There's a lot of ridiculous PR talk about "singular" and "original" artists, but it has to be said that Chelonis R. Jones actually fits the bill. Or perhaps it's just the crowd he runs with is absolutely intent on utility over individuality. Whatever the case, "Rehabilitation" is a blast of fresh air, one that doesn't have a kick drum, a normal hook or even a discernible time signature. (It's 4/4...I think.)
Instead, the song is a little bit like what Nine Inch Nails might sound like if he was a former black house vocalist that decided to record a B-side for a hit single. Which is to say, "Rehabilitation" is a former pop song that has been stripped down to as few sonic elements as possible. The major element, a menacing ever-pulsating synth that grows and grows until it becomes almost unbearably harsh, is accompanied by Jones reciting his warped poetry over top. And…that's about it. That it has as much power as it does is a miracle. That it's one of the best tracks I've heard all year may be down to the fact that it simply sounds like nothing else, but in the right hands, it'll destroy a room. (And at the right time. I'd recommend 10. PM or AM.)
Utility, however, remains a major concern for a label like Marc Romboy's Systematic, which means we get two dance floor-ready remixes from Dachsund and Markus Fix on the flip. The former takes the tune in a minimal direction, marking off a rubbery beat that provides a nice foreground for synth stabs and a melody to play out over top. Fix, meanwhile, dons his Mannheim hat and boxes Jones into the Cécille template, complete with some organ vamping. Both are nice, but Dachsund's relentless, heads-down banger comes out on top.
Buy Chelonis R. Jones - Rehabilitation at
  
Tracklist: Chelonis R. Jones - Rehabilitation
 A1 Rehabilitation (Original)
B1 Rehabilitation (Dachshund Remix)
B2 Rehabilitation (Markus Fix Remix)
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