[Noble Square Records]

The man known only as Satin Jackets was raised on a Navajo Indian reservation in the 80’s where he proved himself as a skilled archer and sprinter. While passing through the territory on tour, one of house music’s greatest figures (who asked not to be identified) saw the boy darting across the rugged terrain and asked his tour bus to stop. He offered the boy a chance to be his gofer, to see the world. Being an adventurous and fearless young man, Satin Jackets agreed to give up his meager possessions and get on that big, booming bus. Two decades of retrieving 12″s, needle cartridges and a pharmacy’s worth of pills later, Satin Jackets has a wealth of producing, DJing and party culture experience to draw upon, not to mention a closet full of his namesake vestments. Now settled in Chicago, Satin Jackets reveals his debut “Conspiracy Theories EP,” the inaugural release on upstart Windy City label, Noble Square Records.

Despite his flashy exterior, the “Conspiracy Theories EP” finds Satin Jackets opting for a sparse toolbox to construct his relatively short tracks, which are played and sequenced live. The rattling 808 percussion, offhand synths and deeply tonal bass line of “Inside Job” soon reveal fancier footwork, a constantly mutating bleepy progression and snarling pads. No conspiracy is simple. “Oil + Blood” is deadly straightforward and seems influenced by the likes of STL, Robert Hood and Mountain People. Its alternately grainy and reedy synth progressions, which pull the tune across boulder-sized bass and closed hi-hats, are bombarded by unnerving bell patterns intermittently swooping in and fading away.

Satin Jackets set-up may sound primitive but his composition skills are far from it. Keep an eye out for more (most likely featured on his Myspace) from this storied maverick.

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My review of Solomon, H.O.S.H. and Stimming’s new “Trilogy EP” on Diynamic is now up on Resident Advisor. Well, much of it is, anyway.