Techno – 7th Level Music

Review: Almost Heaven – Raw Cranium EP

Hailing from Austin, Texas, Almost Heaven (Stefan Barazza – production and vocals, Jaelyn Valero – drums) have come to party on their debut EP, Raw Cranium, and they want you to join them. After all, one of their messages is “Dance or die.”

Starting with “Power Music (Electrik Revival),” the EP embraces its krautrock / Berlin-industrial / and dance punk love as Barazza sings about an “organutan spilling zombie juice all over the stage” and the perils and pleasures technology can bring. It will have you jumping right away. “Oscilation” starts off with crowd cheers, brings in fuzzy guitars and synths, and vocals that might belong to Valero or to Barazza. It’s difficult to guess because they could be altered with vocal effects. It works well either way to create an uplifting Justice-like dance track.

“Fever Trying to Blow” is a standout with Barazza asking anyone who wants to dance to the front because he wants to “let loose” after a long week at work. “I deserve this,” he says. We all do. Valero’s beats on this are downright wicked while Barazza’s synths and vocals skitter around the room like water thrown onto a hot frying pan.

“Wherever you are, come away from the TV and come to the dance floor,” Barazza implores on “Commotion,” a song that fully intends to cause such a thing. The wild beats of “Hypnoxia” echo around you while the synth-bass elevates your pulse and Valero’s post-punk beats make you twitch.

The EP ends with the lovely “Baby Teeth” – a song that borders on MGMT electro-house and synthwave. “Make sure it’s tough, so they never know your weakness,” Barazza suggests. It builds to a big, bright payoff that will have you bouncing with new breath.

Like any good EP, Raw Cranium leaves you wanting more. You’re a bit exhausted from all this dancing, but you’re ready for more. Dance or die, after all.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Cheyenne Doerr!]

Review: Vhyce – Romantic Visions EP

Looking for a fun record to spin at your next summer house party? Vhyce has you covered with his newest EP, Romantic Visions.

The title track opens the EP with almost seven minutes of heavenly house beats and dance piano. “And We’re All Connected” trades out the house music for trippy trance music that will fill the floor if it’s not already. “Eco Simulator” keeps the party going with great beats for your workout, post-workout pool party, and the drive back from the pool party. “Paradise” has a solid house piano line through it that makes you feel like you’ve gone to the hippest church revival ever.

“Perks of Daily Life” is another floor-filler with a thumping backbeat that allows it to be easily dropped into a dance mix. The soaring synths add a cool futuristic touch. The EP winds up with the Magari Goa “91 mix” of “Every Ending.” It sounds like could’ve been unearthed from a 1991 rave time capsule full of glow sticks, ring pops, coach’s whistles, and condoms.

All in all, this is a solid EP that will brighten up your summer playlist. Go grab it before Memorial Day gets here and the weather gets colder.

Keep your mind open.

[I have romantic visions of you subscribing.]

[Thanks to Inflyte!]

Top 25 concerts of 2021 – 2025: #’s 5 – 1

The final five on this list were, believe it or not, fairly easy to determine. This is probably because they were so good and also because they all hit some emotional note for me because I didn’t think I’d see any of them ever again (or, in one case, even once).

#5: Nine Inch Nails – United Center – Chicago – August 20, 2025

This surprise tour sold out in rapid time, but luckily Nine Inch Nails added a second Chicago show due to popular demand. I had tickets for my fiancé and I, and then learned that my future stepdaughter was a NIN fan. I managed to get a third ticket to what turned out to be a stunning show with three stages, excellent remixes, and an enthusiastic crowd who were roaring for every song.

#4: Underworld – Radius – Chicago – May 17, 2025

Here’s the band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. Underworld playing two full sets at this intimate venue was an immediate purchase. It was a brilliant time, and stunning to see these two gents who can fill stadiums play such a small show with full energy to keep us dancing until the late hours.

