08 BackLabel 30 Cz’s Boogie #11 Profile of UM Records & a free download 10 records with House Music news and from their back catalog for 5 Mag sub- talk by 5 Mag EIC Czarina Mirani. scribers. by Will Sumsuch. 12 preView: SuncéBeat 32 Session Victim Eight years of sun, sea and dance music in On the eve of the release of their new album: a Croatia with Alex Lowes. by Czarina profile by Dustin Kinney. Mirani. 20 AfterParty: Brighton Music 38 Freakeasy! Conference 2017. and the fine art of not giving a fuck. by Will Sumsuch went so you didn’t have to. Czarina Mirani. (But you should have.) 24 Sleepy & Boo: A 5 Mag Mix 47 54 New Releases New mix & interview with the NYC stalwart New music and reissues by 5 Magazine DJ and – increasingly – production duo. staff. Czarina Mirani Will Sumsuch Become A Member Editor-in-Chief, 5 Magazine Senior Editor 5chicago.com/membership CEO, Fivestar Boogie Productions [email protected] Membership Questions & answers [email protected] [email protected] Rees Urban Business Address 100 E Walton Ste 30E, Terry Matthew Senior Editor Chicago, IL 60611 Managing Editor [email protected] [email protected] Advertising Inquiries [email protected] Kev Obrien Contributing Editor [email protected]
discover free music from the vaults of top dance music labels
written and compiled by will sumsuch O ur back catalog gem this month comes from New Zealand based label UM Records, the brain- child of British Deep House obsessive Richie Hart- ness. Starting life as a printed fanzine penned in the office when the boss wasn’t looking, UM (“untitled- music”) transitioned from print to digital in website and podcast form, eventually launching as a record label in 2011. Already boasting a frankly stagger- ing social media presence (a Facebook search for “Deep House” brings up a fan-page that UM con- trols), Richie’s approach to promoting his label is refreshingly low-key and artist-centric. In 2016 he took the decision to operate on a non-profit basis, passing 100% of the label’s revenue straight to his artists. As he puts it, the change has “allowed the label to be uniquely focused on creativity and mu- sic, not profit.”
DOWNLOAD uw Since its inception UM has acted as a springboard for new artists, with Richie’s passionate patronage trumping any sense of ownership over them. “I’m very proud to have debuted so many producers
and continue to listen to untold amounts of shite, ceaselessly searching to find the next one.”
10 Departments: backlabel issue 148 Asked to select a special, slept on cut for 5 Magazine subscribers to enjoy, Richie chose the Yigit Atilla remix of Daniel Ray’s 2015 track “Hide & Seek.”
“Daniel Ray and Yigit Atilla are both the kind of producers I love to have on the label; tech- nically excellent, musically emotive and have an intuitive sense of building a great track,” he says. “Yigit and I had done a few things before and I’d long admired Daniel’s tracks, especially those on Matt Prehn’s Oh So Coy label. We got chatting and this, the first of a couple of EP’s, was a done deal.
“In terms of its sound, it’s pure UM. A deeper journey, melancholy in places but generally trackLINK: packed with atmosphere and kinda uplifting. beatport.com/release/ I could listen to this stuff all day and night lost hide-and-seek/1581352 in the mood.” ///// labelINFO: um-records.com artistINFO: beatport.com/art- ist/daniel-ray/155133 / beatport. com/artist/yigit-atilla/365226
5chicago.com backlabel: UM Records 11 SuncéBeat8 years of sun, sea & dance music in Croatia SuncéBeat8 years of sun, sea & dance music in Croatia by Czarina Mirani wo years ago I wrote about the final chapter of one of the oldest running festivals in the world: Southport Week- ender. Not only did I write about it but I also had the privilege of attending and had the experience of a life- time. I’m a soulful head at heart and nurse a UK fetish T to boot, so SPW had me musically satiated for months.
The silver lining to Southport’s finale was that there is always SuncéBeat, what they called “the Croatian lovechild of the UK event…” Now going on its 8th year, SuncéBeat is based on the gorgeous island of Tisno. It was awarded the winner of the best Disco and House Festival in Croatia last year, which is no small feat given the proliferation of music events there.
So once again I speak with Alex Lowes, founder of both festivals, to get a sneak peek.
14 Departments: preview issue 148 So I was at the final Southport Weekender. You took such good care of me as press, but even as a regular par- tygoer I was so moved and so impressed by the whole experience. The programing, the vibe, the location, the staff – everything! And everyone was lamenting the end, and here you are doing a one day SPW! What gave you the idea to do it like this? Will this be a regu- lar thing, “SPW London?”
Southport Weekender was an opportunity that came along through friends of mine to do some- thing different: a festival, an open air festival on a one-day basis. We thought, alright: capital city, wonderful park (Finsbury Park)... Yes, let’s do it! To be honest, we’ve been absolutely blown away by the response, the number of tick- ets gone on the first few days was just crazy! We sold more on the first few days than we’ve ever had at South- port Weekender, so the demand is undoubtedly there.
We are really looking forward to it, I think a lot of people are excited to be gathering together. They haven’t seen each other for awhile and being in the center of London is a great loca- tion. Everyone’s gearing themselves up for a really big day out.
What initiated something as massive as an island fes- tival when you were still doing SPW? That must have been nonstop work going from one to the other! And what drew you to Tisno?
Tisno is actually again from old friends in Croatia. It gave us the opportunity to have a look at this beauti- ful bay in a beautiful location and we thought travel
5chicago.com preVIEW: Suncébeat 15 is a lot easier nowadays, people are always looking for something different and the whole idea of a hol- iday really appealed to us, and that’s just grown and grown! The amount of DJs and artists there now has turned into another mini Southport Weekender.
We would love to be able to get a new set of music lov- ers to come to SuncéBeat. Can you tell us about the dif- ferent parties and stages that encompass the event and what a typical day would be like from start to finish?
With SuncéBeat it’s a very leveled worldwide audi- ence – it’s European as well as a UK and American audience. In actual fact I think 150 flew over especially from America, nearly 100 from California and well over 100 from France last year.
A typical day would be: going out for breakfast at Magnolia Restaurant, then going down to the Beach Stage to listen to some chilled out vibes, even some of the bigger DJs are do- ing some lovely beach sets to get you in the mood. As the day goes on and picks up, we would then be opening the Olive Grove which a is cool and trendy spot, and we have different things going on like the South African and Detroit Sessions. Then of course you have Bar- berellas Nightclub late at night and the infamous Boat Parties which are incredible: they’re four hour trips in general although we do a couple of picnic boats as well, which go to a secluded restaurant. You have four or five of your best DJs on a 200 capacity boat. You’re right in front of them and even the DJs love the intimacy of it!
