It’s shocking to think of the amount of talent lying around these city streets, in garages and basements and studios hewn together out of scrap. But it can be even more shocking to think of the talented people who fail to launch, give up mid-flight or sink into Chicago’s favorite pastime of thinking about how much the world is out to get ’em. A pretty wise guy once told me that if you do something (anything) for five years, you’ll be successful at it. He meant five years straight through, no distractions, put your appetites and distractions aside and just work at it. If half of life is showing up on time, the other half is not leaving when you see how long the line is and waiting out the ones who don’t have the stomach for it.

Bassment Tapes has kind of made it a mission to pick up a lot of these guys. Next up: Spence (Chicago).

Spence is a guy who has done innumerable things for the scene in Chicago, and if you live here or enjoy the music from this city, that means he’s done them for me and you, too. He’s put together livestreams and promoted parties and organized benefit shows and there’s also the D3EP Radio Network slot he’s manned for awhile.

And this is remarkably his first EP. “Word Up” oozes with attitude, dark growling techno and bursts of drums and electronics. “Yo” is the best track on here – the extended mix holds you a lot longer, in a more steady fashion.

Spence:Chicago: Word Up (Bassment Tapes)

1. Spence:Chicago: Word Up (6:02)

2. Spence:Chicago: Yo! (5:42)

3. Spence:Chicago: Yo! (Extended Mix) (7:15)