Finale Underground is back with Vol. 3 and this time the focus in on Chicago. Four tunes from Chicago luminaries that have made their marks in the scene, though all sounding different, still staying true to the Chicago ethos.
Author: hipodrome
Zwischenwelt – Paranormale Aktivitat [CAL007LP]
Zwischenwelt is a project combining the talents of former Drexciya member Heinrich Mueller, New York DJ and producer Susana Correia, Spanish producer Penelope Martin and vocalist Beta Evers. This is the first vinyl edition of this special project. A well executed audio-visual experience playing with the tension between machine and human vox. Musically rooted in the early 90’s lab-electro style that has been presented as Gesamtkuntwerk, further conceptualized and developed into an even more abstract but not any less powerful or less intense experience. Cold voices sonically merging with emotional machine sounds (or is it cold machine sounds merging with emotive vocal sounds?).
Jeremiah R. – Callisto [TABR033]
Tabernacle Records is exploring the outer reaches of Detroit-influenced techno, electro and ambient. Their latest outing is coming from Jeremiah R. Beginning with the floatation tank-in-space ambience of “Chorus”, Calisto sees the producer laying down a whopping eight cuts that variously touch in Drexciyan electro, Artificial Intelligence-era IDM, and hard-to-define hybrids that confirm the intergalactic potential of electronic music. Interestingly, the music is roughly equally split between horizontally inclined, beat-less explorations, surging dancefloor workouts, and the kind of mid ’90s home listening fodder that sits somewhere in between.
VA – Karl EP [LUN005]
With this straight electro EP the longtime connection between Stilleben’s own Luke Eargoggle and Lunatic became manifest. The innovator and his friends Kan3da and Weltwirtschaft bring four various and origin tracks that are kept together through the typical Stilleben sound, packed in a carefully screenprinted, Lunatic jacket. The producers show again their talent for bringing musical devices in harmonics and arrangement together with innovative ideas in this classic genre. Each track has its own, different moment on the dancefloor – pushing forward with Icelandic Lady and the remix of Ocean Movers the record delays with the deep meandering Die Ganze Welt on the b-side. Finally the remix of Jennifer Touch’s Astra with it’s disco-attitude reminds of their wide spectrum like shown in Eargoggle’s Monkeyshop project or Kan3da’s former release on AC Records.
TX Connect – Replacing Memories [LP009]
TX Connect steps up for Lower Parts 09. Replacing Memories is a pounding voyage into the unknown. Pulsing acid and urgent FX ring out over banging drums.
Stephen Lopkin / DimDJ – Split EP [ENDILL006]
ENDILL006 goes split. Scottish Stephen Lopkin and Greek DimDJ have delivered quality Detroit informed house tunes straight for the floors, except “Grave Roll” which can be nice opening track. 909 turns 707 and It’s not Endless illusion without proper synth lines.
Peeping Tom – Voyeurism & Violence [PNKMN013]
Debut four tracker by Peeping Tom on the Pinkman imprint. Blistering techno and dramatic electro injected jams from this unknown Rotterdam based voyeur. Comes with an insert with pictures taken on the streets by the peeper himself.
Boo Williams – Mars 2002 [Q007LTD]
Headphoniq collector’s edition white label featuring Boo Williams with a remix by Track mode’s Brett Dancer, Deep 4 Life’s Chris Grays and Demarkus Lewis of Grinn Music. Classic quality deep house for those who like Chicago deepness.
Lock Eyes – Arise [DREAMS002]
Lush house and surf ridin’ techno from Italian producer Lock Eyes. Coming from within the heat-wave drenched depths of Puglia, Lock Eyes’ tracks are a crossroads where harmonious polyphonic synths meet rough-cut vintage drum patterns and sun-soaked dreams of future nostalgia.
Corporate Park / Beau Wanzer – CP / BW [BW003]
CP/BW is a collaboration between Corporate Park and Beau Wanzer. The LP collects material recorded over the past 3 years from various fits and bursts in Denton, TX. It’s a slimy hodgepodge of varied influences processed by warped minds and melting hardware, displaying Wanzer and Co.’s unique brand of American electronic madness.
Random XS – The Return [SHIP032]
Here’s something of a surprise treat for techno fans: a first 12″ in 20 years from legendary Dutch acid techno combo Random XS. The two tracks featured were originally recorded, but never released, in the ’90s, and have been brought back to life by Random XS in collaboration with other producers. “Errant”, which was co-produced by fellow Djax-Up Beats graduate Binaural, is a spacey affair, with undulating acid lines working in tandem with woozy chords, bubbling electronic melodies and clattering analogue percussion. Lost Trax lends a hand on flipside cut “Truant”, which explores deeper techno territory via relentless rhythms, percussive builds, darkly ambient chords and deep space electronics.
