- The expression ‘diamond in the rough’ is good for record shopping – you wade through the oceans of mediocre music out there and finally stumble across a real corker of a tune you never knew existed. Three young men from Chicago have been working this metaphor for all it’s worth: Brian Ffar, Billy Dalessandro, Daniel Mnookin (or “Mnooooooooooookin” as some pronounce it) even call their label ‘Siteholder’ – a moniker given to a corporation that owns a diamond mine (hopefully without the use of child labor). Likewise, they’re three young producers who don't just put out any old detrius, instead they wait patiently till they find a bit of gold, and the second release on the label, the ‘Mining for Rough EP’, is a stellar example.
Billy Dalessandro’s ‘That Trick She Knows’ on the A-side is a bass-heavy track with a slight vocal and a definite bigroom tool. Quite complex with various pieces and parts added and subtracted throughout, it chugs along until the break, which consists of short, cascading sounds (tough to describe!) that serves as a great point to start your next mix. Pay close attention to every bar on this one, or you’ll miss out on a lot of detail.
On the flip, Brian Ffar’s ‘Red Cape Resistance’ is a much deeper tune that would work wonders in a dark club in the later portions of the night. For my money this is the stand out of the three: it’s dirty, glitchy, yet subtle, and has a spooky feel that would cause any sub-woofer to have an epileptic fit. Guaranteed to freak the stuffing out of anyone that is off it around 4 a.m.
‘Chasers’ by Slutbox (aka Daniel Mnookin) has the most Chicago feel to it. Consistently jacking, it would work wonderfully as a tool mixed in and out with something else, or just by itself as you build up your set. There’s not much of a crescendo here, but that’s no matter, it’s a versatile cut that’ll fill the role you want it to play.
Overall, it’s one gem of a record! (Yes, I’ll admit that is a metaphor too far…)
TracklistA Billy Dalessandro - That Trick She Knows
B1 Brian Ffar- Red Cape Resistance
B2 Slutbox - Chasers