Hefty Records

Hefty Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1995 by John Hughes III (aka Slicker), the label has established itself as a home for innovative electronica. The label releases range in genres and include post-rock, IDM, down-tempo, jazz, and hip-hop. Artists: L’altra, Spanova, Samadha, Retina.IT, Eliot Lipp, Phil Ranelin, Plus Device, Solo Andata, radicalfashion, Victor Bermon, Telefon Tel Aviv, John Hughes/Slicker, and Some Water and Sun.

John Hughes (Slicker)

John Hughes (Above) Also records as Slicker and is one half of Some Water and Sun. Formerly one half of Bill Ding. Owner of the Chicago post-rock label Hefty Records, previous front man for the Chicago indie/avant-garde acts Turtletoes and Bill Ding, John Hughes III also formed the Slicker project. Hughes, the son of the ’80s teen-angst filmmaker renowned for hits like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, grew up in Chicago. After stints at Ohio University and Northwestern, he formed the Turtletoes, which released the 1995 album Jackersville on Hefty. Bill Ding, his duo with Dan Snazelle, released albums (also on Hefty) in 1996 and 1997. Hefty had also released programming-friendly projects by Chicago veterans like Casey Rice (Super ESP), and Hughes’ debut as Slicker, Confidence in Duber, reflected that direction. Two years later, a remix album featured reworkings by Matmos, Richard Devine, and Rice, among others. Hughes also served as musical director for the 1998 film Reach the Rock, the directorial debut for longtime John Hughes partner William Ryan featuring a score by Tortoise’s John McEntire. Latest was released in summer 2001. John Bush

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Telefon Tel Aviv

Telefon Tel Aviv is a Chicago-based electronic music group (relocated from New Orleans in 2001) primarily known for their work in the intelligent dance music genre. Formed in 1999 by Charles Cooper and Joshua Eustis, their first album was released in the fall of 2001 to positive reviews. In 2002 they released an EP under the Hefty Records Immediate Action label. 2004 saw the release of the duo’s second full-length album and in 2007 the released a compilation of remixes appropriately titled “Remixes Compiled”. Telefon Tel Aviv is currently in the studio working on their third full-length LP.

I’m working on getting up a slide-show of their Show at Skulley’s in Columbus. Which by The way was an amazing show!

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Eliot Lipp

Eliot Lipp grew up in Tacoma, WA, listening to hip-hop artists such as RZA and Hieroglyphics before moving to San Francisco in 1998 when he turned 18. There, he was influenced by the music of Dan the Automator and Madlib, while also spending time in Chicago, where he was schooled in electronic music. His tracks got into the hands of Scott Herren of Prefuse 73 and Savath + Savalas, resulting in a release on Eastern Developments in November 2004. In the early stages of his music career, Lipp found himself moving from city to city across the country. Lipp made his first move to Chicago. It was there that Lipp took classes in order to make electronic music. Lipp’s musical roots were an eclectic mix of hip-hop and electronic/techno music. The blending of these two genres is obvious throughout his music career as he has continued to find them influential in his music to this day. While living in Chicago, Lipp would record his tracks in his small apartment and feature them at night clubs. To his dismay, Lipp didn’t find success forcing these tracks into the hands of club-goers after the show or selling them on eBay. Anxious for life in another city and to really start his music career, Lipp moved out to the Bay Area in San Francisco the moment he turned 18 in 1998 Influenced at the time by the emerging Hip-Hop scene of the time, Lipp found himself cutting tracks with The Era in 2001. In 2004, along with his cats and dogs, Eliot Lipp packed up his life and music once more to make his next move to Los Angeles because it was there that Lipp felt he could reap in the most opportunities of making an electronic music career along with all of the other artists in search of the same success. After moving to Los Angeles, Lipp’s next recording, Tacoma Mockingbird, which draws together elements of hip-hop, electro, soul, disco, and funk, was released on Hefty in spring 2006.

Check out Eliot’s Blog with a lot of really cool electronic music on it.

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PODCASTS!!!! Check em out

 

 Telefon Tel Aviv - Sound In A Dark Room [7:49m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
 Eliot Lipp - B-Boy Mix: Download
 Slicker Remixes: Download
 Hefty Flossed Out Mix (By edIT from The Glitch Mob): Download