These are mixes made by the current members of Research & Development, Makeen, Shanti, Zona Cinco, Dan B Hood and JS Alvarez

Mixes by R&D members

https://soundcloud.com/monger-dc
https://soundcloud.com/dead-channel-records
Louisville based producer Monger, label boss at Dead Channel Records, lands on Research & Development with an hour full of mutant electronics. A staple of the Midwest scene for years, and co-founder of the cult wave night ‘Moderne’ in Cincinnati, along with Keith Frey and Kevin Frey, his varied selections fuse seamlessly between weirdo acid, scum electro scorchers, broken gutter techno, minimal synth and early EBM. The label hosts the acclaimed Decomposition mix series as well as a slew of cutting edge artists at the forefront of experimental dance music including Chris Mitchell, Acidic Male, Galactic Funk’s Bertram, L/F/D/M, Keith&Kevin, MANASYt, ccciclo, TANS, TLXCO, and many more.

RND 066 - Monger

https://soundcloud.com/lanny-mpls
https://soundcloud.com/kajunga
Lanny is a Minneapolis-based DJ and a member of Kajunga Records. 
His style revolves around heady, minimalist, and consistent grooves, and this mix is no exception. This mix features tracks by artists such as T++, Damon Wild, Rene Wise, Cari Lekebusch, and Autokinetic.

RND 075 - Lanny

Photo by Justin Aulis Long
https://soundcloud.com/justin-aulis-long
Justin Aulis Long is a sonic sorcerer, urban Homeric poet, and cosmic wanderer that exists within the liminal spaces where light meets dark. Long is the offspring of a gorgon, conceived within a brick and mortar labyrinth while surrounded by the supernatural electronic voices of angelic forces.

While engaging in themes of the uncanny and erotic, Long opens thresholds which lead to psychedelic realms during communal dance gatherings. Applications of sonic alchemy during ritual action generate vibrant forces created through collective effervescence, causing a bubbling over of ecstatic energy leading to rapture. During the rite, incantations are expressed through fusing a swarm of aural fragments composed from diverse temperaments by way of a personal and singular technique.Sacred objects (records), selector’s tools (turntables and mixer), body, spirit, harmonic and discordant voices unify and become one - The Soft Machine.

During a ritual performance, phonic collages are created intuitively on sight, sigils are aurally direct with specific intent, and offerings are bestowed before an alter, all charged by an engine of chaos. Time and space unravels while normality ruptures and disintegrates as foundational structures of the status quo are dismantled through intensive executions, founded in the practices surrounding musical selection.

RND 088 - Justin Aulis Long

https://soundcloud.com/djlilovmg
Coming in at just under an hour, is Indianapolis based, DJ Lilo's deep and heavy techno contribution to Research & Development. DJing for almost 4 years now, Lilo has always had a hand in music. Their focus is to create strong imagery through music and let the listener's imagination run away with them.

RND 091 - DJ Lilo

https://soundcloud.com/sneakerdj
Sneaker has been on a mission to reveal the origins of electronic music for more than twenty years now. Whether as a producer or DJ – Sneaker is doing it properly but always after careful consideration. He loves music which imparts atmosphere and attitude towards life, even in a parodying way that doesn’t take itself too serious. Early on, he fell in love with Detroit and Chicago but furthermore there are the obscure Italo, new wave and minimal synth gems that make his sets and Dunkeltier edits special and provide his productions with that edgy Sneaker flavor.

If he doesn’t ponder on the history of dance music, the graduate of Fine Arts shuttles extensively between his part-time-hometowns Berlin and Dresden, where he operates the TailOut mastering studios with long-time collaborator Jacob Korn. He remixed classic EBM and minimal synth bands such as Twilight Ritual, Esplendor Geométrico, Absolute Body Control, S.M. Nurse, De Fabriek and Click Click on his contributions on Frigio, based in Madrid, Bahnsteig 23 and the Macadam Mambo Edits label from Lyon.

In regards to this particular mix: 
This is the other view, the cold hand of ragged whities, this is the answer to a question not asked, these dots were never connected in 33 years (the earliest pick dating back to the UK in 1990).
Records from Germany, Italy, Finland, Holland, Switzerland, Austria - they all contribute to this woven fabric.
A bunch of my own joints sneaked in, plus a track (indeed done in a tracker in the early 2000s) by my best buddy Jacob Korn (we run tailout.de).

Be sure to catch Sneaker while he's on his current US tour including an appearance at Podlassie Club on January 26th 2024 alongside Beau Wanzer and Jonathan Valdez!

RND 098 - Sneaker

https://soundcloud.com/sardashhh
A self-described "rave-generalist", Sard is a DJ, producer, and Live PA artist living in Detroit. Combining his passion for perfect dancefloors and the deeper technical aspects of dance music, his performances and productions have maintained a steady placement in the Midwest and beyond. Sard channels a life dedicated to music study into his sound, blending influences of North American techno and rhythms from abroad. His releases on Fixed Rhythms, PPRZ, Amphiboly, and Codec Recordings have been played globally by friends and heroes alike.

