Two mind melting acidic drippers that Ron Hardy would’ve been proud of by RVDS & Sneaker and a Katrina Fairlee, Joshua Cordova & Sneaker collab on the flip side.
chicago house
Dona – Inverno EP [CR1297]
Dona is back with another EP of emo-jakkin Mediterranean style dark-side. He walks the fine line between hope and hate on this one, mood-swinging his way through various shades of azure and off white.
Tevo Howard – Post Modern Chicago [CTX05]
Tevo Howard – Passion [ABTV009]
Abstract Theory is back with a new 12” release, from the great house producer Tevo Howard. “Passion”, is an audio depiction of the emotion, Passion, as considered from the mind of Tevo Howard who has said, ‘if Passion were a Chicago House track’. His take is also a prediction of human beings in the next 300-500 years: after the world learns to not do irrational WAR and not kill, Howard says: an era of some 300 years of compassion will begin, and will be followed by at least one thousand years of atonement in the existence of the passionate human being as an era of mankind. ‘Late Working Man’ as a B-side track is about being at the office late, and dancing very late at the disco.
Traxx – Studio Insert 3 – Depth
Steve Summers – PHNCST300
VA – Djax-Re-Up Vol. 1 [DKMNTL063-1]
Dekmantel announce the re-issue of some of the most era-defining trans-Atlantic, techno cuts from the early nineties, thanks to cult label Djax-Up-Beats. The Dutch label was responsible for releasing some of underground’s most archetypal underground dance music, mixing together Chicago and European artists alike, and acting as the launch pad for some of today’s biggest producers. This timeless music is being re-issued on vinyl for the very first time. Founded in Eindhoven at the turn of the 90s, Djax-Up-Beats quickly earned an international reputation for being a reputable source of Chicago house, acid techno, and floor-filling, heavy hitting straight up, underground 12”s. This first re-issue volume sublimely blends esoteric, ambient sounds, with staunchly fierce, and energetic electronic rhythms. Throughout the eight-tracks you can hear the sounds of sequencers, drum machines, and motor-city basslines. It defined the beginning of an era that never went away. Whether you’re a collector, or DJ looking to add to the your left field techno collection, the re-issue of Djax-Up-Beats best records is not one to pass up.
Karlos Moran – MMG003 [MMG003]
The wunderkind from Wichita, Kansas collates another wonderful release on his own Moran Music Group, featuring music from Karlos’ archive old and new. Expect more of the same deep and warm vibes, all made with a special and loving touch.
Too Smooth Christ – TSC 1 [AVA016]
TSC 1 is Too Smooth Christ’s first release on AVA. Records. Five fine dance tracks straight from Paris, great for every occasion.
Nite Vision – Sight Beyond Sight [WOD006]
New from Nite Vision who are Nigel Rogers (Perseus Traxx, Northern Powerhouse) and Craig Stainton (Acid Phreex, Mantra, Monofonix, Myriadd) with a slamming techno track plus a wicked remix from Canadian mainman Rennie Foster, pressed on limited edition, hand stamped & numbered one-sided black vinyl housed in a white paper sleeve with a printed insert info sheet.
Billy Nightmare – Reality Check EP [DE227]
Digging deep into the Chicago Rave vaults to re-issue the debut EP from Billy Nightmare aka “Mystic Bill” Torres. Growing up in Miami, Bill was involved in various parts of the music industry, from working at Flamingo Record Pool, to playing guitar for the band Life In Sodom (80’s Synth/Goth band). His interest in both House & Industrial music inspired him to make his move to the Windy City. Bill quickly became involved in the night scene with residencies at clubs like Shelter, Crobar, & Smart Bar. ‘Reality Check’ was released in 1996 on Woody McBride’s label Sounds. Originally the project was to be titled ” Billy’s Nightmare”, but to avoid being jinxed for life, Torres decided to switch it to Billy Nightmare. He put the Mystic Bill alias aside, got a hair cut, changed his sound and became this new persona. ‘Reality Check’ consists of 4 tracks, recorded at Mirage Studios in Chicago in 1996. Two tracks on the A-side are dark thumpers and will haunt your head for days. Side B has 2 versions of the same song, lighter and funkier in mood both show the diversity Mystic Bill is capable of producing.
Bill Converse – Hulled EP [DE222]
Dark Entries presents a 4-track EP from Austin, Texas analogue hardware enthusiast Bill Converse. Immersed in the early days of the 90s midwest rave scene, Bill began DJing at a young age in Lansing, Michigan. Techno, noise, ambient and tape processing are all part of his uncanny sound palette. ‘Hulled’ is a 25 minute journey spread across 4 tracks of glacial abandon. All tracks were recorded directly to tape with no overdubs, made at Converse’s home studio. Bill says these tracks represent “ocean waves in stormy conditions, dark grey blue water, or more generally speaking something ominous and beautiful.” The songs on this release reveal a sublime influence from Detroit techno, IDM, and Acid. Built around vintage synthesizer lines and gritty drum machine percussion, the tracks ebb and flow like the effect of sun shimmering on water, woozy, gauzy and ephemeral.
