- Family is a big influence in dance music: Often you'll hear DJs and producers name check their parents, older siblings and other family members for helping expose them to the underground for the first time. In the case of Big Strick, his first solo release is indebted to the man he helped give him his start nearly 20 years ago, Omar-S.
A DJ mix the duo made in 1992 was recently released on CD on FXHE. It featured plenty of vocal house jams from that era that went on to become anthems, but this release is planted firmly in today's underground deep house music. The first cut "Boss Nigga" is a deep and abstract afterhours jam that uses subtle melodic touches to work its way into your psyche. "Buckle Up!" is a more uptempo dance floor track, but still has the sensibilities of classic Detroit house.
Strick pays tribute to the West side of Detroit with "Walk Down Linwood," a track that originally appeared on a FXHE compilation on Beatport. It's been a long wait to get it on wax, but it's worth it: It's the highlight of the EP. Smooth synth flourishes reverberate over a bubbling bassline to create a classic. A somewhat more rough sounding mix of "Walk Down Linwood" is the base for a sampled dialogue about growing up as a young black man on "Black Talk." And rounding out the EP is the lo-fi rumble of "Whatup Doe!" which is reminiscent of some of the grittier Omar-S tracks. All in all, a fine first release that will be a staple in the crates of the deep and nasty house-loving DJs out there.
Tracklist A1 Boss Nigga!
A2 Buckle-Up!
B1 A Walk Down Linwood
B2 Black Talk
B3 Whatup Doe!