decks tipp

feat. semma, kayla blackmon, tiara thomas and more

a generation younger than the founders of the teklife crew, dj rashad and dj spinn, dj taye was originally a rapper and beat maker before hooking up with the collective and jumping headfirst into the world of footwork production, dancing and djing. however, it was rashad’s untimely passing in 2014 that was the unlikely catalyst for developing the sounds and ideas for this album.

local action and nts radio’s finn launches his new label, 2 b real, with a 12- of fast-paced, no-nonsense club tracks. finn first appeared in 2014 with ‘keep calling’ - an instant classic and one of the year’s best-received releases, played relentlessly by kode9, dj q, murlo, eclair fifi, scratcha dva and more. since then he’s developed a cult following as a dj, with a palette of regional us club styles, classic house and techno, grime & freestyle electro beyond his years - broadcast through his monthly nts show and his regular b2b podcasts, where he goes track for track with a dj he admires (such as uniiqu3, teki latex and conor thomas). 2 be real is finn’s new home for dance tracks high in thrills and low on bullshit. on 2br001, he draws on classic ghettotech for the melodic keys and urgent 909s of ‘late at night’ (with a more uk-indebted darkside mix on the flip), and teams up with resident swing ting mc fox for ‘lightwork’, a vocal cut inspired by detroit’s own legacy of hip house and ‘chant’ records.

incl tracks by 96 back, dawn richard, dj jayhood, dj q, e.m.m.a., india jordan, terri walker