FEATURED Release

THREE

Bounte’s latest album, “Three,” is the final chapter of an ambitious trilogy that traverses the complex terrain of electronica, indie, synthpop, darkwave, rock, and industrial genres. Crafted by Chicago producer Dean Dunakin, this album is a deeply textured soundscape that mirrors the nuances of adult life, blending introspective melodies with powerful beats. The album features haunting vocals from Brittany Bindrim, Alan Ruffin, and Pete Ellis, while the lyrical contributions of Bindrim and award-winning novelist Colby Cuppernull add layers of narrative depth. Each track, from the pulsating “Dark Pattern” to the reflective “Saturday No Sunday,” invites listeners to explore the emotional spectrum of modern existence. Mastered by Eric Oehler of Submersible Studios, “Three” is available now on all major services.

Bounte weaves varied motifs and techniques into darkly emotive and uniquely structured songs that give listeners much to explore. Drawing inspiration from myriad music genres, field recordings, and productions, Bounte intricately sequences flowing beats, time juxtapositions, warped guitars, sweet orchestrations, and gnarly bass. The studious tracks force internal thought to meet the outside world, examine it from odd angles, and ultimately forge a new harmony from disparate ideas.

Classified broadly as “indietronica,” Bounte tracks have been released by Positron Records, wtii, Zen Dozer Records, Flagrant Records, Alfa Matrix and Orkus, and featured in sync spots worldwide with clients such as ABC, MTV, Discovery Channel, Food Network, Netflix, TV3+, and Red Bull. Chicago based producer Dean Dunakin regularly invites collaborators into Bounte, and contributes to other projects in Chicago—remixing, producing, writing, and performing.

Press

[Bounte] not only captures but enhances the synth infused grooves of Depeche Mode on his new EP The Desolation Test. Derivative he isn’t. If anything, Depeche should sound this invigorated

Richard Milne

WXRT

A producer and a musician who can infuse a number of styles into a cohesive and ultimately pleasant whole. This is a fun and tasteful kind of music that is, quite frankly, a welcome respite from the overwrought and often humorless fare that encumbers much of what is heard today.

Ilker Yücel

REGEN MAGAZINE

Music

One 10 track album / 2007 / Positron! Records

Combining a breakbeat and IDM backbone with strong melodic textures and melodies, One is a unique take on the current electronic music scene. From the spacious female vocals of “Going Nowhere” and “Glide” to the skittering instrumental programming of “del Frompson,” One showcases Bounte’s musical inventiveness, all the while maintaining a current sensibility.

Maximal 4 track EP / 2008 / Positron! Records

An aggressive, pounding counterpoint to Bounte’s debut album, One, dominated by grinding beats, heavy distortion, and cavernous reverb, overlaid with glitchy throbbing synth work, Maximal is an ode to the dark side of electronic music, while maintaining Bounte’s signature melodic touches and traditional Chicago house flavor.

1.5 4 track EP / 2009 / Zen Dozer Records

A contemplative instrumental transition to Bounte’s second, more vocal oriented full-length album, “Two.”

Two 10 track album / 2010 / Zen Dozer Records

A clever integration of myriad synths, beats, vocals, and ambient textures into a gripping blend of electronic, pop, jazz, and classical structures. Hard-hitting electro anthems like “Small Together” and “Zone Drone” are contrasted with delicate, mournful ballads “Unborn” and “Taking You”, while label-defying track “Thingawowzer” showcases Bounte’s musical inventiveness and creative programming.

The Desolation Test 5 track EP / 2013 / Zen Dozer Records

Bounte’s signature blend of genres are on display throughout this EP — from IDM to trip-hop to rock, even touching on disco — at times woven with intricate programming, at others cobbled together with brute-force production. The result is a slick yet emotional electronic album that calls on one to drop the self-censoring voice and trust the expression of loss, anger, confusion, frustration, desire, and bliss.

Best Man 3 track EP / 2013 / Winter Cardinal Press

On this beautifully constructed and haunting EP, Chicago’s Bounte (working with Alan Ruffin and Catcher James) takes inspiration from author Colby Cuppernull’s short story collection, Best Man, capturing both the emotional exhaustion of the characters and the picaresque misery of the stories’ setting.

Engelier 5 track EP / 2018 / Zen Dozer Records

An electronica/IDM study in bass and beats, at moments upbeat, offbeat, aggressive, moody, or light, with gnarled deep dives into low frequencies.

Bit Streams 10 track EP / 2021 / Zen Dozer Records

Throughout Bounte’s extensive sample slicing, bits inevitably get left on the cutting-room floor. In Bit Streams, the seasoned producer brings these brief pieces back to the table and works them into finished tracks. This collection explores styles ranging from piano ballads to big beat, with plenty of glitch and chill grooves in between.

The Dichotomy 2 track single / 2024 / Zen Dozer Records

Explore the sonic duality of Bounte’s latest EP, “The Dichotomy.” Within these two instrumental tracks, Bounte expertly navigates the intersection of electronica and rock with a unique sonic palette that is unapologetically hard-hitting and intricate. “Drain Hammer” sets the tone with its relentless beats and pulsating energy, while “Lawless” takes the intensity to a new electronic level with its dynamic arrangements and edgy soundscapes.