I recently found out that vocalist Jenna G was visiting my hometown of Valparaiso, Indiana (near Chicago), so I was keen to find out what the heck was she doing in the Hoosier land of cornfields and basketball hoops. Thankfully, Jenna was all class and amicably eased my curiosity...K: So what brings you to Chicagoland (in Valparaiso of all places)? J: I'm in the States spending long over due time with my amazing friend and their gorgeous family. She’s been trying to get me out for a while, bu...

Continuing my investigation into the German Jungle/Drum 'N Bass scene, I was referred to Vali NME Click. As a pioneer in the scene, he has contributed much to its prosperity. I took some time to connect with Vali and discuss the entirety of his Jungle/DNB-related activities...M: Hi Vali. Please introduce yourself to our readers. V: I´m Vali, 46 years old, residing in Berlin but grew up in Ulm, Germany. I run the only German Hardcore & Jungle label Parallax Recordings and the events of the sam...

I have been a fan of Christine Ingaldson aka Flutter since the 2000's with her classic album Toys in Coin Machines. It's been awhile since she released any music, so I decided to reach out to her to do a deep dive. She had plenty to share.K: How did you get your start in music? F: I started piano just before I turned five years old and studied oboe in fifth grade throughout high school. Then I started private voice lessons and was in choir in college. That’s when I saw a flyer for a Shoegaze ...

A prominent artist of Chicago’s 3rd wave of House music, Change Request aka Andrew Emil, is a respected fixture and familiar face in the city's vibrant and diverse music scene. A concert-trained percussionist since age 11, he earned a chair in his native Kansas City Symphony before moving to Chicago in the late '90s to commence a thriving relationship with the city's ever-evolving House music aesthetic. As a traditional musician, Andrew has worked as a keyboardist, arranger, and orchestrator ...

Everybody knows about the famed Detroit-Berlin connection when it comes to Techno. But what about Jungle/Drum'N'Bass? I did some digging and got to the core with veteran MC Jamie White...K: Hi Jamie. How are you? I am a Chicago writer documenting the growth of Drum'N'Bass in Berlin/Germany. J: Hi Kahlil, sounds interesting. How come you’re focusing on the Berlin scene? K: Because all we ever hear about in The States is Berlin Techno. I want to learn about (the history of) Berlin Drum'N' Bass....

On September 3, 2023, I attended the Jungle got Soul event in Chicago - hosted by the dnbid crew (DJ’s Stunna, Subverb, Renan, Skrimshaw and Occum's Razor):fb.me/dnbidThree sets in, I was impressed by the ambient sounds of DJ Toyacoyah. I looked her up online to learn more about her and saw that she was a member of the Comanche Nation - a rarity, so I decided to have an impromptu dialog with her at the bar where we dished on raves vs. pow-wows, West Coast DJ culture, Brazilian jungle/drum ‘n ...

Komprezzor, aka Raul Ignacio Rodriguez, is a hardware and modular-based techno artist and live performer. Originally from Mexico City, he has called Chicago home for over 20 years. I first caught him playing live at the Hardware party in the Liar's Club. I saw him again at the Rage In The Cage boat party. I decided to do a deeper dive and chat with him a bit. He's got plenty of stories and shit to say...Hardware 2.0K: So, you're originally from where? Chicago or Mexico City? R: No, dude, I'm ...

DJ Azúcar, aka Signey Hernandez-Melendez, is a Chicago-based DJ.This very talented, self-described "regular guy who loves music and enjoys sharing that love with everyone" has a natural affinity for Latin music and its diverse range of genres and House music with lots of percussion and African and Caribbean influence. His sets also include music from the 70′s & 80′s as well as Techno and its derivatives. Signey got his start in his hometown of Moca, a small town in the northwest region of Pue...

I recently attended the Junglistic event and ran into Kittenbear. She's a sweet and interesting person, so I decided to get to know her better...

PHANTOM 45, aka Brian Sarpalius, is a legendary Chicago-based DJ/Producer who began his storied career in 1987. He is well known for cham...