Mark EG and Chad Stegall drop debut album under their alias, USUK
USUK is a duo consisting of UK techno producer Mark EG and American keyboard/synth composer Chad Stegall. Together, they also head up USUK Records, which is the outlet for their new ten-track album ‘Fear the Sound’.
Their synth-driven style is an eclectic blend that ranges from old-school electro to driving techno with melodic elements, and their immersive album fuses dance floor energy with captivating chord progressions that capture the imagination.
Mark EG is a veteran DJ and producer who has been releasing music since the ’90s on labels ranging from D.A.V.E. The Drummer’s Hydraulix to the highly respected Planet Rhythm. He has played DJ sets at some of the biggest nightclubs/festivals the world has to offer, and is known for having a peak time style with driving energy.
Chad Stegall has a deeper style and has produced progressive house tracks for labels such as Udopia Recordings and Dear Deer. He has a love of hardware synthesisers and is a master at creating emotive melodies and mood-setting pad sweeps.
The two producers have found common ground by producing a hybrid sound that sits between synthwave and peak-time techno.
“Ready to Move” opens the release with an atmospheric intro that sets the scene with trippy vocals while the percussion slowly takes control. The release then picks up the pace as the following tracks switch through the gears with eerie tension and dystopian atmosphere.
“Unseen” is the fourth track on the release and it’s a moody cut with electro undertones that changes up the groove before things get driving and more techno focused with pulsating synths and hard-hitting percussion. Things start to get abstract as the release comes to a close with the cosmic synths of tracks such as “Impulse Control“. The title track “Fear the Sound” ends the release by winding things down to a percussive outro that finishes the release on a high by capturing the mood of a dance floor.
You can purchase a copy HERE.
