Josh Messer – Saint Audio

Festival Report: Mamby On The Beach 2017

There’s something to be said about a festival when you can look back on it a week later and remember only the highlights of it. Mamby On The Beach finally hit the mark that it feels like React Presents has been trying to hit with its festivals for a few years now, and it’s because… [continued]
Festival Rundown: Mamby On The Beach 2017

Mamby has cemented itself as a rare experience in downtown Chicago that people, by and large, seem genuinely excited about each time it comes around. Revived by React in 2015 from its block party roots of yesteryear, the move was initially met with skepticism — people were confused about everything from React’s involvement to the… [continued]
Festival Report: Spring Awakening Music Festival 2017

In its sophomore year at Addams-Medill Park, Spring Awakening came into its own, while still pinging off the glass ceiling of top quality that they’ve managed to hit for Mamby in the same amount of time. The list of issues is short but presented themselves up front: there was a shortage of water stations, some… [continued]
Festival Rundown: Spring Awakening Music Festival 2017

Entering into its sophomore year in Addams-Medill Park, Spring Awakening has conveniently cemented itself as Chicago’s big brand electronic music festival. Having been forced from Soldier Field after 2015 due to the Copa America, React Presents wasted no time last year in making Addams-Medill their own for the purposes of SAMF, making the most of… [continued]
The Makk Tape

On August 29th, 2016, Orlando suffered an untimely loss of a truly special artist and person. Samisoni Koroitamudu, known as Big Makk, passed away in a car accident, along with friend Gady “Too Late” Gaspard. Makk’s passing occurred days before he was to release his EP, The Makk Tape. A founding member of the “Shake and Bass”… [continued]
Festival Report: Spring Awakening Music Festival 2016

Ok, ok, we get it — EDM is dead. We’ve only been talking about it being dead since late 2013 now. The festival scene, particularly in America, never got that memo, at least not until relatively recently. Spring Awakening has been hailed for its entire five-year history as the premier EDM festival in Chicago city limits, and while… [continued]
Essentials: “Open Fire” – Slumberjack ft. Daniel Johns

Slumberjack have, appropriately, remained sleeper favorites of mine since the Australian duo first grabbed my attention a little more than a year ago with a trap sound that was unlike anyone else’s at the oversaturated time. True to their talents, they’ve grown beyond genre definition, crafting a lush and exciting soundscape with “Open Fire.” Daniel Johns‘… [continued]
Essentials: “Burn The Witch” – Radiohead

They’re back. “Burn The Witch” features a video directed by Chris Hopewell, a claymation affair paying tribute to horror classic, The Wicker Man. Without too much judgement, the record sounds like In Rainbows-era Radiohead, with the mounting tension and intensity to match. This is a good one. Watch the video and peep the single artwork below.… [continued]
Album Review: Views – Drake

After a few listens of Views, a few things are clear. 1) Drake is still very much Drake. 2) He can do a narrative album well enough. 3) He surrounds himself with a team of the people best suited to make the type of music he envisions, and 4) For as much as he fancies himself… [continued]
Chicago is America’s Festival City in 2016

Don’t let the proclamation in the headline deceive you: there are gobs, literal dozens, of great American music festivals outside of Chicago. In the same breath, there is also no denying that with seven major-billing music festivals, and at least a half dozen smaller options, Chicago has in 2016 ascended to a top-ranked spot as a… [continued]