Album review: Traxman- Da Mind Of Traxman

Some people ride Harleys. Some people drive kitted out imports. Some people obey the speed limit and listen to NPR. I bump tunes like I am still 17. I don't give a shit. That's just the way it is, and the way it's gonna be. And honestly an album can easily win me over if it is something I can bang in my car.

So I have had the Traxman album in my car for a couple weeks giving it the car test and I will tell you, when I first played it, I was so excited I had to call my partner in crime, Count Jakula. It is pretty rare that music will illicit such a strong response from me but there is such a newness and energy on this set, I couldn't help it. I don't want to be overly dramatic and say the "juke" genre is the next big thing but the thought came to mind. I promise i won't make this extra long or get all hyperbolic with the analogies like I usually do in reviews. I will just get right to the chase. This collection of songs is fun, it is new, the sound is great and it is catchy as hell.

Traxman has deep history in the Chicago dance scene releasing ghetto house songs on infamous labels like Dancemania and Ghettophiles and you can see the ghetto house influence all over this thing. Much of the tracks have the same chants about booty and crack and other ghetto shit. But these tracks have more polish to them. More depth. Ghetto house is known for its lewd choruses but it is also famous for how simple the production is. The generation that Traxman is aiming at is an audience weened on electronic music. Think about it. People of my generation, our parents listened to Fleetwood Mac and Led Zepplin and what not (not mine but you get the idea). The kids that are dancing to this, their parents listened to Timbaland and Paul Johnson. With that as your foundation, beats as simple as what DJ Milton was putting out won't cut it. Now I'm not going to sit here and say Traxman's stutter stop beats are super complicated and he is a technical genius. But he does make the simple interesting, in a new way. Which, trust me, is very hard to do. There is elements of Miami bass in here (think DJ Magic Mike), R&B (Prince and Stevie Wonder samples make an appearance) there is even a track that has an acid-y 303 line. Oh by the way did I mention, this album is also on a label I have been clamoring about a lot lately; Planet Mu.

All in all, this site is about what i enjoy and i truly enjoy this album. I have yet to truly give the whole album my usual thorough analysis since I cant get past the first 3 songs because I like them so much. Listen to this album and watch some Walla Cam videos, you may even get the feeling you are witnessing the infancy of a scene that has yet to hit the mainstream. Whatever. It's awesome. Bang it in your ride. I will say now this is in the running for "best of" list for me.

Traxman- Da Mind Of Traxman- for it's originality and replay factor gets $9.5 out of $10. It's worth the skrilla don't bootleg it.