16 Departments: preview issue 148 The village itself is so beautiful, you can take some time out and go to some lovely restaurants – there’s dozens of nice restaurants! National Parks are also around the area - Krka National Park, Kornati Is- land is where the boat goes round, they’re all World Heritage. It’s just a lovely vibe, everyone says hello.
I know that a lot of your musical programming is soul- based. Has this changed at all throughout the years?
It was originally soul-based, on the House side it’s quite soulful too but we touch all the big forms of music. Like I said we have the Detroit lot coming for both our London fes- tival and our Croatia festival as well. Across the board we are always in- troducing new people like Dan Shake, Anthony Naples, as well as the old guys. It’s just a matter of mixing up the music, old and new but keeping it on a soulful level.
What are some of the most memorable experiences from SuncéBeat that stick with you?
Beautiful sunsets and people, and the fact that we are attracting peo- ple from all around the world, liter- ally from round the world – from all four corners! Also, the music and the boats. It’s the boat trips that do it for me. Barberellas, the open air nightclub you just don’t get anywhere anymore, it’s a magical experience all round. The country is beautiful, the food delicious and the local people are just so nice.
5chicago.com preview: SuncéBeat 17 What is it about Tisno Croatia as opposed to other is- lands that it seems a lot of people are doing music fes- tivals there?
It’s a beautiful secluded bay and a perfect setting for an intimate vibe for about 3,000-3,5000 max- imum, the village is beautiful and the location is set between Split and Zadar which are two big cit- ies on the Dalmatian Coast. It’s just idyllic, so easy to get to and cheap compared to a lot of other Europe- an destinations for food and drink, the quality is brilliant. The setting is just to die for, the bay is just un- believable, lasers going off at sea, the boats coming in and seeing 200 or 300 excited people getting off a boat trip is just amazing.
Are you planning on maybe doing a traveling or mobile party with these concepts? Maybe a SuncéBeat Ha- waii?
If someone is offering (ha ha!) I’ve been to Hawaii, I don’t think we could do SuncéBeat Hawaii but you never know! Listen, if someone told me 20 years ago when we were fighting about the wars that I’d be doing a wonderful festival in Croatia, I would have said, “Not a cat in hell’s chance!” You know the world is changing all the time and I’ve learned now you never know what you will end up doing. Nobody would’ve predicted this 20 years ago!
18 Departments: preview issue 148 Future plans?
We have Liverpool Disco Festival this week and we have our London Festival of course which is massive for us, it’s certainly the biggest gig we’ve ever done and then we have SuncéBeat. Future plans for next year, we’ve got lots of irons in the fire and of course we are going to try and continue with the London Festival, SuncéBeat and Liverpool but we are look- ing at other things. We’ve got club nights coming up and we’ve got stuff coming off in Amsterdam, Berlin, Italy, and boat parties going around Venice. There’s lots of stuff on the go, but not trying to overdo it with the same customers and trying to span out a little. /////
SuncéBeat/Southport
Southport Weekender will take place at London’s Finsbury Park on
Saturday June 10 2017. SuncéBeat returns to The Garden, Tisno,
Croatia on July 19–26 2017.
suncebeat.com
@SUNceBeat
@SUNCEBEAT
@SuncebeatTV
5chicago.com preview: SuncéBeat 19 20 Departments: afterparty issue 148 5chicago.com afterparty: BMC 21 n the two years since we first visited evasiveness of a politician days away from resigning. the Brighton Music Conference, the News had just broken of parent company’s SFX de- UK’s only electronic music conven- scent into bankruptcy, so while he gamely defend- tion has gone through a few grow- ed the site’s disastrous new attempts at streaming ing pains. Event founder (and trance and ticket sales, within weeks of the conference the icon) John “00” Fleming left in 2016, company had been sold and Beatport had begun to i causing some slightly troubling re- strip away all the nonsensical additions that SFX had ports to circulate through the indus- insisted upon. This year, Terry passed on his heart- try about what had been going on behind the scenes. felt thanks to labels and customers for continuing to Heading out on day one I must confess I was har- support Beatport through their darkest hour. Sales bouring nagging concerns that I might be walking on the site are up and they appear fully committed into a struggling venture on its last legs. I’m happy to to returning to the simple formula which brought report that I could not have been more wrong. them so much success in the first place. Year 4 of the Brighton Music conference saw a On the same panel, professional DJ baiter Mikey fat-free event with a compact, well represented ex- Maguire (founder of satirical dance music site Wun- hibition space, some fantastic workshops and talks derground) told a rapt audience about the art of both- for budding DJs and some thought-provoking pan- ering superstar DJs to the point of legal action (and el debates events for pros. The whole thing was fo- how the public posting of these threatening lawyer’s cused around a central networking area, so those vis- letters on the site helped make it the runaway success iting on an “academy” pass weren’t separated from it is today). Responding to a question about a series the industry professionals as in previous years. This of threatening Tweets from an unusually enraged DJ may seem like a small detail, but I think it’s a tweak Sneak (and what might happen if they ever met), he which must have made a huge difference to aspiring responded, “I’ve met him loads of times, and taken a artists and label moguls in the making: such leisurely picture each time. He’s got no idea that it’s me. One access to so many music biz heavy hitters is unusual day I’ll send all the pics to him.” Born from a person- these days, even at music conferences. al revulsion to how seriously EDM and techno DJs Many artists we’ve featured over the past 12 began to take themselves a few years ago, Wunder- months were in attendance, most memorably Dan- ground has clearly touched a nerve all over the globe. ny from the Wideboys, who was clearly delighted “It’s dance music,” says Mikey. “It’s supposed to be fun.” with his 5 Mag feature and touched to see renewed The first day’s seminars ended on a low note with interest in his music from across the pond. At the om- DJ Mag’s panel “Staying Professional In An Industry inously titled “Building A Brand” seminar, it was nice Awash With Temptation,” in which some fresh faced to hear some positive news from Beatport GM Terry journos, PR people and a one young “sober DJ” man- Weerasinghe. At last year’s conference, a nervous aged to both trivialize one of our industry’s most chal- looking Beatport staffer fielded testy (and in some lenging topics and also hand out some shockingly bad cases angry) questions from label owners with all the advice. “As long as you turn up and do your job, it’s all
22 Departments: afterparty issue 148 good,” someone said. (Try telling that to the staff at a conscious effort to make their label more accessi- your local rehab facility.) Fittingly, the only seasoned ble and involved at a grassroots level; I’m certain it’s dance music artist advertised on the panel didn’t show a policy which will benefit everyone concerned (and up. Perhaps he lost track of time at the pub. hopefully inspire other labels to follow suit). Before we left town, we headed over to the Tool- Encouraging the successful artists and industry room academy, where a workshop was in progress professionals of today to engage and share their ex- in which “academy” visitors were invited to play periences with the next generation could not be a their unsigned demos to a panel of label A&R staff more worthy goal, and year on year the BMC contin- and DJs. In a packed room, some impressive House, ue to adapt their offering in order to facilitate this ex- Garage and even breaks tracks were played and change. Events like this are important, if for no other honest, encouraging feedback was given. Toolroom reason than for us all to take a step back remember founders Stuart and Mark Knight have clearly made we’re part of something bigger than us. /////
5chicago.com afterparty: BMC 23 From the lofts to the clubs, Sleepy & Boo are tireless promoters
of the underground in New York City. Best known for building
a better brand with Basic NYC, the DJ pair can now be heard
at residencies including Illusion at Cielo and Frequencies at
TBA Brooklyn and a fairly active out-of-town schedule as well.