Jean Nipon / The Magendie High School – Industry Steal Vol.2 [LIES068]
Jean Nipon most recently known for his standout productions on Parisien label ClekClek Boom joins the L.I.E.S. stable. The a-side sees Nipon go straight for the throat with a Chicago-esce muted-synth beating drum track, not unlike early Poindexter or Ricky Smith productions- it is effective, dj ready, and geared for the club. The two track b-side takes a more mellow and dusty approach- without losing his sense of rhythm engaging drum programming push along tape warbled melodies as the tracks expand and release, balancing out and letting this ep breathe perfectly.
Seixlack – Vulto [777006]
Grainy and overdriven machine house from Brazil on Berlin label 777 which sounds like it’s been recorded from tape. This stuff is properly dirty in a seriously lo-fi way… First track “Charlie” is dirty techno punk using a rusty pawn shop drum machine pattern and backed by growling black metal guitar feedback; pretty serious! Next up “Mini Folia” clangs and clatters about the shop with a skipping and antagonising melody plus more overdriven guitar grunt in the background. On the flip “Metados” is more uplifting and dare we say… soulful? This melancholic deep house number still packs some punch with its overdriven kick and bumping bassline though, don’t worry. Finally “Damas” is one more underground basement jam; a driving vintage groove with equals parts emotion and machine hiss and squeal!
Barry Donovan – Theories Of Escapism
B12 – Orbiting Souls [113DSR/B12-1]
Delsin present a new EP by B12 aka Steve Rutter entitled Orbiting Souls, a name which comes from the fact the veteran artist has recently spent contemplating the loss of a friend and believes we are surrounded by lost souls and spirits. Orbiting Souls is a somewhat complex journey, a representation of inner Bi Polar opposites; isolation; sadness, but also acknowledging the great and wonderful things around that swirl and support and energise us.
Tarquin Manek – Tarquin Magnet [BLACKEST047]
Tarquin Magnet is an album by Tarquin Manek (F ingers, Tarcar, LST), his first full solo release for Blackest Ever Black, and a unique synthesis of time-dilating folk jazz romanticism, brittle chamber dub and plasmic post-techno electronics.
Damien Dubrovnik – Jealous God 09 [JEL009]
Danish Damien Dubrovnik duo have been releasing psyched-out noise and power electronics since 2009, and the majority of their work has been released through their own sublime Posh Isolation stable. This time, however, they jump start their machines and distortion pedals, and land on the Jealous God imprint; the label is run by a rather startling trio, the combined talents of Karl O’Connor aka Regis, Juan Mendez aka Silent Servant, and James Ruskin. It sounds like Damien Dubrovnik have all the respect they need, then! All four sound sculptures seem tailor made for the label, where glacial drones hint at something otherworldly or religious, and faint pulses can be heard in the background of the mix. It’s techno without techno, dance music without the dance.
DSCNTD #008 @ Faust Cafe und Disko (Sibiu) 25.12.2015
The Caribbean House – The Caribbean House [PN044]
After a promising start like “Night Drive” The Caribbean House is finally introduced by his creator/curator Billy Bogus through this four tracks EP. The Caribbean House is a live project that finds Bogus teamed up with Federico Bologna, from seminal Technogod and Ohmega Tribe collective, and Cristiano Santini, from legendary italian act Disciplinatha. Straight from electronic Italian suburbia of the nineties, skilfully mixed with Bogus uncommon approach, this is an outstanding blend of new wave and slow motion disco, strictly for midnight vultures. Let’s begin Very DJ friendly, “Ivory Pagoda” hits with a catchy rhythm which evokes some sort of deep techno vibes but with house-disco flavours and jazz aftertaste. “Il nuovo Dragone” sounds like an afro spin cycle with gluey synths and a hidden sick atmosphere. On the b side: “Haitian Party” is a lively piece that can also be crepuscular and “Ivy” comes full circle with a hypnotic afro-wave with a premonition.. This EP aims to break the rules through a bizarre idea of temporal continuity which may look like a bit of a paradox : from the dark vibes/atmospheres of the 80s via the glacial synths and the warm sampled beats of the 90s to the vaporous present day disco. If you are a DJ who knows history on the dancefloor but also like to experiment with the unusual you are definitely going to love this one!
Skymax – Hooker Boogie [IML001]
With tickering hi-hats leading the first tracks on both side A & B Skymax enters a familier Finnish sounding disco (and part rock) sphere with kraut elemtents, synth-bass, a DJ Sotofett dub, a tango-fied slow machine ballad and a beatless 80s soundtrack conclusion to round it off. It has that utterly great and little-bit-hard-to-swallow Finnish quality stamp.
