I’ve had nothing but good things to say about this label and everyone involved in it. This is more of the same. In an era in which everyone looks out for themselves and appears mercilessly satisfied by this arrangement, Chicago’s Stripped & Chewed continues to build with some of the best young talent in the game. EP Number 5 features two tracks from Borrowed Identity, whose Je T’Aime EP I couldn’t stop talking about to indifferent and uneasy company for the last few months. A1 is his collaboration with Mechanical Soul Brother, another mysterious cat with whom he collaborated on “With You” (Supplement Facts) and the First Step 12″ on Traveller. For the sound: think of Guidance before they began releasing compilations with Banana Republic – it’s that sort of evolved Fingers sound, smooth without lethargy, deep without causing everyone under the age of 40 to run to the bar for a Red Bull and something more clubby on their iPods. The vocal samples are sparse but exquisitely timed. Borrowed Identity (this time solo), Simba and Tanzlife turn in three tracks that all have a common DNA – a lot of slap bass, soul and boogie music-inspired samples and gleaming percussion. Nothing was left to my desires here – in four tracks, there’s more range of moods and tempos and experiences than there is in your average full album.