#3: Midnight Oil – Riviera / Chicago – June 10, 2022

Midnight Oil was one of my late wife’s favorite bands. We’d seen them two during college, then on their reunion tour in the 2010s, and then we were supposed to see this show, but she died barely eight months earlier. I felt the need to go to honor her and see friends. It was the right decision. The show helped lift some of the weight off me. Midnight Oil sounded great, and it was their final tour. They belted out classics and left us all ready to resist tyranny and love each other.

#2: Love and Rockets – Riviera – Chicago – June 06, 2023

Here is the band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. I missed them in their heyday, and the closest I’d come until this show was seeing David J play an acoustic set at Levitaiton Music Festival. Love and Rockets flattened the place, sounding as strong as ever and reminding all of us that they were and still are rock stars. I was on cloud nine for the whole show.

#1: Failure – Bottom Lounge / Chicago – July 01, 2022

Failure are one of my favorite bands of all time. I don’t joke when I tell people that their Fantastic Planet album can be life-changing. This reunion tour caught me off-guard. I stumbled upon the announcement and then word that they had a VIP package that included a meet-and-greet and attendance at their sound check. It was another emotional show for me, as I was still reeling from my wife’s death and hearing “Another Space Song” live brought me to tears. The show was powerful for a lot of us. I saw a lot of people beaming throughout it, and the band were all happy to chat with us, sign anything, and talk with us about everything from music to films, and, in my case, grief. Again, I don’t joke when I say this show was instrumental in my healing. I’ll always thank Failure for it.

There have been plenty of good shows already in 2026, so come back in early 2027 to see which of those make the list for the best of the year.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 concerts of 2021 – 2025: #’s 10 – 6

We’ve reached the top ten of concerts I saw over the last five years, and it includes more bands I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. Starting with…

#10: Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade – Kemba Live!, Columbus, OH – May 31^st, 2022

Les Claypool’s side project, The Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, put out one album and a cool double-live album many years ago. I didn’t think he’d revive the project and knew I had to see this tour as soon as it was announced. Sure enough, it was a cool show full of weird psychedelic rock, Sean Lennon on lead guitar, and them covering Pink Floyd’s Animals in its entirety in the middle of the show.

#9: Viagra Boys – Salt Shed – Chicago – February 24, 2023

This was bonkers. It was, according to Viagra Boys’ lead singer Sebastian Murphy, their biggest show in the U.S. so far. It was packed, sweaty, loud, and crazy. The entire indoor stage at the Salt Shed felt like it was shaking and that a drug-fueled orgy might break out at any moment.

#8: TV on the Radio – September 27, 2025 – Levitation Austin – Austin, TX

Here’s the next band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. TVOTR didn’t have a new album to promote, but they were touring and headlining one night of the Levitation Music Festival. I would have gone to the festival just to see them, and they didn’t disappoint. They brought everything I wanted: Energy, fury, power, and joy.

#7: Orbital – Radius – Chicago – March 23, 2024

Here’s the third band in this part of the list I wasn’t sure I’d ever see. Orbital’s tour was another surprise and it was great to see them in a reasonably small venue. They sounded excellent, and the show felt like being transported back in time to a 1993 rave. I hadn’t danced that much in a long while.

#6: Elton John – Soldier Field – Chicago – August 05, 2022

It was a hot and humid night at Soldier Field when Sir Elton John played his final Chicago show on his final tour. It was a big, fun, and emotional show, and he and his band sounded great. In terms of sound quality, this probably is the best show I heard of the last five years. Every note was clear.

Up next, the top five, and they’re all bands I wasn’t sure I’d ever see.

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 albums of 2021 – 2025: #’s 15 – 11

We’ve reached the top 15 of albums I reviewed (not released) over the last five years. Read on to see who made the list!

#15: Maquina – Prata (2024)

That cover image pretty much sums up the sound of this wild post-punk / noise rock / dance rock album. It’s a stunning record, and I’m happy to report they’re close to releasing a new one.

