There’s a reason Gossip Wolf has been repping for Chicago-bred singer and rapper Kid Sister since column number one in 2010—she rules the school! Now based in LA, she reached out to us on Twitter a few days ago with tidbits about her new album, which should drop in the next few days. (It’s a mixtape, her first since Fool’s Gold released Kiss Kiss Kiss in 2011.) She wouldn’t tell us what it’s called or who’s putting it out, but she did say that she wrote her own string charts for a disco-fied track produced by the Neptunes. We can’t wait to hear that awesomeness for ourselves!
Soma Electronic Music Studios, founded by Tortoise’s John McEntire, recently vacated the building near Division and Damen where it took root 15 years ago. Adam Stilson of New Canyons now runs Decade Studio in that space; he moved in on July 1 with a five-year lease, and sessions began midmonth. Some folks who worked at Soma are sticking around: “Sanford Parker and Neil Strauch have stayed,” Stilson says. Other engineers involved include Mike Lust and Brian Fox. Airiel and Wrekmeister Harmonies helped break in Decade, and Stilson is now working with Many Moons, Yoko Homo, and Lightpolite. New Canyons will start writing a new LP at the space this fall.
Boisterous local singer-Âsongwriter Daniel Knox (who opens for Andrew Bird on Saturday) signed to Chicago label Carrot Top last week, and he’s already working on a new self-titled LP for early 2015. Knox says it’ll feature cover art from Chicago painter Gregory Jacobsen and songs from a few of Knox’s recent projects, including two he did with photographer John Atwood.
Since 2013, Logan Square studio and label Public House Sound Recordings has been pumping out monthly cassette singles by the likes of the Funs, Earring, and Clearance. In July it released a sampler of its first year’s output, which also features Ne-Hi, Richard Album & the Singles, and RXM Reality.
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