RND 099 - Sard

https://soundcloud.com/merrickb
Merrick Brown — a vinyl virtuoso and mixing maestro — boasts three decades behind the decks and leads the way as one of Chicago's finest underground selectors. A favorite of both DJs and dancers, Merrick's multi-genre sets weave their way through deep house, broken beat, UKG, bass, electro, techno and beyond with psychedelic twists and tantalizing turns. With deep roots in rave and a love for everything Detroit, he's a sonic explorer that uncovers unheard gems while connecting the dots across genres. Beyond his role as a DJ, he's the visionary behind esteemed cult labels Tektite Recordings and Chalant Music, as well as contributing his own productions and remixes to respected imprints like Harmonious Discord, Denied Music, Safe in Sound, and Aathee Records. Catch him spinning across Chicago and the Midwest (including this year's The Great Beyond), where every set promises the unexpected.

Tracklist:
Mount Kimbie - Satellite 9
Al Wootton - Snake Dance
Rrose - Spore
Ivy Lab - Mild Snake
Parris & Untold - Lip Locked
96 Black - Laco (Metrist Reworm)
Nikki Nair & DJ ADHD - Fidget Spinner
Bodhi - Popit
Posthuman - Mosquito
Cocktail Party Effect - Fixing the Roof
Imogen - In Bed With My 808
Manao - Control
Bass Junkie - Blast Them To Infinity!
DJ Bone - R.I.D.E.
EQD - 010B
Mount Kimbie - Zone 1 (24 Hours)
Yoofee - Make You Believe (K-Lone Remix)
Bianca Oblivion/Onhell - Sinais (Glitch Mob Remix)
Special Request - Killa Beez
Cesco - GITP
Losco/Onhell - Carnal
Rohaan - Easy For Them
Soukah - Windowlicka
Saule - Objekts
Anna Kost - Seasick
Mia Koden - Racket
Toumba - Janoob
DJ NK - Mete Chuva Muita Chuva
Vladimir Dubyshkin - Adrenochrome Breakfast
Oyubi - Taiko 160
Morelia - Eat It
DJ Godfather & DJ Starski - City Of Boom
Clafrica - Smoke A Sack
Privacy - Sword
Assembler Code & Jensen Interceptor - Xtro
Diner’s Club International - Track #1
Dylan Beale - Tri-Fusion
Laksa - Mind
Piezo - 4e4u
Kai Campos - Quartz (DJ Stingray Remix)
British Murder Boys - Now, This Is You
Blawan - Don’t You Dare Squawk At Me
Carrier - Markers
Batu - Other Means
KW - Paste
Re:ni - Burst Trap
Stolen Velour - Ulysses
Blame - Infinity Drums
Sister Zo - Chop Dat
Roll Dann - Cinquenta Segundos
Symbiosis - Terra
Oscean - Echoes of Chaos
Answer Code Request/Amotik - LED
Tammo Hesselink - Function as Foils
Vril - Boom To The Moon
Fields of Mist - Orbital Mist

RND 107 - Merrick Brown

Dan B Hood (He/They/She) is a Chicago based Artist, DJ, and smartbar’s Lighting Designer. Inspired by construction sites, bathhouses and ‘acid heads’, Dan navigates raw textures and atmospheres to create momentary sensory escapes. They have released mixes on Mutant Radio, Bleak Narrative, and previously hosted a show on My House, Your House. As a new resident of Research & Development they are eager to continue community building by making spaces for dancers and artists to experiment and expand our growing network of like-minded folks across the planet.

RND 117 - Dan B Hood

https://soundcloud.com/camillespectrae
Camille Spectrae started taking shape by the end of 2020. His fascination for music and his passion for showing the world the wonders of it is the main motivation for which this project comes to life.

However, while searching for his own sound and a quality worth seeing, he becomes visible throughout 2022 with brief presentations at Asilo Bar, Aftermood & The Lab Sessions.

His characteristic sounds ranges from EBM to a more visceral sound as with Industrial beats. From the purest and most refined Dark Wave notes, to the most euphoric and frenetic sounds of Gothic Rock and Post Punk, thus sharing stages with Ultra Sunn, Dvctape, Twin Tribes, Lebanon Hanover, Mind|Matter amongst others.

Camille Spectrae not only has an intriguing and captivating visual, but he is also capable of blending ethereal sounds, creating new atmospheres where chaos reigns, shaping an emotional violence with aggressive melodies by immersing his audience into a void of delusion, ecstasy and euphoria.

RND 118 - Camille Spectrae

Electric is the only way to describe Andi’s sets. The specific dynamism the NYC-based DJ and producer constructs is an intoxicating flow that is always palpable between the walls of the foggy, neon-lit dancefloor. Parts sleaze and sultry, Andi’s aesthetic is body music based, thriving on the delivery of the groove and the bombastic highs of a track’s apex. As a devotee of distinct sounds such as EBM, new beat, Italo, and freestyle—with hints of housey 90s elements—her sets reflect her deep vinyl collection: diverse, yet focused, and completely one-of-a-kind. Further, as the boss of SYNTHICIDE—the internationally known party, label and event series—Andi has cultivated the dark underground scene for over a decade in Brooklyn. 


