The term »Arcology« refers to the combination of architecture and ecology in order to create a self-sufficient unit. The computer game »Sim City«, for example, used the term quite frequently. For his second record, producer Ryan McRyhew has conceptualized such a colony, a foreign settlement at the borders of known and unknown worlds. In contrast to this science-fiction narrative, the title could just as well be applied to the music in a completely different way, considering that the similar sounding »archaeology« might describe McRyhew’s working method even more fittingly. His music consists of various layers of Chicago’s music styles, starting with Acid House via Juke all the way to Footwork, collected by McRyhew in an almost archaeological manner. However, unlike an archaeologist, Thug Entrancer does not only uncover those elements, but rather combines them to a whole new shape that unites these different influences in equal parts and thereby transforms them into something different. Hence, every sound detail of the new entity comes across as familiar, like the obligatory 808, the 303-drum computer, nervously thumping beats and raging hi-hats, while the entirety of these elements combined creates a new and individual vision that will provoke various different images in your head. It also provokes dreaming of electronic sheep. And either way: it definitely provokes an urgent need to dance.
Arcology
