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Kollage, an artist based in Chicago, has been involved with music for years. Personal growth and true expression are key in his process and development of music. Pulling from a wide net of influences across genres and time periods becomes evident in listening to the first few tracks. Here are his personal thoughts on the project…

“This album was conceived and recorded live in the late winter months of 2011 at The Haymarket Lofts in Chicago. This body of work was created and arranged from a variety of synths, drum machines and live looping. I hope the sound enters your soul and awakens something within your mind, because music is truly the way we escape, heal and grow.” – Kollage

This album is not genre specific, it is neither hip hop, downtempo, nor space jazz, perhaps a blend of those elements with psychedelic overtones. It is a nefarious fog that unrolls around you, fuzzy analogue textures, throbbing undulating basslines, gently pummeled with syncopated beats. The synthesizer soundscapes are crafted in progressive washes, while tightly tattered beats full of snares, claps and kicks weave themselves thru the composition, the soft skeleton on which modulated melodies are served.

Album Art and Words by Hachem Hosenbux

Kollage on:
Soundcloud
Twitter

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Maxwell Stern, also known as Euphorm, is an electronic producer and DJ from Chicago. His passion for experimental electronics developed through his exposure to the midwest rave scene as a teenager. As a DJ, he currently spins dub and downtempo at Lake Forest College’s WMXM 88.9fm radio station.

‘Timedraft’ shows Stern’s subdued, organic approach to ambient and micro-house textures. Colorblind starts things off with an insistent rhythm before a series of drones fade into a gentle rainstorm. The EP’s title track conjures a collage of noir-ish beauty, before Essence Unlock reveals a tense, hypnotic loop that weaves in and out of sync with a pulsing drumbeat. Promises meanders into slow-motion introspection; finally, the soothing warm percussion of Blue Dream pushes through one last dreamscape.

Cover by Timothy Dilich
Words by Patty

Blackdaylight (Thomas McCauley) has graced the net-label community again with a third release on Stigae Music, The Nin9. Consistent with his previous releases (The Second Season Mix, Live, Attack Of The Extravagant Minimalist) is Black’s ability to pull of “easy listening” with sonic heaviness – the perfect compromise for those who love both ambient and beat driven music. A down-tempo drudgery of pulsating 808s amidst thick chords and textural noise makes The Nin9 akin to sinking in an ocean of velvet. Personal favorite selections include “October Rain” and “Noveaux Vertigo”. Close to home are the use of samples from Lokua’s Water-Rock on tracks that are basically retitled remixes (“Climate Of Chaos”, “Into The Oblivion Of Acheron”, “(While She Slept) He Dreamt”).

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Searchl1te and The Abominable Twitch are two of the most prolific and forward sounding producers (as well as DJs and performers) I’ve heard in the windy city. Together they have teamed up as CHICAGO SEWER, “that chunky ill shit that incessantly flows below the surface”. The following p/a was recorded at the weekly series Heartbeats @ Morseland.

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Photos courtesy of Chelsea Ross
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more love worth sharing:

THE ABOMINABLE TWITCH:
myspace
ABT blog
Evolve And Prevail

SEARCHL1TE:
myspace
Dubfront
Part Time Suckers
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-posted by Lokua
-shout out to Slow-Children and Gee-Cee who also helped bang the night away.

Every Wednesday Lokua of Moment Sound hosts the event Heartbeats @ Morsland, a night featuring a wide array of DJs and live performers from all walks of Chicago’s electronic music spectrum. Here we have two recordings from one of those nights. First is a live p/a from K-rAd, who immediately brought the dance-floor to life with an excellent cross of his own live material and DJ trickery. After that we have a completely improvised, synth-heavy set from the creator of Shiku Garu Projects, Dreamlogicc. Special shout out to M50 and Slowchildren for closing the night out, and to Gravity-Max who provided the live visuals, good times. Painting / Photo by J. Beckman