Too many tuned out fakes you call your friends - V
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I think everyone has one of those bands in their city whose name they hear a lot, but for whatever reason, bypassed their radar. Chicago trio Hey Champ is this band for me.
I recently sat down and finally gave Hey Champ a good listen. A name can say a lot about a band, and in the case of Hey Champ, their name threw me for a loop. Based on their name, I was expecting a sound similar to The Go! Team, but instead of poppy guitar riffs I was met with dark, synth-tinged beats and the innocent and melodic voice of vocalist Saam Hagshenas. I quickly put two and two together to realize that Hey Champ was responsible for the addictive track Cold Dust Girl I’d been hearing out in the clubs for weeks.
Splitting their time between DJ sets and live music, Hey Champ are leaving their mark on Chicago’s eardrums. Their original material INSTANTLY reminded me of one of my favorite producers, Stuart Price (aka Paper Faces aka Thin White Duke aka Les Rhythmes Digitales, aka Zoot Woman, aka Jacques Lu Cont). I tend to find bands who DJ on the side (most of the time) lackluster. Hey Champ manage to execute the dual role of band and DJs perfectly. Their mixes feature just enough of the style present in their original music to keep fans hooked, but also branch out, showcasing some of their personal tastes. They recently did a really great mix for UR Chicago (download here) in which their original material shares the tracklisting with the likes of Whitest Boy Alive, Yazoo, and Crystal Waters. I get a lot of mixes thrown my way and truthfully, this is one of the best I’ve heard this year.
It’s really exciting when you know a band is on the cusp of something great. I predict it won’t be long until Hey Champ goes from filming videos in their friends’ lofts, to touring as the opener for a major act.
If you are in Chicago tonight—Thursday, August 28th—you can check out Hey Champ live with electro-rockers The Prairie Cartel at The Empty Bottle. Tickets are only $8 and available here. And if you want to mark your calendars early, Hey Champ will be opening for Surkin at Smartbar on October 10. Get your tickets here.
And of course, I wont leave you without the mp3s! Below are some of my favorite Hey Champ original material and remixes. I also included a remix of In The White City from Zebo. The original was a bit too hard for my taste, but I really love this throwback-style remix (it reminds me of White Lines if it were mixed with jungle beats).
(Editor’s Note: We were asked to remove the download link to the Tigercity remix by their management. So sad, this was my favorite. However, I’ve replaced it with Hey Champ’s remix of Yeasayer’s Sunrise, which is really great as well.)
Hey Champ – Cold Dust Girl (128 kbps)
Hey Champ – Face Control (128 kbps)
Yeasayer – Sunrise (Hey Champ Remix) (320 kbps)
The Prairie Cartel – Cracktown (Hey Champ Remix) (320 kbps)
Hey Champ – In The White City (Zebo Remix) (320 kbps)
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Hey man, love these tracks. Where is the Tigercity tune though?
Unfortunately, Tigercity’s management asked that we remove the remix.
But, check out the Yeasayer remix I put in it’s place, it’s really good as well.
Thanks for the response. It’s weird that they would make you pull that, since other Tigercity stuff is still out there, and you can’t even buy the Hey Champ remix of "Are You Sensation." I would gladly pay money for the mix, can it be found anywhere for purchase?
you can pick it up here…shhhh…http://www.divshare.com/download/5313698-1c7
Yay!