Evan Ønly is the solo alter ego of Underwater Peoples co-founder Evan Brody. As Mr. Ønly, he transforms into a fictional archivist of a near dystopian future. If the No Matter What EP was not a clear enough indication of the modus operandi of Evan Ønly, then this week's Friday Night mix should clarify with absolution.
Often depicted in leather with a stoicism that erases the humanity from his bold features, Evan Ønly curated a dedication to S&M-themed music that, as he astutely notes, inspired 90s Jock Jams and Kanye West. It's downright alarming how on the money he is in the theory. Depeche Mode's “I Just Can't Get Enough” is a playful inclusion, the sort of cheekiness that comes from light patting on the behind—softcore in the masochist's dungeon. It's short-lived though, as Ønly embarks into the territory that requires a safe word with tracks like Major Problem's “Acid Queen”, which sounds like Nine Inch Nail's “Closer” being dominated by a backwoods hillbilly from Deliverence. As menacing as it gets, Ønly's theory only grows stronger and I begin to wonder if all these Yeezus lovers harbor an unspoken fetish for pain. Warning: you'll never be able to think about Jock Jams again without associating it to kinky behavior.
This bizarre collection of S&M themed New Beat/ Industrial House showcases how these lost genres have impacted related genres thereafter. From “90's Jock Jams Hits” to Kanye West's Yeezus, you can hear how these aural explorers laid the framework for their descendants. Featuring thoughts from Jacque Fresco, Robert Fripp, and Larry King.
Evan Ønly's No Matter What EP is out now on Underwater Peoples.
Tough Love Tracklisting:
01 Neon – Voices
02 Depeche Mode – Just Can't Get Enough
03 Front 242 – Headhunter
04 Major Problem – Acid Queen
05 Confettis – Sound of C
06 Dr. Felix – Relax Your Body
07 Taste of Sugar – Hmm Hmm
08 Hit House – Move Your Feet to the Rhythm of the Beat
09 Pet Shop Boys- Shouting in the Evening
10 Kasper Bjørke – Deep Is the Breath (with Jacob Bellens & Emma Acs)
11 D.A.F. – Brothers (Mix Gabi)
12 Propaganda – (Echo Of) Frozen Faces
13 Hit House – Jack To The Sound Of The Underground
14 Black Box – Ride On Time
15 Dow Jones – Just a Techno Groove
