- Two releases in and DJ Harlow has kept a low profile. His first record, Waxwork, was released by Delroy Edwards' LA Club Resource, a label that's been home for balls-to-the-wall techno producers as well as obscure Memphis and New Orleans rappers from the '90s. Now without a label, Harlow's second 12-inch brings the project into focus with a few sonic and visual hints. The label art for CM19, a postcode in Essex, is a blurry photo of the Harlow exit sign off the M11. That road is known for illegal street racing and has been a crucial thoroughfare for raving over the years. (Essex was home to some of the early orbital raves and artists like Underworld and The Prodigy.) It stands to reason that Harlow is an Essex rudeboy with an affection for bold, Chicago-style TR-909 programming.
Opener "I Am The D" is wonderfully lunkheaded, fitting into a tradition of loopy jack tracks that encompasses Richie Hawtin's enduring Trax tribute, "Bang The Box," and any number of Paul Johnson cuts. A deep voice intones, "I'm the D, D, D, D, D..." while the syllables run through a funhouse of trippy effects. The A-side is a sure-shot, but the flip better illustrates DJ Harlow's aesthetic guidelines. "M11 (Sliproad Mix)" strikes a clever alchemy, combining the siren synths and sadboy pads of '90s rave music with brazen drum work, and that nuance surpasses the hard veneer. It could soundtrack a speedy ride home, party music for staring out the windshield.
TracklistA I Am The D
B M11 (Sliproad Mix)