Are U Using Me / U Used To Hold Me

The 2005 release on the Unreleased Masters imprint serves as a retrospective window into the foundational era of house music, specifically highlighting the collaborative synergy between Masters at Work and Chicago house pioneer Ralphi Rosario. This record was produced to revisit and distribute tracks that defined the peak of the late 1980s club scene, providing high-fidelity pressings of compositions that had previously circulated primarily as sought-after white labels or through limited underground distribution channels.

The design and curation of this release reflect a minimalist aesthetic common to boutique dance music labels of the mid-2000s, focusing on the preservation of the raw, percussive energy of the original recordings. By pairing the work of the New York-based production duo Masters at Work with the signature rhythmic sensibilities of Ralphi Rosario, the label sought to honor the trans-Atlantic dialogue between Chicago and New York house. Upon its release, it was well-received by vinyl collectors and working DJs as a crucial archival tool, effectively bridging the gap between archival historical importance and functional dancefloor utility.