Ike Release inaugurates Smart Bar label Northside ‘82

The new label from the seminal Chicago club will release the local artist’s Dance Equations EP next month.

Anyone with a passing interest in the legacy of house music should be familiar with Smart Bar. The Chicago venue has stood the test of time long after such infamous clubs as Power Plant and The Music Box came and went, and it came to be synonymous with the later half of Frankie Knuckles’ career as well as supporting emergent local talent. Immortalised by references in all manner of genres (including a Sonic Youth live album from 1985), the club continues to be a relevant force with The Black Madonna having recently taken over talent-buying duties and encouraging progressive gender and sexuality programming at a time when the topic is never far from news streams.

As Resident Advisor reports, the club is now making the move into the world of recorded music with the launch of Northside ’82. Referencing the location of the venue within the Chicago area and the year it opened its doors, the first release keeps things close to home with a forthright single from local machine-basher Ike Release. There is certainly a familiar Chi-town thump powering the three tracks on the single, while Release’s off-kilter tendencies still have space to seep in amongst the beats. You can sample the tracks in the player below ahead of the physical release in July. The digital will follow up one month later.

Northside ’82 will release Dance Equations EP by Ike Release on July 3.

Tracklisting:

A1. Dance Equations
B1. Bijou
B2. Direct Current