It’s been ten years since the late DJ Rashad dropped »Double Cup«, one of the footwork classics of all time. The record featured contributions from DJs Spinn and Taso, as well as a certain Manny. On his second album, »Hypnotized«, the Chicago producer returns the favour with »Ooh Baby«, which features a posthumous contribution from DJ Rashad’s archives. Will people look back on DJ Manny’s record with the same nostalgic reverence in ten years’ time? Only time will tell. For an instant classic, »Hypnotized« lacks the overwhelming momentum that DJ Rashad once used to win over his listeners. DJ Manny is at a completely different point in the genre’s development anyway. Fellow footwork artists like Jlin, for example, have moved into the cultural mainstream with commissions for dance theatre. DJ Manny continues to make music for the people in the club, but he doesn’t want to pretend that time has stood still for a decade. His approach is more relaxed, letting the beats clatter nervously as usual, but without any signs of hyperventilation or other excesses. The rhythm is tight, while the rest of his productions sound like soul about to get lost in space. DJ Manny also doesn’t play the game of competing with crazy samples, whether they are chosen or chopped up in a crazy way. At first, this may seem more brittle than his peers. But if you listen carefully, you can hear how focused he is on the task at hand. And his heart is in it.
Hypnotized
