Doo-wop, noise music, jug bands: this is not a typical list of influences for an artist working in the often all-synthesized world of dance music. But they infuse the ever-expanding sound world of Chicago-based DJ, songwriter, vocalist, keyboardist, Smart Bar resident and Hugo Ball co-founder Eris Drew. She’s less concerned with genre than the universal rituals and energies underpinning the dancefloor. She calls it the “mother beat” and some two decades into her career, Drew continues to delve deeper into the vibe as a DJ and live performer, having become close to fellow dance music enthusiasts like Detroit’s Interdimensional Transmissions crew, who have called her one of their absolute favorites.
