Steven Tang’s Emphasis returns with the reclusive Intrinsic on Firewalls. ”Firewalls” builds soulfully techno syncopated synths & rhythms while the deeply modulated ”Falling” is thick & smoky filled with delayed synth madness that coalesces with a brooding bass line. Includes ”Bonus Beats”.
Australian label Nightime Drama serves up its second standout release of 2016. This four track affair is a second release on the label by Aussie live act, DJ and producer Trinity, with Steven Tang and Italian based Andee on the remix.
Fresh out of the Midwest Keith Worthy (Detroit), Jamal Moss aka Hieroglyphic Being (Chicago) and Steven Tang (Chicago) bringing some of that notorious Midwest D.N.A. on this deep acid banger.
Surprisingly, this is Steven Tang’s first 12″ in some two years (under his own name), and marks his first appearance on Emphasis Recordings (an imprint he founded way back in 1998) since 2011. Happily, it was worth the wait, because Infintesimal is amongst the Chicagoan’s best worth to date. Heavily influenced by vintage Detroit techno, its’ four tracks take in rolling creepiness (“Approaching Theory”), shimmering blends of Larry Heard style deep house and Motor City futurism (“Escaping Thoughts”), deep and spacey dancefloor bliss (“Verged (Obsolete Mix)”), and retro-futurist techno sweatiness (the undulating chords and hissing cymbals of title track “Infintesimal”). In other words, it’s a fine EP packed full of floor-friendly gems.
Steven Tang returns with a second offering for Steffi’s label as Obsolete Music Technology. Across the three tracks, Tang’s mastery of his craft is more than evident, displaying a rawness that is often craved but not always achieved these days. The title track’s classic Chicago vibe complemented by the more intense racing “Voltage Player” and the cascading rhythmic hits of “High Strung”. Class always tells, and this Love Passenger 12″ has it by the bucketload.
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.
Debut live performance in Berlin, Germany. Recorded on May 31, 2014. All tracks written, produced & performed by Obsolete Music Technology (a.k.a. Steven Tang).
Strong Detroit influenced techno EP featuring remixes by Steven Tang, Stojche & Vidinovski. As the title suggests, “90 State” sounds like it was heavily influenced by vintage 808 State, and “Pacific State” in particular. The analogue-sounding beats, spine tingling electronics, melodies and wide-eyed chords all recall the rave-era classic.
After more than 2 and a half years we are back in Berlin! and of-course we are looking forward to have a lot of fun while being.
Steven Tang returns to Smallville Records for a follow up entitled Leaving The Physical World. Building on the masterful approach to deep house seen on Disconnect to Connect, the Hong Kong native delivers three nuanced productions that show the skills he’s been honing for many years. The percussive bump and complex chord arrangement of the title track are finely complemented by the searching shamanic house of “Mystic Ritual” and melancholic soundscape of “Reality We Make”.
The fist release on the new As It Is label, coming from Kogui. Moody techno tracks with that euphoric/melancholic early nineties feel and a Steven Tang remix included.
Synapsis Records with four Murph Tone Jack Session reinterpretations by Chicago producers Chicago Skyway, G. Marcell, Ike Release, and Steven Tang. Their contributions expand the Jack Session with deep and rhythmic tunes that will rock from warehouse to boats.
Here is the third and final part of my 2013 review, featuring my favorite albums released last year. In the first part of the review, the preferences of hipodrome followers are shown, according to the number of click and stars. In the second part, I presented some of my favorite events and performances from last year.
Now here it comes the serious business. Because there are so many good albums and different genders, I took the same approach as in the 2012’s review.
The list is covering all the genders that I like and post on The Hipodrome Of Music, so I came up with no more than 20 gender lists, going from house to techno, disco and funk to electro and new wave …
Here we go.
The return of the Dutch masters of deep! Rotterdam techno veterans Duplex show how it’s done with three lush & warm interstellar techno tracks from that forgotten future… Pure, dedicated and very well-crafted. This will orbit the dancefloor straight into outer space. And as an extra the Steven Tang remix of ‘Jx3PO’ to heat things even more up.
New EP on Emphasis Recordings. Track “Incite” from ”Thoughts From Chicago Vol. Three” 7” (Eargasmic) gets a rearrange by Steven Tang, and a Dubbyman remix. A mid tempo goover called ”Slight” rounds out the EP.
“Every producers dream is to one day complete and release a full length album. After a string of well received 12inch singles on my own label, Emphasis Recordings, and most recently, on labels like Aesthetic Audio, Machining Dreams, Syncrophone, and Dolly, I thought now is the time to start realizing that dream of the full length album.”
The Hipodrome Of Music 