Applied to many, truly deserved by few; the term ‘House Master’ gets thrown around more than is perhaps necessary, but House music as we know it has been unarguably shaped by the French contingent. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the percussive diversity of DJ Gregory and the sublime sounds of Julien Jabre.

Although perhaps better known for their solo work they are long-term friends and creative partners, and first collaborated more than a decade ago on the Soha project. “I moved to New York in ’98 for a couple of years” says Gregory. “Julien came to hang out and the Soha project was born”. Exploring the deeper sounds of House, the records they produced as Soha are available on the digital bundle of this new House Masters collection for the very first time.

When asked how it feels to be called a ‘House Master’, Gregory is typically glib; “2 years ago I got the balck belt for Ju Jitsu, this year here I am with the House Master one. It feels good to carry all these belts” he smiles.

From Gregory’s ‘Elle’ to Julien’s ‘Swimming Places’, it’s hard to imagine a house culture without their influence – these records have truly stood the test of time. Gregory cites Mr. Fingers’ ‘Can You Feel It’ as a track that has similarly had the quality to survive past the usual sell-by date of dance records. The fact that Gregory and Julien have had so many tracks of a similar ilk is testament to their talent and innovation in the studio.

House Masters DJ Gregory & Julien Jabre is out on Monday