Da Trak Genious

2010 debut album from the Chicago native. On Da Trak Genious, DJ Nate uses samples from Pop and Hip Hop, pitched, layered and triggered into unusual edits and often edging into distortion. Simple phrases are repeated to hypnotizing effect, combined with sparse 808 drum patterns, busy fills, relentless triplets and off-kilter accents. Tracks like "Back Up Kid" and "You're Gonna Love Me" work with modern R&B samples, while others like "Footwurk Homicide" and "Fade Da Black Trak" echo the contemporary British grime sound. "Go Hard," "Let the Beat Build" and "Free" reach back to earlier soul music, crossing half-time drums with slow, looped soul licks, while "A+ Mayhem" cranks the pitch up to hysterical effect.