Ghetto Muzik / Dark Places

Description

Another week, another clutch of must-have reworks from Chicagoan master Rahaan, this time on his personal, Hot Biscuit Recordings-funded Typewriter Record Pool imprint. He predictably hits the ground running on ‘Ghetto Music’, a slowly building and impeccably realised tweak of one of Phildelphia International’s greatest moments, ‘The Ghetto’ by Donny Hathaway. After replicating and extending the original’s atmospheric build-up, Rahaan focuses on keeping things rolling percussively, while subtly ratcheting up the energy throughout. Tampering with an all-time classic is dangerous, but predictably Rahaan has done a stellar job. ‘Dark Places’ is a more intense and psychedelic affair, with Rahaan working a bunch of heavy loops while inserting subtle builds and changes in tone and intensity. It’s very good, but naturally lacks the ‘wow’ factor of his A-side edit.