They’ve also taken a deep dive into production, following up re-
cords on the iconic Nervous and 3Bridge Records in New York
with The Gift of Adversity, their first release on Street King out
in June 2017. This is their 5 Mag Mix.
24 a 5 Mag mix issue 148 5chicago.com a 5 Mag mix: Sleepy & Boo 25 I still think of “Basic New York” whenever I see your name. How did Basic NYC get started?
When we started doing our parties a little over 10 years ago, the New York music scene was much different than it is now. There were no big clubs at the time that were in- terested in underground music. Brooklyn was not a place you’d go to hear House or Techno. But we were eager to DJ, and we knew all these great artists from around the world who wanted to come to DJ and experience New York.
We stated throwing parties at small bars and loung- es, and moved up to a small club where we could do some bigger things – the Sullivan Room. That’s how it started. We wanted our party to be about the fundamentals – an exciting, out-of-town DJ, good sound, a place for people to dance and just focus on the music. The definition of Basic is “forming an essential foundation”, and to us, those were – and still are – the elements you needed for a good party.
What is the state of it now?
It’s still growing, changing, evolving. Our own DJing and production has become our focus over the last few years. We do a bunch of parties in New York, and we trav- el a lot to play in other cities. Once a month we have our own headlining residency at Cielo, where we do our own night called “Illusion.” Cielo is one of New York’s truly great nightclubs, and we’re honored to present this party there. We get to curate the whole night from start to finish, and we’ll be celebrating the third anniversary of Illusion in the Fall. We also have started an event at TBA Brooklyn called “Frequencies” where we headline.
26 a 5 Mag mix issue 148 With those sets, our own pro- es along the way. But how you al, Berlin, Philly, Vermont, Ibi- ductions are being highlighted deal with them and learn from za, St. Martin to name a few, and played the most. In addi- them is what’s important. it’s always a joy to bring your tion, we play at a lot of differ- music to new places and have ent events here in the city, af- As for highlights, we’re bless- those experiences with new ter-hours, rooftop parties, ed to have had so many to crowds. We love being able other clubs. Putting our em- think back on throughout the to travel and connect with all phasis on playing headlining years, and be able to create these different cities and ab- sets, instead of focusing on new ones. We always think sorb their scenes. And then bringing in out of town DJs, has about all the iconic and inspir- making our own music and expanded our sound as artists ing artists that we’ve had the having it released on labels we and DJs, and that’s worked its pleasure to host and to get to love and admire, to be able to way into the music we make as know. People like Jeff Mills, achieve that is another dream producers as well. who has played at some truly we’ve had for a long time. It’s amazing events we have done very gratifying to make a track On top of that, we are working over the years. And being able that other people want to play on launching our own label, to have Frankie Knuckles, who themselves and enjoy listen- we have our own weekly ra- sadly is not with us anymore, ing to, and when big artists - dio show on Pioneer DJ Radio DJ for our events several times especially headliners you used called Illusion Radio, so all of is something we will never for- to book - want to release your this is an extension and reflec- get, and will always treasure. music, and play it in their own tion of us as artists and what There have been so many art- sets, it’s like completing a cir- started with Basic. ists, and they’re all different cle of sound evolution. and individual. It’s not just the What have been some of the parties itself, it’s the conversa- What is your take on NYC highlights and lowlights over tions you have with them, the nightlife at the moment? the years? relationships you develop, the things you learn. It makes you Nightlife in NYC is always There have been so many great realize that this whole timeline morphing and changing, and memories and thankfully very of underground music around right now it’s at one of those few not-so-great ones. For the world is connected and in flux moments. The center lowlights, we really try to focus seamless. of gravity for dance music has on the positives, and take the definitely shifted to Brooklyn, high road. With any passion For us personally, being able where you have clubs like Out- and creative endeavor, there’s to DJ in so many places out- put, Schimanski’s, Analog and always going to be challeng- side of New York, like Montre- Good Room bringing in great
5chicago.com a 5 Mag mix: Sleepy & Boo 27 here. It’s nice to be connected to all.
It was a long time between when you began DJing and when you began producing records, right? Why is that?
Well, we had already been DJing for a while be- fore we released our first record in 2015. Pro- duction was something we always wanted to do, and something that we knew would be the next step for us to take. But it does take time to learn how to make music, and we wanted to make sure the tracks we made were something that would represent us well as artists. So it was just a matter of making time to really focus on production, and making time to sit in the studio and start working on tracks and getting them finished. To do anything well takes time and fo- cus, and we just shifted our focus towards our talent and doing some creative events. Recent- own creations. And since then, production has ly, things have gotten tougher for the groups become a real passion of ours and something who do warehouse events and alternative spac- we just want to get better at. There’s so much es, which for the last few years has been a really to learn and we feel like we’re just getting start- vibrant sector of New York’s nightlife options. ed on this phase of being artists. It’s very excit- There are some new venues coming to the city ing and rewarding, and we’re so eager about it. very soon, which is always exciting for every- one. But overall it’s great to be in New York. As Tell me about this new record coming up on an artist there’s a nice variety of different ven- Street King? ues to work with, the crowds are always up for partying, they love good music, and there’s al- The Gift of Adversity is our first artist EP on Street ways tourists and international visitors coming King, which is a sublabel of King Street Sounds. out who want to see what the party scene is like King Street is one of the great New York house here. It can be a little overwhelming sometimes labels, they have released so many classic tracks, with all the different events going on, but that’s so it’s a huge honor for us to be a part of this the diversity that everyone has come to expect label. We have already released two individ-
28 a 5 Mag mix issue 148 ual tracks on Nite Grooves (which is another King Street label) before, so we’re thrilled to now release a full EP with them. This EP has three tracks of ours. All of them are geared towards the dancefloor, and we’ve really en- joyed playing them out over the last few months.
And tell us about this mix you have for us?
