{
  "slug": "mr-fingers",
  "name": "Mr. Fingers",
  "description": "Mr. Fingers appears 8 times in our Chicago House, The Eighties, The Waxonia Desk — A Way In, The Waxonia Desk — In the Room, The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered, The Waxonia Desk — On a Machine, and The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred lists, placing as high as No. 1. Hand-curated, with a reason for every pick.",
  "updated": "2026-08-29",
  "url": "https://waxonia.com/artist/mr-fingers/",
  "appearanceCount": 8,
  "distinctRecordings": 2,
  "years": {
    "first": 1985,
    "last": 1986
  },
  "highestPlacing": {
    "rank": 1,
    "list": "Chicago House"
  },
  "appearsOn": [
    {
      "kind": "genre",
      "slug": "chicago-house",
      "name": "Chicago House",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/",
      "entries": 2
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-eighties",
      "name": "The Eighties",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — On a Machine",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine/",
      "entries": 1
    },
    {
      "kind": "curator",
      "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
      "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
      "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/",
      "entries": 1
    }
  ],
  "tracks": [
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "Larry Heard played chords where everyone else played drums, and house acquired a soul in the same instant. Four minutes that the next forty years of dance music are still unpacking.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-eighties",
          "name": "The Eighties",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Can%20You%20Feel%20It",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=p2XxyBViBog",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 1,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "chicago-house",
        "name": "Chicago House",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--mystery-of-love",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--mystery-of-love/",
      "title": "Mystery of Love",
      "year": 1985,
      "label": "Alleviated",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "Deep house before the phrase existed. Heard's chord voicings are jazz musician's choices played on pawn-shop equipment, and the melancholy is entirely deliberate.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — On a Machine",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Mystery%20of%20Love",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=5tqErnknRsE",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": 8,
      "on": {
        "kind": "genre",
        "slug": "chicago-house",
        "name": "Chicago House",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "Trax pressed on recycled vinyl and paid almost nobody, which is a real part of the story and not a footnote. It also put out the record that defines house, made by one man in an apartment on borrowed equipment.",
      "alsoOn": [
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          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "chicago-house",
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        },
        {
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          "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Can%20You%20Feel%20It",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=p2XxyBViBog",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-eighties",
        "name": "The Eighties",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "House music at its most elemental: a bassline, a hi-hat and an enormous amount of patience. Every four-to-the-floor record made since is arguing with this one, whether or not it knows it.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "chicago-house",
          "name": "Chicago House",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-eighties",
          "name": "The Eighties",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Can%20You%20Feel%20It",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=p2XxyBViBog",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "The record most often used to explain house to people who were not there. What it did in a room and what it does in a documentary are two different things, and the room came first.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
          "kind": "genre",
          "slug": "chicago-house",
          "name": "Chicago House",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-eighties",
          "name": "The Eighties",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Can%20You%20Feel%20It",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=p2XxyBViBog",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
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        "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "House at its most elemental — a bassline, a hi-hat and an enormous amount of patience. The patience is the part that carried: almost nothing happens here, and it happens for a very long time.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
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          "slug": "chicago-house",
          "name": "Chicago House",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-eighties",
          "name": "The Eighties",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Can%20You%20Feel%20It",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=p2XxyBViBog",
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        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
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        "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--mystery-of-love",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--mystery-of-love/",
      "title": "Mystery of Love",
      "year": 1985,
      "label": "Alleviated",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "The warm end of Chicago rather than the raw end. The city produced both in the same eighteen months, and the story that it was ever only one of them is a later invention.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
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          "slug": "chicago-house",
          "name": "Chicago House",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/genre/chicago-house/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
          "url": "https://open.spotify.com/search/Mr.%20Fingers%20Mystery%20of%20Love",
          "exact": false
        },
        "youtubeMusic": {
          "url": "https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=5tqErnknRsE",
          "exact": true
        }
      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
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        "slug": "the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — On a Machine",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-on-a-machine/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    },
    {
      "trackKey": "mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it",
      "trackUrl": "https://waxonia.com/track/mr-fingers--can-you-feel-it/",
      "title": "Can You Feel It",
      "year": 1986,
      "label": "Trax",
      "isrc": null,
      "whyItMatters": "A bassline, a hi-hat and an enormous amount of patience. House music explained in one record, and never bettered by the ten thousand that copied it.",
      "alsoOn": [
        {
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          "slug": "chicago-house",
          "name": "Chicago House",
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        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-eighties",
          "name": "The Eighties",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/theme/the-eighties/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-a-way-in",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — A Way In",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-a-way-in/"
        },
        {
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          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-in-the-room",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — In the Room",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-in-the-room/"
        },
        {
          "kind": "curator",
          "slug": "the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered",
          "name": "The Waxonia Desk — Looped and Filtered",
          "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-chicago-looped-and-filtered/"
        }
      ],
      "links": {
        "spotify": {
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        },
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      },
      "rank": null,
      "on": {
        "kind": "curator",
        "slug": "the-desk-the-hundred",
        "name": "The Waxonia Desk — The Hundred",
        "url": "https://waxonia.com/selection/the-desk-the-hundred/"
      },
      "artist": "Mr. Fingers"
    }
  ],
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}