Reclusive Chicago producer/multi-instrumentalist Josh Fina drops a strong vinyl debut on Chicago's Kind Gesture imprint. Pulling from a mix of influences, "Feel Me" is a hazy layer cake comprised of juke, hip hop, footwork, and a little bit of drum & bass thrown in for good measure. It's a testament to the many styles of music he immerses himself into and his ability to make them all come together as an original cohesive whole. Regarding his work he says, "I'll jump straight into producing a track based on what's stuck in my head. I end up making something completely different than intended, sometimes bad, but luckily something I'm ultimately happy with. Feel Me is made up of some of tracks that made the cut."
Straight off the bat, "The Beat 24" is foggy and upbeat, flourishing synths grounded by a solid, head nodding backbeat sprinkled with juke and footwork sentiments. "The Beat 35" picks up where "24" left off, but shifts gears into nimble, quick footed rhythms and an intricate synth work, ultimately resulting in dirty, dirty drum 'n' bass. The title track, "Feel Me" in its psychedelic, schmaltzy instrumentation sounds like what it would be like if Luke Vibert decided to make juke. "Put That Shit Out" is a sublime piece of hip hop with infectious vocal cuts and a neck breaking backbeat. Finally "Alone" is downright addictive. Delicate yet heavy, adorned with music box and female vocal samples, it's the perfect track to tie the EP together. Perfect for headphones or the dancefloor, this is an extremely strong debut release for Fina and another stellar release for KG's roster.
A1 | The Beat 24 |
A2 | The Beat 35 |
B1 | Feel Me |
B2 | Put That Shit Out |
B3 | Alone |