For this mix, we picked out a bunch of our favorite recent tracks from pro- ducers and labels we love, like Reset Robot, Loco and Jam, Kevin Yost, Tron- ic Music and a few others, We started off on a deep and melodic groove before bringing up LISTEN / DOWNLOAD uw the energy and tension a bit. Then we touched on some darker Techno before winding it up with a very uplifting and euphoric deep house track. We included one of our favorite produc- @sleepyandboo tions of ours, our track “Thought Form” which @sleepyboo was released on 3Bridge Records in Novem- ber. We usually structure our mixes like this, @sleepyboo we want the listener to really experience a nice variety of moods and textures in the tracks, not just the same vibe over and over. We do mixes every week for our Illusion Radio show on Pi- oneer DJ Radio, so that keeps us on our toes with all the new music that is steaming into this universe every day. We hope everyone enjoys listening to the mix, and can feel our love reso- nating through the music.
5chicago.com a 5 Mag mix: Sleepy & Boo 29 30 audio issue 148 Join 5 Magazine Editor-in-Chief Czarina Mira- ni for Cz’s Boogie, a selection of her 10 current favorite tracks (from all genres) along with House Music news and gossip.
LISTEN / DOWNLOAD uw
[email protected] | @czboogie | @czboogie | @czboogie
CZBOOGIE-909481879121081 | @Czboogie
5chicago.com audio: cz’s boogie podcast 31 32 features issue 148 interview: dustin kinney Photo: © Tomek Kmiecik
5chicago.com features: Session Victim 33 +
As a decade plus partnership and even
longer friendship, Session Victim keep
doing what they do best: proper dance
music albums. They dig, they sample,
and they breathe new life into track af-
ter track. “Listen To Your Heart” is their
third LP on Delusions of Grandeur and it’s
as free-flowing and inspired as anything
they’ve done.
34 features issue 148 You’ve been working as a I’m always fascinated by By all accounts this third duo for over a decade, and people who come from var- album sounds like it may be electronic music is so often ied musical backgrounds your most free flowing and a solo venture as a DJ or and tastes who end up mak- inspired yet. What’s been as a producer... What was ing or playing House Music inspiring you and have you the initial spark that start- and Disco. Matthias having learned anything in partic- ed your partnership and a heavy metal band back- ular since the last release what’s kept it together for ground, and you both have that’s exemplified on the so long? just all around eclectic and new record? robust crate digging results, M: When we made our first so what is it about House M: Thank you, we’re happy to beat together in 2007, we had and your particular blend hear that you feel this way. already been friends for a good of Deep Disco that keeps Well, “free flowing” definitely ten years. Hauke visited me in your output so steady? feels like a suitable term to me, Hamburg for a few days, we as we have put ourselves under went record shopping, hung out M: I’m not sure, most people I less pressure than with the last at my place, cooking, smoking, know listen to and collect music two albums. and eventually jamming with from all genres as well as peo- some samples. ple go out and want to dance In the first half of 2016 we basi- to different kind of stuff from cally just jammed and jammed, It was just so much fun that we time to time. For us, I think in a telling the label: “Yeah we are started visiting each other reg- way – at least chronologically – working on sound, but we have ularly on the weekends. I think Hauke was heavily into House no idea if or when it’s turning in the third session we ever and Techno while I was into ear- into an album” – because that did together we came up with ly ’70s Funk & Soul. Luckily, we was the simple and naive truth. the basic idea for “No Friends” met about right in the middle which became the A side of our with Disco and kept on explor- I think it was around June/ July very first release on Real Soon. ing more and more of the other that we sent Jamie and Tom one’s realm. a batch of maybe 7 or 8 songs What kept it together? The fun. asking them if they felt that this The urge to get into it, that is would go good together. something we share deeply. The friendship. Nuff said. I think 4 of those jams eventu- ally made it onto the longplayer but that was when the idea was born. The one characteristic I always hear in your music is just a very smooth blend and mix no matter what type of track it is. Even though you rely on samples as an inspira- tional point, the final product always seems We took our time, threw a lot of stuff into the to aim for a less obvious and a more natural trash on the way - but that’s the way it had to dance music feel. Is this something you’re be I guess. So that’s one thing we learned – or always aiming for or just a natural evolu- got better at. tion of your process?
Another thing would be that we tried more dif- M: I think I already answered a bit of it with your ferent approaches towards the sound aesthet- last question but yes – one thing we find and always ics. We tried to take the time to check the sound found absolutely fascinating are ways of making of a sample through different hardware or soft- a sequencer/computer sound more “alive.” I don’t ware. Like, for example “That’s a nice loop. Let’s think that will ever get boring for me. do it again with the Akai and then compare the two.” Or just trying to pan signals differently in But we also always incorporate instruments – like the stereo image. It’s fantastic that there’s al- the guitar playing of our good friend Linnart Ebel. ways new things to try out and discover. He has been contributing to every album yet, sometimes just adding a subtle human touch but Once everything reached a certain momentum, also sometimes elevating things drastically. Jamie would call and say, “Boys that might be a good idea but I don’t think you’re there yet.” This time, we also worked a lot with our studio And we would just be like “Thanks Jamie, let’s neighbor, jamming partner and good friend by throw it away, we will come up with something now, Carsten “Erobique” Meyer. His piano playing better.” completely fits in with our idea of Soul & Funk – That’s how confident we actually got at some plus he challenges us so much in our songwriting, point. it gets us to reach for something new every time we work together. The label seemed to feel it as well, at least it wasn’t difficult to convince them to help us Have you ever received any positive feed- take everything to San Francisco for two weeks back from artists you’ve sampled? again... M: I wish. I can’t recall having received any feed- back ever. I do hope that someone who finds his music sampled in ours can feel the respect we treat our samples with – I would totally get it if not though – but it is there, in our heads and hearts, always.
36 features issue 148 Traveling around the world, have you ever found it challenging at times to win an au- dience over with your particular blend of Deep House and Disco? Disco I find to still be pretty widely accepted by the mainstream in America, but the deep side you guys have makes me wonder if that’s ever been a hur- dle to get over?
M: Yes, we have found different music challeng- ing in different situations. Luckily for us, a lot of times we get invited by people who know and get what we want to do, and therefore put us in an environment where we work - and we are very grateful for that.
What’s coming up for you guys now that the record’s out? Where will people be able to see you and will you be ramping up the live shows for the road? Any plans to play in Chicago?
We love touring. We will be doing that a lot over the next months, carrying live gear and at least two bags of records with us. There are plans for the US in the making, but it’s too early to scream and shout for us yet. We can’t wait for it to hap- pen of course - like always...
Listen To Your Heart will be @sessionvictim
@sessionvictim released on June 2 2017 on @delusionsofgrandeur Delusions of Grandeur. @delusionsofgrandeur 38 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 39 158 shows, 12 years and 4 generations of attendees later, this Burning Man inspired event welcomes everybody to live out loud on the dancefloor.
