HAYNESY feat. DJ JABBATHAKUT: The Reworks EP

HAYNESY feat. DJ JABBATHAKUT:  The Reworks EP[RATING: 5] Let’s admit it, some old school hip-hop cuts do benefit from a remix so you can see why Haynesy might take on Jungle Brothers’ I’ll House You, and the sparse 808-powered Big Mouth from Whodini. On the other hand it’s hard to see how some could be equalled, let alone bettered, so spare a thought for the size of our man’s cojones in taking on Eric B & Rakim’s Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em, Big Daddy Kane’s Set It Off and Beastie Boys’ Root Down. The rework of the Whodini cut provides it with a rolling funky underpinning that is fully rejuvenating, making it sound stylistically five years younger – something from ’90 rather than ’85 – which in turn makes it a whole lot more appropriate for a 2020 dancefloor spin. Haynesy still tries to house us on I’ll House You however and while the production certainly sounds updated the beat not only remains pretty housey but could’ve still come out in ’88. I don’t know whether that’s a triumph or not but for the monkey, it’s the least of the tracks while equally weirdly, the ones you’d think – ‘you’re punching there mate’ are superb. Kane sounds fresher than ever over a bass-throbbing uptempo breakbeat, Rakim flexes the mic over super-loose wah-drenched funk and the Beasties kick it Root Down on the phattest of Stax-infused boom-bap. And let’s not forget Jabbathakut is – well – on the cut as the icing on the cake. Promo mini-mix below – chek!
(Out now on Cuttin’ It Fine Records)

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