Her own productions aim to challenge the expectations within the confines of traditionally masculine dance genres. With bassline-heavy grooves and a conceptual emphasis on storytelling with samples taken from long-forgotten erotic thrillers and seedy sci-fi films, Andi adds a wry yet delicate touch to machine music. Andi has released on aufnahme + wiedergabe, Mecanica, Mannequin, and Curses’ Next Wave Acid Punx Deux compilation. Most recently, she contributed a track to Dischi Autunno's Intermezzo Tre compilation with the track "End Program."

This mix was a recorded set for Dykes of Darkness in San Francisco on October 12th

RND 119 - Andi

https://soundcloud.com/zona_cinco
Pronouns: she/her
Zona Cinco got her start at Rice University's radio station KTRU which always pushed their DJ's and audience out of their comfort zone. Avoiding repeats was not just encouraged but at times enforced which pushed their DJs to venture out into the other thousands of cd's and records in the studio. This single-handedly changed her life's trajectory and to this day influences her approach to DJing. She started playing house parties and then went on to play proper venues, festivals and even a Boiler Room set. When she visited Chicago in 2016 for the first time and attended Smartbar, her trajectory took yet another change. She knew she had to move to Chicago did so in 2018. 

Since then she's played many of Chicago's favored venues including the now defunct Danny's, Exit, Berlin and others still going strong like Thalia Hall, Podlasie, and Smartbar including a special supporting role opening for the late, legendary Silent Servant. She's DJed and thrown many DIY parties, and recently has become a resident of both Mictlan and Research and Development. 
"I love this city and I feel blessed to feel that love in return."

RND 121 - Zona Cinco

https://soundcloud.com/minamills333
Mina Mills is a Chicago based DJ and producer from Des Moines, Iowa.

RND 123 - Mina Mills

https://soundcloud.com/cyberfab
Fabiola is an NYC-based, Detroit-rooted DJ/producer who digs deep into the archive of dance music. Her style is versatile + cheeky with depths of acid and bass. From listening sessions to sweaty dance floors, Fabiola’s sound is known to be eclectic and expansive. Regardless of time or space, Fabiola holds a strong midwestern flare to every set.
Track List:
Dial’Afreaq - Erykah Badu
Machines 2003 - Techmaster P.E.B.
Cellular Phone - Dopplereffekt
Call Me - Bileebob
Phone Home - B. Calloway
Artificial Intelligence - Detroit Grand Pubahs
Dial-A-Freak - The Egyptian Lover
Obscene Phone Caller - Rockwell
The Telephone Call - Kraftwerk
Cuties get connected - Domino
Teknphone - Tekniq
When Can I Call You (Frankie Bones & Tommy Musto British Telecom Mix) - Lisa Lee
Bullet Train (the men from P.A.C.K. remix) - Japanese Telecom
I Fear The Night (Original Subterranean Club 12" Mix) - Tyree Feat. Chic
Toi Et Moi - Pal Joey; Papa Stomp
Behind the Wall - MBRS
Call Me Mr Telephone (Street Dub) - Answering Service
No Estas - Isamar & Compania
4 Who Is It (Uk Club Mix) - Mantronix
Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey) -De La Soul
Toy Box - Insane Clown Posse
Circles - Yendri
Gaslighter - Download
Show Me Love (Fabricated Remix) - t.A.T.u.
Fact 2 - POISON GIRL FRIEND
7th Message - Prefuse 73
Be Yourself - Logic System
When Sly Calls (Don't Touch That Phone) - Michael Franks

RND 124 - Fabiola

https://soundcloud.com/lonefront
Lonefront, aka Ross Hutchens, is a producer, DJ and live performer based in Minneapolis. His sets focus on extradimensional techno, which is also charcacteristic of the music released on his label, Uncoiled. 
https://soundcloud.com/uncoiled

RND 125 - Lonefront

Black Light Smoke is the electronic music moniker of Jordan Lieb -
producer, songwriter, and Daytime Emmy Award winning film and tv
composer. Chicago born, Jordan transplanted to New York City in 2001
where his career as a multi-disciplined musician has taken flight in many
forms. In 2024 he returned once again to his native Chicago.
Black Light Smoke first lit up the dance music scene in 2010 with his EPs
“Lovework” and “Switch Back” (Scissor & Thread), which were spurred on
by a remix from DJ T and a spot on Andrew Weatherall’s Masterpiece. In the

following decade he put out a wide range of records, including the synth-
drenched EP “Firefly” (2014), two tracks from which were featured in Ana

Lily Amirpour’s 2016 indie cult film “The Bad Batch”. Black Light Smoke
has showcased his wide breadth of influences - from techno, darkwave and
italo disco - with releases on Zone Music (France), hafendisko, Nein Records
and more. In 2025 he released his EP “CONTROL” on Tiga’s Turbo
Recordings, bringing together his techno, EBM, and electroclash influences
for his strongest record yet.

In 2020 Black Light Smoke launched his own imprint, Death Decay Magic, a
platform for dark techno, EBM, post-punk and wave genres. With tracks
from The Hacker, Cardopusher, Dina Summer, Filmmaker, himself and many
others, Death Decay Magic has received praise and support from the likes of DJ Hell, Laurent Garnier, Green Velvet, Jeniffer Cardini, Silent Servant,
Bloody Mary and more.