Welcome to the My very first Freakeasy was 5 years ago, and the Freakeasy first thing I remember is how overwhelming it all was to take in. People were dressed up in all kinds of crazy outfits and my visual and aural precep- tors were in mad overload. I saw familiar faces from the club scene, but many more that I didn’t know. It wasn’t your typical creepy douchey af- terparty where every last desperado was in the building looking for any vice to keep themselves going. This one had a friendly vibe, and you got the feeling that for these folks this event wasn’t an afterthought after a long night of partying. For them this was the main event. This event also sells out every time. There’s no walking in last minute, and no amount of begging and bribing will get you in. This is an occasion you have to plan for weeks and even months ahead of time. In other words: for those who can’t seem to hold a residency longer than a few months much less a weeks, take notes.
TOP: Radiohiro (Matt Fusello), Justin Reed (2nd from left) and Striz (far right) with Adrienne and Nick in the middle at Spring Awakening 2015. Photo courtesy of Matt Fusello.
BOTTOM: The Freakeasy funds and co-leads Hookahdome (camp) at Burning Man. Photo courtesy of Matt Fusello.
40 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 41 The Beginnings, Freakeasy founder Matt how to do that. So basically they learned all that the invention Fusello is a Chicago na- from him. He put out his own work, like a Public tive who’s been drum- Enemy thing but with no vocals. When “Cantamil- of Trip-Hop and ming for bands since he la” came out, a review in London said ‘it’s like Hip- signing with Lil was 16 years old and was Hop but it’s like Trip Hop’ and that’s how the word Louis a Hardcore Punk/Rude Trip-Hop came from that single.” Boy who’s also produced Because at the time there weren’t sample packs around 90 Hindustani nor CDs filled with drum loops, the only way to classical concerts for the likes of Ravi Shankar. get drum samples was from records. Matt began He’s lean, energetic and very amiable. His story recording the single drum hits that were to later leading up to creating the Freakeasy is absolutely be used for some of the earliest Trip-Hop records. fascinating. After his stint in Cali he found himself back in One of his early gigs was drumming for a hard- Chicago and joined as many bands as he could. He core punk band called Out of Order. He stayed hooked up with DJ Shon Dervis Smith and started with the group for 9 years, playing sold-out shows his own band Dope. When Lil Louis heard them at at the Metro. Between classes study Free Jazz at a recording studio in 1991, he immediately signed Columbia and Advertising at Roosevelt Universi- them to his label Diamond International. This was ty, he also drummed for his friend Mike Kandel’s odd to the musicians since they were basically a group Tranquility Bass, credited by many with “stoner rock band with funkadelic beats” that had starting the Trip-Hop movement. only been playing for 3 weeks. “We were so not in “Mike was the first guy with a sampler and a tune with House music or anything,” said Matt. computer,” Matt says. “Samplers had just come Although the Lil Louis deal did not pan out, out and Public Enemy was using them, making Dope went on to play successfully for 4 years, Hip-Hop, but no one else was. They started using even opening for Tupac’s first tour at the China drum loops with samplers and it changed the way Club. When the band finally broke up, Matt re- electronic music was made. Fat Boy Slim and the corded the Tranquility Bass’ 1997 album ‘Let The Chemical Brothers were calling him up asking him Freak Flag Fly’ on Astralwerks.
Art Install at Resonate 11. Photo courtesy of Matt Fusello.
42 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 43 djing & bjork After Dope broke up, it didn’t have to schmooze with anyone about what seemed like it was time you wanted to do. I was so disgruntled with the to open a new chapter. music industry. With Burning Man you could make Around 1994 while at your own life and it was up to you. You could build London’s Blue Note Club on the dancefloor with your club, and there’s someone out there that’s go- Bjork, he heard Drum and Bass for the first time. ing to resonate with you and like it. It didn’t matter He explains “I was a huge Dub head because in if it was 5 people or a thousand, and there was so the Punk Rock scene in 1983, the only big under- much freedom in that. You didn’t have to play the ground scene was Reggae and Dub. Gay, Punk game of the music industry. It’s DYI, it was so punk Rock, Reggae – we were all kind of one under- rock. And it wasn’t made up of hippies…it was the ground scene. We were all in our own itemized San Francisco’s gay community, ex punk-rockers, pods, but we were all underground.” What united industrial people that liked to blow shit up.” them? “Basically people wanted to kill us all.” “It wasn’t until Phish stopped going on tour in “Finally I heard electronic music I could relate 2002 that the hippies started coming because to,” he explains. He found a loft called The-Lab and they didn’t know what to do. It was half gay and started DJing a pirate radio station that lasted for half Mad Max.” 7 years. Despite being around the dance music scene, Matt had stayed away from the dancefloor him- self, “I was so self conscious about the way I looked BURNING MAN In 1996 Matt experi- dancing. But after my 3rd year at Burning Man I & NOT GIVING enced his first Burning heard this amazing music - it was when new school Man when it was still at breaks came out. I looked around at the dancefloor A FUCK its early stages. At the and everyone looked like an idiot. And I thought, time there were only I could be an idiot too! And it was so liberating, 6000 people, and what not just about dancing but about everything in my he didn’t realize was that his older brother was life. I didn’t care anymore. I could just be myself, I one of its lead organizers. don’t give a fuck. I don’t care if you’re laughing at “What I liked about Burning Man was that you me, I’ll laugh at me too!”
TOP: Photo by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
BOTTOM: Matt Fusello, Ben Stroh & Justin Reed. Photo by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
44 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 45 “I didn’t want In 2000 Matt was there, gather inspiration and come back fortified to bring Chicago working at a com- with new ideas. “I didn’t want to bring Chicago to pany called Radio- Burning Man, I wanted to bring Burning Man to to Burning Man, I wave (a Motoro- Chicago!” That year he was surprised when his wanted to bring la startup), which brother told him that there was a camp from Chi- Burning Man to coincidentally the cago with over 200 people. Chicago!” director of said So upon his return that year he began cultivat- company was Matt ing the local burner community by finding out who Adell, the manager the people were scattered into small groups all of Tranquility Bass over the city. He began attending their meetings and eventually the and tell them his idea about throwing a unifying CEO of Beatport. It was here that he met fellow party with all of them involved. DJs Ben Stroh aka Striz and Justin Reed. Striz and Their very first event was done at the loft he Justin had gone to college together and eventu- did his pirate radio shows at and was made up of ally started throwing loft parties at 657 W. Lake Ill Measures, Liz Campanella (who started the Full Street every month for 5 years under their crew Moon Jam), Devon Breen (founder of Chiditarod) name Ill Measures (which included member Brad as well as other leaders within their own pods. Miner.) At the same time they were doing this What was involved in their event? You’ll find the Matt was throwing his Bombay Boombox parties DJs playing a wide variety of electronic music (cu- at Sonotheque with then partner and good friend rated by Striz and Matt), burlesque dancers, fire Brian Keigher, who was responsible for Chicago’s spinners, art installations and mind blowing de- famed early Summerdance parties as well as oth- cor. er high profile city events. They called the party Resonate and booked a It was 2005 and Matt had already been going then unknown Bassnectar to DJ for them, and the to Burning Man for 10 years, and at the time it was rest as they say is history. his means to get away from Chicago. He would go
”We hate the term burners. What’s that mean? There’s every type of person at Burning Man. You just be yourself! So we’re very focused on that all inclusive nature. I don’t care what or who you are. Just be a nice person.”
