Liam MacRae

Music

“dysfunctional” continues kaytranada’s winning streak

April 11, 2019

At the AFROPUNK office, where Kaytranada‘s constant presence on the office stereo is a given, the oft-asked debate/question “which Kay is the best Kay?” often leads to the answer, “disco-house Kay” (or “rollerskating jams Kay”). Or at least, that’s when I always raise my hand. So, for those of us who hear Kay’s productions as contemporary versions of a classic disco-rap continuum, the new track that our favorite Haitian-Canadian beatmaker dropped yesterday — “Dysfunctional” featuring vocals by Van Jess, a.k.a. the Nwokike sisters, Ivana and Jessica — is all glory.

Let’s catalog as to why this is the jam of the week: 109 bpms made with hand-claps? Yup. A synthesizer bassline nodding in the direction of the Larry Heard/Mr. Fingers Chicago school? Yup, yup. Two handsome, smooth funk voices, sometimes harmonizing, sometimes call-and-responding? Triple yup. Another classic? Another check.

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