Mary Susan Littlepage

If Tom Stephan aka Superchumbo plays a DJ set similar to the one on his "These Beats Are" mixed CD, he'll fuel clubbers with plenty of energy on the dance floor, and he'll play a little something for everyone. On the disk, Stephan starts with Sessamato's energetic, vocal-friendly "I Need Somebody," which has a tech-house feel, and he gets the party moving with Trattner's and Galvan's "La Zonca Blanca," a trancey-tribal number with stomping beats and clicky, hypnotic percussion. Also, Stephan's Superchumbo song, "This Beat Is" (Peace Division mix), has even more chugging, slamming beats that get the hips shaking. Like the looped vocal goes, "This beat is all over my body," and then the vocal climaxes with dark intensity into the trippy, throbbing "Demented (or Just Crazy)" by Carl Craig and edited by Laurent Garnier. As trippy sounds keep that acid-trip feel flowing, Bond Servants' "Mochico 7.5" blends with jacking beats and a good party vibe. Other highlights: DK8's "Murder Was The Bass" pleases with its nasty-hard beats, squelchy streaks, siren sounds and dark, dirtylicious vibes throughout; Carl Cox's "Moroccan Chant" (Eric Powell mix) is blessed with energizingly hard beats and shuffly, organic, percussive textures woven seamlessly around the beats; and Roman S's "Work These Speakers" features swooping, spacy, trancey soundscapes, which, when paired with the powerful, pulsing beats, put the song on the low-cheese end of the progressive house and trance-techno spectrum. Like I said: there should be something for everyone.

Tom Stephan, Yousef and Chris Santiago play the Spundae party December 18 at Vision, 632 North Dearborn, (312)2661944.

(2004-12-14)

Also by Mary Susan Littlepage

Sweet science
Classically trained pianist Simko translates her soothing character into dainty-sweet, polished, emotional-sounding ambient techno music
(2004-11-17)

The Dallas-Chicago connection
Some of the country's most talented house-music producers live or used to live in Dallas
(2004-11-17)

STEP RIGHT UP
The game is called "High Strike," and a sign in Union Park reads, "Give us two minutes a month. We'll give you a better world."
(2002-06-20)

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