- Blistering analogue jams from a veteran of the sound.
- It can be hard keeping up with Jamal Moss. One of the most prolific artists in house and techno, he's currently in the midst of a particularly fertile period, having released (at least) three LPs and a handful of EPs so far in 2018. That might be overkill if his range wasn't so broad—the full-lengths alone cover jazz, Chicago house, melodic techno and banging acid. On #Dontjusttalkaboutitbeaboutit, a four-tracker released under the lesser-known alias JAI/MAHL, he presents three turbo-charged technoid jams tempered by a slice of deep house that shows Moss at his very best.
Moss is a spiritual man with a positive outlook on life, so he likely intended the EP's title to be inspirational. But it could also be confrontational, a mood reflected in the first three tracks, where frantic rhythms and cosmic melodies dominate. "#Dare2Matter," with its bubbling synth line and the occasional muted word from Moss, is full of beans, though it's lacking a killer hook. That's exactly what you get 20 seconds into "#ICU," the kind of epic techno earworm brings to mind vast warehouses. As it fades into the murk of dusty kicks and bass rumble, a shriller melody bursts in, giving the track a second wind.
At 137 BPM, "#UWILLNOT" fizzes with the energy of '90s hardcore, its zippy lead melody more than strong enough to power the track on its own. But things become cluttered, as several elements—a gyrating acid line, some prancing synths—cloud the energy of the opening 60 seconds. Moss closes the EP with the comparatively stripped-back title track, a mellow jam with uplifting chords and jazzy keys that recalls classic Omar-S. There's still plenty going on, but the elements sing in harmony instead of shouting over one other.
TracklistA1 #Dare2Matter
A2 #ICU
B1 #UWILLNOT
B2 #DontjusttalkaboutitbeAboutit