- Vintage-sounding but fresh electro and techno from one of Chicago's most crucial selectors.
- Mark Grusane—selector, producer, label head and one-time owner of the esteemed South Side shop Mr. Peabody Records—is a treasured member of Chicago's house and disco scene whose relationship with the dance floor goes back to the '80s. As a DJ, he serves up refined, eclectic grooves with depth and technical prowess, a smooth but almost surgical precision. These same qualities define his productions, and Grusane's latest release for Rush Hour, Dance Intensity, is a prime example of what's great about his work.
The EP storms out the gate with the title track, clocking in at 122 BPM, with a churning synth arp and chugging 909 as the backbone. Dubbed-out, echoing vocals from both Grusane and guest Amiruz phase in and out of the mix with an almost psychedelic timbre, telling a fragmented story of a dominatrix restraining a man against the wall of a dark, steamy packed club that just wants to dance. The B1, "Klub Nacht" picks up the speed and builds off of the momentum of "Dance Intensity" with an infectious flurry of 16th-note arpeggios and half-rapped vocals by Grusane—a nostalgic nod to the classic electro-funk of Egyptian Lover—about clubbing in Berlin, replete with sampled sounds of the city's rail system.
"The Next Ride" finishes off the EP with an afterhours wind down, but the intensity is still there. These are slow, dark and sleazy rhythms with pulsating synth syncopations. Like the other two tracks, "The Next Ride" offers a modern take on the classic hallmarks of vintage electro, wave, synth pop and disco from someone who grew up around these scenes as they matured, and still delivers authentic dance music today. That's why Grusane remains one of Chicago's most beloved gems, not only a crucial selector but a talented producer, too.
Tracklist01. Dance Intensity feat. Amiruz
02. Klub Nacht
03. The Next Ride