DJ Taye brings a wealth of soul to his new project. The What You Think EP, has its ghetto tech and footwork touch tones, its toasting and bravado, but Taye also weaves in a classic cool that extends beyond the hedonism generally associated with TEKlife’s choicest cuts. So while the title track is loudly stating “I don’t give a fuck what you think… bitch”, Taye has countered the crude boasts with the elegance of rising keys and neo-soul glitch. By the time the EP arrives at “Teklife Run It”, there’s no question “who the fuck run the track.”
When we spoke with Taye in June, he said he was incorporating more rap style and and jungle into footwork. On “Reality/Fantasy” he lifts the vocals from Mac Miller’s “Happy Birthday”, looping his favorite quotes to illustrate a personal narrative of existential sorrow and anxiety. So while he’s refining his tableau on the What You Think EP, it’s more than just genre-tinkering for the sake of doing so. DJ Taye’s exploring the art of storytelling that expands the context of juke and footwork to a place beyond the scene or stage.
Purchase DJ Taye’s What You Think EP on Bandcamp.
For more from DJ Taye, stream his contribution to our Friday Night mix series.
