Two killer Marcellus Pittman tracks on a new 12” for his own Unirhythm Records. Deep and wild rhythm workouts in true Pittman fashion.
chicago house
Michael Ferragosto – It’s Real This Way [BLAMED002]
Four acid-filtered, metal disco killers from the enigmatic Michael Ferragosto, gear to keep that Chicago Muzique shit alive and well. Hear from the horse’s mouth: ‘Man…this is the pure shit… pure house experiments are the only motherfucking thing that sounds real these days on the floor – know what I mean’.
E. Myers- Love / Hate [DE189]
Contemporary producer E. Myers has self released four limited edition white label 12”s since 2015, whilst managing to remain low profile. Whoever they are, we guess they’re huge fans of late 1980s Chicago House, Shep Pettibone, Colourbox and most of our reissues. So much that they asked us to re-release their second 12” ‘Hate / Love’ from 2016 backed with new remix of “Hate” made for Dark Entries. “Love” kicks off the A-side “beats out a wood-cut tattoo of tuff drums rubbed with balloon-squeak synths to sound like Gesloten Cirkel meets Helena Hauff,” said Boomkat. “Hate” is a dreamy house number that ultilzes a Roland TR-707 drum machine with a rounded bassline, horns and strings that lift it into the stratosphere. For the new remix of “Hate” Myers subtly shifts the pace and deepens the groove, stretching out the song to over 7 minutes of dubbed out New Beat phantasia.
David Siska – The Bunker Podcast 157
Gentry Ice / Adonis – Do You Wanna Jack / Lost In the Sound [CCE030]
Rawax welcomes the legend Adonis on the 30th edition of our Chiwax Classic series. The release includes the 1989 originally on Jack Trax released ”Do You Wanna Jack/ Lost In The Sound” and ”My Space”, a collab with Virgo aka Marshall Jefferson.
Jordan Fields – Chicago Dat Tools [RVRT014]
Some might say Jordan Fields is one of the most criminally underappreciated figures to rise out of Chicago in the late 90s, not for people who know what’s what though. After a career spanning more than 20 years he has established himself as one of the key figures of the underground. Coming out of where everything started, Chicago, Jordan released records on a handful of key labels like Catalyst, Track Mode, SOM Underground, Mood Groove, Maffia. He did not stop there and today he is still releasing bangers having never lost that magic touch that has kept him firmly grounded on the purest form of the underground, and that, after more than 20 years is pretty much unheard of. When we first contacted Jordan we wanted to go back to where it all started, we wanted to be transported to late 90s Chicago, to a time where it was all about the dance floor, when tracks meant something more than songs, when purely club-oriented music was the purest form of the underground. To be honest we were not expecting to get exactly what we wanted straight away, he immediately sent us a collection of tools straight out of DAT tapes he had, going all the way back to the 90s and early 2000s, so yeah to say that we are excited with this release would be a huge understatement. This is a collection of tools meant for the dancefloor, not reminiscent of some gone by era, these are the real deal, made by a true master, 20 years ago, for the future.
John Heckle – Changes EP [SRTX019]
Super Rhythm Trax welcomes producer John Heckle to the label. On this release you’ll find heavy nods to Detroit as the music is bursting with soaring chords and emotion but all the time underpinned by the heaviest of 909 beats.
Andreas Gehm – WOD001 [WOD001]
Two tracks from the late Andreas Gehm (more to come in later releases). Pressed on a one-sided, hand stamped and numbered standard weight black vinyl release. Accompanied by a printed info sheet insert.
Jai/Mahl aka Jamal Moss – The Message Of Zipf [TVS001]
TV Showw is a new record label from Paris. Launching the label with an EP from one of Chicago’s most prolific and inventive electronic musicians : Jamal Moss a.k.a. Hieroglyphic Being or I.B.M., among others. JAI/MAHL is his fresh new alias especially created for this EP. The three tracks are made for the dancefloor (four-to-the-floor) while not diluting his signature oddity made of sonic textures and damaged rhythms. Moss calls his style ‘synth expressionism’ or ‘rhythmic cubism.’
John Heckle – Translate [030EP013]
John Heckle’s first one for 030303 starts off deliciously with “Translate” being a moody and melodic and bouncer that caters to a twisted dance floor. “Terix”, the opener on the B-side is a beautiful reminder of Derrick May’s Detroit, Rhythm is Rhythm’s “Kao-Tic Harmony” in particular. The end of this record then, is like the end of most nights: with lots of melodies going on and a stomping rhythm “Hear Me” is by far the most mind bending track of this excellent 12″.
