Virgo Four ‎– Do You Know Who You Are?

Eric Lewis & Merwyn Sanders, the American duo behind Virgo Four's productions got their place in history with the 1989 release "Do You Know Who You Are" on Trax Records (Chicago, USA).
The repercussion was so important that Larry Sherman, director of Trax Records negociated on the same year of 1989 the license of this release on the English label Radical Records, where a single and an album came out.
Commonly mistaken as the Virgo project by Marshall Jefferson, Adonis and Vince Lawrence, Virgo Four, baptized by the English as 'Virgo' as well, belonged in fact to Eric Lewis & Merwyn Sanders only and had nothing to do with the older Virgo project.
Even though, their music atmosphere brought as well that deep feeling, emotion and wonderful rhythmic-melodic ensemble: "In A Vision" and "Do You Know Who You Are" became major standards of House music and were included on important compilations of the genre, from 'WARP 10+1 Classics' to 'Chicago Trax - The Original Sound Of House'.
The original American release on Trax Records had also "Goin Thru Life" with its aesthetic trio of strings, pianos and percussion; and also "Take Me Higher" that brought a more raw, minimal mood with some minor string environment.
The American EP was repressed in 2006 on Trax.

Composed by the duo Eric Lewis & Merwyn Sanders, Virgo Four (baptized on the English single as 'Virgo' only) is behind a fantastic House Music EP from 1989 - "Do You Know Who You Are?" - whose original release went out through Larry Sherman's Trax label from Chicago, and in the same year of 1989 on the English label Radical Records with much better sound quality (unfortunately, the production proceedure was far less than fair at the early times of Trax).
The American pressing has four tracks, two of them present on this English pressing: "Do You Know Who You Are?" with its beautiful strings & swing mood, and the timeless classic "In A Vison" based on a perfect melodic-rhythmic hypnosis. Both tunes come with instrumental and vocal versions, the non-vocal ones being acclaimed by the dancefloors and experts of that time.
As a result, the two classics were included on historical compilations, from 'Deep Heat 4 - Play With Fire' to 'Chicago Trax - The Original Sound Of House' (for "Do You Know Who You Are") and 'WARP 10+1 Classics' to 'The Kings Of House' (for "In A Vision").

Without a doubt in my mind, one of the finest releases on trax.
Virgo Four, (boolegged on Dance Rhythm Records u nder the tag "This record is designed for DJ and club use to promote the continued existance of the twelve inch format" which is one of the best "It's just a promo record, please don't sue us !/don't ask any questions Mr pressing plant" bootlegger lines i've ever seen !)
These Virgo Four trax are wonderful examples of well crafted, uncomplicated grooves and beautiful melodies and it's easy to see why it's in such high demand. "Do you know..." & "Going thru Life" being two pieces of music from the house side of things with eponimous open hi hats, lovingly played piano parts and and lighter, lifting melodies with a lickle guitar too. "In A Vision" & "Take Me Higher" are more Techno and do owe a lot to the influence of Warp which they freely admit and responded by including "In A Vision" on their "10 + 1 Influences" compilation. Synths are a little moodier and the beats get a heavier workout. No open hi hats on the off 4 here ! Tight slightly padded synth rhythms sounding like an outer space timbalae on are the hook on this classic. "Take Me Higher" is a deep rythmic outer space workout with long swooshing synths and soft pads playing a meloncholy part and tugging at the senses. Eric Lewis & Merwyn Sanders, I salute you, now that I know who you are ! Now i gota find the supa rare LP they did !!!!

Seriously amazing record, encapsulates the atmosphere of those early days superbly. 'Do You Know Who You Are?' sit's perfectly alongside M Jefferson or L Heard of the same era, killer stuff. This UK release is also the only place to find the instrumental versions of both tracks, rare and essential record.

The instrumental track perfectly reflects its title. This is an early deep house cut with a subtle sinister/haunting overtone created by the insistent synth-strings. An ambient guitar glides through it, again with a somewhat thought provoking dynamic. In this respect the music does seem to be asking, 'Do You Know Who You Are?'. Put this in the context of when it was made, as a whole new culture in Chicago was spawning, and it seems to be reaching out to the casualties of the scene who have perhaps gone too far with the decadence.
However, there is a bass-line of enormous ascending power that picks you out of this mood and back into a marchin'-on vibe. It has everything that house has to offer. An under-rated masterpiece.