DJ SPLIT, THE TRIP — Action Classa

DJ Split and The Trip join forces for Action Classa, a four-track 12-inch on Tessellate, catalogue TESS026. Released in June 2026, the EP brings together three original productions from DJ Split with a remix by The Trip, combining raw Chicago house influences with contemporary club pressure, punchy drums and direct, groove-led arrangements. Across the record, the emphasis is firmly on physical rhythm and dancefloor impact, but the four tracks approach that foundation from different angles, moving between classic jackin' house, deeper groove and breakbeat-inflected club energy. DJ Split has built his catalogue around a contemporary interpretation of classic Chicago house, with previous releases appearing on Major NYC Records, Indulgence, Shadow Pressings and On Loop. His productions are characterised by raw energy, strong basslines and an intentionally direct approach to the dancefloor. Action Classa fits naturally into that lineage while giving the producer a full four-track vinyl statement on Tessellate. The label, founded around the work of The Trip, has developed a catalogue spanning house, tech house, techno, deep house and related underground styles, and TESS026 sits firmly on the house-oriented side of that spectrum. Action Classa opens the A-side with the EP's title track. The production immediately establishes DJ Split's preference for a raw, functional house framework, using punchy drums and a strong bass presence to create forward momentum. The Chicago influence is not treated as a historical quotation but as a working production language: repetitive rhythmic structures, tightly locked percussion and a groove designed to remain effective through extended mixing. It is a direct opener that can introduce the EP into a DJ set without requiring a long atmospheric introduction. Body Go Ah follows on A2 and pushes the rhythmic side of the record further. Japanese specialist retailer Lighthouse Records highlights the track's jackin' character and specifically notes its organ chords, which add a more expressive melodic component to the otherwise stripped-back house framework. Those organ phrases provide the track with a classic house sensibility while the underlying drums maintain the harder physical edge of the EP. The result is one of the record's more immediately club-focused cuts, with enough harmonic colour to stand apart from the title track while retaining DJ-friendly functionality. The B-side begins with Simp U, a track that shifts attention towards melody and atmosphere without abandoning the record's rhythmic foundation. Lighthouse Records describes its moving synth bass and melancholic lead as particularly catchy elements, giving the track a slightly more introspective character than the A-side material. The contrast is useful within the sequence: rather than simply increasing the intensity after the first two tracks, DJ Split introduces a more emotive melodic component while maintaining the groove and tempo discipline expected from a club-oriented 12-inch. Closing the record is The Trip's remix of Body Go Ah. The label founders take the original's house framework and reshape it into a more expansive club track, adding breakbeat elements alongside stabs, horn-like accents and brighter chord work. Lighthouse Records describes the remix as an immediately usable club cut, and its position at B2 gives the EP a natural change of perspective after the three DJ Split originals. Instead of simply reproducing the original groove, The Trip introduces a more animated rhythmic structure while preserving the central identity of Body Go Ah. The remix also places Action Classa within the broader musical language of Tessellate. The Trip's own productions on the label draw from classic techno, house and garage references, while the label's catalogue connects these sounds with contemporary underground club music. The contrast between DJ Split's Chicago-house approach and The Trip's more breakbeat-oriented reinterpretation gives TESS026 a useful stylistic breadth without making the EP feel fragmented. What holds the record together is its commitment to groove. None of the four tracks depends on elaborate songwriting or excessive arrangement; instead, the music is built around rhythm, bass, percussion and carefully chosen melodic details. That makes Action Classa particularly effective as a DJ record. The three originals can occupy different points in a house set, while the remix provides an opportunity to shift towards a more broken rhythmic feel without leaving the established house environment. The EP also reflects the continuing relevance of Chicago house as a production vocabulary for contemporary electronic music. DJ Split takes familiar elements — jackin' drums, bass-driven repetition, organ chords, synth leads and vocal-oriented hooks — and places them within a modern vinyl context. The result is neither an archival recreation nor an attempt to disguise its influences. Instead, Action Classa demonstrates how the rhythmic principles of classic Chicago house can remain highly effective when filtered through contemporary production and club culture. For DJs, the record offers four clearly differentiated tools. Action Classa provides the stripped-back rhythmic foundation; Body Go Ah adds organ-driven energy; Simp U introduces a more melodic and slightly melancholic dimension; and The Trip's remix transforms the B-side into a more breakbeat-inflected finale. The tracks can be mixed individually, but their sequencing also makes sense as a compact progression from raw jackin' house towards more expansive club territory. As TESS026, Action Classa is an important meeting point between DJ Split's growing catalogue and Tessellate's developing vinyl identity. The combination of three originals and one remix keeps the focus firmly on the dancefloor while demonstrating four distinct approaches to the same broad house vocabulary. For listeners drawn to Chicago house, jackin' rhythms, contemporary deep house and groove-led underground club music, DJ Split & The Trip's Action Classa delivers a focused four-track 12-inch that balances old-school house fundamentals with a current and highly functional production approach.