New York Label Compiles Chicago Mixtape

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 10, 2011 3:00PM

Last week, the folks from Twosyllable Records showed Chicago some love. The label is based in New York, but they released a compilation highlighting music local to Chicago.

The mixtape is an 18-track collection of the label’s favorite Windy City acts - mostly lesser known bands that make up our city’s underground community. Some of our favorites include Distractions (who are on the NYC label), Campfires, Netherfriends, Wume, and Pillars & Tongues.

Twosyllable co-owner Zach Pollakoff actually grew up in the city’s north suburbs. Over at the label’s site, he discusses his Chicagoland roots and how he was introduced to the local music scene:

It started with the radio. Q101 (RIP) ran a local show, Local101, that highlighted local talent. Local bands led to local (read: “college”) radio, WNUR, WLUW, and more all played music I’d never heard before. I started attending basement shows in Highland Park and Northbrook. Hardcore kids raised on Naked Raygun and Big Black playing loud. That wasn’t exactly my scene, but as I delved deeper I learned that genre was no boundary to the underground.

Twosyllable made the compilation with an authentic cassette mixtape in mind, one that’s “meant to be listened to on the car stereo driving down The Eisenhower on the way home to the suburbs.” So, they’re putting out 200 limited-edition cassettes, which you can order through their site. Those of us who don’t own cassette decks can pick it up in digital form (or stream it for free) through their Bandcamp page.