WAAJEED Vinyl & CDs

Review: Waajeed is a top tier talent - a producer, DJ, expert beat maker and label head at Dirt Tech Rack who moved away from his deep house sounds to cook up this masterful hip hop record back in 2006. It now arrives on vinyl almost 20 years later but time has not diminished its quality. It finds the Detroit native, who thrives on breaking conventional boundaries, telling the story of the kidnapping of Patricia Hearst as an emblematic American tale that he pairs with a raw beat framework that taps into the vibes of artists like J Dilla and Slum Village. It is a serious work from a serious artist.

Review: Waajeed's Memoirs Of Hi-Tech Jazz came out on Tresor in late 2022 as a definitive statement from a true Detroit original. Following the Motor City Madness remixes 12" which accompanied the album drop, here comes a follow up single shining fresh light on the project via a whole new set of remixes. There's no need to introduce a legend like Mark Broom - a stalwart of UK techno who brings his decades of experience to 'Right Now' as he remains in an enduring purple patch. Staying in the UK but coming from a whole different angle, Yazzus brings her upfront flair to one of the most compelling, emotionally charged pieces on the album, 'The Ballad Of Richard O'Bryant'. Then it's left to Jensen Interceptor and Assembler Code to link up for a remix of 'Memoirs Of Hi-Tech Jazz', complete with some of Black Nix's original poetic flow over the top.

Review: Wajeed's tasteful Dirt Tech Rack welcomes Church Boy Lou for some more of that authentic house flavour. 'The Night Is Coming' opens up with funky drum loops and twisted metallic synth lines that swerve in and out of the grooves. 'Keep On Prayin' has a more urgent feel with busier percussive lines and some subtle vocals adding the soul in a gospel fashion then 'Push Em In The Face' is another gospel tinged house looper a la Floorplan which really makes a mark and also comes as an instrumental.