Chicago's Kate Simko is set to release her debut album Lights Out on the German Hello?Repeat label next month. Click below to find out if it's worth your cold hard cash...
The name of Kate Simko might not ring your bell immediately, but trust us when we say she’s a force to be reckoned with. Being dubbed by the international crowd as one of Chicago’s Top 10 DJ, Kate first made waves in the house and techno scene during the Midwest parties in the 90s, after which she ventured to Santiago, Chile to record two albums under the guise of Detalles with Chilean producer Andres Bucci. It wasn’t long after when she started to churn out solo releases on labels such as Spectral Sounds and Kupei Musika, while her DJ roster included gigs at renowned clubs and festival such as Fabric (London), Berghain (Berlin), D-Edge (Sao Paolo) and Detroit’s DEMF. While her sound is often compared to the minimally structured sound of German techno, Kate’s Chicago roots and Chilean enterprises are still clearly audible in her outings, putting a warm, soulful glow over her stripped-down cuts in which analog synths and drum machines play a pivotal role.
Her debut album Lights Out is perhaps the clearest example of this, providing ten delicate minimal tracks that are produced according to the ‘less is more’ principle without leaving out on club potential. The album opens with Breathing, a glowing slow-jam with mellow bass waves after which Kate subtly moves towards more classically structured tunes such as the deep Detroit-ish tune Flight Into BA, the organic and very warm Mind On You and the mysterious Bikini Atoll, a luscious minimal monster tailored for sweaty underground clubs. While things stay minimal at all times, each track is positioned in such a way that it becomes part of a trippy flow of sounds in which one will eventually experience a close-to-meditative listening experience.
Our verdict: Lights Out has become a very decent album in which Kate’s years of experience and dedication shine through. The album is best enjoyed in a single listening take, as this truly reveals the producer’s message and passion for the stripped side of electronic dance music. Thumbs up.
Rating: 7.5/10 Label: Hello?Repeat Release date: May 2011 Tracklist: 1. Beneath 2. Flight Into BA (vocals by Kevin Knapp) 3. Mira Vos 4. Mind On You (vocals by Brenda De-Noto Gardner) 5. Monochrome 6. Last Breath 7. Bikini Atoll 8. Cairo 9. Machine’s Mantra 10.Had It All (vocals by Dilo)
Minimal - 