Anuj Patel. Photo by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
46 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 47 Participants The idea behind their Man premise was that you do things because you not spectators parties was that they want to do them. You’re all talented, we’re all par- would put the mon- ticipating. You might be a poet, a bass player, a DJ, ey they earned back a dancer, but we are all equal. I’m not putting on into the communi- a show for you, we’re putting on a show for each ty that they were other. And that’s the same premise we use today just starting. They formed a steering committee for Freakeasy. We’re all together sharing our dis- (comprised of all the leaders of the pods within ciplines. That’s why Burning Man is focused on Chicago), where they could build their commu- participants not spectators. We’re there to share nity together and meet once a month and plan what we got, and that equalizes everything.” more events. They began giving the money for Aside from all-inclusivity, the other important art grants which eventually turned into a non- factor Matt stresses with their team is empower- for-profit called BURN (Bold Urban Renaissance ment. He believes in giving people their own free- Network), which now runs itself. dom to express themselves. “No one wants to be “We wanted to start a sort of speakeasy for told what to do, they want to be empowered to the freaks, so I came up with the term Freakeasy” do something and you need to trust them to do it. says Matt, explaining the 2nd party name along- What you’re going to get is something way better side Resonate. No one involved in the party was than you envisioned.” getting paid. Matt explains, “The whole Burning
“I used to never dance. I was so self conscious about the way I looked dancing. But after my 3rd year at Burning Man I heard this amazing music, I looked around at the dancefloor and everyone looked like an idiot. And I thought, I could be an idiot too! And it was so liberating, not just about dancing but about everything in my life. I could just be myself, I don’t care if you’re laughing at me, I’ll laugh at me too! There was so much freedom in that.”
Photos by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
48 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 49 THERE IS No GUEST Freakeasy events in his eye and a few hours later he’s hanging out LIST TONIGHT sell out quickly. And like he’s your next door neighbor. Because we’re in a party scene not giving him attitude, we’re not prejudging any- where everyone one. And that becomes infectious. considers them- “You go into a club and the guy treats you shit- selves “industry” ty at the door, they you’re going to be shitty the and deserving of guest list treatment, that’s not whole way in. We make sure our door people are the case here. “You have to plan to be there and treating you really nice on the way in. It’s a first buy your tickets in advance,” Striz says. Many peo- impression! We don’t have a Green Room, no ple have to be turned away at the door because backstage. We don’t want a sense of a VIP area, there are absolutely no walk ins. because everyone is a very important person.” Matt tells us about the transformative qualities Most people who go to Freakeasy end up stay- the party bestows upon its attendees, “We don’t ing for hours on end without even knowing it. want to be pegged as anything…a House party, a With its multiple rooms you can get away from Techno party, a burlesque party, we want to be the music and have options to experience differ- diverse. We hate the term burners. What’s that ent things. mean? There’s every type of person at Burning What keeps it fresh? They’re constantly evolv- Man. You just be yourself! So we’re very focused ing and bringing in new groups of people, where on that all inclusive nature. I don’t care what or now they can say they have 4 generations of at- who you are. Just be a nice person.” tendees at their events. New artists are coming “We’ve seen people that were introverts or in and sharing their work until it becomes a nev- wallflowers like I used to be, come to the party er ending cycle. Matt theorizes that “You have a and realize that you don’t have to front. Just be scene, but you don’t bring in new stuff, the niche yourself. And once they realize that, they become always gets smaller until it becomes one guy stand- themselves and open up like a flower . It’s amaz- ing alone saying ‘what happened to my scene?’” ing! A gangbanger can come in with 3 teardrops
Photos by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
50 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 51 from At some point par- At the end of the never do it for underground to ties get too big to day, why do people the money stay underground throw parties? Not overground and promoters have just Freakeasy – why no choice but to does anyone? What bring it somewhere is their motivation? else. “It was getting to a point where when you “When you walk into a venue, you can smell have an event with more than 700-800 people, it their bottom line,” Matt says. “And the bottom was going to get shut down,” says Matt. “We began line is that they’re trying to make money. And that realizing how potentially irresponsible that could changes the feeling. be, and no matter how nice we were to the cops, “When your bottom line is to show people a we knew that bringing it above ground was the great time, you’ll make the fucking money. If your right thing to do for the good of the party.” “Com- bottom line is making money, you’re gonna fail. ing from the following we’ve built up over the last You might succeed for six months, but you’ll be like 12 years, we’ve finally been able to take it above every place that opens and closes. Because you ground and do the Freakeasy in legal venues. And keep changing up your night to chase the money. that’s been one of our main goals is to be able to “Do a great job, be nice to people, make people pull it off wherever” Striz explains. have a great experience, your money will come. I Freakeasy and Resonate typically do most f truly believe that. If you’re trying to do it for the their events at The Metro/Smart Bar. They did a money you’ll always be second guessing yourself.” brief stint at Evil Olive with their ‘F#ck Your Club” parties, and will occasionally do events at other The next Freakeasy event will be the “All Your Freaks venues like The Concord. Some of the guest DJs Are Belong To Us” at the Metro and Smartbar featur- that have graced their decks include Derrick Car- ing DJ Dan along with a whole host of DJs, dancers, ter, Jesse Rose, Roy Davis Jr., DJ Deeon, Nickode- artists and performers from different disciplines on mus, Christian Martin, DJ Swamp, Heather, Paul Saturday, June 10th from 10pm-5am. For more in- Johnson, Iz and Diz, Justin Long and Gene Hunt. formation and tickets go to www.freakeasy.net.
Photos by Dave Zim of Brilliantly Mad.
52 features issue 148 5chicago.com features: freakeasy 53 5 Magazine’s staff selects new, unreleased or reissued records you need to check out right now.
54 new releases issue 148 5chicago.com new releases 55 G. Markus: Satin Sheets EP Melodymathics
This is a man or woman who clearly loves the sound of a synth and organ, the keys still cold in a garage and just starting to + hum with electric current. G. Markus lets the sing on Satin listen Sheets, the new EP coming this month on Belgian outfit Mel- odymathics. I know little about G. Markus other than the re- cords they make, which is a pleasant reminder of the days when aliases really were anonymous rather than listed in peo- ple’s bios and I had no idea what Kevin Saunderson or Chez Damier looked like.
