I’m elated to announce the upcoming release of Russ Chimes’ Midnight Club EP. It will be out “very soon” (according to Chimes’ website), though he began releasing all the tracks on it with accompanying music videos starting back in August. It’s one of the best dance releases of the year so far, but we expected nothing less. Chimes has been on the Binary radar since 2008, when he first caught our attention as part of the Valerie Collective. Valerie is a group of producers and musicians based out of Nice, France which includes some Binary favorites including Chimes himself, Anoraak, the Outrunners and College. Chimes was one of the first artists (along with the rest of Valerie) to embrace the synth-heavy melodic dance music that we love so much. With his upcoming debut EP it looks as though he is set to achieve the widespread success we had always predicted and hoped for.

When asked about his artistic process in an interview with the online magazine esper in 2009, Chimes said, “Above the desk in my studio there’s a picture of an 80’s Porsche 911. When I’m writing I always think, ‘Would this track sound good while I’m driving that car?’ And that’s how I audition every track that I make!”

This approach to song writing is evident in Chimes’ Midnight Club EP. The EP is equally suited for a club or a coupe, which is no easy feat in dance music. There’s enough pounding bass and driving kick to make all the songs on this albums club hits, yet enough technical prowess and emotion in the music to allow for that introspective trance state one tends to reach on long night drives. Two of the tracks—’Tetre Rouge’ and ‘Targa’—are even named after racing cars, which is a further testament to Chimes’ vision of a synthesis between the club and the open road, and music that retains poignancy in either setting.

Chimes’ Midnight Club EP is practically flawless. Chimes’ work is not only consistently impeccable, but more notably he always seems to be one step ahead of his contemporaries in terms of creativity, sense of melody and utilization of subtle musical tension. With his new EP he’s taken the nu-disco-house-hybrid trend and pointed it in the direction it should be going: flawless production, driving beats and most importantly a complete lack of kitsch. I have been frustrated recently with a huge outpouring of disco music that is, to say the least, overwhelmingly campy (here’s looking at you Barbara Streisand). Exaggerated mouse-like voices, completely outdated equipment and hooks clearly recycled from the 70’s are fine every now and again, but what I am really looking for is disco for the new millennium. This is it. The Midnight Club EP could and should be a blueprint for any other producer looking to create an emotive and relatable record consolidating club music with everyday listenability.

As if the music itself weren’t enough, Chimes employed a holistic approach to the marketing of this EP. He released three music videos/short films—one for each song—in succession, about a week apart each time. The films tell the story of young lovers and a horrible betrayal. I myself was left basically scraping my keyboard for more while waiting for the new video each week.  Although I love the videos, it could be said that the aforementioned “campiness” associated with modern disco music manifests itself somewhat in these films. Admittedly, they are a bit over the top. However I can’t fault Chimes for that because, as previously stated, the music itself has so much integrity that Chimes should be allowed a little wiggle room in terms of having fun with his release. What’s notable too is that they capitalize on the emotive nature of the tracks by providing the listener with a story. Take heed critics: Dance music can have meaning too, it’s not all just fun and games.

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Russ Chimes – Targa

Targa is the last song on the EP and the first single. It features vocals by Cass Lowe, who proclaims, “I’ve tried to fight, I’ve tried to hide it, but I want you tonight. I’m gonna bite the bullet, I’ll chase the night with you,” over a pounding beat, glittering synths and signature Chimes keyboard work. Keeping the driving theme in mind, ‘Targa’ is equally suited for both a pleasure cruise with friends as well as a can’t-breathe-can’t-sleep-gotta-drive attitude. The song contains an intensity and drama that allows it to serve as the impetus for your most pressing night conquests, yet is upbeat and optimistic enough to be a soundtrack for your jaunt on the town. And don’t forget the club. As Lowe repeats “we’ll be dancing all night,” you can almost see the dancefloor packed with beautiful people just waiting to be privy to a night that you will want to last forever.