- A three-track EP that showcases the French producer's versatility, humor and edge.
- Jaymie Silk makes dance music with a message, whether it's telling the story of a Black boxing hero or exploring the interconnected nature of the diaspora. On his latest record, 909 & Heartbreak, he turns his attention to dance music history itself. "It was not until I became an adult that I discovered the history and origins of electronic music, that dance music was a Black music," he says, and this three-track EP (right down to its Kanye West-referencing title) is a way of tying all these childhood loves—hip-hop, dubstep, house and techno—together through their shared Black lineage.
"A President Is Just A Gangster With A Nuclear Weapon" is an emblematic Jaymie Silk cut: its provocative title repeats over a throwback rave instrumental, where the excitable synth vamps shoot up like geysers. It's retro, but powerful enough to avoid pastiche. On the more pop-oriented "Like A Teardrop In The Sun," Silk turns to '80s house with a sultry vocal performance. The R&B vibes and snaking bassline are pure Larry Heard worship, though there's a touch of post-dubstep too—the shimmering vocal cut-up brings me right back to the days of Holy Other.
It's "Love Me, Teach Me, Break Me, Kill Me" that really highlights Silk's unique taste and perspective. This one feels both silly and deeply serious, as a deadpan vocoder voice chants the title over a knotty drum pattern that sounds like a wheel stuck in mud. It's uplifting and catchy, like early-'10s "UK bass" updated for more modern, more global club music tastes. 909 & Heartbreak offers a look into the formative influences of an ambitious producer, highlighting the way he blends these styles into a familiar yet novel mix of humor, pathos and history.
Tracklist01. A President Is Just A Gangster With A Nuclear Weapon
02. Like A Teardrop In The Sun
03. Love Me, Teach Me, Break Me, Kill Me