- Every so often, Christopher Rau releases a record as Rhythmus Günther, distancing himself from Smallville associations for a wilder take on house. Raw, chunky and unbuckled, his best tracks for the project, such as the crude "Common Loud," deviate from Rau's subtle atmospheres with a dirtier attitude. Keeping up the extroversion, Three Strikes Out, Rhythmus Günther's third record, is an unconventional homage to multiple Chicago music scenes. It's also some of Rau's most exciting work yet.
The EP is split in mood: one side is pounding but groovy, the other is thrillingly warped. "Skunk Burner" is the former, a dreamy deep house track whose drums are shamelessly rough. That physicality continues on the B-side, but Rau takes it to other places. "N20" (the chemical compound for nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas) is utterly infectious. Touching on ghetto house, its chopped and unruly beat is constantly slapped by brash, rhythmic callouts of "HA-HA," but the early momentum is eventually lost in a washy lack of direction. Same goes for "Booze Beauty," a DJ Rashad-like footwork track whose flying delirium takes a few odd turns. Despite the moments of structural confusion, one thing's for sure: these ideas are electric.
TracklistA1 Skunk Burner
B1 N20
B2 Booze Beauty