Junior Jack revisits his 1999 house classic alongside Mark Knight and James Hurr, trading some of the original’s disco sparkle for a tougher, contemporary club sound.
Revisiting a much-loved house record is always a tricky business, particularly when the original has spent more than two decades earning its place in dance music history. But that’s precisely what Junior Jack has done with “Feelings”, joining forces with Toolroom boss Mark Knight and producer James Hurr to revisit his 1999 favourite, “My Feeling”.
The original arrived at a time when disco samples, filtered grooves and infectious hooks were helping house music reach a much wider audience. Sitting comfortably alongside the French touch movement of the late 90s, “My Feeling” was a wonderfully bright, energetic record that became a firm favourite with DJs and clubbers alike.
Fast forward to 2026 and the trio have taken a rather different approach.
“Feelings” retains the familiar musical identity of its predecessor but brings the production firmly into contemporary Toolroom territory. The pace feels a little more restrained, the overall sound less bright, with much of the emphasis placed on a reworked drum arrangement and a weightier, more streamlined groove.
The drums are crisp and punchy, the low end is fuller, and the production has the sort of polished, club-focused finish we’ve come to expect from the label. It’s an approach designed to sit comfortably alongside modern house releases, giving DJs a familiar hook wrapped in a more contemporary framework.
What it gains in production weight, however, it arguably loses in some of the original’s charm.
Part of the appeal of “My Feeling” was its sheer exuberance. There was something wonderfully infectious about the way the disco elements and driving rhythm came together, creating a record that felt both playful and irresistible.
The new version is more controlled, more muscular and perhaps a little less adventurous. There’s nothing particularly wrong with that, but it does raise the inevitable question of whether a record that worked so well the first time around really needed updating.
For those who remember the original lighting up dancefloors at the turn of the millennium, “Feelings” is unlikely to replace it. The 1999 release still has an energy and personality that’s difficult to replicate.
That said, viewed on its own merits, this is a well-produced house record with a proven musical foundation. Mark Knight and James Hurr know how to construct a contemporary club track, and their work alongside Junior Jack gives the familiar groove a fresh lease of life.
For younger listeners discovering these sounds for the first time, it could well become a sizeable record over the coming months.
Is it better than the original? For us, no.
But as a modern interpretation of a late-90s house favourite, “Feelings” does exactly what it sets out to do, delivering a familiar disco-house hook in a format built for today’s dancefloors.
Release Date: 13 November 2026, pre order here.
Label: Toolroom
Catalogue: TOOL1461/01Z
Format: Digital, Extended Mix (5:43)
Genre: House