USG, Monica Elam

On the latest dip into the bulging vaults of their iconic deep house label Prescription, Ron Trent and Chez Damier take us back to 1998 and the standout single from Urban Sound Gallery, a collaboration between Trent and Anthony Nicholson. 'Life 4 Living' remains a genuine deep house classic: a warming, effortlessly soulful affair in which Monica Elam's expressive vocals seemingly drift across a backing track rich in Afro-house influenced beats, immersive and dreamy pads, fluid piano solos and a wonderfully tactile bassline. As it did back in the 1990s, the vocal version comes backed with a similarly impressive dub that boasts a bit more energy and feels tailor-made for early morning club plays.