Black Light Smoke has performed his unique live set around the globe,
including Fabric in London, Boiler Room, Robot Heart, the BPM festival in
Mexico, and in many cities across North America.

"For this mix I focused primarily on driving, somewhat abstract techno. I wanted to bring myself and the listener to a place of concrete rhythms and unrelenting drums, while keeping an eye on the open-ended mystery of space."

Tekra - Skogafoss
Surgeon - First (Outline Mix) (Len Faki Hardspace Mix)
Dispar Vulgo - Daydreams of a Megalomaniac
Cardao - Phenomena
Yan Cook - Invisible Force
Alberto Tolo - Empty Mind
Oscar Mulero - Covered In Sand
Justyn Nell - Two Steps Ahead
Ø [Phase], Phyxix, MATRiXXMAN - Psykhosis
Alberto Tolo - Skills Drop
Arthur Robert - Safety
DJ Dextro - Stripe 82
Diego Amura - Pattern 02
Stef Mendesidis - Profiler
SIIE -À - Travers

RND 127 - Black Light Smoke

ZONA CINCO - MICTLAN - VOL 4

https://soundcloud.com/arvin_t
Raised in the Metro Detroit area, and now based in New York’s dynamic music scene after time well spent in Chicago; Arvin is a DJ and producer who has been making waves on dancefloors in recent years. A frequent collaborator with the long-running dark dance party Synthicide. His presence has extended across many iconic dance floors both locally and internationally, such as Basement, Good Room, La Machine Moulin Rouge, and Badaboum. He has also established himself as a resident at NY legend Eli Escobar's hot new club; Gabriela.

RND 129 -  Arvin T

https://soundcloud.com/blackclubfm
Straight from Chicago, BLACKCLUB is a duo reinventing rave culture. Formed in 2023 by Tito Barbosa and Givens, their sets invite dancers to travel to the roots of 90s techno and house, while distilling a soulful groove and unstoppable rave. 
A true experiment in a new vision of underground dance, the duo have already lit up the dancefloors from Chicago to Europe, notably alongside LSDXOXO, Robert Hood, DJ Assault.
Their name is on everyone’s lips and their music is already being heard on the playlists of the world’s top DJs.

RND 130 - BLACKCLUB

We are thrilled to present this mix by Chicago based JS Alvarez for our 39th entry in the series. Both Adam and I admire what Jeremy contributes to the music scene with their podcast and event series Research & Development.

JS Alvarez is a shape shifting lizard that has learned human behavior from living in cities such as Chicago and Miami. He succumbs to no one genre and can be found exploring the depths of mutant techno and unruly bass music alike.

He is the founding member of Research & Development which ignited in the iconic Chicago mainstay of Smartbar. The event series has moved on to host community focused events centered on a wide variety of often cutting edge electronic sounds at venues like Podlasie Club, The Whistler and various DIY spaces. R&D also hosts a biweekly podcast 100+ episodes deep ranging from rising talents, hometown heroes and well established DJs and producers from North America and around the world.

He's shared the booth with artists such as DVS1, Veronika Vasicka, D.Dan, Hodge and others. His mixes have been featured on NTS Radio, Mutant Radio and SutroFM among others. Catch him at The Great Beyond this July! 

I was trying to find a very textured sound within the first quarter of the mix. My attempt at some sort of atmospheric sci-fi horror score followed by something a bit more hypnotic. By the end of the mix I wanted those vibes to explode into something highly rhythmic. Something to shatter what came before and get the sweat dripping off the walls. 

If you enjoyed this mix, please consider donating to JS Alvarez' organization of choice:
https://www.organizedcommunities.org/ 
https://www.organizedcommunities.org/donate

PPRZ Podcast 39 - JS Alvarez

https://soundcloud.com/zvrra
https://zvrra.bandcamp.com/album/anion
instagram.com/zvrra_ig
https://www.youtube.com/c/Zvrra

Zvrra is an American music producer and DJ known for her wide variety of techno,
house, and experimental music. Zvrra has released projects on prominent labels such
as Avian and International Chrome. After a successful run with her 2020 techno single „Dress“ and 2021 LP release „Bizzaroland,“ the DJ Producer has been performingat venues worldwide and has been a regular on international radio.

RND 134 - Zvrra

https://soundcloud.com/clownbaby
Born and raised in Indonesia, clownbaby is a DJ and club kid who grew up listening to disco, trance and electro back in his home town of Jakarta. In his teens he cut his teeth playing nightclubs around Jakarta with the Tracknetic crew before moving to Rochester NY where he started a weekly radio show called Amnesia on WRUR 88.5FM. Four years and 100 shows later, he moved to Madison and started Below - a no-frills party series that focused on underground techno and house music. Today, he continues to operate as a crate digger and DJ, always searching for the next song or party to feed his inner child.
Tracklist: 
Guido Flichman - Tres Saltos
ISA - duality
Formant Value - Funzione || [Notte Infinita Remix]
Allen Mock - DDDD2
Boy In Nature - zeitleiste(musiciseverything)
Electronic Child - Hard Work
Porter Ricks - Scuba Rondo
Glass - Spot Explorer
new.com - Epihelion
Impérieux - Fena
Betas - One That's
SSSLIP & Beton Brut - Pigeons (Noti Remix)
Brianna Paon - Floors
Andy Garvey - Mastermind (Deep Mix)
Giash - Window Song
Micawber - F7
Dawid Dahl - Erti Nakhvit
Kemmi Kamachi - Infected
Strange Contents - Parallel See See
Jasen Loveland - Composite Soul (Edit Fetish)
Plebeian - Panic (Kincaid Remix)
RALPH - Doomscrolling (RIZLA OPS Remix)
Slow83 & Gillielove - Blue Sediment
Kamyar Khanzaei - Tristful Mobster