#14: Lair – Ngélar (2024)

Indonesian psych-rock? Yes, please. Funky, groovy, weird, and playful. This is a delight from start to finish.

#13: Sextile – yes, please. (2025)

Possibly the best dance-punk album of 2025. This record slams non-stop and gets you moving whether you want to or not.

#12: Ki Oni – A Leisurely Swim to Everlasting Life (2023)

A beautiful album about grief, our continued, changed existence after death, and a salute to Ki Oni’s late grandmother all wrapped up in lush ambient music.

#11: No Joy – Bugland (2025)

A brilliant return for No Joy and their shoegaze rock. This album sprinted into the top ten of 2025 for me the first time I heard it.

Speaking of the top ten, come back tomorrow to see who’s in the top ten of the last five years!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 albums of 2021 – 2025: #’s 25 – 21

I’m far behind on this, as it’s already mid-May 2026, but I’ve meant to create a list of my favorite records (and concerts, see other posts) of the last five years. I created such lists for my top stuff from 2020 through 2024, so I’m continuing the trend. Mind you, these are the top twenty-five albums I reviewed, not albums released during those five years. There were many excellent albums that slipped through the cracks. Enough backstory. Let’s get to it before this gets delayed yet again.

#25: Rochelle Jordan – Play with the Changes (2021)

This is a beautiful, funky, and sexy record that introduced me to Ms. Jordan’s music and instantly made me want to find out more about her work that mixes house music with R&B with ease.

#24: Brijean – Feelings (2021)

This lovely dream pop record came out of nowhere (for me at least) and floored me. They’re a fun duo who have yet to make a bad album.

#23: Ty Segall – Harmonizer (2021)

I was a bit surprised to hear Ty Segall embracing synthesizers and going into electronic music somewhat on this record, but then I wasn’t surprised because Segall is always exploring different genres and embracing his many influences. It was a cool surprise from him.

#22: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord extended version (2023)

Speaking of cool surprises: King Gizzard goes full rave! There was the “regular” version of this all-synth album by the Australian psych giants and then this “extended” version of the album that I preferred. Once again, KGATLW showed they can adapt to anything they decide to play.

#21: Anika – Change (2021)

Haunting and gorgeous. That’s the best way I can describe this synthwave album from Anika. It snuggles / slithers up next to you and doesn’t leave for days.

Who’s in the top twenty? Come back tomorrow to find out!

Keep your mind open.

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Live: Joost Klein and ipadkid2001 – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL – May 05, 2026

I hadn’t heard of Dutch electro artist Joost Klein until a month ago when I heard him mentioned by a local high schooler. I asked my stepdaughter about him and she almost jumped out of her chair. “I love Joost!” she said and was even more thrilled when we learned he was playing in Chicago. The show was originally scheduled for Thalia Hall, but as you can see from that photo, they realized they needed a lot more space for the 3,000+ who showed up at The Salt Shed.

First on the bill was a DJ of sorts – ipadkid2001. I write “of sorts” because I’m not sure if this chap was a DJ or someone pretending to be a DJ. It might have been an act. The crowd was so jazzed that they screamed when ipadkid2001 just turned on the light above his turntables. He played an odd mix of songs, ranging from drum and bass bangers to The Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” Most of these songs weren’t played all the way through. They were usually snippets or perhaps two verses and a chorus. At one point he played vocal samples that stated, “This is my first time DJing. I don’t know what I’m doing.” and “Wow, ipadkid, that transition was terrible.” I was willing to believe the first statement, and the second was accurate. There were so many awkward transitions between tracks that I wasn’t sure if they were intentional or not. Again, was all this a parody? I don’t know, and by the end I don’t think the audience knew.

A DJ set? A clever joke? I’m still not sure.

Klein’s DJ, DJ Chool, played a set that was so short that I wondered why he even bothered. I mentioned this to my stepdaughter, who rightly stated, “He’s just warming up for Joost.” He was both a DJ and a hype man, who was having a blast dancing around the stage for the few moments he had it to himself.