Marlon Hoffstadt – Observing The Known [RSN010]
Marlon Hoffstadt is a rising star as both a DJ and producer, effortlessly joining the dots between classic rave and the future of techno. Taking a break from running his Retrograde label, Marlon has cooked up Observing The Known for Ransom Note Records. Over three tracks of warm synths, bubbly acid and emotional chord progressions, the EP sees Marlon reimagining house music for today’s dancefloor, taking the passion and energy of ‘80s Chicago and giving it the production heft of 2017 Berlin.
Studio 89 – Studio 89 002 [S89002]
Studio 89’s second release is ready to spread into a clubhouse near you. A sizzling charge of hot and heady lust. Sexy beats for you fancy freaks. We are your ship master, cruise with us into the depths of your dreams.
Perseus Traxx – Drowning In Your Eyes [GNOSIS003]
Following well received EPs from Myriadd and Q-Chip, Gnosis are ecstatic to have prolific UK producer Nigel Rogers (aka Ellis De Havilland, Operator Tracey, Orpheus, Pagan Ritual, Sir Leon Greg etc.) on board for their third release. ‘Drowning In Your Eyes’ is a four track EP recorded under his Perseus Traxx handle.
Gavin Guthrie – Into The Box EP [COTB001]
Welcome to the all new Children Of The Box, a label heavily inspired by the edgier side of Chicago’s legendary club, the “Music Box”. We’re getting things rolling with a whirlwind of raw Analog recordings by Gavin Guthrie, aka TX Connect. First up is “Dripping”, which carries a vintage (yet modern) Gherkin Jerks sound. The song continuously builds throughout the track, ending in a frenzy of synthesizer’s & 707 drum patterns. The title track “Into the Box” takes you on a hypnotic journey through the mind of Hellraiser’s very own Pinhead. A melodic interlude gives the listener a slight break, but only to return with a vengeance. “Not Forever” brings a “back to the future” vibe, equally stacked with both vintage & modern elements. The song comes complete with an overpowering low synth line & 707 drums.
Closing things out is “Destinies”, a track inspired by the deeper side of the Windy City. A more than perfect ending to a stellar release.
Intergalactic Gary @ Clone 25, Shelter Amsterdam 15.076.2017
Rahaan – Grapes [LIH025]
Perseus Traxx – More Songs About Girls [LVNO011]
A great pairing here as the rugged basslines, emotional melodies, and vintage percussion of Perseus Traxx seem right at home on the Love Notes stabel, who seem to be taking a quick break from showcasing artists from their homebase of Brooklyn, as they have on their last 4 records. More Songs About Girls is a cohesive EP of 4 original tracks and neither fans of this artist nor fans of this label will be disappointed.
Rick Poppa Howard – Keep Holdin’ On [MATE012]
The tightest duo since Batman and Robin is back. Rick Poppa Howard and son Tevo Howard team up once more for an emotional house trip.
Terrence Woodard – Jack The Box [WEME043]
1985, restored from a vintage vinyl copy (masters were lost long time ago in Chicago…) Copies sold for 0. On the Youtube thread for the track a cousin of T. Woodard says they pressed 2,500 copies of this – but that seems hard to believe unless they didn’t sell and got recycled at Trax and/or were simply thrown out, as this rarely show up anywhere. This is a very early and simple track which sums up the new and experimental sounds of early 1985 along with tracks such as Jesse Sanders On & On and Funkin Keith Funkin with the Drums. Basic early house music that havent lost any of its relevance.
Bill Converse – The Shape Of Things To Come [DE158]
Dark Entries present the sophomore album 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. Luminaries such as Claude Young, Traxx, and Derrick May were key early influences. Techno, noise, ambient and tape processing are all part of his uncanny sound palette. ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’ is a 70 minute journey spread across two pieces of vinyl. It’s comprised of seven tracks recorded directly to tape with no overdubs, made at Converse’s home studio. At the time of recording, Bill was sending this material to Josh Vance (Josua Dorje Ngodup) for feedback. Most of the time Josh would respond in the form of artwork, and then Bill would create another track inspired by this feedback chain. Converse has dedicated this series of tracks to him. The songs on this album reveal a sublime influence from Detroit techno, early Chicago house, and Acid. For this album Converse slightly bumped up the tempos geared for dancefloor energy. Built around vintage synthesizer lines and gritty drum machine percussion, the tracks evoke how things have changed and how they have come to be.
The Hipodrome Of Music 