RND 135 - Clownbaby

https://soundcloud.com/milka-vasileva
Milka is a DJ who is born in Bulgaria now based in Amsterdam. Milka fell in love with techno in Bulgaria but having lived in Chicago for ten years, Milka’s sound got developed by the underground in Chicago. Her sets focus on fostering a feeling of hypnotic therapy that is intended to put the listener under a trance like state that is meant to heal, move, and release.

RND 136 - Milka

"The context:
I am alone. I am found. I died alone. I never thought I’d be found. I am overwhelmed by memories of a dystopian existence on a collapsing planet where evil took over and subsumed good. All of the kindness evaporated and was swallowed by greed. Memories of my past life occlude my consciousness causing confusion between modes of time like a mirage. Is it the past, present, or future? I can no longer tell.

A journey through being:
Confronted by the pain of knowing but trying to exist and embrace being in the world. Did I give up too quickly? Did I fail to change reality? What did I sacrifice in order to function and live a worldly existence like everyone around me? Blinded by hedonism, the collapsing of the mind and soul into the throws of desire left me empty. I gave up. I lost myself. I returned to the comfort of despair. It’s throbbing. To live without hope is to live in despair. Was there a reprieve from it all? Distractions, pleasure, and attachments turned into a vicious cycle of yearning and loss. Accepting impermanence with a half-open heart. It never got better. It just got worse. Functioning with an ever-growing sense of doom. And now I’m here. Alone. All I have are my memories. But existing in confusion from when these memories took place. Introspection with escapism outside of time. The vicious interplay between existence and non-existence. I am left with nothing."

Opening for Rrose at Smartbar, Chicago in June utilizing 4 CDJs and a V10 mixer.

@shantievanti
IG: @shantiism
https://ra.co/dj/shanti
https://youtu.be/QqfMYAyS8bM?si=iwapv-7i2LFIPNlG

Shanti has made textured waves in Chicago’s techno scene with her curation of dark, sinister, and ethereal soundscapes. Music has always been a means of coping with the otherness and hybridity Shanti experienced throughout her life. She has been deeply moved by the transcendent ability of music to express concepts, states of consciousness, and conflicting emotions. Shanti’s sets weave a story of the simultaneous despair and yearning that are intertwined with the human condition and illustrate an intentional trajectory through combining and cultivating surreal, atmospheric, and haunting sounds.

Enamored by the liminal dynamics of sound, she cohosts Otherworldly Ambiguity with Scum.ee –an experience that is centered around the phenomenon of existing in between and outside of pre-existing concepts and rigid categories. She is also a member of techno collective Research & Development and hosts a monthly radio show, “Liminal Radio” on WIIT 88.9 FM featuring thoughtful artists at the core of Chicago’s underground music scene. Shanti has had the privilege of warming up and closing out dancefloors for incredibly inspirational artists such as Rrose, DJ Nobu, Ø [Phase], Aurora Halal, Mozhgan, Lady Starlight, Black Light Smoke, Esther Dune, Zenker Brothers, Noncompliant, Xtin, and more. She has had the immense pleasure of conjuring spirits at Chicago’s most beloved clubs such as Smartbar, Smoke & Mirrors, Podlasie Club, and several underground gatherings.

Experiencing music outside of the confines of a club or the underground is extremely important to Shanti as she had initially discovered her favorite artists through online podcasts and radio. The universalizability of podcasts and radio enable music to be experienced by more humans situated in different contexts. This is why she has contributed to many notable online mix series and radio channels. Her mixes have been featured on The Black Lodge Radio, SutroFM, Mutant Radio, PPRZ, Death Decay & Magic, Braid Records, Low Visibility, Dance All Day, and m50’s etc radio among other podcasts and shows. This past year, Shanti has expanded her surreal storytelling beyond Chicago by playing in Amsterdam, LA, Detroit and notable Midwest festivals such as Minnesota’s The Great Beyond and Madison’s Musique Électronique. This Halloween, she will be playing at Chicago’s notoriously dark music festival, Sanctum.

Distant Signals 084: Shanti

https://soundcloud.com/moorhaus
https://soundcloud.com/user-991894811
Forged by warehouses and early morning dance floors, Moorhaus & Paul Gordon distill a sound that is murky, hypnotic, and channeled in the grit of the Midwest underground. As collaborators and the central figures behind Reciprocal Rhythm, their approach to DJing is less about genres and more about mood—pulling from the shadowy corners of house and techno to create deep, entrancing experiences that blur time and space.