You were going to try cramming all these people into Thalia Hall?

Klein ran out on stage as soon as DJ Chool got back to his decks and the crowd went bonkers as he began with “Ome Robert” (otherwise known as the lovely ballad “Suck My Ditch, Bitch.”).

The whole show was as crazy as the opening number. Klein twice told the audience to look out for each other in the crowd and stay hydrated, once stopping before he started a new song so someone could be removed from near the front due to them being overheated.

My stepdaughter was delighted to hear “1,” and the younger folks in the crowd went nuts when he played a version of Crazy Frog’s “Axel F” while this Gen X’er was amused and baffled. I later told my stepdaughter, “I feel like I should know the story of the crazy frog.” Her response was, “It’s an old YouTube video.” I later learned it’s a Swedish animated character from Eurodance.

Other fun highlights were “Tetetetete” – a Spanish song as a salute to Cinco de Mayo, the “We can all relate to this” track “TRAFIK!” (about being stuck in traffic), and the “We can relate even more to this” cut “Capitalism :D” (about both hating and needing work).

The work hamster wheel / toilet paper roll never ends!

“Zonder Jou” and “Europapa” were other big hits for the crowd. It was a fun show, and one that hadn’t been on my radar. Klein was genuinely appreciative of the crowd and response, commenting multiple times on how he was stunned by the number of people who showed up.

Be prepared to dance, and laugh, if you can catch him. It’s a good time.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: John Digweed – Live in Brooklyn Output NYC (2017)

I’ve long been a fan of DJ John Digweed. His mixing skills are top-notch and he’s one of my biggest influences when I break out my dusty decks. You can imagine my delight when I discovered this Live in Brooklyn Output five-disc collection for sale at a Gilbert, Arizona wrecka stow for twenty bucks. It’s almost a complete eight-hour set by him.

Digweed wastes no time in getting the place moving on the first disc with thumpers like Slow Hearts‘ “Dione” (the “Alexander Aurel She Wasted the Olymp” remix) sounding like something he beamed in from a club in the year 2150. Rampa‘s “Necessity” is a good example of Digweed’s looping skills. His transition from Last of Me‘s “Circle of Life” to the “Jericho Dub” remix of King Roc‘s “The Beginning” is so subtle that you almost don’t notice it. Kevin Yost‘s “Dancer Dancer” might induce a trance.

Tripmastaz‘s “Blossomz” starts off disc two with bass designed to get your hips and shoulders shaking. You can hear the crowd cheering as he quiets Rampa‘s “The Touch” and almost turns it into a motorik track. Lopezhouse‘s “Crosses & Angels” (the “Guy J” dub featuring Angela) smoothly rolls into the “Drifter” remix of “Let Your Body Control the Beat” by ZK Bucket. Isaac Tichauer‘s “Higher Level” (the “Bicep” remix) is another lesson in beat-looping. The Justin Martin remix of Claptone‘s “The Music Got Me” ups the bass and the team-up of Adam Port (who remixes the tune) and Stereo MCs on “Changes” will possibly have you tripping by this point.

The dub version of Collective Machine and Philipp Straub‘s “Revolution of House” is an early banger on disc three and slides right into Mia Lucci‘s sexy “Audrey Hepburn.” The Nick Curly remix of “It’s Time” by Gorge goes from house to haunted house and back again. The hand percussion on Inaky Garcia and Luisen‘s “Chimisi” is a neat addition to the beats in the set. Saints & Sinners‘ “Pushin’ Too Hard” (remixed by Guy Mantzur) is a perfect “chill house” track that’s ideal for the second act of this mammoth set by Digweed. He gives you time to adjust your posture, hydrate, find another spot on the floor, or just slow down your groove for a couple moments. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

You’ll need that breather for the start of disc four and Darren Emerson‘s “Osaka rework” of “Fanfare” by Mr. Emerson, Mr. Digweed, and Muir. The hot synths and electronic hi-hat sizzle across the floor-filling beats on it. We reach a weird euphoria just a couple tracks later on the “Love Over Entropy Repatterning” (whatever that is) of Fabio Montana‘s “Ortygia.” “Chirality” by DJ Tennis is another thumping bumper of a track that practically crawls into the pajamas of Mantzur’s “Blooming Fields.”

