Dj Rashad / Itz Not Rite

Planet Mu

DJ Rashad has been instrumental to the creation and evolution of Chicago juke music. This lifelong friend to key players on the scene--Paul Johnson, DJ Gant-Man, DJ Spinn, DJ Godfather and Jammin Gerald--blends elements of house, disco, juke and ghetto tech, and has a knack for sparse, snappy tracks that convey a physicality and funk with spectacular precision. Rashad's notorious juke anthems have found fans far outside the world of Chicago mix CDs. He has DJed across Europe, released records on Juke Trax and Databass and has some big remixes and collaborations in the pipeline. On this six-track EP, Rashad's songs cut across styles with effective, synapse-snapping technique. "Itz Not Rite" evolves from half-speed, chopped hip hop into a double-time, hyper-rhythmic monster. "Teknitian" is panicky in mood, playing sirens over pounding, militant drums, while "10 on Da Cush" contrasts spacey smooth jazz samples with pumping drums and bass. The techno synths on "Who Da Coldest" recall early Underground Resistance mixed with hard drums, claps and a lush breakdown borrowed from mid-'90s jungle. "Baby" edits a short soul sample into a chopped up series of bumpy, rippling shapes and rhythms. Finally, "Rashad" layers shuddering, micro-edited samples into a tight lattice; propelled by tense, aggressive drums, the feeling is almost overbearing and alien, until the familiar voice of a soul singer rolls through the mix to tether the track to something more real.

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