Over the past few weeks, Baltimore legend DJ Technics has uploaded a massive catalogue of club tracks, effectively revitalizing an until-now dormant catalogue of mid-Atlantic heat. From classics like DJ Class’ “Tear Da Club Up” and DJ Samir’s “Samir Theme” to deep cuts from Rod Lee, Karizma and KW Griff, the uploads piece together an invaluable stretch of history that has been largely ignored amid the recent gustatory fervor over bedspring samples and think breaks. While East Coast club music’s rich history has been appropriated in a blunt, ignorant fashion by many younger, by-and-large European producers, Uniique, Nadus and Matic808 and others continue to advance the sound without relinquishing any of its original substance. Uniique’s remix of Tinashe’s simmering “2 On” is the most recent exhibit A, utilizing the typical mementos, not in excess, but as an aggressive form of release from the pounding kicks and reverb heavy vocal work. It’s a pleasure to listen to music that is as functional as it is properly conceived, as sonically adventurous as it is brutally utilitarian. Uniique has us in good hands.
The Astral Plane 