Disc five starts with the nearly ten-minute-long “2 Miles Away” by Rodriguez Jr. I’m sure the audience at Brooklyn’s Output club were somewhere between raved-out bliss and desperately wanting and needing some eggs and hash browns by now, so Digweed gives them a late night / early morning dream track with “Jetlag” by Tiefschwarz and Ruede Hagelstein. The rolling synth-bass of André Galluzzi‘s “Bold” is great and will wake you right up if you’re dragging from dancing all night. The crowd is still cheering, whistling, and jumping during Citizenn‘s “Confide.” They give him a loud send-off as he closes with Ian O’Donovan‘s “Seeker.”

It’s a stunning recording, and a clinic on how to put together a mammoth set.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: 9 Hours Ahead – Smooth Sailing EP

I’m guessing 9 Hours Ahead got their name from the time difference between the two members – Breeze in Amsterdam and Namastrange in San Francisco. Together, they put together their Smooth Sailing EP and, despite the time difference, created one of the best house music records of 2026 so far.

The title track uses seagull cries, looped hand percussion beats, and undeniably catchy beats to get you moving. The breakdown and comeback in the middle of the track is so slick you might fall off your boat and into the ocean from it.

“Meridian Space” bumps and thumps with thick bass drum hits and then the even thicker synth bass drops in so thick you could spread it on your pancakes. “Transatlantic Dreams” is probably another reference to the time and space gap between the two DJ pals, and it’s a killer cut suitable for dancing, action sequences, and HIIT workouts. I love the old school synth blasts in it.

The EP ends with the Bliss Inc. remix of “Meridian Space” that makes the beats snappier and the bass a bit menacing while adding what sound like alien transmissions to the track.

Add this to a few of your playlists. You’ll dig it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Harbour Music Society.]

Review: Enduser – Unquiet

After moving to Stockholm, Sweden, drum and bass / techno / breakbeat producer and D Enduser had to adjust to the extreme changes in seasons there: Long periods of darkness, long periods of sunlight, extreme cold, perfect sunny days. The experience was, I’m guessing, unsettling at first. This might’ve led to the title of his new album, Unquiet, which is anything but quiet.

Starting with “Trial By Fire,” Enduser immediately begins layering beats and rhythms with trip-hop sounds to ignite something under your feet and in your chest. The “Lost” mix of “Turning Point” could be the theme music to your new favorite streaming TV show about a mysterious organization or town or a group of hackers. The beats of “Northern Tribe” slither and sizzle with drone synths behind them. “Broken Branch” is pure industrial fury and menace. The “Decay” mix of “Waiting,” believe it or not, brightens things up a bit with lighter synths and bouncier beats.

“Street Lamp” has an Orbital-like quality to it with its big drums and soft synths. The “Homemade Weapons” remix of “Where I Found You” is another standout with big, thumping bass and lurking synths. Nowan‘s remix of “Northern Tribe” makes the song, somehow, bolder and brasher. SCRWZ‘s remix of “Cabin Fever” will get the whole place jumping.

Another thing I like about Unquiet is, much like Enduser’s Swedish landscape, it gives the songs room to breathe. The shortest song on the record, the album mix of “Where I Found You,” is just under five minutes in lengths. Most songs are at least six minutes long. They change shape, stretch, retract, and pull you in different directions – to the dance floor, a shadowy corner, a warm bedroom, a cold forest. It’s meant to upset the quiet around you but also help you appreciate it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Ksu from Discipline PR.]