In a special 3 hour mix for Research & Development, Matt & Paul dive deep into the sounds at the center of their dance floor experiences, built on rolling low-ends, tightly coiled rhythms, and squelching textures that nod to both the raw legacy of acid and the cerebral futurism of minimal. With a shared reverence for the dance floor’s potential for transcendental experiences, they channel the spirit of late-night Midwest sessions where strange voices, stripped-back drums, and slippery synths conspire to entrance the room.

This mix is a document of that shared language: a dive into the darker corners of their record bags, where tension simmers, grooves unfold slowly, and nothing is rushed. It’s music for dimly lit spaces and locked-in minds—a Midwest transmission shaped by passion, intention, and the long, strange hours between midnight and morning.

RND 137 - Moorhaus & Paul Gordon of Reciprocal Rhythm

Operator channels a stripped-down, hypnotic form of techno built on groove and atmosphere. His selections pulse with deep basslines, crisp percussion, and minimal textures that evolve without ever overwhelming the mix. Every set is a journey of subtle tension and low-end energy, keeping the floor locked in a steady, driving flow

RND 138 - Operator

Chainletter is a producer/dj whose music serves as a bridge, uniting people through collective experiences in late-night wormholes. Whether using CDJs or an unsuspectingly minimal hardware rig, the audience can expect to be enveloped by sound. Focused primarily on ambient and techno, they use sequencers and synths to make time-expanding atmospheres and wonky rhythms.

Dedicated to DIY, they have been actively involved in playing and organizing parties in the Durham, North Carolina area since 2012 that aim to create safer dance spaces for queer and trans people, raise money for prisoners and other mutual aid projects while providing a platform to local artists outside of conventional venues.

RND 139 - Chainletter

Well Being is a DJ and producer dedicated to exploring the fringes of house, techno, and experimental electronics. Guided by a deep love for the ethereal and the obscure, Well Being digs beneath the surface to unearth hidden gems, weaving them into sets and productions that challenge convention while keeping dancefloors moving.

Rooted in the spirit of classic '90s underground culture yet unafraid to wander into uncharted territory, Well Being crafts soundscapes that blur genre lines, pulling listeners into unexpected moods and textures. Whether behind the decks or in the studio, the goal remains the same: to connect through music that feels raw, rare, and real.



By embracing oddities and outliers, Well Being carves a unique sonic identity — one that turns obscurity into community and transforms leftfield sounds into moments of shared energy.

RND 140 - Well Being

https://soundcloud.com/craig-gonzalez
Detroit’s Craig Gonzalez was drawn to vinyl from a young age, captivated by hip hop and the underground party scene of the 1990s. This fascination quickly evolved into a lifelong passion for DJing, driven by a desire to weave rhythmic layers into compelling, personal stories. 

A self-taught artist, Gonzalez’s collection spans the rich musical evolution of Detroit, including techno, house, hip hop, funk, dnb, and a diverse range of other genres. His skills were further honed during his residency at Solar in Ann Arbor, where he shared the decks with renowned artists. Gonzalez has also been a frequent fixture at Movement and other major local events, where he’s shared the stage with legends in the electronic music scene. Since 2022, he has been a resident DJ for the Third Thursday monthly event by Paxahau, further cementing his presence in Detroit’s vibrant nightlife scene. 

Deeply influenced by the musical depth of Detroit and the hypnotic craft of global artists, Gonzalez’s style reflects a rich, interconnected network of like-minded creators. His connection to family, history, and the culture surrounding electronic music gives his sets a profound sensibility, effortlessly translating onto the dance floor.

Resident Advisor: https://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/craiggonzalez
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cgonz313/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cgonz313/

RND 141 - Craig Gonzalez

Otodojo (Maro Kariya, PhD) is an audiovisual artist based in Detroit, MI.

They weave together sonic stories through field and object recordings, processed vocals, contact-micced materials, and layers of synthetic sounds inspired by the natural world and imagined bio-cybernetic futures.

Their music has been released with labels such as Acid Camp, Mesma, Perimeter Junk, Qeone, Unimatrix Zero, and their album ‘Amphibious / Aural Spirits’ on The Bunker NY has been named one of the best albums of 2023 by MixMag.

In 2018, they launched ‘Microtones’ (microtones.info), an electronic music collective in Ithaca, NY which aims to help community building through music.

links:

music: https://otodojo.bandcamp.com/
sc: https://soundcloud.com/otodojo
insta: https://www.instagram.com/otodojo/
youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@otodojo/videos

RND 142 - Otodojo

@christian-s-smith

him.saint (Christian Streit Smith, b. 1990) is a percussionist, producer, dj, & landscaper based in The Hague.  Christian grew up in Cincinnati, and has lived in Canada and Switzerland before moving to The Netherlands in 2016. He has been playing percussion since he was 10 years old, and while he was originally trained classically, he now works in the ever expanding field of experimental music.  Since 2020 he has self-released a solo full length album, a project with composer Jesse Broekman called 'Contrafacta' on Moon Villain, and next month he and his Basel based ensemble Gyre are releasing an album of music by Argentinian composer Santiago Diez Fischer on Another Timbre.  As a dj, the last years have seen several appearances on Maxi Radio in Leiden as well as making mixes for his soundcloud an average of once or twice per year, and in November he will begin a 4 show residency at Stranded FM in Utrecht called 'C. Smith's Midwest Meltdown' which will conclude in Summer 2026.  him.saint is his moniker chosen for all electronic dance music including techno, but the Stranded FM shows under his government name will be focused on presenting a wide range of his music taste outside of club and dance music culture. 

