Our third expedition into Area X takes us further into the terrain. The deeper we go, the less useful the map becomes. What begins as an expedition becomes an encounter: with repetition, with rhythm, with each other, and with whatever emerges when we remain present long enough to notice it. This time, a current from Chicago enters Area X. Two artists shaped by the city's deep and evolving underground join a shifting constellation of artists, converging for a night of hypnotic movement, layered frequencies, and unfamiliar terrain. •••✦••• Artists leading this expedition: ꩜ Shanti has made textured waves in Chicago’s techno scene with her curation of dark, sinister, and ethereal soundscapes. Music has always been a means of coping with the otherness and hybridity Shanti experienced throughout her life. She has been deeply moved by the transcendent ability of music to express concepts, states of consciousness, and conflicting emotions. Shanti’s sets weave a story of the simultaneous despair and yearning that are intertwined with the human condition and illustrate an intentional trajectory through combining and cultivating surreal, atmospheric, and haunting sounds. Enamored by the liminal dynamics of sound, Shanti cohosts Otherworldly Ambiguity with Scum.ee - an experience that is centered around the phenomenon of existing in between and outside of pre-existing concepts and rigid categories. She hosts a monthly radio show, “Liminal Radio” on WIIT 88.9 FM featuring thoughtful artists at the core of Chicago’s underground music scene. ꩜ Brooklyn-based Helena Ma is known for deep, rolling techno shaped by hypnotic rhythm, organic textures, and emotional tension. Earthy percussion runs through her sets, inviting dancers to turn inward while staying connected to the room, echoing the moments that first drew her to techno. With a sound rooted in that shared feeling, she has played renowned dance floors across New York, Asia, and Europe. ꩜ Noctus is a Chicago-based DJ known for balancing hypnotic minimal techno and drum-heavy dub with melodic loops and samples. His love for hip hop, bossa nova, and reggae influence his rhythmic selections and melodies while fueling his obsession for fresh drum patterns. He views the dancefloor as a prototype for future societies. ꩜ stress tess is a local DJ exploring the hypnotic edges of techno and psychedelic dance music. Her sets move patiently through shimmering minimalism, pulsing rhythms, and deep groove, creating immersive soundscapes that invite listeners inward. She is a founding member of Vortex. ꩜ Seelie is a Brooklyn based DJ and co-founder of Vortex, a collective that operates in the shadows of New York’s underground, creating niche spaces for explorations of sound and community. Drawn to the full spectrum of electronic music, she weaves various genres together through musical storytelling. Her mixes explore themes of nature, mysticism, and the interplay between light and dark. ꩜ Four point Funktion One sound by Communion Audio ꩜ Lighting by Studio Bird Bam •••✦••• note: an email with event details/location will be sent to ticket holders on the day of the event! Area X exists to be explored, not explained.