Casino Versus Japan

Milwaukee-based producer Erik Kowalski produces tracks of gorgeous listening techno, with baroque, haunting melodies, and distorted trip-hop beats. After over two years of recording on his own, Kowalski released an eponymous debut on Star Star in 1998. One year later, Go Hawaii followed on Milwaukee's Wobblyhead. His third album (2002's Whole Numbers Play the Basics) found him on another label, Carpark. Kowalski has also worked with Charles Wyatt as Charles Atlas. ~ John Bush