The lead track “Tite” is the best track on here: a simple and squared electro bassline, keys dancing around like a lazy band just warming up, technicolor gel lights flashing over a dance- floor (and the looped crowd noise is less for atmospheric than another instrument in the mix). This is pure Deep House, don’t get me wrong, but with an appreciation for the surface beau- ty of music that is elevated to the world of sound design. The organ sings like a theremin on the title track; discernible voic- es (heavily compressed and muffled as they are) finally come through on “Venyurr” and the second half is on the whole deep in the pocket with underground- and afterparty-friendly House. On the whole a stunning EP.
deep house
56 new releases: Deep House issue 148 Kim Kemi: Dark Moon Darek
Darek is one of these outlier labels I find one or two gems a year that get me really excited. Instead of a single catching my + ear I have to say I’m really impressed with Kem Kemi’s Dark listen Moon EP in full here. He does a really great job of blending energetic and fiery elements, whether it be drums or frantic melodies, together with peaceful and soothing sounds. “The End” is probably my favorite, what I would characterize as a pure and triumphant march. Kiki’s remix of “Blow” adds a nice eighties krush groove vibe to the never-ending tease of the original. “Dark Moon” is a hypnotic and industrial affair that lurches forward at half tempo…great for lazer gazing if given the opportunity. Honestly I haven’t had a good lazer gaze since I was a teenager. I should really get out with the kids more, and I would, if they played stuff like this! ///// DUSTIN KINNEY
Alexander Robotnick & Lore J: A Fleeting Day at the Fair Hot Elephant Music
We build cultures through common gathering places and the studio is one of the most essential. Bridging generations of Italian dj/producers, Alexander Ro- + botnick and Lorenzo Banchi (Lore J) have been meeting in Alexander’s studio listen for the past decade. Robotnick recognized even though he was much younger, Banchi belonged to the previous generation of DJ’s, that of the 90s. And so a friendship was born and Lorenzo was able to hear works in progress, maybe tinker or re-edit some. That’s the practice of preserving cultures I might add. ;) Now from the archives comes what was once simply Disco 118, now renamed and remixed as “A Fleeting Day At the Fair”. A low down dirty analog chugger that would feel right at home on the Hackers soundtrack alongside Orbital and The Prodigy. Definitely hack the Gibson material. And on the flip is the J Vision mix with so much more of that fleeting feeling. It’s a really lovely listen from start to finish. ///// DUSTIN KINNEY deep house
5chicago.com new releases 57 techno
Noleian Reusse: First Generation EP Bio Rhythm Records
Chicago’s Noleian Reusse delivers three tracks of cosmic + 8bit space Techno on the new First Generation EP from Bio listen Rhythm Records. The title (as illustrated by the video) prob- ably refers more to game consoles than fighter jets, though you can imagine these tracks being beaten on the motherships when Will Smith & Randy Quaid go in for the kill. “Chat Bout” is the business, with sonorous vibes that sound like glass drum pads banging out a stomping rhythm. “Cahokia” reaches back further than the Colecovision, taking inspiration from the mys- terious capital of a pre-Columbian civilization situated in mod- ern Southern Illinois. A remix from Bio Rhythm’s Paul du Lac (aka Paul West) wraps this one up nice and tight.
Damon Wild & Epi Centrum: Produkt Synewave
It’s still a point of pride for producers to list “Synewave” in their credits, and it probably always will be. While some classic labels run themselves (and their rep) ragged chasing a contemporary cool they can never catch, Synewave has remained somehow sacred, one of the few labels who have a catalog you want to listen to back to front & back again.
Releases have become sparse over the last few years (Synewave’s Soundcloud was last touched 7 years ago, and their website redirects to something in German with a pic- ture of a milkshake). Hopefully that changes with the release of Produkt, a new project of Synewave owner Damon Wild and Epi Centrum, aka Jurek Przezdzieck. I’m usually skeptical (and it’s usually wrong) to attribute an element of a collaboration to one or + the other, but “Snatch” is just so Damon Wild circa 1996 that I gotta. Both of the A side listen tracks (“Clutch” and Snatch”) are phenomenal, a techno rooted in minimalism and mut- ed understatement and seem to have been spliced out of the DNA of similar project files. “Clutch” gets shaken up in two remixes on the B side by Cisco Ferreira (The Ad- vent) and Gotshell.
58 new releases: Techno issue 148 Jerome Hill: Toy Box Part 1 Don’t
You ask why kids jumped on board EDM and would thrash their heads + to music that had about 15 builds in a 3 minute span and blew their listen hearing and most of their savings on tickets to do it live. You know the answer: because you did it too. You were young and you wanted to lis- ten to music that pissed off your parents until you were one, or of the age, and then you had been at this long enough that it wasn’t just about being young and stupid and taking questionable pills with cartoon char- acters stamped on them. You got smooth, you got sophisticated, you made things that could be compared to jazz.
The rest of the world did not age with you, and thank God Jerome Hill didn’t either. He’s been DJing and running record shops since that age and if Toy Box is any guide he’s still full of righteously noxious piss and vinegar. Part One is out now, part two is forthcoming and offers no respite from this. “Egg Roll” is the start of the most bad-ass mixtape you’ve ever heard in your life, a sneak peak into what a rave in a tank retrofitting factory might sound like. “Scez Princess” breaks like really rancid, nasty drum & bass or breakbeat fried up with black techno. Are a lot of people making music that sounds like this today? Hit me up, I don’t hear much. “Mono Skank” (best title ever) submerges you about six feet under the city and holds your head there like you’re underwa- ter.
5chicago.com new releases 59 Jullian Gomes featuring Sió: 1000 Memories Atjazz Record Company
+ Another solid release here from South African producer Jullian soulful house listen Gomes, this time teaming up with Sió. Back on Atjazz’s home- base, this is where he released the spectacular 2016 LP Late Dreamer featuring Bucie, Kabomo and an array of gorgeous vocalists. The lush “1000 Memories” was originally released on Late Dreamer and was an immediate stand-out track. Sió’s vocals here feel as ethereal as vapor, floating over deep and penetrating chords. The remixes here are fantastic: Osun- lade, Karizma, Fred Everything and Atjazz himself take turns massaging “1000 Memories” and generating a few new ones. Coming off an overheated gospel-house barn burner on Lum- berjacks In Hell, Karizma continues to show why he’s enjoying a career renaissance with a restrained, soulful and deep track that almost sounds like Rick Wilhite mixing downtempo down even further. This is a fantastic record and one that deserves to get a lot of play this summer.
