Local club cuts

A diva at last
Past Due, the reissue label from Still Music’s Jerome Derradji and Numero Group’s Rob Sevier, has lovingly packaged two rare recordings by Chicago singer DeVarne with a techno remix by Alex Attia as a 12-inch single and digital download for those post-disco R&B and boogie lovers. Based in the Beverly neighborhood, DeVarne spent her youth singing and recording in gospel choirs. After getting married and settling down, her husband L. V. Thomas encouraged her to follow her dream of a singing career. After some sporadic live gigs with hired bands, demo sessions and a 45, she recorded “Kiss You Everywhere” and “You’re Number One” in 1983 with her husband producing. He even pressed the tunes up as a 12-inch to serve as a calling card to the music industry. Buddha Records took a serious look at signing her, but it didn’t happen. The singer, who still lives in Beverly, is thrilled to finally have a proper record. “When Jerome brought it to us the other day and I actually saw it, it was almost overwhelming. I was breathless. This is the beginning of a dream come true,” she told us by phone. DeVarne is optimistic that there are more gems to come. “We’re ready and we’ve been ready,” she says.

“Nails” in color
Chicago’s club rap scene continues to surge. Our very own fave, the fashionable Kid Sister, positioned herself to break out nationally with a buzz-generating live show at this fall’s CMJ festival in New York. New label Fool’s Gold issued her “Pro Nails” as a 12-inch and digital download just before year’s end to wide acclaim. The track is getting extra mileage via a low-budget but high-impact video featuring guest rhymer Kanye West and an uptempo juke outro. You can find it online at MTVu.com.

Gotta B’more
Chicago’s DJ Zebo, who’s all over our clubs listings, runs SES Records, specializing in the Baltimore Club sound popularized by East Coast taste makers Tittsworth and the Rub. His imprint is off to smashing start. An EP of party versions of classic hip-hop and reggae tracks featuring Austin’s Bird Peterson, Zebo and Abducted sold out a pressing of 800 vinyl copies. This year, SES will offer digital sales through gigacrate.com—and possibly beatport.com. The next platter has a full color sleeve and features soul and funk classics remixed by Peterson, Zebo, Tittsworth, Dave Nada and Abducted.

Techno files
We picked Chicago’s Billy Dalessandro as one to watch in the city’s active techno underground. He’s been a bit scarce in the DJ booths at Chicago clubs recently, but maybe that’s because he’s been locked in the studio. He’s recently issued Into the Atom on Mannheim, Germany-based label Harthouse. It’s 12 tracks of moody techno, which ranges from minimal to neo-acid with Chicago house foundations. The likes of “Split Communications” are steady dance numbers, but unusual sonic washes set them apart from the typical chugga chugga fare. Siteholder Records, run by Clubs contributor Daniel Mnookin, will release new vinyl and digital downloads (on Siteholder UnCut) from Dalessandro and Donk Boys. New-wave leaning Kompute Musik is using Beatport and vinyl for distribution of its next round of singles, “the Creep” by Future Forward Society is available on vinyl, all leading up to a compilation disc featuring Alexander Robotnick, Livewire, and Soultek.