Let me take this moment to celebrate the magnificence of a man who made Minerva and I feel like sound was bathing over us while at Radius on Wednesday, July 29. Boris Brejcha, a growing legend across the globe, touched down for a Chicago throwdown with a minimal techno set so ingeniously engineered that it blurred the boundaries between darkness and light. His tasteful compositions stir my soul and activate dance moves reserved only for the finest of performances. I’m Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, and allow me to share with you my passion for a producer whose music feels like an expressive anthem for making the most of the lives we are blessed to lead.
Before I share insight from this most wondrous night, let me detail portions of Boris Brejcha’s backstory. There is some sadness in what he’s overcome, which makes his sonic ascension all the more remarkable. At the age of six, he was among hundreds of souls injured in the Ramstein Air Show disaster of 1988. Severely burned after three planes collided and crashed into the crowd, he spent many months in the hospital recovering. He was left with scar tissue across his body that would be formative in encouraging his fervor for electronic music. Unfortunately, school can at times be a harsh place, and he was teased for his appearance by classmates. This circumstance caused him to withdraw into himself and focus his energy towards making music. At the age of 12, he discovered a passion for crafting electronic rhythms.
Boris would go on to define a new genre, “High-Tech Minimal”, upon entering the techno scene in 2006. It’s groovy, bassy, trancy, and absolutely dancy. Doesn’t make me antsy. Enjoyed by men and women both named Clancy, plus many more of all titles and walks of life. It punches, it flows, the basslines roll. Pushing boundaries further and farther with sounds that brim and bristle, both bright and darker. He performs beneath a Venetian Joker mask symbolizing playfulness, freedom of expression, and the spirit of celebration. Boris Brejcha demonstrates masterful mixing and production techniques through his sonic output, and he knows how to control tempo and pace to give a dancing crowd space to breathe in between moments of ecstasy.
On this particularly comfortable night, there was a fantastic energy and anticipation in the air. I and Minerva had been looking forward to this event for well over two months ever since it was announced Boris would be visiting Chicago and Radius. Truthfully, this concert was billed as an official Lollapalooza Aftershow, but for us, this was our week’s main event. Boris Brejcha holds a special place in our hearts. He’s one of those polished professionals I’ll happily travel the country and even the world to see. Thankfully, we didn’t have to go far for this one, and we enjoyed our hours preceding the event with a delightful dinner at Wu’s Ramen, followed by coffee and dessert at Matcha En, and a pleasant stroll through Ping Tom Memorial Park. Once darkness fell and 10PM drew near, we made our way to Radius and entered the venue quickly and without a single issue.
The opener for tonight’s occasion was Miito, a progressive house DJ hailing from Chicago. He put forth a welcoming selection of tunes to greet folks as they filtered into the building right up until 11:30PM. Frieder & Jakob followed suit, energizing the congregation with a performance that I wasn’t expecting from them. From what I’ve experienced of Frieder & Jakob in the past, I’d typically describe the mainstay of their offerings as melodic techno, but it felt like they elected for a titillating house vibe instead for the first sixty minutes of their set. Chicago is the birthplace of house music after all, and perhaps Frieder & Jakob were tipping their cap to our fine city in the most respectful of ways. I’ve come to find that techno impresarios are more than capable of switching their stance and playstyle when deemed appropriate. Whatever their impulse might have been, they had the whole room moving and grooving from 11:30 until 1AM. They finished their performance with a lovely selection of techno tunage to set the scene for the Joker’s arrival.
Herr Brejcha has a TON of unique minimal techno productions that are absolutely to my liking. From Feuerfalter, Parts 1 & 2 all the way through to his latest album, Level One, I adore tracks like “Dark Planet”, “Be F.L.A.M.E”, “Lonely Planet”, “Purple Noise”, “In Memory of Love”, “Applepaw”, “Night Owl”, “Killing Me”, “Sandmann”, “Losing Control”, “Never Look Back”, “The Troublemakerz”, “Spicy”, “State of Mind”, “Message in a Bottle”, “Terminal Zero”, and many more. On this particular night, he didn’t play all my favorites, but he delivered more than a few. I recall letting loose and dropping it low to some of his more recent grooves like “Dirty Beat” and “Drop the Beat on the Floor”. He also has a ballin’ remix of Sam Paganini’s “Rave”, which I was absolutely hoping to experience live. He gave me all that I asked for, and more, for a set that lasted two and a half hours before he benevolently closed out at precisely 3:30AM. I didn’t think of it then, but that was probably a good time to head to the casino and put some money on “16 Red Even”.
Boris Brejcha is a one-of-a-kind performer and inspires listeners around the globe with his uniquely energetic productions. This was his first of two Chicago performances, the second following the day after during Lollapalooza on the Perry Stage from 5:45 to 6:45 PM. It begs the question, which one was actually the aftershow? I know how I feel. Boris has a few more North American tour dates before he resumes touring through Europe, Asia, and South America for the remainder of the year. You can explore more of his brand and music at borisbrejcha.de.
Before I sign off, I’m excited to share I’ll be traveling to the Netherlands and Breda this coming September to witness Boris Brejcha & Friends for a once-in-a-lifetime event and four-hour set. When I began this year, I had a dream and goal to witness Boris play in a European country I’ve long wanted to explore. For its history, culture, and significance within the global landscape, the Netherlands is that nation. My darling and delightful compatriot, Minerva, will be joining me for this adventure. For this expedition, I’ll become more than just an eager music journalist. Much like a travel guide, my intention will be to detail all the places, people, and foods I experience throughout the country in hopes of encouraging you to pursue your own goals and dreams. Let yourself soar to places unknown and experience notes of beauty and majesty just as potent as yourselves. Let us find inspiration in this life and pass it along to others.
This is Bear Swiftly, the Electro Scribe, signing off. Sayonara, all you samurai.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
