Duke Shin mixes Volume #12 of The 312, 5 Magazine’s Chicago House Music mix and interview series with the people in your neighborhood – the DJs that keep the Chicago House scene on top.
Duke Shin has often been associated with his infamous 6-hour long sets, and if you ever frequent an underground party in Chicago you may just catch one.
The interview picks up below the mix:
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1. Ilija Rudman – Never Forget – KAT Records
2. Edit Murphy – Maybe One Day We Can Be Friends – Dirt Crew Recordings
3. HNNY – Good – Studio Barnhus
4. Move D – Hurt Me – Compost
5. Michael Berczelly & Jim C – Heavy Vowls – Thirteen Moons Recordings
6. Bicep – Just – Aus Music
7. Chateau Flight – Instant Replay – Versatile Records
8. Echonomist, Mz Sunday Luv – Obstacles (Pol_On Remix) – Back and Forth
9. Spettro – Get Tropical – Get Physical Music
10. Sisy Ey – Do It Good (Christoph Remix) – mr. intl
11. Wallflower – Say You Won’t Ever (Deetron T-Line Dub) – Defected
12. David Pher – Wild Eyes – Gruuv
13. Sidney Charles & Sante – Forever – Hot Creations
14. Russ Yallop – Oxana (Kydus Remix) – Material
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What part of Chicago are you from and where do you derive your musical influences from?
I grew up in the Northwest suburbs and moved into the city in 1999. I guess I’m a product of the seminal influences that permeated my life… late 80’s new wave, post-punk and industrial, golden-age hip-hop, early ’90s indie and alternative, post-rave electronica… working in film and music journalism in addition to DJing has also kept my influences as varied as the mediums I enjoy in storytelling I guess.
How long have you been DJing for the Freakeasy parties, and how does playing there differ from say, playing at a club?
I was fortunate to be a part of the first Freakeasy event in 2008, and as it’s grown into this wild and unpredictably awesome beast since then, I count my blessings that they’ve kept me around. A few years ago they made things official and made me a resident. It’s such a gem of a party… the dancefloor, the environment, like a super-saturated solution, you never know what might crystallize. Seeing that happen before your eyes, seeing your sounds transformed into beautiful motion, I really can’t put into words the magic I’ve felt and memories made in that booth and on that floor.
You’re known for your marathon long sets. Talk us through a typical 6-hour long Duke Shin set…you must get into a real zone!
I look at DJ sets like I look at any other medium of communication, be it words, moving picture, music… telling a good story requires the right elements. A longer story requires a different sense of pacing, perhaps direction and a clear voice, knowing when to ride the groove, and when a left-turn is needed. Reading the floor is always important, but perhaps a bit more when the party has been going on for an extended amount of time. The obvious stuff like having the catalog and organization to hold the flow can’t be overlooked when playing for hours at a time. It’s actually kind of funny to talk about because rarely are marathon sets planned… they just kinda happen sometimes.
What do you have coming up for the future, where can people see you play?
DS: Saturday, October 31, I’ll be part of Freakeasy’s all-building takeover of Metro/Smart Bar for Halloween, featuring Worthy (Dirtybird), Filastine (DJ set), Gene Hunt, Nate Manic and a ton of other performers and artists… to me, it’s always amazing to see how the entire venue gets transformed for the night!
November 14, Fritz Kalkbrenner (Suol, Berlin) is performing live at Smart Bar, and I’m opening with an extended DJ set. Jordan Bradley closes, and he’s definitely one of my favorite fellow local DJs, too.
I’m also at the Goods, my weekly Thursday at Swig (1469 N. Milwaukee), going on the past 2.5 years. Upcoming we’ve got some great guest selectors including Ryan Broker, Housework, Radiohiro, and My Boy Elroy–who tags every first Thursday of the month with me. I’m also a resident for Plus Plus’s Dark + Deep, who throw various underground events.
What was the last set you saw that really inspired you?
Seeing the Orb live kind of qualifies, maybe, in that there were 3 CDJs running with the other stuff on Ableton overtop, so for me to see that on a stage and sold as a “live” show–and totally carrying it–was inspiring, especially with the acceptance of pre-choreographed mainstage DJ “performances” replacing actual sets in headlining capacities these days. And of course Derrick Carter at Queen! every time, automatic. Minus up-and-comer Asher Perkins at a loft, running four channels with loops and crazy high-hats all over… Mystic Bill at sunup, throwing it all in with reckless abandon with tracks from every-which-way… I could go on-and-on… we’re spoiled, here, in this city!
