Collection: [disctechno]

Mark Grusane

The American Midwest is of course the homeland of the house and techno scene that has since gone global, and now its two main cities of Chicago and Detroit are represented on this Midwest Rhythms Vol.1 from Windy City mainstay Mark Grusane partners up with 313 area man Eric Schwab. As such we're presented with five irresistible cuts that tick all the right boxes - dusty analogue production, fresh grooves and great synths and vocal samples that are sure to blow up any party but never resort to tired old tropes. There are slower and more mysterious cuts like 'Hot Pursuit' and tripped-out late-night jams like 'Dusk Drive' and plenty in between.

Chicago underground legend Mark Grusane presents "Take Me" on his own Disctechno imprint, a proper 12" single featuring vocals from DJ Saucy Lady, the "Beantown Disco Queen." The lead single uses a driving bassline, infectious synth fills and filtered arps and pads to build up an electrified disco heater with sweat-soaked NRG. Saucy Lady's seductive, dubbed out vocals bounce off the walls with a repeating mantra of "just take me" and spoken words from a creature of the night, backed by her harmonizing ooh's and aah's. This combination sounds something like Bobby O locked in a Chicago basement during a heatwave with nothing but a fog machine and broken A/C for company. On the B-Side, disco wizard Rahaan reworks the lead single with a "Psychedelic Dub" that layers the sounds of machine funk synth sweeps and disorienting tweaks for a mesmerizing take on the lead single. On either side of the record are also the Dub Instrumental and Accappella versions - versatile tools for freaking out any dancefloor.