Deep house music is commonly traced back to the 1985 song "Mystery of Love" released by Mr. Fingers (Larry Heard). The groovy, funk-inspired track stood out from other electronic dance music, inspiring other artists to follow in its footsteps. The author and popular music journalist, Richie Unterberger claimed that Heard's deep house sound moved house music away from its posthuman tendencies back towards the lush, soulful sound of early disco music.
Deep house was derived from Chicago house music, combining the pulsing four-on-the-floor signature beat of traditional house music with harmonies and basslines inspired by jazz and funk. Additionally, many deep house tracks feature the distinctive mark of 1980s Roland synthesizers—particularly the TR-909 drum machine, as well as the Juno-60 and Jupiter-6 keyboard synths.
Other pioneers of the deep house sound include Marshall Jefferson and his 1986 song “Move Your Body”. Kerri Chandler is notable for coming of age in New York and New Jersey, rather than Chicago—he scored a 1991 hit with "SuperLover/Get It Off." Theo Parrish grew up in Chicago and is known for mixing soul, funk, and disco obscurities from the 1970s into his productions.
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