I always loved Gemini’s efforts and had the pleasure of playing an opening DJ set for him on a warm night at Jelly’s at Pier 50 in 1999. I also got to hear him spin a phenomenal set at a Stompy at 550 Barnveld — in 1999 also I believe — where he schooled all in attendance with some Chi-town dynamics that touched on Blaze, Kraftwerk, upfront Chicago trackwork, Detroit bits and some Ron Hardy endorsed, disco nuggets. One night at 111 Minna I was a playing a set and dropped in “Any Love” by Rufus and Chaka Khan. He was in the crowd and out of the blue  jumped up on the stage where the booth was and hugged me and thanked me for playing it. Ha ha! He is a truly gifted producer, an inspiring DJ and one of Chicago’s true geniuses.

Gemini
Gemini Sounds EP
Earth/US/12
Gemini weighs in once again with one of his minimal, but atmospheric groove EPs. “R U Afraid” is repetitive and claustrophobic with a scary sample that sounds like it was lifted from an old Bam Bam record. “Earth” recalls the textured trickiness of his “4th Day” EP on Make Out Music, rolling beats, stabbed chords and delicate organ touches. On the flip “Elevate Your Fellow Man” and “Relaxing’ are refined tech housers for the early AM. Very worthwhile. Chris Orr