carmona · Dolfin Records, 2026

The newest song of the mixtape, just a few weeks out on wax at the time of taping. It felt pre-made for this particular set the moment I got it. Stonie and the Dolfin crew are amongst my most favorite contemporary producers — and Joyful Noise felt like a call and response to the Jesse’s Speech edit.

Take 2

JT Donaldson · Dolfin Records, 2026

As I was saying about Dolfin… but my relationship with Mr. Donaldson goes back so far that we used to call him “Youngblood” in the early 90s. JT remains not only one of the dopest producers in the game but one of the genuinely best humans I’m lucky to know. And he’s also one of the main reasons the artistry of Rich Medina came into my life — 15, 20 years now? The two are interconnected in my personal timeline forever. So with the political theme embedded, I took the liberty of deconstructing the Brian Jackson / MaW / Rich Medina track Winter in America and laced it right over the JT vibes as if premade.

Winter in America

Rich Medina · 2025

SVPC

About Love (John Marsh Vocal Mix)

Roy Davis Jr. · Classic, 2011

Politics and spirituality. Hope. This track always feels like dancing to hope.

Soul Mood (Extended Mix)

Raffaele Clavarino · Groove Culture, 2025

Clavarino’s work really only came on my personal radar when I finally added a CDJ to my setup at the crib in late 2024. But when I started collecting .WAVs and wax, his name ended up in my virtual crate on a regular basis. Soul Mood might be my favorite of his joints to date.

Bliss (Masters at Work Vocal Dub)

Mutiny · MaW Records, 1999

Credit here to the homie CB Smoove, who was at the crib for a session and pulled it from my shelves and threw it on out of the blue — and instantly I was in the elevated, clubhouse-style DJ booth of Mick’s Bar on Greenville Avenue in Dallas in 1999. I could smell it when I heard those drums, because I played it so much in the day. Blame CB for this being on the mixtape.

Just a Touch Away

Brooklyn’s Most Wanted · Good Groove, 2025

Just more proof that while discovery has changed drastically, great House music is still published on the regular.

Shelter (Dave’s Groove Pt. 1)

Brand New Heavies · FFRR, 1997

Back to the feeling of hope with this track. And the feeling of raw jealousy when I heard Luke Sardello play it the first time. Shit still goes.

Serious Game

Darren Marshall & Jazzmik · Scream Soda Records, 2025

I do enjoy spoken word House tracks in general, but the phrase “Art is a serious game, you’re playing against the history of people… not just your people” — with those syncopated Joseph Longo-like drums — was more than enough to get placed right up in this mix.

Dance (Bonus Beats + Club Mix)

Earth People · Under World Records, 1990

My first thought was to play “Here it Is” as a clever retort to “Serious” game but the music part of that idea didn’t work, so I pulled out the Dance 12″ and threw on the bonus beats first just to feel if it would… and yeah.

Jazz Situation

Kostenko Brothers · Dirty Low Records, 2025

The first break goes hard enough to be included on that strength alone, but the bounce of this one works all day.

Confidential Code

Jazz Documents · NuGroove Records, 1991

As I mentioned earlier, me and that early 90s NuGroove era. In hindsight I wish I’d gone with something off the Vandal — Law of the Chants EP rather than Jazz Documents. It’s the one track that feels a bit forced to me looking back, but improvisation comes with these flaws.

The Answer (Original Mix)

Herve · Cheap Thrills, 2026

Just good ass new House Music.

Warfare

Chez Damier · Track Mode, 2004

The implied title of this track is “Spiritual Warfare” and it’s always been one of my favorite “change the vibe up” tracks. So it’s here.

Verkro (Original Mix)

Andre Salmon · Not So Secret Music, 2017

I hadn’t heard this one until recently, but my proclivity for Moodymann spoken word tracks combined with radio talk, AND my deep devotion to the band known as Kraftwerk — this came from a cellular level.

Meant to Be

Ben Hixon · Dolfin Records, 2026

More Dolfin. This time on 7″ vinyl. Ben is that dude.

Watch Them Come (Green Velvet Remix)

Men from the Nile feat. Pevenn Everett · Underground Therapy Music, 2023

I blame Sativa for the mis-phrasing of this mix. SMH.

Track 1

Kerri Chandler · Shelter Records, 1993

It wouldn’t be a NYC House mixtape without KC.

From Da House (Original Mix)

DJ Sneak · Hudd Traxx, 2025

Give me all the long, hypnotic DJ Sneak loops over big drums. Please.

Tell You (Today) (Original 12" Instrumental Mix)

Loose Joints · West End Records, 1983

Arthur Russell was another non-negotiable when it came to inclusion on the first mixtape for this NYC radio show.

The Magnificent Dance

The Clash · Epic Records, 1981

Because I finally found this randomly at the Rough Trade store by 30 Rock last year. And it still rules.

Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved Pt. 2

James Brown · BMI, 1970

Straight up: I mistimed this mix — not long enough for another full House track, but there was this 7″ James Brown record on display in front of my mixer, and it happened to be the perfect one to end this narrative.

As a DJ, House Music records have provided me a way to express myself that no other artistic medium can.

Episode 001 — Cassette