Written by Shea Roney | Photo by Averi Love Little

Every Wednesday, the ugly hug shares a playlist personally curated by an artist/band that we have been enjoying. This week we have a collection of songs put together by the Chicago-based group, Current Union ™. 

Current Union ™, the amalgamation of siblings Reid and Kira Isbell (twin coasts), has become one of Chicago’s best kept secrets. But to hell with that label. As the city forges its youthful faction of renegade blues and pop-rattled liaisons, CUT’s explosive instrumentals and post-punk provisionals find common ground between control and chaos. And to their credit, the latter is glorious. Now operating in full force, it’s an alchemical shift, as blood cells count heads and melodic dispositions take aim, Reid’s sharp guitar and Kira’s syncopated drumming are pushed further to the edge by the thrashing of Seamus’s saxophone, Jackson’s turgid bass, and Isaac’s sonic manipulations. Their sound arises from refusal to be afraid, to be cautious, and to capitulate in these dark times. But rather, the band has forged their own way, their demands to dance emphatically and to break the binds of any and all expectations are as clear as ever before. Current Unit ™ may seem like they are building up higher, but they are already big.

About the playlist, CUT shared;

“The falconer cocks his rifle; follow the notion to your own retreat. Screeching echoes and pulsating rhythms: the rocker’s dub and dance club. Like a sound that draws blood, a CUT is as physical as it is volatile.”

Listen to their playlist HERE!