Twosyllable records might be based in New York City, but founder Zach Pollakoff spent his fair share of time in Chicagoland and like a lot of music fans was enthralled by the discovery of an "underground scene." "I was able to pull back the curtain on another underground I didn’t know existed […] I started attending basement shows in Highland Park and Northbrook. Hardcore kids raised on Naked Raygun and Big Black playing loud. That wasn’t exactly my scene, but as I delved deeper I learned that genre was no boundary to the underground", he explains in the press release for the
Chicago Cassette Compilation.
Almost ten years later Zach's label releases a 7" by local band
Distractions and another curtain is pulled back. "We slowly began discovering an intricate network of friends, musicians, small record and tape labels, DIY venues, bands, and music. We learned, in working with them, that every member of Distractions had their own musical project. And every member of those projects had their own, and so on."
The result of this recent discovery is a truly eclectic 18 track collection of songs, from ethereal pop and indie rock, to lo-fi punk and electronic experimentation, featuring some of the most compelling artist in Chicago's thriving underground. "The music ranges genres, but is on the whole homemade."
If you're not familiar with any or all of the artists featured on the mix, we highly recommend you pick up a copy and check them out. Wether you're dipping your toe in the city's music scene or diving into the deep end, this comp won't do you wrong.
Many of the featured artists have graced the
saki stage since we opened last summer, so we couldn't be happier to have this collection on the shelf.
