Jason Kendig Thinks There's No Such Thing as Too Much Atmospheric Techno

Whether it's for playing out at a club or listening at home, DJs and producers typically have an encyclopedic hoard of music, new and old. In The Last Record, they tell us about the last three songs or albums they've purchased, and why these were important additions to their music collection.

This week, we spoke with Jason Kendig of Honey Soundsystem and Smartbar. Tonight, Kendig returns to Queen! at Smartbar before heading off to Europe for a string of Honey Soundsystem shows. Earlier this fall, Kendig released a remix of Beesmunt Soundsystem's "Sensual Works" and a remix of Heretic and Buran's "Revile" on Roam Recordings.

I stopped by Gramaphone Records in Chicago the other day for the record release party for The Black Madonna. Her new single, "He Is The Voice I Hear," is a 10+ minute disco-inflected excursion with a dramatic intro, stomping beat, and infectious bassline. She really stepped up the production with this one by working with session musicians who performed the live instrumentations over the track. And it's very effective on the dance floor.

While I was at the shop, I was able to pick up a copy of the latest offering from Savile. Another Chicago-based producer, his track "Effort Won't Betray You" has been a staple in almost every set I've played since he initially shared the file with me. It hooks you in from the first synth stab and never lets up through it's various twists and turns. And it lends itself to creative mixing on the fly. Plus being able to support a friend's art and add a physical copy of a record to my collection is always a bonus.

I also scooped up the latest album by Skudge called Balancing Point. I'm a sucker for atmospheric techno and this one strikes all the right chords for me. It's deep, dubby, and propulsive. At times, it's dark and ominous, yet there's still a warmth that permeates throughout the collection of tracks. Looking forward to playing these out!