Times Coming Together: Chicago’s House Legacy Reignites

New EP of House music duets by Phil Marley & Goddess Sage

By Joaquin Mann, Elite Values News

CHICAGO — On certain nights along Lake Michigan, when the bass rolls just right and the city exhales after dark, something unmistakable happens: Chicago remembers who it is. That memory is being reignited by Phil Marley and Goddess Sage, whose new House EP, "TIMES COMING TOGETHER – House on the Lake: Chicago Dance Love & Island Vibes," has quickly become a word-of-mouth favorite among dancers, DJs, and longtime house heads.

Produced by The Artist Revue and released by BePublished.org, the project arrived in December 2025—but its spirit feels decades deep. What makes the buzz unusual isn’t just the music. It’s the live performances.

"The music is fresh, raw and hot! But the cause is noble, poignant and worthwhile," said Rollins "Rollo" Rhymes of The Artist Revue. "This is more than a music debut of multiple projects. It's a celebration of life and a fight for an artist's future."

More than one audience member has said that while watching Phil and Goddess Sage on stage, they momentarily forget who they’re listening to — because the performances evoke echoes of legendary voices — before realizing something more powerful is happening: these artists aren’t imitating anyone. They’re channeling the emotional DNA of house, soul, and dance culture and reshaping it into something unmistakably their own.

“I swear, for a split second, I thought somebody else had walked on stage,” said Marcus Elle, a longtime Chicago house dancer, after a recent YouTube listening party. “Phil can sit in a groove the way the greats do, and Goddess Sage knows how to enter a moment. But then you realize — no, this is them. This is their feeling. Their chemistry. And it hits even harder.”

At the center of the EP is a philosophy that feels almost radical in today’s fast-scroll music economy: music made for people, not algorithms. Phil’s warm baritone-to-tenor voice carries the calm authority of lived experience, while Goddess Sage adds breathy spoken-word phrases, airy harmonies, and sensual ad-libs that feel less like features and more like conversation.

“They don’t rush anything,” said Alicia Morena, an aspiring house DJ and vinyl collector. “That’s what makes it dangerous on the dance floor. You think you know where it’s going, and then the emotion pulls you somewhere else. I’ve seen couples lock in, crowds melt, hands go up — it’s passion-driven, not performative.”

The EP’s visuals, inspired by Chicago’s lakefront and the communal energy of house gatherings, reinforce what audiences already feel live: this is music rooted in connection. Not spectacle. Not gimmicks. Just rhythm, emotion, and intention.

Yet TIMES COMING TOGETHER is only one piece of a larger story.

Both artists are also inviting listeners to revisit the holiday albums that further define their range and individuality. Goddess Sage’s "Holidays With You" bends expectations—equal parts warmth and independence — while Phil Marley’s "14 Songs of Holiday Soul & Timeless Love" stands as a milestone release: his first full-length album after more than 40 years of live performance.

Marley, a Chicago native, spent decades avoiding the spotlight, even as family, friends, and fans repeatedly urged him to “take the mic.” When he finally did—captured in studio quality for the first time—the result was a collection that spans soul, blues, jazz, gospel, funk, and holiday classics, all delivered with restraint and emotional honesty.

“Phil sings like someone who’s lived the lyrics,” said Denise Thompson, a longtime fan who has followed his live shows for years. “And Goddess Sage — she doesn’t just sing. She enters the song and conveys the lyrics in a way that you actually experience it, even if you are in the middle of a conversation — you're going to stop and listen to what she's saying. Together, they’ll have you thinking of other artists you love, then suddenly you’re somewhere new, feeling something deeper.”

That balance — familiar yet original — is what has audiences urging others not just to stream, but to listen. To sit with the records. To dance to them. To experience them live if possible.

Elite Values News encourages music lovers, dancers, and culture seekers alike to explore Phil Marley & Goddess Sage’s House music EP as well as their individual holiday projects. Considering that these projects were completed over the span of two weeks while Phil was undergoing dialysis thrice weekly, these works are especially remarkable. In a city where house music was born, "TIMES COMING TOGETHER" doesn’t chase nostalgia—it reclaims momentum.

Chicago hasn’t forgotten how to move. It’s just been waiting for the right feeling to return.