Fingers Inc were arguably the first house music super group and this their first LP dropped into the UK's (and the Rest Of The Worlds) consciousness in February 1988 by way of a small independent UK label from Luton - Jack Trax. Primarily known for its series of Jack Trax compilation albums which collected together hard to find (and expensive at the time) imported house records mainly from Chicago where the house scene was going stratospheric this LP was in hindsight a major coup for the label being the first and only LP from Fingers Inc - comprised of Larry Heard (Producer) and Robert Owens and Ron Wilson (Vocalists). In reality it was most likely the massively expanding UK house scene and with it the certainty of getting paid that led Fingers Inc to sign the deal. They had badly been burned 2 years before after their first single - Mystery Of Love sold 30,000 copies making the DJ International label rich but apart from a their advance payment the group saw no more money from the deal and even had to record a follow up single to leave their contract.
The album contains many classic moments including the monumental Can You Feel It, Bring Down The Walls (taken from various Mr Fingers 12" on the Trax Record label) and spacey deep house anthems like Distant Planet but the track i have chosen to highlight is Never No More Lonely. Featuring Robert Owens on lead vocals this is a classic love song (aren't all songs in a way about love) about a man finding his one true love and being saved from loneliness. All the right ingredients are here. A tough 808 beat, an elastic sounding bass line, deep synths, beautiful deep strings (check them out at the 2:25 minute mark) and a catchy piano after the halfway mark which leads leads the track out. Put this together with Robert Owens joyous lyrics and there you have it a deep house masterpiece.
Apart from the album which goes for around £25.00-30.00 in mint condition this track was released on a very rare 12" (£50.00+) and the fifth Jack Trax compilation (£10.00) making it fairly accessible but hard to get a loud pressing to play in clubs.
Fingers Inc's association with the Jack Trax sadly went pear shaped after a few more 12" were released when against Larry Heard's wishes they released a follow up LP of instrumental versions of his biggest tunes but thankfully the UK had been already turned onto deep house with this classic release.
Fingers Inc - Never No More Lonely
