Fall Highlights: Clubs

SEPTEMBER
Major Taylor
Philly-transplant Taylor might have a big mouth, but his choice of beats can make a party of frat boys or indie girls get down to their skivvies and then get down some more. Fridays (except the first of the month) at Tuman's, Mondays at Funky Buddha Lounge and first Fridays at the Ice Factory.

Norman Jay
British dance music would be nowhere without this gentleman, and he's got an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) to show for it. Smartbar. Sept 2.

The Art of Disco with Alexander Robotnick
The Italo-disco maestro is back, just as every other DJ and clubber from here to Moscow is dropping his name. The first time around, Italo-disco was the synth-heavy, funny-by-accident dance music made by Italians in the early '80s, long after Saturday Night Fever and the mirror-ball craze had faded in America. Robotnick later got into world music, but the cult figure is back en vogue and in the clubs. Sound-Bar. Sept 9.

Kompute music anniversary
This local label with a dark, techy approach to house has more influence in Germany than it does here. But with artists like Soultek getting noticed worldwide, it can't be long before we come up with a catchy phrase to capture yet another homegrown Chicago sound. The label celebrates its fifth year in business in September and maintains a monthly residency at Lava. Lava. Sept 16.

OCTOBER
Jamie Lidell
Lidell released Multiply (Warp) recently, which found him bouncing from crooner with echoes of Otis Redding to Cameo-style funkateer, and beating Beck and Prince at their own game. Live, Lidell's soul sushi is even kookier. He performs as part of RESFEST. Museum of Contemporary Art, RESFEST. Oct 9.

Superpitcher
Aksel Schaufler's often dark and moody approach to microhouse, schaffel and dance-pop agreed with us long before his SummerDance gig. He, Ada and Metope from the Kompakt crew kick it in the basement. Smartbar, Oct 13.

The Glimmers
Belgian duo the Glimmers (formerly the Glimmer Twins) are emblematic of a wave of crate-digging madmen, like 2ManyDJs, who refused to be pigeonholed easily unless you consider "postdiscopunkelectrohousetech" an actual genre. Their DJ-Kicks mix-CD featured, of all things, Chicago's version of "I'm a Man" as its grand finale. Smartbar. Oct 15.

Richie Hawtin
He's the closest thing to an official godfather of minimal techno as there is. Hawtin's spent years honing his innovative live show. Sound-Bar. Oct 28.

Miss Kittin
This French DJ and sometime vocalist blew up via "Frank Sinatra" and other out-of-left-field club hits. She spins whatever moves her, whether it be minimal, deep or kicking techno, electro, or some wackier stuff. Sound-Bar, Oct 20.