Gene Hunt / Phil Weeks & Didier Allyne – Body Heat / Loop Edit FX [PND15]
New release on P&D recordings with an official re-issue of Gene Hunt ‘Body Heat’ released on Dust Trax in 1999. The second track is done by Phil Weeks & Didier Allyne in 2008 is a tribute to E-dancer ‘Human Bomb’.
Andrew Red Hand – Spiritual Capital EP [CHIWAX019LTD]
Andrew Red Hand from Romania’s spiritual capital of lasi stands up as an unwavering militant of the underground, a true Detroit spirit possessed as Romanian humanoid. From his early gigs throwing parties as one of the first generation DJs in lasi since 1997, ARH continues to break boundaries as part of the Romanian resistance scene and numerous time portals as they open around Europe. His blistering, mind-bending sets such as at Berlin’s Tresor and Griessmuehle see the DJ with the red hand fuse pure Detroit electro and techno with the sounds of techno-bass, raw Chicago acid house, classics and futuristic beats.
VA – The Barbershop [PERP012]
Welcome to the Barbershop. This LP arrives with tunes from some of your favorite artists representing Chicago’s underground dance music sphere on the city’s bred label, Perpetual Rhythms. A wide variety of fresh cuts and genres are showcased, ranging from Deep House and Techno to Experimental and Ambient, providing an eclectic listening experience. The central theme of the LP is “things that relate to a barbershop”, topics such as hairstyles, hair products and humor. We invite you to stay a while and experience this sonic journey with an open mind.
RA.627 Traxx
Delroy Edwards – Aftershock [LIES110]
In the tradition of classic Chicago beat track records, Delroy Edwards comes on LIES with a 14 song double LP of stripped down drum track madness. This is straight up Saturday night WBMX mixs how material. Sparse rhythms, fat fm basslines, catchy melodies and even some italo arpeggios are the order here, all 100 percent tailor made for the working DJ. Standing strong on their own or to be layered and slammed in and out the mix, these are true to form old school cuts falling in line with the great tradition of dance music’s past which is all too often lost in the wind these days.
Virgo – Virgo [TX2018002]
Released on TRAX in the golden year of 1989 Chicago’s Virgo aka friends Eric Lewis and Merwyn Sanders, gently pushed House music towards a more musically sophisticated realm that hadn’t been explored previously. Across 8 tracks Virgo took us on a deep exploration of sound that was both masterfully arranged and produced and in direct contrast to a lot of the rudimental and jacking drum tracks that were the flavour of the day. There are few debut albums in the electronic sphere that can claim the title of ‘classic’, but this is surely one of them. A defining turning point in dance music, the dawn of what would later be referred to as the ‘deep house’ movement and sound is all evident with the grooves of this legendary record. Often listed as one of the ‘greatest LP’s of all time’, this self-titled odyssey remains an essential, must have record that never loses it’s magic, flawless in every way and still trailblazing today.
D’Marc Cantu – S.E.G. Remixes [AMR38X]
In 2017, D’Marc Cantu released the critically-acclaimed “The Lodge” LP on Altered Moods, which was the first chapter in a two-part story. The second part is now incoming, in the form of a remix EP of one of the most popular cuts on the album, “S. E. G.” The new record contains both the original track and three remixes created by Larry Heard, Malcolm Moore and Chicago Skyway.
Transcendence – Concepts of Higher Dimension [STR003]
Ron Allen’s label with another worthy re-issue. Strobe gave us that deep, emotive machine-funk that exemplified the early to mid 90’s sound. ‘Concepts Of Higher Dimension’ came out in 1991 remarkably, and it still sounds fresh today, produced by Ron Allen under his Transcendence pseudonym and featuring 3 stellar tracks of bass-heavy warehouse jams. ‘Frenzy’ opens proceedings and with a title like that you’d expect some sort of drum machine beatdown, instead we’re treated to a super smoothed-out deep house cut that oozes blissed out synth pads & pan-pipe like flourishes. A true early hours gem. ‘Luv ‘N’ Happiness (Chapter 1)’ is next, stepping up the energy levels a little and utilising a well known Disco vocal sample to maximum effect. This one’s a definite nod to Chicago but done in Ron Allen’s signature style. Essential. Finishing off the EP is ‘Magique Noir’ a tough, bleeps and bassline monster that sounds like it could have dropped in Sheffield at the tail end of the late 80’s, absolutely monstrous. This jam will test your speakers no end.
The Hipodrome Of Music 