Tayo/ Various

Tayo’s work for Fabric captures the raw energy and intense nature of contemporary bass culture. Equal measures of reggae, hip-hop, UK garage, dub step, Baile funk, grime, breaks and electro are mixed with the slick gangsta swagger of a drum & bass DJ. Tayo has created a surprisingly cohesive, high-energy mix that is sure to get feet moving and heads bopping. This wide range of influences are often all incorporated into each individual song, making the tracks difficult to distinguish from one another, but the underlying sound is full on funky breaks. After a number of listens, the pronounced reggae and ska flavours of the opening and closing tracks stand out because of their relative purity. That said, the magic of this mix is precisely in how mixed and mashed all the music is while retaining a straightforward dance floor vibe that’s full of fire. Thing is, it feels a little silly listening to this mix while riding my bike with my headphones on; I want to hear this album turned up to 11 at three a.m. in a packed club in order to fully appreciate it.