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

Nick Burgess is a student of Detroit, prioritizing the groove while seamlessly weaving between deep acidic Techno hypnosis and punishing Industrial sonics. In the short time since making his debut, Nick has played every hour of the night across notable Detroit venues such as Leland City Club, Marble Bar and Tangent Gallery as well as making appearances at the Tec-Troit Electronic Music Festival and the Lollapalooza after party circuit in Chicago. He has shared the bill with the likes of Skee Mask, Headless Horseman, Black Asteroid, BMG, Terrence Dixon, The Brvtalist, and Underground Resistance artists like Mark Flash and Esteban Adame. As a producer, his hypnotic and abrasive productions have been released through labels PITS, Junted, Detroit Underground, Ominous Earth, Collapsed Structures and his co-owned label, Apocalypse Rave Culture.

Research & Development
Podlasie
Chicago

JS Alvarez is a shape shifting lizard that 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. ﻿What started as a monthly event series at Smartbar took on a new path with a biweekly mix series focused on nurturing new sounds, experiences and atmospheres while exploring the music and culture it was born or mutated from. Find him at Podlasie Club or sweaty basements and warehouses in Chicago and beyond.

NYC -FEB-16 undisclosed location-  Razor Petalz
Curfew March 30th -PGH



May 20th -Colombus Ohio -verge fm 

Richmond Va-June 10th 

Etlt-June 17th cobra 

Sweet obysess- june 21st 

Noise rave June 30th collision 

hotmassXdetour august 12th

Uuhual disco / jan 20th

Liber8 PGH/ july 19th

Hotmass /august /12th 

Club pitt sweet escape/friday jan 3rd

Critical hit New york /july 19th 

Richmond VA -community service October 28th




Founder / 1/3 of dyspheric 
Book me - stephaniealona95@gmail.com

I wrote a book on the psychedelic history and aesthetics of ambient music — check out Turn On, Tune In, Drift Off: Ambient Music's Psychedelic Past (Oxford UP 2023). Currently working on a book on the aesthetics of the DJ set as it relates to psychedelic experience and culture. If you are a DJ or serious listener with thoughts on this topic, I'd love to chat with you — DM me!!

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

*Bookings: shantievantimusic@gmail.com
*Otherworldly Ambiguity* (Evanti)
"Liminal Radio" WIIT.FM second Mondays, 1-3pm CST
*Research & Development

Shanti is a Chicago-based DJ who explores philosophical themes of existential angst and ambiguity through surreal, foreboding, apocalyptic techno, angsty EBM, and squishy acid soundscapes. Her sets weave a story of the simultaneous despair and yearning that are intertwined with the human condition.

Shanti also hosts a monthly radio show "Liminal Radio" on WIIT 88.9FM Chicago every second Monday of the month, 1-3pm CST featuring inspiring guest DJs.

Upcoming Sets:
11/1: Sanctum Fest, Chicago 
11/1: Sanctum Afters, Chicago
11/22: Freedom from Choice, Intellephunk and Enemy Records, Minneapolis
11/28: Otherworldly Ambiguity Feat. Function, Podlasie Club, Chicago
12/31: Transitions Perc Trax, Smoke & Mirrors, Chicago

2025:
10/23: Research & Development, The Whistler, Chicago
10/11: Senders, Life on Marz, Chicago
10/10: Polygonia, Smartbar (FORMAT, R&D), Chicago
9/20: DJ Nobu, Smoke & Mirrors (R&D), Chicago
9/6: Life on Marz, NFC Records, Chicago
8/24: Sinister, Chicago
7/27: The Great Beyond, Franklin, MN  
7/17: Otherworldly Ambiguity, Podlasie
7/11: Musique Électronique, Madison, WI 
6/27: FreshCorp, Spot Lite, Detroit
6/26: Research & Development, The Whistler
6/20: Rrose, Flowers of Romance, Smartbar
5/29: Bordello Aperitivo, Amsterdam , NE
5/24: Ø [Phase] , NERV, Smoke & Mirrors
5/9: Aurora Halal, Smoke & Mirrors
4/26: BLOODLUST, TBA
3/15: Mictlan Underworld, TBA 
3/4: H.O.T.H., California Clipper 
2/22: Flowers of Romance, Smartbar 
1/30: Otherworldly Ambiguity, Podlasie (Evanti)
1/25: VELVET, Los Angeles, TBA 

2024:
12/13: Zenker Brothers, Smoke & Mirrors 
11/27: Research & Development, Podlasie 
11/2: Protocol & Dimibowie
10/25: Braid Records, Podlasie 
10/12: Usual Suspects and Temple, Montrose Beach 
9/1: NEW BLOOD, Research & Development, The Whistler 
8/31: Dark Forest, TBA 
8/29: Otherworldly Ambiguity, Podlasie (Evanti)
8/3: INFERNO, Mictlan, TBA 
7/14: Green Machine, Techno BBQ
7/6: Beloved Radio Night, California Clipper 
6/27: The Goods, Swig (Evanti)
6/22: YardJamz
6/14: Errancy, Hyde Park 
6/1: Wisteria, The Whistler 
5/23: entropic, Smartbar 
5/18: Lumina by HzM 
4/20: Vampire's Ball 
4/18: Otherworldly Ambiguity, Podlasie
4/5: Smoke & Mirrors 
3/23: Vamplified, Surround Chicago 
3/17: Otherworldly Ambiguity, The Whistler (Evanti)
3/7: Stankbugz Radio 
2/13: Wisteria, The Whistler (Evanti)

RND 139 - Chainletter

Research & Development Mix Series