For my debut R&D mix I was really trying to compress the experience of a 3 hour set into 1 hour, and to lean into maintaining and building a continuous groove and energy for as long as possible before the final 15 minutes where it goes to some perhaps unexpected places. It was recorded in my apartment in March of 2025 using my computer, rekordbox software, and a ddj-400 controller.  

IG: https://www.instagram.com/christian_streit_smith/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@christiansmithpercussion6472
Bandcamp: 
https://moonvillainrecords.bandcamp.com/album/a-place-to-sing-at-night
https://christiansmith1.bandcamp.com/album/blue-scatter-lp
https://anothertimbre.bandcamp.com/

Tracklist:
Sandro Uhl - Sounscape
Sleeparchive - 6
Truncate - Untitled
Rrose X Polygonia - Haima
Al Wootton - When Hempe is Spun
Jerical - Groove On
Jonas Kopp - Ocher System #2
Casual Treatment - Eternity Is Long, Prepare For It
Blenk - Outline
Rene Wise - Mover
Finder - Shifting Sands
Temudo - When I Grow Up
Chlär - Panopticon
Beste Hira - Representing My Brain
Taken - Ice Truck
D.I.E. - Dutch Friends
Doctor Jeep - Cyber Funk
Baalti - Buttons
Chaos In The CBD - Liquid Experience

RND 143 - him.saint

Dirty Epic welcomes aboard @shantievanti for the 127th installment of Amplify Series.

Shanti has made textured waves in Chicago’s techno scene with her curation of dark, sinister, and ethereal soundscapes. Music has always been a means of coping with the otherness and hybridity Shanti experienced throughout her life. She has been deeply moved by the transcendent ability of music to express concepts, states of consciousness, and conflicting emotions. Shanti’s sets weave a story of the simultaneous despair and yearning that are intertwined with the human condition and illustrate an intentional trajectory through combining and cultivating surreal, atmospheric, and haunting sounds.
 
Enamored by the liminal dynamics of sound, she cohosts Otherworldly Ambiguity with Scum.ee –an experience that is centered around the phenomenon of existing in between and outside of pre-existing concepts and rigid categories. She is also a member of techno collective Research & Development and hosts a monthly radio show, “Liminal Radio” on WIIT 88.9 FM featuring thoughtful artists at the core of Chicago’s underground music scene.
 
Experiencing music outside of the confines of a club or the underground is extremely important to Shanti as she had initially discovered her favorite artists through online podcasts and radio. The universalizability of podcasts and radio enable music to be experienced by more humans situated in different contexts. This is why she has contributed to many notable online mix series and radio channels. Her mixes have been featured on The Black Lodge Radio, SutroFM, Mutant Radio, PPRZ, Distant Signals, Death Decay & Magic, Braid Records, Low Visibility, Dance All Day, and m50’s etc radio among other podcasts and shows.

"For this closing set, I wanted to cultivate an atmosphere of releasing the turbulent emotions we have been experiencing in Chicago as a community. I anticipated the desire for this release but experiencing it in the subterranean context of Smartbar - in the darkness - in real time- felt so powerful and transcendent. This experience was not merely an escape, but a channeling of the heaviness within us - how do the mind and body cope and grasp what is happening? I was fueled by the defiantly heavy energy from the dancers and it was such a testament to the healing power of music during these dark times."

LINKS:

SHANTI:
Soundcloud: @shantievanti
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantiism/
RA: https://ra.co/dj/shanti

DIRTY EPIC:
Website: www.dirty-epic.com
Merch: shopby6am.com/collections/dirty-epic-collection
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DirtyepicLA
Twitter: twitter.com/dirtyepicla
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dirtyepicla/

Amplify Series 127 - Shanti (live Smartbar, Chicago 10/25)

@james-cyrus-432605964

Detroit-based artist & event organizer Perish operates at the intersection of rare grooves and contemporary club thumpers.

As co-founder of a new record label Container Sounds (alongside Xan Bishop), Perish is gearing up for a slew of releases in 2026 supplementing his existing projects on the imprint. Also one half of the revived event promotion group Freshcorp (alongside Adriel Thornton), dedicated to keeping the city’s nightlife moving.

Behind the decks, his sets showcase a deliberate duality: curating deep vinyl sessions spanning classic funk, soul, and R&B or punishing the dance floor with left-field bass smashers.

Tracklist: 
Kakaro - Nadia Struiwigh
Junto - Xan Bishop
President Baker - Jonquera
Yeah, Classic - Notte Infinite
Untitled Digit - Arina Krondeva
Close to the source - Spin Fidelty
Uppercut - Perish
Skittles - Eerie
Extra - Dj Sprinter
Grains of sand - D. Tiffany
Calling our reps - Dream Beach
4 the love - Blackmoonchild
Unreleased - Lapilli 
Analog - Mossa
Triptych - Beatloaf 
Bristle - Agonis 
Dissolving Assets - Dose & Echo

RND 144 - Perish

🌐 Refuge Worldwide is a radio station and community space based in Berlin-Neukölln.
➡️ More info, more music: www.refugeworldwide.com

Help us stay on air by donating to our fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-refuge-worldwide-community-radio

TWIRL! - Dan B. Hood - 01 Dec 2025

soundcloud.com/cyclic_process
SUR is an American DJ based out of Chicago. In 2019, he founded The Gallery monthly party series, an interactive and communal expression of art, sound, and dance. A year later, he co-founded The Forest Experiment, an annual, open-air gathering, focused on house and techno. Since 2024, he has co-organised and been a resident of SPENT, a monthly event that invites local and international DJs to showcase their music in a long-form B2B style and discourse. He has also performed at clubs and festivals, including Burning Man and VITARAVE.