Sir LSG featuring Clara Hill: Circles GOGO Music
Sir LSG has been making moves and moving bodies in South Africa’s House Music scene and his second single from the forthcoming album Moving Circles. “Circles,” as it’s called, features veteran vocalist Clara Hill belting out a spectacular performance, with Sir LSG laying down a lush and soulful bed + of afro-latin beats beneath it. Sir LSG has made tremendous listen strides in the last few years, and in some ways you can trace at least some faction of the South African music scene through him, as both have matured and developed strongly individual sounds that have become something of a signature for each. GOGO Music’s Ralf Gum contributes two “Dark Circles” re- mixes – elliptical, disconnected, the word “dark” is especially apt. This is a sound I haven’t heard from Gum in particular or from Soulful House as a whole; I like it.
60 New Releases: Soulful House issue 148 soulful house
Soul Clap featuring Nona Hendryx: Shine (This Is It) Remixes Classic Music Company
+ “Shine (This Is It)” was the standout track of Soul Clap’s late 2016 album and listen found its way into playlists from the minute the album dropped. This selection of remixes will worm their way into many more. Released on Classic Music Compa- ny, “Shine (This Is It)” gets loved up with two mixes each from Hot Toddy (proba- bly the most popular) and Scott Grooves’ funkier, big and brassy rendition. Most appreciated in these environs was the “Extended Classic Mix” which offered up more than just some looped bars -- Nona’s voice truly shines here, in a track that is quite likely to expose her to a whole new generation. But this is old hat by now: I recall reading a Billboard write-up about her performing at a tribute for the im- mortal Dan Hartman back in the early 1990s, and people probably made similar remarks about her then. Nona is a national treasure and, increasingly, so are Soul Clap.
5chicago.com new releases 61 IndiGhost: Dreamwalker: Part II
Most Synthwave isn’t made for mixing, but it’s nice when they’re made for an extended jam. IndiGhost (it took me way too long to figure out how to say that the right way) has a stud- + ied sense of songcraft for his tracks and an acumen that has listen grown through a torrential stream of music released in the last year and a half. “Pastel Sunset” off Dreamwalker: Part I is quite simply one of the best songs any artist in the genre has yet created. Nothing on Dreamwalker: Part II reaches those heights but it’s probably an overall more solid and exhilarat- ing EP. “Daft Pink” is an homage to the group’s post-Home- work records and has something of Cameo’s low-slung strut to it before it gets all pretty in the middle. it’s also a nice warm up for “Hyperion,” a track of such demented grandeur that you’d think Freddie Mercury had been absorbed into IndiG- host’s magic-making machine. There are a handful of melodies and riffs here that individually could have been ripped out to spawn whole new tracks (most from the wailing guitar solo alone). This guy’s entire discography is immersive as fuck and a joy to splash around in.
Nightcrawler: Blood Rage
Blood Rage is uniquely cinematic, even in a genre that mainlines OSTs and makes them up when it’s convenient. The latest single from Nightcrawler fol- lows what’s become now a distinct sound: dark, swirling atmospheres, brutal + drum hits pushed way up front in the mix and tight synthesizer melodies as listen strong and inflexible as steel scaffolding. You can close your eyes and see the sharp editing and visual storytelling of a music video in the old Duran Duran Hungry Like A Wolf style, or just an animated vision of a dystopian city spew- ing out smoke and human rottenness. “Blood Rage” is a decent introduction to one of the most interesting Synthwave producers on the scene, but also check out Nightcrawler’s Remixes Vol 1 EP, released in January and easily one of the best releases of 2017.
62 New Releases: SYNTH issue 148 Trevor Something: Suicide
“Suicide” is the cheery title of the lead track from Trevor Something’s forthcoming al- bum with the equally optimistic name Die With You. I like to think of the Miami-based producer as something of a recluse in a neon-tinged, white walled sanctuary with so + many projects on hand they bleed into each other. Unlike many multi-genre producers, listen Trevor Something releases all of it (at least as far as I know) under his own name: so highly stylized synthwave - of which he’s one of the best at making - is listed in parallel with a dark project like this one. “Suicide” sees Something getting weird – a funky gui- tar strum actually brings to mind something like The BeeGees covered by Atari Teen- age Fanclub, the Sugarcubes or Madchester dance pop gone to seed. If Something is still making these all alone in that porcelain room I imagine him in, I’m impressed: this sounds much bigger than a single man.
There is a single release of this on cassette featuring remixes by Staring At Screens and Hibachi Kid, ranging from Darkwave to droning, sweaty grime. The full album is set to be released in late May.
5chicago.comSYNTH new releases 63 disco/edits
West End Edits: Medlar West End Records
I don’t know where the money goes but after a Wild West + atmosphere it’s nice to see some edits and reissues getting listen a proper, presumably legal release by the labels that provid- ed the source material. Shirley Lites’ “Heat You Up (Melt You Down)” is the lead track on Medlar’s EP of edits drawing from the catalog of the legendary West End Records. It’s also the best: Lites’ vocal still shatters any and all fragile objects when it spikes in Minnie Riperton fashion. Love Club’s “Hot Summer Nights” gets a similar treatment and is a good indication that you might need two copies of this, because it locks into place with “Heat You Up” tongue-to-groove. Sexed-up funk from 1983, this treasure from Jay “Mixin’” Dixon is mixed by Medlar with the care and precision of a diamond cutter. B-side tracks “There’s Never Been (No One Like You)” by Kenix and “I Get Lifted” by Sweet Life round out the connection. These four boogie tracks form a rather unappreciated aspect of the West End story, and Medlar brings them back to life with a sense of reverence and style.
64 new releases: Disco/Edits issue 148 Joey Negro: Produced With Love Z Records
Here in my hands is the album that’s the hottest ticket in town. + Produced With Love is not just a new Joey Negro album, but listen the first Joey Negro album in more than 20 years.
Few electronic producers can really craft a thorough, interest- ing and satisfying album (we have many examples proving this, and more released every day). Whether it’s his encyclopedic knowledge of music or flawless instincts, Joey Negro has craft- ed these 12 disparate tracks (out of the many more he’s pro- duced in this time) into one extraordinary disc.
Start with the vocalists: veterans Melba Moore, Linda Clifford and Angela Johnson are joined by the late Diane Charlemagne, who passed away before the project was completed. Sacha Williamson takes over on “I Recognize,” a marvelous soul’d up send-up of boogie, and Horse Meat Disco make an appearance with Johnson on the soul-with-strings Philly-influenced “Danc- ing Into the Stars.” “Distorting Space Time” captures the spirit of Cosmic Disco with a modern finish. It isn’t all smooth: Kraft- werk’s “It’s More Fun To Compute” makes an appearance with Negro’s disco cover. It doesn’t just work - it’s one of the stand- out tracks on the album.
Overall there’s not a weak track - or even a weak passage - in the lot of them. Beginning to end, there’s not a gap you can put your finger through: quality soul (in the broadest sense of the word) packed so tight it’s bursting open.
5chicago.com new releases 65