Larry Heard - Sceneries Not Songs, Volume 1 (1994)

In addition to gifting the world with Chicago House under his Mr. Fingers moniker — and indeed many others — Larry Heard takes a slightly different tact with his mid-1990s gem Sceneries Not Songs, Volume 1. The familiar euphoric release of a banging 4/4 comes with the kick-hi-hat melee of ‘Dolphin Dream’ and ‘Midnight Movements’, but the vibe of this disc is more inclined towards impressionistic soundscapes; tone pieces not tunes; sceneries not songs, if you will. ‘Snowcaps’ and ‘Summertime Breeze’ brings a soft focus onto melody in its vibrant synth leads, unwinding a sonic world we’d later call ‘chill-out’.