RND 145 - SUR

https://soundcloud.com/shaunjwright
Born and raised in west suburban Chicagoland, Shaun J. Wright spent most of their teen years immersed in the sounds of house music. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, house music was a powerful force, permeating the mainstream airwaves of Chicago’s most prominent radio stations. With Wright being raised in the epicenter of house culture during this era, their love for dance music began to expand throughout their high school years as they partook in the underground dance scene now globally known as Juke.  

While in undergrad at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Wright developed their skills as a dancer in the vogue ballroom scene and professional dance companies.  After er acquiring an MA Fashion Curation from the London College of Fashion, Wright enjoyed an a career in fashion in New York City. That is where they met Andrew Butler, founder of Hercules and Love Affair, in 2008, and began a whirlwind collaboration with the ensemble as a vocalist. They spent nearly three years touring with the group performing in major venues & festivals throughout North & South America and Europe. They’re also featured prominently on the ensemble’s lauded sophomore album, “Blue Songs’.  

Returning to Chicago in 2012 to forge their solo career, Wright began to collaborate with respected DJ and producer Alinka. Promptly after beginning their party Twirl in the spring of 2013, Wright & Alinka released their first EP, Twirl Vol. 1, on the celebrated Classic Music Company led by luminaries Luke Solomon and Derrick Carter. They conyinued to expand upon the brand in late 2014 with their Twirl Records debut release “Journey Into The Deep” EP which included remixes from Kim Ann Foxman and Stereogamous. The label’s output has received much critical acclaim and has been supported by DJ Mag, XLR8R, Mixmag, BBC Radio 1’s Heidi and Annie Mac, and a plethora of notable DJ’s.   

In between their steady Twirl Records releases, Wright & Alinka have amassed a prolific catalog featured on respected labels such as Defected, Tribal, Ba y Bass and Midnight Riots. Wright con nues to collaborate with other sought a er producers including Kim Ann Foxman, Chrissy, Kiki, System Of Survival, Stereogamous Bell Boys, Bobmo, and Nicholas, and has been released on Nervous Records, Planet E Communica ons, Women On Wax, Pets Recordings, Freerange, BPitch Control, Honey Soundsystem & Cocktail D’Amore, Discovery, Marble, and 4Lux.  Wright steadily exhilarates dance floors internationally as a DJ weaving live vocals throughout their sets in locations as far and varied as: Sydney, Berlin (Panorama Bar), London, Auckland, Stockholm, Barcelona, NYC, Los Angeles and their hometown of Chicago, where Wright is a noted resident at the legendary nightclub, Smartbar. Wright also curated the pre-show playlist for Beyonce’s groundbreaking Renaissance World Tour. 

Wright’s ecletic upbringing alongside their myriad experiences in various underground dance music cultures has provided them with a unique perspective that is both rare and special. They are an adept performer that knows how to willfully move their audiences viscerally while simulating them corporeally and intellectually. A special talent with a broad vision, Wright hopes to further their creative mark through the release of solo material in 2026 and beyond.

RND 146 - Shaun J. Wright

https://soundcloud.com/mike-tansella-jr

Mike Tansella Jr. is an Italian born DJ based in Berlin. Since his arrival in the dance music hot spot back in 2013, he's waded deeply into the city's immersive underground scene appearing at venues such as Anita Berber, Paloma, Schwuz and Kit-Kat Club among others. He's made appearances stateside at events such as Los Angeles' The Black Lodge. Tansella has appeared on numerous radio shows across the world including his most recent takeovers at Mutant Radio out of Tbilsi, Georgia. Tansella's productions include Experiment Zero (w/ DJ Plant Texture) and Sons of Traders. Sons of Traders is a familial collaboration with his cousin, Tans. Sons of Traders have already seen releases on Clan Destine, The Black Lodge L.A. , Vastechoses and Gravitational Waves.  Their most recent EP, "Deep In The Flowers," includes remixes by hard hitters like Jason Loveland and Chris Mitchell. Can't wait to hear what's next! 

Check out Deep In The Flowers: https://sonsoftraders.bandcamp.com/

RND 023 - Mike Tansella Jr

Based in Chicago, R&D is a music event/mix series focused on nurturing new sounds, experiences and atmospheres while exploring the music and culture it was born or mutated from. Techno, electro, EBM, bass, breaks, club and beyond.
Current personnel
Jeremy Alvarez - JS Alvarez
Eric Fernandez - Makeen
Shanti Chu - Shanti
Dan Hood - Dan B Hood
Kona Mazariegos - Zona Cinco

Research & Development Mix Series

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